Working for God or Government?

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ

Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. “

Have you ever thought about who you really work for?

It’s natural for man to forget what we were created by God for.

Most people treat God as if he was some magic genie that lives in a Bible and whenever things get so difficult they open their Bible and call to the Lord for help.

This is not what God wants from us.

God wants a relationship with us and to do His will for us in our life.

Cops like to be in control

Cops don’t like the idea of someone else being in control

God gives individuals the heart and desire for a particular occupation

Matthew 6:24-33. 24 (Jesus said) “No one can serve two masters, for either he will

hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

What is Jesus telling men who center their entire lives on their jobs?

How does that square with what you learned about work from your father and the culture in which you grew up?

How does seeking God’s Kingdom and His righteousness translate into everyday life?

Our estimate of the value of our lives can easily get wrapped up in our occupations—the jobs we do and the salaries we earn. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts our occupation in its proper place and turns our attention to the larger picture.

THE BUS RIDE!!!!

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston , Texas .

Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.

When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back.

It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter.

Who would worry about this little amount?

Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet.’

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change.’

The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship.I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.I'll see you at church on Sunday.'

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

1Peter 2:9-17 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Which of your roles in life (job, family, friend, neighbor, etc.) do you find most satisfying? Why?

What are your big passions in life?

Matthew 25:35-40 “‘I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty

and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit You?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’”

What makes a person the “least” of Jesus’ brothers?

What are the most unpleasant things God has given you to do at work, at home, and in your community?

How can we approach these unpleasant tasks with a new heart and new joy?

Which of your passions can you use at work or in your spare time to be a conduit through which God serves others?

The work you do—whether on the job, with your family, for your church, or in your community—is a conduit God works through to do good for His world. He works through farmers to feed us; construction workers to put a roof over our heads; utility workers to give us heat, light, and water; and police and firefighters to protect us and our property.

As you consider the things you do at your job, what needs of your community is God providing through you?

What suggestions could you give to a guy who is unemployed?

God made us to be more than mere worker bees. He created us to network together so we can make a difference in every area of our lives—with the people at work, the roles we fill at home, those with whom we play, even the people gathered together right here and now.

Romans 12:4-8. “4 Just as each of us has one body with many

members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. “

How is God working through you as a husband? Father? Son? Brother? Friend? Neighbor?

How does that realization change your outlook when you consider those relationships?