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1
“More Than a Job”
Genesis 3:17-19
WWoorrkk tthhaatt MMaatttteerrss
Pastor Troy Dobbs
Grace Church Eden Prairie
September 11, 2016
In preparation for the new “Work that
Matters” series I jotted down every job
I’ve had throughout the years:
Early on:
Lawn mower / dish washer / floor
sweeper. (All done with a
begrudging heart and bad attitude).
Teenage years:
Baled hay / painted barns.
Helped haul hogs/ cattle with a
local farmer.
2
College years:
7UP factory / sorting bottles
Gym supervisor
Print shop / “making copies”
Sold shoes – LS Ayers
Right out of College:
Probation officer – supervised 125
adult felony offenders
In Seminary:
I worked at an inner city rec center
called The Cabbage Patch.
The Rivendale Psychiatric hospital.
After Seminary:
I took a job as a pastor where I
only work 1 day a week.
3
Obviously, I enjoyed some of those jobs
more than others but (ultimately) I
learned “through working” that work is
work.i
To that end I’d say most people have 1
of 2 experiences at work…
Some days:
You get out of the house (10 minutes
late) and you sit in traffic & get stuck
at every red light.
You get to the office and the coffee is
gone.
Then you turn and focus on work, and
work is warring against you the entire
day: people are late – projects are
late and e-mail is down.
By noon you're ready to tap out.
4
You're like, "I want to go home."
By the end of the day you get into bed
(close your eyes) and you mumble to
yourself – "Thank you this day over
– God!”
Because that's the only (good) thing you
could say about it.
Other days:
You wake up feeling great!
You catch all the green lights.
You get to work early and you're in
the zone. You're like a work ninja.
You're knocking stuff out, getting
things done. You’re high-fiving
everyone and loving life.
You go home at the end of the day
and you're of proud and happy.
5
You love your job and every single
coworker and customer!
My guess is that the first type of day is
far more prevalent than the second type,
isn't it?
Sometimes it feels like work is cursed!
I mean have you noticed there seems to
be a constant frustration with work.
Even on your best day there's almost
always something that annoys you.
It may be one reason (not an excuse)
people waste so much time at work!
6
(To that end) I did a little research and
found that 64 percent of employees visit
non-work-related websites every day.
For Millennials (18-35) approximately 73
percent of their time spent is trolling
websites that are not for work while at
work.ii
So we waste lots of time because we
are: bored / annoyed / frustrated.
And yet here’s the thing – work is a
monumental part of our lives:
An average worker will spend 90,000
(plus) hours at work over a lifetime.iii
7
So our theology of work is vitally
important.
So what does the Bible say about work?
First off – the Bible says we were
created to work.iv
And believe it or not we were created to
work BEFORE the fall of humanity in
Genesis 3.
Genesis 2:15-17
15 The LORD God took the man and put
him in the garden of Eden TO WORK IT
and keep it. 16 And the LORD God
commanded the man, saying, “You may
surely eat of every tree of the garden,
17 but of the tree of the knowledge of
8
good and evil you shall not eat, for in the
day that you eat of it you shall surely
die.”
One commentator said: Work could not
have had a more exalted beginning. It
was a God ordained endeavor!v
Interestingly, the word work (v15) is far
more than just the word to till the soil.
The word carries with it the idea of
bringing something to potential.
It’s working at something to see
something greater happen.vi
That’s why places like Home Depot and
Lowe’s exist.
9
God has placed this desire in us to see
things and want to fix them and improve
them.
Homes
Yards
Decks
Driveways
Companies
Schools
God put that inside of us.
And so work (pre-fall) was intended by
God to provide us:
Purpose
Value
Enjoyment
Refreshment
Exhilaration
A sense of accomplishment.
10
In hearing that you may be thinking –
work doesn’t do any of that for me!
So why is that?
Well that was WORK: PRE-SIN / PRE-
FALL in Genesis 2.
In Genesis 3, because of humankind's
rebellion against God we see sin's
devastating effects taint:
our relationship with God
each other
child bearing (for women)
but also work!
Work itself was profoundly impacted
by the curse.vii
How so?
