Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
fall 2013: Personal Study Guide Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor
The Gospel Project for Students (ISSN 1939-0742; Item 005508013) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWays doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved. Photos: iStockphoto and Getty Images
SESSION 3
Created to work
lose your eyes for a second and picture the Garden of Eden. What images do you see? Most likely you pictured a place of rest, animals milling around and Adam and Eve reclining in the shade. While Eden looks restful, it doesnt look inspiring. It doesnt look exciting. If it appeals to us at all, its because we like the idea of a quiet place to lie down for a while and take a nap or just be lazy. At the heart of these images, and at the heart of our reaction to them, is a great misconception about Gods original creation. It wasnt a perpetual day spa with hot spring baths, massages, and smoothies. Instead, it was a vibrant, active community, a place where Adam and Eve had work to do and showed up to do it six days a week. Far from the work stinks attitude of our world, the Bible presents work as something intrinsic, human, and good. This week we will see that one of the ways we reflect God is through our work. God created us to work in the Garden, and through our work, to serve Him and others. Due to our sin, however, work has become toilsome and often seems futile, and we adopt a wrong posture toward work. But because of the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, our work can once again become purposeful as it points us toward new creation.
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One of the ways we reflect God is through our work. God created us to work in the Garden, and through our work, to serve Him and others. Due to our sin, however, work is toilsome and often seems futile, and we adopt a wrong posture toward work. But because of the work of Jesus Christ, our work once again becomes purposeful as it points us toward new creation.
W hy is it important
for Christians to seek careers that honor God and make a contribution to society?
Commanded.
Just as God shaped the dust and transformed it into something new, we take creation, shape it, and transform it into something new. The parade of animals that walks before Adam is a parade of chaos and disorder. They await the caretaking leadership of mankind to name them, imposing a sense of order and belonging. The animals are part of the wilderness, and his work incorporates them into the order of the Garden. Do you think of school as work? Why or why not? What are some other places besides school where we make order out of chaos?
In the creation story, we see work that contributes to and participates in Gods vision for the world a vision of expanding goodness, order, and beauty. Its a vision for work thats meaningful both to the worker and the world around him.
In what ways does our culture demean and diminish the value of work? In what ways do Christians sometimes diminish the value of work that is seen as secular? Are some jobs secular while other jobs are sacred?
The fast-food worker, the inventor; the clerical assistant, the scientist; the accountant, the musician they all have high callings, used by God to bless and serve His people and His creation. Gene Edward Veith
Corrupted.
Work is good, but because of sin, it is often a struggle. Ever since sin entered the world, what was meant for our good has been cursed, and our efforts in work push against a world that resists us.
Generally, this leads to one of two responses. On the one hand, we see people who respond by devoting their life to work, hoping to find a sense of purpose in success, money, and power. On the other hand, we see people who feel overwhelmed by the challenge and crushed by a sense of futility. Both responses are wrong. When was the last time work left you feeling overwhelmed? Or when did work last feel futile and pointless? What got you through it? How did you press on?
Some of you may love schoolwork, a sport and/or hobby, or something else you really enjoy and are good at doing. Discuss how you would feel if your ability to do it any longer was taken away. How would you respond? How do we fight the temptation in allowing our performance to define us?
Restored.
The gospel itselfthe work of Jesus in His life, death, and resurrectionis a work that frees us from the toilsome effects of work. Where the god of work demands that we do more and do better, the gospel tells us, done. Where work would crush us with a burden we can never carry, the gospel relieves us of duty.
ways He demonstrated a singular sense of focus on His work? What could have distracted Him from that work? What might have discouraged Him that the work was futile?
W hat can we know about work in the new heavens and new earth? Why might work continue there? How does the fact that work is something well do forever change the way we might work now?
How can being a lazy student ruin a testimony? How can your commitment to work at home (chores, helping out around the house, etc.) reflect your beliefs?
Encore
Encore
Generally, this leads to one of two responses. On the one hand, we see people who respond by devoting their lives to work, hoping to find a sense of purpose in success, money, and power. On the other hand, we see people who feel overwhelmed by the challenge and crushed by a sense of futility. For those who feel trapped in work that overwhelms, there is good news. Work doesnt have to define us, and it doesnt have to drive us to exhaustion. The gospel transforms everything about our lives, including our work. In fact, the gospel has a profound relationship with work. 3. restored (Rev. 21:22-22:5). The gospel itselfthe work of Jesus in His life, death, and resurrectionis a work that frees us from the toilsome effects of work. The author of Hebrews described the priest who stood in the temple every day and made sacrifices (Heb. 10:11-14). For Israels priests, worship was work. Sacrifices had to be offered in a specific way, at specific times, with dire consequences if mistakes were made. Into that misery came Jesus, who offered an entirely different kind of sacrifice: His own body and blood. This sacrifice is perfect, and its perfectly offered. His perfect work brought about perfect results, and our sins were once-and-for-all taken away. Its a work that frees us from work; we no longer have to work to find freedom for our sins. We no longer have to work to feel acceptable and worthwhile. Where the god of work demands that we do more and do better, the gospel tells us, done. Where work would crush us with a burden we can never carry, the gospel relieves us of duty. Because Jesus perfectly fulfilled His work, we are now freed from having to prove ourselves through ours. Instead, were invited to work as work was meant to be. Not only that, because of Jesus work, we can have profound hopes about the future of work. Where thorns and thistles dominate our landscape today, a day is coming where theyll no longer plague us. The apostle John gave us a glimpse of that world in the book of Revelation. This world not only harkens to the future, but also to the past. Its not something new, but the restoration of something ancient, lost, and desperately longed for. In fact, because of Jesus, the Garden has not only been restored, its been expanded into a sparkling and glorious city. Until that day, we can only taste glimpses of it. We do so as we work for the good of our cities and neighborhoods, serving others as we live lives that show not only that work is good, but also that work isnt everything. Conclusion In creation, God invited Adam and Eve to join Him in the making of the worldbeing fruitful and multiplying, extending the garden, and ruling over creation with an ever-expanding reign of order. In redemption, were invited to do the same. Instead of the chaos of the wilderness, there is a lost and broken world, and instead of a garden, there is the churchthe beloved family of Godredeemed by the blood of Jesus. With God, the people of God are agents of change that bring order into chaos, light into darkness, and beauty from ashes. Our love-motivated work is a witness to the wider world. One way that the testimony of the gospel will have credibility with the world around us is through the testimony of our work. As Christians, we can work as hard as anyonewere motivated to work out of love for God and neighbor, and we have a vision for our work that involves participating in Gods mission in the world. At the same time, we can live in such a way that work doesnt rule our livesa profoundly counter-cultural way to live in our present world.
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