THE NOBILITY OF WORK

1. THE NOBILITY OF WORK Gen. 2:15 [By Ron Halbrook]

2. Introduction: 1. Gen. 2:15 God created man to work! 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. THE NOBILITY OF WORK

3. 1. Gen. 2:15 God created man to work! • Work: fulfills God’s law & purpose • Work: fulfills our faith, talents, purpose, & happiness • Work: for all people, all ages • Work: set example, train children • Work: part of a Christian life THE NOBILITY OF WORK

4. 2. “I don’t like to work:” • Defy God’s law & purpose • Destroy our faith, talents, purpose, & happiness • Disaster for all people, all ages • Devilish example, cripple children • Depart from a Christian life THE NOBILITY OF WORK

5. Introduction: 3. God teaches us much about work: • God Ordained Work as Noble • Gospel Reaffirms Nobility of Work • Danger of Abusing Work & Its Fruit THE NOBILITY OF WORK

6. Introduction: 4. Let’s learn & get busy!!! • Repent of sinful attitudes! • Repent of lazy, wasteful, hypocritical neglect of duty! • Matt. 3:8 “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (ESV) THE NOBILITY OF WORK

7. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit A. Laziness & Neglect: Folly • Prov. 24:30-34 Folly of folded hands THE NOBILITY OF WORK

8. 30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. • Prov. 24:30-34 Folly of folded hands

9. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit A. Laziness & Neglect: Folly • 2 Thess. 3:7-12 Shame to live off others THE NOBILITY OF WORK

10. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. • 2 Thess. 3:7-12 Shame to live off others

11. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. • 2 Thess. 3:7-12 Shame to live off others

12. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit A. Laziness & Neglect: Folly • 1 Tim. 5:8, 16; Mk. 7:9-13 Shame to neglect, desert family THE NOBILITY OF WORK

13. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. • 1 Tim. 5:8, 16; Shame to neglect, desert family 16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. Principle applies to man & woman: severe judgment on neglect of family duty!

14. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. • Mk. 7:9-13 Shame to neglect, desert family

15. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit B. Put Mammon Above God • Lk. 16:13-18 Pretend to honor God, justify sin to please self THE NOBILITY OF WORK

16. 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. • Lk. 16:13-18 Pretend to honor God, justify sin to please self

17. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. • Lk. 16:13-18 Pretend to honor God, justify sin to please self

18. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit B. Put Mammon Above God • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self THE NOBILITY OF WORK

19. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self

20. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self

21. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self

22. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self

23. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. • Lk. 16:19-31 Ignore needy, busy pleasing self

24. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit C. Take Advantage of Others for Gain • Mk. 7:10-13; 1 Tim. 6:3-6 In name of religion THE NOBILITY OF WORK

25. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. • Mk. 7:10-13 In name of religion

26. 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. • 1 Tim. 6:3-6 In name of religion

27. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit C. Take Advantage of Others for Gain • Amos 8:4-7; Matt. 23:14 Steal thru business practices THE NOBILITY OF WORK

28. 4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? 7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. • Amos 8:4-7 Steal thru business practices

29. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. • Matt. 23:14 Steal thru business practices

30. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit C. Take Advantage of Others for Gain • 1 Cor. 6:1-8 Use law suits to defraud THE NOBILITY OF WORK

31. 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. • 1 Cor. 6:1-8 Use law suits to defraud

32. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. • 1 Cor. 6:1-8 Use law suits to defraud

33. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit D. Withhold from God • Mal. 1:12-14 Give God scraps THE NOBILITY OF WORK

34. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. • Mal. 1:12-14 Give God scraps

35. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit D. Withhold from God • Mal. 3:8-9 Give as little as possible THE NOBILITY OF WORK

36. 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. • Mal. 3:8-9 Give as little as possible

37. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit D. Withhold from God • 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7 Not give regularly, joyfully, from the heart 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. THE NOBILITY OF WORK

38. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit D. Withhold from God • 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7 Not give regularly, joyfully, from the heart 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. THE NOBILITY OF WORK

39. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit E. Seek Happiness, Security W/o God • Eccl. 2:18-23 Cannot take it when die THE NOBILITY OF WORK

40. 18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. • Eccl. 2:18-23 Cannot take it when die

41. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. • Eccl. 2:18-23 Cannot take it when die

42. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit E. Seek Happiness, Security W/o God • Amos 6:1-7 Materialism brings God’s wrath THE NOBILITY OF WORK

43. 1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! 2 Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? • Amos 6:1-7 Materialism brings God’s wrath

44. 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; 6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. • Amos 6:1-7 Materialism brings God’s wrath

45. 7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. • Amos 6:1-7 Materialism brings God’s wrath

46. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit F. Religious People with Little Time for God • Amos 8:4-10 Impatient in worship, mind on material things THE NOBILITY OF WORK

47. 4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? • Amos 8:4-10 Impatient in worship, mind on material things

48. 7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. 8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: • Amos 8:4-10 Impatient in worship, mind on material things

49. Amos 8:4-10 Impatient in worship, mind on material things 10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

50. III. Abusing Work & Its Fruit F. Religious People with Little Time for God • Hag. 1:4, 9 Value material comfort, advantage, & gain above spiritual things THE NOBILITY OF WORK