We live in very uncertain economic times,
perhaps more uncertain than we have known for a long time.
Sitting in the coffee shop this week,
it's a great place to try and prepare a message
and be away from some of the other clutter that impacts you.
But I heard three different conversations.
So be careful what you say in a coffee shop
because people might be listening.
One man had just been sacked
and he was arguing the fairness with the person
who was obviously responsible.
A woman was talking about how she could rearrange her finances,
how she could redraw her loan for the time being
after being laid off.
And she was worrying about others in her office.
And another man was talking on the phone
about needing to ask about a new job next week.
Fear, uncertainty, anxiety.
Now, Timothy Keller, you know the book,
this is the book that we've been using,
lying behind the series that we're just preaching
and we've run out of copies at the back.
We've sold them all.
But he writes that just after the GFC,
the global financial crisis began in 2008-2009,
a columnist in the New York Times
wrote about a woman who had just been laid off.
She was known amongst her friends in her workplace
to be hardworking, fair, honest,
and she had been really generous with her money towards friends
and very charitable.
Her work specialty
had been parceling up high-risk debt
and selling it to investors.
She was doing something in her work
that played a sinister role
in the downfall of the world economy.
She didn't think about it.
She was just doing her job,
ethical in her personal life,
unthinking about this area of ethics in her employment.
And Keller says that these things have happened
because the business community
had a distorted ethical compass.
Their compass said
that if the practice is legal
and everybody is doing it,
the only fundamental question is
can money be made?
The driving ethic?
Can money be made?
How do I maximise profit?
And lying behind the ethic is the question,
who am I responsible to?
Now, I reckon most of us operate within the law.
We would think of ourselves as law-abiding citizens.
We don't cheat on taxes.
We obey most of the road rules.
I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall
in the community groups this week,
those that met,
because I think the first discussion question
was the statement,
if it's legal, it is right.
Discuss.
If it's legal, it is right.
Discuss.
Did anybody go to town on that one?
No, Lynn?
You did?
What was the answer?
Just because it's done doesn't mean it's right.
Did anybody come up with a different answer?
Well, that's good.
Because the law permits a lot of things
that clash with the view of life
driven by the lordship of Jesus Christ.
You can legally drive at the speed limit in wet weather,
but it might not be safe.
You can visit a brothel
or you can work in a brothel
and it's legal.
A future day may come
when you can legally marry a person of the same gender.
At the Nuremberg trials of former Nazis
after the Second World War,
defendants continually stepped forward
and they said,
I was only following orders.
It's another way of saying
I was following my leaders,
I was being faithful to my leaders' instructions.
See, it doesn't matter how good a person you think you are,
life with Christ is going to bring you into conflict with the world.
And that means in our life's vocations.
Throughout this series,
we have said that we live in a fallen world,
that we've said that work in a fallen world
is distorted from God's good creation purposes.
We have difficulties in our workplaces,
we have difficulties in our families,
we have difficulties in our schools and our universities.
And sometimes those difficulties are a direct consequence
of who we are in Christ and what we believe.
Godly parents say no to children sometimes.
Godly employees will not sign off on everything
that they are asked to.
Jesus said,
John 15,
If the world hates you,
keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belong to the world,
it would love you as its own.
As it is,
you do not belong to the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world
and that is why the world hates you.
Faith in Jesus Christ
brings us to a very distinctive view of the world.
It brings trouble.
It brings joy.
And sometimes they both come at the same time.
Last week I think I said that the earth is the Lord's
and everything in it,
all people,
live under the ordinary grace of God
whether they believe in God or not.
And it's really liberating
because it sets us free
to be appreciative of the skills
and the abilities
and the graces
that God has given to unbelievers
because ultimately their abilities
are from God's hand
even if they do not acknowledge him.
And it also sets us free
because free from feeling like
we have to excel at everything.
It's absolutely ridiculous
to expect our children
to be top dog in every endeavour.
