March 3, 2019 Pastor John Welborn

Work Week: God’s Design for One Day at a Time

Let There Be...Productivity
Genesis 1:9-13

“Cleaning the house with kids around is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.” Ashley Welborn

“So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity & a striving after wind. I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun...” Ecclesiastes 2:17-18a

“And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, & let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, & the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, & fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, & trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening & there was morning, the third day.” Genesis 1:9-13

Main Idea: God’s Work Cultivates Productivity for My Work

I. God Produced A Framework for the Earth
“And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, & let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, & the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:9-10

The Creation Narrative reveals the Following about God:

• He is Wise: Only an omniscient God could think of it!

“The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, & the clouds drop down the dew.” Proverbs 3:19-20

• He is Powerful: Only an omnipotent God could pull it off!

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power & divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

• He is Glorious: Creation is a reflection of the Glory of God!
“The heavens declare the glory of God, & the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

• He is Love: Creation communicates God’s love for people!

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon & the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

He Works: Work isn’t beneath God or an insult to him. He’s at Work!
He’s Productive
“Increasing the production of goods & services is not morally evil – and it’s not morally neutral – rather, it’s fundamentally good & pleasing to God. It’s part of his purpose in putting human beings on the Earth. When we create something, productivity creates value in the world that didn’t exist before. Therefore, productivity imitates God in his creativity.” Wayne Grudem
II. God Produced Vegetation from the Earth
“And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, & fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, & trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind.” Genesis 1:11-12a

“The land itself does not produce vegetation: rather God enables the land to do so by his creative word.” K.A. Mathews

III. God Invites Me to Be Productive on the Earth
“And God saw that it was good. And there was evening & there was morning, the third day.” Genesis 1:12b-13

• God is a Worker
• God Wants to Partner with Us in Our Work
• We Can Learn about Our Work by Studying God’s Work

How Do We Approach God’s Creation?

Park Ranger: Don’t change a thing

Bulldozer: Take it all down

Gardener: Rearrange the raw materials, cultivate the soil, and make room for certain things by pushing back on other things.

“That is the pattern for all work. It is creative & assertive. It is rearranging the raw materials of God’s creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, & people in particular, thrive & flourish.” Tim Keller

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone & especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

The Most Non-Productive, Pointless, Miserable & Disgusting Event in History (from an earthly perspective) was the CROSS. It seemed like a loving, kind, caring, generous, forgiving & gentle teacher was ruthlessly nailed to a cross to bleed & die like a common criminal. What a waste!

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, & entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:19b-21

A Senseless act of violence against an innocent man was a part of God’s perfect plan...it was PRODUCTIVE in redeeming the world!

Let There Be Productivity...

Sources and Further Reading Opportunities:

• Every Good Endeavor – Timothy Keller (2012)
• Wiersbe Bible Commentary – Warren Wiersbe (2007)
• Rethinking Life @ Work – Chip Roper (2016)
• New Bible Commentary – D.A. Carson (1994)
• Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the OT – Warren Wiersbe (1993)
• New American Commentary Series Genesis 1-11:26 – K.A. Matthews (1996)• Made to Flourish – Tom Nelson (2019)
• Doing Business & Pleasing God – Wayne Grudem (2008)