Thursday, May 28, 2015

Exceeding Righteousness

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.~ Matthew 5:19-20

Beloved,

How can one exceed the righteousness of a Pharisee?  They lived incredibly moral lives. They fasted twice a week for the nation of Israel. They honored the Sabbath. As the epitome of Jewish faith, they fought to protect the Scripture’s commandments. If they meticulously and diligently strived to honor the Old Testament laws, then what did Jesus mean when he said that unless our righteousness exceeds theirs, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus answers the question by teaching that the weight of the law exceeds the external adherence to the law. True Christian discipleship is not merely following the law, but obeying it from the deeper places within our hearts. Jesus redefines the importance of the Ten Commandments by elevating and enriching them.  One should not murder, but also one must NOT permit personal rage to develop to the point of homicide.  Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Law. He pours out the Spirit of the New Covenant. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) Christ came, not only to change our behavior, but to transform our hearts.

The righteousness of Christ exceeds the external decency of a Pharisee. God doesn’t want merely people who obey his law externally, but desires a zeal within His people’s hearts for good works! Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ places his law within our hearts. Christ came so we would no longer have a righteousness that “comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (Phil.3:9) Our righteousness depends on God and what He’s done for us through Jesus Christ.

Beloved, we no longer are under the Law of Moses. We’re now under the law of Christ. We no longer trust in our works to save us, but we have faith in Christ’s righteousness. Our Lord’s righteousness now calls us to complete the law of Christ by living for righteousness from the heart. God cares not only about our actions, but why we do things! He came to transform us, not just our behavior. He came to give us a righteousness that exceeds that of Pharisees, so that we will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Wisdom of Words (Proverbs 22:17-21)


            Over the past several months, our family has experienced a lot of car trouble. We have had windows that will not roll down, doors that will not open, engines that have been over heating and a computer system that would randomly shut off leaving the car without air conditioning and windshield wipers. It has been a rough couple of months on the car front. Our cars have been perishing. We finally had to say goodbye to our family car, Big Blue. It was a 2003 Dodge Caravan with 245,000 miles that served us well, but it had to be replaced. It was a little sad saying goodbye to the family car, but we had seen that day coming for a while.

            We knew the van was sick, because of the noises that we would hear come out of the car. The car was so loud that I could tell when my wife was coming about ½ mile before I could see her. The noises the car makes is often an indication of its physical health. Many mechanics can listen to a car and diagnose the problem simply by listening to the engine. The average car customer, when buying a new car, always listens to the sound of the engine to see if anything sounds odd. The noise coming from a car is a barometer for its physical health. Likewise, the noises our bodies make are a sign of our physical health.

            The first thing the doctor does when he enters the examination room is to take out the stethoscope and listen to your heart. By listening to the noises of the body, he can make observations and judgments about the health of the body. The noises within the body indicate our physical health, but the noises that come out of the body indicate our spiritual health. The words we use are a barometer for our spiritual health. Jesus says, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.” (Matthew 15:18a) If we want to diagnose our spiritual health, we need to look no further than the tongue. In order to diagnose the health of our own soul, we need to be like the doctor and the mechanic and listen the noises coming out of our mouths. We have to examine their truthfulness and their timeliness.

            A key theme throughout the book of Proverbs is speech. Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” There is power in the tongue. Wisdom calls aloud from the street and beckons us to use our tongues to honor the Lord and to love his people. We have the choice every day to walk the road of folly with the tongue or the way of wisdom. James says, “With the tongue (it) we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:9-10) Our words matter to God. We have the choice and the responsibility to walk in wisdom with our words.

The Wise Speak Gracious Words
    
        Solomon shows throughout the book how death and life are in the power of the tongue. He wants the youth to choose wisdom with their words so that they can be a blessing to their neighbor. It is hard to underestimate the importance of good communication for the health of any relationship or any community of faith. The words we use to one another have power to bring life to the soul. Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” The gracious words we use to and for others function like medicine to the sick soul. Solomon says that the anxious heart weighs a man down, but “a good word makes him glad. (Prov. 12:25) There indeed are so many helpful benefits of the good communication weaved throughout the Proverbs that it will be hard to touch on every one, but it is helpful to remind us how powerful our speech can be for the good of others.

            How often do you sit down at the end of the day and examine how you used your words that day? It is a helpful practice to think through conversations and to examine if our words were edifying. Did we say too much? Did we leave words unsaid? We will never grow in our speech unless we see the importance of it. All animals communicate to varying degrees, but only human beings have been given the power of speech. God has given us speech because we were made in God’s image. The very first words in the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…and God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” God speaks and creates life. Beloved, God has given us this gift. We speak and create life. Our words should be life-giving to our neighbors. Proverbs 10:11, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” God has given us the power to speak life into people’s wearied souls.

            The most obvious way we speak life is to speak the gospel. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “As we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4) We speak the gospel because the gospel brings life. We should make a practices of speaking the gospel to our neighbors for this pleases God who tests our hearts.

If you are a visitor today, I wonder what you think when you hear the word gospel? ”Gospel” simply means good news. It is the good news about how God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ to stand in the place of sinners. God spoke the world into existence. He created man and breathed life into his body. Man rebelled against God’s Word and turned to folly. And because of Adam and Eve’s sin, we were born sinners. Born as fools. Our foolishness deserves to be punished. The Bible states that all fools will perish forever in a literal Hell. But God does not only speak a word of judgment, but a word of salvation. The good news is God sent Jesus Christ to us. He lived a perfect life and was punished as a fool on a cross to pay for our foolishness. He was dead and buried, but God raised him from the dead. Jesus overcame death and hell in his resurrection. And the beautiful word of the gospel is that if anyone turns from their sins and trust in Christ, then his death will be credited to you along with his resurrection. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. You can be saved from the consequences of your foolish, by turning from your sins and trusting in Christ.

Beloved, the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life so let us speak of the gospel that brings forth the fountain of living water. Let us speak about Jesus.

Of course we want our lips to constantly be extolling the gospel, but we also are going to speak about a variety of issues. The Scriptures should govern all our communication so let me give two practical questions that one can ask to improve their communication with others. “Should I say anything?” It is so easy to get in trouble by not practicing restraint. We do not need to speak into every situation. As Elvis has said, “Only Fools Rush In.” We can intentionally speak life by first asking if I should speak at all.  “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Proverbs 13:3) “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Proverbs 21:23) We all have probably had the experience of regret after quickly saying something foolish only to realize we can never take what we said back. Training our minds to ask the question, “Should I say anything?” will help us grow in much needed restraint in our communication. “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18) Do not thrust the sword at your neighbor, but use a wise tongue to bring healing. This should be truth for all Christian communication, including that which occurs online.

The second question we should ask is, “What is the right word to say?” After we discover if we should say anything, then we need to think through what to say. Remember the goal is to speak life, not to voice our opinions. We want to speak life-giving gracious words, for a timely word is beautiful to its hearers.  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11) “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23) We want to bring joy to our neighbors. Of course this requires thought and wisdom, but in working to find the right words we will speak life to our neighbors.

The Wise Avoid Foolish Words

            The wise speaks words of life, but they also avoid the various ways fools communicate. Pastor Ray Ortlund speaks about the seriousness of foolish communication by comparing it to the awful sin of adultery. He writes, “I have never seen a church split over the sin of adultery. Gossip is a sin rarely disciplined, but often more socially destructive than the sensational sins.” Gossip is one form of foolish speech and has destroyed countless people’s lives. I have seen relationships destroyed in my own family because of someone’s misrepresented, manipulating gossip. One of the best ways to have a healthy church community is to resolve ourselves to avoid using our words like a fool. As we examine the list of the particular foolish use of words, ask yourself which ones you are most tempted by and then work to eradicate them from your life.

Fools Lie

Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight. (Proverbs 12:22) A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin. (Proverbs 26:28) There are many reasons people lie: fear, shame, vengeance, or cowardice. Christians have been called to truth by Him who is Truth. God never lies and as his people neither should we.

Fools Flatter

Flattery is a cousin to lying, but just as dangerous. Flattery excessive and insincere praise, especially that given to further one's own interests. Flattery may not be malicious, but that does not mean it isn’t dangerous. Flattery may allow people to put confidence in skills that they do not possess. “A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” (Proverbs 26:28) “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.” (Proverbs 29:5)

Fools Gossip

            As I stated above, gossip is one of the deadliest forms of foolish speech. “Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret.” (Proverbs 25:9) “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” (Prov. 11:13) We are guilty of gossip when we repeat that which is not worthy of repeating. Ending gossip is a community project. It involves both the gossiper and the one who listens to the gossip. “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” (Proverbs 20:19) For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. (Proverbs 26:20) If the whisperer has no one to whisper to, then they cannot whisper.

Fools Create Strife

            The end result of poor, foolish communication is that it divides and fractures relationships. Christians must be zealous for unity. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we should be one as Jesus and the Father are one. The unity of the church was on Jesus’ mind right before he hung on the cross. Proverbs 18:6 says “A fool’s lips bring strife,” and among the things listed in Proverbs 6 that God hates is “one who sows discord among brothers.”

Beloved, God views unity with the highest importance, and so must we. Do not use your lips to fracture the body. God hates the one who sows discord among the brothers. Repent of your use of foolish speech and giving an ear to foolish speech. Wise communication is a community project. Let us strive for unity in the bond of peace.

The Wise Heed Difficult Words

            We should exercise restraint in our communication. We should avoid foolish ways of communicating. We should be very careful with our words, but biblical communication still requires us to correct and admonish one another. Most people avoid correction or admonishment like the dentist. We do not want to give correction because there is the possibility of hurting someone we care about. I would say that withholding admonishments and correction actually does more to hurt the people we care about. Withholding correction is one form of selfishness. We are afraid more of how we will be received than the good of our brother or sister in Christ.

The other reason we do not offer correction is that people do not take correction well. In our flesh, we want to defend ourselves when corrected. The righteous should delight in correction because it leads us deeper into wisdom. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1 ESV) We want to love discipline for it is a sign we love the knowledge of the Lord. When we buck up against reproof it is our pride welling up in us. Human pride is against the Lord and the Lord is against the proud.

As Christians, we no longer need to worry about justifying ourselves. God is the one who justifies. And he justifies not on the basis of your righteous works but on His mercy. When someone corrects us and we get defensive, the kernel of self-righteousness is growing in your soul. It says, “This can’t be true about me, because if it is, then I will be in trouble.” The gospel says, “I am a sinner and will continue to sin until I die, but thanks be to God who saves me from this body of death.” How we respond to criticism is a good indicator of our true belief of the gospel? Do I need to justify myself? Or do I trust in the justification given to me by Jesus Christ?

Solomon continues contrast the righteous and the wicked in their ability to hear rebuke. A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. (Proverbs 13:1) A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. (Proverbs 17:10) Reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. (Proverbs 19:25b) As the words we say indicate the spiritual health of our hearts, so too how we hear and listen to rebuke. We should not be defensive and self-justifying when we hear correction, but delight that God has sent someone to give us an opportunity to trust in the full atoning work of the gospel. Correction also gives Christians the opportunity to grow and move to Christ. Beloved, I pray we would grow into a community who both gives and receives correction well. It is an indicator of our spiritual health.

The Wise Reflect the Word

Ultimately, the reason we want to use wise words is because they reflect the Incarnate Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, has called us to be salt and light to the world. The words we use reflect Him. Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” We want people to see God through our words. Every one of His words prove true so we want our words to prove true. We want all our words to be gracious and seasoned with salt so that we can draw men’s gaze to our great and glorious Savior. For drawing men’s gaze is to Jesus Christ is the only way one’s heart can be changed. If we want the world to be wise, then we point people to Jesus Christ. If we want our words to be wise, we fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

Jesus Christ is the perfect Word. The more we focus on him, the more we will become like him. Jesus Christ always spoke gracious words. John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Peter confirms this a few verses later, “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life.” The Words of Jesus Christ, the Righteous, are a fountain of life welling up to eternal life.

Jesus Christ always avoided foolish words. He never lied, flattered, gossiped, or slandered. “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:22-23) Jesus never spoke in sin, but avoided all foolish speech. He is wisdom personify. He lived and spoke as true wisdom.

Jesus Christ also heeded the most difficult word ever spoken. The word spoken by His Father that sent him to the cross. Jesus was sent in the world to be disciplined for the sins of his people. Jesus wanted the cup to pass from him. He prayed in the garden, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Jesus cared more about the Word of His Father more than he did about his own life. He became obedient to death, even death on the cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the Name that is all names. And at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess he is Lord. Jesus heeded the hard word of the cross and God raised him from the dead. And because he heeded the Word spoken by the Father, we now can heed the same word by taking up our cross and following Him. And we too, like him, will be raised to life on the last day.


Beloved, we should care about our words because they reflect our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. King Jesus has taught us and continues to teach us to be wise in our words. Let the wise words of our Savior be forever on our lips, for that will show that He is the Lord of our heart.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Diploma

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ~ Matthew 5:17-18

Beloved,

Thousands of high school and college graduates walk across stages and receive their diplomas each spring. They’ve fulfilled all scholarly criteria vital for their success. And because they’ve done so, these students are no longer bound by the school’s rules. After graduation, that student is free, no longer bound by regulations or academic expectations.

But imagine if students could receive diplomas without completing their work. What if a man or woman could graduate due to someone else’s finished work?

Jesus didn’t come to change God’s standards. Jesus, our teacher, didn’t come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, He came to fulfill them. Jesus gives us salvation through his finished work on the cross, and every believer who is in Christ is no longer bound by the Law or the Prophets. We grow in Jesus who changed everything for us, by completing God’s Will written in His Word.  Jesus is the turning point for the people of God.

Jesus fulfills the sacrificial system by becoming--once and for all—a sacrifice that eternally redeems us (Heb. 9.22). Also, Jesus fulfills the priesthood. He’s our high priest, and this fact allows us an eternal pathway and connection to God (Heb. 7:23-24). Jesus fulfills the geographic temple worship by becoming our temple, so we now worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Jesus fulfills the law of circumcision by sending the Holy Spirit to circumcise the heart. By doing so, God’s people are no longer defined ethnically, but they’re spiritually created into a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people of his own possession that proclaim His Glory to the world (1 Peter 2:9).

Jesus didn’t come to change the law, but he fulfills it through his death and resurrection. We no longer live under the Old Covenant for he’s given us the New Covenant. Jesus is the mediator of a New Covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant (Heb. 9:15).  Let us receive and rejoice in the New Covenant purchased by the blood of Christ.

 Jesus didn’t change the demands of the law, but fulfills them so that we can receive salvation through his finished work on the cross. We receive our “diploma of salvation” based on the work of Jesus.


Rejoice in the fulfillment of the Law! Rejoice in the completed work of the cross!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Wisdom of Work (Proverbs 6:6-11; Proverbs 26:12-16)


      The average person will spend 80,000 hours at work in their life. An article published in the Business Insider a few years ago detailed some interesting facts about the workplace.
  • 80% of people are dissatisfied with their jobs.
  • On average, Americans work 8 different jobs before they are 30.
  • 25% of employees say work is their main source of stress and 40% say their job is "very or extremely” stressful.
  • More than 13 million working days are lost every year because of stress-related illnesses.
  • The average American spends 100 hours commuting each year.
  • 64% of Americans canceled vacations last year. One-third did it for work-related reasons even though most felt they were more in need of a vacation than the year before.
  • In the United States, workers take an average of 57 percent of their vacation days. That means most of us voluntarily give up about 50 percent of the time off we're legally allowed so we can continue to work instead.
  • 25% of people check into work hourly while on vacation, via email and phone. 59% said they check work during traditional holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Basically, work is everywhere.[1]

Work is everywhere. Everyone will be called to work in one way or another. Are we all destined to be dissatisfied and stressed during our work life? How do we approach our work? How should we understand the purpose of work? How can we approach Monday morning with joy instead of dread? How should our faith impact our work lives?

      German Sociologist and Economist Max Weber coined the term “Protestant Work Ethic” in 1905 in his seminal work, “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.” He argues in the book that the protestant work ethic traced back to Martin Luther redefined worldly work as one’s Christian duty that benefits both the individual and society as a whole. Since the Protestant Reformation, the church has believed that one’s faith should be displayed as a sign of grace. So one’s hard work and frugality became markers that one possessed a true faith in Christ. One’s work was a picture of the grace one had received by Christ.

      Work has always been important in our culture. The Protestant Work Ethic built America’s railroads, supplied factories, and harvested crops. America grew in cultural dominance because of the people’s ability to work. Although there are many who still value work, there are others who have given their work an inordinate amount of power in their lives. Some work too much, while others do not work enough. Solomon hoped to encourage and warn to young people to have them see the importance of work while guarding against the dangers of poor work habits. Before we dig into the practical exhortations, let us first build a brief theology of work.

The Theology of Work

            What we believe shapes how we live. If we want to live right, we must first believe right. Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Work has always been part of God’s world.

God Designed Work

            Work was established in the opening two chapters of Genesis. After God created Adam and Ever he charged them to work to care for his good world, Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Adam and Eve were called to exercise dominion or to work to care for the garden. In the parallel account of creation, in Genesis 2:5, “there was no man to work the ground,” so God formed man and Genesis 2:15, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Work was created and designed by God. It is good.