We are to be the people
that God wants us to be
in the place where God has put us
and imperfect as I am,
I will continue to try to be
the man who loves my wife
or my children
better than any other man on the planet.
I can be distinctive
and excellent
in the place
where God has put me.
They know the first bit,
imperfect as I am.
Just thought I'd better put that in.
Faith in Jesus Christ
brings with it
a very distinctive work ethic.
Whether we are in paid
or unpaid employment
or whether our vocation
is nurturing a family
or going to school,
being at uni,
working hard,
whatever it is there,
the ethical view
that we should drive us
comes from the mouth
of Jesus himself.
When he was asked
what the greatest commandment
in the Bible was,
he gave two.
Matthew 22.
Jesus said,
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind.
This is the first
and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it,
you shall love
your neighbour as yourself.
all the law
and the prophets,
all the scriptures
hang on these two commandments.
And those commandments
say that relationships
are at the heart
of Christian living.
Keller's book
tells the story
of a woman
who left a highly paid job
to work in her local church.
She co-wrote this book.
And she was going on one day
about all her contacts
and what she was going to do
and the pastor
very gently said,
In this business,
we call them people.
So we're not bums on seats
or consumers of products
or resources to be redeployed
or assets to be let go of.
In God's sight,
we are people.
And the creator,
God of the universe,
loves us enough
to invite us
into relationship
with himself
and his love for us
insists that we love
one another.
So in 1 John chapter 4,
this is love,
not that we love God,
but that he loved us
and sent his son
as an atoning sacrifice
for our sins.
Dear friends,
since God so loved us,
we ought to love one another.
God's love is
other person-centred,
sacrificial love.
In love,
Christ gives of himself
for us.
We are called
to a righteousness of life
where we serve others.
The word ministry
means service.
It's about giving
without expectation
of receiving.
It's about asking questions
like,
what does it mean
for me to act
in the best interests
of my neighbour?
It's part of what it means
to live a righteous life.
Keller quotes
an Old Testament scholar
on Proverbs
and he says
that the very definition
of a righteous people
is that they
disadvantage themselves
to advantage others.
The wicked
are willing
to disadvantage
the community
to advantage
themselves.
front pages
of the newspaper
for the last
several months.
Senior New South Wales
leaders and politicians
in front
of legal proceedings.
Their guilt
is yet to be determined
but one thing
is really clear.
They have been
looking
after
themselves.
And in Isaiah 58
God confronts us
his people
over similar issues.
Verse 2
Day after day
they seek me out
they seem
eager to know
my ways
as if
they were a nation
that does
what is right
and has not
forsaken
the commands
of its God.
They ask me
for just decisions
and they seem
eager for God
to come near them.
Why have we
fasted
and you haven't
seen it?
Why have we
humbled ourselves
and you
not even
noticed?
And yet
on the day
of your fasting
you do as you
please
and you exploit
all your workers.
God's people
are going to church
they're doing
their Bible studies
they say that
they're eager
to know God's ways
and at the same
time they're
exploiting their
workers
they might have
the law on their
side but they
don't have God's
law they're
looking after
themselves.
And then in 6
and 7
Is not this
the kind of
fasting I have
chosen?
To loose
the chains
of injustice
and untie
the cords
of the yoke
to set
the oppressed
free and to
break every
yoke?
Is it not
to share
your food
with the hungry
and to provide
the poor
wanderer
with shelter
and when you
see the naked
to clothe him
and not to
turn away
from your
own flesh
and blood?
See instead
of looking
after themselves
they're exhorted
to love
their neighbour
in some
very concrete
ways
food,
clothing,
shelter
it's a crucial
part of their
witness
they're a bunch
of hypocrites
I lived in
a small rural
community
and it was
really easy
to get people
to come to
evangelistic events
can you believe
that?
It was
really easy
to bring
them in
off the
farms
and get
them to
come to
the events
that we
would run
You know
how it
worked?
