We’ve had some technical problems this morning, so there is no audio portion of the podcast.  But here are the notes!  Hopefully the audio podcast will be back first thing Monday morning.

WORK AND REST

 Guidance for Work and Rest

 Introduction.  In our fast-paced culture, work often dominates life while true rest is neglected or misunderstood.  Many define their worth by productivity and career choices, leading to burnout, strained relationships, and especially spiritual dryness.  Others view work as a necessary evil to be minimized or fall into patterns of idleness and entitlement.  The Bible presents a perfectly balanced, God-centered view.  Work is a gift from the Creator, part of His design for human flourishing, provision, service to others, and His own glory.

But rest is equally essential – but not just inactivity.  The kind of rest in the Bible is restorative, a rest that renews the body, mind, and soul and ultimately points us to our Sabbath rest in Christ.

Our Lord Jesus gives us a perfect example.  He was intense and purposeful in His work of fulfilling the Father’s mission but He was also very deliberate in withdrawing for prayer, renewal, and rest with His disciples.  The Apostle Paul, though an apostle with the right to financial support in his work, often worked as a tentmaker to support himself and his team while planting churches, and he taught believers to work hard, given generously, and maintain a good witness through their labor.

Let’s take a look at what the New Testament has to say about work and rest.

Jesus on work and rest.

The Gospels show that Jesus possessed a strong theology of work.  He never treated honest labor as beneath His dignity or as something to escape in favor or “spiritual” pursuits.  Instead, He grounded work in the character and activity of God and presented it as an ongoing part of the believer’s calling in every age.

In John 5:16 and 17, the religious elites criticized Jesus for having the audacity to heal a man on the Sabbath.  His answer is powerful:

In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”  9John 15:17 | TNIV)

This is actually a very profound sentence.  The Father doesn’t cease His providential, sustaining, and redemptive work just because it’s the Sabbath.  He continues to uphold the universe and show mercy.  Jesus, the Son, is part of that work.  His healing ministry on the Sabbath was therefore not a violation of God’s Law but an alignment with the Father’s ongoing compassionate activity.  Work that accords with God’s purposes and is done in faith is not opposed to holiness; it can, in fact, be an expression of it.  This truth dismantles any rigid sacred-secular divide.  Every honest vocation – be it manual labor, professional service, homemaking, or ministry – can be offered to God as sacred work when performed with dependence on Him and for His glory.

Jesus also spoke of the urgency of work in John 9:4 –

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  (John 9:4 | TNIV)

The “we” includes the His followers.  Opportunities for fruitful labor in this life are limited.  Physical death, declining health, or even the Lord’s return will close the window.  This is not a call to frantic anxiety but to wise, faithful stewardship of time and strength God has given.  Jesus Himself lived with a clear sense of mission and timing – He knew He must accomplish the work the Father gave Him before His time was up.  For us, this means numbering our days, prioritizing eternal matters, and refusing to postpone obedience or the use of our gifts and opportunities.

In His high priestly prayer, Jesus said something important:

I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.  (John 17:4 | TNIV)

The incarnate Son of God had a specific, eternally planned assignment:  To reveal the Father, live sinlessly, teach the truth, die as our substitute, rise in victory, and return to His Father.  He did this flawlessly, without deviation or distraction.  His example is for every Christian, who must value the particular work God has assigned in their current season – family responsibilities, job duties, church service, community involvement – and pursuing it with focus, excellence, and perseverance until it is finished well.  God has prepared good works beforehand for us to perform.  Being busy isn’t what it’s all about; walking in His will is.

