Good morning and thank you to our praise and worship team for that wonderful worship this morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs chapter 6 and then a few pages over to Proverbs chapter 24. We'll start there this morning. Proverbs 6 and 24. We're going to be jumping around quite a bit this morning, so I'll draw your attention to an outline in your bulletin that will hopefully help you follow along and be able to take some notes as we go. As you're turning there this morning, I want you to know how grateful I am for this tall and wide pulpit so that you cannot see my knees that are shaking together and my nerves. Yes, I am nervous, not so much Because of public speaking, I'm somewhat used to doing that, although there is certainly some of that. But standing in the pulpit to represent God's word is a very humbling and ominous, awesome experience and responsibility. And so I would covet your prayers this morning that anything I might say is certainly seasoned with a lot of grace. So Proverbs chapter 6 and then 24, these two passages provide a rebuke of laziness. They do so through the biblical illustration of an ant. An ant, of course, is an example of industry, diligence, and planning. Here we see the results of preparation, a stick-to-itiveness, if you will, realizing the fruits of one's labor. We'll look at several additional passages in Proverbs where we'll see the resulting influence and aftermath of laziness, a comparison and contrast, if you will, between what happens to a lazy person and the person who practices hard work. So let's start in Proverbs 6, beginning with verse 6. Go to the ant, O sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise. Without having any chief officer or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, oh sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armed man. Then turn over to Proverbs chapter 24 beginning in verse 30. I pass by the field of a sluggard by the vineyard of a man lacking sense and behold it was all overgrown with thorns. The ground was covered with nettles and its stone wall was broken down Then I saw and considered it, I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armed man." Laziness, unproductiveness, a lack of discipline. Let's look at some additional passages here in Proverbs. You don't necessarily have to turn there, but if you want to write these down, these provide that Comparison and contrast of which I was speaking as we look at the difference between laziness and hard work. Proverbs 10, 4 and 26 says, laziness leads to poverty, but hard work makes one rich. Proverbs 12 and 24, hard work results in authority and leadership, but laziness leads to few options and being told what to do. Proverbs 13, 4, laziness leads to constantly longing and wanting more with little results, but hard work leads to satisfaction and provision. Proverbs 15 and 19, laziness leads to difficulty, even pain, but hard work provides a level and more direct path. And then finally, Proverbs 20 and verse 4, Laziness produces missed opportunities due to uncompleted tasks. So we understand that laziness has consequences that are destructive. But why is work, and even hard work at that, of value? We remember our example of the ant. What does it mean to be a captain of industry, consistently diligent and forever planning out your work. What is work, and how are we to approach it? What does God expect from us in work, and how are we to represent Christ in our work? And finally, what are the rewards and the costs of work? Ultimately, what I hope to exposit to you this morning is, what is our theology of work? How do we live out our Christian life through the occupation that we have, through this thing called work. Back in 2006, in Christianity Today, an article appeared by Leland Rykin entitled, The Original Puritan Work Ethic. The Puritans often help us when we're attempting to understand what it means to live daily in the shadow of eternity. The Puritan ethos from the Westminster Catechism says, what is the chief end of man? Well, man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In the article, Rykin identifies the Puritan approach to life in three vintage Puritan traits. He says, these are the ideal of a God-centered life, the doctrine of calling and vocation, the conviction that all of life is God's. Through these Puritan traits, we step back for a minute and understand that our view of work is much more than just the job we have and what we do. It is who we are in Christ. We follow and represent Him. This is our identity and purpose, to bring God glory in all things. Thomas Manton was an English Puritan. He was actually the chaplain for Oliver Cromwell. And he said, every creature is God's servant and hath his work to do, wherein to glorify God, some in one calling, some in another. The Puritan doctrine of vocation sanctified all types of common work. William Tyndale, the father of the English version of our Bible, said, Richard Baxter explained how this could be. He said, God looketh not principally at the external part of work, but much more to the heart of Him that doeth it." Our work is more than simply the opportunity and possibility of serving God on a daily basis. It offers us the ability to serve God through or by means of the work and where He has placed us to be. This is a profound difference. Now, some may ask, well, how do I know if God has place me in my present work and that I'm serving Him by what I'm doing? This is an important question and one that we all wrestle with. In one sense, we can simply know that God is sovereign and has placed us where He has needed us. That, in and of itself, should be enough for us. Settled in the sovereign hand of God for His own doing. We