Because there
were some
wonderful
Christian bosses
out there
Some of the
farm owners
brought their
workers to
the events
that's what
they did
and the
workers came
in deference
to the boss
So if
your
Christian
says
you
better
come
to
this
thing
in
town
and
there's
some
wonderful
Christian
bosses
and there
were some
lousy
Christian
bosses
as well
and the
workers knew
the difference
the Christian
bosses
they all
looked the
same at
church on
Sunday
they all
dressed the
same
they all
bowed and
scraped and
said the
prayers and
did everything
together in
church
but the
workers saw
the way
that they
went about
their work
the other
six days
they experienced
what it was
like to be
driven by
their greedy
self-interest
for the
other six
days of
the week
so they
were one
person in
church and
they were an
unrecognisably
different person
out there in
the community
and when
Christians
behaved like
that they
just gave
the unbelievers
every reason
to mock what
those people
at church
are like
because God
doesn't make
a sacred
secular
distinction
all our
life is
lived before
him
and how
we represent
him and
how we
submit to
him every
day matters
so who do
you work
for
how should
you go
about your
work
Colossians
chapter 3
verse 17
whatever you
do whether
in word or
deed do
it all in
the name
of the
Lord Jesus
giving thanks
to God
the Father
through him
slaves obey
your earthly
masters in
everything and
do it not
only when
their eyes
on you and
to win
their favour
but with
sincerity of
heart and
reverence for
the Lord
and whatever
you do work
at it with
all your
heart as
working for
the Lord
not for
men since
you know
that you will
receive an
inheritance from
the Lord
as a reward
it is the
Lord Christ
you are
serving
anyone who
does wrong
will be
repaid for
his wrong
and there's
no favouritism
masters provide
your slaves with
what is right
and fair because
you know that
you have a
master in
heaven
and that is
God's word to
us to people
living under the
lordship of
Jesus Christ
if you are
employed
obey those
who employ
you in
everything
not just
for them
but because
you know
and serve
Christ
remember our
work is
vocational
it's not about
what we get
out of it
it's something
that God
calls us to
and that we
get paid to
do as we
serve another
and so we
do it with
sincerity of
heart and
with reverence
for the
Lord
this is
tricky stuff
because
obey those
who employ
you in
everything
sorry
it's tricky
stuff because
I used some
examples at the
beginning where
we could do
some terrible
things just
following orders
it could be
our job to
drop the
gas pellets
into the
Nazi ovens
and I'm
not sure I
want to say
something like
that is a
job that you
do to the
glory of God
and sometimes
an employer
will demand
that you
break God's
law and
that will
bring a
crisis of
conscience
because you
have to
prioritise
your
masters
when Jesus
was talking
about money
in the
sermon on
the mount
he said
in Matthew
6 no one
can serve
two masters
either he
will hate
the one
and love
the other
or he
will be
devoted to
the one
and he
will despise
the other
you cannot
serve both
God and
money
but in
the ordinary
course of
life and
employment
this passage
is saying
go about it
with your
eyes on
Christ
serving him
and so
when you
get up in
the night
to feed
little
children
or to
change
bedding
for them
do it
with care
for them
and do
it also
because you
want to
honour the
Lord
you so
want to
honour
the
Lord
in the
way
that you
care
for your
children
verse 17
whatever you
do
word or deed
do it all
in the
name of
the Lord
Jesus
and to
those of
us who
have
responsibility
for people
if you
have oversight
of other
people's
employment
or work
the message
is very
similar
do what
is right
and fair
because you
have a
master
in heaven
that you
are
accountable
