Class Lesson May 14, 2017

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE 

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question all of us were asked as kids. And we responded with things like: “I want to be an astronaut.” “I want to be a doctor.” “I want to be a ballerina.” 

It’s interesting to think about that question in more depth. When we ask it of others, we’re typically talking about the work someone wants to do—what career they want to pursue. Yet we phrase the question by asking what a person wants to be. Hear the difference? 

It’s easy for our identity to get wrapped up in what we do— especially if we love our work. But what happens to our identity at the end of the workday, when we come to retirement, or if we lose our job? If we define our identity by our work, these transitions can become debilitating. 

The good news is that we’re far more than what we do for a living. For Christians, our identity is defined not by who we are, but by whose we are. Our identity is wrapped up in Christ. And that identity makes all the difference in our work.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? 

Colossians 3:22 

22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 

Since our identity isn’t found in what we do, but in whom we serve, God’s focus isn’t on what we do—it’s on how we do it. The apostle Paul addressed this by writing to those working to serve another person. 

Slavery has been an ugly and evil part of human history. Yet in Paul’s day, slavery wasn’t seen as a form of abuse. It was simply one way many people found work. Slaves frequently were highly skilled workers or artists; in some cases, they were far more educated than their masters. None of this is meant to excuse the practice of slavery, but simply to point out that slavery in the Roman world was very different from what occurred in America leading up to the Civil War. 

Of course, many slaves in Paul’s day hated their conditions and wanted freedom. Paul wasn’t opposed to freeing slaves, nor to slaves working to become free; he simply remained focused on the mission he’d been given. He wrote elsewhere: “Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity” (1 Cor. 7:21). 

Paul wanted slaves to work not for their masters, but for Jesus. He understood that a slave’s identity was founded not in his position as a slave, but in his position with Christ. Slaves were free in Christ; thus, they were free to serve Jesus with all their hearts. They could demonstrate that service to Jesus by serving their masters with integrity and faithfulness. 

Workers today aren’t slaves; we have bosses instead of masters. But we still work to please Jesus. Therefore, we’re called to work wholeheartedly and with obedience, integrity, and dependability. 

Colossians 3:23-25 

23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 

Do you remember the excitement of getting your first job? Most of us were thrilled when we landed our first “real” full-time job. Over time, though, that excitement and enthusiasm can morph into a daily grind—maybe even into boredom or drudgery. 

So how do we maintain enthusiasm? I’ll admit it: some jobs are just plain boring. But that doesn’t mean our attitude has to match our circumstances. Paul told us, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” A heart centered on Christ makes all the difference. 

In the early years of planting a church, I had to take an additional job to support my family. I was thrilled when a local private school hired me as a teacher, but two months into working, they told me the salary they had offered me was incorrect. They had made a mistake, and they would have to reduce my pay. My family was on a tight budget, and I wasn’t happy. I couldn’t afford to quit, so I finished the school year—but with a terrible attitude. When I resigned at the end of the year, I wrote a scathing letter. 

Years later, I was convicted about my bad attitude. I made an appointment to go to the school and apologized to those who had worked with me. 

What changed? My motivation was different. No matter what I do— and no matter what you do—we’re to do it enthusiastically, since we’re really doing it for Christ.

Paul mentioned several things that can fuel our enthusiasm for work, including the following: 

• Christ’s reward. “Knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.” This surely appealed to slaves who had no reward or compensation in this life. 

• Christ’s lordship. “You serve the Lord Christ.” The sovereign Lord who loves us deeply is the One we truly serve. 

• Christ’s justice. “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.” God will reward obedience and will justly deal with disobedience. 

Who I am in Christ—my identity in Him—is seen by all when I do my work enthusiastically for Him.

Colossians 4:1 

1 Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven. 

I’ve been the employee many times in my working career, and I’ve been the boss. Both roles have their benefits, and both have their challenges. Being the boss, supervisor, or employer generally means more responsibility as well as more pay. Historically, those with the better positions and bigger paychecks also get better treatment. Even today in America, we are aware of CEOs and corporate “big dogs” in the news who seem to get better deals in the judicial system than those who are poor or have less influence. 

Two thousand years ago, slaves had virtually no rights, while masters had almost every right. Most clerical work and manual labor was performed by slaves, and 80 percent of industry and retail work was carried out by slaves. As noted earlier, many slaves were treated well, but not all. Many slaves were considered inanimate objects, which meant the masters were usually allowed to do whatever they wanted with them and to them. 

