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Chapter Ten

The document discusses the Christian worldview of work, emphasizing that work is a fundamental aspect of creation and not a curse, as it was present before sin. It highlights the importance of integrity in work, the need to glorify God through our efforts, and the concept of stewardship in managing our talents and responsibilities. The document encourages a deeper understanding of work as a partnership with God, aiming to release the potential of creation and benefit humanity.

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16 views19 pages

Chapter Ten

The document discusses the Christian worldview of work, emphasizing that work is a fundamental aspect of creation and not a curse, as it was present before sin. It highlights the importance of integrity in work, the need to glorify God through our efforts, and the concept of stewardship in managing our talents and responsibilities. The document encourages a deeper understanding of work as a partnership with God, aiming to release the potential of creation and benefit humanity.

Uploaded by

nathanmagumba4
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

UNDERSTANDING WORLDVIEWS
Week 10
The Christian Worldview and Work
What is Work?
 A professional job?
 A paid position, salaried with benefits?

 Anything you don’t like to do?

 Manual Labour?

 Anything you have to do to live?

Imagine a man harvesting in the fields, or a woman


taking care of children in the morning, then saying,
“well, now that’s done, it’s time to go to work!”
We need to have a better understanding of WORK
A Biblical View of Work?
 Q. Does God “go to work”? Does God “work” at all?
 Q. Is work mentioned in the Bible as a “profession”?
 Answer. Work – sometimes as a professional
occupation. (e.g. the workmen in the Temple).

 Biblical images of God as Worker: Shepherd,


Builder, Architect, Weaver, Gardener, Farmer,
Musician, Artist, Helper, Overseer, (Paraclete – one
who comes alongside, e.g. in a military role).
 Christ as Prophet, Priest, King, Captain of the
Armies of Heaven
Is work part of the curse?

 **The VERY FIRST THING that happens in


the Bible is WORK!
 Ie. The WORK of CREATION. Gen 2:2-3
 WORK is WONDERFUL! Part of God’s good
creation, and given to Adam & Eve as their
responsibility – in God’s image!
 Until the curse – then it becomes painful toil.
Devotion
 Gen 1:1, 2:2-3, 4-5, 15, 3:17-19
And on the 7th day, God finished the work
 Eph 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created
for good works in Christ.
 Some Christians think work is a CURSE!
NO! Pain and sweat is part of the curse, but
work was there before sin.
 Work is part of being created in God’s image.
Eph 2:10. Has also been corrupted, abused
 It is part of the cultural commission or
mandate. (Part of human ‘culture’)
 REST is also an important part of work.
The Sabbath – Keeping it
Holy
 Discuss the meaning of Sabbath and
Sabbath rest.
 Both a time of rest from labours, and a time
devoted to worshiping together with God’s
people.
 Called: the 7th Day, the 1st Day, the Lord’s
Day (Sunday is not a biblical word)
 Our changing modern society – how to retain
a Christian view of the ‘Sabbath’
 Q. Is God in your days’ work?
 Q. When you study, do you study as unto the
Lord?
 Do you work at (basketball, childcare,
cleaning, studying…) with your whole heart?

 Col 3:23-24
 Modern man is very BUSY [Is this work??]

 What are we busy about?

 What is your mission?

Do we ever stop to think – is the busy work I’m


doing contributing to the true meaning and
purpose of my life?
Jn 4:34, 5:17

 My food is to do the will of him who sent me


and to accomplish his work.

 My Father is always at his work to this very


day, and I too, am working.
Q. Why do we work?

 Man must work to live of course. Paul says,


He who does not work, does not eat. But
there’s much more to work than survival.
 Dorothy Sayers, a well known author, says,
“Work is NOT primarily a thing one does to
live, but the thing one lives to do”
 This is a luxury not everyone may have, but it
is far more likely for those with education!
Q. What is work?

 Work is an attempt to produce something that


was not in existence before the work began
 May be tangible or intangible

(order out of chaos, cleanliness where there


was filth, harmony out of disharmony,
knowledge where there was ignorance)
Or… goods, products, services
 Read the quote from Otto Piper – wb pg. 124
How do we glorify God in our
work?
 1. Work is to be done with integrity

 2. Work is to be done for the benefit of


humanity in Jesus’ name

 Martin Luther – If I am a cobbler, I should


strive to make good shoes; if I am a teacher, I
should strive to teach well
Why does God need us to work
with him in his creation?
 1. To enhance its productivity.

 2. We work with God to release the potential


of his creation.
 3. He desires us to be co-workers with him.
Eph 2:10 We are God’s workmanship
Created to do good works…

THE KEY PRINCIPLE of WORK


How do we “Release the
Potential”?
Example: Baking a Chocolate Cake

 1. Agriculture – God makes it grow, we must


plant, weed, harvest, market
 2. Builders and Architects…
 3. IT & Computers…
 4. Doctors, Teachers, Musicians, Artists…
 5. Parents
 We give glory to God, but we are part of the
very process the way God has designed it.
 Our view of life changes when we realize that
in everything we do we are partnering with
God.
 The deepest significance of human work is
that God was delighted to create humanity in
his image, so we could work in his creation
alongside of him and release its potential.
There’s more! – Stewardship

 Mt. 25:14-30 is about stewards and


stewardship, managers & management.
(The parable of the talents) -The bad steward
did nothing with the resources God gave him.
 Time + Abilities + Resources + good
stewardship = Future further opportunities
(salary, better job, qualifications, etc)
 Time + Abilities + Resources + work = goods,
services, commodities, value
Work is stewardship in
action!
 we are stewarding what God has given us
(including our own talents and abilities)
 our work is part of the process God uses to
help us grow and mature.
 One of the most important aspects of
stewardship is stewardship of people. Our
children, our employees, even our friends.
All these God has given us, and we have a
stewardship responsibility toward them.
Christian Definition of Work

 John Stott: “Work is the expenditure of


energy (manual or mental or both) in the
service of others, which brings fulfillment to
the worker, benefit to the community, and
Glory to God.”
 Discuss assignment questions in your study
guide.

Now - Go and Work!!

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