In John 6:27 and 27 Jesus shows how to redirect wrong priorities in work.  After miraculously feeding the 5,000, the crowd went looking for Him for another free meal.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. [27] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”  (John 6:26, 27 | TNIV)

Jesus didn’t condemn the need for daily food but He warned against making physical provision or material success the ultimate aim of our labor.  There is a higher work:  Seeking the kingdom of God and the food that satisfied forever.  Our jobs are legitimate means of provision and should be done diligently, but they must serve greater kingdom purposes – advancing the Gospel, caring for people, storing treasure in heaven.  When career or income becomes an idol or when we labor only for self-indulgence, work loses its God-ordained purpose and can enslave us.

Jesus therefore teaches that work is ordained by God, modeled in God’s constant activity and in Jesus’ finished mission, urgent because of eternity, purposeful when aligned with the Father’s will, and always subordinate to eternal realities.  We are called to labor faithfully in whatever calling God has placed us, viewing our work as participation in His ongoing purposes while keeping our eyes fixed on what endures forever.

Our Lord not only affirmed work; He also insisted on rest, demonstrating that He understood human frailty and dangers of constant activity without rest.  His teaching and practice give us a healthy balance against both workaholism and laziness.

Jesus said something significant to His disciples upon their return from their first mission:

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  (Mark 6:31 | TNIV)

Jesus saw their exhaustion.  Even good, Spirit-empowered ministry can wear a person down.  The Lord prescribed deliberate withdrawal to a quiet place for rest – not as escape from duty but as necessary restoration so they could serve affectively again.  The crowds were so demanding that the disciples had no time even to eat.  Jesus prioritized their well-being.  This example speaks directly to anybody involved in any kind of ministry and anyone in demanding roles.  Rhythms of rest – the Lord’s Day rest, vacations, daily pauses for prayer and quiet – are not selfish but essential for long-term faithfulness and to guard against burnout.  Neglecting periods of rest often produces diminished effectiveness, irritability, and eventual collapse – mental or physical.

Our Lord offered an even deeper rest for the soul in Matthew 11:28 – 30 –

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28 – 30 | TNIV)

Many in His day worked under the crushing yoke of Pharisaic legalism – endless rules with no grace – and under the general burdens of life in a fallen world.  Jesus invites the weary to come to Him for true rest.  The yoke He offers is not heavier but lighter and more sustainable because it is shared with Him and flows from relationship rather than performance.  Learning His gentle, humble heart changes how we carry every load.  This rest is first of all rest for the soul:  Peace with God through justification, freedom from condemnation, and the assurance of salvation.  It also transforms how we approach physical and mental rest.  Trusting Christ’s finished work frees us from anxious striving and performance-based living.  We can then work from a place of rest rather than working desperately in order to earn approval or rest.  The Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Christ, who is our rue and permanent Sabbath rest.

Jesus taught both the practical necessity of physical rest and withdrawal for renewal and the deeper invitation to find ultimate rest for our souls in Him.  Neglecting either leads to exhaustion or legalistic striving.  Embracing both enables joyful, sustainable, God-honoring service across the whole of life.

Paul on Christians working.

Paul gave one of the clearest New Testament models and teachings on the dignity of labor joined with generosity.  Although he possessed the right to receive material support from the churches, he often chose to work with his own hands as a tentmaker.

During his farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:33 – 35, Paul said this:

I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. [34] You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. [35] In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’   (Acts 20:33 – 35 | TNIV)

Paul worked to avoid any accusation of greed and to model self-support and sacrificial service.  His labor had a clear purpose beyond just earning a living; he was generating resources for helping the weak and setting an example.  He appealed to a saying of Jesus that giving brings greater blessing than receiving.  Believers are to work hard so that we have enough for ourselves and enough to bless others in need.  Generosity is the expected fruit of a heart transformed by grace.

In Ephesians 4:28 we read the same principle:

Those who have been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.  (Ephesians 4:28 | TNIV)

Dishonest gain must be replaced by honest, diligent labor.  The goal of work includes the positive capacity to bless others.  “Those in need” is pretty broad.  When we work faithfully, live contentedly, and steward resources wisely, we create capacity to support Gospel ministry, care for the vulnerable, and contribute to the common good.  This Biblical ethic upholds personal responsibility in work while promoting voluntary generosity.

