God’s View of Work
Genesis 2:1-15
Big Idea: Work is a holy calling requiring our all in partnership with God.
Today let us look at God’s view of work. Genesis 2 tells us work untainted by the Jump to Ruin. Genesis 3 shows ruined work. We will look at several Scripture to see how redeemed work could be done.
Work is an important part of our lives. We’ve all heard about people’s love-hate relationship with work.
Have you ever heard this popular saying? “No one on his deathbed ever says, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’” This modern proverb is on its way to becoming a classic. In fact, only one thing keeps it from achieving timeless status as a Great Truth of Life.
It’s not true.
In point of fact, many people on their deathbeds do regret not having spent more time at the office. Albert Einstein’s last words to his son were: “If only I had more mathematics!” The French composer Ravel’s final utterance was: “I still had so much music to write!” American engineer and inventor James Eads departed this world with: “I cannot die! I have not finished my work!” Charles Darwin voiced only one regret as he lay dying: “I am only sorry that I haven’t the strength to go on with my research. I’m sure most of us have heard Thomas Edison’s famous quote: "Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”
And who will ever forget one of Jesus famous last words on the cross, “It is finished.” He came for work and finished it.
Paul expressed the same joy and satisfaction over his life: “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” 2 Tim 4:6-8 (NLT)
Sadly, for a lot of people the joy, the meaning, the blessings, the sense of fulfilment that ensues from work, is missing. Instead, work is viewed as something to be endured, not enjoyed. For a lot of people, work is almost viewed as a necessary part to be alive. You work to live. You live to work.
Car sticker – “I am not in a hurry, I just on my way to work.” Jerome K Jerome admitted: “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”
Is that the way you feel about your work or is your job merely something to endure so that you can pay the bills? Let me state, right up front, that God has uniquely shaped you for a particular vocation. He never intended that we finish up the work week and say “Thank God it’s Friday!” As people of faith we are to take God to work with us to that we can actually say “Thank God it’s Monday!”
Let’s be honest, though, for many of us work is not something to be excited about. It’s something we’d avoid if we could. I read a story of a Company Owner who would bring all his workers for a pep talk once a month. Once he told them, we’re just bought several robots that would do a lot of the mundane works. This will surely make your work easier. (Do we have to report every “Wednesday?”) People will avoid work if they could. They look forward to vacations and the end of the week, “TGIF”; “TJIS”; “TJIM”. I think it’s because we don’t have a proper perspective on work.
The first thing that you must understand is that …
1. God is a worker.
I worked through Genesis 1-3 this week preparing for our January 25 project, and noted one interesting truth about God: He is a working God. He is creator; a Potter; a Planter; A Commander; An Evaluator and Rectifier; a Builder.
Notice Jesus’ words:
But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” John 5:17
God works. Obviously he doesn’t have to bring home a paycheck, but he works nonetheless. The Bible reveals that there are two big reasons why God works. First, God’s work reveals who he is. Look at Romans 1:20.
”From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20 (NLT)
The invisible, spiritual God shows us who he is through his creation. We are finite, physical creatures and the only way we can even begin to comprehend God is through the work of his hands. God reveals himself through his work.
I think there’s a second, less theological sounding reason. It appears that God’s work brings him satisfaction. In the Genesis account of creation, God makes the heavens and the earth in six days. When all was said and done God stepped back and commented on it all.
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Genesis 1:31
God himself made this pronouncement. So we see that God’s work both expresses who he is and brings him satisfaction.
Here’s another fact that you need to know about work.
2. God created humanity to work.
It’s a part of our very nature. Notice how we were created.
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27
If we’re made in God’s image we can only conclude that we were created to work. If that implication isn’t strong enough, let’s look at the first thing God gave the original man to do.
”The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. …Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:8, 15
God put him to work. We can only conclude that originally humanity’s work had the same purposes as God’s work: expression of self and to bring a sense of satisfaction.
Just like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, your work means fulfilling your God-given design to make an impact on the world around you.
In the beginning, God gave us work and it was a good thing. But an event occurred that threw a wrench into the plan.
