Worship 24x7 at Work

We discussed in our lest lesson that worship is more than what we do within the walls of our congregation. In every aspect of our lives, we worship God in our conduct, in our attitudes, in our service to Him in all places and all times. This carries over to our workplace. The way we conduct ourselves at work reflects who we are as Christians, and there should be no separation between the standards we hold ourselves to at church and our expectations of ourselves at work.

We set an example when we are working. The ethics and morality we follow, the language we use, the way we treat those we work with, the attitudes we demonstrate – these show God and others our true commitment to our Christian walk. Does our conduct at work demonstrate our faith and values, or do we contradict our spiritual lives with our work lives?

Christians at Church and Work

In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus calls one whose words and actions do not match a hypocrite. I John 1:6 warns that we are lying to ourselves if we think we follow Him while not living by His word. If we are worshipping God in word on Sunday, but the deeds of our lives do not back that worship up, then that worship in in vain.

Romans 12:14-21 outlines some principles we should be following: not giving into temptation, living peaceably with others, never repaying evil with evil. God does not grant us exemptions on expectations simply because we are in the pursuit of money. We spend a great deal of time at work. It is where we have the most connections and opportunities, and it is where we should be working the hardest to let our light shine.

Living Thankfully at Work

We often offer thanks for our jobs and our material blessings. We pray for His continual provisions for us and our families. If we are not living the way we should at work, however, we are praying in vain. Ephesians 6:5-8 tells us we should be good employees not to please man, but to please God. Colossians 3:22-25 says much the same, reminding us that our true reward comes from God and not from man. I Timothy 6:1-2 and Titus 2:9-10 encourages us to conduct ourselves humbly and ethically in the workplace.

We need to work as if we are working for God. Our work ethic should be unspotted. We should deal honestly with those we come into contact with at work. We should never leave an opening for someone to say about us: “They did that? I thought they were a Christian.” This means we avoid griping and moaning. We avoid taking advantage of our position. We should be respectful to our managers and supervisors, and we should be honestly earning the wages we’re given.

I Peter 2:18-21 teaches the difficult lesson that we are to work as well for difficult employers as we would for a good manager. What credit is it to us if we work well for someone easy to work with? Our character really comes out when things get tough. If we are in a position of authority, however, Ephesians 6:9 tells us we should be as humble as if we were in a position of subjection. We are to be respectful, fair, and kind toward those who work under us.

Worship At Work

When we work as God would have us, living the trust we have for God in our lives, then we will set an example to people we may not even know are looking up to us. Our conduct can glorify God in a setting where there is much to lead us astray – pressures to socialize in ungodly ways, to fall into ungodly joking and conversations, to get caught up into office dramas, to skim a little extra for ourselves. If we keep Him first, worshipping Him even in the workplace, then we can keep ourselves above those influences.

What matters to you at work? Do your actions and attitudes reflect God? Work with respect and good will for your superiors. Demonstrate integrity. Offer good service to employers both good and bad. Remember your ultimate master is in Heaven, and it is Him we seek to please. Treat those under your authority with kindness and respect. Treat coworkers, employers, and employees the way you want them to treat you. Let your conduct at work be worship to our Heavenly Father, the final authority and master in our lives.

lesson by Mark RItter

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Note: This lesson was actually delivered back in May, but I was absent from services that day. The speaker sent me his notes a while ago, and I'm finally getting this one up.

Whenever the months of April and May roll around, we start looking at ways we can do some spring cleaning. When do we take the time, however, to spring clean our spirits? While you’re cleaning out closets, sweeping under the furniture, think about this – spring cleaning, while certainly worth the effort, is temporary, but spiritual cleaning could have an eternal influence. Don’t only dust behind those book shelves, then. Dust off those spiritual goals, and get ready for a spiritual spring cleaning.

Steps to a Cleaner Spirit

Step 1 – Cleanse Our Hearts

The Bible encourages us to draw close to God & allow our hearts & bodies to be cleansed. This is the 1st step in our spring cleaning project. Psalm 51:10 calls on God to clean our hearts and renew our spirits, and Hebrews 10:22 encourages us to draw near to God, with hearts and bodies cleansed of guilt. We can’t clean ourselves. Instead we must draw near to God & ask him to do the cleansing.

