God At Work, Part 1

Now, imagine this is a metaphor.

This opening illustration is a metaphor.

Imagine walking into your doctor's office,

and your doctor, she walks in, and you look at her,

and she's wearing her white doctor's lab coat,

and you don't think anything of it until she turns around,

and she sits down at her computer,

and you notice right away that the entire backside of her lab coat

has been cut off at the seams.

You have your conversation, and you get in your car,

and you start going back, and on your way back,

you drive by this car accident, and all these firefighters are there,

and they are spraying out the flames,

and they're using the jaws of life to rescue a trapped motorist,

and you can't help but notice that all of these firefighters

have those heavy fire coats on, but when they turn,

the backside of their fire coats has been cut off at the seams.

You keep on going through your day.

You go to your bank.

You have an appointment with your personal banker.

You sit down across from him,

and he's wearing his banker gray blazer with red tie,

and you'll think nothing of it.

You've got to set up an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings,

and he gets up to get the paperwork,

and when he gets up and turns around,

you're shocked because the back of his banker gray blazer

is totally cut at the seams.

Something's missing.

You start to wonder,

hmm, am I seeing something for the first time?

So you get home, and you run to your closet,

and you open up your closet,

and all the coats in your closet,

every back has been cut off at the seams.

There's something missing.

All these examples, all these coats

represent the particular work vocations God has called us to.

And in every situation in that little metaphor,

something has been cut out.

You see, we've got a problem when it comes to our work.

And what I mean by work is not just what you get paid for.

It's every calling to which you've been called.

There's a word that covers this.

It's called the word vocation.

It comes from a Latin word meaning to call,

as in God calling you to a particular occupation,

and every one of us in this room

has been called by God to a number of vocations,

a number of occupations.

And so just one person in this room,

they can be called to be a parent,

they can be called to be a child,

they can be called to be a church member,

they can be called to be a citizen,

and they can be called to a particular job.

That's a bunch of different hats.

In every calling, God has called you to this.

In the Bible, the New Testament's use of calling

is a very interesting use.

It shows up at least 51 times in your New Testament.

In the majority, 46 times,

the word calling uses a word described

to be called to follow Jesus,

to be called to be a Christian.

The vocation of being a disciple of Jesus.

And it's this calling

that is the calling over all callings.

The calling to follow Jesus

informs every other calling

with which we've been called.

So all of us in this room right now,

some of us have similar callings,

some of us have different callings,

but all of our callings

fall under the one great calling

of being a follower of Jesus.

But let me get back to the problem.

This problem

of having all the backs

cut out of our occupational coats,

here's what it is.

Here's the point.

Human pride,

the sharp edge of human pride

has cut God out

of our vocations

at the seams.

We've got a problem

with our work.

We forgot something

in our work.

We've left God

at the front door

of our work.

We've disconnected God

from our vocation.

And when you disconnect God

from your vocation,

do you know

what likely is

to become your God?

your vocation?

So when we talk

about this call

to work,

this is all about

worship of God.

And so here's my task

for the next three Sundays.

Here's how I want

to help you all.

I want to help you

reintegrate

with the needle

and the thread

of God's word.

I want to

reintegrate

God

into

your vocation.

I want to get

God

back

into work

and we look

to God's word

to do that.

And so over the next

three weeks,

I want to lay out

for you

a biblically

informed,

God-centered

view

or framework

of vocation

with the desire

that having

a biblically

informed,

God-centered

view of work

will change

the way

you think

about work

and change

the way

you go

about your work.

And so

over these

next three Sundays,

we're going

to cover

four aspects

of a God-centered

view of vocation.

You ready?

Number one is this.

This morning,

we're going to look

at the origin

of work,

creation.

We're going to be

spending our time

in Genesis chapter one.

Next week,

we're going to look

at the corruption

of work,

the effect

of the fall

on our vocations.

And then,

Labor Day weekend,

we're going to be

looking at

the redemption

of our work

through the cross

of Jesus Christ.

He changes

the way we work.

And on that Sunday,

too,

we're going to

be anticipating

our future work,

the new earth work,

when He comes back

and He makes new

the heavens

and the earth.

So this morning,

we're going to focus

on this first aspect

of a God-centered

view of vocation,

the origin of work.

Your work matters

to God.

He's very interested

in your work.

