09/08/2026
Sermon from the Derry Presbyterian Church for Sunday, September 6th - Rev. Larry Armstong
Work—Whatever!
Colossians 3:23-24 (NRSVue)
When Labor Day comes, we think of a day off. But if you say work to people, the response is often, “Ah! Work—whatever!” Labor isn’t high on their lists. They go because they need to eat, need a house, have a car, a family, and bills. Work doesn’t give them an identity, only a paycheck.
Let’s ask, “What’s the Bible say about labor?” It says, Work is at the core of who we are as God’s creatures.
The Worker
God always intended for humans to work. Genesis says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).
When we hear this, we almost feel the soil under our nails and smell the fresh earth. Adam stood in the garden with warm sunlight on his shoulders and the sound of leaves brushing in the breeze. Work wasn’t a penalty. It was a purpose. It was identity. It was the way humans joined God in shaping the world.
And labor was given to us before the Fall. Work isn’t a punishment! Work came before sin.
As we work, we know we’re helping God. When we finish a job and step back, our hands ache, our backs tighten, but our hearts are elated. We were made to take pride in what God’s doing in the world through us.
When I finish mowing grass, I stand and look at a nice yard. My grandfather taught me to relish a job done.
Work’s at the core of who we are as God’s creatures.
The Worshiper
God intends us to rest and worship. Leviticus says, “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a Sabbath to the Lord throughout your settlements” (Lev. 23:3).
Rest isn’t a break from life. Rest is part of life. Stop working, and our bodies settle. Our breathing slows. Our shoulders drop. We taste the sweetness of quiet. We hear the soft hum of creation around us. We feel peace when we stop carrying a burden.
Jesus knew how to rest. After periods of heavy labor, he went alone to pray and reinvigorate his soul. He took the disciples into non-Jewish territories, to a seaside town, to get away from the demands of healing and teaching.
God made us to labor with him, but he knows we need rest and worship, too. Our muscles tighten, and our minds are crowded. Sabbath is God’s gift, the crown of his week’s work in creation. Sabbath rest helps us remember we’re not machines. We’re worshipers. We’re people who stand before God with open hands and open hearts.
Work is at the core of who we are as God’s creatures, but work isn’t our only purpose, our only identity. We also rest, and we worship our Creator.
The Work
God intends our work to include everything we do. The apostle Paul says, “Whatever task you must do, work as if your soul depends on it, as for the Lord and not for humans, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24).
Hear what Paul says. Not “work as if your paycheck depends on it.” But “work as if your soul depends on it.” Paul doesn’t mean your salvation demands hard work. No, salvation comes from God’s grace. Paul wants you to pour your entire self into your work—whatever your work is. Bricklaying, managing people, doing floors, laundry, or dinner. Put your entire self into your labor because you’re serving the Lord.
The way of “Work—whatever!” is going to work for money and leaving your soul at home.
When you work with your entire heart, you change. Your posture straightens. Your eyes focus. Your spirit awakens. You don’t punch a clock. You serve Jesus Christ. You give your best efforts because God gave his best to you.
So your thought isn’t to be: “Ah! Work—whatever!”
Remember: Your work has a God-given purpose. It’s part of his plan. It’s supposed to make you tired and need rest and worship. It includes everything you do, not just your job and paycheck.
Jesus worked for you—faithfully, with love. He went to the cross.
Work is at the core of who we are as God’s creatures.
Amen
All scripture text is from the NRSVue translation
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By the National Council of Churches of Christ
Copyright © 2026
by Larry L. Armstrong
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