God Cursed Work
            The world used to cooperate alongside humanity to bring joy to a man’s hands while he worked the ground, but after man’s sinful rebellion God cursed our work. Our work would no longer be easy, but difficult. God cursed Adam’s work saying to him,

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; 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, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:17-19)

The ground now works against humanity. The sweat that Adam experienced in the garden is like stress we feel before walking into the office on Monday before a presentation. The curse brought sweat and stress into our work.

God Redeemed Work

            God had pity on humanity. We were under the curse of sin and death so God sent his Son to redeem us from the curse by being cursed for us. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14) Christ became a curse to reverse the curse. He came that we may have life and life abundantly. He restored purpose in our work. He restored promises from our work. We no longer live to serve ourselves in our work, but now we live to serve him.

            A key text on work is Colossians 3:22-24 where Paul redefines our work by redefining our master. He writes,

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, 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. (Colossians 3:22-24)

Every day we work, we are serving Jesus Christ. This should give us purpose in any job we have whether if it is a ditch digger or a stay-at home mom, a sales rep or a CEO, a janitor or a postman. Every job has value because it is done for the honor of the Lord Christ. We get to serve Jesus through our jobs. Praise God for his kindness to allow sinners to experience joy and eternal value in our work.
           The Bible never speaks about retirement. Retirement is a modern construct. You may no longer need the money for a paycheck, but that does not mean you are not called to work. The Bible says whatever we do we are to work heartily unto the Lord. It is the Lord Christ we are serving. Many of you no longer work for wages, but continue to work diligently for the good of your family members who need care, for your community, and for your church. Whatever stage of life we are in, we must view it through the lens of Scripture. We should always live with an eye on eternity whether we are 15 or 75 years old. (I would commend to you John Piper’s Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of Christ.)

      This 30,000 foot view of work should shape your 9-5. It should shape every minute of every hour of every day of your life. We have been purchased with a price. We are not our own, but belong, body and soul, life and death, to God, and to our Savior Christ Jesus. We want to work wisely, not only for practical benefits, but for the glory of the Lord Christ. It is from him we will receive our inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. And Proverbs has much to say about how the wise work. Although many of us will apply these principles to our jobs, keep in mind that your job is only a small part of your work. How we work encompasses our jobs, our home life, and our service.

The Wise Works Diligently

      All of the exhortations to wise work can be summed up in one word: diligence. Diligence is constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind; careful and persistent effort. This is something that desperately needs to be recovered in our society. We all have personal stories of those who demonstrate diligence in their work and frustrations of those who are slack in their work. According to God’s Word, the wise will work hard. We have to recover a healthy, robust biblical view of work. Besides honoring the Lord, there are practical benefits to working diligently.

They Have Resources

            It is easy to spiritualize work, but we cannot avoid that we work to get money to pay our bills and put food on the table. We do not work only for money, but we do work for money. Proverbs are generally true, but not always true. There are people who work hard, but are still in poverty. The majority of world is filled with people in this situation, who for whatever the reason, be it systematic problems, discrimination, or infrastructure, work hard, but have little to show for it.

Although it is true that some hard workers are poor, often those who become wealthy are diligent. Proverbs 10:4, “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” The diligent hand is careful and persistent. Wealth does not come over night, but it takes long term faithfulness. My uncle worked as a HVAC repairman for years. He lived a modest life, but retired a very wealthy man. His years of diligence gave him riches. Proverbs 21:5, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Proverbs 13:4 says, “The soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” A general rule is those who work harder have more in the end. Slow and steady diligent work is a picture of a wise worker.

Let us consider the ant. Let us learn from her ways and be wise for, “Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” (Proverbs 6:7) Work hard, work steady and you will have the resources you need to live.

They Have Rule

            Not only will the wise worker have resources, but he will also rule over people. Proverbs 12:24, “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” Those who work hard are often the ones promoted and trusted with the responsibility to lead. It is always a poor move to promote someone who is lazy, but diligent worker will eventually rule over those with little effort. 1 Timothy 5:25, “So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” Our good works will not remain hidden and we will be rewarded for them.