11
Genesis 3:17-19
17 And to Adam he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice
of your wife and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’ CURSED IS
THE GROUND because of you; IN PAIN
you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 THORNS AND THISTLES it shall bring
forth for you; and you shall eat the plants
of the field.
19 BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR FACE you
shall eat bread, till you return to the
ground, for out of it you were taken; for
you are dust, and to dust you shall
return.”viii
12
Here it is – because of the far-reaching
and long-lasting consequences of sin
described in Genesis 3 the very nature
of human work has fundamentally
changed.
Now work is work.
Now work is toilsome and difficult.ix
There will be:
thorns
and thistles
and sweat
and calluses
and stress
and pressure.
One theologian said:
13
"God's curse after the fall expresses
the fact that alienation is inherent to
the human experience of work."x
So POST Fall - work is not what it
ought to be.
Our work is now difficult, distorted, and
disillusioning.xi
Bottom line:
Sin entering the world and corrupting
God's design has made work harder.xii
The systems, technologies, economics
and structure reflect a fallen, broken
world.
A few years ago:
14
On the Discovery Channel there used to
be a TV show called Dirty Jobs.
The show took a humorous look at
some examples of what it's like to do a
job in this fallen world.
The show always started with the quote
(from the show's host Mike Rowe)
usually spoken while in the midst of a
particularly dirty task:
“My name's Mike Rowe, and this is
my job. I explore the country looking
for people who aren't afraid to get
dirty-hard-working men and women
who earn an honest living doing the
kinds of jobs that make civilized life
possible for the rest of us.
15
Now, get ready to get dirty.”
The dirty jobs included
a roadkill collector,
a catfish noodler,
a shark suit tester,
a penguin keeper,
a bologna maker,
and a hot tar roofer.
The show – shows how work is
painfully difficult.
In addition, the writer of Ecclesiastes
transparently addresses the
disillusionment that is part of this fallen
world!
16
The author's mad pursuit of power,
pleasure and comfort leads him to the
disillusioning conclusion that it's all a
colossal waste of time:
Satisfaction and fulfillment elude him in
his pursuits, particularly in his work.
Listen to these verses:
Ecclesiastes 2:17-18
17 So I hated life, because what is done
under the sun was grievous to me, for all
is vanity and a striving after wind.
18 I hated all my TOIL in which I TOIL
under the sun, seeing that I must leave it
to the man who will come after me.xiii
17
Ecclesiastes 2:22-23
22 What has a man from all the TOIL and
striving of heart with which he TOILS
beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are
full of sorrow, and his WORK is a
vexation. Even in the night his heart
does not rest. This also is vanity.xiv
The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us
that work in this broken and fallen world
is a mixed bag.
One commentator said:
together Genesis 2:15 and Genesis 3:17
affirm that the inescapable reality of
human sin makes work an ambiguous
reality.xv
18
IT IS BOTH A NOBLE EXPRESSION OF
HUMAN CREATION IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
AND A PAINFUL TESTIMONY TO HUMAN
ESTRANGEMENT FROM GOD.xvi
To summarize:
We were created to work – but it’s
broken… however we don’t have to
respond to work in broken ways. xvii
OUTLINES
So let me give you 3 biblically healthy
ways to think about work:xviii
1.) We are right to seek meaningful
work!xix
19
Lest you think the Bible is fatalistic
regarding work – remember God’s
original vision for work:
God ordained work to be a blessing to
us.
So work does give us a sense of value /
worth as we accomplish things.
That said:
we should seek meaningful work not to
find meaning – but rather:xx
A. To make a living. xxi
20
2 Thessalonians 3:12
12 Now such persons we command
and encourage in the Lord Jesus
Christ to do their work quietly and
to earn their own living.xxii
One blessing of work is that it allows us
to make a living.
The second way to make a meaningful
work is to work:
B. To provide for your
household.xxiii
Proverbs 31:27
21
27 She looks well to the ways of her
household and does not eat the
bread of idleness.xxiv
Work allows us to eat / care / provide for
ourselves and our families.
