The Citizen, 2008-04-03, Page 19By Pastor Brent KipferBrussels Mennonite FellowshipWilliam Wilberforce almostmissed God’s call by becoming a
pastor. A British politician in the late
18th century, he became a Christian
at the age of 25.
When he came to know Jesus, his
first instinct was to quit politics and
become a pastor. By God’s grace, he
was persuaded to serve God in the
work he had already begun – as a
Member of Parliament in the British
House of Commons.
He spent the next five decades
working for the end of the slave
trade. Thank God he was not
distracted from his real work by
becoming a preacher!
Justin Martyr grew up about a
century after Jesus, just over a hill
from Galilee. In one of his writings,
he mentions that many of the plows
made by Joseph and Jesus were still
being used in his day. Jesus would
have spent far more time cutting
wood, laying stone and pounding
nails than on the road as a teacher
and healer.
What kind of attention did he
bring to his work? What was it about
his plows that made them useful for
more than a century?
Did you know that work is
mentioned more than 800 times in
the Bible? That is more than all the
words used to express worship,
music, praise, and singing
combined.
Of the 132 times that Jesus made a
public appearance in the New
Testament, 122 were in the
marketplace. Of 52 parables that he
told, Jesus put 45 in a workplace
setting. Of 40 divine interventions
recorded in the book of Acts, 39
were in the marketplace.
In Genesis 2, God gives humanity
the privilege and responsibility of
work. Verse 15 says that, “The Lord
God took the man and put him in the
Garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”
There is work in paradise! God
could have created the garden as a
place of endless vacation: Adam
lying on a hammock, drinking a
never-ending supply of root beer
floats, picking himself up every once
in a while to go for a swim or play a
round of golf or choose a new novel.
That is not how God designed
paradise. From the beginning, God
gave Adam a reason to get up in the
morning. There was work to do.
God is capable of sustaining this
earth on his own – but he puts us
here to till it and to keep it. That does
not mean that we all literally work
with soil – but we are all equipped
for some type of meaningful work.
We all have a role in tending this
earth, enriching human life, blessing
others through labour. Whatever our
job, we are called to receive it as the
Lord’s work.
The Protestant Reformer Martin
Luther had a good word to say aboutthis. He wrote: “The maid whosweeps her kitchen is doing the willof God just as much as the monk
who prays – not because she may
sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps
but because God loves clean floors.
The Christian shoemaker does his
Christian duty not by putting little
crosses on the shoes, but by makinggood shoes, because God isinterested in good craftsmanship.”God calls us to share in his work –
not as punishment, but as a privilege.
Work, of course, can sometimes be
drudgery. That is not part of God’s
plan; it is the result of living in a
world that is broken by sin. Even so,
work remains one of God’s goodgifts. To labour well, we also need tolearn how to rest well – to honour the
rhythm of activity and stillness that
God has built into creation. We need
work. We need rest. We find our true
purpose and our destiny as we trust
God in both.Imagine Jesus doing the work(whether paid or unpaid) that youdo, rubbing shoulders with the folks
you do, facing the same breakdowns
and stresses. How would Jesus
tackle your job? How are you doing
in the ministry God has given you?
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008. PAGE 19. From the Minister’s StudyTrusting in God in labour and in rest
Yummy!
Food never looked so good for these young people who
completed a 30-hour famine on Saturday to raise money for
needy countries. The total raised by Kids Care was $700.
From left: Jacob McGavin, Kristen Pipe, Mackenzie
McGavin, Jessica Miners, Heather Bone and Julena Pipe.
(Vicky Bremner photo)
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n ity Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
119 John St., Auburn
Pastor Dave Wood
519-526-1131
This Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Sunday School &
Small Groups
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, April 6
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, April 6th
Brussels Public School
10:30 am and 6:30 pm
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Light refreshments after the Service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Sunday, April 6
All Welcome
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11 a.m.
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
1st & 3rd Wednesdays - Women at the Well
Youth: Mondays - Senior 6:30 pm
- Fridays - Junior 7:30 pm
Sun., April 6: Acts 2:42ff
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
“Priorities
in the Converted
Community”
Evangelical Missionary Church
Friday, April 4 ~ 7 pm at Heartland EMC,
Clinton: Inspirational Comedy with Dr. D.
Mueller, “When I look Back, I Laugh”
Freewill Offering for Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener
Event sponsored jointly by Auburn-Blyth-Clinton EMC churches
THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 4
7 p.m. at Heartland EMC, Clinton
(just south of the lights, Hwy. 4 & 8)
Freewill offering for Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener
Inspirational
Comedy
with
Derrick
Mueller