remember in Romans 8 29 that he is working out all things to those who are called according to his purpose. But it may be that God has something else for us. Knowing what that is and when is something I want to conclude our message with today. Now, certainly we could stay here for a long, long time and profit greatly from a fuller discovery of the Puritans. However, We want to move on and understand the theology of work from a much broader sense. Certainly the practicality of Proverbs leads us to this understanding as we are reminded of our main point in focusing on the consequence of laziness and the value of hard work. This is God's design. But how does God view work? What is His understanding that he wants us to know about work. If we look at work from God's viewpoint, we're reminded that God is a worker. The work of God is often described throughout the scriptures. We see God in the work of creation. Creation is a massive and mighty, mighty work of God. We can see the work of God in divine providence. We're reminded in Colossians 1, 16 to 17, he sustains all things. And in him, all things consist. He is directing and orchestrating all things toward the accomplishment of his will. This is certainly a mighty and awesome work of God. Can you imagine the magnitude of sustaining all things? We can't even sustain the next five minutes, yet God has it well in hand. We see God's work in judgment. We see this in things as the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and even future judgment as the end of days in Revelation and the great white throne of judgment. Finally, and most importantly, we see his work in redemption. As believers, we are most, most blessed because we are redeemed. We are purchased with a great price through the propitiation and the blood of the Lamb. We are reconciled, justified, and adopted into the family of God. Our salvation is a great and mighty work. God instituted work and created man in his own image to be a worker. We see this and remember this from our study at the beginning of creation, before Genesis 3. All of these things were instituted by God before the fall, which means that it's inherently good. Man before the fall, as a worker, was to rule over the earth and everything that was in it. He was to subdue it. God gave man everything in the Garden of Eden, and was told to tend it. This is work, and it was good. But when the fall occurred, work went from a delight to a burden. The fall did not necessarily introduce work. As we said, God created work as a blessing before the fall. But Adam's sin added burden and obstacles to our work. God allowed the earth to be cursed because the pleasure of work was now contaminated by sin, by our sin. So then work went from this privilege and delight in the garden to affliction and oppression as we complete it. God tells us because of sin, because of your disobedience, you are going to face opposition in your work. Turn over to Genesis 3, 17 to 19, and let's look at this after the fall from God's words. Genesis 3, 17. God said, Cursed is the ground because of you. In pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life, thorns and thistles, It shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread. So a blessing before the fall and a burden to man thereafter. This is God's view of work. But what about man's view of work? How is it that we understand what work is? Our view of work is seen through the lens of obstacles. As we just read, pain, thorns, thistles, and sweat. I'm sure many of us could identify with that in our work. Pain, thorns, thistles, and sweat. Our work is impacted by the curse. But although work has become more difficult, it is still capable of fulfilling God's original design for it. Through work, man attempts to restore the glory of God's original purpose through the sweat of our brow. Work was instituted by God for our good and to accomplish His purpose. Remember what God told us even before the fall in Genesis 126. Then God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. This dominion, this ruling. We were to have a blessing in our work before the fall. Over all creation. Work, as established by God, has a redemptive quality and one of purpose. Work can provide value in life. Work can provide meaning in life. Work can provide provision for our life and our family. Work can provide for the needs of others and the dignity to oneself as we're made in the image of God. But this is where things get very interesting because, and unfortunately, the flesh corrupts our view of work. We often forget and lose sight of who we work for and why. We lose sight of an eternal reward, pursuing an earthly reward in all the trappings of earthly riches. We compromise our values and disabuse our time by the pursuit of working for men. We play by the world's rules and do what is necessary to get ahead, even at the expense of our testimony, and it grieves the Lord's heart. There's a great danger here, for working with the wrong purpose and guided by the world system will destroy us. The acquisition of power and the accumulation of wealth by means of work For the purpose of advancing oneself is not serving the Lord Christ and advancing his kingdom. It is advancing our own. Colossians 3, 23 and 24 says, Whatever you do, work heartedly, heartedly as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. But we are often very fickle in our view of things. And as we consider our purpose and pursuit of work, we understand that it frequently changes. For example, how I view work and the purpose of it in life is very different than my grandparents understood it, for example. And how my children understand the purpose of work and pursuit in life is also very different than my own, and might