Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Your Work Matters to God, Part 17 of 45
TEXT: "When the crowds heard this, they were astonished by his teaching. Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:33-40).
IDEA: In our work we can fulfill the commands to love God and to love our neighbors.
PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate that work not only has inherent value, but it has instrumental value.
I often meet people in the workplace who would like to come to work for a seminary or a church or RBC Ministries. What are some of the reasons for that desire?
People think it's a nicer environment to work in:
They think that if they're working for an organization that is Christian, then they won't have the hassles they have in secular business.
They want to work in order to serve God in a deeper way.
Are they right in their reasoning?
I. If you were to sum up what God requires of us, what would you say? See Matthew 22:33-40 above, or Luke 10:27.
What are the elements in these commands? Who are to be the objects of our love?
We are to love God. What does that actually mean?
We are to love our neighbors. Who would be involved in that?
It is assumed that we love ourselves.
II. Our daily work is a principal way for carrying out God's commands.
If you're to love God with "all your heart, soul, mind and strength," it would be unthinkable that in the place where you may spend over half of your life, you don't have to think about loving God at all.
If you love your neighbor, the very nature of work is that it serves needs that people have. If it doesn't serve anyone's needs, the business doesn't operate.
In working, you love yourself. We are blessed when we have regular work to do. Would you rather be too busy or not busy enough?
III. If we take the commands of God seriously, then we recognize that work has instrumental value, enabling us to love God, love others, and love ourselves.
