Sermon Synopsis
This sermon explores the biblical view of work, showing that work was part of God’s good creation before the Fall and therefore possesses inherent dignity. While sin has introduced frustration and difficulty into our labor, Scripture teaches that all work can be a calling through which we serve others and glorify God. Ecclesiastes reminds us that work alone cannot provide ultimate meaning, but the gospel of Christ gives purpose, rest, and renewed motivation. Christians therefore approach their work not as a pursuit of status or self-worth, but as a joyful act of service rooted in the grace of God.
Please note: This transcript is provided as close to verbatim record of the sermon.
Meditations on the Biblical View of Work
Opening Prayer
Good morning, brethren. Allow me to come to the Lord in prayer.
Our Father God and Heavenly Father, we pray that You would continue to keep us through the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask that You would guide us and our leaders in these dynamic situations. We also give thanks for the ways in which You have transformed how we worship and learn.
We pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit this morning as we consider Your Word. We ask and pray this in the matchless and precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Introduction: Faith and Work
Today I would like to present some meditations on the biblical view of work, together with some practical applications from the Word of God for our daily work.
Why such a worldly topic?
Indeed, we are in the world but not of the world. Yet work takes up so much of our time and energy that it is worthy of our consideration. Otherwise, we risk creating a dichotomy—being a Sunday Christian, and a different person for the other six days of the week.
In fact, we may even need to reconsider the way we use the term “the Lord’s Day.” Does that imply that the other days are not the Lord’s? Are not all days meant to be lived in the service of the Lord?
Today, I would like to explore how our work and our faith intersect, and what it means to be a Christian at work.
Unless you have the privilege of doing church or ministry work in your daily vocation, most of us have what we would call secular jobs. Yet even in these jobs, there are many ways in which our faith can manifest itself in ways that are practical, vivid, and real.
Different Views on Serving God at Work
Let us begin by evaluating several common views on how Christians serve God at work. Each of these statements begins with the same idea:
“The way to serve God at work would be…”
The way to serve God at work would be to personally evangelize to colleagues, clients, or patients.
As Christians, we are to publicly identify with Christ and be a witness for Him—especially in the place where we spend most of our time during the week.
Another view is that the way to serve God at work would be to do skillful and excellent work, letting our actions speak for themselves.
This is sometimes called signpost evangelism—not necessarily speaking directly, but living in a way that is visibly different.
Certainly, some workplaces may restrict or frown upon explicit evangelism. In such situations, believers may feel compelled to comply with workplace policies.
Yet this approach may also be insufficient. As Paul reminds us in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Earlier, in Romans 10:14, he asks:
“How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?”
Work excellence can also be a double-edged sword. I have heard people say, “This person claims to be a Christian—why is he always neglecting his work?” To which I sometimes reply that the sinner needs Jesus more—but in truth, we all need Jesus.
Conversely, people sometimes say, “That person is such a good person—but he’s an atheist.” In that sense, signpost evangelism only goes so far.
Another view is that the way to serve God at work would be to work with a Christian motivation—to glorify God, right wrongs, act justly, and reflect the communicable attributes of God such as justice and goodness.
This connects to the social justice dimension of Christian ethics in the workplace.
Another perspective is that we serve God by working with a joyful, gospel-changed heart, whatever our circumstances.
Salvation gives us deep joy and assurance, enabling us to remain positive regardless of our work situation or personal circumstances.
A more extreme view suggests that the way to serve God at work would be to make as much money as possible so that we can give generously to the Lord’s work.
While this may sound extreme, the Lord’s work is indeed funded by the Lord’s people, so we cannot dismiss this entirely.
Avoiding Extremes
None of these views are entirely wrong. Many Christians adopt one or two of them depending on their vocation and opportunities.
However, the danger arises when we add the word “only.”
Taken to extremes, these approaches create problems—and ultimately lead to divided loyalties.
A better approach is to recognize that all these are tools for integrating faith and work.
To truly understand work from a biblical perspective, however, we must go back to the origins of work in Scripture.
The Biblical Origins of Work
Many people first think of work in connection with the Fall in Genesis 3, where God says:
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life…
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food
until you return to the ground.”
Here we see that hard labor becomes a result of sin.
Yet work itself did not begin here.
The first mention of work actually appears earlier—in Genesis 2, where God completes His work of creation and rests on the seventh day. Adam is then placed in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
This reveals a crucial truth:
Work existed before the Fall.
Work is not a punishment—it is part of God’s design. Even in paradise, human beings worked.
This may require a paradigm shift for many of us.
Work, in a sense, is part of paradise.
As a doctor, I sometimes joke that I might be jobless in heaven—where there is no disease or suffering. Perhaps I will have to pivot to something else, maybe music.
But while we are here on earth, it is clear that God designed a work–rest cycle, beginning with His own example in Genesis.
Work may even be a basic human need—like food, friendship, rest, and prayer. People who are suddenly cut off from work, whether due to illness, retirement, or pandemic disruptions, often discover how much they need meaningful work to thrive emotionally and spiritually.
