Week of April 16, 2012
DAY 1
New jobs can be exciting, but eventually every job seems to devolve into some sort of treadmill. We want a job that “has” meaning. What is it we think gives our job “meaning?” Does meaningful work come from the job itself, or is “meaning” something we infuse into our job?
Read Genesis 1:1-2:4
1. God was busy at work! List some of the work He did.
2. How does it strike you that God works?
3. What does that say about the value of your work?
4. How many times does the writer say of God’s work, “and it was good” or “very good”?
5. What does that say about the quality of work you do?
6. God gave man and woman work to do. What was it? (Gen. 1:26-30)
7. How would you like to approach your work differently this week?
DAY 2
1. We look for work that is “satisfying.” We assume there is a job out there that will be one that is enjoyable, satisfying and fulfilling. How true are these statements for you?
Read Genesis 3:18-20
2. What should we expect when we go to work?
3. Why would a loving God curse our world like this?
4. What should happen when we are in the work world? For what will you be calling out to God?
___ Patience with problems
___ Patience with people
___ Satisfaction versus frustration
___ Strength versus weakness
___ Diligence versus laziness
___ Wisdom versus confusion
___ Other: ________________________________________
5. What would happen to human nature if work were perfect and fulfilling all by itself?
6. God has arranged the world (the curse) in such a way that is redemptive! We will have plenty of “opportunities” (troubles) in which to turn to Him! Which of the following is true for you?
___ Trust God
___ Seek Him
___ Realize our deepest needs can only be met in Him
___ Live for Him, not ourselves
___ Trust Him to change our pathetic attitudes about work and/or people
___ Other:__________________________________
7. Turn to God right now. Tell him what strikes you from our study, and what you’d like to do today.
DAY 3
God has to change our hearts! It is a mammoth undertaking. “We compulsively pursue our own vision and insist on our own way. We not only want to do what we want, how and when we want, but we also want our desires to have priority over everyone else’s…. We are competing in a contest we are sure to lose, but one we take on nevertheless.” – Ralph Mattson
God uses our work, whether it’s in the home or out of the home to assault the grand problems in the quote, above.
Read Nehemiah 2:17-20
1. What reasons does Nehemiah give for rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem?
Read Nehemiah 3:1-5
2. What strikes you about their work on the wall?
Read Nehemiah 4:4-6;-9-15
3. Nehemiah led and motivated the people. List how he did so.
Read Nehemiah 6:1-16
4. How did Nehemiah deal with this crisis? Look for at least six things.
5. What would you like to take from Nehemiah’s example?
DAY 4
It’s easy to have a “hierarchal” view of work- “Some work is more important than others.” From the bible’s perspective that is NOT true. God calls each person to work–that gives every work significance.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
1. Paul addresses the problem of “idleness” (verses 6, 11). What might be some of the causes of idleness?
2. Paul is quite blunt about how to handle this problem. What does he say to do?
3. How is his teaching actually the loving thing to do?
4. Besides supporting yourself and paying your bills, what other reasons are there to work in this passage?
5. At times, Paul made his income through being a tent-maker. At other times, he gave himself to missionary work through the generosity of brothers and sisters. How does Paul describe his own work ethic in this pasage?
6. The authors of Why Work? write, The bible never indicates that our jobs should be ‘fun’ or make us ‘happy.’ Fulfillment is more correctly understood in the sense of service, taking pleasure in the contribution that our work is making to the community.”
How would your life change if you defined your vocation in terms of service rather than in terms of self-fulfillment/
DAY 5
Scripture gives us lots of pictures of work.
Read Colossians 3:22-25
1. In the New Testament world, slavery was a reality, a way of life. When a slave became a Christian what should he/she do?
• What attitude should he have toward his master (or boss)?
• How hard should we work?
• For whom is the slave working?
• What rewards are there for his work?
• What can I expect if I do wrong at work?
Read Col. 4:1
2. What does Paul say is my responsibility toward those who work under me?
3. Read each verse and write next to it how it relates to your work, your attitude toward work or your work ethic:
Prov. 14:23-
Ephesians 4:28-
Prov. 10:4-
Prov. 13:4-
Prov. 12:11-
Prov. 12:15-
Prov. 15:22-
4. What strikes you from these verses?
5. As a result of this week’s study, what is the BIGGEST thing you’d like to change about you at work?