Jeremiah 29:4-9 (NIV)

⁴ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  ⁶ Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.  Increase in number there; do not decrease.  ⁷ Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”  ⁸ Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you.  Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.  ⁹ They are prophesying lies to you in my name.  I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

Theme: the Thessalonians were wondering, at least in part, about how soon Jesus was coming back, should they wait?  Should they live their lives?  How do we go about working well?

This question of working well is a common theme of intimacy with God in all areas of our lives.

We are to live life because of Jesus, do life in a way that honors Jesus, praises Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 (NIV)

⁹ Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.  ¹⁰ And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia.  Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

¹¹ Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Paul addresses these people (that want jobs, but none are available) but were not productive in the use of their time.

Dorothy Sayer is an English author, “The problem with work is that modern people have abandoned the biblical doctrine of work, and it is killing us.”

Money is the primary role of work.  Nobody works for the sake of the things they do.  The result of work becomes a by-product of the real aim, which is money and status.

If a doctor’s motivation is only money, fixed verses healing people, a lawyer may be motivated by single secular thoughts like the doctor’s verses representing people with a sense of truth and justice.

Dorothy Sayer is echoing and enhancing what Paul is saying in our passage.  Her definition of work is a gracious expression of creative energy in the service of others.

The biblical doctrine of work has two practical guidelines and two motivational principals:

1.      We do a job because it helps others.  The companion principal is to train for and get the type of job that helps people.  This demonstrates your love through your own work; work supports the common good.  Paul tells them they know how to love; God has taught you that.  Paul continues to urge them to love, to do so more and more, making it your ambition to lead a quiet life, mind your own business and work with your hands.

2.      Make your ambition to lead a quiet life, mind your own business which means striving for quiet, strive for rest.

Paul says the way to deal with the interior lack of peace is to start to work.  The Bible also says the work you do should fit with your interests, abilities, passion and desires.  All work, according to the Bible is a calling.

Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

If there isn’t peace in our souls about our work, we may not be doing the work we are called to do.  We are called to work a specific job.  We are called to a range of jobs; you have been built for a range of jobs.

The interesting part of living is finding these jobs within the range that you were created for.  We’re supposed to look inside, pray and ask for wisdom from our mentor for guidance.

The two guidelines are: to do work that 1) benefit others, 2) that fit us.

What can I do for work that I’m passionate about, that leads to more peace and joy in the world?  When you use the guidelines, they will help you find your ideal job.

God needs passionate people that make a difference in this world while seeking God — people who are lawyers, accountants, executives, trained mechanics, landscapers, etcetera.

We see our own work as an expression of the energy of our Creator God.  (God is the Creator.)

Paul wants us to be shaped by God’s Word and God’s Spirit.  Paul wants us to imitate God.  God has His hands in the dirt.

God loves to put His hands into the world and create.  If this is true, then using your hands to work honors Him and all our gifts that we have been given, all honor God.

We are redeeming the world through our service, that we have been called.  We work to please God; God is our ultimate boss.  We work to please our Master, God.

When we have become children of God that becomes our identity, then there is a desire to please God, to honor our Father, this reflects His grace to the people we serve.

The joy of the Gospel is that we no longer have to work to achieve a better status with God, we are accepted.  Let us honor God through work, do it to the best of your ability, in serving God through the things we do.  God bless.  Have a good week resting in God’s grace.