Here are notes I made from the sermon ‘Work and Wealth’ by Mark Driscoll. Download or listen to the sermon at http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/proverbs/work-and-wealth.

Myth 1: Work is only what you are paid to do

If you are a student, your studies are your work. If you are a mother who stays at home to raise your children, that is your work. If you do voluntary work, that is your work. If you are a child, your chores and schoolwork are your work.

Myth 2: Work is a necessary evil

Work was given to man before the Fall. God works so work can’t be evil. Work is a gift given to us by God. The Bible says to work six says and rest on Sabbath.

Myth 3: It would be best if Christians didn’t have to work at all

Ecclesiastes 3:22 – ‘So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?’ 1 Thessalonians 4:11 – ‘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.’

Myth 4: Someone else should feed me

Proverbs 16:26 – ‘The labourer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – ‘For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”’

Myth 5: There are such things as Christian and non-Christian jobs

Of course, some jobs cannot be done by Christians e.g. hit man, drug dealer, prostitute. Most jobs are acceptable. Jobs in the Bible: agriculture, education, politics, parenting, carpentry, livestock, law, military.

There is no such thing as a Christian job. Just jobs and Christians working in them in a Christian way. The way Christians do their jobs should be unto God, not man. Ecclesiastes 9:10 – ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.’ 1 Corinthians 10:31 – ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’ Colossians 3:17 – ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’

God is more concerned about how we do our work than what we do. God’s will is not a little dot that we have to hit. Rather it is a direction of life. God wants you to love Him, honour Him, obey Him, serve Him, glorify Him – that’s God’s will.

Myth 6: I should sit here and wait until the Lord tells me what to do

God has; He has said to work! Jesus doesn’t give career counselling sessions. What we are good at is an indicator of what we should work we should do.

Talk to older wiser Christians about jobs. Proverbs 15:22 – ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.’

There are miraculous callings in the Bible e.g. Paul, Samuel, Noah, John the Baptist and Jonah, but these are not normative. They are highly unusual and for a major work for God.

Myth 7: I want to serve the Lord, so I should not waste time in working a job

We’re not all called into full-time ministry. Most of us are called to serve the Lord in doing jobs that aren’t vocational Christian work.

Myth 8: If you are really sold-out to the Lord, you will go to Bible college and then into ministry

Doing ministry is instructing, equipping, sending and commissioning God’s people into the workforce. Bible college alone does not equip someone to be a minister. God does call people into full-time Christian work, but out of normal jobs. In the Bible, prophets and disciples were called from their normal work into ministry.

Myth 9: I should use my time at work to do evangelism

Thou shalt not steal. If you are being paid to do your job but you just use your time to do evangelism you are stealing from your employer. We must not justify the means by the end. Romans 3:8 – ‘Why not say—as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say—”Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved.’

Myth 10: Once I choose a job, I cannot change it

If you think that you can never change job, it will make choosing a job much harder. 1 Corinthians 7:21 – ‘Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.’ God has us in certain jobs to teach us stuff, to build our character. He will keep us there until we learn our lesson.