Work has purpose and meaning, and yields good fruit.
Many people, believers included, see work as a “necessary evil”. Something you just have to do to get to the weekend. Whether we realize it or not, we see work as a result of the fall in Genesis 3, where God told Adam that the ground would be cursed and he would toil endlessly with little fruit. That is an awful picture. To keep working, keep toiling, but with no visible fruit for your work.
The truth is actually found in the previous chapter. In Genesis 2 we see God completing His work of creation. He sees His work and says “it is good.” God didn’t create work as a punishment for sin; God is a worker. Genesis also tells us that He made Adam in His own image. God gives Adam meaningful work in Genesis 2:15 – he is to care for the garden, and then later to name the animals. In the Garden, the work has purpose and meaning and is full of contribution. It is labor that yields good fruit, not painful toil.
Work is a blessing, not a curse.
Jesus came to restore what was lost in the fall. Jesus is referred to as the “second Adam” in Romans 5. He came to restore what existed before the fall, including the blessing of work. And each of us is given “good works” that God prepared for us.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10
First, work is a blessing, not a curse. Work is one of the vehicles you have to make your contribution to the world as an image-bearer, imitating your Father.
We bring the Kingdom to our place of work.
Second is that no matter what your job is, whether it is something you feel like you were made to do, or something that is “for now,” you have the opportunity to bring the Kingdom to your workplace. As an image-bearer, you bring His presence, His peace, and His power into your workplace every single day.
Often at work we are surrounded by people who don’t know Jesus, who would never darken the door of a church, and have no idea where hope, peace and joy come from. As a follower of Jesus you carry those things with you because you carry the Holy Spirit with you. He isn’t just with you on Sundays, He is with you Monday through Saturday too!
What if we paused to recognize that in the midst of a world full of anxiety and fear of the unknown, we carry the peace of God?
I heard it said recently that the best gift a leader can give his or her people is the gift of being a non-anxious presence. While that matters for leaders, I believe it matters for every believer.
The “good works” you are called to don’t have to always be telling people directly about Jesus. When you are at work, your boss and co-workers need you to work with excellence. That is part of the character and nature of Your Father. But when you carry His character and nature with you, just your presence can change the atmosphere.
As you do excellent work and are a non-anxious presence, those around you see that you are different, and you will begin to have opportunities to minister peace and grace to them.
While so much more could be said, if you know that work is a blessing, not a curse, and that you carry the Kingdom of God as His image bearer, you can impact your workplace powerfully.
If you missed Pastor Andrew's message last Sunday on his series on The Kingdom, "Jesus Is King Over All", click here to watch the video or listen to the podcast.
We invite you to join us online Sundays at 11:00 a.m. for our live stream service which you can watch on Facebook or YouTube.
We also have an outside service on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. when weather and air quality permit. Watch for an announcement regarding the status of the service on our Facebook page each week. Please bring your own lawn chairs.
