WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:22.160 We've been in a series, we're actually concluding it today, called Unstuck. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:23.600 We're asking this question. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.399 Like, how do you get unstuck in some of the most significant areas in your life? 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:30.559 And today we're going to be talking about our work. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:36.320 And to begin that conversation, I want to go back on something that we've said before in the past. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:46.640 So if you've been around for a while, you've maybe heard me say this before, but it's been a while, but it's really true because we live in a, don't we just live in kind of like an interesting place to work? 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:56.079 There is just a energy, a frenetic activity and intensity when it comes to the Silicon Valley. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:59.359 Call it maybe the Silicon Valley Hustle. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.679 We'd had our small group last night. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:05.599 We were talking about it, you know, doing the freed up app and everything. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:10.480 And a friend of mine just called it, he's talking about his life and work right now. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:12.000 It's like, it's a grind. 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:13.760 And that kind of just how it feels. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:14.719 It's it's a grind. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:15.920 There's something about the valley. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.480 It can just grind you down. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:26.400 And here's what I think, if we could talk about the Silicon Valley hustle, what it is, is first, you come to the valley, it's success at any cost. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:37.439 And really, success is probably the god of the Silicon Valley to be successful, upwardly mobile, to be that startup that has that huge success. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:44.560 And the problem then is it's success at the expense of significance, of purpose, and deep meaning. 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:47.680 You miss out on what matters most. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:54.879 And then you have this um, well, this is true, busyness as a badge of honor, right? 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:56.560 Like, how you doing? 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.799 Busy, right? 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:01.920 What and and isn't it funny? 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:06.879 Like, if you're not busy, you feel guilty and you don't even want to share it with somebody? 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:07.760 Like, how you doing? 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:08.479 Rested? 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:10.000 Like, who says that? 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:10.800 Right? 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:12.319 Fantastic? 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:21.759 You know, like like we don't say that, like we wear busyness as this badge of honor, like somehow I've arrived, or I'm important to be busy. 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:26.319 And yeah, what happens is we're overworked yet underfulfilled, aren't we? 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:36.319 We just uh have this, like, oh, maybe just even a weariness that verges on perhaps even an emptiness. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:41.120 And then the reason we do all this, the reason we pursue all this is financial freedom's the goal. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:55.280 And that was what really week one of um Freed Up is we're just talking about financial freedom and what that means, and and how we can all you know, maybe even define that a little bit differently, but we're we're moving towards whatever that financial freedom goal is. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:02.000 But the truth is, in the valley, for many of us, we have more money but less shalom. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.960 Now, shalom is uh it's a really powerful word. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:11.840 Often what we talk about it or when it's translated into English, it's peace. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.879 But it's so much more than just peace. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:20.479 Shalom is this idea of wholeness, completeness. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:26.719 Peace has the connotation of a lack of strife, which that certainly has that, but it's so much more than that. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:33.280 It's actually a sense of pervasive well-being. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.080 Like that's what our hearts long for. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:47.599 That's the state we ultimately desire, that relationally, vocationally, uh, all of our world, that there's a sense of complete wholeness and well-being. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:55.039 And so often the activity of our lives pushes out peace or shalom. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.840 Now, the sermon title today is called 90,000 hours. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:01.599 Go ahead and say that to your neighbor. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:03.199 90,000. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:18.160 Uh it's been estimated that uh the average person will work 90,000 hours in their lifetime, which equates to just being about a third of your life. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:23.600 A third of your life you and I will spend working. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:34.560 And unfortunately, if we had to define the experience, it often would be accompanied by stress and anxiety and burnout. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.759 So let's talk about those 90,000 hours. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:42.560 Let's talk about what God has to say in his wisdom for how to make work. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:49.360 You know, when we think about this, like when it comes to work, what does success really look like? 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:51.759 What is your definition of success? 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:52.639 Is it happiness? 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:53.839 Is it the American dream? 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:00.480 Is it uh to be important, to have enough to do whatever you want, that financial freedom? 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:07.040 How do you move from burnout to, you know, a healthy work-life balance? 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:19.759 You know, a Gallup poll uh and research recently said that um six out of ten people who are working are emotionally detached at work. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:26.399 Forty-four percent uh noted and experienced lots of stress the previous day. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:35.120 The stress level in America has uh on the second year in a row has reached a record high. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:44.480 63% of all workers experience burnouts, and 40% believe it's an inevitable part of success. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:48.000 How do you move from burnout to a healthy work-life balance? 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:51.519 Is there a way to infuse your work with meaning and purpose? 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.319 Or I'm not just going through the motions? 00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:01.759 Uh there's this uh idea that's been floating around called quiet quitting. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.399 It's what happens when someone psychologically disengages from work. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:13.920 They may be physically present or logged on, but they don't know what to do or why it even matters. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:18.480 Are we just simply destined to eke out our days? 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:23.279 Or is there a better way to work? 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:30.000 You know, um scripture actually speaks a lot about our work. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:40.240 In Proverbs, in particular, there's an incredible amount to talk about those 90,000 hours. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:43.920 Uh we want to sit in one particular proverb today. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:45.920 It's Proverbs 29, 18. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:54.000 It says, where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint, but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom and instruction. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:55.600 That's our memory verse for this week. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.120 And you have a three by five card. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.160 We've been doing it every week. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:01.680 Go ahead and take that three by five card and write it down. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:10.240 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint, but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom and instruction. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:16.720 Where there is no revelation, or maybe some of your translations say vision. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:31.759 Uh one translation says, where there is no redemptive revelation of God, where there is no vision, where there's no like God-given vision, people what? 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.759 Cast off restraint. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:44.079 That word restraint, we we understand it, uh, but it is a measure or a condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.879 And so often the way we think about restraint is like, don't restrain me, I want to be free. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:53.040 But often it's the restraints that protect us, doesn't it? 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:57.759 Because the minute you got into the car and you drove here, what did you put on? 00:07:58.480 --> 00:07:59.600 Yeah, a restraint. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.199 You put on a seatbelt. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:03.759 It restrains you to protect you from what? 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:07.360 If you got, God forbid, got an accident going through the windshield. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:09.600 We're very grateful for that restraint. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:17.040 And I don't think anybody on a windy mountainous road goes, those guardrails are dumb. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.680 Like, what are they doing? 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.480 They're trying to keep me from fun, right? 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:38.399 Now, here's the thing is when we don't have a God-given vision for our work, we cast off the restraints, the boundaries that are actually defined for our good to keep us in a healthy, whole place, to experience shalom in our everyday life. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:40.799 Where there is no vision, people cast off restraint. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.679 But blessed or happy is the one. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:50.559 Flourishing, maybe even another word, is the one who heeds wisdom and instruction. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.360 God's vision for work. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:09:09.600 And so, what we want to do with our time is I want to give you a theology of work, just a brief overview and a theology of work of God's vision for our work and how to make work work, at least according to God. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:19.840 The first uh thing I want you to note when it comes to a theology of work is that God works and he created us to be co-workers with him. 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:21.600 That God actually works. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:26.240 Genesis 1:1 says, in the beginning, God, does anybody know the next line? 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:27.120 Created. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:28.399 Two of you, thank you. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:32.399 Um, God created, like he worked and he created. 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.159 And then he also invites us into that work. 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:46.960 Genesis 2, he says we are to be co-laborers, co-workers with him, to subdue and rule and have dominion and to bring order, just then the same way that we have a creative working God. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:55.039 Part of your imago day, your design is that you are to be a creative and bring order to chaos. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:05.440 And so, work, by the way, work, work was in paradise and work was in the garden, meaningful work, and meaningful work will also be in heaven. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:12.480 You will have meaningful work to give your hands and your minds to to create and to produce. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:16.639 And so this confronts some of the myths that we have about work, doesn't it? 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:21.679 First, I think the thing that we often think about work is that work is this necessary evil. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:24.960 Like it's something to just get through and get by. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:27.279 Uh, we work, you know, to live. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:36.080 You're maybe a weekend warrior, and it's just like is I I can't wait to retire, to be done with all this. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:47.600 But then there's the flip side of this, and this is part of, I think, uh, one of the challenges is then we can then view work on the other side is that work is everything, right? 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.480 You don't work to live, you live to work. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:11:02.159 You spend the weekends working, and the aim and the goal is how can I be successful and upwardly mobile and and seek to, you know, dominate my specific field or industry. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:10.879 And then what subtly creeps into all of us, honestly, is that our work um, you know, begins to define our worth. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:39.679 And that's part of the challenge because back in the garden, and we it's part of our design of Imago Day, but then it also is never intended to be all or who we are, but we can begin to find our identity in our work and that I am what I do, and it's such a challenge, isn't it, when you go through a job transition or maybe you have a bad um you know performance review, and all of a sudden you realize that your worth got hit. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:46.480 And you feel like, am I even valuable anymore? 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.279 And finally, another myth about work is work is only what you're paid for. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:12:03.200 And we we know that's not true, but it just seems to be something in the water where you know work is really a production of value with whatever you think or do. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:19.039 And whether you're working at home and helping create a home with family, or you're working in the workplace, or all of the above, like like it is incredibly valuable, and it's not just what you're paid for. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:27.360 And so here's the first theology of work: God works and he created us to be co-workers with him. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:36.399 Now that changes our vision because much of our vision about work, uh, I think is honestly, it's more about a vacation. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:40.799 Like I work for a vacation, I work for retirement. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:52.960 Uh the reason in the Silicon Valley is how can I make a lot of money, move out of here because it's too expensive to live, and retire somewhere and maybe sit on a beach and drink whatever your favorite drink is, right? 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:56.000 And you're just like, I can't wait to retire. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.360 Did you know retirement is a fairly new concept? 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:04.720 It's only about 130, maybe 150 years uh old. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:10.240 People never retired until more of the modern day and age. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:16.320 And where God's vision is to shift, and there's nothing wrong with vacations, by the way, they're wonderful and good. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:25.120 But instead of working for a vacation, it's his invitation is work from a vocation. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:28.480 We don't use the word vocation very often anymore. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:36.000 Uh, vocation comes uh from the Latin vicari, it literally means to call, like to be called. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:40.559 Uh Timothy Keller in his book, Every Good Endeavor, writes this about vocation. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:51.039 He says, a job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to it and you do it for them rather than for yourself. 00:13:51.279 --> 00:14:04.960 And so our work can be a calling only if it's, notice, reimagined as a mission of service to something beyond merely our own interest. 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:20.879 We work to provide, we work to have a future, we work to give our kids a better future, we work to just, you know, make it. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:21.360 I get it. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.559 Those are all those are all good things. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:35.840 But I want you to notice what the apostle Paul said in Colossians 3.23 about shifting how we work. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:43.200 He says, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.879 As working for the Lord, not for men. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:54.639 Since you know that you'll receive an inheritance from the Lord, and as a reward, it is the Lord Christ you are serving. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:58.799 I want you to just go ahead and say those first three words with me. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:01.279 Whatever you do. 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:10.639 Remember, where there is no revelation, a vision, people cast off strength. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:11.519 Restraint. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:13.679 A vision. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.759 Well, you have a vision for your life. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:25.600 I have a vision for my life, you have a vision for your job and your future, and then God comes in and says, you know, whatever you do. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:28.559 What do you mean, whatever I do? 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:30.720 Well, doesn't it matter what I do? 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:34.799 Yeah, I think it's important, but what what are you doing right now? 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.600 Well, it's not I'm not in the job that I really want. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:41.279 I'm not in the place where I'm I'm trying to get this degree so I can move up. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:44.080 Well, that's wonderful, but but what are you doing right now? 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:45.759 Oh, I'm a student. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:46.159 Okay. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.120 Oh, that's fantastic. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:55.039 And I and I'm I right now I'm on pause, I'm in holding because I'm a student and I'm waiting to somehow get down here to be X, Y, and Z. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:56.159 Or, or you know what? 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.519 I'm I'm just I'm just at the bottom of this industry. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.320 I'm at the bottom of this company, but I'm really gonna work. 00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:07.679 He said, Wonderful, and and there's nothing wrong about that over there, but but what are you doing right here? 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:13.759 And wherever you're placed, he says, do it with all your heart. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:15.840 Are you a student? 