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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
Revised, September 2, 2012
Labor & Leisure
Selected Scriptures
Introduction
Tomorrow marks the 130th celebration of a Labor Day in the United States. On September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union of New York City sponsored a parade in which ten thousand workers
took an unpaid day off to march from City Hall to Union Square. The idea for it came from either Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, who wanted to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold,” or from Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. It did not take long for the idea of a “workingmen’s holiday” to catch on and spread. Some cities recognized it by 1885. Oregon passed a law recognizing it in 1887 followed later that same year by Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. By 1894, twenty-three other states had adopted a worker’s holiday, and Congress established the first Monday in September as a Federal legal holiday that same year. The day was celebrated with parades and then a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. Speeches were introduced later. Similar activities still occur in many places along with picnics, barbeques and fireworks. For most Americans, Labor Day marks the end of Summer activities and the start of the back-to-school season.
In 1909 the American Federation of Labor adopted the Sunday preceding Labor Day as Labor Sunday dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the Labor movement. In keeping with that idea, I want us to see what the Scriptures say about the topic of labor this morning for that applies to everyone, employer and employee alike.
Work is one of those things that we have a love – hate relationship with. As one person put it, “Work is something that when we have it, we wish we didn’t, and when we don’t have it, we wish we did.” That probably says more about the nature of man than the nature of work. Another fellow said, “When it comes to work, there are many who will stop at nothing.” Think about that for a minute!
Why such love and hate for work? Why is it that when we labor hard we dream about when we can take a vacation, and yet, as Anatole France put it, “Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another.” The truth of that statement is seen in how many people need to go back to work to get some rest from their vacation.
We have a love – hate relationship with labor because there are two sides to it. We hate labor because it reminds us, or at least it should remind us, of the curse that all mankind is under because of Adam’s sin. We now live by “the sweat of our brow” instead of leisurely enjoying the fruits of the Garden. At the same time we find in the Scriptures that there is a side of work that can be called nothing other than a blessing from God. This morning I want to look at both the curse and blessing of labor as well as the proper use of leisure
Labor
(See: Honorable Labor – 8/31/03)
The Curse of Labor
Genesis 3 gives us the account of how labor became a curse when Adam and Eve fell into sin. God’s command prohibited Adam and Even from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which was in the midst of the Garden (Gen 2:17). Eve was deceived by the serpent and ate from it. She then gave some of the fruit to Adam who also ate of it. As a result of their sin, Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:14-16 tells us of God’s curse on the serpent and upon Eve for their part in the fall of mankind. Genesis 3:17-19 tells us God’s curse on Adam and the ground.
“17 And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you saying, You shall not eat of it: ‘Cursed be the ground because of you; In toil you shall you eat of it all the days of your life; 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground; Because from it you were taken. For you are dust; and to dust you shall return”.
This is the curse of labor. Ever since Adam’s fall, man has had to earn his living by the sweat of his face while fighting against a cursed earth. Before their fall, Adam and Eve tended the Garden of Eden, but that did not require the kind of sweat that gardening requires now, nor did they have to contend with weeds like we do now. All those who garden, whether vegetables or flowers, know the curse of weeds by first hand experience. It always seems that the weeds grow much better than anything you plant. That is the curse of labor. It is not just the toil of laboring hard and sweating. It is fighting against a cursed earth. It is laboring hard and finding that you may have little or nothing to show for it.
This curse is part of Solomon’s laments in Ecclesiastes about the vanity of life when it is lived apart from God. Consider a couple of his statements about labor. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 ( DBY) “And whatsoever my eyes desired I kept nothing from them: I did not withhold from my heart any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 6:7 DBY “All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.” That is a good description of our labor. No matter how much we may achieve, there is this feeling that it is not enough, there is more to do, more to achieve, more to accomplish. Our satisfaction is brief. It ends up being vanity. That is part of the curse.