I add, I'm very often confounded by it. Some of this occurs because of generational differences. There's an old song by Bob Dylan entitled, The Times They Are a-Changin'. Indeed, they are. Recently, I've attended some conferences and read some books by Dr. Tim Elmore from an organization known as Growing Leaders. This organization is dedicated to helping develop leadership in young people. Dr. Elmore speaks at length regarding the significant changes in our society with young people and how they view things. He looks at generational differences in great detail. A recent book entitled Generation IY provides an overview of how the generations view the purpose of work and meaning of life, among many other things, and how they've evolved over time. And so I'd like to share with you briefly just a little bit of what these generational differences look like when it comes to our view of work and purpose for it in life. So if you're here this morning and you were born between 1929 and 1945, you're part of the silent generation. You're known as the builders. Builders' view of life is to be grateful. To be grateful you even had a job. And you see the purpose of work as a means to a living. If you were born in 1946 to 1964, that generation preceding World War II, you're part of the pig and the python generation. And you're known as the boomers. Yes, I know, it's a little strange, but I'm just telling you what it says. The pig and the python. And apparently demographers, people who study generational differences in society, use that term to describe a huge bulge in an otherwise skinny age distribution, gradually moving down the distribution as boomers age. In other words, what this is talking about is a financial crisis that is looming associated with Social Security. So the older the boomer generation gets, the steeper the crisis. So boomers view life as you owe me. They view work by what you do as being the central part of your life. Work defines who you are. And I'll share with you that I am part of the boomer generation. And it is true. Work does define who you are. If you're born in 1965 to 1982, You're part of the generation known as Gen X, and they're called the Busters. Busters view life from a relationship lens. They crave relatedness. They view the purpose of work as an irritant. In other words, I don't necessarily like work, but I know I have to do it. If you're born from 1983 to 2000, you are from the generation known as Y. and you're known as a millennial. We've heard a lot about the millennials in recent years. We have lots of opinions about the millennials. Millennials view life as about choices. Life is a virtual cafeteria. They view the purpose of work, however, as a place to serve. Interesting. Looking for meaning in their work. And then finally, if you're born From 2001 and forward, you are known as Generation Z and are called the Homelanders. This generation, of course, grew up in the shadow of 9-11. These are our children and our teens. They view life as learning to cope. And purpose, their purpose in work is, it's my hobby. So they're looking for entertainment in their work. Certainly, this is all very fascinating stuff and one we could expand upon in great detail. And certainly not everything fits everybody. However, whether you agree with Dr. Elmore or not, how we view our work and the purpose of work has evolved over time. But for the Christian, for us as believers, We turn to the Word of God for our knowledge and our wisdom, for our understanding of work and its purpose. God's Word is a lamp unto our feet. It provides direction how to conduct our lives in this world in which we live, regardless of what generation we may be a part of. We remember the passage in Romans 12 and verse 2. We're not to be conformed, Paul tells us. In other words, don't take on an outward expression of this present age, its system of beliefs, its values and morals, which are always dominated by Satan. We remember that the three enemies of the Christian are Satan, the flesh, and the world system. But, Paul tells us, but be transformed. be transformed. In other words, outwardly manifest your inner redeemed nature on a daily basis. And we do this by the power of the Holy Spirit as He changes our thinking through consistent study and meditation of Scripture. We're to renew our minds and a renewed mind is one saturated with the Word of God. and controlled by the Holy Spirit. This then is how we understand man's view of work and how to work in the world. Obstacles and a burden, yet purpose unto him. And we do so to please God and bring him glory, not glory for ourselves. So this leads us to a question. What is the purpose of work? What is the purpose? Why do we work? I'd like to give you four reasons this morning why we work. I believe your outline says three. I'm going to give you four. So work is God's source of provision. We work because God provides. God provides. Second Thessalonians 3.10. If anyone is not willing to work, then he's not to eat. Again, this is a reference to idleness and laziness. But even more, this motivation to work is tied to survival. God provides, you eat because you work. This goes a step further in our responsibility to others and especially those from the household of God and our own family. 1 Timothy 5.8. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for members of his household, he is denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. See, any believer who fails to obey this command is guilty of denying the principle of compassionate Christian love and being worse than an unbeliever. We have a responsibility to help those in need. Secondly, we are to recognize that God gives us the skills to work, and He also controls our success and promotion. God gives us the skills, and He controls how successful we are in our advancement or promotion. If you have a unique skill to complete your work, God gave that to you. God gave that to you. Exodus 36.1 says, If you experience success, God has provided for that success. Genesis 39.2 and 3. Story of Joseph, Genesis 39, two and three, the Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. If you experience recognition and advancement, God has permitted that. You see this in Psalm 75, 6-7. Psalm 75, 6-7. For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. God provides for our recognition and advancement. So, God is our source of provision. God gives us the skills to do our work. He provides for our success, our recognition, and our advancement. And then thirdly, we work to bring God glory. And we have mentioned this previously, Ephesians 6, 7 and 8. Rendering service with a goodwill as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. We render service to the Lord. And then fourthly, we are to work in a proper balance, proper balance, knowing that he provides for our ultimate fulfillment. Ecclesiastes 2, 24 to 25, Solomon reminds us, there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also I saw is from the hand of God. For apart from him, who can eat or who can have enjoyment? So a proper balance in our work is important as we work to find our fulfillment in him and not the work alone. So we've covered a lot already this morning, and just in terms of review, we've looked at the consequence of laziness. And we've looked at the value of hard work. We're reminded the Puritan work ethic helped us to understand that we work to glorify God. God's view of work is inherently good. Because of sin, however, it is now a burden. Man's view of work is through the lens of obstacles, pain, thorn, thistles, and sweat, but intended to accomplish God's purpose. The purpose of work is God's provision, the skills He provides for His glory in a proper balance for our fulfillment in Him. Where I'd like to conclude this morning is looking at the rewards and the costs of work. What are the benefits? What are the losses? If you're like me, you find yourself reflecting and examining your life You ask yourself questions or at least you should be asking yourself questions. Am I serving the Lord as I should be? Is what I am doing making an impact for the kingdom? Is all of this worth it? Am I counting the cost? Look to Luke 14.28 quickly with me this morning. Luke 14.28 and this is A wonderful passage on discipleship and counting the costs of being a disciple. But Jesus said in Luke 14.28, for which of you desiring to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? So as we think on that this morning, what kind of Foundation does that tower sit upon? What foundation have you established for the tower you're building? Who or what does that tower bring honor and glory to? Do you have what it takes to complete the tower that you're building? What are the costs? Now, some time ago, our Grace Group studied the book from John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life. It's a small book, pretty easy read, nothing too intense, but a profound, profound book. And at this point, I have to say that there are some books you read, and there are some books that read you. That would certainly be the case in Don't Waste Your Life. This book profoundly impacted me and I've revisited it several times since. If you're not familiar with this book, I highly recommend it and would even go so far as to say that it's required reading for all Christians. Piper challenges us to not get caught in a life that costs for nothing, that counts for nothing. What and where is our passion for God? How am I utilizing what He has given me to bring glory to Him in all things? Ultimately, Piper's challenge is, don't waste your life. So as we conclude, I want to share with you what Pastor Piper has to say about how to make our lives count for the glory of God in our work. The question is, of course, Piper says, how? How? So he gives us six ways that scripture provides an answer and how to do this. Now, these are not exact quotes that I'm giving you. I've tried to shorten them and paraphrase them so that you can capture them. And certainly, I am sure that Bruce and our bookstore will help you find this book if you would like to learn more and study it more. But the first one, the first answer is relatively simple and a short one. Go to work and do your work with God. Go to work and do your work with God. 1 Corinthians 7.24 says, So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. See, Christians do not just go to work. We go to work with God. We don't just do a job, we do our job with God. So God is with us. We are in Christ and He is in us. So we had best remember how to represent Him in the workplace. We go with God. Secondly, these get a little bit more detailed, so I'll repeat them. Secondly, we represent Christ in our work by being joyful, demonstrating excellence in creativity and work ethic, and trusting Him in all things. We represent Christ in our work by being joyful, demonstrating excellence in creativity and work ethic, and trusting Him in all things. Remember, we're created in the image of God. We are image bearers. We are a new creation in Christ. In other words, in all that we do, we are to work in such a way that calls attention to his worth. The essence of our work must be that it is done in conscience, reliance on God's power. Our work is to demonstrate the pattern of God's excellence. We are to be deliberative in our work so that we reflect God's glory. Our occupation, our job, our work is a high calling no matter what we do. We have a responsibility to show up