Peter Tan-Chi - Work Matters
Now, today we will start a new series: Work Matters. Why does work matter? Do you know why work matters? Just look at your own life. How many hours do you spend when you are, I call this waking hours, okay; daylight waking hours. How many hours do you spend going to work, preparing for work, and working? And how many you spend at night sleeping? How many hours do you spend with your family? The truth is this: you spend your waking hours most of the time at work. You have three spheres of influence. One is your family. The next sphere are your friends. The next sphere is your workplace. And the reality is you spend more time in the workplace than even with your own family members. So workplace matters.
Now, when I say workplace, I don't always mean it has to do with people going to the office. Today, you will learn something about work, how God designed work. Are you aware why work is important? It is important to God, it is important to you, it's important to other people. People don't realize work is the design of God. They don't realize work is the calling of God. They don't realize work is really the worship of God. So I'm gonna give you theological reasons, theological anchors so you will have the right attitude towards work. Is that okay with you?
So let's start with theology. Why is theology important? Because theology will impact your perspective, it will impact your attitude, and it will impact the way you work. So I want you to learn to find meaning and purpose in whatever you do. Because a lot of people, honestly, based on surveys after this two-year lockdown, a lot of people, especially in America (and I don't think it's different from the Philippines and other parts of the world), many of them, they describe this as The Great Resignation. Many, many people are resigning. Many people feel overworked. Many people feel overwhelmed. They're exhausted and they feel sad going through life, not enjoying their work. Is it really possible to enjoy your work?
Number one: work is what? The plan of God. Now this will surprise you. I want to begin by looking at the reality of the book of the Genesis. Are you ready for the book of Genesis? All right. Let's see if they will show Genesis 2:7 and 8. All right. Everybody let's read together. I wanna show you, work is the plan of God, even before the fall of man. This was in the garden of Eden, in paradise, no sin! But what was God thinking? Ah, let's find out. Everybody: "The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground". So God is the model, God is working. God is at work! "The Lord God planted a garden". Wow! God is at work! He planted a garden "toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. The Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food".
What, do you notice is something? God is at work. He does things that you and I cannot do. You and I cannot create man. You and I cannot make something out of nothing to have a garden. So God is doing that. You and I cannot cause to grow plants, trees, everything. However, what is shocking is the next verse. Everybody read: "Then", together, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden" to do what? Cultivate and to keep it. That is work, my friend. The word "cultivate" means what? Literally, I will explain that to you in a short while, but right now, the first thing I will tell you, the word "cultivate" means to work.
You see, God could have make the garden, could have planted everything where you and I will do nothing. But that is not God's design. You were made in the image of God. And you will not find your fulfillment, honestly, until you know that work is a blessing. Work is a gift from God. You know the worst thing you can ever do to somebody? Somebody is able to work and you let him do nothing. Psychological speaking, they become what? Depressed. They lose their self-respect. People who are not working, they go through depression, anxiety. They lose their own self-respect. Work is important. It's important for you because God design it.
Notice the next word: cultivate and keep it. It's called stewardship. We are supposed to guard what God has entrusted to us. You are supposed to make it grow. You are supposed to make it even better, because we are partners with God. So that's the first thing I'd like you to know: work is what? The plan of God for you and I to become partners. And what is shocking is this: at the end of your life, when you go to eternity, if you read the book of Revelation, uh-oh. There is work. Are you aware of that? Many people don't realize in Revelation 22:3 and 5, work continues. "There will no longer be any curse".
Now, what was the curse? Ladies and gentlemen, if you read the Bible, the work is not cursed, the earth was cursed. The Bible tells us because of sin, it is now harder to work. The Bible talks about thorns and thistles that will grow. It is a challenge now to work, it gets harder, but the work itself is not cursed. Look at what the Bible says: "no longer any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it," ah, everybody, "His bond-servants", together, will? That's the word for work? There is work, my friend. Are you aware of that? What kind of work? Wow, amazing! What kind of work?
Together, "no longer be any night, they don't need of the light of the lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them and they will", everybody read, what is your work? My goodness. Reign. Are you excited about work? Because it is God’s plan; work is the plan of God. Now to show you how important work is, God gives a command in Exodus 20, together, quickly, Exodus 20. Look at verses 9 to 11. Everybody. "Six days you shall work (labor, same word), and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, or your male or your female servant, or your cattle, sojourner who stays with you"?
What is the command? What is the ratio? How many days should you work? Six. For most people, they want to reverse it. Six days you are to rest, one day you are to work. Tatamad-tamad tayo (We're being lazy), alright? God is saying six days, you are to work. In other words, work is important, but rest is equally important. That's why you have the next verse. "In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day". God never gets tired. He does not need to rest, but why did He rest? To remind you, to remind me.