In addition, what you do gain by your labor cannot be taken with you, and worse yet, it may all be left to a fool. Ecclesiastes 2:18-21 “And I hated all my labor wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor at which I have labored, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 “Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labor [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not labored in it shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.” This is all part of the curse upon man.
All of us are personally acquainted with the curse of labor. The satisfaction of it all is temporary. You cannot take it with you resulting in someone else reaping the benefit of all your work. Or you labor hard just to see all your hard work come to nothing. How many times have you worked on some project only to have the boss cancel the whole th
ing? Or you put something together and see it break the first time you try it. Or you labor hard on something and someone else breaks it. When I was about 19, I spent all Summer hand sanding and refinishing my 1966 Mustang. I had it the way I wanted it for only a short time when someone hit it the parking lot while I was in class. All that labor and expense was made futile in a moment of time. Then there is the additional problem of rust and rot that destroys what you labored on over time.
The curse of sin has made labor vexation, toil, grief and full of sorrow. But not all labor is that way, for we find that there is yet a shadow of God’s original design in labor because it is also a blessing.
The Blessing of Labor
Remember that while Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they were busy with work from the first day of life. Their labor was actually a reflection of God’s character since the Lord had worked the first six days in creating everything. Genesis 1:28 records Adam’s initial job description, “And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over every animal that moves on the earth. Genesis 2:19-20 records Adam’s initial task in fulfilling his responsibility. “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.” (NASB95). Adam’s job was to rule over the earth with the first task being to name all the animals. He was responsible to oversee the Garden in Eden, so there was work to do and it was good for him to do it.
Many Scriptures talk about the value and importance of labor and of doing a job well done. Even in Solomon’s negative state he saw that labor was also good. Ecclesiastes 2:24 “There is nothing better for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment without Him?” Solomon recognized that while the curse of sin had made labor difficult and without the rewards that could have been, yet labor was still the gift of God to men. Ecclesiastes 3:10-13, ” I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy their time. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor – it is the gift of God.”
We also need to recognize that the work we have is given to us by God, and we should thank Him for it. There is no disgrace in honest work, but there is disgrace in dishonest gain and in idleness. Proverbs 10:2 – “Ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death.” Proverbs 13:11 – “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.” Work is also the remedy for a host of maladies including poverty, sickness and melancholy. Proverbs 14:23 – “In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 16:26 – “A worker’s appetite works for him, For his hunger urges him on.” The Apostle Paul said that those who would not provide for their own families were worse than infidels (1 Timothy 5:8). He also said that those who were unwilling to work should not eat ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ephesians 4:28 tells us that we are to labor not only to provide for ourselves and our household, but also in order to have something to share with those in need.
Our society has lost its legacy of the Puritan work ethic which was a major factor in making this country great. The Puritans succeeded in this land because they understood God desired them to be diligent workers. They did not work to succeed, but succeeded because they worked. George Fuermann reports the following sarcastic notice seen at a company.
“To all employees: Due to increased competition and a desire to stay in business, we find it necessary to institute a new policy. We are asking that somewhere between starting and quitting time, and without infringing too much on the time usually devoted to Lunch Periods, Coffee Breaks, Rest Periods, Story Telling, Ticket Selling, Vacation Planning and the re-hashing of yesterday’s TV programs, each employee endeavor to find some time that can be set aside and known as the ‘Work Break.'”
Labor is the gift of God. We should be thankful for it and endeavor to please the Lord as we do it. Our attitude in doing our labor it is as important as doing it.
Proper Labor Before the Lord.
First, as Christians, we are to follow the example of our Lord. All indications are that Jesus labored in the family carpentry business prior to His entry into public ministry. My father was a carpenter and I can tell you that carpentry is a lot of labor. Think about it, Jesus spent the bulk of His life on earth in skilled labor! That is quite a testimony to us about the importance of work. In addition, Jesus labored hard during His public ministry. It was His habit to get up before sunrise and go off by Himself to pray. He traveled all over the nation by walking from place to place. He was busy healing people of their diseases and sickness, casting out demons, teaching and preaching. All of that is physically demanding. Matthew 8:24 records that one time Jesus was so tired that He fell asleep in a boat that was in the middle of a lake during a storm.
