“Work Series : Spirituality in the Fast Lane.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Bill Humphries
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
One evening a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pyjamas, playing in the mud, with empty crisp packets and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The front door to the house was wide open and proceeding inside, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, a rug was wrinkled up against the wall. In the front room the TV was baring loudly and the lounge was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried that she might be ill, or that something more serious had happened.
He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled up in bed in her pyjamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her in bewilderment and asked, ‘What happened here today?’ She again smiled and answered, ‘You know everyday when you come home from work you ask me what in the world I did all day?’ ‘Yes,’ was his incredulous reply. She answered. ‘Well, today I didn’t do it.’
In this series of sermons, we have been looking at Christianity in the workplace. I used that funny little story to make the point that everyone’s service for Christ is important.
That neither this series of sermons, or the message that I am bringing this morning are simply for those in paid employment. That the message is for the business man, and the mechanic, the student and the housewife. In fact the message is for everyone who is in the service of Jesus Christ.
The message this morning is for every one of us, because every one of us who has accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord is employed by Jesus Christ. We are in his service.
The passage of scripture from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, that we have just heard is known to the Jewish people as the ‘Shema’, so called after its first word which is Hebrew for ‘hear’.
Jesus quoted the opening verses of the shema – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength....... as the greatest of all the commandments. Jesus also cited Leviticus 19:18 – Love your neighbour as yourself as the second most important commandment.
But how do you command a feeling or emotion such as love? How do you command anyone to love? It is impossible to command any feeling or emotion. And it is impossible to command love as a feeling or emotion.
But the paradox of this command is resolved when we understand that covenant love within either the Old or New Covenant does not only refer to internal sentiment or private emotion. You can feel that way about a song or poem. In the Hebrew, the word for love is ‘ahab’ and in the New Testament it is agape.
The focus is on active love and loyalty. Love that is demonstrated in actions and deeds and loyalty to God.
To love God with all your soul in rabbinic interpretation, meant that a person should be willing to give up their life for God.
Verse 8, speaks of attaching passages of scripture to the forehead and hands and also the doorposts of the home.
In light of this command, Jewish males over 13 years of age tied phylacteries, small leather cases containing the shema and other passages of scripture, to the forehead and left arm at prayer.
You may recall that in the Gospels, Jesus criticised the Pharisees for the size of their phylacteries by which they liked to draw attention to themselves. But he did not criticise the actual wearing of phylacteries. Indeed, he may well have worn them himself.
Today, when as Christians, we think of Jewish people with phylacteries tied to their foreheads and forearms, reciting the shema every morning and every evening, which is easiest for us to do, decry what we may see as legalistic literalism of such practices? Or emulate the devotion they express?
It is fitting that this passage of Scripture should bring our studies of Christianity in the workplace to an end, because our theme for today is Spirituality in the fast Lane. And the pace of modern life can so often be recognised as life in the fast lane.
And although as New Testament believers, we neither fasten small leather cases to our foreheads, or recite the shema twice daily, this scriptural command to love God with all that we are, is a reminder never to forget.... no matter how hectic life may be... we are here to be light bearers in a dark world.
Think of the Psalmist for example. It is in the spirit of allowing this command to take first place in his life. Allowing it to govern his senses, control his behaviour, and direct his life in the home, the workplace and the community, that the Psalmist could speak of meditating on God’s word both day and night.
To fail to hold on to this command to put God first and foremost can so easily lead to distraction of what our purpose, our calling in life truly is. Leading us to get caught up in the mayhem of life in the fast lane.... ...... and as a consequence of that distraction...... cause our light to darken.
As I said a moment ago, the message this morning is for every one of us, because every one of us is in the service of Jesus Christ. Each one of us is employed by Jesus for service in the workplace and every place. And our job title is that of a roving ambassador. You will find that in 2nd Corinthians 5:20 – “We are Christ’s ambassadors.”
We are an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven in our workplace and in the marketplace.... At the social club.....in the supermarket...... At the school gate...... or in the pub or restaurant.
Just as God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, he has also given us the task of reconciling people to him. Jesus said that we are here, to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth……. To be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. He said that by opening up to others, we will prompt people to open up to God, this generous Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 Msg.)
It is our duty to represent the values and culture of Christ here on earth. But if people don’t see the values of Christ in our lives, how can we complete the task that God has given us of reconciling people to him?
Romans 2:24 speaks of people blaspheming the name of God because those who claim to represent God do not practice what they preach.
In our service for Christ, unlike the husband in that story I told earlier.....who had not understood that his wife’s contribution to the well being of their family was every bit as important as his in bringing in a wage.... we must never de-value the contribution that anyone brings in their service to Christ.