You see, God loves you so much. He knows what's best for you. You see God designed us and God is saying you need to rest. How many of you can honestly say, I want you to do it today, "Lord, thank You, I have work". Say that with me. "Lord, thank You, I have work". Very important. To show you how important it is, look at 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12. This is Paul telling CCFers (believers) in Thessalonica, okay? You know what he's saying? "Even when we were with you, we used to give you this order".
It's a command. "If anyone is not willing to work", notice, there are some people who really cannot work, physically handicapped. But he's saying if you are not willing to work, "then he is not to eat". Notice: "for we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, acting like busybodies". "Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work". You see, God wants us to work, "in quiet fashion and eat their own bread". That is God's way. Be a blessing to others. When you work, it's not just for yourself. Be a blessing. Don't be a burden.
Number two: work is call of God, the call of God. It's the calling of God. Do you know the meaning of the word "calling"? That's where you have the English word "vocation". The word "vocation" comes from the Latin word "vocare". "Vocare" literally means the call. It's a call to participate. So in the medieval times, people understood: vocation is a call of God and you respond to what God wants you to do. That's why it's called vocation. But if you don't have God, your vocation is just a job. You see, for me, my work, it's not just a job. It's a calling. So you must understand everything you do is a calling. "Vocare", calling of God.
Now, why is this so important? The reason is this: until you understand the calling of God, you will really not appreciate whatever you are doing today. What do I mean? You understand the calling of God when you encounter the Master, because the Master calls us. Example, Galatians 1:15. The Bible tells us apostle Paul described his life: "when God (the one we worship today), who had set me apart (notice, set me apart) even from my mother's womb (even before I was born, God was involved already) and He called me ('vocare', called me) through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles".
You know what Paul is saying? "Before I was even born, God set me apart for a special task. God has called me". Are you aware God has called you? How did this happen in the life of Paul? Well, let me tell you how it happened. Look at Acts 22. How did this happen? Well, Acts 22 tells us once upon a time, you all know Paul: one of the most, I would say, antagonistic persons ever to be on planet Earth that is totally against Christianity. Paul was totally against Christianity. Why is this story is so important? I want you to know something: it does not matter how hard a person is, how antagonistic he is against God. When it's the right time, you know what's gonna happen? Let's find out. In God's time, God did something supernatural. That's why the Christian life is supernatural.
Let's look at what happened. God, in the Damascus road, do you recall? God supernaturally intervened in the life of Paul. Si Paul, matigas na ulo 'yan e (Paul is a hard-headed guy.) His heart is so hardened. He does not want to have anything to do with Jesus. And then Jesus appeared to him, and Paul got the shock of his life. In fact, it was so dramatic, he was blinded. You know why he was blinded? So that he could see. Physically blinded, spiritually, his eyes were opened. And he met the Lord. He answered, "Who are You, Lord"? Put yourself in his shoes. Wow! What is this? And Jesus said, "I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting".
You know, I've experienced this in my life that when somebody encounters the Lord, I don't care how tough he is. I don't care how hard his heart is. I don't care about his past. But when boom! When God touches your heart, you become transformed. And that is what happened to Paul. He was transformed. "I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?'" You see the sequence? You meet your Master and then you ask the next question after who: what shall I do? That is the call of people. The call to have relationship with God, I call that salvation; and then the call to live a holy life, sanctification; and then the call to serve Him. And what did God tell Paul? "Get up and go into Damascus, and there, Paul, you will be told of all that has been appointed (ah, same idea: appointed, called) for you to do".
So, ladies and gentlemen, have you come to a point in your life where you have honestly asked God, "Lord, what do you really want me to do"? And that, my friend, is the meaning of calling. And the Bible is very clear. There's a myth going on today among Christianity, among churches: the myth of clergy and laity. You know, what is that myth? In people's mind, a pastor or somebody who's a missionary has a higher status than ordinary people. That's a myth. Another myth: full-time versus part-time. Have you heard of that question? "Are you full-time"? "Part-time". Honestly, I really don't understand. What do you mean part-time, fulltime? I'm alive full-time. I serve God full-time. This idea, part-time, fulltime. What about this idea? Secular versus sacred.
"Anything I do inside CCF is spiritual, sacred. If I do anything outside, that's secular". My friend that is not in the Bible. It's starting today, you must see whatever you do: at home in the kitchen, wherever you are, if you do it for God, it is sacred. God is happy. But if you stand here and then you preach to impress people, you sing in the choir to impress your boyfriend, your girlfriend, that my friend is called secular. So anything you do with the wrong motive, with the wrong reason, becomes secular. So I always guard my heart. Why do I do what I do? Because God calls us, okay? So look at the next verse I want you to meditate on, okay?
The apostle Peter tells us theologically why there is no sacred or secular, full-time, part-time. You know why? Everybody, read together; please read together: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light". In other words, the Bible is telling you today you are chosen. Next: a holy nation. Wow! You know, people ask me what's your citizenship? Of course, Filipino. But more than that, what are you? Kasi sa passport lang kung pwede (Because if it's allowed on a passport), I'd like to write there. Okay? What citizenship do you want to put? Heaven. Citizens of heaven. Holy nation. Special. Guys, tell your neighbor, "You are special".
Now, what is your job description? Whatever you do, this is your job description, okay? "So that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light". That is God's calling. Whatever you do, make sure when people look at you, they connect you to the Lord. And Peter is so clear. 1 Peter 4. "As each one (you and I, you and I, okay? All of us) has received a special gift", you have a special gift. I call that ability, talent. All of us, you are unique. Do you know that? There's nobody else like you. You are special. You are unique. Special gift. What must you do with your special gift? Everybody, what must you do? Please read, what must you do? Use it, employ it. Look: "employ that in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God".
You see, calling, it's now telling you, you don't look for a job just because it pays you the highest. No, no. You have to think now: "How can this be a blessing? Is this what God wants me to do to be a blessing to others"? He's very emphatic. "Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves (whoever works, ordinary work, whatever it is) is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies". So God supplies us with the strength. For what purpose? Everybody read: that in, louder, in all. Not in some, "in all things", what will happen? "God may be glorified through Christ".
You know, if you see this simple chart, the theology of salvation, that theology of God's call, it's a simple chart, right? If you see this: God calls you to salvation, a relationship with God. And then God calls you for sanctification, to live a holy life. God calls you to become before He asks you to do. And then, service. Now, I don't know where you are today. Some of you don't even understand salvation yet. That's okay, I'm gonna teach you. The reality is simply this: every work is sacred. Amen? Every work.
Now, let me ask you :how many people does it take to make bread? To make bread? I want to prove to you everybody is important. How do you make bread? Tell me. You need a farmer. Without a farmer, who will grow wheat? You need to farm. You need harvester. Yes? And then what you do with this wheat? You have to pack them. Then you have to transport them. You need truckers. And then you have to process them. And then after processing them, you will need packers again; you have to process the wheat, yes? Pack them. And then you need truckers again to deliver them to different places for people to buy them.
In short, how will you have bread? Everybody's important. Now, imagine, in the hospital. For people, they think the most important people are doctors. Yes or no? But think about it. What about the janitors? Think of a hospital without janitors. Nobody will clean the bed. Nobody will clean the toilet. That hospital will be dangerous. You know why? The virus will be all over the place. Because of this reality, I want you and I to learn to respect everybody, no matter what kind of work: driver, security guard, janitor. I have learned to appreciate, honestly, everybody. From the bottom of my heart, I really want to thank everybody, from janitor to security guard. And above all, to mothers.
You know, we take mothers for granted. But mothers, you are doing something so precious. Just imagine a house without mothers. So everybody's important. That is the meaning of calling. The third theological truth I want you to know when it comes to your work matters, can you guess what it is? I told you already. Your work matters because work is? Worship of God. Now, this is something people don't understand. Let me share with you, alright, in Genesis, the meaning of the word "cultivate". In Genesis, if you look at that verse, the Bible is very clear: in Genesis 2:15, "the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate" That word "cultivate" is from the Hebrew word, "avodah".
Now, what is the meaning of the word "avodah"? "Avodah" is used interchangeably as work, as service, and worship. Look at Exodus. Okay? In Exodus 8, everybody read this together: "the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, "This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may 'avodah', they may worship Me".'" In other words, "cultivate", "work", "worship", the root word is the same: "avodah". One more verse. Joshua 24:15. Why work matters? Because work is our worship. Work is worship. Do you know that?
"If it is disagreeable", Joshua is now telling the Jewish people, "Look, my time is about to be finished, I'm about to die; but this is my message for you. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve (to 'avodah') the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, whom you will worship: whether the gods which your fathers served ('avodah') which were beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". You see, in your life, you have a choice: who do you want to serve? Who do you want to worship? Joshua is telling the people, "You want to serve the gods of the land"?
What, who are the gods of this land, in this country, today? Money? Sex? Self-image? Whatever you want to serve, Joshua is saying, "As for me, I'm gonna serve the Lord. I'm gonna 'avodah' the Lord". So at the end of your life, you have to choose. If you go to work, are you just serving your company, or are you really serving God? And my challenge to you is this: every time it's Monday, what will you say? "Hallelujah! I'm going to worship". Do you realize when you go to work, you're worshiping God? That's exactly the same word. Worship! Now, if you go to work and you worship God, how will you work? How will you behave?