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:18.320 Are you working a job you don't really like? 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:24.879 Do you have a boss that, gosh, man, they're just rough or coworkers that are a challenge? 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:28.639 A professor that's you know, just giving you grief. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:34.000 He says, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for working for who? 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:35.600 The Lord. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:43.120 This is a new way to work, this is a new vision because I'm not working for you, I'm not even working for my family, I'm not even working for myself. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:49.519 I am working as unto Jesus, and so all that I do, I'm gonna go, Jesus, would you be honored by what I do? 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:56.799 I'm gonna do this project, and it's not for you know, my direct report, it's not for my boss, it's for you, Jesus. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.679 I'm gonna produce this product, and you know what? 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.600 It's not even for the customer. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.440 I'm doing it for you. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:08.640 The service, Jesus, would you be honored in all that I say and do? 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:13.279 Whatever I do, I'm gonna act as if I'm presenting it for you. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:18.960 You know, there's this old parable, um, and you probably have heard of it. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:20.720 It's about three bricklayers. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:29.039 Uh, and um a guy goes up to the bricklayer and says, the first one and says, Hey, what are you doing? 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:36.079 And he looks at him and he says, I'm laying bricks, of course. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:38.319 And he goes, Okay, thank you very much. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:41.039 He goes to the second bricklayer and says, What are you doing? 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:48.319 He's like, I'm uh I'm building a wall. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:50.640 Like, oh, okay. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:57.119 And then he goes to the third bricklayer and he asks, What are you doing? 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:01.200 He says, I'm building a cathedral. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:15.039 It was said that the first had a job, the second had a career, the third had a calling, they had a vocation, they had vision beyond just the details of what they're doing. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:19.759 They recognize how that one part played into the grander scheme of things. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:26.000 And when you begin to understand that God has chosen you, God has placed you, He has set you right where you're at. 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:31.440 And I don't want to say that doesn't mean you can't get a new job or have a desire to be in a new position. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.480 That's certainly good. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.920 But right when you're here, you go, whatever I do, it's yours. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.599 Wherever I am, whatever you have, I'm gonna give it all that I have. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.000 Why? 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:47.039 Because I'm working for you, Jesus, and you have called me and you've placed me here to have impact and influence. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:50.240 And it's not just a job. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.880 You've called me. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:58.640 And we'll circle back to that idea as we close out the sermon in just a second. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.400 First, theology of work. 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:03.599 God works and created us to be co-workers with Him. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:08.000 Secondly, God set boundaries to our work for good. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:11.920 Restraints, guardrails. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:16.960 God modeled this for us in the Genesis account. 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:22.240 Six days he worked, and then one day he rested. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:33.359 And even in the Genesis account, and this is very interesting, you'll notice that in the in the Jewish understanding of a day, it begins actually at sundown, not sunrise. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:39.839 Uh, and in the uh creation account it says there was evening and there's day. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:42.400 There's evening and then there's daylight. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:55.839 It's just like it begins here in the original tent was we are to work from rest, a place of rest, where often what we do is our day begins at sunrise, and so we work for rest. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:59.359 See, God set boundaries to work. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:06.799 You are a finite being with limited capacity that requires daily renewal and a weekly Sabbath rest. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:10.559 You are a you're not a robot. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:14.079 You can't just keep going. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:22.720 This incessant, constantly always having to achieve, always having to go, it does not cooperate with your design. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:28.079 You're finite, you have limited capacity. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:31.440 And I know some of that's uh sometimes hard for us to hear. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.640 You need daily, daily, daily rest. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:42.400 The research today just on sleep alone is staggering and what it does for us. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:50.079 And weekly, weekly Sabbath rest, daily renewal, weekly Sabbath rest. 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:54.079 In fact, last year in Trisopter gave a whole sermon just on Sabbath. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:57.440 Pete Schizero uh writes this about Sabbath. 00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:08.640 He says, Sabbath is a 24-hour block of time in which we stop at work, enjoy rest, practice delight, and contemplate God. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:12.000 Doesn't that sound wonderful? 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.680 And doesn't that sound impossible? 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:19.920 Because I know some of you are just going like, yeah, that's one that's awesome, Ryan. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.240 You only work one day a week, Sundays, you know. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:25.920 You're like, what do you even do the rest of the week? 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.200 The rest of us have real jobs. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:31.039 Like, whatever. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:36.960 Um that's impossible! Like, Ryan, prayer is your job. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.319 Sabbath? 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:39.759 That sounds so spiritual. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:41.279 I can't do that. 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:45.359 The truth is, you actually can't afford not to do that. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:50.799 Uh the studies uh Stanford just came out uh a few years ago with this research. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:59.359 Uh, but did you know productivity per hour declines sharply when a person works more than 50 hours? 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:07.519 After 55 hours, productivity drops so much, putting in more work would be pointless. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:17.359 Those working 70 hours per week are only getting the same amount of work done as those who put in 55 hours. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:28.319 Stanford researcher scholar Alex Su Jun Kimpang wrote this in his book, Rest: why you get more done when you work less. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:33.039 Busyness is not a means to accomplishment, but an obstacle to it. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.680 The way we're working is not working. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:45.599 And I get it, we have so much pressure and demand and deadlines, but the truth is, this kind of like I work 60 hours a week, and it's a kind of that badge of honor, right? 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:52.160 Look at me, look at how much it's pointless, it's not helping you, it's actually hurting you. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:57.279 God set boundaries to work for our good. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:05.519 And then number three, after the fall, work became difficult. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:09.680 Genesis 3.17 says, Cursed is the ground because of you. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:15.279 Through painful toil, you'll eat from it and all eat from it all the days of your life. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:26.240 Sin and brokenness stepped in and corrupted God's good creation, broke relationships, and now as a result, work is difficult. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:30.160 I mean, just just think about it. 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:32.160 Working with people is difficult. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:39.279 We're sinful, we're prideful, there's, you know, selfishness and lying. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:44.240 I remember uh Jenny said something like this after our first year of full-time ministry. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:48.000 She said, you know, if it weren't for the people, ministry would be easy. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:53.279 If it wasn't for your coworker or your boss or so-and-so, wouldn't your work? 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:55.519 You're like, that would be so easy. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:07.680 But we live in a broken, fallen world, and tragically, so some of us think like, if I just, you know, was able to like follow Jesus right, then everything would work out right. 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:12.400 We kind of buy into this prosperity gospel. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:20.000 Jesus said, in this life you'll have trouble, but take card of overcome the world. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:24.720 It's not the lack of trouble, it's the presence of Jesus that makes all the difference. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:29.519 After the fall, work became difficult. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:33.759 And our identity gets mixed up in it into it. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:38.319 We begin to work hours and hours and hours in toil. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:42.720 You know, I was just having uh a conversation with a friend. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:51.440 He's in his early 30s, he has small kids, he's working a full-time job, he's going back to school, getting his masters. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:55.359 I mean, just think he serves at awakening, you know. 00:24:55.519 --> 00:25:02.880 I mean, just his life, and he came to me uh and he's we're talking, and he's like, I'm just so stressed out. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:05.279 I feel like I'm on the verge of burnout. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:07.039 I'm like, no kidding. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:17.200 But then here's what was interesting is um the the answer often for us is we look at all the things that we're not doing that we should be doing. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:25.119 And he had a list of like, well, you know what, I've not been eating healthy, I've not been working out, I need to do, need to do, need to do, need to do, need to do. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:28.319 And then he was just heaping just like all this shame on himself. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:33.680 My gosh, honestly, I don't think you need to do more, you need to do less and just take a nap. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:40.960 Some of the most spiritual things that you can do is actually just take a nap. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:45.599 You're like, I really, I really need to sleep. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:47.440 Need to sleep. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:58.559 And just recently, as we're talking through work, because I think sometimes, yeah, after the fall, work is difficult, but there's things that we do in our fallen nature that we just make it more difficult. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:04.319 And I've drawn this uh little diagram, it's uh out of Stephen Covey's seven habits of highly effective people. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:12.240 But it was fascinating is I've drawn this little diagram so many times, but most people that I talk to anymore don't they don't know it. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:14.160 So I thought maybe I'd just share it with you. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:16.079 It might be helpful for you. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:19.680 Uh and he said kind of identify what quadrant you're in. 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:22.559 The first quadrant is urgent and important. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:28.720 Quadrant one is urgent and important, it's crisis, it's pressing problems, it's deadline-driven projects. 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:30.720 You know, I have a deadline-driven project. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:34.559 Every Sunday I have to present, I get to, sorry, I get to present a sermon. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:37.359 It's urgent, it's important. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.680 I can't, you know, go like, oh well, I'm not gonna do it. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:51.039 But when you live in quadrant one, the result is stress, burnout, crisis management, and always putting out fires. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:54.000 And that's where I think many of us probably feel. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:57.759 Quadrant two is not urgent, but important. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:00.160 Not urgent but important. 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:18.079 So often, quadrant one pushes out quadrant two uh activities, relationship building, finding new opportunities, long-term planning, prevention activities, just taking care of your health, personal growth, recreation, the resolves vision and balance and discipline, like refreshing. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:26.880 And so often, uh Ghost said it this way things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least. 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:29.680 And we get caught up, don't I? 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:31.599 I'm sorry, I feel like I'm preaching at you. 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:33.839 I'm preaching to myself right now, okay? 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:42.960 We get, I get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent, the pressing demands and pressure and acting and the urgent. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:47.839 And quadrant three, it's not important, but it's urgent. 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:54.000 These are interruptions, some emails, some calls, some meetings, popular activities, proximate, pressing matters. 00:27:54.079 --> 00:27:57.039 And isn't it challenging sometimes to determine? 00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:59.680 Uh, like, is it quadrant one or quadrant three? 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.759 Because urgent things feel urgent. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:05.119 And other people's urgencies that they place upon you. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.799 Well, I have to respond. 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:10.799 The result, short-term focused. 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:12.880 You feel out of control. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:18.880 You maybe have some shallow, broken relationships, feel maybe victimized. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:22.880 Your reputation is maybe of a chameleon. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.880 You just kind of are a different person in every environment. 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.960 And then there's quadrant four. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.839 That's not urgent, not important. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:37.039 Trivia, busy work, time wasters, some calls, some emails, pleasant activities. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.960 Actually, what are some time wasters that we get into? 00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:39.359 Help me out. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:40.559 Come on, shout them out. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.440 Scrolling, social media. 00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:44.400 Yeah, what else? 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:47.359 Games, yeah, gamers. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.000 Uh, what else? 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.640 I just got a whole bunch of people mad at me on that one. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:51.119 Huh? 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:53.039 Netflix? 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:55.119 Actually, there's Netflix in both services. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.720 That seems to be a theme. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:08.400 Quadrant four people, if we live, that means if we live, we that's the way we do a life that's totally irresponsible, become dependent on others, and often fired from jobs. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:09.680 Now, here's what's interesting. 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:16.400 When we don't prioritize quadrant two, that's that boundaries part we were just talking about, we visit quadrant four. 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.039 We visit that to numb out. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:23.279 Are the rhythms of your life numbing or nourishing? 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:33.599 And we visit quadrant four and we scroll, we watch, we eat just to get by to the next day because we're actually living in that burnout side, aren't we? 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:36.000 And we're on replete. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:39.920 And that's not God's design for you or me. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.839 Theology of work. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:46.000 God works, he created us to be co-workers, God set boundaries to our work. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:48.640 After the fall, work became more difficult. 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:54.240 And finally, all work, all honest work is sacred work. 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:57.920 All honest work is sacred work. 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:02.160 Your work is sacred. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:08.400 You don't have to change your job to be in your calling, but you do have to change who you're working for. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:14.480 Whatever you do, whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord. 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:17.440 Like all work is sacred work. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:28.960 And right now, I believe the great lie for many of us is to believe that there is sacred work and there's secular work, that somehow my work actually pushes out my spirituality. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:34.640 And God's vision is what you're doing is sacred. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:38.319 It matters, it's significant. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:52.240 It doesn't matter whether you're uh working as a lawyer, as a barista, as an engineer, as a baker, as a student. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:55.839 All honest work is sacred work. 00:30:56.079 --> 00:31:00.000 It's not like, okay, I stop that, then I get to start over here. 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:02.480 Like God has called you and placed you. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:06.559 Jesus would say it this way: you are the salt of what? 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.720 The earth. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:10.720 And the light of what? 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:12.640 The world. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:19.920 Notice that it's one present tense reality, this is what's already true of you. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:24.319 Not you have to earn it, somehow figure it out, work your way to it. 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:36.079 You are presently the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and wherever you go, whatever you step into, and the work you're currently doing, you are salt and you are light. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:40.880 Uh when Jenny and I were first married, we lived in Chicago. 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:45.519 I was finishing my schooling there, and uh she took on a job at Starbucks. 00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:51.680 We needed um benefits, you know, we're just poor, broke, newly married, early 20s. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:56.960 And she's working at Starbucks, her first day, downtown, right in the heart of the city. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:05.359 You know, it's just this huge city, lots of activity, has that same sense, that hustle that Silicon Valley has. 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:14.640 And as they're as she's kind of working, this this person she's working with looked at her and says, You're a Christian, aren't you? 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:16.400 She's like, What? 00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:21.440 I mean, she wasn't wearing any jewelry, there weren't any gold crosses. 00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:27.599 She didn't say, Bless you, you know, there was no Christianese in what she was saying. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:42.079 Her presence showing up in the midst of the hurry, the chaos, and the darkness was light and was noticeably different to the point that the girl looked at her and said, You must be one of those Christians, aren't you? 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:48.480 Because here's the truth the spirit of the living God lives and dwells inside of her. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:54.880 She stepped into that moment as salt and light, and it affects the surrounding around her. 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:58.240 And the truth is for you as well. 00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:00.960 Jesus, follower. 00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:05.920 The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives and dwells inside of you. 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:07.920 You are a called out one. 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:11.599 Jesus has called you out, so don't you dare believe you don't have a vocation. 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:13.359 You are a called one. 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:18.480 He has called you out for his own purpose, his own desire, his own pleasure. 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:30.559 And he longs for you to be light and salt, and where you would look at your job, you would work look at your workplace, and you go, you know what, it may not even be my dream job, and I might be even looking for another job. 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:50.640 But while I'm here, whatever I'm doing, I'm gonna do it as unto the Lord because I want to honor him, and he's placed me here for this time, and I don't know how long that time is, but he's placed me here for this moment and this time, so that those people that I'm working around might see Jesus in me. 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:55.279 I mean, just imagine. 00:33:57.440 --> 00:34:08.320 Imagine if if we as a church just began to get that vision and showed up to work and going, you know what? 00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:13.920 Um I'm here to do this, I'm doing it for Jesus, I'm gonna do it with excellence and integrity in a way that honors you. 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:18.000 And Jesus, you want to use this, and I don't know how. 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:24.000 But I'm gonna be present and invite you in. 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.960 And you're with me. 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:29.199 I know that the work world's hard. 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:34.960 I know Silicon Valley, it's just so difficult to be a follower of Jesus. 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:40.400 He says, I'm with you. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:42.800 I'm empowering you. 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:47.920 You've never walked alone a day in your life because I am with you. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:51.920 So don't you ever believe you're walking into that workplace by yourself. 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:57.119 The presence of the living God is in you and with you, and Jesus is beside you. 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:02.320 Imagine if we just began to live like that. 00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:13.199 That's by the way, how the world changes. 00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:16.800 How Silicon Valley changes. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:35.519 When instead of us just being so concerned with how do we kind of get people to church, but when we go and be the church, where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint. 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:44.320 But bless it, flourish is the one who heeds wisdom and instruction. 00:35:44.719 --> 00:35:45.599 Let's pray. 00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:52.800 Jesus, thank you for my friends, thank you for your grace, thank you for your word. 00:35:54.559 --> 00:36:06.639 And God, I just I I my heart just feels for my friends who are walked in weary, burned out, beaten down. 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:13.360 That has just been a season, and it's always a season. 00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:16.000 It just feels like it's a nonstop season. 00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:20.000 Holy Spirit, would you breathe life? 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:28.559 A refreshing breathe vision and hope. 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.360 You're strengthening. 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:42.239 That we might see what you see. 00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:47.440 And then just start doing the things you would do. 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:53.760 With your spower your power working through us. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:55.599 In Jesus' name. 00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:56.559 Amen. 00:36:58.079 --> 00:37:00.320 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:04.960 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:07.199 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:13.280 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.