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[0:00] The theology of work. So what does the Bible say about work, labour and you can download the notes if you're watching online at the QR code there or the link the URL.

[0:13] But work is something that we all do in one way or another. And your work isn't just a job or a paycheck, you know, just an income. It's a calling from God.

[0:25] And God's designed work. It's a work is redeemed by the Lord and it can be meaningful for eternity. And work is a gift. It's a way to reflect God's image and a means to serve others.

[0:37] So you've got this scripture here. Paul's talking to the Colossians and he says, Colossians 3, 23. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ.

[0:57] So work is a gift from God. We think really the first worker in the Bible is God himself. In Genesis 1, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.

[1:07] He made the world with purpose and joy in the beginning. It tells us there that God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very good. So God made the world. His work was intentional.

[1:21] His creation, it was good. And God himself sets the pattern. God dignifies work. It's something that God ordained and sets the example.

[1:32] And he's the model. And really, even our Lord Jesus, it says of him, My Father worketh hitherto and I work. That's John 5. You can see God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

[1:44] All three persons of the Godhead were part of creation. And they've all got their respective roles and works. And you think of the purpose of work that God made man in God's image.

[1:58] And you see, at the beginning there, again, right back in the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1, it tells us, God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion.

[2:11] So God created man in his own image, and the image of God created him. Male and female created him. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the work, and subdue it, and have dominion.

[2:23] So God gave Adam a job. And his job was to dress, or cultivate, to keep, or guard the garden. You see that in Genesis 2, verse 15.

[2:37] Adam was given a job to do. And as much as we'll talk next about the curse, about the fall, work itself is not a curse.

[2:47] But it's a calling. And you might argue the point if you've got a difficult boss, but even so, work is not really a curse of itself, but it's a calling to create, to care, to serve.

[3:02] And we can find meaning and fulfilment in doing that. So work has purpose. And there's a principle, too, that there's rest from work. And we see, as our Lord God created the world, and then he took the seventh day to rest, teaching us really to have that balance of labour with rest, to avoid burnout.

[3:25] And it's a principle, really, that we should exercise, having a day off at least once in seven. And you see that principle there, Genesis 2, verse 2 to 3.

[3:35] And you see it talked about in the Ten Commandments, too.

[3:54] Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work.

[4:04] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth the sea, and all that in them is, and rest at the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. So there's that principle of taking a rest, having a rest.

[4:17] And these principles help us with life, with work, to have that work-life balance, to have that rest, as God tells us to. And you can think of other principles.

[4:28] For example, Paul told Timothy to provide. So there's that principle of earning, our responsibility to provide. God helping us to provide for our families.

[4:40] And think of principles like the Bible exhorts us to be content, to not have a dissatisfaction, to just have a contentment over ambition, and to trust in God's provision as well.

[4:51] So there's all these biblical principles we can think about in our work life. And your work, whether you're coding, computer code, whether you're teaching, whether you're parenting, and of course mums as home school mums, for example, or just as mums keep us at home, that's a job, that's a role.

[5:10] And some of you are volunteering, because you might be unable to have regular work. But there's ways we can occupy ourselves, isn't there? And be useful, and to be active and involved.

[5:22] And just the point is that work is by God's design. And we can think of that maybe with our daily tasks that we do, whatever we're up to, that there's a sense where there's a fulfilment there, and God's designed us that way, to have work.

[5:37] And the second section talks about work's challenges. And really, a big thing that naturally impacts work is the fall.

[5:48] In Genesis 3, where God gave instruction not to eat of the tree, and the one thing that man shouldn't do, he did, which is human nature.

[6:00] And then the curse came, and it tells as a result of Adam's sin, God says, It's telling us there about the fall, the fall of man.

[6:28] We know we're living in a fallen world, and the impact of the fall. We see that sin makes work harder with frustrations. Now we've got thorns and thistles, all the weeds around us, as some of you know very well, about the weeds that are about.

[6:45] And it's all a result, really, of the fall. We see that work is harder now because of the fall. And we've got frustrations at times in work life. And also, labour can feel empty or difficult, yet it does hold meaning and value.

[7:01] You see a couple of scriptures there in Ecclesiastes. In the context, it talks about vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour, which he taketh under the sun?

[7:13] Sometimes you wonder, it's pretty frustrating, because we're living in this fallen world. But then it says, There is nothing better that a man should rejoice in his own work.