Second, a true Christian serves Jesus in all their work. Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Regardless of who signs your paycheck, you actually work for Jesus. Are you laboring in a manner worthy of Him? Does your attitude toward work reflect that truth?
The curse of sin has given labor a negative aspect. We work hard and sweat and find it is a constant battle against all sorts of problems. The fruits of labor are short lived at best and sometimes are even completely worthless. That is all part of the curse of sin. But Labor is also a good thing. It is a gift from God by which we earn our living, enable ourselves to serve others, and with which we serve God. Jesus Christ Himself set the example for us to work, both physically and spiritually. The most important aspect of our labor to keep in mind is that Jesus is our boss, so regardless of what job we have, it is really Him that we ultimately serve, and we should be “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Are you working for yourself, for your boss, for some company, or for Jesus?
Leisure
(See: Holy & Free, Part 6: Leisure and Holy & Free, Part 5: Music, Part 2 )
Introduction
The second thing that comes to mind on labor day is leisure since that is what most people will be doing instead of labor. What do you do for leisure? Only a couple of generations ago there would have been little consideration of leisure because the labor of daily existence left little time for what we commonly think of as leisure activities. A far
mer has to make sure that his animals are taken care of every day. The daily chores would not leave a lot of time for too much else. And if you have to get up at 4:00 AM or earlier, who wants to stay up late into the evening?
Christians have responded to the idea of leisure in many different ways. Some Christians condemn leisure activities as tools of the devil and a waste of time while citing Ephesians 5:16, “redeem the time because the days are evil,” as the Biblical proof. There are others that take the opposite view and see leisure activities as the proof of a God blessed life. Both of these views are extreme and contradictory to what the Bible says.
The Bible gives balance to life. God Himself set the pattern for us when He rested from his labor on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Jesus made it clear in Mark 7:27 that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” God did not need to rest, but man does. The Sabbath fulfilled a dual purpose. First, it set aside a day in which man could rest from his labor and focus his attention on the worship of God. That is why is was designated as a “holy day” (Exodus 20:10) of “solemn rest” that they might humble their souls (Leviticus 16:31). This gave the time needed to “be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). If you are not walking well with the Lord, the idea of being quite and reflecting on God is scary, so many people keep very active or at least distract themselves with the radio, music or TV. Yet being quite before God is needed to walk properly with Him. The Sabbath was a day to be “celebrated” (Exod. 31:16) for a “holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:3) as a special day in which people could gather together for worship.
Second, man needs to have a physical and mental break from his continual labor. We all know this intuitively or by personal experience, and behavioral studies have shown that when people continually labor for too many days in a row, they become less productive as their bodies and minds decline as fatigue sets in. God has designed into man a need for leisure
The question before us today is not about the need for time off from work, but rather, what should be done with that time off? What is or is not proper leisure?
Leisure in Scripture
There are several interesting words used to bring out the idea of leisure in the Bible.
The first word is the verb, eukairew / eukaireo, and its cognate noun eukairia / eukairia, which can be translated as “opportunity,” “seasonable time,” “spend time” or “leisure.” An interesting usage occurs in Mark 6:31( ESV), “And he said to them, Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” They were so busy they did not have leisure time to even have a meal. Perhaps you feel like that at times. It is a strange reality that a society which enjoys more leisure time than most people in history could even imagine, thrives on fast food. Why? Because of the rush to do the next thing, which is often a leisure activity. Grab a burger and get to the game. Perhaps it is good to be reminded that eating and leisure go together. Sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal with your family and friends.
Another word used in the same verse is anapauw / anapauo which is translated as “rest” or “be refreshed.” It can also refer to ceasing from any movement, keeping quiet, and even be an aspect of sleeping (Mark 14:41). Jesus saw they needed to cease from their labor for awhile in order to recover and collect strength. All of us need such rest at times even if only for a day or two. But be careful here, many people expend more energy playing during their vacation than they do at work. They come home from vacation tired from laboring at their leisure labor instead of being refreshed.
