Session 3: Whose Work?

What is God’s work?
(Notes from Danny)

 

Then Jesus said to His disciples,

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." (Matthew 16:24-27)

• What is particularly challenging about this scripture? How does this interact with our work?
• Gives us hope, that if we are faithful in our works that there is a reward
• Seek first the Kingdom of heaven: often vague, right?  What does that mean?
• When we work to build ourselves up, what are the results?
• Perhaps a dissatisfaction; a longing that often persists

 First Clip: Wall Street - "Greed is Good"

 

Second Clip: Thank You for Smoking - "I'm Never Wrong"

Read 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13

• Paul is saying here to follow His example. He is doing it the right way. From the scripture, how does he describe His work life?
• Here is a command to be diligent and hard working. Therefore, hard work, discipline, and diligence is part of doing the work of the Lord. Yet often this leads to being overworked and burnt out. Another temptation we face is to UNDER-work. Question: What does it look like to be in the middle, to find a balance?
• Paul seems to say that we should simple work for our needs. Paul’s needs basically were simply food. Today we seem to have a lot of “needs.” Retirement, college funds, student loans etc. How does this apply to our lives today?  Must we simplify our needs?
• God’s work involves being humble. In humility, can we affect any change in the world?  How?
• "The meek shall inherit the earth."  Really?  How?

Part of the answer may lie in Zech 4:6 - "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit."  When we open ourselves to God's Spirit and allow God to work through us, enacting good and spreading generosity, we become conduits of the Holy Spirit.  If we're focused on greed or being right, then we're putting other values ahead of God.