Making Life Work: Working Wisely

Preached on 9.14.08 by Dustin Neeley
Sermon Notes

God’s Work, done God’s Way, for God’s glory.

God’s Work:

• Work was God’s idea—and it is good.
  • The difficulty of work is a result of sin, but not work itself.
• All work CAN be “God’s Work” no matter what we do.*
  • “God’s Work” is about advancing the Kingdom.
  • “God’s Work” is not just done by people on church staffs.
  • If you want to think about sharing Jesus, you’d better work hard.

Do I see myself as doing “holy work?” If not what needs to change?

Done God’s Way:

P: God doesn’t just about what you do but also how you do it.

Avoid: “The Sluggard”

• Snapshot 1: Prov. 6:6-11
  • “sleep, slumber, folding hands to rest” Asleep at the wheel.
  • Learn from the ant!
• Snapshot 2: Prov. 24:30-34
  • His field is overgrown, wall broken down (30-31)
  • Learn a lesson from him! (32-34)
• Snapshot 3: Prov. 26:13-16
  • Makes excuses for why he doesn’t work (13)
  • Turns over in bed like a door on a hinge (14)
  • Too lazy to bring his hand out of a dish! (15)
  • Wiser in his own eyes than actual wise men (16)
• He is a brother to him who destroys (18:9)
• He is strife to his boss (10:26)
• His soul craves but he gets nothing (13:4)
• Does not have a harvest because he doesn’t work the field (20:4)
• His desire will kill him because he refuses to labor (21:25)

Where do you see the trail of the sluggard already in your life?

Embody: “The Diligent”
Examples of Diligence in Your Own Life (Share it with them if you can.):

Leads to:

• Wealth, riches, (12:27, 10:4)
• Ruling (12:24)
• Soul richly supplied (13:4)
• Their plans lead to abundance (21:5)
• Greater opportunity (22:29)

Prov. 16:26 Caution: We don’t want to slip from Diligence into Drivenness.

Where do I see the evidence of grace already at work in my diligence? In what areas do I need to develop more diligence?

How do we work for God’s glory?

1. Assess where you are in light of what we have heard today.
   • Where am I looking like a sluggard? The diligent?
2. Realize that God will work with you no matter where you are.
   • The Gospel is a story of Redemption.
   • Repent. Not just a moment but a way of life.
3. Ask “What changes God is calling me to make?”
   • Work harder? Ease up and find balance? Change jobs?
4. Ask “What is the WISE CHOICE in this situation?”
5. Recognize that, ultimately, if we are following Jesus, we work for God, not our employers.
   • Col. 3:23, 1 Cor. 10:31

Are these actions a habit in our lives? If not, what needs to change?

Am I doing God’s Work, God’s Way, for God’s Glory?

Homework:

1. Review these notes and think about their implications for your own life.
2. Share your stories of victory and struggle with your community group.
3. Parents! Look for ways to help instill these truths in your children in creative ways.
4. Read a chapter of Proverbs a day (31 chapters). Soak in it!

Works Consulted : Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Life Application Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, Messages by Steve Hart, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, Andy Stanley, Christians in the Marketplace by Bill Hybels, Your Work Maters to God by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks