Surviving the Workplace
John 11:1-5
Have you ever just got tired of work and you were just ready to quit?
· Tired of the hours
· Tired of the boss
· Tired of the workload
· Tired of the 8-5 then the additional work at home
· Tired, Tired, Tired, Tired
Then the church starts asking for additional workdays.
· Where do I draw the line?
· Where do I find the stopping point?
· Where do I get the energy to continue on?
Jesus gives us some great information throughout His Word on how to handle this exact kind of situations.
But just like everything else in God’s Word, you have to pattern your life exactly how He wants it to be.
No shortcuts
No replacements
It has to be just like He wants it to be.
Read John 11: 1-5
The Picture: (Background of Jesus getting in the boat)
Notice v. 5 – Simon speaking:
“We worked hard all night and caught nothing”
Have you ever worked the long hours, the hard labor, in difficult situations and had nothing to show for it?
That was the case with Simon.
But Simon gives us the answer we are looking for in this message.
The Question:
· How do I handle my workload?
· How do I put up with my never pleased boss?
· How do I make time to work for the church in addition to my other responsibilities?
· How do I have the energy to attend all the church services?
· How do I continue on when I am ready to give up?
Simon gives us the answer in verse 5.
· I have been fishing all night
· I am tired
· I am disgusted
· I am losing money
But: Because YOU (Christ) bid me to do so, I will
To survive your workplace you have to:
1. Make Jesus your reason for working.
Jesus:
· Because you asked me to put my nets in the water, I will.
· Because you encouraged me to try one more time, I will
· Because you asked me to do something for you, I will.
Result: Simon brought in a great quantity of fish!
Simon has just taught us the great answer to our many questions about our job.
Here it is: We have to make Jesus our reason for working
What are your reasons for working?
To pay the bills
To keep the wife happy
To put food on the table
To provide for my family
Do you think your job provided these things?
Philippians 4:19 –
“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory”
· It’s not because you worked 40 hours this week.
· It’s not that you worked overtime for additional pay.
· It’s not that you got up early every morning to be on the job by 7am
You have what you need because of God’s blessings on your life.
Make Jesus your reason for working.
Make Jesus your reason for getting up every morning
Make Jesus your reason for living.
When you make HIM your reason, you will experience great quantity of blessings just like Simon did.
After I make Jesus my reason, what now?
2. Work Hard!
Exodus 20:8-11
This commandment is used to tell us to keep the Sabbath day holy. But notice the other comments that are made…
v.9 – Six days you shall labor…
God gives us a timetable of working. He says you have six days to get it done.
He also says, “…do all thy work”
Not part of it but ALL OF IT!
Two reasons why you should complete your work:
1. Your witness as a Christian
Don’t be classified as one who does a half way job. You know the job at hand – Get it done!
Don’t put it off! As Christians we need to live what we preach – We are not promised tomorrow!
Proverbs 27:1
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth…”
Get done today what needs to get done today. Quit passing it off to another day and to another person.
Why is it important to complete my work?
2. How I work on the job will be how I work for Christ
If I am one to try and get out of work on the job, I will also try to pass the responsibilities of church on to someone else as well.
If I try to get out of working:
I will try to get out of praying
I will try to get out of teaching
I will try to get out of tithing
I will try to get out of going to the services…
Why, because of the way I am Monday through Saturday while on the job. Any other way would make me a hypocrite.
Deut. 11:13 –
“…To love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
God wants us to give HIM everything we have. And that includes the workplace.
He wants us to work but he also wants us to:
3. Get some Rest
Exodus 20:10 gives us the command not to do any work on the Sabbath. For 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 understood that if we were giving it all we have during the six days, we would need a break.
How serious was this command?
Exodus 34:21
“You work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest…”
Exodus 35:2
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whosoever does any work on it shall be put to death.”
Numbers 15:32-36
A man was caught gathering firewood on the Sabbath. The sons of Israel brought this man to Moses who put him into custody until they could decide what to do with him. The bible says that God told Moses to put him to death… so they stoned him.
You cannot do an effective job if you do not have REST!
Husbands:
Understand what your wives go through with their job and then having the responsibility in the home.
1. Help out –
2. Understand their needs -
3. Encourage them to get some rest -
WIVES:
I know you have a “honey-do” list that continues to grow. But know that your husband has been working long hours to provide for you and the family.
Both of you need to understand that God has to have place in there somewhere.
· You were praying that God would use your husband…
· You were praying he would get in church and serve God…
Now let him do it. But neither one of you can be effective without getting some much needed rest.
I just don’t have time to sit down…
I can’t let those dishes stay in the sink…
I have to wash our clothes…
I have to mow the yard…
I have to... I have to... I have to…
God commanded us to work and then He also commanded us to rest!
So how do I do this?
Advice to you:
a. Slow Down
· Quit committing yourself to head up every program at school…
· Quit trying to be super dad by coaching every team your child participates in
This world is going at a speed that we can’t keep up with.
b. Prioritize
Sit down and figure out as a couple what is important and what is not. Those things that you are doing that are not at the top of your list – Get rid of it!
It maybe fun, it may carry some clout but it is killing you. And it is keeping you from doing what God wants you to do!
I shouldn’t have to tell you to make sure that God is at the top of that list.
c. Get some Rest!
Find you some time in your week and get off of your feet!
Psalms 46:10 - Be still, and know that I [am] God:
You can’t know God while running through this world.
We need to make up in our minds right now:
1. Jesus will be our reason for working
2. When working we will give it all we’ve got
3. But when it comes time to rest: We will do it!
By doing so:
· Our marriages will be better
· Our bosses will become easier because we are accomplishing more…
· Our church will grow because we are doing more…
But most importantly: God will be pleased with us!