[7:23] So the sense there of that second reference, Ecclesiastes 3.22, is that we can find contentment. We can find joy and satisfaction in our work and efforts as well.

[7:35] So there's still a meaning and value to the work that we do, even in this fallen world that we live. Even despite the curse, despite all those challenges, think of what does God tell us about work?

[7:49] What can we learn? What are some biblical principles about work? So the value of work, we think, it says there, So saying there, that there's a benefit from labour.

[8:05] There's a value to labour. And the Bible praises diligence too, and condemns laziness. For example, Proverbs 6, verse 6, it tells us, In other words, thou lazy person, consider her ways, consider the ant, and be wise.

[8:22] You see the ants, very active. You look at an ant nest, as you can see them, as I picture them underground, you see how busy they are. They're very active creatures. And it's a picture for us of learning from the ant, of being diligent.

[8:36] It's something that God praises, but he does condemn laziness. Another scripture in Romans 12, 11 says, Not slothful, in other words, lazy in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

[8:50] So God praises that we have a diligence, a fervency, that we're working and serving. And especially, of course, serving the Lord is the ultimate blessing as well.

[9:03] We think how in this fallen world, though, that sin can twist work into idolatry. Some people, they're just workaholics, or they're chasing after status, trying to step on people to climb ladders.

[9:17] And there's this bad side to work, where some people are chasing that, or they're exploiting as well. There's unfair treatment. You get some employers that treat people badly.

[9:29] But despite all of those things, God's purpose in work is a good thing, and there's a blessing there. You could think that section there, it talks about hope in toil. Well, even hard jobs matter when they're done for God, and it's still a noble way to reflect God's image and serve others.

[9:44] You could think, for example, a nurse facing long shifts, or a farmer battling drought. They can all find purpose in God's design, trusting God, despite the challenges.

[9:55] You could all think of tough jobs. I know I've had my share of tough jobs, like working on a production line in a tire factory, and then I worked as a day cleaner as well, climbing under dirty machines and pulling out grease and oil and muck and filth.

[10:15] And then I got a promotion. Well, it wasn't really a promotion, but I shifted to day shift, because it was three rotating shifts. And then I was working as a cleaner, and I got the benefit of working day shifts so I could come home like normal people, and got to clean the toilets and everything.

[10:32] So every job has got a dignity to it. It's not like one job is lesser than another, because you could find yourself working in a labouring job or a production kind of job, and it's still a valuable job.

[10:46] It's still a benefit. You're still delivering something of value to the world. And so you can have that mind that, yeah, I'm just going to do my job, whatever that job is, and do it well. And you think the next section there, number three, how the Lord Jesus redeems work.

[11:02] See, even our Lord, the kind of job that he had, and you could reckon he spent years in that workshop as a carpenter, probably 20 plus years in a workshop, and then three years on the mission front when he was anointed, and then he served in his ministry.

[11:22] But you see, the bulk of his time was spent, as it says here, is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph, and of Judah and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?

[11:34] And they were offended at him. See, it tells here about the Lord Jesus, is not this the carpenter? The word there is tekton, and it's interesting, the word tekton, it's related to tech, T-E-K, which speaks of creating or producing.

[11:51] Think of our Lord as a carpenter, he was like a craftsman, a builder, an artisan, he was making things. You could wonder what he might have made, maybe furniture, or buildings and such, as a carpenter, you can imagine.

[12:08] And you see, so even our Lord, he dignified daily labour, spending many years in the workshop, showing that no job is too ordinary for God's glory. He set the example, the role model for us, our Lord, he was a worker.

[12:24] And you think, that next section there talks about workers' worship, the Lord Jesus, he shows us, he calls us to faithful stewardship of our own abilities and resources.

[12:36] And you think of, really every job, every role that we might play in life, here's a great principle to apply to whatever we're doing through the day, our day-to-day activity.

[12:47] It says, whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. Think about having that mindset when you're doing something, that you strive for excellence in your work.

[12:59] And you think, really, that really all of our work can be done as unto the Lord. Paul's addressing servants here in Colossians 3. Of course, it was a different culture. The Bible's not necessarily endorsing slavery, but that was the society of the time, that was the culture of the time, that some people were engaged as servants to masters.

[13:20] And it's telling us here, Paul's addressing them, and he tells these servants, servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men please.

