-Is work a burden or honoring? -How did work all begin? -Honoring God with our work -Who do we choose to work for? -Who do we serve when working? Bible study created by Mark Kelldorf

1. 1
WORK
BURDEN OR PLEASURE
(HONORING GOD)
▲ HOW DID WORK ALL BEGIN?
GENESIS 2: 15-17 (GOD’S DIRECTIVE TO MAN)
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take
care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree
in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
 Originally (before sin) Adam was tending the “Garden of Eden” with God.
− With only one (1) directive:
Eat from any tree in the Garden except ONE…..
TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL!
 WORK was easy with GOD… GOD was the SUPREME LEADER and everyone was
working in a beautiful environment (Garden of Eden).
 But that all changed….. WITH A CHOICE.
GENESIS 3: 1-5 (NEW LEADERSHIP)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the
garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the
garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of
the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not certainly die,”
the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes
will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
 Sin enters the world::
− Through the deceit of man by a serpent (Satan).
− Man’s Choice….. changing forever the life of Adam and Eve and now us…!!!

2. 2
GENESIS 3: 16-19 (CONSEQUENCES)
16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with
painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he
will rule over you.” 17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit
from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the
ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your
life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the
field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
 Now work becomes work:
− A Burden
− Difficult
− A Source of Life/Death (you might starve)
− And eventually a real timeline to death
ECCLESIASTES 2: 17-23 (SOLOMON / WORK IS MEANINGLESS)
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of
it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under
the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows
whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of
my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is
meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the
sun. 21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must
leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a
great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which
they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night
their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
▲ BUT OUR GOD IS ABOUT:
 Forgiveness
 Repentance
 Restoration
▲ HONORING GOD WITHOUR WORK:
 After Solomon describes the meaninglessness of His life and His work efforts:
He concludes:
ECCLESIASTES 2: 24-26 (WORK TO PLEASE GOD)
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own
toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find
enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and
happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand
it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

3. 3
 Our choices continue:
CHOICE #1
− Work for man (World)
√ Chasing the wind.
√ Gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to someone else.
CHOICE #2
− Work to please God… gaining:
√ Wisdom
√ Knowledge
√ Happiness
COLOSSIANS 3: 23-24 (WORK 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.
 Redefines why and how we work, no matter the job or the career we choose.
 Who are you trying to please at your work?
− Boss (Employer)
− Wife
− Yourself
− Other Workers
 Any accolades or praise will only be temporary!
GALATIANS 1: 10 (FOR WHOM OR WHY DO WE WORK)
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to
please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
 Who do we serve?
− Man
− Ourself
− GOD

4. 4
1 CORINTHIANS 15: 58 (WORK FOR THE LORD)
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always
give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the
Lord is not in vain.
 Even the smallest act of service is noticed by God and will be rewarded:
− Serve God by serving others!
− Put others first.
▲ HOW CAN YOU HONOR GOD WITHYOUR WORK?
 At your job (Employment)
 At home:
− Helping your wife
− Spending time with your children
▲ USE THESE TIMES AS OPPORTUNITIES TO:
 Minister to the people around you.
 Let others see GOD in you.
NUGGET:
When difficulties come:
Make a game out of it, Challenge yourself,
Make it fun… It does not have to be a burden.
 How quick can I do this?
 Can I do this task better than last time?
 Can I pray the entire time I am doing this task….. You will find that the task is over
before you know it!
▲ JUST REMEMBER AT THE END OF THE DAY…
 Who created you.
 Who gifted you with the talents that you have.
 Who gave you a path in life to use your talents for GOD’S GLORY!
THAT IS TRUE SUCCESS!