There are two extreme approaches to work:

1) Work is necessary evil. Do just enough so I never have to work again.
2) Work is the ultimate good to pursue.

We’ll look in depth at these two kinds of extreme approaches to work next week, and how they can damage us, then the next week, we’ll see what good work looks like, and how it ties in with God’s purpose and rhythm for both work and rest.

We saw with the recent devastation in Quebec how disastrous it is when trains go off the rails. They are made to run on rails. The rails are not about restricting their freedom, however. The rails give them freedom – when they hop the rails, they lose all freedom.

God has given some tracks for us. A rhythm of work & rest in a week…a year…and a lifetime.

Work is not a temporary, troublesome virus in our lives, but part of who we are. And the rhythm will help us see that while work is important, it’s not all important.

Balance and rhythm are the way to keep away from those extremes.

Challenge: Draw a continuum between these extremes – work is nothing, everything. Where are you? Where are those you know and work with? Where would you like to be?

 

Acknowledgements: Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavour and Work & Rest

Ryan Sim - December 25, 2013

Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed You

It’s Christmas Day, so we’re simply going to read the Christmas story straight from the Bible. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:1-21 ESV) Question: Have a Merry Christmas! Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community - so check out today's reading at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/readingplan Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/events/!

From Series: The Night that Changed Everything | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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