Work – Partners with God
-How to find satisfaction in your work-
I Corinthians 3:5-9
“We work together as partners who belong to God…” V. 9
On this Labor Day Sunday I have a question: Do you appreciate your work?” Before you complain about your job, listen to the regulations that employees at Mt. Corry Carriage and Iron Works were asked to follow in 1782.
• Employees will daily sweep the floor; dust the furniture, shelves and show cases.
• Each day fill lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks, wash windows once a week.
• Each clerk will bring a bucket of water and a shovel of coal for the day’s business.
• Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to individual taste.
• The office will be open at 7 am and close at 8 pm daily, except on the Sabbath.
• Men employees will be given an evening off each week for courting purposes, and two evenings if they go regularly to church.
• Any employee who smokes Spanish cigars, uses liquor in any form, gets shaved at a barber’s shop or frequents public halls will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty.
• The employee who has performed his labors faithfully and without fault for a period of five years, who has been thrifty, attentive to his religious duties, and is looked upon by his fellow man as a substantial law-abiding citizen, will be given an increase of 5 cents per day in his pay, providing just returns in profits from the business permit. (From “The Word for You Today” April 8, 2004 daily devotional.
In comparison with the good old days maybe your job isn’t so bad after all.
I Corinthians 3:9 the Apostle Paul gives this comment about work, “We work together as partners who belong to God…” Paul was a tent-maker by trade and made his living by manufacturing tents to pay for his service as a missionary.
Paul is saying that we all are “fellow workers” with God.
We need a clear Biblical view of work. A correct view of work will dispel any myths of work.
Myth: Church work is the only work that has any real spiritual value. Only people paid for Christian service are in work that matters to God.
Fact: The Bible makes no distinction between the “sacred” and the “secular.” All of life is to be lived under Christ’s lordship. All work has essential value to God
Myth: The heroes of the faith are ministers and missionaries. “Lay” workers remain second class citizens. According to this idea all who are not in full time Christian service are out of God’s will.
Fact: God has delegated His work to everybody, not just people in full-time ministry. God sees all people accomplishing His work in the world. In creation God worked six days and rested on the seventh. There was nothing especially sacred about the first days of creation and yet God called it all good.
Myth: The most important day of the week is Friday. TGIF because work is drudgery and weekends are for escaping and catching up. No thought is given for a Sabbath.
Fact: God places a high value on rest. God never intended for people he created to work seven days a week. The Lord invites us to join Him in a day of rest, renewal and celebration. Remembering the Sabbath prepares us to go back to work with a sense of mission and purpose. TGIM is better, “Thank God it’s Monday.”
Myth: God imposed work as a curse to punish Adam and Eve’s sin. Genesis 3:1-19
Fact: Work is not evil. God Himself worked so work is not evil. God created people in His own image to be His coworkers. God gives us ability and authority to manage His creation.
God established work before the fall. Genesis 1 & 2 record how God created the world and placed Adam and Eve in the garden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
A careful reading of Genesis 3:17-19 shows that God cursed the ground as a result of Adam’s sin, but not work.
The Bible teaches that there is no separation of sacred and secular work in the eyes of God. All work, both sacred and secular matter to God. Jesus is Lord over all creation and therefore, he is Lord over all work. Whatever you do for work, you should do it “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Col. 3:17)
The Holy Spirit empowers you to live and work with Christ-likeness. Spirituality has to do with your character and conduct, regardless of where you work. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to help you live in a way that pleases Him. God promises rewards to people in everyday job, based on their attitude and conduct. (Ephesians 6:7-9) “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”
Paul was a tent-maker and he mentions three other fellow workers that probably had secular jobs as well. He described Aristarchus, Mark and Justus as “fellow workers for the kingdom.” So where you draw your paycheck is not the criterion by which we judge whether someone is a worker for God’s kingdom. Kingdom work involves promoting the values, beliefs, and lifestyle of the kingdom of God. Kingdom work may involve workers found among doctors, accountants, engineers, painters, salespeople, auto mechanics, homemakers, pastors, missionaries and School Teachers.
The question we must ask is, “Are we making our work promote values, beliefs and a lifestyle fitting for the Kingdom of God?”
Another question to ask is “Who’s Your Boss?” Colossians 4 tells about a man who had a menial, dead-end job. This man was assigned tasks no one else wanted – the “dumb-work,” the dirty work, the dangerous work. He was called out at all hours of the day and night to satisfy the whims of his supervisors. He had little hope for advancement. In fact, he’d be lucky to keep his job; plenty of others stood in line, ready to replace him. Whether he even lived or died mattered little. He was a first-century Roman slave.
