{"id":3354,"date":"2015-08-03T00:00:53","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T07:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3354"},"modified":"2015-08-02T23:43:03","modified_gmt":"2015-08-03T06:43:03","slug":"0803-god-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/08\/03\/0803-god-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"8\/3: God at Work (\u8bd790:11-17 \u7f5716:1-27 \u4ee3\u4e0a15:1-16:36)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u8bd790:11-17 \u7f5716:1-27 \u4ee3\u4e0a15:1-16:36<\/h2>\n

God at Work<\/h2>\n
\n

\u2018Is God interested in our work? Many people do not see God as a 24\/7 God, but as a withdrawn actor confined to a Sunday show with a declining audience. There is a widespread view that God and work simply don\u2019t mix: the competitive, cut-throat demands of the working world are seen as the obvious enemy of Christian compassion and love. But the God who created and sustains the world is also the God of the workplace. If the Christian faith is not relevant in the workplace, it is not relevant at all<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n

These are the words of one of my closest friends, Ken Costa, in his book God at Work<\/em> (see alsowww.godatwork.org.uk<\/a>). For forty years, Ken has been living out his faith on the frontline of Christian ministry \u2013 in the \u2018secular\u2019 workplace in the City of London. And he sees that as his primary calling as a Christian.<\/p>\n

Whatever kind of work you are called to, it will probably occupy a large proportion of your life. Work is an important part of God\u2019s \u2018economy\u2019. It is part of what you were created to do, and will be part of what you do in heaven. Work has an intrinsic value.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

1. Your work has lasting value<\/h2>\n

Psalm 90:11-17<\/a>Recently, Bill Hybels challenged our congregation with these words: \u2018What are you doing now that will outlive you?\u2019<\/p>\n

Psalm 90 is all about the brevity of life. We come from dust and we are going back to dust (v.3). Even a thousand years in God\u2019s sight is only like a day (v.4). The days of our life \u2018quickly pass, and we fly away\u2019 (v.10).<\/p>\n

However, even though your life is short and fleeting, according to this psalm it is possible foryour work <\/em>to outlive you. What you do can have lasting value. The psalm ends on a note of hope: \u2018May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work<\/em> of our hands for us \u2013 yes, establish the work <\/em>of our hands\u2019 (v.17).<\/p>\n

The ultimate value of your work is a reflection of the fact that God too is a worker. The psalmist says, \u2018Let Your <\/em>work [the signs of Your power] be revealed to Your servants, and Your [glorious] majesty to their children\u2019 (v.16, AMP).<\/p>\n

In Working Without Wilting<\/em>, Jago Wynne writes, \u2018We tend to think that things like our work, which happen when we are on earth, are nothing more than temporary and transient.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Bible paints a different picture. When Jesus returns, God is not going to obliterate this earth, but he will renew it, redeem it and liberate it from its bondage to decay… Human work will be purified and redeemed, so that it is free from sin just as we will be free from sin. But work will certainly be a part of the new creation.\u2019 This is why it is right to ask God to \u2018establish the work of our hands\u2019 (v.17b).<\/p>\n

Lord, may your favour rest upon me. Establish the work of my hands for me. May my work outlive me and have a lasting impact for good.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Give yourself fully to God\u2019s work<\/h2>\n

Romans 16:1-27<\/a>Being a Christian involves being set to work, especially in the work of the gospel. Paul\u2019s letter to the Romans ends with greetings to a list of people. In it, he places great emphasis on the value of their work<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Priscilla and Aquila are described as his \u2018co-workers <\/em>in Christ Jesus\u2019 (v.3). Mary \u2018worked very hard for you\u2019 (v.6). Urbanus was \u2018our co-worker in Christ\u2019 (v.9). Tryphena and Tryphosa were women \u2018who work hard in the Lord\u2019 (v.12). Persis is \u2018another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord\u2019 (v.12). Timothy is \u2018my fellow-worker\u2019 (v.21).<\/p>\n

Elsewhere Paul writes, \u2018We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone\u2019s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, labouring <\/em>and toiling <\/em>so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow\u2019 (2 Thessalonians 3:7\u20139).<\/p>\n

It is interesting to note in passing that although Paul was probably the most effective servant of Christ who ever lived, he was not in \u2018full-time\u2019 ministry. He was a tent maker earning his own keep.<\/p>\n

Similarly, not everyone listed in Romans 16 was involved in \u2018full-time Christian ministry\u2019. Erastus had a secular job \u2013 he was \u2018the city\u2019s director of public works\u2019 (v.23). He no doubt regarded his work as his primary calling and ministry. In that sense all of us are involved in full-time ministry \u2013 whether we are called to work full-time in a church, or in the secular world.<\/p>\n

