LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“Why Work?”
Ephesians 4:22-32
9/4/22
Labor Day Weekend: trad end of summer season, but forget reason for holiday
Dept of Labor: “annual celebration of social & econ achievements of Am workers”
don’t normally think of labor/work as something to celebrate
why we enjoy 3-day holiday wkends, look forward to retirement
good ask question: why do we work, and why celebrate it?
what is the purpose for the labor we celebrate this wkend?
see what Bible has to say about it: asked some of you to help
Start at very beginning: Garden of Eden, before sin entered world & human exp
God’s ideal, perfect plan for humanity: but not sit around eating bon-bons all day
Gen 2:15: work Adam & Eve did in garden enjoyable, made lives richer & fuller
way in which image of God comes through in us: creative & productive as he is
All changed when sin came into world after A & E ate forbidden fruit
work changed: no longer rewarding & gratifying: became curse God put on Adam
Gen 3:17:19: work no longer live-giving, but life-sucking
became toil: exhausting, wearisome, drudgery
what started out as blessed productivity & creativity in Eden became oppressive
what Isr’ites exp’d as slaves in Egypt: Exodus 1:14
Curse echoed as part of what will happen if disobey God’s word: Deut 28:30
will work, but will not benefit from your labor: will go to someone else
because didn’t obey, exactly what Amos 5:11 prophesied *
curse not only for those who work & don’t enjoy fruits of labor
God’s judgment against those who oppress workers: James 5:4
but even if no one oppressing you, still don’t get to enjoy results of work: Eccl 2:17-18
will die, heirs will enjoy it: no control over what they’ll do w/ it
Good news for us: not only has God redeemed us through X’s death on cross
has redeemed & t’formed labor & work: no longer curse, but blessing as originally
benefit from work we do: promise God gave through Micah 4:4: Zech 3:10 similar
how 1 Kings 4:25 describes blessedness of Solomon’s reign
also how describes what life will be like in paradise, new heaven & earth: Is 65:21-23
just as in Eden, future glory we await includes positive, life-giving labor
Blessing of labor: able to work to supply all we need for good life
Proverbs 12:11, 14:23
also Paul held self up as example to follow: 2 Thess 3:7-8
work to support self, didn’t rely on others to supply what you need
if you want to eat, work
similar 1 Tim 5:18: if someone works, should enjoy benefit from their labor
Good, but has to be something more to labor than being able to support self
Eccl 2:4-11: OT reading: emptiness of earning for own pleasure
even if able to work & earn luxury beyond imagination, can never fill empty hole in life
more to being made in God’s creative, productive image than accumulating for self
Brings us to Eph 4:28: verse that inspired me to delve into this whole topic in 1st place
completely different reason for why we work
not about reflecting God’s creative spirit in us
not about working to enjoy fruit of labor & not be burden on others
2nd ½ of Paul’s letters typically deal w/ ethics: how should live as people of the gospel
where we find 4:28
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands”
may wonder why had to instruct not to steal, but apparently issue in early church
1 Cor 6:11 & 1 Peter 4:15 address the issue: Xnity attracted criminal element
perhaps because could justify crime: forgiven by Jesus
instead, should work, be useful & productive
why? not, as I might expect, don’t steal but work so can support self
but “that they may have something to share with those in need.”
completely different reason for working: no longer about you!
not about people forcing you to work for them & taking what you produce
but about voluntarily giving results of work to those in need
God has redeemed our labor, not just so we can benefit from it
work to have something to share w/ those in need
true pleasure of work, joy of labor, more than being able to support self
being able to provide for those who aren’t able to support themselves
What people smarter than me have to say bout this verse
Calvin: “No one must live to himself alone, and neglect others. All must labor to supply each other’s necessities.”
Chas Hodge: probably greatest Am theo of 1800’s: taught at PTS: “No one is entitled to be supported by others, who is able to support himself. This is one great principle of scriptural economics. Another, however, no less important is, that those who cannot work are entitled to aid. No man liveth for himself; and no man should labour for himself alone, but with the definite object to be able to assist others.”
Tyndale Commentary: “The Christian motive for earning is not merely to have enough for oneself and one’s own, and then perhaps for comforts and luxuries, but to have in order to give to the needy. The Christian philosophy of labour is thus lifted far above the thought of what is right or fair in the economic field; it is lifted to the place where there is no room for selfishness or the motive of personal profit at all. Giving becomes the motive for getting.”