3. Our work was frustrated by the (Jump) Fall.
Humanity rebelled against God. He created the first man and woman as sinless beings. He gave them only one command, “Don’t eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” Satan disguised as a serpent enticed them to break that one rule. They ate and their sinless status was broken. As their heirs all humanity is in infected with sin because of the Fall.
After this event, God revealed to the man that his sin had affected his relationship to God, his relationship to his wife, and even his work.
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV)
Because of sin, rebellion against God, the purpose of work was altered. Rather than work as a means of self-expression and to bring satisfaction our labour meant providing food and other necessities to live. God didn’t do this to us. In the Garden of Eden, food and shelter was provided. Clothing was optional. Adam and Even worked for the pleasure of it. That all ended with the Fall.
Today we perpetuate what began way back then.
Our work continues to be frustrated by faulty perspectives.
If you’re into bumper-sticker philosophy, you’ve probably seen the axiom, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.” For a vast portion of the workforce, that’s the best reason they can muster for going to the job each day.
We tend to view work merely as a means to make a living. Today this mindset dominates everywhere in the world. Work equals money. Money enables you to live or help others live.
Another faulty perception that people ascribe to work is that it becomes the place where we find love, acceptance, and affirmation. There’s nothing wrong with seeking fulfillment in work, but love, acceptance and affirmation belong to relationships. Work must be put in its proper place. Only God and our connections to people can bring love, acceptance and affirmation.
God created us in his image, to work, where we can express ourselves, find satisfaction and impact the world around us. We can get back to this original intent only when we begin to take God to work with us. If you can take God to work you’ll be able to say, “Thank God it’s Monday!”
HOW TO WORK GOD’S WAY
1. View your work as a call from God.
The problem that we have is that we compartmentalize our lives. We confine work to this little box. Family time goes in that box over there. God and religious stuff stay in the church building. This is why some folks act a certain way on Sunday mornings and then seem to leave God and everything they’ve learned and experienced behind on Monday morning. If you tend to compartmentalize God, look at this verse:
“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” Acts 17:24
According to the Puritans, “All professions are spiritual to the Christian, not because of the nature of the work but because of the presence of God. …When a Christian – the temple of the Holy Spirit – walks into an office at IBM, IBM becomes a spiritual place.”
Tim Downs, Finding Common Ground (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 170
If you want to be able to say “Thank God it’s Sunday evening, or it’s Monday!” you’ve got to tear down the wall and the perspective that keeps God away from your work. Begin to look at your work as your mission field. That doesn’t mean that God expects you to preach to all your co-workers or pass out tracts or start up religious activities. You do begin to ask yourself how you can do God’s will where you work. Begin to view your workplace as a sacred space. God is just as present in your office or car or shop or store as he is in this church building.
2. Make your work your worship.
Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
You can honor God through your specific job.
A significant and often overlooked way that we serve God is in our everyday tasks. Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”
Our Daily Bread, September 5, 1994
To introduce God to our specific jobs, we need to think deeply about questions like these:
• What does it mean to both be a Christian and hold this job?
• How would I do my job differently if I were not a Christian?
• What biblical principles most apply to my daily responsibilities?
• How should my faith affect the way I relate to my co-workers, superiors, or employees?
• Do I know any experienced or successful Christians in this line of work? Is there a way I can benefit from their experience?
• Has anything been written by a Christian in this or a similar field?
• Can I meet with other Christians in my field to continue to explore these questions?
Tim Downs, Finding Common Ground (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 174.
3. Work with God
The Follower of Christ has the advantage others do not have. He lives with God. He works with God.
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength." Phil. 4:13
4. Enjoy your work. Genesis tells us how God quit work on the 7th day and rested. He then established the Sabbath.
God wants His people to work and enjoy it. Like God we also need to look into what we produce and enjoy. Enjoy the food you buy with the money you earn from work. Enjoy the cloth you wear. Enjoy the offering you give to the Lord’s work.
Take a regular Sabbath.
Conclusion: God calls us to express His image in us - His creative image, that desire to be productive and to enjoy what we do.
I realize that some of you work in homes where you are abused and hurt everyday. To you I say that Jesus offer comfort and hope.
