[0:00] Well, Moses tells us something very interesting about the land of Eden, where God planted a garden and placed man. What was Eden like? It had four rivers, and that meant water.
[0:15] And water meant trees, and water meant food, and water meant life. Every great ancient city in the history of the world was built on water.
[0:26] And Eden didn't just have one river, it had four rivers. So, a land immensely blessed by God. Genesis 2 also says there was gold in that land, which is a very interesting thing to say.
[0:41] You wouldn't think Adam and Eve would care too much about that. But Moses said, you do need to know this about this land where God placed Adam and Eve. There was gold, and it just wasn't regular gold. It was good gold, pure gold.
[0:56] There was other things. Aromatic resin and onyx are also there. So, aromatic resins, that would be something like frankincense and myrrh.
[1:07] If you remember the nativity story, these are gifts worthy of a king. Things that you would pass between wealthy friends.
[1:18] God put man in a place that was rich with resources, rich with wealth. And it was part of his goodness to man to put him here and there.
[1:33] The Lord has loaded the earth with potential. And he has loaded man with potential, with creativity, with ideas, with ingenuity, with the ability to work hard, with diligence.
[1:53] And the book of Proverbs encourages us. It has that as the background. That's what the creation is, and that's how we are created.
[2:04] And the book of Proverbs is basically saying we need to put these things together. God's wonderful creation and our abilities as men, men and women, as mankind.
[2:16] He's loaded us with potential. He's loaded the earth with potential. And so, the book of Proverbs teaches us, then, what to do with that. It talks about money, and it talks about how to get it, how to give it, how to save it, how to spend our money, and to do it in a way that we prosper, that it's good for us, and it's glorifying to God.
[2:42] What we're going to talk about today, and the next maybe one or two times, is...
[2:53] Remember we talked about what is... The book of Proverbs is essentially about what does it look like to fear the Lord? To have a big view of God. To be excited by his greatness and his goodness, and his mercy, and his saving power, and all that he is.
[3:11] To be impressed with him, and then now go and live. That's the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom. So, what does it look like when we have hearts that are filled with the greatness of God?
[3:24] The goodness of God. And what does it look like then when we now go and deal with money? With pursuing and giving and saving money?
[3:37] Well, Proverbs teaches us more than principles. Proverbs is more than just a book, a how-to book. It's really a book where the Word of God is living and active, and as we read it, and as we take it in, and as we believe it, the Word of God, by the power of God, changes us.
[3:58] And it changes us into the kind of people that God can give wealth to, and it's a blessing. It's good for them.
[4:09] The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. For some people, the very worst thing that you could give them is money.
[4:20] And I don't have to give you examples, you know, all the proverbial examples of lottery winners who are given lots of money, and they ruin their lives with it. But God makes us the kind of people who can handle it for our good, for his glory.
[4:38] So that when we receive it, we know what to do with it. We know how to use it. And we know how to use it and make it our servant instead of our master. The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it, no slavery to it.
[4:56] So I hope I don't have to convince you to think hard about money. We all have it. We all need it. We all want it for one reason or another.
[5:08] Every day you're giving it. Every day you're either giving it or saving it or spending it or you're doing something with it. Money represents your time. It represents your effort, your energy.
[5:20] I come on Wednesday, and I see men and women who are tired from working. Well, you weren't doing that work for free. You were doing it in order to earn money.
[5:31] Well, it represents your blood and your sweat and, yes, even your heart. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So if I were to give money to a missionary cause all the way around the world, they'll say to the Middle East.
[5:50] Well, guess what's happening? My heart is following that money. A little bit of my heart is over there. Well, I'm sending my heart, my love, my care, and my concern.
[6:06] Now, if I spend it all on me, well, my heart follows that too, doesn't it? The more I give to myself, the more I become fascinated and in love and need for what I can get.
[6:23] Well, so I hope I don't have to convince you to care. And I hope you are willing to think hard with me. This topic can be very exciting.