It is also interesting to note how many women worked in the church. Phoebe (v.1) is described as diakonos <\/em>(a servant) \u2013 the Greek word meaning deacon, or minister (\u2018a key representative of the church\u2019, MSG). She is described as having been \u2018a great help to many people\u2019 including Paul himself (v.2). The Greek word for \u2018a great help\u2019 is the word used for a political sponsor, protector and patron. It suggests she possessed some social position, wealth and independence. She clearly had a very prominent role in the church.<\/p>\n

Priscilla and Aquila (see also Acts 18) had a joint ministry. Priscilla is named first (v.3). This is probably due either to her having been converted first (and having led Aquila to Christ) or to her having played a more prominent role in the life and work of the church.<\/p>\n

Ten of the people named in the list are women. They include Junia \u2013 one of the \u2018outstanding leaders\u2019 (v.7, MSG). Junia is almost certainly a female name. She is described as one of those who was \u2018outstanding among the apostles\u2019 (v.7). Since she was clearly not one of the twelve apostles, \u2018apostles\u2019 here has a wider sense, denoting someone sent out as a missionary. Paul includes a woman as being outstanding among these missionary leaders. It is clear from all of this that women occupied prominent places on Paul\u2019s team.<\/p>\n

Paul ends on a note of thanks and worship: \u2018All our praise is focused through Jesus on this incomparably wise God! Yes!\u2019 (vv.25\u201327, MSG).<\/p>\n

Lord, help all of us, whatever our calling, to be those who work hard in the Lord. Help us to proclaim \u2018Jesus Christ… so that all nations might believe and obey him \u2013 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen\u2019 (v.27).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Imitate God in work and rest<\/h2>\n

1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36<\/a>Work is one of the ways in which you imitate God. You are made in the image of God. Therefore, just as God works, you also are created to work. As God laboured in creation, so we are to do the same. The command to work was there before the Fall (see Genesis 2:15). As Ken Costa often says, \u2018Work was in the original God-breathed prospectus.\u2019<\/p>\n

David set to work. He \u2018constructed buildings for himself\u2019 (1 Chronicles 15:1). He called together the leaders and set them to work (v.12).<\/p>\n

There is no divide between the sacred and the secular. Worship was at the heart of all that they were to do. David gave instructions about \u2018the work<\/em> of worship\u2019 (v.2, MSG). They were appointed \u2018to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel\u2019 (16:4). King David joined in the worship \u2018dancing and celebrating\u2019 (15:29).<\/p>\n

At set times during the day (16:7), they took what Joyce Meyer describes as a \u2018praise pause\u2019 \u2013 \u2018I do not think anything blesses God more than when we stop right in the middle of what we are doing and lift our hands to worship him\u2026 Think about a businessman, for example, maybe the president of a large company. Wouldn\u2019t it be wonderful if several times a day, he closed the door to his office, turned the lock, knelt, and said, \u201cGod, I just want to take some time to worship you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same is true for students, stay-at-home [parents], retired people, secretaries, flight attendees, brain surgeons, clerks, and salespeople \u2013 anyone you can think of. All of them would have many more fruitful, productive, and peaceful days if they took time to praise the Lord throughout the day. We all would benefit greatly from taking a \u201cpraise pause.\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

David praises and thanks the Lord for what \u2018he has done\u2019 (v.8), \u2018his wonderful acts\u2019 (v.9), \u2018the wonders he has done\u2019 (v.12). He recounts the great work of the Lord and calls the people to \u2018worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness\u2019 (v.29).<\/p>\n

God is a worker. We see this right from the start of the Bible. He was at work in creation, \u2018by the seventh day God had finished the work he had being doing; so on the seventh day he rested\u2019 (Genesis 2:2). He not only creates the world, he sustains and redeems it. Work is one of the ways in which you imitate God.<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you for work. Thank you that even \u2018hard work\u2019 is such a blessing. May my work in itself be an act of worship, as I present my body as a \u2018living sacrifice\u2026 [my] spiritual act of worship\u2019 (Romans 12:1\u20132).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n
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1 Chronicles 15:29<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.\u2019<\/p>\n

I love worship, but it is easy to have likes and dislikes. Sometimes I can think \u2018how can that be worship?\u2019 But God looks at the heart. And I don\u2019t want to become like Michal!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u8bd790:11-17 \u7f5716:1-27 \u4ee3\u4e0a15:1-16:36 […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bibleinoneyear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3354"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3355,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354\/revisions\/3355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}