Tag: Work

Can Work and Wealth Provide the Life We Desire?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical2 Comments

Building and Bridge in Downtown Savannah

Do you sense something is missing in your life? Do you feel like there is more for your to do, but you can’t seem to do enough to fill the void? The Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19 felt the same way. The void in his life drove him to ask Jesus what He must do to gain eternal life.

Jesus’ Response

Jesus answers, but not in the way the man was expecting. Jesus asks him to give it all away and follow Him. Jesus says,

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mt 19:21)

When Jesus tells the man to give it all away, he wasn’t giving him another work to do. He was doing much more. He was exposing the man’s heart and teaching us salvation isn’t gained through our works.

Our Other gods

To the Rich Young Ruler, his possessions and accomplishments were his salvation, his comfort and protection, his identity – they were what made him.

Jesus tells him that if he wants salvation, if he wants eternal life, he has to repent. He has to quit using work and wealth as a means of salvation. He has to recognize that there is only One God and Savior.

You see, we can’t have two masters. We can’t have: Jesus and wealth, or Jesus and accomplishments, or Jesus and sex, or Jesus and power, or Jesus and success. No, we can’t divide our loyalty. It is has to be all Jesus. Our heart has to be all His.

So when Jesus tells the Rich Young Ruler to give it all away, He is telling him to give up his other gods. Give up the idea that your work and wealth provide salvation. Trust in God alone. Rely on God alone. If you do that, you will have eternal life. You will have treasure in heaven. You will have the life you desire.

The Same Goes For Us

The only way we will find eternal life is if we put away our other gods and follow Jesus. Find our identity in Jesus. Fully trust in and depend on Jesus.

No matter how hard we try, our work and wealth can’t provide the life we desire.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Can Christianity and wealth co-exist? In other words, can Christians be wealthy? Or should we sell everything and give it to the poor? Why or why not?
  2. If we are able to remain wealthy as Christians, how should we view our wealth? How can we use it for the kingdom?
  3. How can we deal with the idolatry of wealth? In other words, how can we keep ourselves from chasing after wealth?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: Can Work and Wealth Provide the Life We Desire?

God Ordains All Our Work

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment

Ports

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. – Jeremiah 1:5

Before Jeremiah was born, God had a plan for his life. He knew, consecrated, and appointed him to be a prophet. God accomplished His plan for Jeremiah’s life. He served as a prophet to Judah during the latter years of Jerusalem before they were conquered by Babylon.

What about us?

If the prophet’s vocation was established before he was born, it is not a stretch to assume that our sovereign Lord has a plan for our lives as well. Before we were born, the Lord marked out our days, determining our vocation and the ways He might use us.

Our vocation, then, is God ordained. Ministers are not the only ones called and set aside by God. We are all called. God ordains all our work.

You are not sitting in your cubicle or corner office, your not working at Starbucks, running a thriving photography business, dancing on broadway, or teaching kindergarten by accident. You didn’t get yourself there. God determined your vocation and accomplished His plan just like He did with Jeremiah.

Questions for Reflection

  1. If God ordains all our work, what are the implications? How does it change your view of your vocation?
  2. How should we view our God ordained vocation in regard to ministry? In other words, do you believe ministry only occurs during church activities?

Resources

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Book Recommendation: Every Good Endeavor

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Books, Discipleship, Practical1 Comment

Just yesterday Timothy Keller’s new book Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work was released. You can pick up a copy here.

Before the release, the guys over at Desiring God had Keller on their podcast Authors on the Line. Here is what they had to say about the interview:

We put Dr. Keller on the line to ask him about the 9 to 5 labors into which we invest so much of our lives. So what is the purpose of our work? What if we get stuck in a job we don’t enjoy? And why does it seem the church has such a hard time getting its arms around vocation in the first place?

Their interview was helpful and informative. I recommend you take the time to listen to their discussion and pick up a copy of Keller’s new book.

God’s Work and Ours: An Interview with Timothy Keller (17 minutes)