[6:34] And it can be very exciting because it is a part of what God is doing in our world and how he builds his kingdom. Let me give you just an example.
[6:47] Or let me tell you why, personally, like these kinds of things can really excite me. You've probably never heard of Humphrey Monmouth. But I hope once you hear about him, he's going to be a bit of a hero for you.
[7:02] And I hope he would actually be someone that you would gladly imitate. You've probably heard of William Tyndale. He lived at the same time as Martin Luther. William Tyndale was educated.
[7:14] He knew how to read Hebrew and Greek. And he longed to see the Bible translated into the English language. He wanted the Bible to be in the hands of the people.
[7:29] So I think it was him who said that every plowboy can read the word of God for themselves. Well, Tyndale had all the gifts to translate it.
[7:41] He had the skill. He had the knowledge. But you know what? He didn't have. He didn't have the money. He didn't have the time. He didn't have the place, the space.
[7:54] You can't live off of ink and paper and books. But Humphrey Monmouth was the perfect partner for William Tyndale.
[8:05] Well, he couldn't read Hebrew or Greek. He loved the Lord. And he was very wealthy.
[8:15] He traded in cloth. And he had ships that went back and forth all over Europe. And so he took Tyndale in. And he completely supported him for months on end while William Tyndale worked on his translation.
[8:29] And then when the authorities caught wind of what Tyndale was doing, Monmouth had to send him away. And so he put him on one of his ships. He sent him across the sea. And he embedded him.
[8:40] He hid him among this group of Christian merchants that Monmouth knew about. And so Tyndale hid among them. And as he worked, they worked.
[8:50] His work was one thing. Their work was another. And as each book was finished and as the New Testament was finished, they would pay to print it. And then they hid it in the barrels in which they stored all the cloth.
[9:06] And Bibles were wrapped in cloth and then sent back over to England. Monmouth owned the ships. He owned the barrels.
[9:17] He owned the cloth. He paid the sailors. He paid the printers. And the word of God came to England. And it was like a hurricane landed. How do you overthrow a dead church?
[9:31] How do you defeat kings and popes? Will you give people the word of God? Satan has people, whole cultures wrapped up in lies and deception.
[9:45] And it's one after another. Well, who can break out of that? Well, no one can until the word of God comes to them. So who did that? Well, the Lord used Tyndale.
[9:58] Everyone knows about him. But Tyndale wasn't enough. Humanly speaking, everything Tyndale did was because of this wealthy merchant. And he had said, I'm going to fund the kingdom of God.
[10:10] I'm going to use my money. I'm going to use my resources. And I'm going to make as much money as I can. And I'm going to use all the wisdom I have. And I'm going to use it for the gospel.
[10:22] I'm going to use it for the gospel. So how did Monmouth do it? Well, Proverbs shows us. I'm not a history on cloth merchants or anything like that.
[10:33] But I know that what it takes to prosper financially, you find in the book of Proverbs. So what do you do with your money? Well, today we're going to talk about how you earn it.
[10:45] That's all that we're going to get to. You earn it. And the book of Proverbs tells us what does it look like to earn your money, to be the kind of person that the word of God is now transforming you into the image of God.
[10:58] You're living in the fear of God. What does it look like then how you earn your money? And this is something I think almost everyone is doing here unless you're retired.
[11:11] How do you do it? There's going to be three negatives and then two positives. Three negatives and two positives. The first, and we're just going to work through these rather quickly. We don't need to say a whole lot about them.
[11:23] What does Proverbs say? How do you earn your money? Well, you don't do it dishonestly. Not dishonestly. It's amazing what kind of ethics classes have to be taught in business these days.
[11:38] But the Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. Now, those are business words. Those are commerce words.
[11:50] It's buying and selling, weighing and measuring. And Proverbs says God cares how you make your money. God cares about the transactions that you're carrying on, that you're carrying out.
