Sermons from St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes I. The Fall and the Corruption of Work (Genesis 3) * Sin enters through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. * Consequences: shame, hiding from God, broken partnership. * Work is cursed: * Pain in childbirth and relational struggle. * Toil and frustration in labor (thorns, thistles, broken systems). * Humanity tried to do life apart from God — the result is broken work. II. Three Pitfalls That Distort Work 1. Individualism – Caring Too Much About Ourselves in Work * Luke 12: The rich fool stores wealth and speaks only to himself. * God is absent from his plans and gratitude. * Diagnostic questions: * Is God your reference point? * Do you use work to serve others? 2. Idleness – Caring Too Little About the Work Itself * 2 Thessalonians 3: warning against laziness and not working. * Broader definition of work: includes unpaid, volunteer, home-based. * Matthew 25: Parable of the talents — don’t bury your gifts. * Idleness can stem from fear, not just laziness. 3. Idolatry – Caring Too Much About Work * Work becomes identity or self-worth. * Examples: over-identifying with parenting, business success, or ministry. * Signs of idolatry: * Can’t stop working. * Refusal to rest or Sabbath. * Reminder of 6+1 rhythm of work and rest from creation. III. The Way Forward: The Cross and the Spirit * The Cross: Where we bring our sin and receive forgiveness. * The Spirit: Empowerment for change and restored partnership with God. * Through the Spirit, we can: * Reject the lies of individualism, idleness, and idolatry. * Embrace a God-centered, Spirit-empowered vision for work. Sermon Application Discussion Questions: * What is one way you experience the distortion of work on a regular basis? * To which of the pitfalls of work are you most susceptible? * If you don't like your job, can you still honor God in it? How? * If someone's work is raising kids, what might sabbath look like? Additional Resources The Gospel at Work by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ).

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Notes “How can anyone remain interested in a religion which seems to have no concern with nine-tenths of his life?” — Dorothy Sayers 1. God Is a Worker – And We Are Made in His Image * * * * The Bible opens with God working—creating the world (Genesis 1:1–2:2). * As God's image bearers, we too are designed for creative, fruitful work. * Work is not an afterthought or consequence of sin—it’s part of our identity. 2. God Made a World That Needs Work * * * * God created a good, but unfinished world—full of potential. * Humans are commissioned to “fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). * We are called to develop culture, build communities, and steward creation. 3. Work Has Inherent Dignity * * * * Work existed before the fall—it is not a curse but a gift. * All kinds of work (paid, unpaid, creative, routine) matter to God. * Meaningful work is vital to human flourishing and reflects God’s character. Sermon Application Discussion Questions: 1. 2. Describe your attitude towards your work (whether paid or unpaid, inside or outside the home).  Are you positive? Negative? Motivated? Bored? Delighted? Frustrated? Can a hobby be considered work according to Genesis 1-2? Why or why not? Is it easy for you to connect your faith to your work? In what ways might knowing God's original design for work from Gen 1-2 help strengthen that connection? * Why is work important for human dignity? Additional Resources by Timothy Keller by Vern Poythress Questions? Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester ( ). Audio & Video You can listen to the sermon by using the player below or via the St Andrew's Sermon Podcast on  and .

Bible Study: Acts 1:1-11

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Steve Wood ( ).

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Outline * A warning * A story * A pattern * A mission Sermon Questions 1. What three words does Jude use to describe the church in v.1? What do these mean? 2. God saves us regardless of our state of life, yet cares deeply about transforming our lives. How do you hold those two together? 3. Babel represents a reversal of our Edenic mission—and it continues in our world today. Rather than spread God's name across the earth, we localize God and "make a name for ourselves." How do you "localize" God — in your daily rhythms, your disposition at work, your relationships with family members, etc.? For Further Study * Where to Start * The Bible Project, "The Book of Jude [https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-jude/#jude-11-4-contend-for-the-true-faith]." * Dig In * Douglas Moo, 2 Peter, Jude [https://www.amazon.com/NIV-Application-Commentary-Peter-Jude/dp/0310201047], NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997) * Dick Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter and Jude, The Bible Speaks Today (Downer's Grove: IVP Academic, 1995) * Robert W. Wall, "A Unifying Theology of the Catholic Epistles [https://jpcatholic.edu/NCUpdf/courses/BIBL524-Wall_Unifying_Theology.pdf]," in Karl Wilhelm Nieburh and Robert W. Wall (eds.), The Catholic Epistles and Apostolic Tradition (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2009), 13–40 * Level Up * Richard A. Bauckham, "James, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude," in D.A. Carson and H.G.M. Williamson (eds.), It Is Written: Scripture Citing Scripture—Essays in Honour of Barnabas Lindars, SSF (Cambridge: CUP, 2010), 303–17 * Jörg Frey, The Letter of Jude and the Second Letter of Peter: A Theological Commentary, trans. Kathleen Ess (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2018); * James B. Prothro, "Revisiting Mercy in Jude: Intervention, Intercession, and the Intruders," Journal for the Study of the New Testament (Aug. 2016), 1–23. * Robert W. Wall, "A Unifying Theology of the Catholic Epistles [https://jpcatholic.edu/NCUpdf/courses/BIBL524-Wall_Unifying_Theology.pdf]," in Karl Wilhelm Nieburh and Robert W. Wall (eds.), The Catholic Epistles and Apostolic Tradition (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2009), 13–40. Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker ( ).