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Our world has been topsy turvy for a while now. We are seeing how people have turned to themselves as being the only god in their life. This is a big temptation for not only those outside the church, but also for those who attend church and call themselves Christians.
Many Christians don’t approach church as the first century Christians did, instead we are influenced and led by the society that surrounds us. We are the Church, and as such we are to be the influence that changes the world for Christ.
The Work Christ Wants Us To Do
Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV) 11 And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ
The Beauty of Working for the Lord
In the beginning, God created mankind to be keepers of the Garden of Eden and responsible for maintaining the garden for God.
Genesis 2:15 (ESV) The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
God didn’t put Adam and Eve on the earth to be lazy or to be workaholics, but He did put them in the garden to do a job. He wanted them to cultivate and keep the garden well, so when He came to connect with them every night, they would be able to show Him what they had created and maintained. We need to realize this truth: that God created us to work and derive good things from it.
Christians should be present in all areas of community
Ephesians 4:28 (ESV) 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.
In order to reach those who are truly in need of the saving grace of Christ, we must carry Him to the world, right where they are. That is why pastors are to equip the saints—you. Carrying the good news to those in our workplaces, businesses we frequent and friends we see, is vital to seeing people saved by Christ.
The best way to show others the true loving Christ in the workplace, is to view work as genuinely glorifying Him in all that we do and letting God be the changer and finisher of our faith and being sincere in how we talk to and treat others.
What is the purpose of work?
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
The purpose of work is NOT self-indulgence, but rather to benefit those in need. As Christians we should always be looking for ways to give and to give sacrificially. Giving to our local church that we belong to is vital, but we should also look beyond that. What other great causes can we give toward? What local, critical ministries would bene%t from our generosity? In order to give generously, we work.
1 Corinthians 4:12 (ESV) And we labor, working with our own hands…
What To Do?
- Government: we need men and women of the Christian faith to work in
- local, state, and federal politics.
- Family: we need men of faith to stand up and become the leaders that they
- are destined to be in the home.
- Society: We need Christians to bring morals and ethics to our society and
- stand up for what is right and true.
- Church: We need the body of Christ in America to serve with the gifts God
- has given them. We need to come together and be the church and not just on
- Sunday.
- Work: We need to work at our jobs Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do
- your work wholeheartedly to the Lord.”
Talk About It…
- Give examples of how Christians have allowed society to influence us.
- Give some practical ways we can carry the gospel into our workplace, schools, with friends and family.
- Is your work ethic a witness for Christ, a hindrance to others, or done for His glory?
- According to Ephesians 2:10 – we were created to do good works. What are some practical ways we can “do good works” in our community this week?