Dakota Community Church
Ephesians 55, Grace at Work 25
June 9, 2013
Doctrine of Vocation
We are given six behaviors we are to discontinue - because they destroy unity.
We are given six replacement behaviors which will foster and protect unity.
Instead of lying; speak truth
...having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. (Ephesians 4:25)
Instead of outbursts of wrath; righteous anger
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Instead of stealing; working and contributing
Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. (Ephesians 4:28)
A.) The Eighth Commandment - Let the thief no longer steal
Last Week:
It is wrong to TAKE the fruit of someone else’s labour without paying for it.
B.) An Honest Days Work
- but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands
An honest days work with his own hands. Let’s think about this for a minute shall we.
This idea is not popular amoung believers in our generation.
Evangelicalism is full of ear scratching bluster about you and your special purpose.
Be a David, be a Daniel, claim that mountain ‘cause you’re a Caleb
Pray Sun stand still prayers
Attack a lion in a snowy pit
Be a victor not a victim - on and on it goes, poor Jesus has such great plans if only He could get the “mighty warriors, dressed for battle” to jump on board.
Quote from "God At Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life." by Gene Edward Veith Jr.
Luther distinguishes between what he calls "the theology of glory" and "the theology of the cross." We naturally yearn for "glory," for success, victory, and living happily ever after. We thus prefer religions of glory, ones that promise us a successful life, that answer to our full rational satisfaction all of our questions, that grow and thrive, becoming ever more popular and powerful.
The problem is (to our human minds), God saved us by means of the Cross. The Christian life He gives us is the Way of the Cross. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). This cannot refer just to another martyrdom, as experienced by many of His disciples; nor is it just some "thorn in the flesh" that Christians must put up with. It is something that must be borne "daily."
Whatever this entails—the pattern of repentance and forgiveness that makes up the texture of the Christian's life; the persecutions and rejections, bitter or mild, that a Christian will experience; the physical suffering and eventual death that no one can escape—it also relates, Luther thought, to vocation.
Though personal and unique for each person ("take up his cross"), the Way of the Cross means that our spiritual life does not consist solely of victories, miracles, and success stories. To be sure, God sometimes refreshes us with victories, and glories of every kind await us in the everlasting life that He has prepared for His people. Jesus died, but then He rose again and ascended into Heaven, and the next time He will come, as the creed says, "with glory." So there is glory in the Christian life, but in the meantime we must bear our crosses. And when we do, we find that we are driven to depend on Jesus more and more.
What is the doctrine of vocation?
1. The doctrine of vocation is the belief that God is active in everyday human labor, family responsibilities, and social interactions.
Which means in most cases God’s Audacious Plan for Your Life is shockingly ordinary.
1 Corinthians 7:17-24
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
In the Lord's Prayer we ask God to give us our daily bread, - he does - but not by dropping manna from heaven. He does it through the work of farmers, bakers, truck drivers and retailers.
The whole economic system is used by God to give us our daily bread.
Each part of the economic food chain is a vocation (calling), through which God works.
To use another of Luther's examples:
“God himself is milking the cows through the vocation of the milkmaid.”
Think about what this means for your job. For janitors and secretaries and garbage men.
In a theology of glory everyone chooses the roll of “world changer”.
In the theology of the cross the garbage man is a world changer by faithfully collecting the trash.
The fact that God honoring work occurs in everyday human labour means we can quit forming hokey “Christian” versions of everything.
So you need a new car? Let your fingers take a walk
Through the business guide For the "born again" flock
You'll be keeping all your money In the kingdom now
And you'll only drink milk From a Christian cow
Don't you go casting your bread To keep the heathen well-fed Line Christian pockets instead Avoid temptation - Guilty by association Steve Taylor; Meltdown 1984
The doctrine of vocation is the belief that since every area of life in Christ is a calling - as we do it unto Him, God accepts it as good and glorifying to Him.
How is the ordinary Christians job a good work that glorifies God?
The problem:
Isaiah 64:6
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
The passage is actually referring specifically to those ancient Israelites at that particular point in time (760-670 B.C.) who had strayed from God, not to all of mankind in general.
The proper interpretation calls for this passage to be applied in its historical and specific setting; not in a universal or theological context. It does illustrate the point however that human works apart from God are unacceptable to him because they are stained by sin.
Even in my best deeds there is something to be repented of because of the sin nature.
My own best efforts cannot satisfy a holy God because of sin.
Quote:
“The most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man is that somehow he can make himself good enough to deserve to live forever with an all-holy God.”
Martin Luther
The solution:
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him...
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 3:20-22
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
In Christ we are declared righteous, sins stain is removed, and giving a cup of cold water in His name is reward worthy in heaven!
So what does this mean?
How does this all relate to my life and the my prospects of eternal reward?
The application:
Colossians 3:18-25
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Tyson is not wasting 40 hours a week in his plumbing job and only rewarded for his preaching and blogging.
Jesus will literally say, “I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.”
Geoff does not need to leave Hydro and get in a few quick years on the mission field in order to do something that has eternal reward.
Jesus will literally say, “I was cold and you kept me warm and alive.”
Caleb does not have to add Sunday School teaching to his work as a chef in order to please God and gain riches in heaven.
Jesus will literally say, “I was hungry and you gave me something delicious to eat.”
Jen does not have to add prayer group leader to her resume because some fools have defined her as “just a mom” or in order to please God.
Jesus will literally say, “I was sick and you wiped my runny nose and cared for me.”
Important:
Jesus will not say these things to every plumber at Tyson’s job site, He will not reward every worker at Hydro, even if they are doing the exact same job as Geoff; every chef in the kitchen with Caleb is not blessing Jesus with the delicious food they plate, and every mom is not glorifying God in her nose wiping and diaper changing. Why not?
One’s offering is the work of sinful, unregenerate human hands; the other is offered in faith by blood bought, redeemed, and forgiven clean hands - all the glory is God’s!
The doctrine of vocation redefines our motivation for work; to love God and to love & serve our neighbor.
The Christian can and should love his work.
We are not supposed to be like Charlie Major! “I Do It For Money”
Work for the Christian actually becomes an act of worship, a God glorifying service to Him and to our fellow man.
Making a living, going shopping, being a good citizen, and spending time with one's family-that is, the "ordinary routine"-are all spheres in which God is at work, through us.
God is concerned with your vocation but even more so with how you carry it out.
Final Thought:
The command to stay in the condition you ere called in is not absolute.
1 Corinthians 7:21
Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
