Employment
A. OUR TEXT MENTIONS A POSITIVE ASPECT OF WORK.
B. Prov. 21:25. TO REFUSE TO WORK PRESENTS DIFFICULTY.
C. IN THIS LESSON WE WANT TO DISCUSS WORK.
A. IT IS NOT THE CURSE OF SIN( Gen. 2:15 ).
B. ALL OF GOD'S CREATION EXEMPLIFIES GOOD IN WORK( Prov. 6:6-8 ).
C. MAN MUST EITHER WORK OR STARVE( 2 Thess. 3:10 ).
D. JESUS LEFT AN EXAMPLE( Mark 6:3; John 5:17 ).
E. GOD WORKED( Gen. 2:1-2 ).
F. Matt. 6:33. GOD PROMISED TO PROVIDE, BUT WE MUST WORK.
1. God provided for Adam in the Garden( Gen. 1:29-31 ).
2. But even there man was given work to do( 2:15 ).
A. MAN NEEDS LABOR FOR STRENGTH OF MIND AND BODY(1 Tim. 4:8 ).
B. WORK BUILDS CHARACTER.
1. What we put into work, we get out.
2. Responsibility, patience, desire for quality.
C. Ecc. 5:12. THE GOOD WORKER SLEEPS GOOD. Mind & body ready.
D. WORK WILL "KEEP US OFF THE STREETS."
1. Paul's warnings( 2 Thess. 2:11; 1 Tim. 5:13 ).
2. Rarely do able-bodied men do nothing. They are busy with good or evil.
3. A solution to many problems( 1 Thess. 4:11-12 ).
E. EMPLOYMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAPPINESS( Prov. 6:6-11; 21:25 ).
F. WE MUST BE EMPLOYED TO KEEP FROM WASTING LIFE( Eph. 5:16 ).
G. 3-FOLD RESPONSIBILITY.
1. To self( 2 Thess. 3:10 ).
2. To family( 1 Tim. 5:8 ).
3. To others( Eph. 4:28 ).
A. SEES NOT ONLY WHAT HE DOES, SEES PURPOSE AS WELL.
1. What am I contributing to? What is the value of my work?
2. Who else benefits?
B. IS ENTHUSIASTIC( Ecc. 9:10 ).
1. The mistakes of enthusiasm.
2. From sincerity and appreciation.
C. HAPPY IN HIS WORK.
1. If you aren't happy, find another job.
2. Happiness derives from the work, and considering its fruits.
3. Paul was happy no matter what( Phil. 4:11; Acts 18:3 ).
4. Liking your employment is not wholly dependent on the job.
D. IS PRODUCTIVE.
1. We owe it to our employer.
2. The fig-tree was cursed because it was barren( Matt. 21:19 ).
E. THE GOOD WORKER USES HIS HEAD.
F. HE IS DILIGENT( Prov. 10:4 ).
1. The lazy man comes to ruin( Prov. 13:4; 20:4 ).
2. The "Magic Sand" & "The Ant and the Grasshopper."
G. HE IS HONEST( John 8:44; Titus 2:9-10 ).
H. LOOKS UPON HIS WORK AS A SACRED TRUST( Eph. 6:5-8 ).
A. DO YOU KNOW THE GREATEST WORK THERE IS?
B. GREAT BECAUSE OF ITS PURPOSE( James 5:19-20 ).
C. GREAT BECAUSE OF ITS REWARD( 1 Cor. 15:58 ).;
