WHY SHOULD I WORK SO HARD?

SERMON NOTES/D GROUP QUESTIONS 5/22/11

Sermon Series: Questions You Always Wanted To Ask About Life
Why Should I Work So Hard?

THE WORKAHOLIC (Ecclesiastes 4:8)
THE LAZY WORKER (2 Thessalonians 3:10; Proverbs 6:6-11)

I. HOW TO SUCCEED IN WORK
1. Work enthusiastically (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Ephesians 6:7-8)
2. Work with integrity (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
3. Work skillfully (Ecclesiastes 10:10)
4. Work efficiently (Ecclesiastes 8:6)
5. Work cooperatively (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
6. Work persistently (Ecclesiastes 11:6)

II. HAVE A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
1. Take the time to enjoy life. (Ecclesiastes 3:13)
2. Make time to rest from work. (Psalms 127:2; Psalm 23:1-2)
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
(New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004, Tyndale)
3. Working to hoard wealth will destroy you. (Ecclesiastes 5:13; 4:4)
4. You can't bring it with you anyway! (Ecclesiastes 5:15)
5. True rest can only be found in Christ. (Matthew 11:28-30)

D Group Discussion Questions:
1. On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being a "lazy worker"; 10 being a "workaholic"),
where are you? Why?

2. In the six ways of "How To Succeed In Work," what areas have you struggled with?
What areas have you succeeded? What do you need to improve on?

3. What are factors that prevent us from "resting" from our labor? How can we get around those things that prevent us from rest?

4. Read Matthew 11:28-30. How does the statement of Jesus affect you personally?
How does this statement from Jesus validate the importance of having a personal relationship with Him?