[12:05] So don't get your money dishonestly. He abhors dishonest scales. We don't use scales like they did anymore with little weights. But you know what?
[12:17] Our world is run on weights and measures and length and time and promises and understanding. And this is about not cheating people. It's about you don't overpromise and then underdeliver.
[12:36] You don't slyly steal from them. They might not see it, but God sees it. You earn it. So not dishonestly and not wickedly.
[12:48] Not wickedly. Proverbs 16, 19. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
[13:00] So, you know, one great way to make money is to just plunder people. And Proverbs says, you know what? It's better to be among the oppressed than among the plunderers.
[13:14] It doesn't tell us why it's better. And you need to think about it. Why is it better? Why would you choose to be among the oppressed instead of the plunderers?
[13:27] Well, the rest of the Bible tells us God opposes the proud. God hates oppressors. James, the half-brother of Jesus.
[13:41] Now listen, you rich people. Weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.
[13:53] The wages you failed to pay the workmen are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. That's why it's better to be among the oppressed than among the proud plunderers.
[14:08] Because the Lord is seen. In all your wealth, he will turn into a curse that will burn your flesh. So pay what you owe.
[14:20] Pay fairly. Pay promptly. Pay generously. Pay like a Christian should pay. Pay like a Christian should pay.
[14:33] So you earn it not wickedly. And you earn it not greedily. 1527. A greedy man brings trouble to his family.
[14:44] But he who hates bribes will live. 2327. Or 2324. Do not wear yourself out to get rich. Have the wisdom to show restraint. Those are both forms of greed.
[14:59] They're both talking about the same thing. Wearing yourself out. Accepting bribes. That's greed. Greed is the godless desire for wealth.
[15:11] It's the godless desire for more money. It's this crave and desire to get more. You don't want it like Monmouth so you can give more. So you can put it to good use.
[15:23] So that you can have mercy on people. So you can bless more. To have more opportunities to serve. You want it so you can spend it upon yourself. It's greed.
[15:35] You want it because you think it will make you better than everyone else. You're winning the game. Or something like that. But Proverbs is very clear. Greed will not bless you. It brings ruin to your family.
[15:47] There's many wives that greedy husbands have destroyed. And it will ruin you. It will wear you out.
[15:59] Greed is a bitter slave master. When you're past all need or enjoyment of your money. And greed is still saying get up and work.
[16:12] Greed will ruin your family. It will ruin you. There is a godly desire for money. That you might have it.
[16:23] That you might use it. That you might bless others. But beware of greed. So those three things. Not dishonestly. Not wickedly. Not greedily.
[16:33] But that all being said. I think it's very clear. That Proverbs says earn it. You earn it. You work hard for it.
[16:44] You work smart. Go to the ant you sluggard. Consider its ways and be wise. Other Proverbs. He who gathers money little by little prospers.
[16:55] A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. How are those things going to happen unless you go out and you earn it? You work hard.
[17:07] This is the first positive. The working hard. The Proverbs are always mocking the sluggard. There is very little the Proverbs does.
[17:19] Except for mock the sluggard. The sluggard is like a door on its hinges. It's turning back and forth. There is motion.
[17:31] There might be noise as the thing is squeaking. But there is no forward progress. The door never goes anywhere. The sluggard moves around a lot. Makes a lot of noise. But he never makes any progress.
[17:41] And Proverbs, Solomon would say, get up. Get going. Apply yourself. I love what John Wesley said in his famous sermon entitled, The Use of Money.
[18:01] And maybe you've heard the three points of this sermon. You can find it on the internet for free. Just Google it and you can download the PDF for it.
[18:12] His three major, his three main points is, what use does money have? Earn as much as you can. Save as much as you can. Give as much as you can.
[18:25] And I'd encourage you to go read it. I don't know that you would agree with 100% of everything in that. I think he goes a little too far in some areas. Or he's a little too persnickety about certain things.
[18:35] But on the whole, very good. Listen to what he says under, earn as much as you can. And that might sound like a very strange thing to say.
[18:48] But listen to what he says. Gain all you can by honest industry. Use all possible diligence in your calling. Isn't that what Proverbs is talking about?
[18:58] Diligence. The plans of the diligent lead to prosperity. Lose no time. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Do it as soon as possible.
[19:11] No delay. Never leave anything till tomorrow which can be done today. And do it as well as possible. Do not sleep or yawn over it. Put your whole strength to the work.
[19:23] Spare no pains. Let nothing be done by halves or in a slight and careless manner. Let nothing in your business be left undone if it can be done by labor or patience. He wasn't talking about missionaries and pastors there.
[19:37] He's talking about men and women getting up and going to work. Don't do it by halves. Early on we taught our children.
[19:48] I guess this little song, did he? I don't know what it is. Work while you work. Play while you play. This is the way to be happy every day.
[20:00] Things done by half are never done right. The plans of the diligent. And I'm underlining that word diligent.
[20:12] Lead to profit. So work hard. That's what Proverbs says. Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider its ways and be wise.
[20:23] Its wisdom is two parts. And the first part is it's working hard. And it's saving. We're going to talk about that another week. Work hard and work smart.
[20:37] Remember Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes has its own form of Proverbs. If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed.
[20:49] But skill will bring success. So that's talking about work. That's talking about how you get something done. A lot of times, if you just put enough energy and effort into it, it will eventually happen.
[21:05] But what Ecclesiastes is saying is, sharpen the edge of your axe. Be more skillful. Think about it.
[21:16] And then do it. It will bring success. Again, work smarter. The plans. The plans of the diligent lead to profit. Planning.
[21:31] Thinking. Plans of the diligent lead to profit. As surely as haste leads to poverty. Haste there is, you're just jumping into something without thinking about it.
[21:48] All the get rich quick schemes you can just put into this proverb. All sorts of things of, I'm not thinking about what I'm doing. I'm just going to throw myself into it. Is this a good idea?
[21:59] Do I need to get advice? With many advisors is wisdom. But you're in such a hurry. Well, it leads to poverty. I think there's an English saying about, less haste, more speed.
[22:12] There's a difference. Speed. You're getting somewhere. You're on track. You're in control. You're doing something. Haste is just unthinking, quick motion. And we want to avoid that in our financial lives, in our work lives.
[22:27] Again, listen to John Wesley. Gain all you can by common sense. By using in your business all the understanding which God has given you. It's amazing to observe how few do this.
[22:40] How men run on in the same dull track with their forefathers. But whatever they do who know not God, this is no rule for you. Let the world be the unthinking imitators of the past.
[22:57] Let the world be unthinking workers. That's no rule for you. You should be continually learning from the experience of others. Or from your own experience.
[23:08] Reading and reflection. To do everything you have to do better today than you did yesterday. And see that you practice whatever you learn.
[23:19] That you may make the best of all that is in your hands. Again, you're working hard. But God has given us a brain and a mind.
[23:31] He said pursue wisdom. Read the book of Proverbs. It's constantly telling you that wisdom brings success. Well then, how do we want to work? We want to work with wisdom.
[23:42] Wesley brought up that idea of just doing something better every day than he did yesterday. I'm sure some of you are in the manufacturing.
[23:53] I know some of you are in the manufacturing sector. And there's that motto and that idea of continual improvement. We want to work better.
[24:04] We want to do something better. We want to make the process better. Continual improvement. That shouldn't just be the Honda's motto. That should be our motto. So, think, learn, grow, get advice, go to school.
[24:20] Pray to God for wisdom. Maybe you've exhausted all those other resources and you say, I still want to know what I should be doing. Pray to the Lord.
[24:31] Ask him for wisdom. Again, don't we have a reason to be earning more money? Aren't there missions to support?
[24:44] Aren't there Bibles to be translated? Aren't there needy, the needy to bless? We're stewards in God's kingdom.
