Note: This week we have several messages on the subject of work. Some may not regard work as being a "spiritual subject matter", but the Bible says a lot about it!

Message summary: The Christian work ethic essentially asserts that all work, both sacred and morally beneficial, is noble.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work" (Exodus 20:9).

As I've mentioned in previous messages I have an interesting gig one week a month transporting Amish teachers to and from their one room schoolhouses. I also transport Amish children to and from their houses to help other workers in the fields. Several times I took young boys to pick tomatoes on their uncle's farm, and earlier this summer to pick strawberries.

Actually the Amish provide living history, especially in rural life. It was common and still is in rural life for the older children to help out with the chores (work), especially during harvest. My older brother Mike recalls going down to the farming area in southwest Missouri where my mother was raised to help during harvest each summer. He told me he remembers the delicious farm meals made for the workers.

My first experience at paid work was mowing lawns in my neighborhood in Belton, Mo south of Kansas City. Whatever I was paid it seemed like a fortune. Of course I didn't have the sense to factor in the cost of the gas and use of my Dad's mower as a business expense and I suppose that was a lesson he knew I would learn when I grew up.*

"Work ethic is a belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. Desire or determination to work serves as the foundation for values centered on the importance of work or industrious work. Social ingrainment of this value is considered to enhance character through hard work that is respective to an individual's field of work." (Wikipedia)

Over 30 years ago Chuck Colson and Jack Eckerd noticed the diminishing work ethic in America and teamed up to write a book titled, "Why America Doesn't Work" examining conditions in the work ethic they noted at that time.

In our opinion and facts will back it up that the diminished work ethic has gone on overdrive based in part on a growing list of perceived rights such as:

Among the outstanding sins of our day is both the desecration of the Lord's Day and the deterioration of the Bible work ethic, both found in the 4th Commandment.

1) God has ordained work. Prior to the fall God commanded Adam to "tend the garden" Genesis 2:15. Explicitly commanded in the 4th commandment "six days shalt thou work". Labor is modeled and is foundational all through Scripture.

2)  Our work matters  Consider the moral benefit (outcome) of your work. How does your work benefit the good of society? Biblical examples: David watching sheep, Peter as a fisherman, Paul as a tentmaker.  Modern examples: Machine parts that goes into life-saving medical device, mechanical repair, medical, farming and so much more.

Categories of work:

    * Sacred (our actual service directly for the Lord)
    * Morally beneficial (our regular vocational work that is of some benefit to others)
    * Morally destructive (Work that is not beneficial but rather destructive. The drug dealer may say "I'm going to work". Any in these types of work should seek a form of work that will be beneficial to others and honoring to God.)

The Christian work ethic essentially asserts that all work, both sacred and morally beneficial is noble.

3)  We are to work heartily as unto the Lord (this includes secular work). Colossians 3:22-24 "Heartily" surely includes characteristics such as being diligent, resourceful, honorable and so forth.

4) Our work environment is one of our mission and discipling fields.  Example in Scripture Acts 18:2-4. (Paul ministering as he made tents.)

Be encouraged today!  Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber