9-5
A People in Search of a King: A Bible Study on Joshua, Judges, and Samuel
Talk 1: Work in The Garden
Today, we start an exciting new series titled 9 to 5.
The simple logic why we’re doing this teaching series: Your job matters to you. Thus, your job matters to God– because YOU matter to God.
God cares about your 9-5. He wants to be present Monday through Friday and at the center of your career.
The First Worker was God– He worked for six days to create the universe and man and woman. And He rested on the seventh day.
Then, God settled Man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it.
Adam was assigned as the Assistant Gardener to help the Original Gardener to flourish the Garden.
Work is God’s special gift to us.
But because of sin, we now have to work outside the Garden.
So, there are two kinds of work: Work inside the Garden. And work outside the Garden.
Work with God. And work without God.
The key message of Talk 1 is: Work in the Garden.
Talk 2: My Work is my Worship
We are now in Talk 2 of our new Feast Talk Series, 9 to 5.
Today, we will answer the question: Why are so many people not happy with their jobs?
Many people are full-pledged, card-carrying, official members of the TGIF Club, which means “Thank God It’s Fayday!”
They work only for the money.
But this was never God’s original idea for work.
Today, we will discuss how your work can sanctify your Monday
to Friday work week.
The key message of Talk 2 is: “My work is my worship.”
Talk 3: Sacred Rhythm of Work and Rest
WELCOME to the third installment of our series, 9-5.
In the past two talks, we learned this shocking truth: Secular work can be sacred. That through our ordinary jobs, whether we’re selling soap or pulling teeth or balancing spreadsheets, God wants to work beside us, so that together, we can replant the Garden of Eden on our Planet.
In today’s Talk 3, we’ll learn an equally important truth: By itself, work is not enough. To walk, you need two feet. To walk with God, you need the right foot of work and the left foot of trust—which is expressed through rest.
Friend, God invites us to enter into this holy rhythm of work and rest.
The key message of Talk 3: Meet God in your quiet place.
Talk 4: When Work is Suffering
In the past three weeks of our teaching series, 9-5, we explored how God sees secular work as sacred work.
And together with a rhythm of rest, we captured the original design of work. (See Genesis 2:15 below)
Occasionally, in our jobs, we get glimpses of this original design.
There are days when we enjoy our work. When we feel fulfilled. But for most, work is far from this beautiful idea…
For millions of people, work is suffering.
Here’s the big question of today’s Talk: How can we find God even when work is suffering? (There is a way, and Talk 4 unpacks it.)
The key message: God will turn bad into good.
Talk 5: Jesus Had a Job
We imagine Jesus only as a preacher, healer, and miracle-worker.
But He did these tasks for three years only. Before His ministry, for 18 long years, Jesus worked as an ordinary carpenter like his father Joseph.
But this was hidden work. The Bible never recorded a single word from Joseph. He didn’t preach with words–He preached by raising Jesus, the Word.
Fact: 99% of your work is hidden.
The key message of Talk 5 is: God sees your hidden ordinary work.