[13:32] So in other words, not just serving when people are watching you. Now some people are like that, aren't they? Oh, look out, the boss is coming, look busy. As if you've got to kind of make a show as you're just pretending to please men.

[13:47] But not having that attitude that you only work when someone's watching you, in other words. But in singleness of heart, fearing God, and whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.

[13:59] Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. So it's telling us here to have that mind, to have that heart, to fear God, to do what we do, whatever that role, that activity, that job that you might have, to do it well, do it from the heart, do it as to the Lord.

[14:24] And knowing that of the Lord you're going to receive some acknowledgement there, some reward there. So even our job, our day-to-day job, even whatever humble job it might happen to be, you're going to have that heart attitude, hey, I'm going to do it really well and I'm going to do it because ultimately the Lord Jesus is my master and I'm doing it as a service to him.

[14:46] And you can think even our Lord had that kind of mindset too. It says there in John 4, 34, Jesus saith unto them, my meat or my food is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.

[15:00] So he had that mind. He wanted to do what he was sent to do. He wanted to fulfil his mission. And of course, his ultimate mission was the cross. We see there in John 19, 30, it says, as Christ was on the cross, when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished.

[15:19] And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. It's a word here, tetelestai, it is finished. It's the kind of cry that a worker would cry when he's completed a task or a project.

[15:33] I finished it. It's like a contract fulfilled. It's a mission completed. And you see that, one, the Lord Jesus as the model worker, he said, I've got to finish this work.

[15:47] I've got to finish the mission. And then at the cross, he said, it is finished. I've finished it. I've completed it. And it tells of a responsibility that's fully discharged.

[15:59] And we can think of that in our own work settings when some of you are still yet to start a job. But you can think of that time when you're working for someone, hey, I'm going to finish what I've been called to do.

[16:10] I'm going to do it well. And I'm going to complete the mission that my boss gives to me. And I'm going to fully discharge it. You can think really every task that we can do in a work setting, we can still have that mindset that God is ultimately the one that we're serving.

[16:27] We can honour him with faith. And you could think of it, whatever your job might be, whatever it might become, whether you're a cash register operator, a teacher, a builder, you can be patient, you can be kind, you can be a witness, you can be diligent.

[16:44] And it reflects our Lord. Of course, we know we're sent to be as shining lights in this darkened world. And it tells us there, Matthew 5, 16, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

[17:00] Even just our day-to-day living, that people are going to see, hey, they belong to Jesus and they're shining through the works that they do, their service, through their attitude, through their living.

[17:12] They can see, yeah, you're a believer and they're going to glorify your Father which is in heaven. And you can have that witness where every job, really, everything that we do, every activity, every role that we play is a chance to point others to him.

[17:26] And we can have that heart attitude. Next section, work with purpose. You think of Paul himself. Paul was one who supported himself and says that he had the occupation of a tent maker.

[17:42] So you can imagine there, Acts 18, 3, it says that he would serve by making tents, maybe repairing tents. He was one who, that was his job so he knew how to manufacture tents.

[17:56] That was how he made some income and supported himself in the ministry. And you can think, he set an example there too of how, I guess, a menial job, a labouring kind of job, that all honest work has dignity.

[18:12] And you can think how every job, we're providing something, we're serving, we're, also we're earning as well that we're going to have income to share, to give.

[18:25] And you think the next one there, work is duty. It tells us here in 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul's exhorting the Thessalonians, he says, for even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any should not work, neither should he eat.

[18:40] For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies. So there's a sense where there's a responsibility, let's get engaged, let's work, let's get active, let's be busy, but not a busy body.

[18:55] When people don't have work to do, they can become a busy body. But it's better that we work and so we commanded that way, it's a biblical principle that we should work and earn when we are able to do so or certainly be active.

[19:09] Of course some may not be physically able to work, a regular job, but they can volunteer and it's that principle of being active, doing something, making use of your time in that way.

[19:22] And the next section talks about serving through work. So again, as we've kind of touched on before, as we read this one before, whether you're an employee or an employer, you can work as unto the Lord.

[19:35] Have that integrity, that honesty, give of your best because ultimately, really when you think about it and when some of you younger people do start a job, ultimately we're working for the Lord, we're being a witness for Him.

[19:48] You could think a similar verse in Ephesians 6, talking to servants again. Paul tells the Ephesians, he says, servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ.

