These notes are from my talk at the annual Faith@Work Forum held in Ottawa, Ontario on Saturday, November 6, 2010.
FUN INTRO:
A young seminary graduate was seeking to pastor his first church. The pulpit committee requested an interview.
As the student and the committee gathered together, the chairman began the questioning. “Young man, do you know your Bible?”
The young man replied, “Yes sir. I know the Bible from front to back.”
Another asked, “Do you know the stories and parables?” The candidate answered, “Oh yes! I know all the stories and parables.”
The third committee member said, “Tell us one of the parables of Jesus—let’s say the parable of the Good Samaritan.”
And so he did. It went like this.
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, who went down to Jericho by night and he fell among stony ground. And the thorns rose up and choked him nearly half to death. He said, ‘What shall I do?’
Then he said, ‘I shall arise and go to my father’s house.’ And he arose, and climbed up into a sycamore tree. The next day Solomon and his wife Gomorrah came by, and they carried him down to the ark for Moses to take care of him.
As he was going through the eastern gate towards the ark, he caught his hair in a limb and he hung there for 40 days and 40 nights.
Afterwards, he hungered and the ravens came and fed him. The next day the three wise men came and took him down to Nineveh. And when he got there, he found Delilah sitting on the wall. He cried out, ‘Throw her down, boys.’ And they said, ‘How many times shall we throw her down, unto seven times?’ And he said, ‘Nay, but unto seventy times seven.’ So they threw her down, 490 times. Then she burst asunder in their midst, and they picked up twelve baskets of her fragments. And they asked him, ‘Lord, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be?’”
The pulpit committee chairman said, “Folks, I think we ought to call him. I know he’s young, but he sure knows his Bible stories.”
YOUR WORK IS YOUR MINISTRY
Rev. Barry P. Boucher, D.Min.
Let me begin from my expertise and perspective as a local church pastor who has been responsible for the last 30 years to equip men and women to do the work of the ministry on Monday morning.
Ephesians 4:11-16
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
I will address the topic of Your Work is Your Ministry in two parts.
Jesus first used the word ‘church’ in Matthew 16:13-18 at Caesarea Philippi in northern Galilee as they stood in the region dedicated to Baal, Pan, and pagan worship.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
What do you think the word ‘church’ meant to Jesus’ disciples after this encounter? Any different than how we view church today?
Jesus could have used several Greek words to explain what He was thinking about when He used the word church.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Pan e guris - any kind of assembly.
Ple thos - a multitude. the whole number.
Ek klesia - from ek - out of and klesis - a calling out for the purpose of doing business.
‘A calling out of’ is the literal linguistic interpretation. Is this what Jesus meant in the context of His time at Caesarea Phillipi? Did Jesus mean something more? Did His definition go beyond merely being called out of.
Ekklesia was meant to signify a very specific type of call.
It was used by the Greek speaking world to signify a meeting of the citizens of a particular city-state to discuss the business of that city-state.
The idea was that individuals in city-states, like feudal Europe with castles and kingdoms, would be called upon to do business on behalf of that city-state, kingdom or region.
To call an ekklesia was to gather, often at the city-gates, to do the business of the kingdom.
To be called out is scripturally understood as being called out of darkness and sin and into His kingdom of light then gathered into our churches to conduct the business of His kingdom.
We’ve just read Matthew 16. It highlights and reminds us that Peter had a revelation given to him from heaven that Jesus was the Messiah, the anointed One, the Christ, or Son of the Living God.
Peter’s name, petros meant a small stone.
The revelation he received that day was the earth altering revelation that Jesus was the Rock of truth upon which the church would be gathered and built as it conducted the business of the kingdom.
That the ‘gates of hell’ will never prevail against the church.
Gates represented the place of power and authority in a city-state.
Gates
Where Boaz met with the elders of the city to attain the right to marry Ruth.
Where Absalom sat and undermined his father King David.
Where Samson carried off the gates of the city on his back.
Where Job remembers his place among the city nobles.
Gates - where the business of the city takes place.
We the church are gathered upon the divine revelation that Jesus is the Christ and He leads us in triumph until such time as the kingdom of heaven has overcome all other kingdoms.
Church then is not a building but rather a gathering of the saints for the purpose of conducting the business of the kingdom by citizens of that kingdom - where two or more are gathered.
‘Church’ first revealed at Caesarea Philippi...
