WorshipWorship

An Alternative Lifestyle

Well, I guess…considering the economy, Well, I guess…considering the economy, I ought to be happy I even have a jobI ought to be happy I even have a job

Worship- to declare worth or valueWorship- to declare worth or value

Christian Worship- to declare the worth Christian Worship- to declare the worth or value of God as ultimateor value of God as ultimate

Everything else finds it's rightful placeEverything else finds it's rightful place

Event vs. LifestyleEvent vs. Lifestyle

NatureNatureMusicMusicWordWord

Answered PrayerAnswered PrayerShe actually said "Yes" to a date!She actually said "Yes" to a date!

10 Lepers…10 Lepers…

All of them= responseAll of them= response

Worship is the natural response of the Worship is the natural response of the redeemed to the revelation of Godredeemed to the revelation of God

Worship is the natural response of the Worship is the natural response of the redeemed to the revelation of Godredeemed to the revelation of God

- Event- Event- Lifestyle- Lifestyle

Worship as a LifestyleWorship as a Lifestyle

- Romans 12:1- Romans 12:1

Response of the redeemedResponse of the redeemedto the revelation of Godto the revelation of God

Worship as a LifestyleWorship as a Lifestyle

How I live my life is worship:How I live my life is worship:

Self, things, plans, people are ultimateSelf, things, plans, people are ultimateOR- God is ultimateOR- God is ultimate

A. A. Ministers decideMinisters decide to go into the ministry. to go into the ministry. And God responds by blessing them And God responds by blessing them with gifts and abilitieswith gifts and abilities

B. B. God calls God calls people into the ministry.people into the ministry.And those who follow are empowered And those who follow are empowered by God to carry out the ministry God by God to carry out the ministry God calls them tocalls them to

A.A.

Or…Or…

B.B.

Why just ministers?Why just ministers?

Genesis: Genesis:

Name animalsName animalsFill the earth and subdue itFill the earth and subdue it

Fall: Nature will fight youFall: Nature will fight you

““Cursed is the ground because of you;Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it

all the days of your life. all the days of your life. It will produce thorns It will produce thorns

and thistles for you,and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants and you will eat the plants

of the field….of the field….

……By the sweat of your brow By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food you will eat your food

until you return to the ground,until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; since from it you were taken;

for dust you arefor dust you are and to dust you will return” and to dust you will return”

- Genesis 3:17-19- Genesis 3:17-19

Genesis: Genesis:

God made laborGod made laborThe Fall made labor hardThe Fall made labor hard

Labor hasn't stoppedLabor hasn't stopped

Spiritual Gifts, Abilities,Spiritual Gifts, Abilities,Personality, PassionPersonality, Passion

God has fit you for a jobGod has fit you for a jobAnd fit a job for youAnd fit a job for you

Your job is a callingYour job is a calling

How you work isHow you work is

How you worshipHow you worship

How you work isHow you work is

How you worshipHow you worship(Proclaim God as ultimate)(Proclaim God as ultimate)

"Oh, God…work?""Oh, God…work?"

"Work is God!""Work is God!"

"Oh, God…work?""Oh, God…work?"(Worship of self and leisure)(Worship of self and leisure)

Misunderstands: Calling and PurposeMisunderstands: Calling and Purpose

"Work is God!""Work is God!"(Worship of ego, avarice, security)(Worship of ego, avarice, security)

Misunderstands: IdentityMisunderstands: IdentitySecurity and BrevitySecurity and Brevity

Make it your Make it your ambitionambition to lead a quiet to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business life, to mind your own business

and to work with your hands, and to work with your hands, just as we told you…just as we told you…

Make it your Make it your ambitionambition to lead a quiet to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business life, to mind your own business

and to work with your hands, and to work with your hands, just as we told you…just as we told you…

- - Drama-free Drama-free - MYOB- MYOB- - WorkWork

……so thatso that your daily life may win your daily life may win the respect of outsiders the respect of outsiders

and so that and so that you will not be you will not be dependent on dependent on anybodyanybody

- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

……so thatso that your daily life may win your daily life may win the respect of outsiders the respect of outsiders

and so that and so that you will not be you will not be dependent on dependent on anybodyanybody

- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

- Respect of unbelievers= witness- Respect of unbelievers= witness - Not needy or a drain on anyone - Not needy or a drain on anyone

Work is a gift and a callingWork is a gift and a calling

How you work isHow you work is

How you worshipHow you worship

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,we command you, brothers, to keep we command you, brothers, to keep

away from every brother away from every brother who is idlewho is idle and and does not live according to the teaching does not live according to the teaching

you received from us.you received from us.

