260906(주일예배) 왜 일하세요? (창 2:15, 3:17-19)

Well, today I want to share a message titled, "Why do you work?" Ah, yes. Tomorrow is Labor Day for us. Perhaps because of the holiday, many of our families could not join us today. Labor Day is a commemorative day established in our country to enhance the rights and status of workers. It is commonly referred to as May Day. As the name suggests, it is usually celebrated on May 1st, but in North America, it is observed on the first Monday of September. With Labor Day approaching tomorrow, we will explore the meaning and purpose of labor within the Bible.

A wise man went to the site of a temple being built and met some workers. He asked one of the workers, "Why are you working here?" The worker, irritated, replied, "Are you asking because you don't know? I'm doing this because I have no choice; I need to make a living." Ah, what a tiring life that is. Later, in the resurrection, the wise man met another worker and asked him the same question, "Why are you working here?" This person responded, "I have a dream. I am working hard to become the best technician." Quite different, right? This person had a dream and a vision. One could say it was about personal growth or self-realization. This person was filled with passion and a bright energy.

Then, the wise man asked another person, "Why are you working here?" This person gave yet another answer: "I am building a dwelling place for God, a sanctuary where He can reside." This person was neither a supervisor nor an architect, just a laborer, yet he was overflowing with pride and joy at the thought of building a place where God would dwell. People have different purposes for working.

Now, let me ask you all. Why do you work? Why do you work? You might have your own philosophy and values to answer this, but let's simply choose from the categories of the three workers we just discussed. Why do you work? Typically, people don’t answer such questions, but you shouldn’t refrain from answering. Everyone must respond to this question.

If you think like the first worker, "I work because I have no choice; I need to make a living," please raise your right pinky toe. Ah, yes. Are there a few of you? Yes. Now, for the second worker, if you think, "I work hard for my own success," please raise your left big toe. [Laughter] Now, for the third worker, if you think, "I work for the glory of God," please give a little wink to God. Oh, yes. I see that everyone has their own perspectives.

Now, let’s find these three types of people in the Bible. First, we have those who work to make a living. People love to play, just like children who enjoy Pororo; they think playing is the best. They wish they could just play and eat like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But why can’t we just play and eat? Because we were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. The Garden was a beautiful paradise where everything was provided, but now they have been cast out. So now, they must find a way to survive on their own. This is the true misfortune of life.

We read in the scripture, specifically in Genesis 3, where God tells Adam, "You will toil for your food all the days of your life." There are many cases where one does not eat according to their toil. Why is that? "The ground will produce thorns and thistles for you." So even when you plant, you may not reap what you sow. Because of sin, the ground has been cursed, and there are times when you will not receive what you have worked for. "You will eat your food by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground." How does that feel? The punishment given to the sinner feels heavy, like rolling a heavy stone, as if it were a divine punishment for sinful humanity. Because they sinned and broke the promise by eating the forbidden fruit, they now must toil and sweat for their entire lives. It’s unfortunate, isn’t it? If only Adam had not eaten that fruit, we wouldn’t have to suffer like this. But in that one moment, he succumbed to temptation, and now, as a fate, no one can escape the burden of labor.

Today, the Bible also gives us a general law of freedom that God has given us. What is it? "A man reaps what he sows." Yes, you reap what you sow. Do not deceive yourself. God cannot be mocked; a man reaps what he sows. Is there a way to reap without sowing? Can we reap just because we pray a lot? No, that’s not possible. This is a natural law given to all people. Therefore, those who do not work and are lazy are compared to foolish people in Proverbs. The field of the lazy is full of thorns and weeds, and the stone wall is broken down, so they cannot harvest anything there. Therefore, if you do not work, you cannot eat. You cannot obtain anything. What do we call it when someone kills themselves? We call it suicide. Even if one does not make such an extreme choice, what leads one to self-destruction and death? Yes, it is laziness. The lazy person is said to kill themselves.

Thus, Paul speaks very strongly, saying, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." Do not give them food. Those who do not want to work have no right to eat. "Let him not eat," he says very strongly. The world we live in is one where you cannot eat unless you work. That is the basic principle. Therefore, if you do not work, you cannot eat.