Still not convinced? how about J the B? Luke 3:11
Jesus himself: Matthew. 19:21; Luke 14:13
If able to work, celebrate: creative, productive spirit of God alive in you
can enjoy fruit of labor, able to support self & loved ones
but even more: through your labor, able to bless others who are in need
Ephesians 4:22-32
9/4/22
Labor Day Weekend: trad end of summer season, but forget reason for holiday
Dept of Labor: “annual celebration of social & econ achievements of Am workers”
don’t normally think of labor/work as something to celebrate
why we enjoy 3-day holiday wkends, look forward to retirement
good ask question: why do we work, and why celebrate it?
what is the purpose for the labor we celebrate this wkend?
see what Bible has to say about it: asked some of you to help
Start at very beginning: Garden of Eden, before sin entered world & human exp
God’s ideal, perfect plan for humanity: but not sit around eating bon-bons all day
Gen 2:15: work Adam & Eve did in garden enjoyable, made lives richer & fuller
way in which image of God comes through in us: creative & productive as he is
All changed when sin came into world after A & E ate forbidden fruit
work changed: no longer rewarding & gratifying: became curse God put on Adam
Gen 3:17:19: work no longer live-giving, but life-sucking
became toil: exhausting, wearisome, drudgery
what started out as blessed productivity & creativity in Eden became oppressive
what Isr’ites exp’d as slaves in Egypt: Exodus 1:14
Curse echoed as part of what will happen if disobey God’s word: Deut 28:30
will work, but will not benefit from your labor: will go to someone else
because didn’t obey, exactly what Amos 5:11 prophesied *
curse not only for those who work & don’t enjoy fruits of labor
God’s judgment against those who oppress workers: James 5:4
but even if no one oppressing you, still don’t get to enjoy results of work: Eccl 2:17-18
will die, heirs will enjoy it: no control over what they’ll do w/ it
Good news for us: not only has God redeemed us through X’s death on cross
has redeemed & t’formed labor & work: no longer curse, but blessing as originally
benefit from work we do: promise God gave through Micah 4:4: Zech 3:10 similar
how 1 Kings 4:25 describes blessedness of Solomon’s reign
also how describes what life will be like in paradise, new heaven & earth: Is 65:21-23
just as in Eden, future glory we await includes positive, life-giving labor
Blessing of labor: able to work to supply all we need for good life
Proverbs 12:11, 14:23
also Paul held self up as example to follow: 2 Thess 3:7-8
work to support self, didn’t rely on others to supply what you need
if you want to eat, work
similar 1 Tim 5:18: if someone works, should enjoy benefit from their labor
Good, but has to be something more to labor than being able to support self
Eccl 2:4-11: OT reading: emptiness of earning for own pleasure
even if able to work & earn luxury beyond imagination, can never fill empty hole in life
more to being made in God’s creative, productive image than accumulating for self
Brings us to Eph 4:28: verse that inspired me to delve into this whole topic in 1st place
completely different reason for why we work
not about reflecting God’s creative spirit in us
not about working to enjoy fruit of labor & not be burden on others
2nd ½ of Paul’s letters typically deal w/ ethics: how should live as people of the gospel
where we find 4:28
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands”
may wonder why had to instruct not to steal, but apparently issue in early church
1 Cor 6:11 & 1 Peter 4:15 address the issue: Xnity attracted criminal element
perhaps because could justify crime: forgiven by Jesus
instead, should work, be useful & productive
why? not, as I might expect, don’t steal but work so can support self
but “that they may have something to share with those in need.”
completely different reason for working: no longer about you!
not about people forcing you to work for them & taking what you produce
but about voluntarily giving results of work to those in need
God has redeemed our labor, not just so we can benefit from it
work to have something to share w/ those in need
true pleasure of work, joy of labor, more than being able to support self
being able to provide for those who aren’t able to support themselves
What people smarter than me have to say bout this verse
Calvin: “No one must live to himself alone, and neglect others. All must labor to supply each other’s necessities.”
Chas Hodge: probably greatest Am theo of 1800’s: taught at PTS: “No one is entitled to be supported by others, who is able to support himself. This is one great principle of scriptural economics. Another, however, no less important is, that those who cannot work are entitled to aid. No man liveth for himself; and no man should labour for himself alone, but with the definite object to be able to assist others.”
Tyndale Commentary: “The Christian motive for earning is not merely to have enough for oneself and one’s own, and then perhaps for comforts and luxuries, but to have in order to give to the needy. The Christian philosophy of labour is thus lifted far above the thought of what is right or fair in the economic field; it is lifted to the place where there is no room for selfishness or the motive of personal profit at all. Giving becomes the motive for getting.”
Still not convinced? how about J the B? Luke 3:11
Jesus himself: Matthew. 19:21; Luke 14:13
If able to work, celebrate: creative, productive spirit of God alive in you
can enjoy fruit of labor, able to support self & loved ones
but even more: through your labor, able to bless others who are in need
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com