“Making Much Of Jesus From 9 To 5”
Sermon Series: “Don’t Waste Your Life”
Introduction: Work is one of the most important subjects we can talk about because of how much of our time that it occupies. It is a very important part of our lives. However, I do not think it is addressed very much in church. There is no divide between the secular and sacred. Every part of our lives is to be lived under the lordship of Jesus and for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Part of not wasting our lives is glorifying Jesus through our work. How can we make much of Jesus from 9 to 5? Here are three things we can do as a starting place.
1. Obey the command to work (Exodus 20:8-11). This is the Sabbath command, and we generally think of it as a command to rest, which it is. However, it is also a command to work. We are told to work six days a week and take a day off every week. This provides the balance that Proverbs talks about of not overworking but being diligent and not being lazy.
2. Think about work through a biblical framework. We are to live with a Christian worldview through the lens of Scripture instead of being deceived by the lies and philosophies of the world. This applies to every area of life, including work. This is the basic framework of a Christian worldview and how it applies to work:
Creation———Fall———Redemption———Restoration
A. Creation (Genesis 1:26-2:15): God created us to work. Here are some of the implications:
-We get to work instead of we have got to work.
-We are defined by what we create instead of what we consume.
-We are created to work and create as a reflection of our Creator God who is working in His world.
-We are stewards who have been given dominion over God’s creation.
-We are here to create culture according to God’s design
(Christians must do this in order for societies to function in the right way).
-God has designed and gifted us to do different kinds of work (Exodus 31:1-11).
B. The Fall (Genesis 3:17-19): The world is cursed because of sin so work is now difficult.
C. Redemption (2 Corinthians 5:17): In Christ, all things are now made new, including the way we can approach our work. We can work out of a Christian worldview through the power of the Holy Spirit and in our identity in Christ. Work does not have to be our functional savior (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11). Tim Keller said, “If work is your identity, then if you are successful it goes to your head, if you are unsuccessful it goes to your heart.”
D. Restoration: We are working with God to overcome the effects of the curse.
3. Apply these biblical principles to our work.
A. Do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
B. Work with integrity (Proverbs 11:1-6).
C. Work to benefit others (Ephesians 4:28, 1 John 3:5-8).
D. Share Jesus with others (Colossians 4:5-6).
E. Employees are to be submissive to the authority of their employers (as long as we can do that in good conscience), and employers are to treat their employees in a godly way (Ephesians 6:5, 9).
F. Always do what is right instead of just when we are being watched (Ephesians 6:6).
G. Work to please the Lord (Ephesians 6:7-8).