So, must humans live their entire lives as slaves to labor? Must they struggle and toil without choice? That is natural, but still, laboring for survival can be considered an animalistic life. Don’t all animals work to survive? Don’t they hunt and live? If humans live with that mindset, they are no different from animals. Humans, who are said to be the crown of creation, should not see labor as the purpose of living but as a means to achieve something greater. Therefore, there is a separate purpose. Through labor, some people have a different goal. This means we have the wisdom to assign meaning to our labor. It is not just a matter of surviving. It is not just about working out of necessity. It is about living and making a living. This is a thoughtless, animalistic way of living. We can assign meaning and value to labor.

So, what is the true purpose and meaning we want to achieve through this means of labor? This brings us to the second group of people. Their purpose is not labor itself, but they aim to achieve something through labor. We work hard not just to survive but to pursue higher and more noble values, which can be understood as success. In fact, these things are not easy. We have talked about the healing of the past. It may seem trivial and childish, but this is the reality of workplace life. Nevertheless, even in such situations, people endure because they want to rise and succeed, to achieve their dreams. It is said that office workers always carry their resignation letters in their pockets. They go to work with the intention of quitting, but they cannot throw in their resignation letters because they want to endure, to rise, and to succeed.

Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you have to struggle and climb up from the bottom. In the world we live in, how can we prove our existence? There are aspects of our identity that define who we are, but generally, when we first meet someone, we might ask, "What is your name?" "What do you do?" When we hear, "Oh, this person does that kind of work," we begin to define them. What do you do? Depending on that, some people may feel proud, while others may feel small or diminished. Those who have climbed the ladder of success, who hold power or are respected figures, have likely endured a fierce struggle to reach the top.

However, there is a risk when standing at the top. What is it? You can fall. You can fall in an instant. A person lying on the ground has no reason to fall. A person lying on the ground never falls. However, the higher you climb, the more you can fall. Moreover, if your success is built on deceit and lies rather than hard work and sincerity, it will not last long. That is merely a recipe for catastrophic failure. James talks about this, saying, "The wealth you have hoarded will testify against you." It is a testimony of your wrongdoing, and God will judge you for it. False success is prevalent around us. Recently, a celebrity in Korea faced backlash after boasting about their prestigious lineage, claiming their great-grandfather treated the emperor, only to be met with accusations of collaboration with the Japanese. Many people may still be trying to hide their deceit, but how long can they keep it hidden? They cannot hide it forever. They cannot think they can conceal it before God.

So, while we live in a world that claims to be fair, we all agree that it is a tilted playing field. Climbing to the top in a broken and tilted field is not normal and carries inherent risks. The goal should not be to reach a high position but to live truthfully and genuinely. In developing countries, the end result is often all that matters. There was a time when we said we could not punish a coup d'état if the outcome was good. But now, no one agrees with that anymore. Now, whether it succeeds or fails, we all believe that there should be appropriate punishment. As we become a more advanced nation, it has become common sense that the process must also be just. Moreover, being recognized by God, who sees everything and knows our hearts, is crucial. Therefore, while it is important to reach the top, the process must also be just and follow the right path.

However, even if one ascends justly and leaves a legacy, can we truly say that person is a true success? If we look only at that, we might evaluate it as such. But if we broaden our perspective and view it from the standpoint of human history, the universe, and the God who created everything, can we call that success? In Psalms, it says that no matter how long we live, whether 70 or 80 years, it is all toil and sorrow. Even if someone has lived 70 or 80 years and boasts of their achievements, that boasting is merely toil and sorrow, and life quickly passes away. Why does it pass so quickly? Because it is dust. Dust. God makes humans return to dust, and if human existence is dust, what difference is there between a great achievement of dust and a dust without any achievement? What is the difference between significant dust and insignificant dust? Both are just dust. And life is fleeting. It is but a moment. A thousand years may seem like yesterday. In God's eyes, a thousand years is like a fleeting dream on a summer night.

So, if labor is seen as a means to achieve success and value, but that too seems meaningless, then what is the true purpose and meaning? For those of us with faith, what is the true purpose and meaning we should achieve? This brings us to the third group: those who work for the glory of God. Yes, our labor and our work should be for the glory of God.

Earlier, we saw in Genesis 3 that labor is viewed as a punishment due to human fallenness. However, if we look closely at this passage in Genesis 3, we see that labor itself is not a punishment. The scripture mentions that there will be increased toil. Therefore, labor itself is not God's punishment; rather, the toil and hardship are the punishments. In fact, labor is not a punishment from God but a blessing. Why is that? Because labor existed even before the fall. Do you think Adam and Eve did nothing? They did not just lounge around in the Garden of Eden. They were not idle. And while idleness may seem enviable, do you really envy the unemployed? If you want to be unemployed, you can be. But no one thinks, "Oh, that’s great!" After a year of idleness, it becomes a hellish life. So, people go out looking for work, right?