Well, let me share with you. The Bible is so practical and realistic. Colossians 3, everybody read, Colossians 3:22-24. I want you to understand the context. Paul is now speaking to slaves. You and I don't have a lot of ideas about slavery. You know why? Because in the time of Paul, slavery was practiced. Slaves are different from our yayas (nannies), from our helpers today. Our helpers can resign. Yaya (Nanny) can resign. In the time of Paul, slaves cannot. You have no rights. So imagine you are a slave. And what is your work? Let's say your work is cleaning the poop of the family. Well that's your work.
Now, be honest with me. Will you enjoy that work? I don't think so. Let's say your work is to clean the feet of the master; to waste the feet of everybody. The lowest slaves, the lowest ranking servant, that's what they usually do. Will you enjoy that work? Of course not. But look at what the Bible is saying. "Slaves", not servants, slaves, "in all things (everybody read, together) in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord". In other words, when you serve, don't serve very well just because your boss is watching.
And then the Bible says, everybody read: whatever, everybody together, "Whatever you do (whatever!), do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men". You see, work becomes worship when you do it for the Lord. Whatever you are doing: at home, cooks, doctors, nurses, teachers, whatever you do. If you're a student, I always ask my children. I tell my children, "Have you done your best for Jesus"? You see, I'm not impressed with grades. When they come to me with their report cards, my wife and I don't ask that question, "Have you done your best"?
Today, I'm gonna ask you the same thing. Wherever you are, whatever is your work. You do your best. And then, look at this amazing promise. Everybody, together: "knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve". And that is how you make a job that is not exciting to be exciting, because you are serving the King of Kings; and He's watching you, and He's very happy if you are faithful. However, if you don't have that biblical perspective, you will not enjoy work, because the truth is some works are very inspiring, but some work are not.
That's why the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians tells people, "If you are a slave, stay where you are; but if you can get out, get out if you can find a way. But if not, stay". In other words, you have to face reality. How do you know God's calling? What's your gift? What are your opportunities? What are realities? What is so passionate about your heart? God is going to guide you, but remember His calling: salvation first, and then sanctification, and then service. You know, I like this quotation from Martin Luther King. You know, Martin Luther King gave this amazing quotation.
Let's read this together. "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michaelangelo painted, Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.'" So whatever you do, do your best as for the Lord. At the end of your life, you will notice something: whatever you do, and you do it for God, it'll never be in vain.
Can I give you a last verse? All right. Matthew 25. Let's read that together. Matthew 25, notice: "after a long time the master of the slaves came and settled accounts." this is Jesus talking about the end times. Jesus is going to come again, and when He comes again, He's gonna settle accounts with you and with me. How will He settle accounts with you and with me? Everybody, once you understand calling, Master; He's going to ask you a simple question. "Master, you entrusted to me five talents. See, I have gained five more".
In other words, if you do everything for God, you do your best. It is important. Competence. Be competent. It is important. Faithfulness. That's how you treat work as a worship: you are hardworking, you take initiative. Competence. Faithfulness. And then what happened, as we close? The master said, "Well done, good and faithful slave". You see, good, competence, faithful. Wow, in small things. "You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master".
You see, today, you may not be rewarded. Really. Not every master is a good rewarder. But God tells you something. God says if your earthly master does not recognize you, it's okay. God says, "I will recognize you". If you're a good wife, you are faithful, you teach your children, you are disciplined, and your husband don't appreciate you, God is saying, "Don't worry. One day, I will reward you". So my friend, that's the message today. Now be honest with me. How are you doing with your work? Are you excited? Well, starting today, when you leave this place, what will you do now? Whatever you do, you will say, "I am going to worship the Lord".
Let's bow our heads as we close in prayer. Lord Jesus, I know there are people here today, perhaps they do not know You yet. They have not encountered You as their Master. So today, I want to pray for them. To those of you who are not sure you're going to go to heaven, you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, I'd like you to pray this prayer with me. I want you to know God loves you. God designed you so that you will really maximize your life, but you have not met the Master. So pray this prayer. To those of you who are not yet sure that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, you are not sure you'll go to heaven because you are still full of yourself, you have never surrendered your life, pray this prayer.
Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to You. I accept You as my Lord and my Savior. I place my faith in You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I accept Your gift of forgiveness. I accept Your gift of eternal life. Will You change my heart so that I will be pleasing to You in whatever I do? Change me, Lord. And Lord Jesus, I pray for everybody here who have listened to this message today that work matters. Our work matters because it matters to You. Thank You. Work is by Your plan. Work is not only Your plan, it is your calling. And work is also worship. So we worship You, Lord, every day of our lives; not just on Sunday, but every day, every moment, we do everything for Your glory. In Jesus' name, we all pray. Amen.