[20:04] Every job is a chance to serve our Lord and others. And there's a sense where we work to give as well. It talks there in Ephesians 4, 28, another principle says, let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour.

[20:19] So it's talking about some, maybe there used to be thieves. Now Paul's telling them, now that you're a Christian, hey, you don't do that now, you work. And it says, working with his hands the things which are good that he may have to give to him that needeth.

[20:34] So there's a sense where we can earn money, then we're going to have capacity to give. If we don't have capacity to give, that's a limitation on how we can serve the Lord.

[20:46] And there's this, the thought there too that there's no sacred or secular divide. You see, when the Reformation came, there was this concept of the priesthood of every believer.

[20:57] You see this familiar scripture here, 1 Peter 2, verse 9. It says, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

[21:12] There's a sense where really all that we are, all that we have, all that we do, we're a holy nation, we're a holy people. Whether we're working as farming, as parenting, whether we're working down at a shop or a factory, whether we're preaching, everything that we do is holy when it's done for God.

[21:34] And that's what we're meant to be, that holy people. So it's not like we clock on or clock off our holiness or just, you know, just because you're down at the work site doesn't mean you stop being holy, you just become one of the boys and blend in.

[21:48] But yeah, actually you're a witness there too. You're called to be showing forth the praises of him. And we can have that eternal perspective on temporary work because really, ultimately, our Lord is that ultimate master.

[22:01] And all work is meaningful. Martin Luther said this, he said, the milkmaid, milking cows, pleases God as much as the preacher preaching. It's not like just work within a church is holy, but all of our work, all of our living is holy.

[22:17] In a sense that that's who we are. We are the holy people, that holy nation. And when you think about it too, when you're down at the job site, that your job is your mission field as you serve the Lord and others.

[22:32] Like it's saying here in the quote, imagine a Christian barista who serves customers with joy and integrity, creating opportunity to share their faith. Their work is both worship and witness.

[22:45] Down at the shop front in that kind of setting, you can be a witness for your Lord as a Christian, you can be a glowing testimony and you can do your work with joy and you can bless others and be a good employee.

[23:00] Likewise, a software developer fixing bugs with care or a parent nurturing their kids reflects God's kingdom. So whatever your role might be, some people might not be in the workforce now in that kind of stage of life but it's like your daily activity, isn't it?

[23:15] They can have that mindset, whatever you're doing to reflect God's kingdom. Next section, living your calling. When you think about it, you've got a vocation and the first thing that we're all called to do as believers is to follow our Lord.

[23:31] Of course, follow our Saviour. And then it's got the sense where we're to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith me are called.

[23:42] There's a sense where we've got a calling, we've got a role to play and your job itself is where you can live out your calling. It says there, 1 Corinthians 7.20, let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

[23:59] Whatever work setting you might be in when you're saved, you can continue in that job. Of course, there might be some jobs you might think as a Christian that might be a conflict for you now to work in certain industries.

[24:11] Perhaps where, example, for example, whether serving alcohol or such things, you might think that's a conflict as a believer and I need to find something more fitting. But we can all find our calling and use our God-given gifts.

[24:26] It says, Think about how can you serve God. What kind of gifts and callings have you got that you can use to bless other people, look for those opportunities.

[24:43] Maybe if you're in the job search, you can, if you're job hunting or you're thinking to shift jobs, you can pray for guidance. Hey, what is God wanting me to do so that I can be usefully serving Him and seeking wise counsel.

[24:59] It's sometimes good to think about what's the best setting for me to work in. You can think, you know, some of you young people, maybe before you're jumping into one career or other, you can think about what's a good career for me to have.

[25:12] You can think, ultimately, hey, what if I might want to serve God on the mission field or do some particular ministry later on. You can have that kind of attitude, hey, maybe that's a trade or a profession or a study that I should take that can help me to better serve God.

[25:28] And, you know, there's all kinds of trades and opportunities we could think about that might help us to serve. And we can ask God to guide us in those opportunities. Some practical principles that took us off the next section here.

[25:42] We can think how some practical principles, Ecclesiastes 9.10, talks about how we should have that attitude of excellence. We know Daniel, it said he had an excellent spirit and that made him a candidate for opportunities.

[25:57] We see in Ecclesiastes 9.10, it tells us, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. So it's saying there that we should have that attitude to do our best.

[26:08] Excellence. The next one, integrity, that we can be honest and ethical. Proverbs 11.1 says, a false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just way is his delight.

