Some say that heaven will not be heaven for some people.
Illus: That reminds me of the story one of the fellows in church told me. He told me that Bill, Ron, and Jack all died and went to heaven.
When they got there, they discovered the most beautiful golf course they had ever seen. St. Peter told them that they were all welcome to play the course, but he cautioned them that there was only one rule: DON'T HIT THE DUCKS.
The men all have blank expressions, and finally one of them asks "The ducks?"
"Yes", St. Peter replies, "There are millions of ducks walking around the course, and if one gets hit, he squawks, then the one next to him squawks and soon they're all squawking to beat the band and it really breaks the tranquility. If you hit the ducks, you'll be punished, otherwise everything is yours to enjoy."
After entering the course, the men noted that there were indeed ducks everywhere.
Within fifteen minutes, one of the guys hit one of them. The duck squawked, the one next to it squawked and soon there was a deafening roar of duck squawks. St. Peter walked up with an extremely homely woman in tow and asked, "Who hit the duck?" The one who had done it admitted, "I did."
Immediately, St. Peter pulled out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed the man's right hand to the homely woman's left hand. "I told you not to hit the ducks," he said. "Now you'll be handcuffed together for eternity.
The other two men were very cautious not to hit any ducks, but a couple of weeks later, one of them accidentally did. The quacks were as deafening as before, and within minutes St. Peter walked up with an even uglier woman than before. St. Peter determined which one had hit the duck by the fear in his face, and cuffed the man's right hand to the homely woman's left hand. "I told you not to hit the ducks", he said. "Now you'll be handcuffed together for eternity."
The third man was extremely careful. Some days he wouldn't even move for fear of hitting a duck. After three months of this he still hadn't hit a duck. St. Peter walked up to the man at the end of the three months and had with him a gorgeous woman, the most beautiful woman the man had ever seen. St. Peter smiled to the man and then, without a word, handcuffed him to the beautiful woman and walked off.
The man, knowing that he would be handcuffed to this woman for eternity, let out a sigh and said "What have I done to deserve this?" The woman responded, "I don't know about you, but I hit a duck."
We all would like to have the dream life, but it seems that the ducks keep getting in the way.
WHAT IS THE DREAM LIFE?
Most of us will concur that the ideal life would be to wake-up in the morning, eat breakfast, then go outside and sit under a shade tree all day long and not have to do anything.
While this may be good for a little while, I can assure you this kind of life can soon become pure misery.
Illus: One of the good things about a vacation is that we get to sit under that shade tree for a few days, but after about a week or two we are ready to go back to WORK!
• God knew what He was doing when He said, “Work six and rest one!” But everyone does not agree with God about working SIX and RESTING ONE! They had rather REST SIX AND WORK ONE!
• Work is a wonderful invention of God…IT WORKS!
Since most of us work at least forty hours a week or more, we need to understand why God has commanded us to WORK SIX AND REST ONE!
Let me show you several things that God had in mind when He commanded us to work.
I. WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS
Some of the most miserable children on this earth are children who have had everything given to them as they grew up.
It is nice to have something given to us every now and then by someone who loves us. But one of the most satisfying things in this life is to take the body, the strength, and the wisdom God has given us, and with His help, do something for ourselves.
We live in an age that knows very little about that inner joy and peace. Many feel that the way we PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES is to TAKE FROM OTHERS.
Illus: A Sunday school teacher was teaching her class about the difference between right and wrong. "All right children, let’s take another example."
• She said. "If I were to get into a man’s pocket and take his billfold with all his money, what would I be?"
• Little Johnny raises his hand, and with a confident smile, he blurts out, "You’d be his wife!"
We live in a society that really believes that WE PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES by TAKING FROM OTHERS.
Illus: You might have noticed that now with the high price of Gas, most service stations have a sign at the gas pump that says that if you pump gas and do not pay for it, you can lose your driver’s license.