[24:56] God's over God's household. And if you're a steward, doesn't he want you to make the best of what he's given to you?
[25:09] A steward is in business with the owner. The owner gives the steward great freedom and great responsibility. You're going to find it very difficult when you have a very particular decision to make to come to the book of Proverbs and know exactly what you should do because that's not what it's designed to do.
[25:33] It's designed to make you the kind of person that makes a good decision in that choice. When it's a little bit fuzzy and you're not sure which one to do. Great freedom.
[25:45] Great responsibility. God isn't treating you like a three-year-old. I don't know what all of you did, but with our three-year-old, you give them $3 and $1 goes to the Lord and $1 goes to spend and $1 goes to save.
[26:01] And there's no choice. We're teaching them. These are the three categories. Well, God isn't treating us like that. $1 here, $1 here, $1 here. He's treating you like an adult as a steward.
[26:13] And, you know, in those days, the owner would come back and say, now, what have you been doing? What have you been doing? I'm going to look over the books.
[26:26] So imagine if Jesus came and he started looking over your books. Maybe he'd say, what's going on here? What's going on here?
[26:38] Why are you still down here at this level? Didn't I say plan? Didn't I say work hard? Remember the one servant who didn't even put his talent, he didn't even give it to the money lender so that it would lose or would gain interest.
[26:56] He was lazy. He was cowardly. The master wanted to see them use it and grow it to put it to work. Now, some had more potential and some less.
[27:08] But he wanted to see everyone living up to their potential. Are you happy with your children when they're making C's? When they're capable of making A's?
[27:20] I don't think you're happy with that. If doing the best they can means getting C's, then that's wonderful. That's not the point.
[27:30] But it's not honoring to the Lord to do less when you can do more. So if the Lord was looking at your checkbook, again, maybe.
[27:44] Maybe. And I am not putting this on anyone's conscience. I'm just letting, I want you to think about it. Maybe he would say, what's going on here? Have you been applying yourself?
[27:55] The slugger is content when he shouldn't be. He's content when he shouldn't be. And that's not working hard.
[28:08] And that's not working smart. Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings. He will not serve before obscure men.
[28:19] Proverbs is telling us there's this progression as you apply yourself and you gain more skill. You should be rising in responsibility.
[28:33] I told you about Humphrey Monmouth. Well, let me tell you about R.J. Letourneau. Maybe you've heard of him. Maybe you haven't. He was born in 1888. He left school after, I think, the sixth grade.
[28:47] He was obviously very clever. Probably not very good at being in school, but he was very smart. He taught himself mechanical and electrical engineering. And later he founded a company making earth-moving equipment.
[29:01] So these huge machines that you would carry dirt, you would plow dirt, you know, to make airports, to build bridges, to make highways, to construct deep sea oil platforms.
[29:17] And that's what he did. He designed these things. He designed them. He manufactured them. He sold them. Even down to old age, he still loved to be on the factory floor or on the drafter's bench designing these machines.
[29:30] He was always thinking of something bigger and better. He personally held over 300 patents. And he was a devout Christian.
[29:42] He was an absolutely devout Christian. He gave 90% of his wealth away and lived on the other 10%. He just said, we have so much.
[29:53] It's not right that we shouldn't give as much as we can. He knew about shovels. He knew about moving big piles of dirt. He knew about big shovels.
[30:04] And he said this, I shovel out the money and God shovels it back. But his shovel is bigger than mine. He has a bigger shovel. And he had a generous heart.
[30:16] And he had this heart that was captured by the Lord. And so all that money that the Lord entrusted to him, it never captured his heart because the Lord had his heart.
[30:27] But he had this generous heart. And he was joined to this skill and this ingenuity and even this kind of ambition of, I want to do better.
[30:39] And so I can give more. Again, I'm going to read a quote from him. And I just want you to listen to how this Christian man is thinking.
[30:50] He's doing Proverbs. He's thinking through Proverbs. He's planning. The plans of the diligent lead to prosperity, to profit. And this is how he's thinking.