[26:18] So the application of this here is, for example, where you're in a shop and they would have scales that were kind of faulty so that the shop owner would benefit by giving them really less than what they're paying for.

[26:35] people. So obviously, as a Christian, you don't want to be doing something unethical. You want to give what's fair and just to be honest. And likewise, you could see in Colossians 4, it talks about that we should be just and masters should be just and equal.

[26:52] So it's not in your notes, that one, Colossians 4.1. There's a sense where the masters are told, so managers or people that are maybe in authority over others that they should do what's just and equal, that we should have that fairness about how we serve.

[27:08] Next one, we see service as we talked about, shining the light. How can we meet needs? How can we bless other people? Think about the jobs that we might do. How can we be a blessing and be a witness?

[27:21] And Philippians 4.11 talks about contentment. It's another principle too. Some people, it's like they're never content with the job that they're doing. Actually, it's good to have that contentment that you're not constantly worried about changing jobs, that you can have some kind of rest there, you can trust God's provision, you can be content.

[27:41] Next one, talks about diligence again. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be under tribute. Saying there that the diligent are going to have a blessing, whereas those that are lazy are going to be not blessed.

[27:56] And another scripture there, Jeremiah talks about fairness again too. Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong, that useth his neighbour's service without wages, giveth him not for his work.

[28:10] That sense where every labourer is worthy of his hire and someone does something for you, you should pay them. There's that sense where you do what's right and ensure fair wages.

[28:21] It's interesting, like the union movement, I think it was started by Christians in the day because there were some people not getting treated fairly. Of course now, I think the union movement is pretty corrupted as far as what it's all about now as to the political leanings of the union movement.

[28:37] I wouldn't recommend joining a union if you can get away with it at this stage because they're quite corrupted, unfortunately. But it did start with a Christian basis, the union movement, because there's that really Christian principle of fairness and of just treatment of people.

[28:55] And think about how in a workplace you can be a witness within your workplace. You can model Christ-like behaviour so that you can choose to be different from those who might be crass or crude or really sloppy.

[29:12] You can have that work ethic and be a testimony. And you can be gracious too when others might be bearing grudges or there's that toxic workplace. Sometimes there can be that, that you can be the one that's gracious and forgiving, showing grace, because we, really every, every human being is potentially an object of his grace, isn't it?

[29:32] And so we should extend grace as well. And then that principle of having a rest as well, the Sabbath principle. And when you think about it, really what God has made us to be as his people, for by grace you are saved through faith, that not of yourselves, not of works, lest any man should boast.

[29:51] But then it reads on, for we are his workmanship. We're created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. How can we find that way of serving that we're going to do some good works wherever we might be located, in whatever activity, whatever role we might play.

[30:11] And again, we would want to avoid work that harms others. For example, there's some industries, as I talked about, that could be harmful. You want to avoid such industries.

[30:23] You want to avoid that kind of thing that you're going to be putting yourself in a difficult situation. Think of some Bible examples of work. We think of Daniel for one.

[30:35] He was elevated to responsibilities. He had authority because he was recognised as one who had an excellent spirit, Daniel.

[30:46] And then we think of Joseph as well. He got elevated to despite false accusations and many trials and tests that Joseph was elevated to because he had work ethic.

[30:59] And the Pharaoh knew that he could appoint Joseph because he was proven. He was a deliverer of what task he was given.

[31:09] He delivered. And so we think of the good example of Joseph in the Bible. And you see another good example, Moses, he led Israel into his 80s. Jude's from Ramey 34-7.

[31:22] We could wonder, I know in some of the study I was preparing, I was saying, what's the Bible view about retirement? Well, there is really no retirement in the Bible.

[31:34] So as much as some people might be turning 65 soon, there's no retirement. There's no, not really, you don't really clock off in God's service in the sense you look at how old Moses was here. 120 years old, so he got another nearly 60 years to go.

[31:49] When he died, his eye was not dimmed, nor his natural force abated. So you think of Moses, sometimes people think, oh, just when someone gets older, they go out to pasture and they get, you know, they get retired from the workforce.

[32:03] But in a sense where, as a Christian, really, we've all got some activity to do. It doesn't matter how old we are. It's not like someone gets discounted because they're older.

[32:14] And another example is Caleb as well. He was 85 and he was still eager to serve God. Here he is, 85. He says, As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me.

