September 23, 2007

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

 Your Profession and Your God

 

Introduction: “Jesus, the Carpenter”

 

In the Bible, people are often referred to by their first name followed by their profession. Cornelius, a centurion, was told by an angel to send down to Joppa for Simon Peter who was lodging with Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” (Acts 10:5-6.) Simon made leather products, even tents, from the skins of animals. Lydia is known as the seller of purple. (Acts 16:14.) Paul referred to an unbeliever as Alexander the coppersmith who did him much harm. (2 Tim. 4:14.) In the list of the apostles, Matthew refers to himself as Matthew the publican. (Matt. 10:3.) People were known by what they did for a living. Our profession is a major part of our lives. Having the right attitude toward our work is important. Paul wrote these helpful words:

 

“. . . not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:22-24.)

 

It is a liberating view to understand that you serve the Lord Christ in your professions and not men. It helps you to continue to do a good job even when your employer may be difficult. You serve someone higher in rank than he is. Harvey Starling once said, “What we need is not necessarily more preachers, but more Christians in all the professions.” In this way, we become the salt of the earth in every place. What you do in life is important; do it as your service to the Lord.

 

In the Bible we have the record of many people and their professions. It is interesting and helpful to see the relationship between their jobs and their service to God. Christianity is more than what we do on Sundays; it involves the whole person not just the spirit within. It is a part of your faith to provide for your families and take care of the children. Paul wrote that if any provided not for his own family, he is worse than an infidel and has denied the faith. (1 Tim. 5:8.) Here is a direct connection between working to provide for members of one’s household and faith. Modern religions often make the mistake of separating the two as if there is no connection. The other eleven tribes of Israel were just as spiritual as the Levites, though the Levites did not farm or raise animals.

 

Jesus, the carpenter. (Mark 6:3.) Remember that Jesus spent most of his life in a carpenter’s shop. He wasn’t always out preaching to the crowds and healing people. Joseph taught him the trade and he practiced it after his father died. Jesus was the oldest son in the family; it was his responsibility to take care of the family. He had four brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and sisters. After his father died, there were at least eight in the family to support. (Matt. 13:55.) Jesus preached for three years, but worked as a carpenter for about 18 years (from twelve to thirty). There is always some connection between one’s work and Christianity.

 

A carpenter would make many useful items out of wood. He made tables, chairs, doors, pieces of furniture, and yokes for farmers to use.

 

Jesus once taught: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon your and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30.) Jesus knew firsthand what he was talking about; he had made wooden yokes. Animals and men used them to make their work easier. The intention of a yoke is to help you carry a burden. Jesus does not add to our burdens in life, contrary to popular opinion. He makes it easier for us to live each day. Because of Jesus, even our jobs are easier. We do them as service to him, remembering that he worked manually and had blisters on his hands. When the Roman soldiers drove the nails through his hands, they did not see tender and weak hands. They saw the hands of a carpenter.

 

Paul, the tent-maker. The Bible reveals that Paul the apostle became a tent-maker. We do not know when Paul learned this trade. He came from a well-to-do family in Tarsus. He was highly educated in matters of Jewish religious thought at the feet at Gamaliel. It was the custom of Jews to teach their sons a trade; this was for financial security. His parents may have taught Saul how to make tents.

“After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought; for by their occupation they were tentmakers.” (Acts 18:1-3.) This is the first reference to Paul’s trade as a tent-maker. The word used here can refer to one who works with both cloth and leather. Tents were made of both materials.

 

Paul supported himself as much as possible to keep critics from saying that Paul preached for money. Yet Paul argued that preachers have the right of support, just as an ox has the right to eat some of the corn in the field. (1 Cor. 9:9.) It is interesting to think of the times that Paul may have slept under the protection of one of his own tents while traveling from one strange city to another.

 

Paul once referred to the human body as a tent. He wrote to the Corinthians: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; if so being clothed we shall not be found naked.” (2 Cor. 5:1-3.) Paul knew all too well the fleeting nature of this life; a tent compared to a permanent building served well to describe this life compared to eternal life. This is one of the values of our occupations, whatever they are; they teach us about life and things concerning the Gospel.