[31:02] Within the next few years, construction machinery will grow bigger and bigger and more and more powerful. Instead of tons of capacity, they will be talking about hundreds of tons.
[31:13] And instead of hundreds of horsepower, it will be rated in thousands of horsepower. We're already seeing it in the big hauling units in the mines. And believe me, when the contractor and the mining company start looking for bigger and more profitable hauling units and earth moving equipment, I'm going to be right there.
[31:31] The firstest and the mostest. The firstest and the mostest. Now, in some men, that would be greed. It would be a love of money.
[31:43] But that wasn't greed or love of money. That was a man who knew where God had called him and where he could be a blessing. And God had given him these gifts and he was going to use them for his kingdom.
[31:57] Early on in his life, Paterno thought he should be a pastor. That was sort of the tradition. And he was praying about it and asking God to lead him.
[32:07] And one day his pastor just said, you know, God needs businessmen too. And it was a way of God answering that prayer, that question. And so he knew his place in God's kingdom.
[32:19] And so he built and ran a business to the glory of God. And he worked hard and he worked smart and he earned money God's way. Now, are we all going to be Letournos?
[32:33] No, we're not. Obviously not. We're all gifted differently. But we can imitate him and we can imitate his faith and we can imitate his priorities and his thinking.
[32:45] And the Lord will bless what we do. We can imitate Letourno and Monmouth. And our faith and our priorities. And our wisdom.
[32:57] I read Mr. Rassi's obituary yesterday. And as I read it, I said, this is exactly what I'm talking about.
[33:09] Mr. Rassi used all the wisdom and work God gave him. And he built businesses and funded missions. And I want you to just find his obituary and read it. But it's exactly what I'm talking about.
[33:20] It was a life well lived. It was a life that embodies what Proverbs is saying and what God wants us to be. And so they worked hard and they worked honestly.
[33:34] They put their mind to doing well. They served others in their business. And then they used their profits to serve the Lord. And great will be their reward in heaven.
[33:48] And so what about your life? Again, I don't, I'm not putting this on anyone's conscience as binding. I can't answer the questions for you.
[34:00] But I think answering the questions for yourself would be a good exercise. You can ask, am I experiencing the blessing that Proverbs talks about?
[34:11] Now, again, maybe you're in just an impossible situation or this doesn't apply to you. You're retired and those days are past. Don't worry.
[34:22] Don't fret. Don't think God loves you any less or feel guilty. Maybe you've chosen to serve God in a different way. And you said, I have put my hand to the plow in this area.
[34:35] And that means I'm just going to, my work life, my business life is just going to stay where it is. Because I am focusing my real, my heart and my attention in this area.
[34:46] And to that I say, well, God bless you and make his face to shine upon you. We need all sorts of people. But maybe you need to say, maybe I haven't experienced that blessing.
[34:57] Because I've been too focused on myself. Or I've been lethargic. Or I haven't been working with all my strength. Or I haven't been smart.
[35:09] I've been too easily pleased and not ambitious enough in the right way. Re-read Proverbs and ask, am I putting all the wisdom that is in this book to practice and work?
[35:24] And all of this book in the book of Proverbs is teaching you how to relate to people at your work. How to relate to your boss. How to serve honestly.
[35:35] To work hard. When to say something. When not to say something. How to handle people. All of the whole book is designed to help you live a practically godly and wise life.
[35:49] So am I putting all of this wisdom to work? Am I doing what it says? Or am I being a fool in this area or that area? And because I'm being a fool in this area, I haven't prospered. Again, I don't know.
[36:02] I don't know how the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you through that. But it's worth asking the questions. It's worth considering. You know, we need Paul and Timothy's.
[36:13] And we need Lydia's as well. Remember, Lydia was a dealer in purple. And we don't really know much about her except that's when she, when the Lord opened Lydia's heart, Lydia became generous and started to have a missional mindset of, okay, here's Paul and Timothy.
