Work It - Week 1
#100,000
Legacy on earth, an echo in eternity.
“How God made work to work.”
Genesis 2:15-17
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
1) Work existed before the fall.
Genesis 2:15
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
2) Work is meant to be fruitful.
Genesis 2:16
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
1 Timothy 5:18
"For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10
"For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."
3) Work needs boundaries.
Genesis 2:17
"but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Before sin there was work, and work was good.
What happened to work?
Genesis 3:17–19
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life... It will produce thorns and thistles for you... By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food...”
Work has become painful, resistant, and exhausting because of sin.
1) Work can be futile: Ecclesiastes 1:3 & 2:22–23
2) Work can be frustrating: Romans 8:20-22
3) Work can be fruitless: Haggai 1:6
4) Work can be foolish: Proverbs 23:4–5
Obsessive striving for wealth through work is empty and deceptive.
5) Work can be rampant with fraud: James 5:1-5
Work has been twisted into fraud and exploitation, where workers are cheated, used, and oppressed for the sake of profit and comfort.
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”
Small Group Questions
1. What does your current work (job, studies, household, etc.) look like in this season of life? Do you see it more as a burden, a blessing, or a mix of both? Why?
2. Genesis 2 shows us that work existed before sin.
How does that truth reshape the way you think about work in general?
3. Of the five ways work has gone wrong (Futile, Frustrating, Fruitless, Foolish, Fraudulent), which do you relate to most and why? How have you seen sin distort work in your own experience or in the world?
4.Read Colossians 3:23–24.
What might it look like for you to “work for the Lord” in your current role or routine? What would need to shift?
5. Legacy on Earth, Echo in Eternity.
What do you hope your work says about your faith? How can your daily labor reflect Jesus in the way you work and interact with others?
3-Day Devotional: “Work It” — Rediscovering God’s Design for Work
Day 1: Work Is Good — Before It Went Wrong
Genesis 2:15–17 "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
Before sin entered the world, there was work — and it was good. God is the original worker, and as His image bearers, we are made to create, build, serve, and steward. Work isn’t a punishment; it’s part of our purpose. But we often confuse identity and value with productivity or success. Let today be a reminder: your worth isn’t in what you do, but in who you reflect.
Reflect: Where do you find your identity — in your Creator, or in your career? How might you reflect God's image in the way you work today?
Prayer: “God, thank You for creating me to reflect You through work. Help me embrace work not as a curse, but as a calling to glorify You.”
Day 2: When Work Feels Broken
Genesis 3:17–19; Ecclesiastes 2:22–23
“Through painful toil you will eat... all their days their work is grief and pain…”
Let’s be honest: work doesn’t always feel sacred. It feels like a grind — full of frustration, fatigue, and sometimes even futility. That’s not just a personal problem — it’s a spiritual one. The curse of sin touched everything, including our jobs. But God’s story doesn’t end in Genesis 3. Through Jesus, our labor can be redeemed.
Reflect: Where do you feel the effects of broken work — in stress, striving, unfairness, or burnout? What might it look like to invite Jesus into your workplace?
Prayer: “Lord, I feel the weight of work. Meet me in the mess. Show me how to walk through my job with Your strength, not just my effort.”
Day 3: Work as Worship
Colossians 3:23–24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…”
Work isn’t just about money — it’s about meaning. It’s not just about what you do, but who you do it for. When you work with integrity, diligence, and excellence — even in small things — it becomes worship. Whether you’re writing code, sweeping floors, raising kids, or leading meetings, Jesus receives it as an offering when your heart is His.
Reflect: What’s one area of your work where you’ve been tempted to check out, cut corners, or complain?
How could you turn that very space into an act of worship?
Prayer: “Jesus, today I choose to work for You. Help me to give my best, not for praise or pay, but because You are worthy.”