Sermon preached by the Revd Phill Ball at St Martin's on Sunday 10th June 2012
In Christian Discipleship Work
matters
But when we think of
Christian work, or ministry, we tend to think of it in terms of the activities
we do in or for ‘church’.
For instance being a home group leader,
running children’s groups, cleaning the church building, reading the bible, the
flowers, or being a warden or a member of the PCC.
And there is nothing wrong
with any of that, these are forms of Christian service. But how many of
us think of what we do Monday to Saturday as our Christian work, is part of our
Christian service and ministry?
In effect our lives work?
And does it matter?
So this morning I
want us to think about ministry in the work place, at life’s coal face as it
were, and wherever that is for you individually!
And with all the challenges, and the opportunities that we all
as Christians will all face.
And at this stage, for
those who are retired or don’t go to work, listen up,
For What I want to say this
morning, isn’t just restricted to those who are in paid employment, it relates
to all of us. Every last disciple of Christ is called to work for God,
and it does really matter!!!
Because if you think being
a Christian is just something you put on for Sundays, then leave it hanging in
the wardrobe for the rest of the week, then I have to tell you, this is a seven
day a week job being a Christian, whether at a factory, an office, at school, at
home with our neighbours, on the bus, in the car, at the shops, indeed
anywhere!
In fact we come to church
on Sundays to prepare us for the next six days, and each of the exits from
church should have a sign saying:
WARNING – YOU ARE LEAVING CHURCH! - Your WORK STARTS NOW!
Please note it starts – not
ends as you leave church.
That’s why it Matters.
That’s Why Work is Important
We only have to look at the
opening chapters of the Bible to see how important work is in God’s scheme of
things. First of all we see that
God is a God who works. The Bible describes all creation as the work
of God. For six days God works, and
on the seventh he rests from all the work he has done. God is a worker
and it is something he chooses to do- it is part of his plan. And although it is perhaps counter
cultural in the 21st century to say so, Work was part of God’s gift
to humanity in creation; it was part of his original plan.
God has created us for his work, and this work
is given to us as a blessing, as we heard in our first reading, and From the
Garden of Eden to here in Walsall, that has not changed, whatever we are called
to do as that work.
For example the Bible talks about the
importance of working in order to support those in need, or working in order to
improve the life of the community as a whole, that is our work we are all
called to, sisters and brothers, to support those in need, and improve people’s
lives, even if it’s only with a smile or a kind word.
And in the New Testament
Paul calls upon Christians to do their work for God, and as we heard in Colossians this morning “whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.”
Our Christian work is
always one of the ways in which we serve God, as disciples of Jesus, wherever
that is, whether paid for it or not.
Its all our callings, yours
and indeed mine, and its all our jobs and ministries, to be Christ’s voices
and workers in the world.
Even the Church of England
in 1945 said : “We are convinced that England will never be converted until
the laity use the opportunities daily afforded by their various professions,
crafts and occupations.”
As Christians God has
called all of us to be his workers and witnesses in the world.
The greatest mission field in the world today
is right on our doorstep amongst our friend’s, our neighbours , our work colleagues,
at the school gate or at the shops.
Remember much of Britain
today is a largely a post-Christian society.
Fewer and fewer people are
attending churches; the level of Christian knowledge in our society is at an
all time low.
We; that’s me and you, are
the Christian example, of a disciple of Christ, wherever we go in todays world.
That is our Christian Work!
This Work Matters because
it is the place where we spend most of our time, not at church; for six and a
half days a week we are in this place of work, every single one of us! Whether
paid or not!
In this workplace
Christians and non-Christians are able to meet and are subject to the same
cultures, and the same pressures.
This work place is one of
the few places where a non-Christian can actually see the difference that
knowing Christ can make to a life, week in, week out.
And through this workplace we all inhabit, we
will all know many people, and have many friends, and we will all be in contact
with people at important points in their lives.
For instance when people are facing divorce,
illness, or bereavement, unemployment, redundancy, and when their joyful with
marriage, new babies, whatever the situation is, they’re all our workplaces for every single
one of us as Christians.
So Let’s all see the
wonderful opportunities that we have as Christians to minister to those we work
with, and all those we meet, wherever the place is that we work as Christians,
in paid employment or not;
They are all our workplaces;
and all our places to minister; whether at the office, factory, shop, or on the
bus, indeed wherever we are!
So lets remember in our
busy working week as Christians:
- We need to be ministry, that is to say Christian work minded - because we can so easy just smile and go on our own way.
- Instead; because often, if we stop and listen, and see the other person’s need, and act if we can, we can potentially totally transform that person’s mood and day.
- Time is always on our side- the opportunities will come. We don’t have to create situations in which we can minister or work- they will happen by themselves. We simply need to pray and then be alert to respond to them, as all our Christian work.
We need to be sensitive and distinguish
between the opportunities to serve and the opportunities to communicate the
gospel verbally. They are both important because as followers of
Jesus, his work always Matters.
So Sisters and brothers, whatever we do from Monday
to Saturday, we all do it as Christians, thinly disguised as Accountants,
Teachers, Librarians, office workers, the retired, as shoppers, car drivers,
bus passengers, or whatever we do; Remember: Our work as Christians always Really
Matters!! So challenged, as we will be, and as we should be,
in following Christ, let us all see that
sign over the Church Door as we leave today:
WARNING –
YOU ARE LEAVING CHURCH!- Your WORK STARTS NOW!
Amen.
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