Step 2 – Clean Out Our Mouths

I have had to work on my mouth editing since my days on the radio – not so much with coarse language – but with long years of untactful speech. Spiritual cleansing requires deep cleaning – it is housekeeping that goes beyond what others see and hear. It’s a cleansing from within – inside & out. As our hearts gets clean, our language should follow.

This is not only talking about our language, but also about negative conversations and pessimistic thoughts that can contradict the Word of God. This includes challenging ourselves to stop complaining, and this starts with our attitude. Luke 6:45 reads that we produce whatever is stored in our hearts, and Philippians 2:14 exhorts us to do everything without complaining or arguing. That can be tall order, but we can do it if we fix our attitudes.

Step 3 – Renew Our Minds

One of the biggest challenges in this spiritual cleaning is removing the garbage of this world. We must feed our minds & spirits the Word of God instead of the garbage of this world. Romans 12:2 discourages us from conforming to the world. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. II Corinthians 10:5 calls on us to make every though we have obedient to Christ.

Step 4 – Repent from Hidden Sin

Hidden sin will destroy our life and your peace. The Bible encourages us to confess our sins, and, when our spiritual closets are clean, the heaviness from hidden sin will lift.

Remember Psalm 32:3-5:

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day & night our hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you & did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD – and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Step 5 – Release Grudges & Bitterness

When we refuse forgiveness, when we bear bitterness and grudges, it is like old baggage in the attic you just can’t seem to part with. We are so familiar with it, we don’t even realize how it is hindering our life. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to cast aside anything weighing us down, and Ephesians 4:31-32 calls on us to rid ourselves of all bitterness, instead being as forgiving as our Savior.

Step 6 – Involve Jesus In Our daily Lives

What God wants from us most is a relationship – friendship. He wants to be involved in every moment our lives. Through him, we can experience a continual refreshing of our spirits. According to I Corinthians 1:9 – God is the one who invited us into this wonderful friendship with his Son Jesus, and Psalm 56:13 assures us we can walk in God’s presence, trusting Him to keep us from falling.

Step 7 – Enjoy the Journey

Some of us take life to seriously, or we take ourselves too seriously. Jesus want us to enjoy ourselves, and learn to have some fun. God made us for his pleasure. In Psalm 28:7 we see the psalmist leaping for joy and singing praises to His God. He can have the same effect on us.

Conclusion

Cleaning ourselves spiritually begins and ends with our attitude. If our attitudes are strong, then we will be able to commit ourselves to the preparation and work involved in the process. We can choose now whether or not we will continue living in our pasts of sin and regret or push forward to a better future in Christ. Like Paul, we can put our pasts behind us and reach for the upward calling of Jesus’ grace. We just have to take a moment and clean ourselves spiritually. If we even have one day to live, there is good work we can do. We just have to continue pressing forward.

lesson by Mike Mahoney

Loving Controversy

I once had a fellow Christian say to me, upon stirring up some political argument or another, “I love controversy.” Now, we all create controversy at times, especially if we have opinions on anything. The very act of teaching Christ’s word can cause controversy among some, but I’m not sure we are necessarily supposed to love the controversy.

The wisdom literature has little kind to say about one who stirs up controversy and contention.

• Proverbs 18:19 warns that contentions are like the bars of a castle.
• Proverbs 15:18 says it is a wrathful heart that stirs up strife.
• Proverbs 10:12 says controversy results from hatred.
• Proverbs 16:28 warns that strife comes from a dishonest heart.
• Proverbs 17:19 says one who love controversy loves transgression.

The writers of Proverbs go on to warn that strife separates friends in 16:28, that dry morsels in quiet are better than feasting among contention in 17:1, and that strife is like opening flood gates and should be stopped before it’s started.