to
so verse
23
whatever you
do
work at
it with
all your
heart
as
working
for the
Lord
not
for
men
live
for an
audience
of one
live for
the
Lord
live
knowing
that his
eyes
are on
us
all the
time
and that
sets us
free
from all
the other
sets of
eyes
that have
expectations
of us
God
calls us
to
exclusive
service
of him
above
all
2
Corinthians
5
says
we
make it
our
goal
to
please
him
but it
doesn't
mean
hard
labor
he
calls
us
to
serve
him
in
whatever
it
is
we
do
with
all
our
heart
Keller
says
that
Jesus
is
the
only
boss
who
will
not
work
you
into
the
ground
the
only
boss
who
does
not
need
your
best
performance
in
order
to
be
satisfied
with
you
because
his
work
for
you
is
finished
we
rest
on
the
finished
work
of
Christ
God
gave
work
dignity
in
Genesis
2
he
finished
his
creative
work
and
then
he
rested
and
now
we
as
believers
are
able
to
rest
only
because
God's
redemptive
work
was
finished
when
Christ
cried
it
is
finished
on
the
cross
of
Calvary
and
so
we
are
set
free
to
rest
because
of
his
work
at
the
beginning
of this
wonderful
book
it
said
we
are
to
express
our
relationship
with
God
and
his
grace
to
us
in
the
way
that
we
speak
and
work
and
lead
not
as
perfect
exemplars
but
as
pointers
to
Christ
do
you
hear
the
comfort
of
that
we
do
our
work
whatever
it
is
in
the
name
of
Jesus
Christ
we
make
it
our
goal
to
please
him
but
we
are
not
the
perfect
saviour
that
destroys
perfectionism
we
live
and we
work
to
point
to
our
perfect
saviour
I've
just
reread
Genesis
12
to
15
the
lives
of the
patriarchs
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
the
fathers
of
God's
people
in the
Old
Testament
men
who
God
made
the
greatest
of
promises
to
and
promises
that
God
kept
and that
he
ultimately
fulfilled
in
Jesus
Christ
and
you
go
back
and
you
read
those
chapters
and
you
see
that
family
life
for
each
one
of
them
was
dysfunctional
and
sometimes
downright
embarrassing
cowardly
acts
liars
big
problems
with
their
kids
and
their
wives
they
played
favourites
there
was
jealousy
there
was
planned
murder
there
was
kidnapping
and
selling
into
slavery
it
was
all
there
and
you
do
not
read
those
chapters
for
moral
example
and
instruction
you
read
a story
of
God's
faithfulness
to
people
who
kept
being
reminded
to
trust
in
his
promises
they
lived
their
broken
lives
against
the
background
of
God's
faithfulness
God's
protection
God's
care
he
made
them
safe
Keller
finishes
his
book
telling
the
story
of
the
movie
chariots
of
fire
it's
an
old
one
now
for
any
of
you
who
are
younger
the
contrast
of
two
men
running
in
the
1924
Olympic
games
in
Paris
Harold
Abrahams
a Jew
intensely
wanted
to win
he was
full of
insecurity
about his
efforts
he literally
ran to
justify
his
existence
Eric
Liddell
a Christian
had such
deep
rest
in
Christ
that he
could
say
no
to a
likely
gold
medal
he
refused
to run
on the
Sunday
when his
best
event
was being
run
Abrahams
was desperate
to get
the medal
because he
was doing
the work
beneath
the
work
he
was
desperate
for
acknowledgement
and
affirmation
to be
on top
and it
still
never
gave him
the deep
rest
that he
sought
Liddell
didn't care
whether he
won Olympic
medals
or not
he was
at rest
he told
his sister
that God
had simply
made him
fast
and that
when I
run
I feel
his
pleasure
his work
was to
run
with joy
and to
delight
in the
one
who
gave
him
the
gifts
to be
able
to
run
into
your
work
delighting
in the
one
who
gave
you
the
gifts
to be
able
to
do
what
you
do
run
to
him
who
invites
us
to rest
in his
saving
work
run
to
Jesus
who
said
come
to
me
all
you
who
are
weary
and
burdened
and
I
will
give
you
rest
take
my
yoke
upon
you
and
learn
from
me
for
I
am
gentle
and
humble
in
heart
and
you
will
find
rest
for
your
souls
for
my
yoke
is
easy
and
my
burden
is
light
amen
are
onn
born
and
we
in
there
is
uh
to