They Have Reputation

Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Diligence will lead to skill which will lead to influence. Frank Chodorov wrote how political figures were once required to demonstrate reputation of skill in his work. He writes,

There was a time, in these United States, when a candidate for public office could qualify with the electorate only by fixing his birthplace in or near the “log cabin”…In short, he had to be “self made.” The so-called Protestant Ethic then prevalent held that man was a sturdy and responsible individual, responsible to himself, his society, and his God. Anybody who could not measure up to that standard could not qualify for public office or even popular respect.

You do not work for the reputation. You work and you will get a reputation. A man in our church, Olin McKee, has the reputation as one of the finest business men in Rock Hill. He built half the city, because his work was such a high quality, he received a reputation of excellence. His reputation kept in business for over 30 years. The diligent will receive a reputation that is fitting for the God they serve. 

They Have Righteousness

            Christians are called to work hard, but they are also called to work in righteousness. A shoemaker once asked Martin Luther., “How should he make shoes for the glory of God?”  Luther responded, “Make a good shoe and sell it at a fair price.” Christian should operate in the public sphere with kindness and equity. Proverbs 16:11, “A just balance and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are his work.” Proverbs 20:23, “Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.” It is tempting to sell things above their value or to buy things below their value. On the last day, a few dollars will not be worth it. We are living for the Lord Christ. We should work for righteousness. We bear His name so let us conduct our business in a way that fitting to the Lord.

They Have Risk

There are many blessings to work, but there also are some very potent pitfalls. Bob Schultz writes in his book, Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men,

The grand quality of diligence, which is essential when you begin working, turns a man into a workaholic if not balanced. The freedoms that bless the industrious become snares when given to selfish pleasure. The diligent are tempted to forget God, trust in riches, and look down on the poor. What once was the reward of hard work quickly transforms resources to fulfill the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Be on guard. God designs the diligent to collect resources and talents with the goal to use them in an appropriate season for good. As always, Jesus leads us by His example.[2]

Diligence turns into a snare when people do not fear the Lord. Diligence must be placed under the protection of the fear of the Lord.

It is very easy to have work become an idol. Our work becomes an idol when we give it more importance than the Lord. Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert write in God at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs,

For many people today, their passion is their job and all things their job and all of the things their job can provide for them – money, status, identity, pleasure and purpose. Our jobs capture our hearts and our devotion. We give ourselves to them day in and day out. They become the primary object of our passions, our energy, and our love. We may not be willing to admit it, but we worship our jobs.

Have you given your work too much importance in your life? Does you work give you ultimate satisfaction? Or does it give you a sense of meaning or value? Work is a terrible god because it can never satisfy. It always wants more: more to be done and more to be achieved. Satisfaction will always be elusive. We cannot be defined by our jobs, but by our King. The most important title in our lives is not Senior Pastor or Senior Vice President, but Christian.

Another danger to the diligent is compartmentalization. There are many who are diligent at work, but may be a sluggard at home. Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, 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.” We serve Christ at the office and in caring for the home. Diligence at work can also lead people to become spiritual sluggards. God has given the Sabbath to protect us from the snares of diligence. We rest from our labors on Sunday as a reminder to live for the eternal Sabbath rest for the people of God in heaven. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul? Regularly practicing the Sabbath will guard our hearts from the idolatry of work.

The Sluggard Works Lazily

If the main attribute of wise work is diligence, than the main attribute of foolish work is sloth. The Proverbs contrast the diligent and sluggard frequently. The sluggard is wise in his own eyes and allows pleasure and ease to dominate his life. The main problem of a sluggard is that he does not see the value of work. He does not serve others, but wants others to serve him. There are great dangers for the sluggard.

They Have Hunger

If the diligent are satisfied, the sluggards are hungry. Proverbs 12:27, “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” Proverbs 13:4, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Proverbs 20:4, The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.” In an agrarian society, one’s food had to be cultivated from the land. A sluggard who refuses to work the land did not eat. The modern advancements in our society may mask sloth by not allowing the sluggards to experience the consequences for their slack hand.

They Have Hem-Haws

            Sluggards are full of excuses for not doing the work.  They hem and haw when asked to work. Proverbs 26:13-14, “The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets! As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.” A sluggard can always find a reason not to complete a task. They put off until tomorrow what should be done today. Sluggards may do the work, but they give excuses why mediocre work is ok. When I was 16 years old, I worked in maintenance for an outdoor mall. My job one Saturday was to weed the little decorative pebble islands throughout the parking lot. The work was tedious and boring. I decided that it was easier to shift the pebbles over the weeds rather than pull them. I excused my lazy, slack work because “no one” could tell the difference. Be on guard for the excuses in your work. Serve gladly and with a cheerful heart whether at work, at home or in the church. Remember you are serving the Lord Christ.