The Proverb writers then offer contrasts from which we could learn much. Back in Proverbs 15:18 encourages us to be slow to anger, avoiding contention. 10:12 tells us love covers offenses in contrast to contentious hatefulness. Finally, Proverbs 15:1 encourages us to have a soft answer so we can cool wrath, and Proverbs 22:10 even advises us to avoid hanging out with argumentative people.

Engaging in controversies and contentions is the easier route, and this is yet another example where we, as spiritual people, need to exercise self-control. After all, we live in a "loudest-is-rightest" culture. It’s easy to fly off the handle when some public figure does something we don’t like. It’s easy to prod our friends and family who disagree with us. It’s easy to approach a disagreement from the standpoint of what “you” did wrong. Stirring up strife is the easy path, and it’s surprisingly empowering. We feel like we “fought the good fight,” “told them like it is,” “proved our point,” while waving the banner of our impotent rage.

Harder is to close our mouths, bite our tongues, or – even harder – recognize when it’s not that big of a deal. We have so many influences trying to pull us into secular concerns that do nothing for the cause of Christ if we become embroiled in them. At one point, I too enjoyed a good controversy, but I’d like to think I’ve moved on. Perhaps it’s time we Christians collectively told controversy, “I don’t love you anymore. I think we should start seeing other nouns. It’s not me, it’s you,” and gave it up. Maybe we need to stop watching some TV personalities, maybe stop reading some opinion columns, maybe avoid some talk radio shows, perhaps just avoid some topics altogether.

Do we want to be accused of loving controversy or loving unity? Do we want people to see us as a source of discouragement or encouragement? Do we want to fill our minds and our conversations with things that drive a wedge between ourselves and others or things that bring us all closer to each other and to Christ? We should work to have the qualities of Colossians 4:5-6, walking in wisdom, ready to have an answer, seasoning our words with salt.

lesson by Robert Smelser

Am I a Liar?

Calling someone a liar is an accusation with serious implications. It is not a charge we deal with casually. Whether a child or an adult, liar borders upon being a dirty word in our society. It is not a term to be thrown around casually or lightly because of the light cast upon the character of one accused of lying. To accuse one of lying is to accuse of being knowingly misleading, confusing, and deceptive.

The concept of lying is addressed in the New Testament roughly thirty-five times. Titus 1 and John 8 refer to God and Satan lying. Titus 1:1 begins Paul’s letter to Titus, and he speaks of the truth in God and the inability of God to lie. He calls lying something impossible to God, inconsistent with His character – an important fact if we are to trust and believe in God’s promises. In contrast, John 8:31 records Jesus speaking of the freedom found in God’s truth, and, beginning in verse 43, Jesus typifies Satan through lying, calling him the father of falsehood.

Darkness and Light
John uses the expression lie several times in his books, and there are no gray areas in the context in which John uses the term. In I John 1:5, John discusses the nature of God’s light, accusing us of being liars if we claim to follow him while remaining in darkness. Returning to John 8:12, Jesus refers to Himself as the light of the world, preventing us from walking in darkness. He will repeat this sentence when healing a blind man.

When we follow Jesus, we walk in the light of life. In I John 2:9, however, points out that hatred sets us in darkness, again making us liars if we claim to follow Christ. In verse 5, we are liars if we claim to know CHrist without heeding His commandments. Chapter 1:6, 2:4, 2:9, 2:22, 4:20 – these verses and more define us as liars when we contradict ourselves and deny Christ in our lives.

Are You a Liar?
Returning to our opening, the accusation of liar is a strong one, but John lays out a case that we do so when we claim to be a Christian while practicing sin; when we say we love Jesus but ignore His commandments; when we say we love God but harbor hatred in our lives. When we do these things, we live in darkness, and we lie to ourselves when we convince ourselves we walk in light.

In Colossians 3:19 speaks of the treatment of wives by husbands. Similar sentiments are expressed in Ephesians 5. Colossians 3:18 and Titus 2 discuss the attitude wives should have toward husbands. Colossians 3:20 and Ephesians 6:1 speak to the relationship between children and parents. Are we practicing these things, or are we guilty of being liars?