The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:15 that God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. They were to cultivate the land and manage it well. The scripture translates this as farming in the garden. Thus, even before the fall and God's judgment, labor existed. The fall turned labor from a joyful activity into a painful one. Before the fall, labor was a joyful and pleasant task, but due to human sin, joy was taken away, and now most people work reluctantly and painfully. Therefore, salvation is about restoration, isn't it? If we are to live as redeemed people, one aspect of our restoration is the recovery of labor. It should not be done reluctantly or with sighs and complaints; rather, as children of God who have been redeemed, we can now work with joy and delight. That is what I want to share now.

In the world, labor is often viewed deeply. Labor is seen as something for slaves, while the masters enjoy leisure. In our past society, scholars did not work, no matter how scarce food became. They absolutely refused to work. Those beneath them were seen as lowly and were expected to do the work. Such perceptions still linger among us today. Therefore, achieving promotion and success often means avoiding work. They do not lift a finger; they just give orders. However, if this is the view of labor in a fallen world, it is not what God originally intended for us. Labor is a precious means of glorifying God.

As we know well, in John and 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." This is the reason for our existence. It is also the purpose of our lives. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is to glorify God. Eating and drinking are essential for survival. Eating and drinking are the purpose of life. Now, what about whatever we do? This refers to labor. So, what is the purpose of survival and labor? It is for the glory of God. Yes, it is for the glory of God. Therefore, it is not merely about surviving or doing what is necessary. God has promised to provide for our needs. That is God's responsibility. So, with the life God gives us, we are to live for His glory.

In Genesis 2:15, we see that it is the Lord God who enables us to cultivate. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to farm and manage it. The one who sent them to work was God. God sent them. When Adam and Eve thought of their work as something God had entrusted to them, they must have worked joyfully and energetically. "Wow, God has entrusted me with this task!" When we are given a task we truly want to do, something precious and valuable, we feel joy and gratitude, don’t we? God entrusted me with this work. That is how Adam and Eve must have felt. They did not see it as burdensome; they must have worked joyfully.

We are called and entrusted by God. This is what we call a calling. Yes, God has called us. In our society, there used to be a term called "heavenly vocation," meaning a job given by heaven. God has called and entrusted us. So, as our youth ponder what instruments to play and how to live, many Korean people seem to base their criteria on making a lot of money and having a comfortable life. They say, "Just endure for ten years, and then you can live comfortably for the next sixty." So, from the age of ten, they push their children to study, telling them, "You need to go to medical school to make a lot of money. You need to go to law school to live comfortably." They do this without considering the child's interests.

Finding where God has sent you is crucial. Where has God placed you? Where are you needed? What do you enjoy doing? You need to find that place, regardless of whether it pays well or not, because God has promised to take care of your needs. It is not just about working for money; it is about being in the place where God wants you to be, where you are needed. You must seek that place, the place God has sent you, the job God has entrusted to you. And if you are in that place, you need to turn it around. This must become the place where God has sent you, and this work must become the work entrusted to you by God. That is how you prove your calling.

In our professions, it is essential to recognize that God has called us, and we must live as Christians who reveal God's glory and presence in that place. One of the important truths discovered by the reformers, which had been forgotten, is the calling of our professions. In the past, there was a distinction between sacred and secular work. They called some people clergy and others secular. The reformers discovered that there is no distinction between sacred and secular. Why? Because if God has called and sent you, it is a holy task. Luther said that whether you are a homemaker, a civil servant, or a farmer, you should be faithful in your life. This is your calling. This is your sacred duty.

People often ask, "Is there a hierarchy of professions?" This idea comes from Christian work ethics. People scoff, saying, "Is there a hierarchy of professions? It exists everywhere!" But if God has sent you to do something, then what is it? Yes, it is a part of God's redemptive order. Even if you are doing something mundane, if it is what God has entrusted to you, it is significant. Why? Because it is the work God has given you.

Therefore, educators have said that everyone is a priest, not just the pastor. Everyone is a priest called by God and a worshiper. The place where we live our lives is not limited to just one hour a week in church. God should be glorified not only in that hour but in all areas of our lives. God sends you to those places. He does not just send the pastor; He calls and sets you apart to send you back to those places because He wants to be glorified and worshiped there.

