Secular and Sacred: Your God and your job. 

Matthew 13:34 (NLT) states, “Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, He never spoke to them without using such parables.” 

The substance of His parables reveal that Jesus was thoroughly familiar with the marketplace and its operation. His examples dealt with the construction business (Mt. 7:24-27); wine making (Lk. 5:37, 38); farming (Mk. 4:2-20); treasure hunting (Mt. 13:44); ranching (Mt. 18:12-14); management and labor (Mt. 20:1-16); family-owned businesses (Mt. 21:28-31); hostile take-overs (Lk. 20:9-19); return on investments (Mt. 25:14-30); future markets (Lk. 12:16-21); crop yield (Mk. 26-32); management criteria (Lk. 12:35-48); the need for research (Lk. 14:24-35); bankruptcy (Lk. 15:11-16); the advantage of leverage (Lk. 16:1-13); and venture capital in high-risk situations (Lk. 19:11-27) and others including leadership.

Jesus understood the culture of His day and related well to it. Throughout church history, many people have learned how to preach, but seem to have forgotten how to communicate. Jesus was great at relating to those around Him. Here are some interesting Biblical claims often quoted by those affiliated with Workplace Ministry (Os Hillman, Doug Spada, Mark Cress, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and most every workplace ministry and most any writer who tackles the topic of Faith at Work): “Of Jesus’ 132 public appearances in NT, 122 were in the marketplace. Of 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace context. Of 40 divine interventions recorded in Acts, 39 were in the marketplace. Jesus spent his adult life as a carpenter until age 30 before he went into a preaching ministry in the workplace. Jesus called 12 workplace individuals, not clergy, to build His church. 

Work is Worship - The Hebrew word "Avodah" is root for word from which we get the words work and worship. Work in its different forms is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible, more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise, and singing combined. 54% of Jesus’ reported teaching ministry arose out of issues posed by others” in the scope of daily life experience.” (Lewis and Lewis, London Institute of Contemporary Christianity, UK)

Jesus understood His target audience and used a language they understood. If He were in the flesh today, I’m convinced He’d be a Blogger with His own website, doing ministry on his iPad and cell phone.

Acts 17:17 (NLT), “He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.” The public square? That would be the center of commerce, the place people gathered to buy and sell. There Jesus could find a wealth of opportunities that lent themselves to illustrations folks could understand.

Here are some New Testament verses (NLT) that include the word “marketplace.”  The fact that the word is mentioned so many times ought to tell us something about its cultural significance back then and even today:

Matthew 20:3, “"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.”

Matthew 23:7, “They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’”

Mark 6:56, “Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.”

Mark 11:16, “and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.”

Mark 12:38, “Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.”

Luke 11:43, “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces.”

Luke 20:46, “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.”

John 2:16, Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Acts 16:19, “Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.”

Acts 17:5, “But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.”

1 Corinthians 10:25, “So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.”

Scripture reveals there were more than 40 meetings between Jesus and various individuals. So, who started the conversations?

In nine cases, it was Jesus who initiated the conversations. Examples: A Samaritan woman (John 4:7-42) and a crippled beggar (John 5:1-15).

In 25 instances, it was the other party who started the discussion. Jesus responded to other people’s inquiries. Examples: A rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16-30), a demoniac (Mark 5:1-20), Jairus, a synagogue ruler (Mark 5:21-43), a hemorrhaging woman (Mark 5:24-34).

Other conversations were triggered by third parties. Examples: Tax collectors and “sinners” invited to a party by Matthew (Matt. 9:9-13),

Herod, introduced by Pilate (Luke 23:6-16), Nathaniel, invited by Philip (John 1:45-51), an adulterous woman brought by the scribes (John 8:1-11).

Where did these conversations take place? The majority of Jesus’ inter-actions occurred in the workplace. Examples: With James and John (Matt. 4:21-22),with a Samaritan woman (John 4:7-42), with a lame man (John 5:1-15).

His other interactions took place in homes. Examples: Peter’s house with his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31), with a Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30), and at Zacchaeus’ house (Luke 19:1-10).

Few of His conversations were in religious settings. Instead, Jesus talked with people about spiritual issues using examples with which they were most familiar. He did not need a special environment or control over the circumstances to discuss things of eternal significance.

Here are some more work-related verses from the New Testament:

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else,” (Gal 6:4, NLT).

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17).

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col 3:22 NLT)

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward" (1 Peter 2:18).

"Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ" (Ephesians 6:5).

(Acts 20:34-35) “Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

(1 Timothy 5:8) “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

(1 Thessalonians 2:9)
 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

(2 Thessalonians 3:10-11)
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

(1 Timothy 5:8)
 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

(Hebrews 6:10)
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

Check out these interesting Bible verses having to do with working…

The First Man in the Bible Described as being filled with the Spirit of God – Moses - was a Craftsman

Exodus 31:1-11 

God Blessed the Work of Job’s Hands

Job 1:10

God Used Workmen to Build the Temple

1 Chron 22:15-16 

God Gives Us a Desire for the Work We Do

Job 14:15 

  

When We Do Our Work, We Find a Reward in Doing It

Job 34:11 

God Establishes Our Work

Psalms 90:16-17 

God Warns Against Slothful Work

Prov 18:9

God Honors Those Who Do Good Work. They Will Stand Before Kings.

Prov 22:29 

We Are to Find Satisfaction in Our Labor

Eccl 2:24 

Our Labor is a Gift of God

Eccl 3:12-13 

Here are a few of my personal favorites…

Our Labor Is Designed to Allow Us to Help Meet Other’s Needs

“If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need,” (Eph 4:28, NLT).

God Calls Us to Work in Order to Provide for Our Families

“Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat. Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living,” (2 Thess 3:10-12, NLT).

There Is An Inheritance and Reward for Being Faithful to Our Work

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ,” (Col 3:23-24, NLT).

Jesus said He came as an example. Let’s begin following His example by becoming Marketplace Ministers TODAY!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work (TCAW)