Related words are the noun, katapausiV / katapausis, which refers to a place of rest, and its cognate verb, katapauw / katapauo, which means to “give rest” or “take rest.” This is the word used in Hebrews 4:4,8, 10 to refer to Genesis 2:2 that God rested on the seventh day. God ceased His work of creation and was quiet on the seventh day. That is the pattern that He set for us to follow in life.
Keeping Leisure Proper
God has stated that proper leisure is good, but what kinds of leisure activities are acceptable to Him? It should be obvious to everyone that some leisure activities will be beneficial, some neutral and some detrimental to your physical, emotional or spiritual health. Here are some self-evaluating questions to use in considering any particular activity. Why do you want to do it? What purpose will it serve? Will it build me or others up in Christ? (1 Cor. 10:23) Will it be a help or hindrance to holy living? (Heb. 12:1-3) Would it cause others to stumble? (Rom. 14) Does it bring me into bondage or cause me to lose control? (1 Cor. 6:12). Is it morally positive, neutral or negative? Am I using it as a covering for my own sin? (1 Pet. 2:16) Does it violate my conscience (Rom. 14:23) Would I do this if Jesus was with me? (1 John 2:5,6 – and Jesus is always with you). Will it glorify God? (1 Cor. 10:31)
Let’s apply these principles to some common leisure activities.
Sports. It is fine to attend or participate in most sports activities. Sports can even provide opportunities for Christian outreach by developing relationships with the other players or spectators. You just need to take advantage of the opportunities. Sports can also be used for teaching positive values such as commitment, self-discipline and team work. However, if winning becomes primary, then poor sportsmanship will be taught including selfishness, cheating, grumbling, anger and even violence. Spectators have to cautious about other fans that may be drunk, foul-mouthed, insulting or even violent.
There must also be caution about the amount of finances and time that is committed to the sport. It can become consuming to the point that basic responsibilities to others and God are neglected. That is sin. I have seen people go into debt, marriages strained and families drop out of church life because of sports interests. It is fine to use leisure for sports as long as the proper cautions are used.
Games are similar to sports, but they require little physical ability, though they often require at least some mental effort. The recreation involved is found in either beating chance or showing superior strategy against an opponent. There are all sorts of games: card games, video games, board games, and mental challenges such as mazes and crossword puzzles.
Evaluate games according to the general questions and consider specific cautions related to the type of game. For example, some games have an element of gambling in them. The Bible is clear that as stewards of what God has entrusted to us, gambling is unwise at best and can often be evil. As one person quipped, “the lottery is a tax on those who are mathematically challenged,” and the pursuit of gambling for financial gain is both selfishness and a refusal to follow God’s plan for gaining wealth (See: Proverbs 8:22; 21:5; 23:4; 28:20,22 cf. Proverbs 10:4; 13:11 & Matthew 6:33). If you play a gambling game, remove the financial aspect by playing for M & M’s, toothpicks or other inconsequential item.
Education games can help you teach everything from math, history, and science to languages and typing skills. However, evaluate them whether they are teaching the truth. A game about dinosaurs that teaches evolution could undermine the Biblical worldview you are to teaching your children.
Most games also have some moral element in them so eval
uate whether they teach godly values. Games that require you to lie, such as Sticky Situations, are to be avoided. How you play the game must also be considered. Trouble can be played viciously or as a fun game of chance. Monopoly can be played viciously or as a strategic game of chance that teaches economic lessons. We have used both in teaching our children the consequences of being mean and the virtue of being kind. Winning is not everything.
Role playing games require extra caution. While some are very good, there are also those that are subtly evil and others that are openly demonic. Two additional evaluation questions to consider: 1) Is your fantasy role characterized by righteousness? 2) Would Jesus play the game with you? A negative answer to either should end the argument about whether it is an appropriate game.