In this passage, however, Paul commanded Christian masters to do as Jesus would do. Even masters had “a Master in heaven”—the Lord Jesus Christ—and He would hold them accountable for how they treated their slaves. Culture may favor the boss with the power, more pay, and greater influence, but when we stand before God, He won’t play favorites. 

When Jesus spoke about judging others and our treatment of them, He said, “For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use” (Matt. 7:2). Those are critical, practical words. We should be mindful of looking harshly on others, lest God use the same harsh standard on us when we face His judgment. 

On the London subway, every time you enter and exit the subway, you hear the phrase, “Mind the gap!” Americans would say, “Watch your step.” They say that because there’s a gap between the train and the platform; if you don’t “mind the gap,” you could fall in. 

In a similar way, disciples of Jesus should “mind the gap” we’re often tempted to create between others and ourselves. As Christians, we’re called to do what’s right for others—to treat them “justly and fairly”—just as Jesus so faithfully does what’s right for us. 

Let’s never lose sight of the value and importance of the people who work with us and for us. Let’s see them as Jesus sees them—and let’s treat them accordingly each day.

LIVE IT OUT

How will your work reflect your relationship with Christ this week? Consider the following suggestions: 

• Be positive. Employees often speak disparagingly about their employers and companies. Choose to stand out in your workplace by being consistently positive in your speech. 

• Encourage. Take a step to encourage someone you work with this week. Be open and direct about your desire to offer support as an act of obedience to Christ. 

• Pray. Think of a person who is confrontational or difficult to work with. Pray for that person each day. Seek opportunities to be a witness for the love and grace of Christ as you work. 

There are many of us who still don’t know what we want to “be” when we grow up. But all of us will need to work even as we seek our dreams. Therefore, all of us have the opportunity to reflect Christ and the values of His kingdom in the work we do.

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Teacher Notes

IDENTITY

Christian    Mom/Dad    Your Job

Why is it that for so many of us that our work becomes our identity? And is this a bad thing?

·       It’s easy for our identity to get wrapped up in what we do — but what happens to our identity at the end of the workday, when we retire, or if we lose our job? If we define our identity by our work, these transitions can become debilitating.

·       We are far more than what we do for a living. For Christians, our identity is defined not by who we are, but by whose we are. Our identity is in Christ. That identity makes all the difference in our work.

“When you make your work your identity…if you’re successful it destroys you because it goes to your head. If you’re not successful it destroys you because it goes to your heart—it destroys your self-worth.” – Tim Keller

 

   

In a national survey of 180,000 American workers, 80 percent indicated a dislike for their jobs. Why would that be?

There is an old story set in the Middle Ages during the construction of one of the great European cathedrals. A nobleman was walking among the workers, asking about their labors. The stonemason explained the care involved in raising a plumb wall. The glass worker pointed out the details of a leaded glass window. The carpenter spoke about the wooden frame which provided the support for the whole building. Finally, the nobleman spotted a peasant woman with a broom and a bucket cleaning up the trash. He asked her what she was doing. She replied, “I’m building a cathedral for the glory of God!”

This woman understood the biblical doctrine of work. Why?

Colossians 3:22-25

3:22 Slaves (Employees), obey your human masters (Employers) in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

3:22 Servants (Employees), do what you're told by your earthly masters (Employers). And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. 23 Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, 24 confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. 25 The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being Christian doesn't cover up bad work. The Message

EPHESIANS 6:6-8  

6 Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. 7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.

As Christians, what should be our attitude about our work?

·       Since our identity isn’t found in what we do, but in whom we serve, God’s focus isn’t on what we do—it’s on how we do it. In work relationships, we are to be faithful to fulfill our obligations to our employer.

How does the way you work reflect on Christ?

·       The way we do our work is a reflection of our attitude, spiritual disposition, and relationship with God in Christ.

1.     God takes our work seriously. (3:22)

Work is not something out of God’s concern. It is a major part of human life that God takes very seriously. Work has intrinsic value—it is inherently worth doing. Why? There are two reasons:

1.     God is a Worker. God first reveals Himself in Scripture as a worker. He created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) and called this activity work (Gen. 2:2). The fact that God called what He does work and calls it good means that work must be significant, that it must have intrinsic value.

2.     God created people to be His coworkers. Man was created in the image of God and since God is a worker, man—created in God’s image—must be a worker, too.