Where the Temple to Pan, carved into the side of a large rock face rose to great majestic heights as one of the sources of the Jordan River, where worshippers gathered at the gates of hell and offered their sacrifices.
Galilee of the Gentiles where they saw a great light in the midst of their darkness. His last stop before turning His face towards the cross in Jerusalem.
Four truths emerge from this divine encounter at Caesarea Philippi.
The Church: For the first time, Jesus announced His purpose to build an ekklesia, a community of the redeemed, called out to be His Body on earth, to conduct kingdom business while He was absent - to be equipped to do the work of the ministry.
The Keys of the Kingdom: Refer to authority in the ekklesia to declare some things lawful or unlawful. Thus binding and loosing. Approved or unapproved. An amazingly close relationship between heaven and earth - to be equipped to do the work of the ministry.
Jesus announced His coming death and resurrection: (Matt 16:21-23), the events that would provide the redemption essential for the Church to come into existence - to be equipped to do the work of the ministry.
Jesus’ call to discipleship with authority: (Matt 16:24-27; 28:18-20) He talked about heaven sent authority; make disciples, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe everything that I commanded you - to be equipped to do the work of the ministry.
We better get used to the idea now that our work is our ministry because the God we serve loves to work. His work is His ministry.
John 5:17-20
But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
Work is a holy and everlasting calling that is not reserved for those in full-time paid ministry.
It is not part of the curse. It preceded sin and the fall of mankind.
Going to heaven is not going to be an eternal retirement. It is where God’s work is done without the burden of sin.
What Jesus saw the Father do - He did.
What Jesus heard the Father say - He said.
The word work here is er gaz o mai - to be engaged with or minister to.
Heaven is a sin-free work environment.
The more we learn about the person and character of God the Father in the life of Jesus, the more we understand where and how He is working in our lives today.
He is an active Creator and we have been created in His image and likeness.
We meet Him in Genesis as the Creator who works in the midst of His creation. He is not an absent landlord.
He takes what is within Him and manifests it into the material world.
He creates. He works. He calls Adam & Eve to take care of His creation. To tend to it.
Cos mos in Greek means world. God calls us to tend or care for that which He created. I want us to see this majestic cosmos in the context of being part of His eternal plan.
Earth in the New Testament is from the Greek ge meaning soil or ground.
Both will be made new.
Revelation 21 shows the church coming down to earth with Jesus to rule.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
“Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 22
Rev. 22:1–2 The river of the water of life and the tree of life recall Eden before the fall into sin (Gen. 2:8–10) and Ezekiel's vision of a future glorious temple (Ezek. 47:1–12; see Zech. 14:8). Refreshment and life flow from the throne of God and of the Lamb, carried by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised (John 4:10–14; 7:38–39; see also Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27). Living believers and martyrs taste this life-giving water even now in this present age (Rev. 7:17; 22:17), but its fullness awaits the new heaven and earth. This ever-flowing river gives a picture of an unending stream of abundant blessings and joy. The tree of life, once banned to guilty humanity (Gen. 3:22–24), will satisfy the city's residents year-round (Rev. 2:7). The healing of the nations will have been completed in the destruction of death (20:14; see Ezek. 47:12).
Revelation 22:1-2 reminds us that we will be working even in eternity.
Sorry folks, no rocking chairs, harps and hammocks.
If you don’t like work now you won’t like heaven later.
Work is where what is within me, is revealed to the outside world.
It is why God created work and loves it so much.
What is inside God is so amazing that it needs expression amongst the outside world.
When He works we see who He is and why He does what He does.
If you hate your work, it is revealing something about you - from deep within.
Most don’t understand what the bible teaches about work so they fail to recognize it’s importance and meaning.
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.
External issues simply reveal internal maturity.
What is in me comes out.
My attitudes. My commitment to work.
My desire to be excellent in all I do.
James 4:1-3 reveals this point very clearly.
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Who sees the real you more? Your pastor or your boss?
You are with your pastor a few hours a week.
You are with your boss for 37+ hours each week.
He/she sees the good, the bad and the ugly side of you.
Have you ever heard of economic evangelism?
A very important term in light of the amount of time each of us spends at work with others.
While we try to invent new programs to evangelize, we forget that each of us is already involved in economic evangelism every day with people we already have a relationship with.
Your work is your ministry.
Your work reveals your soul - the intangible part of you that is bursting with life. The life of God with the tools of God to do what He calls you to do.
I believe in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for today. Why?
Because they are set in the Body according to Ephesians 4 for the purpose of equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry.
These are functions we perform as members of the Body everywhere we go and into all our circles of influence. Just like Jesus.
Apostles - building gifts.
Prophets - directional gifts.
Evangelists - good news gifts.
Pastors - caring gifts.
Teachers/Rabbis - instructional gifts.
Then the whole array in Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Peter 4.
Work is how the soul is revealed and becomes visible.
It is how believers influence their surroundings and fellow employees.
It is how believers add value to where they work and who they work with.
It is how believers, who do excellent work, advance the quality and competitive edge of their business.
Would you rather buy from a company where management and labour are always at odds with each other or from a company where they work together for the benefit of their customers?
Our work reveals our motives, attitudes, goals, and the internal and external harmony of our environment.
Economic evangelism is more about people’s souls than graphs, charts and analysis. These measure results not causes.
Believers, of all people, know why we are working as unto Him.
Global economic turmoil is more about our ethics in the marketplace than legislation to bail us out.
Think about art, music, communication in a sin-free age to come.
A time when people’s souls are freely and creatively released.
Your Work is Your Ministry
Why do I say this?
Look what is happening to former Christian nations like Canada and the USA as they disregard Christian influence in our national public life.
This is foolish.
Why?
We are eliminating heart values that matter. We call them spiritual values that represent the heart and creative influence of our heavenly Father.
Only Christianity has a theology of labour that represents Him in the marketplace of life.
Christian workers need to be delivered from a secular and second class view of work in the real world.
Work is not carnal.
God loves both the worker and the work he/she does.
We need to activate a new mindset about mission amongst Christian workers.
Say this with me... “Work is good, all the time, all the time, work is good.”
Matthew 20:1-15
Labourers in the vineyard.
The landowner is agitated that men are without work.
Wasting their lives in the marketplace. Being idle.
Four different times he went out looking for unhired men to work.
God loves work.
What if you choose not to work?
To pay someone not to work is to rob them of their dignity and destroy the capacity of their soul to create and add value to others.
Unused gifts are a tragedy.
We are admonished to work for wealth not riches.
Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus has Deuteronomy 8:18 in mind when He talks about true treasure.
Jesus makes a distinction between earthly riches and heavenly wealth.
Riches are material and will be burned up at the Bema or Judgment Seat of Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
Wealth is spiritual. They will remain after the fire is applied.
Wealth is about stewarding the gifts God has given you to reveal Him to the world of work.
If you want folks at work to be influenced for Christ then give them a life fully stewarded to God’s delight.
Wealth is our skills, ability and character used to manage the material world as we are being conformed to the image of Jesus.
Riches are material goods that can be gained by hook or by crook without any obedience to God.
Wealth may produce riches but riches cannot produce wealth because wealth only comes from obedience to God’s covenants.
Give yourself to producing wealth that remains.
Capitalism is riches based. Kingdom economics is wealth based.
Stewardship replaces riches as our motivation.
Contrast the work flow from someone who is content vs someone who is discontent.
Watch the TV and see so many rich people so discontented. Why? Contentment only comes when you are pursuing wealth.
Eccl. 2:18-21 Solomon reminds us that laying up earthly treasure was vanity. He concludes with...
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?
God wanted him to focus on wealth.
He chose to put his attention on riches and became a poor father to his children who split the kingdom after his death.
God wants us to transmit real wealth to our children that will go on for generations to come.
Work is not part of the curse.
Work requires that we put our whole heart and soul into it.
Lazy Christians, poor and shoddy workers need to have their brains washed.
Society doesn’t have a very high opinion of Christians in the workplace.
Your Work is Your Ministry
If we are having an interview for a job, I need to tell you right up front that I expect more from you than an unsaved worker.
If you don’t work to the best of your ability, you will be fired.
Luke 12:48 shows us Jesus’ words, “To him who has been given much, much is required.”
If you have anti-work attitudes you need to repent.
TGIF is the slogan of the anti-work worker.
Just get me to the weekend so I can focus on me and my material desires rather than economic evangelism and personal fulfillment through God ordained work which is His goal for our labour.
Work is a blessed calling.
I believe God is calling each of us here today to start a personal revolution to revive the Biblical work ethic.
To think redemptively about work for our sake, for those we share our days with on the job, and for our children and grandchildren.
Luke 19:13-27
Jesus said, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, ( three months wage) and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’
But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.
The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”
Your work is your ministry.