Entertainment, which includes music, concerts, movies, TV, theater and such, is another large area of leisure activities. I will be talking about this in more depth in a sermon in the future, but in brief, Entertainment must be also evaluated with extra caution about the moral message being communicated. One of the best books to help you learn to properly evaluate entertainment is Worldly Amusements by Wayne Wilson. Here are some questions you should consider.
Is the message of the entertainment good, neutral or evil?
Is the message compatible with a Biblical worldview?
Is the message truthful? Does it present lies as truth?
Does it use evil methods to present its message?
Does it violate the “law of love”? Does it require others to commit acts of sin in producing the entertainment?
Does it denigrate our Lord?
Does is stimulate sinful interests?
These questions should be asked before you go or watch, so read reviews, ask others and check out Web sites such as www.capalert.com, and www.kids-in-mind.com.
Godly Leisure. If leisure is the time we have available to do what we want instead of what we must, let me challenge you with a completely different way of using your leisure time. How much do you want to know God and serve Him? What better use of leisure time could there be than in Bible study, prayer, and serving Him with whatever spiritual gifts He has entrusted to you? When we add in the fact that God desires us to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil (Romans 16:19), then it would be wise of us to use our leisure time in pursuing what will help increase our understanding and practice of what is good and refrain from what is evil.
People often say they do not have time to read, study, pray or serve the Lord, yet they seem to always have time for the other types of leisure activities I have already mentioned. Your use of leisure time will reveal what is important to you. The fact that you are here this morning tells me that you have at least some interest in knowing and serving God. Are you balanced in your leisure activities or does selfishness hinder you from keeping God’s priorities?
Keeping Leisure Balanced
Leisure is not something you deserve, but is a God given blessing for which He expects you to be a good steward. Are you thankful for the leisure time you have whether it is a little or a lot? What are you doing with the leisure time that you have? Are you using it wisely?
Rest is good and needed for the refreshment of body and mind. Even Jesus needed rest, but we are not to be lazy.
Sports can be great and participation in them can be good exercise that is often needed. But sports are not to be central in our lives. They should never become controlling of your leisure time or detrimental to your pursuit of holiness.
Games can be a lot of fun and many are also educational and can even be used to develop godly character. Caution needs to be exercised to avoid games that are contrary to godliness. If you don’t think Jesus would play the game with you, then so something else.
Entertainment can be a nice way to relax, but you must be careful of the message and moral values that come with it. Is it good, neutral or evil?
Study is good, but even here we must be cautious for as Ecclesiastes 12:12 warns, “the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion [to books] is wearying to the body.”
Balance is not achieved by keeping a schedule of the activities you do and making sure you put in so much time into each slot. Balance is maintained by godliness and being sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit so that you will keep the priorities that God has set for your life as He desires. God does want your leisure activities to include Bible study, prayer and service, but He also knows your physical and mental limitations, so He wants you to also to have leisure to rest and be refreshed.
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the words “labor” & “leisure”are said. 2) Discuss with your parents how they respond to their jobs and the things that you should considered before and while participating in any leisure activity.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. What is the origin of Labor Day? What is its purpose? What do you usually do during this holiday? How do you feel about your work? Why? What is the “curse of labor”? What is its origin? How does this curse affect your life? What are your thoughts about each of the following passages of Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:10-11; 2:22,23; 6:7; 2:18-21 and Psalm 90:10. What is the blessing of labor? What are your thoughts about Adam’s first work – Genesis 1:28,29; 2:19,20. Do you agree or disagree with Solomon’s statements about labor in Ecclesiastes 2:24,25 & 3:10-13? Why or why not? What should be done with those unwilling to work – 2 Thessalonians 3:10? What did the puritan’s succeed? What labor did Jesus do while on earth? – While a child? While living with His parents and siblings? During His public ministry? How did such labor affect him? Who is your real boss? How does your work reflect that fact? If you need to make changes in your life, what are they and when will you make those changes? What is leisure? How do you spend your leisure time? What does the Bible say about leisure? Explain the Sabbath and any meaning it has for Christians. What questions should be asked when evaluating any particular leisure activity? What are the positive aspects to sports? What cautions need to be heeded in sports? What are positive aspects to games? What does the Bible say about gambling? How good of a steward are you? What cautions apply to edutainment games? What cautions apply to Role Playing Games? What kinds of entertainment do you enjoy? What cautions need to be heeded in your entertainment choices? What do you find offensive in entertainment? Why? Can sin be justified by calling it “art”? What should you do before being entertained to keep from being offended? What are some godly things you can do during your leisure time? What are your priorities in life? What are the priorities God wants you to have? How can you keep all of these priorities properly balanced in a way pleasing to God?