I would like to tell you the story of a man who worked for 30 years on the production line at Ford’s of Dagenham.
During all that time he had been a faithful ambassador for Christ, making no secret of his Christian faith and quite often suffering taunts and being the brunt of tasteless jokes because of his confession of faith. But many people had recognised the love and compassion of Christ in this man and over the years Jesus had worked powerfully through him...... And through his production line ministry, many people had come to faith in Christ.
Every Sunday he attended his local church and he would sometimes see people called to the front and be encouraged and prayed over for ministries within the church that they were involved in, while all the time his own ministry on the production line at Dagenham.... because it was in the workplace and away from church.... largely went unnoticed.
It went unnoticed because he never spoke about it. He never spoke about it because he was not looking for the praise of his peers... the only praise that he desired was the words “Well done faithful and trusted friend,” from the mouth of Jesus Christ.
The only twinge of disappointment he ever felt was when he was due to retire, one of the members of his church said to him, “ I bet you are really looking forward to your retirement so that you will be able to devote your time to the service of the Lord.”
The church member who said that had no concept whatsoever of what it means to serve Jesus Christ. He had failed to grasp that greatest part of our service to Christ does not take place inside the church.... It takes place outside in our communities. The church is the place where we gather for re-equipping, refreshing and to worship.
The population of this parish of Boney Hay and Chase Terrace in round figures is something like 10,000 people. Of that 10,000 a little over 100 regularly attend church services.10.000 in parish... 100 in church
What would happen if we prayed that God would direct the other 9900 to come to and join us in church next Sunday? What if we had a prayer meeting and earnestly prayed that he would bring them into church?
Might he not be dis-pleased with our prayer for expecting him to bring them to us....... Rather that our being obedient to his Son and going to them?
Philip Yancey, in his book ‘What’s so Amazing About Grace,’ tells of a prostitute who came to him in dire straits, homeless, sick and unable to buy food for her two year old daughter. He says that, as through sobs and tears, she spoke of what had been going on in her life, he could hardly bear hearing her sordid story and had no idea what to say to her.
‘ I asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help.’ He said, ‘And I will never forget the look of pure naďve shock that crossed her face.’ ‘Church!’ she cried. ‘Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.’
‘What struck me about her story,’ Yancey says, ‘is that women such as this fled towards Jesus, not away from him. The worse a person felt about themselves, the more they saw Jesus as a refuge.... Evidently the down and out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers. What has happened?’
The Gospels paint a picture of how, under the Pharisees a person’s ability to keep the law had become a form of social standing, or status. A status which many had no hope of ever attaining.
The most that people see of church in this country today.... the nearest they get to church.... is by way of their television screens.
And what do they see? They see the church in all of its finery, in all of its pomp and ceremony, rather than the all embracing heart of Christ.
Just like those who flocked to Jesus 2000 years ago, many see a form of social standing and status that they feel they have no hope of attaining.
Jesus took every possible opportunity that he could to spell out, loud and clear to those on the margins of his society the depth of God’s love for them. When Jesus lived on earth as a man, God worked through Jesus’ physical body. Today he works through Jesus’ spiritual body which is the church.... Which is us.. We are his hands, his feet, his eyes and his heart. The church is not a building, the church is the people.
We are the church and when we take the love and compassion of Christ into the workplace and market place ...and any other place that you can think of..... We also take the church into the workplace and market place and any other place you can think of. And we dispel the message that the institutional church through its pomp and ceremony has been so good a presenting to those on the fringes of our society.
We dispel the message that the church exists for those of a certain social standing and status.
We dispel that misrepresentation of the church, because to represent the values and compassion of Christ in the workplace or any other place, is also to represent the values and compassion of the church and break down those misconceptions.
Jesus in a conversation with a religious leader named Nicodemus, made a statement that practically every Christian can quote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it but to save it.” You know Jesus never glossed over the fact that sin was wrong. But the only people he ever condemned were the religious leaders who condemned others.
Likewise we will never save anyone for Christ by condemning them...But at the same time God does not condone sin and neither should we. So in the workplace or the market place, how do we call sin what it is, sin...... Without condemning those who are committing sin?
I would like to read you an excerpt from ‘The Lost Message of Jesus,’ written by Steve Chalke.
Here Steve gives a practical example of how to bring across the message of the Bible ........ Without bashing people over the head with it.
