120902 On a Mission from God

Question: How do you view work – as a four-letter word or as a gift?

You fool!  You will die this very night.  Then who will get everything you worked for?  Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. - Jesus’ parable, The Rich Fool, The Bible, Luke 12:13-21 (NLT)

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. – The Bible, Romans 12:11 (NLT)

First and foremost, work is not about economic exchange, financial remuneration, or a pathway to the American Dream, but about God-honoring human creativity and contribution.  Our work, whatever it is, whether we are paid for it, is our specific human contribution to God’s ongoing creation and the common good. – Tom Nelson, Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work, p. 21.

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. – The Bible, Ephesians 6:7 (NLT)

The created order, which God has begun to redeem in the resurrection of Jesus, is a world in which heaven and earth are designed not to be separated but to come together.  In that coming together, the “very good” that God spoke over creation at the beginning will be enhanced, not abolished. – N.T. Wright

 Question: What impact would viewing your work as being part of God’s redemptive mission have on your attitude and behavior?

 All vocations are intended by God to manifest His love in the world. – Thomas Merton

 Let the church remember this: that every maker and worker is called to serve God in his profession or trade – not outside it…  The only Christian work is good work well done. – Dorothy Sayers’ essay, Why Work?

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.  Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you.  Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. – Apostle Paul, The Bible, Philippians 2:12-15 (NLT)

God doesn’t need our good works, but our neighbor does. – Martin Luther

If it falls to your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep the streets like Michelangelo painted picture, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music; sweep streets so well that all the host of Heaven and earth will have to pause and say, “Here lived a great street sweeper, who swept his job well.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

 …be an example to [the next generation] by doing good works of every kind.  Let everything you do reflect the integrity of your teaching.  Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them.  They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good.  Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. – Apostle Paul, The Bible, Titus 2:7, 9-10 (NLT)

 Question: What impression are you making at work?  What kind of fragrance is wafting through your workplace these days?  How would your coworkers describe you as a worker?

 If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. – The Bible, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (ESV)

 In short, fidelity to the highest practices of vocation before God is consecrated and itself transformational in its effects. – James Hunter

 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. – The Bible, Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

 Question: As a Jesus follower – which means you are automatically on a mission from God – how are you going to work differently?