For Paul, work was never just private or secular; it formed an important part of the believer’s public witness to the watching world.  In Colossians 3:22 – 24, he addressed bondservants with words that easily apply to modern employees:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. [23] Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, [24] since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  (Colossians 3:22 – 24 | TNIV)

The Gospel transforms motivation.  We work not primarily to impress our boss or to earn a living but because we reverence the Lord.  Work is to be done “with sincerity of heart” – with full effort and excellence because the true Boss is Jesus.  Even in unjust or unappreciated circumstances, believers can serve Christ faithfully and provide a superb witness to others.  The promise of an inheritance from the Lord should encourage perseverance when earthly reward is delayed or absent.

Paul certainly practiced what he preached.

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.  (1 Thessalonians 2:9 | TNIV)

While carrying out demanding apostolic ministry, he and his companions worked to avoid placing financial pressure on new believers.  This protected the purity of the message and modeled the ethic they taught.

You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, [12] so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.  (1 Thessalonians 4:11b – 12 | TNIV)

Christians should live a peaceable, orderly life that doesn’t create unnecessary offense and a good reputation before non-Christians.  Self-sufficiency through honest work keeps the church from becoming a burden on society and shows the practical power of the Gospel.  Lazy or chronically dependent Christians harm the church’s witness and give critics ammunition. Diligent, responsible workers who provide for themselves and contribute to their communities commend the faith they profess and open doors for the Gospel.

So Paul presents work as a vital component of Christian witness.  Our attitude, diligence, honesty, excellence, and generosity in the workplace either adorn the Gospel or detract from it.  In a culture that often sees work as drudgery or a platform for selfish gain, believers who work as for the Lord stand out and actually point people to Jesus.

The Christian work ethic.

The hallmark of the Christian approach to work is that it is ultimately service rendered to Christ, not just to earthly employers or self-interest.  This transforms both the manner and motivation of our work and includes a clear rejection of idleness.

In Ephesians 6:5 – 9, we read the fullest New Testament instructions for both employees and those in authority:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. [6] Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. [7] Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, [8] because you know that the Lord will reward each one of you for whatever good you do, whether you are slave or free. [9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.  (Ephesians 6:5 – 9 | TNIV)

Workers should obey their earthly masters as they would obey Christ Himself, with sincerity of heart rather than mere external performance.  The Lord sees all and will reward faithful service with an inheritance.  But those in positions of authority must treat those under them with justice and fairness, without threats or exploitation, because they too have a Master in heaven who shows no partiality.  This mutual accountability under Christ’s lordship makes possible workplaces characterized by respect, diligence, and good will.   It condemns both the lazy employee and the harsh boss.  The Christian work ethic is always God-centered and oriented toward the good of others.

This positive vision stands in contrast to laziness.  In 2 Thessalonians 3:6 – 13, Paul dealt with that very problem in that church:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. [7] For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, [8] nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. [9] We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. [10] For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” [11] We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. [12] Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. [13] And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.  (2 Thessalonians 3:6 – 13 | TNIV)

Paul’s own example of working night and day, even while performing his ministry work, is the pattern to imitate.  The command is unambiguous:  If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.  This principle protects both the individual’s dignity and the health of the church.  Persistent idleness often leads to meddling as busybodies rather than productive living.  The remedy is practical:  Do your work quietly and earn your own living.  The church is called to help those genuinely unable to work, but it must confront able-bodied unwillingness to labor as disobedience that burdens others and damages testimony.  Admonition, and if necessary limited fellowship, aims at repentance and restoration.

The Christian work ethic is therefore wholehearted service to the Lord Jesus in whatever vocation God has given, joined with a firm rejection of laziness.  It calls every believer to diligence, integrity, generosity, excellence, and wise rhythms of work and rest that sustain fruitful service for a lifetime.