Recognizing Christian Workers

Four aspects of man’s labors : 1. Mankind was created to do work. 2. Mankind is instructed to be industrious. 3. Christians are commanded to be industrious people. 4. There are reasons why Christians are commanded to work.

I. God created man to do work.

God has a plan and a purpose behind everything He does. Acts 2: 23 This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

Ephesians 3:10-11 … so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

God’s plans are not subject Psalms 33: 11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. God’s plans are not subject to man’s approval.

caretaker of His creation. God created man for the purpose of being the caretaker of His creation.

Proverbs 16: 4 The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. Psalms 24: 1 The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

Genesis 2: 15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2: 7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2: 18, 21-22 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."…. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

Genesis 1: 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."

It is the will of God that all people work. Exodus 23: 12 Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves.

II. It is God’s will that that people work industriously.

The proverbs admonish us to avoid idleness. He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys. Proverbs 10: 4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 13: 4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Proverbs 6: 6-11 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, 8 Prepares her food in the Summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. 9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest" — 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

Proverbs 12: 11 – He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. Proverbs 14: 23 – In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 12: 27 – A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence. Proverbs 12: 24 – The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.

The scriptures instruct us to approach all our work with industriousness. Ecclesiastes 9: 10 – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol ( grave ) where you are going.

Colossians 3: 22-24 Slaves, ( Employees ) in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 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.

There is satisfaction to be found in productive work. Ecclesiastes 3: 12-13 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor — it is the gift of God.

III. As Christians we are commanded to be industrious people.

We’ve seen that our attitude toward our work reflect our attitude toward God. Colossians 3: 24 do your work heartily … It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. Matthew 5: 16 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.

I Peter 2: 18-19 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. I Corinthians 4: 2 …moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

It is an honorable thing for a person to work with his hands.

I Thessalonians 4: 10-12 ( love ) But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, 11 and to 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.

II Thessalonians 3: 10-12 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. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.

Genesis 3: 16 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

that Christians are commanded to work industriously. IV. There are reasons that Christians are commanded to work industriously.

To glorify God. Philippians 2: 14-15 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

To enable us to eat our own bread. II Thessalonians 3: 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.

To provide for one’s family. I Timothy 5: 7-8 Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

To be able to help others. Matthew 6: 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

Ephesians 4: 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

God made us Christians so we would do work for Him. Ephesians 2: 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

May God bless us to be able to work to His glory. Psalms 90: 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

Bear in mind that we do our work as serving God not as service to men.

Ephesians 6: 6-8 … in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Remembering Jesus the Lamb of God sacrificed for us