appropriately. Thirdly, Piper says, we exalt Christ in our work when it confirms and enhances the portrait of Christ that people hear in the spoken gospel. Now listen carefully to that again. We exalt Christ in our work when it confirms and enhances the portrait of Christ that people hear in the spoken gospel. Turn to Titus 2. verse 9. Titus 2, verse 9. You see, we have a responsibility at work to be very careful about what we say about the gospel. But this is helpful. Titus 2, verse 9 and 10. Bond servants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything. They are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may, and this is the key part, they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." Now, don't get caught up in whether Paul is making an endorsement of slavery here or not, because he's not, but that's not the point. The crucial meaning of our work is that the way we do it will increase or decrease the attractiveness of the gospel we profess to unbelievers. Of course, there's a great assumption that those who work with us know we are Christians. How sad it would be to work in our workplace each and every day for years and years and never profess or proclaim the gospel. This would be wasting your life. God has given us an opportunity to be in the place where we are for this reason. Fourthly, we make much of Christ in our work by earning enough money to keep us from depending on others. We make much of Christ in our work by earning enough money to keep us from depending on others. And while we're doing that, we remain focused on being helpful in our work rather than just the financial rewards of our work. Being helpful. Now this one is a little bit difficult, but as we look to summarize what Pastor Piper is getting at here, it's this. We honor God by earning a living. Aimless, unproductive Christians contradict the God we love and want others to know. When we're in our workplace, we have a responsibility to work hard and do what is necessary. Furthermore, don't focus on just the material things in your work. Don't labor only with the view to the perishable things that you can buy with your earnings. Work with an eye not mainly to money, but to your usefulness. Work with a view to benefiting people with what you make or do. Fifthly then, we honor Christ in our work by earning money with the desire to use our money for the benefit of others. We honor Christ in our work by earning money with the desire to use our money to benefit others. This is similar to number four, but a little bit different. The point here is this. God provides for us work that results in earnings. How are we using those earnings to help meet the needs of God's people and more specifically to those who can't meet their own needs. Pastor Piper says it is true that in general everyone should work if he can and that in general if you work you will have what you need. But that's not always the case and God can use those of us who have to meet the needs of those who do not. We remember 1 Timothy 5.8, we already looked at this scripture and we have a responsibility to our own family members and members of the household of faith to provide for them. But here's a couple of other passages that emphasize this point. Acts 20 and 35. Acts 20, 35. I have shown you that by working hard in this way, we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. More blessed to give than to receive. And then Ephesians 4, 28. Ephesians 4.28, let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor doing honest work with his own hands so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. So through our earnings and our work, we provide for those in need. And then finally, the last one is number six. And I think this is probably the most important one. God has placed us in our current work and the relationships of the people we work with for His intended purpose." God has placed us in our current work and the relationships of the people we work with for His intended purpose. Here Piper is saying where we are and who we are surrounded by is not an accident. Not an accident. He's allowed us to be woven into the fabric of other people's lives so that we will share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has placed us where we are to demonstrate His love in small acts of kindness and help. This is a powerful thing to consider when you're weary in your work and you're wore down by The things that you are doing and asking yourself, why am I here and why am I doing this? Proverbs 10, 11 reminds us the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. Regardless of how nice we are or being a model employee at work, people must know the gospel. We remember Romans 10, 17, faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. I know this is somewhat difficult for us in the workplace in a secular world. Sometimes sharing our faith can even bring about persecution and ridicule. But God does provide us opportunities. He does. And also, Christianity is an others-focused faith. Others are surrounding us everywhere in our workplace. How are we serving them? James 2, 17 reminds us, so also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. We don't want to share a dead faith. There are many opportunities to reach out and help and support in our workplace, to listen and pray with people. to just be a smiling face from time to time. But ultimately, as God gives us those opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I know many of you do that. And so we should. The theology of work. Laziness has consequences, but we work for the glory of God. Work in this world is impacted by obstacles. thorns, pain, thistles and sweat. God has placed us where we are to represent him in all that we do.