I rarely hear sermons on work. Most of the time I hear preachers mention work, they are calling for people with jobs to use their jobs to advance the cause of the church. "Sure," they announce from the pulpit, "some of you need to work jobs. Some people need to pay the bills of the church. And you can tell people at work about Jesus."
Something about this perspective has always bothered me. Is there nothing more to work than providing money and people to the church? Does God's purpose in work end there? Is the rest of effort, perspiration, striving, toil and ambition just a meaningless chasing after the wind?
What of the farmer? What of the lone farmer, working his cattle and machinery on several hundred acres in the midwest? He makes little money. Sure, he gives to the church, but he gives far less than what he would had he worked a big corporate job in the city. He may well tell people he meets about Jesus, but farming is lonely work and the number of people the cross his path are surely fewer than any job in the suburbs or the city.
Is then the farming job the lowest job in Christianity? If the only two ends of work are money and evangelism, then the farmer has the lowest job, the most unChristian job in the world. But David was a farmer. Abraham was a farmer. Solomon raised horses. Amos raised sheep. There must be something more to work than tithing and evangelism.
Paul's encouragement to the Christian slaves in Colossae hints at a further purpose for work. And it gives hope to farmers.
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all you heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:22-24 NIV).
When the blood of Jesus applies to our sins, everything changes. We no longer work for ourselves, or for our employers. We, in everything we are, belong to Jesus. He has adopted us into his family. And His family owns all the world. He is the King of Kings, the Creator and the Lord of all things. Note carefully what God is saying through these verses. "When you work," God says, "it doesn't really matter what your boss says or sees. You work for me. And I will reward you. So work hard, you serve the King, even if your toil is as the lowest slave."
So the farmer's work is glorious, because the ground he works belongs to the King. The cattle he cares for are Jesus' cows. And the work he does is of value because he serves the King.
So all work is glorious. It happens to fund churches, which is a good thing. We certainly bring the hope that Jesus brings to our friends at work. But our work, whether that be farming, trash collecting, being a stay at home mom or running a business has value because the land is His, the streets are His, the children are His and the business of the business is His. And because of the Cross of Jesus, we are His and we can work as the servants of the King.
Something about this perspective has always bothered me. Is there nothing more to work than providing money and people to the church? Does God's purpose in work end there? Is the rest of effort, perspiration, striving, toil and ambition just a meaningless chasing after the wind?
What of the farmer? What of the lone farmer, working his cattle and machinery on several hundred acres in the midwest? He makes little money. Sure, he gives to the church, but he gives far less than what he would had he worked a big corporate job in the city. He may well tell people he meets about Jesus, but farming is lonely work and the number of people the cross his path are surely fewer than any job in the suburbs or the city.
Is then the farming job the lowest job in Christianity? If the only two ends of work are money and evangelism, then the farmer has the lowest job, the most unChristian job in the world. But David was a farmer. Abraham was a farmer. Solomon raised horses. Amos raised sheep. There must be something more to work than tithing and evangelism.
Paul's encouragement to the Christian slaves in Colossae hints at a further purpose for work. And it gives hope to farmers.
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all you heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:22-24 NIV).
When the blood of Jesus applies to our sins, everything changes. We no longer work for ourselves, or for our employers. We, in everything we are, belong to Jesus. He has adopted us into his family. And His family owns all the world. He is the King of Kings, the Creator and the Lord of all things. Note carefully what God is saying through these verses. "When you work," God says, "it doesn't really matter what your boss says or sees. You work for me. And I will reward you. So work hard, you serve the King, even if your toil is as the lowest slave."
So the farmer's work is glorious, because the ground he works belongs to the King. The cattle he cares for are Jesus' cows. And the work he does is of value because he serves the King.
So all work is glorious. It happens to fund churches, which is a good thing. We certainly bring the hope that Jesus brings to our friends at work. But our work, whether that be farming, trash collecting, being a stay at home mom or running a business has value because the land is His, the streets are His, the children are His and the business of the business is His. And because of the Cross of Jesus, we are His and we can work as the servants of the King.
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