Humor: Listen, I think they are letting them get off to easy, they should at least cut off a couple of fingers and toes.
When people steal, IT COSTS HONEST PEOPLE!
But not only has there been a problem of stealing at the gas pumps, another problem is that people are having all the gas siphoned out of their cars.
Illus: The Associated Press tells how one young man did this but got caught. It goes like this; “Any thief knows that the easiest way to steal gasoline from a car is to siphon it from the other guy’s tank into your own. Stick a rubber hose in his gas tank, suck on the other end of the rubber hose until you get a mouth full of the gas, then spit it out. From then on the gasoline will flow into your tank. A thief decided to siphon gas from Dennis Quiggley’s motor home in Seattle. When Dennis, inside the motor home, heard the noises outside he investigated [and] discovered the thief curled upon the ground violently vomiting. Intending to suck up the contents of the gas tank the thief had put his hose into the wrong hole - and had sucked up the contents of the sewage tank instead. The thief, a boy of 14, will not be prosecuted. Dennis and the police agree that he has suffered enough.”
This young man learned the hard way that there are some very distasteful consequences for making stealing a part of our life.
God’s plan for man is to WORK FOR A LIVING, not STEAL FOR A LIVING!
But it is simply amazing how many people violate this commandment and feel justified in stealing. Such as:
• Accepting incorrect change
• Over-estimating your deductions on your taxes (Matt. 22:21 “Render unto Caesar . . . “)
• Not working to your full potential at your job (Titus 2:9-10)
• Getting to work late and leaving work early
• Only working your hardest when the boss is looking
• Taking more/longer coffee breaks than your boss allows
• Not challenging a bill that you know is incorrect in your favor
We’ll quickly challenge a bill that costs us more than we think is right, but an error in our favor, we chalk up as a blessing from God.
• Allowing a friend to use your employee deduction. Our intent is not to steal – only to help out a friend; the result is the same though
• Claiming someone else’s idea or words as your own (plagiarism)
Illus: I know a real estate man that goes to McDonald’s to get a cup of coffee on Monday morning. He keeps the cup all week, and during the week he stops at the various McDonald’s for free refills. When I told him that was wrong, he said, “They give free refills!”
WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR STEALING?
There is no justification. God tells us in 1 Tim. 3:2 to live as people who are “above reproach”.
Illus: A Christian man got on a bus one day, and after he paid the fare, he went to the back of the bus. As he sat in the back of the bus, he noticed the driver had given him too much change. When he was getting off the bus, he told the driver he had made a mistake and given him a quarter too much. The driver smiled and said, “I did not make a mistake. I was in your church Sunday and I saw you taking a big part in the worship service and it was worth a quarter to me to see if you are an honest man.” He smiled at the passenger and said, “You passed the test!”
WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS.
II. WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF CAUSING US TO TRUST HIM FOR OUR NEEDS
God promised, in Malachi 3:8-12, if we would prove to be trustworthy and bring God’s tithes to the house of God He would provide for us.
So much could be done for God if God’s people would trust Him and tithe.
Illus: Did you hear about the day the church treasurer resigned from the church and they asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position?
He agreed under two conditions:
1. That no treasurer’s report would be given for the first year
2. That no questions be asked about finances during that year
The people were surprised, but finally agreed since most of them did business with him and he was a trustworthy man.
At the end of the year he gave his report:
• The church indebtedness of $228,000 had been paid
• The minister’s salary had been increased by 8%
• The mission program had been paid 200%
• There were no outstanding bills
• There was a cash balance of $11,252
Immediately the shocked congregation asked:
• "How did you do it?
• “Where did the money come from?"
He quietly answered: "Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You didn’t even miss it!"
Paul knew that to QUIT DOING THE WRONG THINGS would not be adequate, we have to start doing the RIGHT THINGS.
• A person who used to use his hands to steal things, needs something else to do with his hands to keep himself busy.
• A person who used his eyes to read and look at the wrong things, needs something else to look at and read.
God certainly knew what He was doing when He said to WORK SIX AND REST ONE!
Illus: Many years ago, a wise old king called his wise men together and gave them a commission. "I want you to compile for me the wisdom of the ages. Put it in book form so we might leave it to posterity."
The wise men left the king and worked for a long period of time. They finally returned with twelve volumes and proudly proclaimed that this truly was "The wisdom of the ages." The king looked at the twelve volumes and said, "Gentlemen, I’m certain this is the wisdom of the ages and that it contains the knowledge we should leave to mankind. However, it is too long and I fear that people will not read it. Condense it!"
Again the wise men worked long and hard before they returned with only one volume. The king, however, knew that it was still too lengthy, so he commanded them to further condense their work.
The wise men reduced the volume to a chapter, then to a page, then to a paragraph, and finally to a sentence. When the wise old king saw the sentence he was absolutely elated. "Gentlemen," he said, "This is truly the wisdom of the ages, and as soon as all men everywhere learn this truth, then most of our problems will be solved." The sentence simply said, "There ain’t no free lunch." - Zig Ziglar
WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS and WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF CAUSING US TO TRUST HIM FOR OUR NEEDS.
WHY DOES GOD WANT US TO WORK? BECAUSE THE GOAL OF WORK IS TO . . .
(1) KEEP ME BUSY
It has been well said that, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” If I don’t keep myself busy doing good things, then I am going to find bad things to get involved in.
(2) GIVE ME AN APPRECIATION FOR THE VALUE OF THINGS
Illus: Have you noticed that when young boys drive dad’s car they spin the wheels? But later, when they start to pay for the tires on the car, they stop their spinning of wheels.
(3) BRING GLORY TO GOD
Paul told the Corinthian Christians, in 1 Cor. 10:3, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
When you go to work each day, you are given the opportunity to bring glory to God.
• ________, when you go to school tomorrow and teach your students and you do a good job - IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD!
• ________, when you go to the welding shop tomorrow, you are given the opportunity to BRING GLORY TO GOD!
• ________, when you go to the bank tomorrow and work hard, you are given a chance to BRING GLORY TO GOD!
• ________, when you go to the office tomorrow and work hard, you are given the opportunity to BRING GLORY TO GOD!
Our jobs are a place of ministry each day! In my job as a pastor, when I work hard I have the opportunity to BRING GLORY TO GOD!
(4) PROVIDE RESOURCES SO THAT I CAN HELP OTHERS
Illus: ”The Junior Sunday School Teacher asked her eight eager 10-year-olds if they would give $1,000,000 to the missionaries. "YES!" they all screamed!! "Would you give $1,000?" Again they shouted, "YES!" "How about $100?" "Oh, YES we would!" they all agreed!! "Would you give just a dollar to the missionaries?" she asked. The boys exclaimed "YES!" just as before except for Johnnie. "Johnnie," the teacher said as she noticed the boy clutching his pocket, "Why didn’t you say ’YES’ this time?" "Well," he stammered, "Because I HAVE a dollar." [Bible Illustrator]
When we work, it provides us with resources so we can help others.
Conclusion:
Illus: The Associated Press tells the story that Danny Sampson robbed a bank in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Danny Sampson used a hand-me-down Colt 45 and robbed a bank and got $6,000.
When the Royal Canadian Mounted Police caught him and confiscated the gun, routinely they sent the gun to their laboratory where it was recognized as a collector’s prize.
Danny Sampson didn’t have to rob a bank; he had a gun worth $100,000.” --Associated Press.
Danny Sampson didn’t know it, but God had already provided for his needs. It was when he tried to take matters into his own hands that Danny got himself in trouble.
God has already given us what we need. We have a wonderful opportunity to leave here and go to our mission field (our jobs) and bring glory unto the Lord.
I. WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS
II. WORK IS GOD’S WAY OF CAUSING US TO TRUST HIM FOR OUR NEEDS