The 3rd
way to make work meaningful is
to work to:
C. Bless others.xxv
Ephesians 4:28
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
22
need.xxvi
The idea behind Ephesians 4:28 is that
doing honest work helps make a
person honest and then sets that
person up to help other people in
need.xxvii
And so we should seek meaningful work
– not to find meaning but to help
ourselves and helps others in need.
Secondly – thinking biblically about
work:
2.) We are smart to maximize
relationships at work!xxviii
23
One huge blessing (we often0 forget is
that work can give us FRIENDS!
That’s why one of the most
dehumanizing aspects of unemployment
is loneliness.xxix
Author Thomas Moore wrote a book
called, “The Care of a Soul” and in it
he said this:
“I always tell people looking for jobs /
interviewing that your last question to
your potential employer ought to be –
What are my chances for making
really good friends here at this
company?
Don’t forget:
24
Work will be the main place to make
friends so maybe one goal of work
should be great friendships.”
That’s one way God blesses us!
Thirdly – thinking biblically about work:
3.) We are right to find satisfaction in
our work.xxx
Ecclesiastes 3:13
13 also that everyone should eat and
drink and take pleasure in all his toil—
this is God's gift to man.xxxi
Work is hard – but it’s also God’s gift to
us!
25
God does want us to be grateful for the
work we have – all the while knowing
our jobs shouldn’t be
The source of our identity.
The source of our joy.
The source of our meaning.
If you don’t receive satisfaction from
doing your job – a sense that you are
fulfilling your life’s purpose – then
maybe the job you are doing now is not
all that God has in mind for you to do
with your life.
Of course every job has certain aspects
to it that make it difficult.
26
Part of your job may be:
· tedious
· or frustrating
· or stressful
· or demanding
· or even boring… but the question
is:
Overall – does this job give a sense that
you are doing what you were created
to do?
God wants you to find fulfillment in your
work – this is His gift.
Work is not a punishment, it is a
blessing.
27
Your job can be more than just 40 hours
of misery that you endure to pay the bills
– it can give you a sense of
fulfillment and purpose.
So ENJOY YOUR WORK… knowing
it’s WORK but also GOD’S GIFT TO
YOU!
29
i Obviously, I enjoyed some of those jobs more than others but
(ultimately) I learned through working that work is work. ii If you’re a millennial (18-35) approximately 73 percent of your time
is on websites that are not for work while you are at work.
iii
An average worker will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime.
iv First off – the Bible says we were created to work.
v Work could not have had a more exalted beginning. It was a God
ordained endeavor!
vi It’s working at something to see something greater happen.
vii
Work itself was profoundly impacted by the curse.
viii
Genesis 3:17-19
ix
Now work is work.
Now work is toilsome and difficult.
x "God's curse after the Fall expresses the fact that alienation is inherent
to the human experience of work."
xi
Our work is now difficult, distorted, and disillusioning.
xii
Sin entering the world and corrupting God's design has made work
harder.
xiii
Ecc 2:17-18
xiv
Ecc 2:22-23
xv
Together Genesis 2:15 and Genesis 3:17 affirm that the inescapable
reality of human sin makes work an ambiguous reality.
xvi
WORK IS BOTH A NOBLE EXPRESSION OF HUMAN
CREATION IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND A PAINFUL
TESTIMONY TO HUMAN ESTRANGEMENT FROM GOD.
xvii
We were created to work – but it’s
broken… however we don’t have to
30
respond to work in broken ways.
xviii
3 biblically healthy ways to think about work:
xix
1.) We are right to seek meaningful
work!
xx
we should seek meaningful work not to find meaning – but rather: xxi
1. rather to make a living.
xxii
2 Thessalonians 3:12
xxiii
B. To provide for your household.
xxiv
Proverbs 31:27
xxv
C. To bless others.
xxvi
Ephesians 4:28
xxvii
The idea behind Ephesians 4:28 is that doing honest work helps
make a person honest and then sets that person up to help other people
in need.
xxviii
2.) We are smart to maximize
relationships at work!
xxix
That’s why one of the most dehumanizing aspects of unemployment
is loneliness.
xxx
3.) We are right to find satisfaction in
our work.
xxxi
Ecclesiastes 3:13