Sermon Notes – 9/2/2012
Labor & Leisure – Selected Scriptures
Introduction
We hate labor because it is a reminder of the _______ that is upon mankind because of sin
We love labor because God has designed aspects of it to be a ________
The Curse of Labor
Genesis 3:17-19 – God’s ________ on Adam included “by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.”
The curse also included ________ and thistles (weeds)
No matter how much you achieve, there is always a sense of _______ and that there is more to do
The satisfaction of work is ___________, you can’t take it with you, someone else will reap its ________
The curse of sin has made ________ vexation, toil, grief and full of sorrow
The Blessing of Labor
Genesis 1:28 – Adam had a _______ from the very first day of life.
Genesis 2:19-20 – Adam’s first _______ was to name all the animals
While the curse of sin has made labor difficult and with less rewards, it is still the _______of God to men
Work is the _________ for a host of maladies including poverty, sickness and melancholy.
The Puritans understood God’s direction for _________. They succeeded because they _________.
Proper Labor Before the Lord
We are to follow our Lord’s example, and Jesus ___________ most of His life as a carpenter
Jesus labored hard in His ________even becoming so physically tired He _______in a boat during a storm
The Christian works for ________regardless of who signs the paycheck
We are to be steadfast in our work for the Lord knowing our ____is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58)
Leisure – Introduction
There are extreme views about leisure among Christians. Some __________it. Other _________in it.
The Bible brings _______to life
The Sabbath was a day set aside for the _______of man so he could rest from his labor and focus on ____
The Sabbath was a special day for people to gather together in the _________of God
The Sabbath gave man a physical & mental break from _____. God designed man with a need for ______
eukairew / eukaireo = “opportunity,” “seasonable time,” “spend time” or “________.”
anapauw / anapauo = “to ________,” “to be refreshed,” “keeping quiet,” “an aspect of sleeping.”
katapausiV / katapausis = “a place of ______” Verb form = to “give or take _______”
Keeping Leisure Proper
Leisure activities may be beneficial, neutral or detrimental to your physical, emotional or spiritual ______
Evaluate possible leisure activities according to _________principles and precepts
Sports – can provide opportunities for Christian ___________ and teaching positive ________
Caution must be take in regards to ___________and actions of players & spectators at sporting events
Caution must be take in regards to ___________ and time commitments
Games – are similar to sports, but require little physical ability.
Use the same ___________ as apply to sports
Gambling is both selfishness and a refusal to follow _________ plan for gaining wealth
Be careful that educational games actually teach the __________
Evaluate both the __________elements of any game and the manner in which it is played
Evaluate role playing games by the _________character of the role and whether ______ would play it
Entertainment – ___________by all the principles mentioned above. Do this ________you to or watch it.
Godly Leisure
Leisure allows you to do what you want rather than what you ________.
There is no better use of __________ time than in Bible study, prayer, and serving the Lord
Keeping Leisure Balanced
You do not deserve leisure, it is a God given ________ from God and you are a steward of it.
Balance between labor and types of leisure is maintained by _________& sensitivity to the Holy Spirit
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