They Have Hatred

      Sluggards do not love their neighbors. Our work is an expression of our love for God and our love for our neighbor. Sloth does not serve others and should be taken seriously. We cannot minimize the sin of sloth. Proverbs 10:26, “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.” Proverbs 18:9, “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.” If you have ever sat around a fire and had smoke get in your eyes, you know how frustrating it can be. The smoke stifles the pleasure and enjoyment of the fire. A sluggard stifles pleasure and enjoyment of others. They serve themselves and do not serve others.

Paul writes to the Ephesians how the new life in Christ should change our work habits, “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.” (Ephesians 4:28) How one worked in and for the community was a sign of their faith. Do you view your work as a way to love your neighbor and community?

They Have Helpers

            Sluggards are fools. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. Sloth is bound up in all of our hearts. We all have tendencies to live as sluggards in different areas, but we cannot accommodate for sluggards. There seems to be an epidemic among young people who have an aversion to hard work. The problem is not with the young people, but with the people who enable and accept that behavior. If you serve the flesh, the flesh will grow. It does not serve our children or Christian brothers and sisters to enable their laziness. Paul warns the Thessalonians how to handle idleness,

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-15)

We are obligated to warn people of the dangers of idleness and if necessary allow them to experience the consequences of laziness.

The world may tolerate sloth, but Christ does not. Sluggards do not love the community, but love themselves. Those who love themselves do not love God and are in danger. It is not loving ignore laziness, but we most admonish the idle.

The Gospel at Work
    
        Beloved, God has redeemed our work through the gospel. Who we work for is far more important than what we do. We serve King Jesus through our work. We should approach our work as way to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. We should allow God to use our work to sanctify us and to serve our neighbors. We should approach our jobs not as a means to an end, but as an expression of our Christian discipleship for the glory of God. Paul tells Titus that Jesus Christ, “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14) Jesus Christ laid down his life so that we could work diligently for his glory. God’s people should care about their jobs. Our jobs matter to God. He died and rose again to purify us to work to display God’s glory. Our work does not save us, but is a sign of God’s grace in our lives. God allows us to work so let us work for good of our neighbors and the glory of God.




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Saturday, May 16, 2015

A City Set Upon a Hill

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Beloved,

In 1630, John Winthrop led a group of Puritan Englishmen to the shores of America. He stood upon the ship, The Arabella, challenging his countrymen to establish a nation that would be a “city set on a hill.” He pleaded with them on the basis of scripture to live as a model of Christian charity. He writes:

We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies, when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men shall say of succeeding plantations, "the Lord make it like that of New England." For we must consider that we shall be as a "city upon a hill." The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.

Winthrop knew that the world’s eyes were watching the New England colonists. He knew that they had a tremendous opportunity to shine the light of the gospel across the world. Politicians, like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, have popularized Winthrop’s early exhortation as a sign of American exceptionalism. America was to establish as an exceptional nation because her inhabitants would live as the light of the world.

 Jesus has commands his church to be a light to the world. Light brings illumination. It  makes no sense for a light to be hidden. A hidden lamp cannot serve its purpose for it cannot illuminate darkness. Beloved, a hidden Christian cannot serve their purpose for they cannot bring illumination to darkness. We are called the light of the world so that others may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.  God saved us for a purpose. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works.

Do our lives radiate the light of the gospel? Do we live with such integrity and holiness that people are drawn to our God and Savior? We are not called to live in a holy huddle, but to shine the light of Christ to our world. We may not be establishing a new nation, but Winthrop’s words still stand. We are still called to be a “city set upon a hill.” We live out this great privilege in our jobs Monday through Friday. We are working for King Jesus. We work diligently at the office to radiate God’s grace to our colleagues so that we shine for His Glory. 

Sebastian Traeger writes in his book, The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs,

Our jobs are more than just a means to an end — whether that end is selfish enjoyment or service in the church. Our work is more than something we “slog through.” However menial, however boring, however unmatched to our interests, our jobs are one of the key ways in which God matures us as Christians and brings glory to himself. God has a purpose for our work.


We should wake up each morning understanding that God has a purpose for us. He wants to use us to bring Him glory!! Beloved, the world is watching so let us not be a byword among our neighbors, but a city set upon a hill. Let them see the light.  
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