[36:32] Or Paul and Silas. I don't remember which one. But how can I serve them? You know, it's not hard to imagine Paul, after meeting Paul and hearing the gospel, that she, it's just not hard to imagine for her to say, well, now here's something to get behind.
[36:50] Here's something to serve. Here's a reason to even grow my business. Maybe I need to expand down to Athens and down to Corinth. Let's find some new customers.
[37:01] Let's find some new markets. And if the Lord blesses, then I'm going to be able to house more missionaries. I'm going to be able to serve more people here in Philippi. I'm going to, I have a reason now to grow this business, Lydia could say.
[37:15] You know, if God blessed Lydia with a mind for that, then becoming a Christian doesn't ruin that.
[37:32] It didn't ruin that. It made it better. Maybe it balanced it out. Maybe it reordered her priorities. Maybe it turned it to a different purpose. And then I guess parents, are you teaching your children to earn money God's way?
[37:52] The book of Proverbs way. This is part of the discipline of the Lord that Paul talks about. Raising your children in the discipline of the Lord is to learn to work.
[38:07] To learn what it feels like to come home from work and feeling tired and satisfied. And so we need to do what we can as parents to get them out there in age appropriate ways to earn money, to be useful.
[38:25] God's given your children skill and ability. And he's put them in a place where there's work to be done. There's work to be had. There's money to earn. And so we need to get them going.
[38:37] You know, there's no doubt that it was in the family business that Jesus worked out my righteousness.
[38:52] It wasn't just doing so-called holy things. My righteousness and your righteousness is a carpenter's righteousness. It's a businessman's righteousness.
[39:04] It was honest scales. It was honest work. It was talking to his customers in a way that pleased the Lord. It was hard work and kind words.
[39:15] It was a righteousness from a man among men. Serving men and serving God. It was blessing his family and blessing others.
[39:26] And it was that. And then it was the hardest thing of all. It was dying for me. Living he loved me. Dying he saved me.
[39:37] And carried my sins far away. And so Paul said, and we have to say the very same thing. I can no longer live for myself. But for him who loved me and gave himself up for me.
[39:51] Now, isn't that true? And doesn't that transform your work and your life? Doesn't his love compel us?
[40:01] Isn't he worthy of our best?
[40:12] Isn't he worthy of our best? He is. And so go to work tomorrow. Go to work tomorrow, Christian, saved.
[40:23] And forgiven. And right with God. And go to work saying, here I am. Here I am. Lord, I'm yours. And I'm going to do whatever I do with all my might for you.
[40:38] So how can I glorify him? How can I serve my Savior here and now? This is how we shine as lights in a dark world. This is how we love our fellow men.
[40:50] This is how we serve God. And giving and doing what he's given us to do. This is how we fight, brothers and sisters. This is how we love God and man.
[41:01] And so let's get to it. Let's get to it. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we do ask that you would. One, that you would just.
[41:16] Holy Spirit, make us to know that love with which you've loved. And then inflamed our hearts to love and serve you. And since we spend so much of our time at work.
[41:33] And exercising the skills and the gifts and the graces that you've given to each one of us. Since we spend so much of our time doing those things. I pray that you would inflame our hearts to love you in those things and through those things.
[41:56] Teach us. To be wise. Teach us how to. To engage your world. Teach us how to. In a purposeful and intentional.
[42:11] Way. Of. We're here for you. We're here to serve you. We're here to. To do our fellow man good. And so.
[42:22] Please teach us. Teach us to think. Teach us to work. Teach us to love and to live. Like Jesus did.
[42:36] Lord Jesus, you are beautiful. You're beautiful. On the cross dying for us. And you're beautiful. Teaching. And walking with your disciples. And you are beautiful.
[42:48] In the carpenter shop. Working hard. And so please. Accept our worship. Accept our praise.
[42:58] And give us grace. That we might imitate you. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.