“A few years ago I was taking part in a live debate on the BBC’s Radio Five Live, Drive Time Show. One of the stories the programme was covering was the issue of adultery. As we chatted the presenter chipped in, “Why is God so miserable? Why has he got such a downer on everything we do?” And then, building into a real anti-God kind of rant, she added, “Don’t do this and don’t do that. Don’t commit adultery. It’s pathetic.” I interrupted her with a question. “Does the Bible really say, ‘Don’t commit adultery?’” “Yes it does,” came her rapier reply. “Well, I’ve never read that bit,” I said. “You know very well it’s in there,” she retorted. “In fact it’s in there twice. It’s one of the Ten Commandments.” “Oh, now I know what you are talking about,” I exclaimed. “It’s just that I didn’t recognise it at first because of the tone of voice that you were using.” “What do you mean?” she asked. “You’re absolutely right,” I continued. “God does say that we shouldn’t commit adultery, but not in the way you’ve read it. You see, before he gives any of the Ten Commandments he introduces himself as the God who loves Israel. He lets then know that he is for them not against them. He wants the best for them. God didn’t sit in heaven making a list of all the things he knows human beings like to do and then outlaw them all to spoil our fun. Rather he knows the pain and heartache that we will cause others and ourselves if we pursue agendas that are contrary to the way he made us to be. The Ten Commandments is a loving God saying, ‘Look, I am the God who loves you. I’m on your side. I got you out of slavery. I’m the best deal you’ve got going for you. Trust me. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t abandon me. Don’t commit adultery, because if you do it will unleash destructive powers that will slowly overshadow you, destroying you, your families and your society. Trust me. Don’t be stupid.”
The presenter looked at me in astonishment. Quietly she said, “No-one has ever explained it to me in that way. That makes so much sense.” Within minutes the phones were ringing with dozens of people all saying the same thing: “Why hasn’t anyone ever told us this before? I’ve been going to church all my life and no-one has ever explained it to me like that.”
2nd Corinthians 3:6 tells us that the letter kills, but that God has called us to represent his new covenant. A covenant not of the letter but of the Spirit. It is the spirit behind the letter that brings life.
That’s how Jesus did it. He called sin for what it is... but he did not condemn people..... Nor did he beat them up with the Scriptures. Rather he pointed to the loving Father behind those Scriptures who was on their side and invited them to come to him just as they were, and walk a different path.
That how Jesus presented this new covenant, and that how he calls us to represent it.
Jesus told a parable in which talents were entrusted to people to use. The talents that each person was given was in accordance with their ability.
Think of the talents as being opportunities to take Christ into the workplace, market place and such like. Those who put their talents to good use were commended. While the one who failed to use his talent – Jesus described him as burying it – was severely rebuked for failing to use for what had been entrusted to him.
When we stand before Jesus to give an account of ourselves..... Which indeed each of us certainly will...From that parable we can surmise that he may ask us a crucial question, “What did you do with the talents I gave you? What did you do with all the gifts, opportunities, relationships and resources that I gave you? Did you use them for the purpose that I gave them, or did you bury them?”
None of us will enter into heaven depending on how well we used our gifts and talents. We will enter only through the blood of Christ, poured out for us on the cross.
But the scriptures make it abundantly clear that Jesus on that day wants to reward people for faithful service to him. Just think for one moment, if Jesus could find no works of service to reward. What would be the most disappointing aspect of that? Would it be our own disappointment as we considered all those missed opportunities? Or would it be looking upon his disappointment that he could find no works in our lives worthy of rewarding. And seeing the sadness reflected in his eyes that we somehow always found other things more important than demonstrating our love for him.
As disciples, the great commission is our commission. We who follow Christ as Lord..... As Romans 8:29 states... And Ephesians 1:11 confirms.... Were chosen and predestined to be called by God. Chosen and predestined, even before he laid the foundation of the world.
Chosen and predestined for what? Not to be worldly and look to God primarily for personal fulfilment, where our prayers focus on our own needs and happiness.
Predestined not even for salvation. I will repeat that. We were not predestined and chosen for salvation!
Yes, Salvation is the gift of God to those he has called. But simply to receive salvation is not the reason why anyone is called. 1st Peter 2:9 – We were chosen by God, to declare the praises of God.
Chosen by God to show the goodness of God. Chosen to tell of the wonderful things that he has done.
We were predestined and called to work alongside Christ in his work of reconciling the world to himself. It is the will of God that none of his children should perish, and we were chosen, predestined and called to join with Jesus in his great work of salvation.
Called as an ambassador to represent him in whatever place or situation that he placed us in. Be that the workplace, the market place, the home place or any place......Saved to serve and equipped to fulfil all that Jesus has called us for.
Let me finish with a question that each one of us can ask of ourselves: “If Christianity was declared illegal and I was arrested and charged with being a Christian. From my level of involvement, in the workplace or the marketplace, would they be able to gather enough evidence against me to prove the charges?”