You are not in that position because of your efforts and success. You are not there because your boss hired you. You are in that position because God sent you there. Therefore, your sense of duty and ethics will change. You will know to whom you owe your loyalty, and you will understand that your life and death are in God's hands. Your boss may have the power to fire you, but if God has sent you, He will protect you. If you are not needed here, He will send you somewhere else. The sovereignty belongs to God.

Thus, Colossians 3 tells us this. Let’s read verses 22 and 23 together. Ready? "Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord." In conclusion, whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Do not work as if you are working for people; work as if you are working for God.

Dear beloved family in heaven, God is not just to be glorified for one hour. Yes, we should glorify Him in church, but in the fierce survival of life in the world, remember that the one who sent you is God. Believe in that calling, and may you be precious children of God who glorify Him. I bless you.

Now, is that all? Is labor just for the glory of God? No, there is more. Labor is not only for God's glory; it is also a blessing for us. Labor is not a punishment but a blessing from God. In Genesis 1:28, it says that God blessed them and told them to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth and subduing it. This is the blessing God gave to Adam and Eve. "Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it." The command to subdue does not mean to dominate with force; it means to cultivate and manage the earth well. You are not the owner; God is the owner. Since God has sent you, you are to cultivate and manage it well. That is labor. That labor is a blessing. God has given us that labor as a blessing.

God provides His blessings through labor. How? "You will eat from the fruit of your labor." The ground will produce thorns and thistles, and it will not fully return what you have worked for. However, when God is with you, "You will eat from the fruit of your labor." Not only will you eat from your labor, but He will bless you abundantly in all that you do. God’s blessings will be in the midst of it. For example, Isaac received a hundredfold blessing from his farming, didn’t he? God gives abundantly.

So, why does God give us such abundant blessings? To enjoy them. He wants us to enjoy them. In Ecclesiastes 5:19, it says that it is a gift from God. So, may you receive and enjoy the blessings God has given you. Even during this holiday, may you worship and enjoy. God does not just give you enough to get by; He gives you more. Why does He give more? So that you can be a channel of His blessings. He wants you to share the blessings He gives you with others. In Ephesians 4:28, it says that you should work with your hands to have something to share with those in need. We earn to share, and that is how we conquer and manage the world.

For our heavenly family, the two perspectives on labor are calling and blessing. Therefore, wherever you are, may you be precious children of God who reveal and proclaim God's glory.

Now, let’s wrap up the message. Why do we work? Ah, there are points one, two, and three. I hope our perspective broadens from point one to point two, and from point two to point three. It is not merely to survive or to succeed; it is beyond that. We work for the glory of God. Labor is not a punishment we endure reluctantly; it is a calling and a blessing from God. Therefore, even if it seems like a trivial position or a lowly job, if you have faith that it is the place God has sent you, it is a blessed position entrusted to you that no one else can fulfill. So, may you reveal and proclaim God's glory in that place.

Now, how should we work specifically? I cannot explain everything in detail, but I will simply read the titles. First, let’s read together. Ready? "Do not work as if you are pleasing people; work as if you are working for God." Wherever you are, do it as if you are working for God. Secondly, what is it? Yes, let’s start. "Work diligently, faithfully, and with loyalty." This is God's integrity. Just because I am the owner does not mean I can do as I please. It is God's integrity. God is the owner. Therefore, I must work diligently, faithfully, and with enthusiasm to serve the Lord.

What is the third point? "Work joyfully and with delight." Yes, this is the decisive difference between those who are saved and those who are not. The fall due to sin has made our labor burdensome and something we want to avoid. However, as redeemed children of God, our work is not merely for survival. It is a holy calling, a sacred duty. This is God's work. Therefore, we should work with joy and gratitude, knowing that we can do God's work. There is a saying: "Effort cannot be defeated by talent, and talent cannot defeat joy." Knowing that our workplace is God's work, we should work joyfully and with delight.

So, there is a hymn, number 458: "Will you carry the cross with a joyful heart?" Jesus did that. Jesus carried the cross joyfully. While it was indeed painful, there was joy beyond that. Labor may be hard and sweaty, and that is true. But if that is all there is, it would be meaningless and miserable. However, that is not the case. There is a calling from God, a mission to reveal God's glory, and blessings that come through it. So, may you participate in your work with joy and gratitude, revealing God and proclaiming His glory as precious children of God. I bless you in the name of the Lord.