And so we must

reintegrate God

into all our vocations,

whether that's

in our workplace,

whether that's

in our church,

our family,

our neighborhood,

our country,

or our school.

You see,

a theology of vocation

covers all of life.

So would you turn

with me now

to Genesis chapter one,

and we're going

to look at the

origin of work

and when we do,

we're going to look

at two things.

God engaging

in His work,

His creating

work,

and then we're going

to look at God

entrusting His work,

His creation mandate.

And so I'm going

to read all the way

through Genesis one.

So if you want

to open your Bibles

now to Genesis one

and read along with me,

here is God's Word.

In the beginning,

God created the heavens

and the earth.

The earth was without

form and void,

and darkness was over

the face of the deep,

and the Spirit of God

was hovering over

the face of the waters.

And God said,

let there be light,

and there was light.

And God saw

that the light

was good.

And God separated

the light from the darkness.

God called the light

day,

and the darkness

He called night,

and there was evening,

and there was morning

the first day.

And God said,

let there be an expanse

in the midst of the waters,

and let it separate

the waters from the waters.

And God made the expanse

and separated the waters

that were under the expanse

and from the waters

that were above the expanse,

and it was so.

And God called the expanse

heaven,

and there was evening,

and there was morning

the second day.

And God said,

let the waters

under the heavens

be gathered together

in one place,

and let the dry land

appear,

and it was so.

And God called

the dry land earth,

and the waters

that were gathered together

He called seas,

and God saw

that it was good.

And God said,

let the earth

sprout vegetation,

plants yielding seed,

and fruit trees

bearing fruit

in which is their seed,

each according

to its kind

on the earth.

And it was so.

The earth brought forth

vegetation,

plants yielding seed

according to their own kinds,

and trees bearing fruit

in which is their seed,

each according to its kind.

And God saw

that it was good,

and there was evening,

and there was morning

the third day.

And God said,

let there be lights

in the expanse

of the heavens

to separate the day

from the night,

and let them be

for signs,

and for seasons,

and for days,

and years,

and let them be lights

in the expanse

of the heavens

to give light

upon the earth,

and it was so.

And God made

the two great lights,

the greater light

to rule the day,

and the lesser light

to rule the night,

and the stars.

And God set them

in the expanse

of the heavens

to give light

on the earth,

to rule over the day

and over the night,

and to separate

the light

from the darkness,

and God saw

that it was good.

And there was evening,

and there was morning

the fourth day.

And God said,

let the water swarm

with swarms

of living creatures,

and let birds fly

above the earth

across the expanse

of the heavens.

And so God created

the great sea creatures,

and every living creature

that moves

with which the waters

swarm according

to their kinds,

and every winged bird

according to its kind.

And God saw

that it was good,

and God blessed them,

saying,

be fruitful and multiply

and fill the waters

and the seas,

and let birds multiply

on the earth.

And there was evening,

and there was morning

the fifth day.

And God said,

let the earth bring forth

living creatures

according to their kinds,

livestock and creeping things,

and beasts of the earth

according to their kinds.

And it was so.

And God made the beasts

of the earth

according to their kinds,

and the livestock

according to their kinds,

and everything that creeps

on the ground

according to its kind.

And God saw

that it was good.

Then God said,

let us make man

our own image

after our likeness,

and let them have dominion

over the fish of the sea,

and over the birds

of the heavens,

and over the livestock,

and over all the earth,

and over every creeping thing

that creeps on the earth.

So God created man

in his own image,

and the image of God

he created him,

male and female

he created them,

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 seas,

and over the birds

of the heavens,

and over every living thing

that moves on the earth.

And God said,

behold,

I have given you

every plant yielding seed

that is on the face

of all the earth,

and every tree

with seed and its fruit,

ye shall have them

for food,

and to every beast

of the earth,

and to every bird

of the heavens,

and to everything

that creeps on the earth,

everything that has

breath of life,

I have given

every green plant

for food,

and it was so.

And God saw

everything he made,

and behold,

it was very good.

And there was evening,

and there was morning,

the sixth day.

What an account.

Right now,

what I'd like to do

is let's focus

on Genesis 1.

I'm going to pull

a couple things out.

We're going to look

at God engaging

with his creation,

his creation making,

and then we're going

to turn a quarter,

and we're going to look

at God entrusting

his creation to us

in the creation mandate.