The Apostle Paul declared that this slave mattered to God. Colossians 4:1 “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”
Paul said that slaves mattered to God and the work of the slave also mattered. Colossians 3:22-24, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Paul is saying that the slave’s master is not his primary boss. The Lord is his primary boss. “It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” The slave is an employee of Christ the Lord!
If you are a Christ follower and work for a giant multinational corporation or a mom-and pop, pizza parlor; you may have 15 levels of bureaucracy over you, or be self-employed. It doesn’t matter. Ultimately, Christ is your boss.
Christ gives you work to do. Work is a gift from God. Christ is your boss, but He uses human supervisors according to Colossians 3, as His representatives. They may not act very Christ-like, but in working for them, you are ultimately working for Christ.
What kind of worker are you? Do you follow instructions? Do you shirk your job when your over-seers are not around? Do you work as if Jesus is your boss?
Christ asks you to put your heart into your work. If you serve Christ in your job, you have more reason than anyone else to work with integrity and enthusiasm.
There is some work that God cannot bless. God cannot bless any work that breaks either God’s law or the laws of government. God blesses any work when as you work you personally promote the values, beliefs and lifestyle of the Kingdom of God.
Every person has to find the job and line of work that is a fit. Finding a job is not like a game show. Is God’s will behind Door # 1, Door # 2 or Door # 3? In a game show you get only one choice, and if you miss it, you’ll have to settle for a consolation prize and God puts you on the shelf.
Very few people these days have only one job during their life time.
How do you know what job is right for you? You pray for God to open and close doors so you will have opportunity to use what He has given you. God has designed you with certain skills, aptitude and passion for work. One way to find out what your passion is; is through experiences you have. After a couple summers working on a farm I knew my passion was not farming. After I sensed God’s call to full-time Christian ministry I then prepared for the ministry by going to college and seminary and tested the call through experience. It was that sense of call that has kept me going through times of challenge and adventure.
Whatever your vocation, it you have a sense of contentment and fulfillment, rejoice. It is a gift from God.
I’ve read about many business leaders who have tried to make a difference in the work place.
Dennis W. Bakke tells how as a CEO of AES (Applied Energy Services) he trired to make work fun for the employees. In his book, “Joy at Work – A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job” he describes the mission and values of AES. AS CEO of the $27 billion company he promoted four core values: integrity, fairness, social responsibility and fun.
Bakke says “joy at work” means everybody being free to make important decisions about how the company functions and his own role within it.
Several weeks ago I attended a leadership summit and heard the President and CEO of Southwest Airlines talk about her company. She started out in 1974 as a legal secretary and now is President and CEO. Southwest Airlines is the only airline company that every year has shown a profit.
The goal of Southwest Airlines was to open up the skies. They wanted grandpa and grandma who could only fly once a year, to be able to fly several times a year to visit family. A core value was to have the company function like a family. The employee was first and the customers second.
Colleen said she started out in the early days sending cards out to every employee on their birthday and anniversary according to the day they joined the SWA. When someone was sick they gave them a call. When an employee was in the hospital flowers were sent. Now that the company has grown to many thousands of employees she has 6 full time people caring for the various needs of their employees. She said there are primarily two things that gets a person fired. The first reason is if the person misses getting to work on time. The second reason is if a person missions getting to work on time. There is no third time. Their core value is on time arrivals and it takes 5 people – they must have 2 pilots and three flight attendants on board before they can take off.
On this Labor Day weekend you are reminded that whatever your work is it matters to God. If you are a teacher you can say, I’m (_________ _________), a servant of Jesus Christ, masquerading as a teacher.” Whatever your work you are in partnership with the Lord. Make sure that in your work you are personally promoting Kingdom values, Kingdom beliefs and a Kingdom lifestyle of integrity.
In the life and work of the Willow Vale Church we are committed to Team ministry.
T – Together
E-Everyone
A-Accomplishes
M-More
We have team leaders and team members – all working together to fulfill our mission and core values. Our teams are working in partnership with God as volunteers for Jesus. Our teams are like a ball made out of colorful rubber bands. When all are working together there is vitality and productivity. When only one is working there is little bounce and little vitality or productivity. Every member of the team is important.
We have many teams in the church doing different kinds of ministry. If you’re not on a team why don’t you consider joining a team? When you join a team you help us achieve and accomplish more for the Lord.