Consider Ephesians 4:25 that tells us to put away all falsehoods, speaking only truth, keeping anger from leading us into sin. He encourages us not to steal from each other in any way or allow bitterness or corruption come forth from us. Paul is focusing on the goodness we should be practicing if we are truthful in our walking as Christians. What do our actions proclaim in comparison to the words we say.

Practicing More Than Theory
Christianity is more than a set of noble ideals. It should be bringing drastic changes in our lives as Romans 12:1-2 calls on us to be transformed. Ephesians 4:17-24, predicating the qualities we just examined, calls on us to avoid darkening of understanding, callousing our consciences, avoiding greed – we do not learn these things in Christ. These are things we should put away worldliness to assume a mantle of godliness. This is why we need to be concerned with our own honest assessment of who we are.

Christianity should be aspiring us to greater goals than those of this world. In Colossians 3:1, Paul encourages us to seek those things above, setting our mind on those promises. We have died to this world, and, staring in verse 12, we see qualities we should emulate – love, kindness, forgiveness, mercy. Being a CHristian gives us a new set of goals and new things to work on in our lives.

Finally, in Revelation 21:7, John sees the holy city, a dwelling place where there is no more pain and no more crying. He hears God say that he who overcomes will inherit all these things, but that even liars will have no part in His peace. Our actions should be consistent with the One we claim to follow. Are we lying to one another? Do we think we can lie to God? Are we lying to ourselves? James 1:22 warns us against deceiving ourselves in our service to God. If we are honest with ourselves, we will continually work harder to set our eyes on the things above, allowing His word to change us in everything we say and do.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Ephesians 4 & Our Interactions

Ephesians 4:11 begins discussing diverse roles we can fill in a church, and the scope of these verses is the church at large. Ephesians 2 begins establishing the fact that Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. Imagine coming to the conclusion that Jesus can save you from your sins, but you will be working with those who hold you in contempt. Many Jews and Gentiles felt this way about each other in the first century. Conversation may have become hostile at times as their differences would come to a head, but Paul, in Ephesians 2:15, reinforces that Christ brings peace. He calls them fellow citizens, and he calls them one body in the next chapter.

Chapter 4:1-3 emphasize an attitude of humility that leads to unity in the church, and the makeup of the Ephesian congregation would have possibly had a hard time accomplishing this. Paul reminds them that they are no longer of the world, no longer Jews or Gentiles but new creatures. In Ephesians 4:25, Paul begins to discuss the conduct that should be reflected in these who have put on spirituality.

Four Principles of Godly Communication
Ephesians 4:25 is often applied to our speech – our language, lying, etc. While these are good applications, Paul is addressing some principles of communication in these verses. This passage outlines how we are to interact with our brothers and sisters.

Honesty. Ephesians 4:25 tells us to put away falsehood and to deal honestly with one another. This is for the sake of unity. Nothing divides Christians more than partisanship, misrepresentation, and suspician. While we may not have a problem with outright lies, we may have issues with misrepresentations. We may skew facts or events to cast ourselves in abetter light.

Think of Ananias and Sapphira who misrepresent the percentage of their finances that they give. God treats this as a lie. Think of the life of Jesus where the scribes and Pharisees would incite the people against Him by misusing and misrepresenting his words. In the book of Romans, Paul deals directly with others taking his words out of context to make him look like he was saying something untrue.

We may utilize hyperbole: “Everyone thinks that…;” “I’ve always seen…” We may exaggerate. We may leave facts out. We are a spiritual family, and we should avoid getting caught up in these kind of subtle falsehoods. Our goal should be unity, and that is accomplished through honesty, fairness, and openess in our conversations with one another.

Remain Current. In verses 26-27, Paul entreats us to avoid sin in our anger. There are things that happen, things that are said, that hurts our feelings, hurt our pride, and make us angry. Ephesians 4:1-2 calls for us to be long-suffering and to exercise forbearance. Do we hold on to our anger? Do we let it fester? Do we stew over our frustrations? Paul says we can be angry, after all.

In this passage, Paul may be quoting Psalm 4:4 which makes the same appeal, calling on us commune with our hearts and be still. In Ephesians, Paul warns us against letting the sun set on our wrath. Our moments of anger should only be brief. Psalm 4:5 says to worship God after we deal with anger, and Matthew 5:23-24 records Jesus telling his listeners to reconcile with those they’ve wronged before worshipping God.