And the reason

why we're doing this

is to begin to

restitch in God

into our vocations.

We would have

a God-centered view

of vocation.

God engages his work.

What we see in Genesis 1,

these six days of creation,

is God at work

in his creation.

and he is at work

bringing things together,

forming things,

calling things

into existence

out of nothing

to bless

all the inhabitants

of the earth.

He wants his earth

to be filled.

Fullness,

life,

goodness,

blessing.

and he's purposely

designed this planet

for it.

And he wants us

to experience

the great blessing

of having him

as our creator.

So the first thing

I want you to notice

is where Genesis 1 begins.

In the beginning,

God created.

And so,

in order for us

to have a right view

of our vocations,

every calling

with which we've been called,

we don't start

with our callings.

we start

with the one

who calls us.

In the beginning,

God created.

We start

where the Bible starts.

What gives significance

to our vocations

is God himself.

We notice right away,

maybe you were

sensed this

as I was reading through,

that the God

of the Bible

is a God of order.

that as we read

through Genesis 1,

did you pick up

on the rhythm?

Did you pick up

on the days?

And where there is rhythm,

there is order,

and where there is order,

there is purpose.

God purposefully created

this planet

in which we occupy

for life,

for good.

And so,

throughout Genesis 1,

we see God declaring,

God saying,

let there be,

and then we see God doing,

and it was so.

And then in the first part,

first three days,

he's naming things.

The day,

day,

the expanse,

heaven.

And at the end

of every day,

there's this closing,

and there was evening,

and there was morning

the first day.

And there was evening,

and there was morning

the second day.

We've got a God

of order.

And what you need

to know about

Genesis chapter 1

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

is that there's

a correspondence.

Day 1

corresponds with

day 4.

Day 2

corresponds with

day 5.

Day 3

corresponds with

day 6.

It's like this.

Days 1,

2, and 3,

God is creating

the nest of creation,

and days 4,

5, and 6,

he's filling

the nest

with living

creatures

full of life,

full of

goodness.

This morning,

I have been

feeling the weight

of something

all week.

And I believe

it's what God

wants,

at least in part,

to impress upon us

this morning.

It's his goodness.

Did you pick up

on that refrain

throughout Genesis

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1?

And God saw

that it was good.

Verse 4,

verse 10,

verse 12,

verse 18,

verse 21,

verse 25,

climaxing in

verse 31.

It's good.

I think I know

what he's talking

about.

I edge my lawn.

Do we have any

lawn edgers

in the room?

I think,

brother,

you and me,

man.

Now,

when you hear

about a guy

edging his lawn,

you might be like,

what?

Let me tell you.

It's about

art.

It's artwork.

After I mow

my lawn,

I edge it,

and you know

what I do?

I stand at the

end of my sidewalk,

and I look upon

the work of my

hands,

and I say,

it is good.

It is good.

Now,

nobody else may

notice that,

but I do,

and I have one

brother in the room

that does,

and that's

with grass.

God said

it is good

to creating

things

out of nothing.

God said

it is good

for working

with things

on a scale

we just have

no real sense

for how big

and how complicated.

I mean,

on day six,

of all the

creations he made,

he made the

platypus.

and it was

very good.

When God

creates,

he takes

delight

in what he

makes.

He looks

upon it,

and in that

moment,

he says,

now that's

a nice piece

of work.

And I believe

not only is

this goodness

an in-the-moment

goodness,

I think it's

an anticipated

goodness.

Because God

knew on day

one who

he's making

this all for.

So part of

the it is good

is anticipating

the blessing

we would

experience

in his good

creation.

Now here's

why I'm saying

this.

I want you

to be thinking

God's creation

making results

in good,

blessing,

good for all.

and that

has bearing

not just

on his

creation

making,

but on the

creation

mandate.

So we've

looked at

his creative

work,

now we're

going to

focus in

on day

six,

starting

in verse

26.

This has

been classically

known as the

creation

mandate,

specifically

in verse

28.

And he

speaks this

creation

mandate to

every human

being on

the planet.

All 7.6

billion people

today are

under this

creation

mandate.

There's two

things I want

you to notice

here.

This,

who this

creation mandate

is given to

and what

this creation

mandate

involves.

So let's

look at the

who first.

In verse

26,

then God

says,

let us

make man

in our

image

after our

likeness.

Image

bearers.

That's who

he gives

the creation

mandate to

in verse

28.

But I

want you to

see a little

clue here of

what an

image bearer

is.

There's a

connection you

need to see.

It's in verse

26.

He says,

God says,

let us make

man in our

own image

after our

likeness and

let them

have dominion.

Whatever this

image bearing

business is,

it's connected

to having

dominion over

the earth.

They go

together.

So let's

talk about

what it

means to

be an

image

bearer.

It's an

image bearer

of God.

So what

does that

mean?

Well,

don't be

thinking

physically

because remember

Adam was

formed,

Genesis 2,

out of the

dust.

But notice

that whatever

this imaging

is,

both male

and female

are image

bearers of

God,

verse 27.

So men

aren't more

of an image

bearer of

God because

they're men

and females

aren't more

or less of

an image

bearer because

they're females.

We are

image bearers

of God,

male and

female,

which means

we have

intrinsic

worth.

We are the

same value

in God's

sight.

So don't

think physically.

think morally.

This image

bearing has

something to do

with a moral

capacity.

Just like

God,

we are to

do good

to others,

to bless

others.

That was the

whole thrust

of God's

creation,

to bless the

inhabitants of

the earth.

We are to be

a blessing

to the

inhabitants of

the earth.

earth.

It gets

at a

moral

capability.

And so

in Genesis

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2,

when we read

about this

garden of

Eden and

God has

these two

trees in,

one of them

is the

tree of

the knowledge

of good

and evil

and God

commands Adam

and Adam,

don't eat

of that tree.

There's no

other created

thing on the

face of the

planet in

which God

says,

don't eat

of that.

The reason

why is because

of our moral

capacity.

It has to

do with our

imaging forth

of God.

We're like

God in

that.

So think

morally and

think relationally.

God created

us in His

image with

the capacity

to have a

relationship,

not just with

one another,

but with

Him.

It's unique.

And we get a

taste of that

in Genesis 3

Genesis 3:8

verse 8.

If you want to

turn there real

quick, this is

after Adam

and Eve

have sinned

and we read

about God

doing something

really interesting.

And they,

Adam and Eve,

heard the sound

of the Lord

God walking

in the garden

in the cool

of the day.

And you know

what the

impression you

get?

This is how

God rolled

every day.

He would

come to be

with Adam

and Eve

as image

bearers,

to relate

with them,

to be

with them.

You see,

God has

created us

in His

image,

which means

we have

the capacity

to have

a relationship,

a personal

relationship,

with the

living God.

It's unlike

any other

created thing

on the planet.

So when you

think of

imaging God,

think morally,

think relationally,

and think

cognitively.

God has

uniquely created

us with the

intellectual capacity

to understand

who He is

and what

He's called

us to.

Unlike any

other created

thing.

Moral,

relational,

cognitive,

and all of

these are

essential

to

representing

Him

on the

planet.

to be

an image

bearer

with our

moral,

relational,

and cognitive

capacities,

it serves

the God-given

responsibility

to represent

Him

on the

earth

for the

good of

others.

So when you

hear image

bearer,

you need to

be thinking

representative.

And not just

to mirror

God back

to God,

but to

display

God

to all

of

creation.

We're to

represent Him

on earth.

And that's

the link

between being

an image

bearer

and having

dominion

in 26.

So that's

who we are.

Now let's

look at

what He

commands

us to

do.

In

verse 28,

now this is

the creation

mandate

itself.

We read God

say to Adam

and Eve,

be fruitful

and multiply

and fill

the earth.

Now these

are the same

words He

speaks to

the swarming

animals on

day 5

and 22.

Hey,

He blessed

those beasts

and said,

hey,

be fruitful,

multiply,

fill.

Evidently,

God wants

His creation

teeming with

life.

And as

image bearers,

God has

commanded us

to fill

the earth

with other

image bearers

who will

represent Him

for good.

He wants

the planet

filled

with them.

But the next

two commands

set us apart

from every

other living

thing.

In verse 28,

we go on

to read,

be fruitful,

multiply,

and fill

the earth

and subdue

it.

And then He

says,

and have

dominion

over it.

These two

commands,

to subdue

and to have

dominion,

set us

apart from

all the other

created things

as God's

representative

on earth

to do good

to the

inhabitants

of the earth.

And this

starts informing

our understanding

of vocation

because in

your understanding

of your work,

of your jobs,

you are to

represent God

in whatever

you do

for the good

of those

around you.

That's the

creation mandate.

To subdue

means to

bring something

under subjection.

And I don't know

about you,

but when I think

of subdue,

I think of

rodeos.

I think of

cowboys.

There's this

one move

where,

you know,

how cowboys

will ride

those broncos

and then

bull riding

and there's

this other

event at

a rodeo

in which

a little

calf will be

let out of

a pen

and it'll

start running

along and

then cowboys

will be

released from

their slot

on their

horse.

They've got a

lasso going,

they put it

around the

calf,

they jump

off,

they put the

calf in a

headlock,

flip it up

on its back

and they wrap

its legs real

quick for time.

Now,

that's the

first thing

that comes

into my

mind when I

think about

subduing,

a show of

force.

But that's

not what's

going on

here.

The kind

of subduing

that God

is calling

us,

His image

bearers,

to do

is not

a show

of force.

It's to

purpose things

for goodness.

Remember,

we are His

image bearers

and we

are to

subdue

creation for

good,

His creation

for His

good purposes.

We are to

represent God

in the way

we subdue

His creation.

And so

when we

talk about

subdue,

it's the

Hebrew word

kibosh.

You've heard

it before.

You know,

to put the

kibosh on

something.

And you're

usually in a

context of

the meeting

and your

boss is like,

yeah,

I'm going to

put the

kibosh on

that.

It's done,

right?

It's not

that kind

of putting

the kibosh

on something.

The Hebrew

way of putting

the kibosh

on something

is to

purpose it

for good,

to bless.

Let me

give you a

couple examples,

both negatively

and positively,

of human beings

putting the

kibosh on

things,

on a large

industrial scale.

I was recently

doing some

reading that

touched on the

effects of strip

mining in West

Virginia.

Strip mining,

if you're not

aware of it,

is basically

where you

lop off the

top of a

mountain in

order to

access the

coal in it.

and what

study after

study has

shown for

decades following

these practices

is that it's

devastating.

It's devastating

for the natural

environment around

these mountains

and it's

devastating for

the human

beings living

around it

too.

This would be

an example

of putting

the kibosh

on God's

creation in

a way that's

not pleasing

to the Lord

because of

the effects

that it has.

It doesn't

bless in the

long run.

It harms

in the long

run.

But let me

give you

another example

more positively

of putting

what the Bible

really means

about putting

the kibosh

on something.

Let's say

there is

a lumber

company

and they

intentionally

limit

the harvest

of lumber

that they do

every year.

And as well

as limiting

the amount

of lumber

they harvest

they replant

trees

where they

harvest from.

And the reason

why they do

that is to

create a

kind of

sustainable

renewable

resource

that blesses

the environment

and the people

living there

and the people

living beyond

as well.

That would be

an example

of putting

the kibosh

on something

for good.

of subduing

creation.

Here's what

happens though.

When you

disconnect

God

from your

vocation

human beings

are still

going to want

to put the

kibosh

on things.

And when you

disconnect

God from

putting the

kibosh

on God's

creation

you end up

exploiting

things

and hurting

things.

That's why

God has to

be reintegrated

into everything

we do.

We end up

representing

Him and doing

good for

others.

Subdue.

It doesn't

mean exploit.

It means to

bless.

Have dominion.

If subduing

creation is the

initial

purposing of

God's

creation

having dominion

is the

ongoing

management

of creation

of what

you've already

subdued.

It's not

dominion

apart from

God.

It's

exercising

dominion

as a

representative

of God.

It is a

delegated

authority.

This planet

does not

belong to

us.

It's

God's

and He

has given

us to be

stewards

of it

as image

bearers.

Here's an

example of

that recently.

I'm not sure

if you've been

reading the

papers but

there's been

some talk

in the

papers about

the lead

piping in

our city

that provides

water to

our homes.

And in light

of what

happened to

Flint,

Michigan,

there's some

concern over

it, right?

Has anybody

been reading

about this?

Ed St.

Peter, who

is the

director of

the Kenosha

Water Utility,

he's a

brother in

the Lord.

He's a

friend of

mine.

He's a

great guy.

And what

he's doing

right now

is looking

to exercise

his image

bearing in

order for

the good of

Kenosha to

replace the

lead pipes

at a cost

that is

reasonable for

everybody living

in the city.

he's

exercising

dominion as

an image

bearer of

what's already

been subdued

for the good

of all people

in our city.

You see how

being an image

bearer of God

shows up in

our everyday

work?

It matters.

We represent

him.

Now,

we've talked

about God

doing creative

work in his

creation making.

We've turned

now and we're

talking about

this, the who

and what of

the creation

mandate.

I want to

tackle three

objections.

Three

objections.

Some of you

in your pews

right now may be

saying something

like this.

Mike, it's all

going to burn

anyway.

It's all going

to burn.

Does it really

matter?

Does it really

matter?

It's a reference

to 2 Peter 3

when the earth

will be utterly

transformed at

the coming of

Jesus.

But here's the

deal.

We don't know

when Jesus is

coming back.

So, we don't

know when God

is going to

recreate the

heavens and the

earth, which

means we don't

know how long

we need to

conserve the

present resources

of his

creation for

the good of

people.

So, we

need to

wisely steward

what he's

been entrusted

to us.

So, the

thinking of

it's all

going to

burn anyway,

that is a

little lazy,

my friend.

It's a

little irresponsible.

It's

neglecting the

fact of who

this planet

belongs to.

Let me

apply it

this way.

you wouldn't

appreciate me

applying this

kind of thinking

to your car.

Let's say

after the

service, you

come out to

your car and

I'm in your

car pulling out

the car radio.

And you're

like, Mike,

what are you

doing?

I'm like, man,

I love Culver's

concrete mixers

and I would

just need this

radio.

I'm going to

sell it on

eBay.

I'm taking my

family out to

get some ice

cream.

But you're

like, uh, I

need that car.

I'm like, but

it's just going

to be on a

scrap heap in

10 to 15

years.

It reveals I

don't have an

appreciation that

this car belongs

to you.

This planet is

not ours and

that we own

it.

It's God.

God's and all

the resources

thereof.

And he calls

us to be

stewards of it.

A God-centered

view of vocation

understands that

God's command to

have dominion over

all creation, it's

a responsibility

to steward what's

his for the good

of all those he's

created.

There's another

objection.

It goes like

this.

Hey, but there

are people

exploiting others.

for selfish

gain.

It's an

objection of

this is not

fair.

You want me

to represent

God and do

good to others

while at the

same time

people are

exploiting others

for selfish

gain.

they're

going to

you're

right.

It's the

way it is.

And so in

so long as

we're followers

of Jesus

looking to

live by

faith, we

must honor

God and

steward his

resources for

the good of

others regardless

of what other

people are doing.

in fact, we

need to put the

kibosh on this

other stuff going

on for the

glory of God.

We need to

help people who

are exploiting

others for

selfish gain to

see what they're

doing is grievous

in God's sight that

they need Jesus to

change.

there's a third

objection.

And it's

maybe more than

an objection.

It's more like a

confession.

Maybe you're

feeling something in

your pew right now

and it's going

something like this.

Hey, I

believe the

creation mandate

is

is good.

It's good for

others.

But why,

as I'm hearing

this,

why is the

creation mandate

intended for

good making me

feel bad

right now?

The creation

mandate

exposes

our sinful

self-centeredness

that uses

God's resources

at the harm

of others.

It exposes

our self-centeredness.

And so you

can be hearing

the creation

mandate on one

level, you're

saying, yeah,

that's right,

that's right,

but this stings

a little bit,

this stings a

little bit,

because it's

exposing you.

And when God's

word exposes us

like this,

we may need,

we need to make

a beeline

to Jesus.

You see,

it's Jesus,

the creator

who became

flesh.

We need Jesus

for two reasons.

Because we've

sinned against

the creation

mandate,

we've used

God's resources

not for good,

but for ill,

for self-gain.

So we need

Jesus to forgive

us by his

blood,

and we need

Jesus to help

us to be

faithful today

to the creation

mandate which

still stands.

We've covered

some ground

this morning,

and what I've

wanted to show

you is that

from Genesis

chapter one,

and we see

God at work

creation making,

and then we see

God entrusting

his work to

us in the

creation mandate,

this provides

the framework,

the foundation

for vocation,

that we need

to reintegrate

God into

all of our

work,

and the result

will be

increasing

blessing,