[32:27] As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in. So another example there, Caleb was still eager to serve God at 85.

[32:38] So we can still serve God in our later years, in our older age. It doesn't mean that we cease meaningful activity. There's always something for us to do and we can keep serving as long as we're able to do something then let's do it.

[32:54] And you can think really that your work is a calling to serve God. Next section, eternal perspective. There's a sense where we will always be working.

[33:05] Of course, we'll rest from our labours in the sense that in heaven, in heaven's glory, it'll be different. But it says in heaven, and there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him.

[33:21] So there's a sense where we're not just going to be sitting on clouds strumming harps. Well, we might do a bit of that as the kind of, you know, the funny way people think about heaven.

[33:33] But there's a sense where we're going to have something useful to do. We're going to be actively serving God. We're going to have some activity that's going to be a useful activity even in heaven. There's going to be work there and there's going to be no curse there.

[33:46] So our work is going to be joyful. There's not going to be any thorns and thistles. You're not going to have to weed around heaven's throne because there's going to be no weeds or thorns and thistles there.

[33:56] It's going to be free from frustration and the curse. And think about that. There's a sense where we're going to serve him even in glory, in heaven's glory. So having that kind of eternal perspective then, what should we have that mindset to do?

[34:13] To have that thought that even our faithful efforts now have got an eternal impact. We see that in 1 Corinthians 15, 58. Paul exhorts the Corinthians.

[34:24] He says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. So for the meantime, on earth, while we've still got work to do down here, it's telling us, brothers, sisters, be steadfast, keep at it, keep going, always abounding in the work of the Lord and know that your labour is not in vain.

[34:50] Even though sometimes we might think some of the little things that we do, oh, no one's recognised me or noticed it, but it's not in vain because it's in the Lord and there's a sense where there's going to be a recognition of those labours and it's not in vain.

[35:06] So it should inspire us to have diligence and hope and to know even the little things that we do for God, that's something that's going to be recognised, there's going to be an acknowledgement and we could think how every task that we offer to God echoes into eternity.

[35:23] It says, Revelation 14, 13, John says, I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.

[35:34] Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them. So there's an element of rest there in heaven but it says that their works do follow them. So some of the things that we might have a contribution to on earth, it says that their works do follow them.

[35:53] There's going to be some acknowledgement even into eternity of what things we might do unto the Lord for his glory. So knowing that your work is not in vain, it should be a motivator to inspire us, to diligence.

[36:08] We can think that one time every one of us as believers it tells us that all of us are going to be at a place called the judgment seat of Christ.

[36:20] Christ. So this is something that you as a Christian brother or sister you're going to have that time before the judgment seat of Christ.

[36:31] For me, it must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body. According to that he hath done whether it be good or bad. Now, just to kind of explain because some get a little confused on this one as a believer in Christ we know that our sin was paid for at the cross and all of our sin is paid for.

[36:55] The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. So there won't be any judgment for our sin but there will be a judgment of our works in the sense as saved people Christ has already paid for our sin we're not going to be sent to hell because Christ paid the death penalty to cover the penalty for our sin but there's a sense where we're going to have a time to appear before the judgment seat of Christ that's a time really to acknowledge a time of acknowledging our works a time of acknowledging and of rewards and you read elsewhere it talks about where some are going to have wood hay stubble they're going to be burnt up it's just not going to be anything to show but then some are going to have gold silver precious stones so there's a picture there of how there's going to be some acknowledgement they're going to receive some acknowledgement some reward and that's the picture there of this judgment seat of

[37:57] Christ which is only believers go to this one and they'll receive some reward so it ought to motivate us to think hey in the light of that I want to be contributing something and being actively blessing God and doing something for God for his glory while I'm alive down here and it should inspire us to have that diligence to have that hey I want to do something for God with my life and do something that's going to honour him so we could think about how does what work we might be doing whatever task we might have whatever role even as a homemaker as a mum as a homeschooling mum whatever we might be doing or volunteering or serving of activities that we might undertake how can we have that mindset hey there's some eternal dimension to this it can maybe help us approach it in a in a good way hey