When we dwell in anger, we open a door to the devil according to Ephesians 4:27. Anger is little more than wounded pride, leading to resentment and animosity. What if the Grecian widows of Acts 17 had held on to their hurt and continued to revisit it? What affect would that have had on the Jerusalem church. What if Philemon held Onesimus’ flight over his head instead of forgiving him? What if Peter and Paul had been unable to get past the events of Galatians 2? We must learn from the past, but we cannot use it as a weapon.

Address the problem, not the person. In Ephesians 4:29, Paul speaks of corrupt speech, and the only other times this Greek word is used is in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, speaking of rotten trees and fruit. It is defined as something unprofitable and worthless. We may say some rotten things toward each other, and it can be hard to separate what is said from who said it.

We can disagree without being disagreeable, and verse 30 encourages to use speech that is edifying, spiritually beneficial, and gracious. When we attack each other, we grieve God’s Spirit. Our actions can actually bring grief to deity. Rather, we should patient with each other as God is patient with us.

Act; don’t react. This takes serious self-control. Seldom do we speak of reacting to something in a positive light. We seldom think about our words or measure our actions when we are busy reacting. Proverbs 29:20 condemns the one who is hasty in his words, who is reactive, as hopeless. Proverbs 18:13 calls it shameful to give answer without listening to the other side.

We want to be quick in inserting our arguments into a discussion. However, Ephesians 4 tells us this type of conduct brings about bitterness, wrath, and anger. Negative reactions give birth to more negative reactions, so Paul says to put these qualities away in Ephesians 4:31. In verse 32, he asks us to put on kindness, forgiveness, and tenderness. Unlike the reactive qualities, these take effort and initiative.

Walking In Love
Ephesians 4:32-5:2 reminds us that we are imitators of God, and that we should be walking in the love of Christ. We are one in God’s eyes. In our group settings and private settings, we should look at Ephesians 4 and ask if we are conducting our relationships as God would have us. We can build each other up in how we interact with each other, patient and loving toward each other, helping each other toward our spiritual home.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Conduct Review

What do your friends say about you? We would like to think our friends and our acquaintances would have a positive or favorable picture of us. On the other hand, what would your enemies say about you? In the life of David, it is interesting how he treated and what he would say regarding his enemies – take Saul, Ishbosheth, and Abner for example.

In this lesson, we are going to focus on the life of Christ and what His peers said about Him.

Peer Reviews of Christ
In Speech: John 7:37-44. Jesus rouses some controversy with claims He makes of Himself, but the officers who were to arrest Him were struck by His speech that they could not bring him in (verses 45-46). What would be said about our speech?

• Titus 2:7-8 - Our speech is to be such that no one can speak against us.
• Peter 3:15 - The way we answer should be in an attitude of humility and godly fear.
• Ephesians 4:25,29 - We should speak truthfully, and we should edify one another with our speech.

How do others see us speak? Can these qualities be found in our speech? We need to imitate Jesus in this, so that no evil can be found in how we speak.

In Loving Conduct: John 11:35-36. Jesus’ love for His friend Lazarus was apparent to those observing Him at the grave of Lazarus.

• John 13:34-35 - Christian love is supposed to be reflective of the love Jesus demonstrated to His disciples.
• Galatians 6:9-10 - Our conduct is to be positive toward all individuals, whether or not someone is a brother or sister.

If we are cold and hostile toward one another and toward our peers, the attitude demonstrated is not love. Loving conduct is a differentiator between a Christian and the world.

In Influence: John 12:19. The Pharisees recognize that many are interested in Jesus’ message. They have been unable to disparage and defeat Him. Can we help the world follow our example in following Christ? What kind of influence do we have on others?

• Romans 1:15-17 - Paul shows an eagerness to speak with anyone regarding Christ’s gospel. He was not scared to let his light shine.
• Acts 5:28-29 - All of Jerusalem felt the influence of Christ’s gospel through the efforts of the apostles.

