Q&A Part 8 – Why Should I Work So Hard?

Pastor Scott Applegate

Sermon Notes:

“So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 NLT

What does the Bible say about work?

• God created work (Genesis 1:26-28)

• God crowns His work by modeling the Sabbath (Genesis 2:23)

• God curses work (Genesis 3:17-19)

• God commands the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11)

• Jesus explains the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28)

• Paul encourages us to work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24)

• Jesus promises to reward our work on earth in eternity (Luke 19:11-27)

• Work in heaven will not be toilsome or labor, but significant and special (Revelation 22:3)

How should I work? (The ABC’s of work)

A: Avoid extreme attitudes about work

Two extremes:
• Laziness “The fool won’t work and almost starves but feels that it is better to be lazy and barely get by, than to work hard, when in the long run it is all so futile.” Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 LB

• Workaholic “Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too—and a miserable way to live.” Ecclesiastes 4:8 GNT

B: Be Responsible
“A good name is better than precious ointment…” Ecclesiastes 7:1 ESV

• Cooperative “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 GNT

• Teachable “For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter…” Ecclesiastes 8:6 NIV

• Enthusiastic “Work hard at whatever you do.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 HCSB

C: Carve out time for the Sabbath
“Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.” Ecclesiastes 10:15 GNT

“Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. In six days I, the LORD, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the LORD, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11 GNT

“Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:28 NLT

• Rest your body

• Recharge your emotion

• Refocus your spirit

• Renew your relationships

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” Matthew 11:28-29 NLT