For you yourselves know how you ought For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle to follow our example. We were not idle

when we were with you, when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without nor did we eat anyone’s food without

paying for it. On the contrary, paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, we worked night and day,

laboring and toiling so that we laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.would not be a burden to any of you.

We did this, not because we do not have We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to the right to such help, but in order to

make ourselves a model make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when for you to follow. For even when

we were with you, we were with you, we gave you this rule: we gave you this rule:

“If a man will not work, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat”he shall not eat”

We hear that some among you We hear that some among you are idle. are idle. They are not busy; they are They are not busy; they are

busybodies. busybodies. Such people we Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus command and urge in the Lord Jesus

Christ to settle down and Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. earn the bread they eat.

And as for you, brothers, And as for you, brothers, never tire of never tire of doing what is right.doing what is right.

Willingness to workWillingness to work

Follows God's commands andFollows God's commands andFulfills callingFulfills calling

Work is a gift and a callingWork is a gift and a calling

How you work isHow you work is

How you worshipHow you worship

Let the thief no longer steal, Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, but rather let him labor,

doing honest work with his doing honest work with his own hands, own hands, so thatso that he may have he may have something to share with anyone something to share with anyone

in need in need - Ephesians 4:28- Ephesians 4:28

Stealing= expecting othersStealing= expecting othersto pay for my lifeto pay for my life

Purpose for work= more than just me…Purpose for work= more than just me…To bless people in needTo bless people in need

"My boss is unreasonable""My boss is unreasonable"

"My workmates dump"My workmates dumpAll the work on me"All the work on me"

"I hate my company""I hate my company"

Bondservants, obey in everything Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service,not by way of eye-service, as people- as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, pleasers, but with sincerity of heart,

fearing the Lord. fearing the Lord.

Bondservants, obey in everything Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service,not by way of eye-service, as people- as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, pleasers, but with sincerity of heart,

fearing the Lord. fearing the Lord.

- Not just enough to get by- Not just enough to get by- Not just when they're watching- Not just when they're watching

Whatever you do, Whatever you do, work heartily,work heartily, as for as for the Lord and not for men, the Lord and not for men, knowingknowing that that

from the Lord you will receive the from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are inheritance as your reward. You are

serving the Lord Christserving the Lord Christ- Colossians 3:22-24- Colossians 3:22-24

The Calling of workThe Calling of work

Negates the rationalizationNegates the rationalizationOf the lazyOf the lazy

How you work isHow you work is

How you worshipHow you worship

"Oh, God…work?""Oh, God…work?"

- Calling, Command, Gift from God- Calling, Command, Gift from God- Witness to unbelievers- Witness to unbelievers- To help people in need- To help people in need

"Work is God!""Work is God!"

Christian Worship- to declare the worth Christian Worship- to declare the worth or value of God as ultimateor value of God as ultimate

Work as a callingWork as a calling

- - ExcellenceExcellence (as to the Lord)(as to the Lord)

Work as a callingWork as a calling

- Excellence - Excellence (as to the Lord)(as to the Lord)- - BalanceBalance (God is ultimate, so…)(God is ultimate, so…)

Work as a callingWork as a calling

- Excellence - Excellence (as to the Lord)(as to the Lord)- Balance - Balance (God is ultimate, so…)(God is ultimate, so…)

- Excuseless - Excuseless (boss isn't the issue)(boss isn't the issue)- - Greater Purposes Greater Purposes (not a drain on (not a drain on

others, witness, help those in need)others, witness, help those in need)

Work as a callingWork as a calling

- Excellence - Excellence (as to the Lord)(as to the Lord)- Balance - Balance (God is ultimate, so…)(God is ultimate, so…)

- Excuseless - Excuseless (boss isn't the issue)(boss isn't the issue)- Greater Purposes (not a drain on - Greater Purposes (not a drain on

others, witness, help those in need)others, witness, help those in need)

Empowered!Empowered!

Ax me anything!Ax me anything!

Convicted…Convicted…

JohnJohnBecame a believerBecame a believer

Am I idleAm I idleWhen I could work?When I could work?

Does anyone owe meDoes anyone owe meAnything?Anything?

Based on how I handle myself,Based on how I handle myself,

What would people at workWhat would people at workSay about my faith?Say about my faith?

Do I work hardDo I work hardTo have something extra to giveTo have something extra to give

To people in need?To people in need?