1 / 32

Thank God It’s Monday (Part 1): A Theology of Work Colossians 3:22-4:1

Thank God It’s Monday (Part 1): A Theology of Work Colossians 3:22-4:1. Our Vocation. Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned him, and to which God has called him. (1 Corinthians 7:17 ). The Gospel & Work.

rex
Download Presentation

Thank God It’s Monday (Part 1): A Theology of Work Colossians 3:22-4:1

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Thank God It’s Monday (Part 1): A Theology of Work Colossians 3:22-4:1

  2. Our Vocation • Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned him, and to which God has called him. (1 Corinthians 7:17)

  3. The Gospel & Work • 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:12-14)

  4. Loving Your Neighbor through Work • 28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ [Deut. 6:4-5]

  5. Loving Your Neighbor through Work • 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ [Lev. 19:18] There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31) • Martin Luther said, “God doesn’t need your good works. Your neighbor does.” - Tom Nelson, Work Matters

  6. 1. Work is GODly • In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) • God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

  7. 1. Work is GODly • 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:1-3)

  8. 1. Work is GODly • “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” (John 5:17)

  9. 1. Work is GODly • 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

  10. 1. Work is GODly • 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

  11. 1. Work is GODly • 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?...”(Mark 6:2-3)

  12. 1. Work is GODly • “Our Savior Christ before He began His preaching was a carpenter, and got his living with great labor. Therefore let no man disdain to follow Him in a common calling and occupation. For as He blessed our nature with taking upon Him the shape of man, so in His doing He blessed all occupations and arts.” - Leland Ryken, Redeeming the Time: A Christian Approach to Work and Leisure

  13. 1. Work is GODly • “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4)

  14. 2. Work is Good • Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the ground. (Genesis 2:5) • The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:8)

  15. 2. Work is Good • Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

  16. 2. Work is Good • 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; (2 Thess. 3)

  17. 2. Work is Good • 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

  18. 2. Work is Good • 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)

  19. 3. Work is Going to Continue • 20 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed. 21 They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. (Isaiah 65)

  20. 3. Work is Going to Continue • 22 They will not build and another inhabit, they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands.” (Isaiah 65:17-22) • There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him… (Revelation 22:3)

  21. 3. Work is Going to Continue • Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17) • Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

  22. 3. Work is Going to Continue • “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

  23. Luther and Work • The priesthood of all believers did not turn everyone into church workers, but turned every kind of work into a sacred calling (1 Peter 2) • 11 … make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

  24. Luther and Work • Work is not so much about what we do, but what God does in and through our vocations • The “mask of God”

  25. Luther and Work • 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (Colossians 3:23-24)

  26. Luther and Work • 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; (Romans 13:1-3)

  27. Luther and Work • 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. (Romans 13:4-6)

  28. Luther and Work • “God gives his gifts of healing usually not through out-and-out miracles (though he can) but by means of the medical vocations. He proclaims his word by means of human pastors. He teaches by means of teachers. He creates works of beauty and meaning by means of human artists, whom he has given particular talents.” - Gene Edward Veith Jr., God at Work (a “must-read”)

  29. Hidden in Our Neighbor • 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25)

  30. Hidden in Our Neighbor • 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

  31. Hidden in Our Neighbor • 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40)

  32. Thank God It’s Monday (Part 1): A Theology of Work Colossians 3:22-4:1

More Related