Intro:
Gargoyles on the cathedral (beautiful work hidden from view - Why? B/c the Christian work ethic realizes that our work is beautiful in God’s sight.)
The 4th commandment: God values our work, but not our busy-ness.
Work has been in the news this week. (mayday, demonstrations)
Our work is the same word that God used of his own creation (malalkaw)
- it is honored
- same word as is used for God’s creation
- God’s work was good; God’s rest was perfect
Work vs. labor – Adam worked in the garden, toiled afterwards…
means a calling – either what we are called to or what calls us
Bach – s.D.g. All our work is beautiful in the eyes of the Lord. Like my 3yr old’s artwork - its all the same to God
Art, Books Intellectual Stuff
Taking care of a baby, mucking a stall
applies equally
Regardless of gender (you and your wife)
or economic situation (One Law (Ex 12:49 – context Passover, Lev 24:12 – context The Law – right before the Sabbath year))
actually very American (Story of G.W. & the colonel)
valued as God’s own creation – he loves creativity
But we are human -- what is honored at times is rarely sustainable
By demanding rest, he is saying you are even more valuable than what you do – and that’s a lot! Does the highest ranking attorney in the office put in 80hrs a week? Not if he’s smart!
We all need to re-create in order to create
Gen. Assembly accidently re-enacting Blue Laws in ‘04 - and then people thought, maybe its not such a bad idea...
Americans work more hours than the Japanese
We are human, not God and if we think we can ‘do it all’ we’re fooling ourselves.
We Are God’s Temple – It is holy; it must be maintained…
We’re actually more productive w/rest
Guy comes upon three men building a church
What are you doing? Three men: (1) I’m working so I can get my paycheck (2) I’m cutting stone (3) I’m building a cathedral
Long Branch Baptist Church
Halfway, Virginia; est. 1786
Sunday, May 7th, 2006
Enter to Worship
Prelude David Witt
Invocation Ps. 139:13-18
*Opening Hymn #35
“How Great Thou Art”
Welcome & Announcements
Morning Prayer
*Praise Hymn: “It is well with my soul” #339
*Responsive Reading [See Right]
*Offertory Hymn #30
“O Worship the King!”
Offertory Mr. Witt
*Doxology
Scripture Exodus 20:8-11
Sermon
“Mind your own Busy-ness”
Invitation Hymn #33
“To God Be the Glory”
Benediction
Congregational Response
May the grace of Christ of Savior / And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor / Rest upon us from above. Amen.
* Congregation, please stand.
Depart To Serve
Responsive Reading
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me lie down in still pastures; He leads me beside still waters.
If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would.
And how much more valuable are you than a sheep!
Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Lord in everything you do,
If you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it, then you will find your joy in the LORD
Be still, and know that I am God.
Keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever.
It helps you to remember that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
What are human beings that you are mindful of them?
What are mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under their feet,
Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath.
And I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath.”
I am come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
- Psalm 23:1-2; Mark 2:27-28; Isaiah 58:13-14; Psalm 46:10;
Exodus 31:13; Matt 12:10-12; Psalm 8: 3-6; John 10:10; Matt 11:28