[38:58] I'm going to have that mindset even though it might be hard to do it even though it's tough for me to do it I'm going to be doing it unto the Lord because it's got an eternal value to it and how can I work as to the Lord in my current role even when you might have a gnarky boss or tricky colleagues or it might be a bit of a toxic workplace you can be the one that's different you can be the one that is a witness and you can be a blessing and you can serve God you can do that job unto the Lord and still overcome those difficulties as much as some workplaces we know can be difficult and I suppose when you think about it really and you know as I have worked in different roles and I've had a lot of staff at times under me and how I had to recruit people and you think about what do you look for and they tend to use this kind of approach now in employment circles that they tend to have what they call values based recruitment so and when you think what values do you have as a Christian you could think really that a

[40:09] Christian really has got so many values that would be really sought after and I know when I applied for the last secular job I had the boss was a psychologist so he had that mindset of values and my values matched his values because they were working in disability and it was working really having that heart for people and that caring kind of personality that's what he was looking for and so it's the same really as a Christian the values that really represent our Lord they should be they're the sought after values that employers would want to have so someone who's got diligence someone who's got ethics someone who's got commitment someone who's going to deliver their best and have that excellence like Daniel that excellent spirit that was found in Daniel think of all of those things that they should be sought after kind of characteristics and qualities and we should be the ones that really the prime employees that when an employer recruits you they know they're going to get 100% of your effort you're going to be that one who delivers your very best and you're going to have the right attitude the right mindset to do a really good job to do your best and so you should think really as a

[41:29] Christian believer that's something hey I want to be that one who sets the example who is that role model of the ideal employee and God helping you of course we all can have moments I've not always been a good employee myself I've been sacked a couple of times from different jobs you know sometimes you just don't measure up or the workplace doesn't fit for you you're a square peg in a round hole and you get those experiences through life and I guess we could all relate to that as older ones of certain workplaces weren't really that choice for us to work in but I guess I'm trying to make the point that as a Christian you want to be that role model deliver your best you know whether you cut make the grade or not that your employer wants you just do the best job that you can so you're not just sacked because you're lazy or slack or something but you maybe just weren't the right fit for the job so we could think about some practical applications then how can you know as a student maybe you're still studying you're at uni or or college you've got study to do yet before you might enter the workforce how can you study diligently for God's glory so you're preparing for that future career and how can you as a worker do your job with integrity you can be a witness you can be an example so people aren't pointing out to you and saying oh look at so and so they call themselves a

[42:54] Christian but they're doing this or that they're not really being a good testimony it's better that you want to be a good testimony not a poor testimony and you have that that mindset and they could think really for every one of us when we have a job to do do it well do it with all your might do it with all the energy and enthusiasm you can ecclesiastes 9 verse 10 whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might so when you've got a job it might be a bit of a drudgery bit of a cumbersome toilsome kind of job a bit of a mundane job but do it well do it with all your might and I know like I can relate as I say I've worked in factories and different jobs that were pretty not really choice jobs to have but you can still do it well you can do it with all your might you can put your effort in and it's going to be a witness to those that you're working with your colleagues your boss because really every task matters to God doesn't it and we can work really with that thought that really our work is a calling it's a gift and every job is a way that you can glorify

[44:08] God and you can think really that you yourself is a work in progress that God's working in each one of us doesn't he to make us more like him we can think of the ultimate role model God himself as the worker as the first thing he did was create he built the world he made man and then he gave Adam a job to do sort of these biblical principles are woven right through the book and you see the Bible heroes are all active diligent serving and we can see the witness of their lives too so hopefully you've got something to think about I know some of you are still yet to enter the workforce and so these are things maybe to think about hey am I going to be that kind of worker that's sought after that people are going to be headhunting you they're going to be wanting to steal you from another employer because you're so good at the job that you do and you can be a testimony in the process so let's pray

[45:12]  Lord we thank you for each one here tonight those that are watching too Lord help us to have that mindset as we think about our life and our career and maybe even if we might be in retirement or semi-retirement we could think about how can we be active and volunteering and taking part in whatever opportunities we can Lord that in it all we'll have that mindset that ultimately Lord we're serving you with whatever we do and we can have that attitude that we're going to do well we're going to do our best help us Lord to be that ideal employee and if we're managing others too to be fair and just to be a good employer Lord we think of all these things and of that dimension of work and how you yourself our Lord worked in that workshop as a carpenter carrying tools and creating making things Lord help us to have that mind to let you Lord use our creativity show to us Lord our gifts and callings how we can find that place to serve where we can be the most useful your kingdom and to be the best witness we can be in Jesus name amen