 

Luke, the beloved physician. Luke could be called a first-century historian. His two lengthy letters to his friend, Theophilus (lover of God), are a valuable part of the New Testament record. He was a companion of Paul on part of his missionary journeys. He traveled with Paul from Caesarea to Rome.  Paul referred to him as “Luke the beloved physician.” (Col. 4:14.) His being a physician might explain how he got on the small ship with Paul and other prisoners. Or, the simplest explanation might be best—he simply paid for his fare like other travelers did. Nevertheless, God provided a doctor to travel with Paul who was often beaten and stoned.

 

Luke recorded these words of Jesus when he was asked why he ate with publicans and sinners: “They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32.) Jesus is described as a physician who makes the sick well again. We sing about the Great Physician.

 

Because Luke is a physician, he uses medical terms to vividly describe things concerning the Gospel. Medical terms are found throughout both the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. William Hobart’s book, The Medical Language of St. Luke, refers to over 400 passages in Luke-Acts where medical terms are used. For example, Luke related the account by Jesus about how difficult it will be for rich people to enter into the kingdom of heaven. He said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle; Luke used a term that refers to a surgeon’s needle. (Luke 18:25.)

 

Peter’s mother-in-law was healed by Jesus. Luke said that she was ill with a high or great fever. (Luke 4:38.) Mark just used the word, fever. (Mark 1:30.) Luke also described a man who was full of leprosy. (5:12.) Other writers just said leprosy. Luke gives intensity and detail to his condition.

 

Luke refers to a sick woman who often went to doctors for help. She spent a lot of money paying medical bills to no avail. She touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was immediately healed. (Luke 8:43-44.) The beloved physician did not hesitate to give this account of healing. Luke recorded many such examples of the sick and infirmed being healed. From a doctor’s viewpoint, this is interesting that Luke not only recorded what Jesus and the apostles did, but he believed what he saw. Paul, with whom Luke traveled, performed miracles in the presence of Luke. Here was an educated man who would have known it if the healings were false. Yet, he reported these things as an eyewitness and verified the truthfulness of what he saw.  

 

David, the shepherd. While in his pre-teen and teen years, David spent much time watching and protecting his father’s flocks. David did not waste time out there alone. He learned how to play the harp and wrote many touching psalms in which he worshipped God. He learned a lot about sheep and the duties of a shepherd. David learned the power of living a spiritual life. Paul wrote about some who had a form of godliness but denied the power thereof. David learned to trust God when danger came; the young David learned how to defend the flock by using the sling, but chiefly by his trust in God. He once killed a lion and a bear when they threatened the flock. Due to his experiences guarding and tending to the sheep, he wrote these deeply spiritual words:

 

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff; they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23.)

 

These words of young David have comforted the hearts of millions in life and death. These six verses may be the most read and memorized passages in the Bible. The story was told about an actor who was asked to recite the words of Psalm 23. After careful study of the text and getting his voice ready, he repeated the words perfectly, with flawless diction and voice control. The audience was left spell-bound. Then they asked an aged minister who had suffered along side many others in times of sorrow and grief; he too had endured much pain in life and relied heavily upon God. He first told them no, but they insisted. His voice was growing weak and trembled occasionally. But with meaning and personal experience, he began, The Lord is my Shepherd. . . . When he finished with, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, tears filled the eyes of everyone present. The actor knew oratory and diction, but the preacher knew the Shepherd. David knew the good Shepherd by hours of devotion and worship. He learned to trust Him.

 

The reluctant prophets. Often in the Old Testament, when God called the prophets to speak in his name, they were reluctant. Often they would say to leaders in Israel, I did not want to come to you and tell you this message. I was just a farmer, or herdsmen (Amos 1:1), or a shepherd. Amos told Amaziah, “I was no prophet; neither a son of a prophet, but I was a herdsmen and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.” (7:14.) You remember how Moses protested against God sending him to Pharaoh. But these are the ones God has always wanted so that the power will not be of men, but of God. (1 Cor. 2:5.)