We should live in a way that makes others want to know more about the hope we have. Our example and our conduct should influence our peers into wanting to more about Jesus.

In Purity: John 18:37-38. Pilate simply says that he can find no fault in Christ. We sometimes have a defeatist attitude in how we approach sin, but we need to strive to obtain the example set by Christ that we should pursue sinlessness.

• I Peter 2:21-25 - Peter makes it clear that we should follow the steps of our Savior, who was found faultless in word and in deed.
• Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus example is one that we can hope to achieve. He faced temptation and overcame. So can we.

Our goal should be a life without sin. All have sinned, but we can make a decision that we can stop and sin no more.

In Relationship to God: Mark 15:39. Here, a hardened soldier comes to the realization of how Christ is related to God. We are sons of God through faith, and what do our peers see in us that reflect that relationship.

• Galatians 2:20 - Christ is to live within us as a result of our faith.
• I Peter 1:13-16 - We are obedient children to our Father, and we are to be holy as Jesus and God are holy.

Do we reflect one who is tied up with this world, or do our peers see an individual that has been born again, a child of God?

Conclusion
Our goal should be to be like Jesus, and our example, faith, and hope should be observable by our peers.

sermon by Tim Smelser

Taming the Tongue

James 3 talks about the importance of how we use our tongues as well as the challenges and benefits of controlling our tongues. Matthew 12:33-37 reinforces this point, speaking of the quality of fruit reflecting on the tree from which it comes. Likewise, James 3 describes the impossibility of a fountain producing both good and bitter water. Both passages are emphasizing the heart and that we will be held accountable for what comes from our mouths.

Using Words for Evil or for Good
Proverbs 6:16-19 describes lying tongues, false witness, and sowing discord as things the Lord views as abomination, and all of these proceed from our mouths. Proverbs 12:18 describes our mouths as weapons. Chapter 18:6-7 describes words that cause strife and earn punishment. Our words can be a snare, and Proverbs 11:9 describes a tongue that destroys our neighbors. Chapter 16:27-28 sounds similar to James speaking of our tongues as burning fires, and Proverbs 26:20 tells us that whispers and rumors are kindling to arguments. Finally, chapter 26:22 describes these rumors as tempting morsels that will go straight to our hearts. The words linger and bring us down when they are used for sinful purposes.

Proverbs 12:18 and 12:25 describe wise words as healing and relief to those who are burdened. Proverbs 16:24 also describes how words can be used for healing, and chapter 11:9 tells us that righteous words build up and deliver. Proverbs 10:11 describes good words as a fountain of life. Our words can bring others to Christ if we use our mouths correctly. Finally, Proverbs 15:4 describes our tongues as potential trees of life. Our words can help us and others gain access to Heaven and the Tree of Life.

Wisely Using Our Tongues
In this effort, we should use honest words. Returning to Proverbs 6:16-19, these abominations directly involve dishonesty. A lying tongue, sowing doubt and discord, bearing false witness. In contrast, Proverbs 16:13 speaks of loving those who speak what is right. Wisdom uses the tongue for good, and honesty is a good place to start.

Calming words appear in Proverbs 15:1 as a means of wisely turning away wrath. Proverbs 17:27 describes one who controls his words as wise. This is someone who is not easily inflamed to a poorly considered response. He is calm and collected. Proverbs 18:13 warns us against giving an answer before we hear the whole story. Be slow to speak and swift to hear according to James 3. Finally, our words should be used appropriately. Proverbs 15:23 tells us we have the ability to share joy in what I say and how I say it. Chapter 25:11 describes our words as golden apples when spoken wisely and appropriately.

However, Proverbs 14:23 reminds us that we have to have more than words. Our actions have to reflect what we say. Proverbs 10:19-20 reminds us to live what we profess. We have to both say the right things and do the right things. In conclusion, Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that our tongues can bring both life and death. What is it you and I are spreading with our words? Do we encourage others to life, or are we condemning ourselves and others to death? Only I can choose how I will use my tongue, and only I will be held responsible for what comes from it.

sermon by Tim Smelser