The Importance of Rest
At the same time, we must remember that work must never become our ultimate priority.
God rested—not because He needed to recharge, but to demonstrate that work is not all there is to life.
Just as a pause in music is essential to hear the notes properly, rest is essential for meaningful work.
Our relationship with God is the foundation of life. Upon that foundation rest our work, friendships, and family.
Otherwise, work itself can become an idol.
The Dignity of All Work
Modern industrial society often depersonalizes work. Many feel like cogs in a machine—working simply to put food on the table.
Another consequence is a hierarchy of work:
This creates several problems.
Some people pursue careers that do not match their gifts simply because they promise prestige or higher wages. Others develop disdain for service jobs—such as cleaners, restaurant staff, or security guards.
The biblical view, however, is very different.
All work—whether done with the hands or the mind—has dignity because it reflects the image of the Creator God in us.
Only human beings were given the task to subdue and rule the earth.
Work has dignity because it is something God Himself does.
Not only does work have dignity—all kinds of work have dignity.
In an age dominated by knowledge work, we should remember that Jesus did not come as a data scientist. He came as a carpenter.
Therefore we work hard not merely for financial reward, but because excellence reflects the dignity of the calling we have received.
Recognizing the dignity of all work also removes feelings of superiority, envy, or inferiority. All work is God-given.
One of my senior colleagues once told me something insightful. He said:
“It is more important that people respect you as a person than respect the job or title you have. One day you will leave that job or title—then what will people think of you?”
Work as Service and Calling
Let us now consider work as service.
In 1 Corinthians 7:17, Paul writes:
“Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.”
Paul explains that becoming a Christian does not necessarily mean changing your social status or occupation.
When Paul speaks of calling, he is not referring only to church work. He is referring to ordinary life—including what we would call secular jobs.
This is another paradigm shift.
Work is not primarily for self-fulfillment or power. Work is a calling to serve others.
Something can only be a calling if someone calls us to do it for their sake rather than our own.
The Bible therefore encourages us to see work as God’s assignment to serve others.
Martin Luther wrote in 1520:
“It is pure invention that popes, bishops, priests, and monks are called the spiritual estate while princes, lords, artisans, and farmers are the temporal estate… All Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them except that of office.”
In other words, every Christian calling has dignity.
Because we have in Christ the things others seek—self-worth, confidence, and a good conscience—we are free to work simply to love God and serve our neighbor.
Your daily work can therefore be an act of worship to God.
Work in a Fallen World
At the same time, we must acknowledge the reality of work in a fallen world.
Because of sin, the ground produces thorns and thistles.
Work is often frustrating. It may involve pain, conflict, envy, fatigue, and disappointment.
Sometimes success is limited by external factors. A musician may struggle financially not because of lack of skill, but because of circumstances or competition.
Yet Genesis also reminds us of God’s provision:
“You will eat the plants of the field.”
Even in a fallen world, work can still bear fruit.
Christians understand this tension. We are sinners who fall short of God’s glory, yet we live within God’s story of redemption.
This gives us a deep consolation that enables us to work wholeheartedly without despair.
Finding Meaning in Work
Ecclesiastes captures the frustration many people feel about work:
“I hated life… because everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
The writer observes that everything we achieve may eventually pass to someone else—who may or may not be wise.
Our accomplishments may disappear within a generation.
From this perspective, work can seem not only fruitless but pointless.
What is the remedy?
Ecclesiastes suggests a balanced approach:
“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”
There are three possible responses:
The third path is the biblical one.
Ultimately, true meaning in work can only be found through the gospel. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Christ provides the true rest for our souls.
Through Him, work becomes a joyful opportunity to serve others and pursue excellence as part of our heavenly calling.
The Idols of Work
We must also beware of the idols of the workplace.
Anything that we love, serve, or derive meaning from more than God becomes an idol.
Common workplace idols include:
These values often shape workplace culture.
The gospel offers a powerful counterpoint.
The Gospel and Our Work
The gospel transforms our work in three important ways.
The gospel reminds us that our work participates in God’s care for the world. This helps us appreciate all kinds of work—from the simplest to the most complex.
The gospel provides a moral framework that guides our decisions and behavior in the workplace.
The gospel transforms our motivation for working. Through the Holy Spirit, we gain a durable inner strength to persevere through challenges.
Conclusion
In summary, we have explored several themes:
Because of the gospel, Christians approach work with a radically different worldview. We have nothing to prove. Instead, we rest in the confidence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Closing Prayer
Shall we turn to the Lord in prayer?
Father God, we thank You for the joy and peace that come from knowing You. We thank You for calling each one of us to our unique work and position—work that we alone can do in service to You.
Guard us from the influences of the world, and keep us focused on what is lasting and eternal. Continue to work in our lives so that we may serve You faithfully in the places You have placed us.
We ask and pray this in the matchless and precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.