June 21, 2026

UNIT 1 Work and Rest

LESSON: 3

Study Text: Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:30-31; John 5:16-17; 6:22-27; 9:1-5; 17:1-5; Acts 20:28-38; Ephesians 4:28; 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 4:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Central Truth: God ordained both work and rest

KEY Verse-- Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take  my  yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (KJV).

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who  are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (NLT).

LET'S GET STARTED

In his article "Is There such a Thing As the Perfect Job? " Shep Hyken concluded, "If even a small part of what you love to do is in your job, you'll be far happier than those working for a paycheck, not really enjoying what they do."

DISCUSSION STARTER--Job Satisfaction

What is one thing that you love about your job? _______________________________________________________________________________.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

compensation tends to rank low on surveys about job satisfaction. Things that seem to matter more are engagement, opportunities for advancement, and working on enjoyable, worthwhile projects. In the past couple of lessons, we 've work and rest, Now we turn to New testament teaching on this topic. This lesson series concludes by looking at some of the Scriptures that have been used to define the Christian work ethic.

                                           PART 1--Jesus on Work and rest

          God Ordained Work                                     John 5:16-17; 9:4; 17:1,4; 6:26-27

John 5 relates the story of Jesus healing a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. When the Jewish religious leaders saw the healed man caring his mat, they chastised him for working on the sabbath. Discovering Jesus had healed  the man, they also accused Him of breaking the Sabbath (verse 16). Jesus responded, "My Father is always working, and so am i" (verse 17). Jesus was not contradicting the principle of keeping the Sabbath. He understood that, when God rested on the seventh day of creation, He may have ceased from His creative work, but He had not ceased working altogether. Jesus was following His father's example by doing good--even on the Sabbath.

? How can seeing our work as a part of God's plan for our lives affect our attitude toward work?

        Rest Is Necessary                         Mark 6:30-31; Matthew 11:28-30

Earlier in Mark 6, Jesus had sent the twelve out  to minister (verse 6-13). When they returned, the apostles informed Jesus of "all they had taught" (verse 30). The demands of ministry were so pressing that Jesus and His  apostles couldn't rest, so He decided they would go someplace quiet to recuperate. Although they weren't able to rest, after all, because of the crowds that followed them (verses 32-34), Jesus had affirmed the need for rest after a season of hard work. Jesus frequently sought times of solitude, during which He would pray and take a break from ministering to the crowds (Matthwe 14:23; Luke 9:18). Ime off from work is essential. To maintain the balance in life that God desires for us, we must take time to relax and be refreshed physically, mentally, and emotionally. We also need spiritual rest. Jesus offers this kind of rest to anyone who would follow Him (Matthew 11:28-30). His burden is easy  not because he requires less, but because He gives more. 

? What should believers do if they realize they are spiritually weary?

PART 2--Paul on Christians Working

Work Hard and Give Generously         Acts 20:28-35; Ephesians 4:28

The apostle Paul practiced what he preached. When exhorting the Ephesian elders to shepherded God's flock (Acts 20:28), he reminded them of his time among them (verse 31). It had not been marked by greed, as was normal for many teachers of the day. Instead, he had set an example of working hard to meet his own needs and the needs of his companions (verse 34). In his letter to the Ephesian church years later, Paul again emphasized that Christians should work to meet their own needs and to practice generosity (Ephesians 4:28).

? Why does Paul discuss generously along with the value of hard work?

Pat of Your Witness         Colossians 3:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 4:11-12

• Though Paul's teaching in Colossians 3:22-24 was originally directed to slaves in the first century who had become Christians, there are principles that may translate into the employee-employer relationship.  Quite simply, employees should do their jobs and be productive. Integrity requires giving our best effort consistently, not just when the supervisor is watching. Although a Christians' paycheck may have the company name, he or she is really working for the Lord. The way we work is part of our testimony. Paul mentioned how he and his team worked hard as they proclaimed the gospel, even as they also "toiled to earn a living" (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Paul's motivation for hard work was twofold. First, he didn't want the team to be financial burden on the new believers. Second, he wanted to prevent any criticism that he was preaching only for financial gain. Those who are able to work should do so, some people cannot provide for themselves due to medical conditions or other circumstances. Scripture makes it clear that the Church should support these people (1 Timothy 5:3-16; James 1:27). This too is part of our witness in the world.
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• ? In some societies, the government provides aid for people who are unable to work. What do you think is the Church's role in these situations?

PART 3-The Christian Work Ethic

      Serving Our Master, Jesus             Ecclesiastes 6:5-9

Tragically, slavery still exists in the world today. Many agencies--such as Project Rescue--work tirelessly to rescue its victims. But in Paul's day, slavery was commonplace. Paul encouraged slaves to accept freedom if it was offered (1 Corinthians 7:21), but those who remained enslaved were to follow certain guidelines for the sake of the kingdom. Several principles from Ephesians 6:5-9 have contributed to our modern understanding of the Christian work ethic: Work with integrity, work with diligence; and work as though Jesus is your Master. When we display a Christian work ethic, we strengthen our witness to the life-changing power of the gospel (1 Timothy 6:1). Regardless of whether we receive benefits from faithful work in this lifetime, we can be certain that our heavenly Master will reward our labor (Ephesians 6:8).

? How does a Christian's work ethic serve as a gospel witness in the workplace? 

Avoid Idle Living            2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Paul revisits the issue of idleness with a strong command: "Stay away from all believers who live idle lives" (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Those who followed Paul's example of hard work (verses 7-9) and obeyed his command against idleness (verse 10) needed to distance themselves from idle people. Paul's pastoral heart shines through. He urges those who are idle "to settle down and work to earn their own living" (verse 12). Some have wrongly used Paul's saying in verse 10--"The one who is unwilling to work and living idly, not those who are unable to work. Other Scriptures make it apparent that assisting people who are unable to provide for themselves is part of the Christian work ethic.  

? How can someone's lack of responsibility negatively impact a local church?

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US?

God ordained both work and rest. While we should set aside times of rest. While we should set aside times of rest to refresh our bodies and souls, we should also work hard to provide for ourselves and others who are in need. When our work ethic reflects our commitment to our Master, Jesus, the quality of our work and our attitude toward work will be a positive gospel witness to the world.

LIVING IT OUT

Make Jesus' teaching and example your guidance for both work and rest.

Embrace the Christian work ethic as a witness to unbelievers.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

             Monday: Punished with Work. Exodus 5:1-9

             Tuesday: Hard Work Rewarded. Ruth 2:8-17

                              Wednesday: Holy Construction Work. Nehemiah 6:1-4

                              Thursday: An Industrious Woman. Proverbs 31:10-20

                  Friday: Hardworking Fisherman. Mark 1:16-20

               Saturday: All Things New. Revelation 21:1-5

RADIANT LIFE

Volume 107 Number 3 Mar. Apr. May 2026

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