Sermon Notes

April 29, 2016

Work Is Worship


Sunday mornings. You smell the coffee brewing, take a good stretch, and head to the kiddos rooms to wake them up. With everyone dressed in their Sunday best, you load the car for church. Settled into your seats with purses and coats tucked beneath, you feel the atmosphere begin to change. Music fills your soul with joy and almost involuntarily, you raise your hands in worship of the Lord . . . if only every day could be Sunday.

Unfortunately, Monday hits fast and hard.

The alarm rings. The sun is not even up. No time for stretching. You forget breakfast. You manage to punch-in with thirty seconds to spare. No one to shake your hand, your co-worker says something snarky and then goes on complaining about life. If you were honest, you would rather be anywhere but here. You watch the clock and count the seconds until you are free to go.

But here’s what most Christians don’t realize: In God’s eyes, there is no difference in the praise and worship you sing on Sunday and the role you play in the rat race come Monday. (Man, it sure feels different…) But mature worship is never about how it makes you feel, it is bringing adoration to a well-deserving God! God even used the same Hebrew word for worship and work in the Old Testament! Your work is your worship!

The beauty of the Gospel is it’s always relevant, always applicable and always needed. No matter where you find yourself on Monday morning—your dream job, or one you dread—the challenge is to view it as worship unto the Lord.

What you do matters! The people around you matter, and the God who has changed your life is longing to change the lives of those around you.

The question is, will you be brave enough? Will you be brave enough to enter into your position this week and strive for a new level of excellence knowing you are worshiping the Lord and not just fulfilling a task? Will you be brave enough to reach out to that co-worker you know is going through a difficult time, and maybe on your lunch break share the hope you have found? Will you be brave enough to be possibly the only example of Christ those individuals ever see?

Billy Graham said it best, “the next great spiritual awakening will come not from preachers, but through the workplace!” You, my friend, were sent with great purpose for such a time as this!

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23 ESV).

Share