Another extreme approach, in addition to those we saw yesterday, is to see work as something to avoid at all costs.  It’s not a new sentiment – many have seen work as a necessary evil in history.  The Greek Philosopher Aristotle saw the ability to live without having to work as a primary qualification for a worthwhile life.

Some try to work themselves as hard as possible to get to retirement, financial independence, partner, or some other goal as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, life is seldom forgiving of such imbalance.  I once met a recently retired school bus driver.  He’d worked hard at a number of difficult jobs in his life, and had just retired to live the good life.  Unfortunately he discovered at the same time that his health was failing, and he was going blind and deaf in the process.

He’d worked himself so hard, thinking the promised land was coming, ignoring his children and grandchildren by his own admission.  All that time, he didn’t notice he was supposed to live life and rest along the way, not just at the end.  No one ever promised or owed him a certain kind of retirement – yet he’d gambled his health and youth on just such a fantasy.

Work isn’t fulfilling, without work in balance.  Rest isn’t fulfilling, except in balance with work.

That isn’t to say there won’t be seasons of busy, hard work when rest is hard to find.  Starting a busyiness, residency, apprenticeship, times you need extra cash, all need hard work.  But we need to balance those times with seasons of rest, as well.  Don’t expect it will always come later.

For example, at one time a goal for early, luxurious retirement was a million in assets – but inflation means that a million isn’t worth what it used to be.  Look at Toronto real estate.  If that had been your goal, it quickly inflated out of reach.

Another example is retirement age – many people thought they just had to make it to age 65.  Now suddenly the normal retirement age is two years later, at age 67.  By the time I retire, who knows where it will be!  If that age was my goal, it only took an act of parliament to snatch it away.  Such numerical goals keep changing, and can’t be our true purpose in life.

Question: When will you know it’s time to retire?  How much will you need to save, what will you need to accomplish?  Will you ever retire?  

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

Ryan Sim - May 27, 2014

Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Practices

Remember what we studied last week? After the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ followers and enabled them to do their mission, we heard about Peter preaching to crowds, and 3000 deciding to follow Jesus at once. With 3000 people joining, they shifted instantly from a handful of people to a crowd, and needed to institutionalize a bit. That’s not a bad thing, it’s necessary with large groups. Otherwise, it’s too easy to lose sight of the group’s values, stories, etc. A group that large needs some practices to help. Listen to how their first communities were described by Luke in the book of Acts: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 ESV) The Apostle’s Teaching and Fellowship This refers to continuity with those who knew Jesus, and learned directly from him. They were devoted to learning Jesus’ original teaching, not changing it. In addition, they were not just isolated individuals, but a group…a community who spent time together around Jesus, and then in the upper room after that. These same activities spread to others who decided to follow Jesus. They had something to learn, and a community in which to learn it. Classrooms are important opportunities to discuss, refine, argue, and ultimately learn better than simply by reading alone, and a community was important here as well. Breaking of the Bread At first glance, this might just sound like they ate together. They probably did. Letters in the Bible written by one church leader, Paul, describe some feasts when Christians gathered. Many cultures gather around food, Christians are the same. But there is probably more to it than just a meal. The night before he died, Jesus gathered his disciples for a Passover meal. He took bread, broke it and said this is my body broken for you. He took a cup of wine, and said this is my blood shed for you. Whenever you do this, do it in remembrance of me. With shorthand like “the bread and wine”, it seems pretty likely Luke, the author of Acts, was referring to this practice we now know as “communion” or the Eucharist as well as or instead of a meal. They’d gathered, so it seems entirely appropriate they might have done what |Jesus told them to do whenever they gathered. Many years have passed since apostles taught and gathered, but these two practices would have helped. We’ll see two more tomorrow, but in the meantime, Question: What is our connection to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship today? In what ways is fellowship distinct from socializing?

Related Topics: Community, Discipleship, Early Church, Growth, Holy Spirit, Pioneer, Practices, Spirit | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Pioneer Story"

We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.

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