God ordains work. All legitimate work is an extension of God’s work.

2.     The Bible does not differentiate between secular and sacred work. (3:22-23)

It’s clear in this passage, by using the words everything (v. 22) and whatever (v. 23) that Paul is not differentiating between secular and sacred work. Paul made no distinction between secular and sacred. We must shelf the idea that secular vocation is a step-child to sacred calling.

3.     Our work is done for the Lord. (3:22-23)

·       Some people work for money. They are the living embodiment of the bumper sticker that reads: I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.

·       Others work for opportunity. Advancement and ambition drive them. Someone once told me, “The reward for a job well done is a better job.”

·       Others work for respect. Many want the admiration that good jobs bring. They think that having power and authority on the job will win them the attention from acquaintances and friends at home.

But what happens when the money dries up? What happens when the opportunities stop? What if people don’t like you? What if there is a downturn or downsizing? What then?

If God is a worker and He calls us to be coworkers with Him, then our work must be for Him.

4.     We must give our best at work. (3:23)

We may not have the most glamorous or the best paying job in the world, but we can still give that job the best we have to offer. If we are coworkers with God, and God does His best, then we too must do our best. When we serve our employer well we serve the Lord well. He can use us in our position just as he used Joseph as Potiphar’s overseer and Pharaoh’s Prime Minister, Daniel as the king’s advisor, and Nehemiah as cupbearer to a king. Working with all our heart means being the sort of employee who knows what it is to work for the King. Why do we work with all our heart, giving our best? Because Someone is watching. And that Someone is God, who rewards our efforts.

5.     Our work will be rewarded. (3:24)

Paul reminded us that those who do their work faithfully, recognizing that ultimately we serve the Lord, will “knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord” (Col. 3:24). As far as God is concerned, a slave’s labor in the wheat fields, when done in faithful submission to God, is worthy of a crown as was Paul’s preaching at Rome. It is something for which he, too, will receive a reward.

This thought challenges and comforts me. As a Christian I receive not only a paycheck but also the promise of a heavenly reward far greater than any salary.

When we work for ourselves or for others, we have nothing beyond a paycheck and the material goods it can buy. These cannot ultimately satisfy. But for believers the thoughts of standing one day before Jesus and hearing him say, “Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!” (Matt. 25:23) drive us on. That will be far greater than any Oscar, Pulitzer, Nobel, or Grammy prize that the world offers.

God wants us to see work as His gift to us. Why don’t we?

·       It is not a result of the Fall. God gave Adam and Eve the job of cultivating the garden and exercising dominion over the world before sin entered the world. We were created to work, and for work. 

·       Being happy in our work doesn't depend on the work, it depends on our attitude. To make the most of our job and be happy in our work is a gift God wants to give us!

·       Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift!

Work is God's gift to us. 5 major reasons why work is valuable:

1.     Through work we serve people. Most work is part of a huge network of interconnected jobs, industries, goods and services that work together to meet people's physical needs. Other jobs meet people's aesthetic and spiritual needs as well.

2.     Through work we meet our own needs. Work allows us to exercise the gifts and abilities God gives each person, whether paid or unpaid. God expects adults to provide for themselves and not mooch off others. The Bible tells us, "If one will not work, neither let him eat!"7

3.     Through work we meet our family's needs. God expects the heads of households to provide for their families. He says, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."8

4.     Through work we earn money to give to others. In both the Old and New Testaments, God tells us to be generous in meeting the needs of the poor and those who minister to us spiritually.

5.     Through work we love God. One of God's love languages is obedience. When we work, we are obeying His two great commandments to love Him and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.10 We love God by obeying Him from the heart. We love our neighbor as we serve other people through our work.

We bring glory to God by working industriously, demonstrating what He is like, and serving others by cooperating with God to meet their needs. In serving others, we serve God. And that's why our work matters to God.

  

LIVE IT OUT

Work is God-ordained. God gave the first man a work assignment, not as punishment, but as a divine partnership. One Bible commentator described work as an act of worship. “To work in order to bring pleasure to God is sufficient motivation to be faithful stewards of our talents and opportunities.”

We need to give our work our best because in doing so, we are giving God our best. And as others view us taking our work seriously, they can also see evidence that our work is more than a job; it is a reflection of our relationship to Christ who gives life meaning and purpose.

Solomon said, “After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot.”

Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, The Message

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan