Sunday Sermon Summary

Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

                                    Diocese of Abuja

                         Cathedral Church of the Advent

Septuagesima - Sunday 12 February 2017

Today's Sermon

Theme:     "The Christian Work Ethic"

Topic:         Place Of Training And Study In Productivity

Key Text:    2 Tim. 2: 15

Summary:

Training and Study are essential to meaningful productivity.

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines training as "process by which someone is taught the skills that are needed for an art, profession or job".

Study on the other hand is a mental effort to acquire knowledge or learning  on a subject.

Productivity is the state of being productive, efficient and relevant in any unit of production. This is enhanced by training and study.

Our key text reveals the importance of training and study in the heart of God. God cannot approve any man to be used in His Service without sending the person to undergo one form of training or another.

The Greek word translated study in our text means "Do your best", "Be earnest" or "diligent"

Our profession, career, job, ministry and roles in the family should be seen as God's calling and must be undertaken diligently. We must seek God's approval by being a workman - a diligent worker who toils and labours in training and service.

We must seek to correctly analyze and accurately divide - rightly handle and skillfully learn, teach and do our work.

We should eschew the custom of cutting corners (the antithesis or rightly dividing) with impunity claiming "it does not matter"

Skillfulness is a sure way to advancement (Prov. 22: 29)

Our training to gain skills for life may be formal or informal. For the formal, we attend schools and colleges, participate in in-service courses and seminars.

We must also not overlook the informal like excursions and travels and what we can learn from our personal experiences in life or in those of others.

For example, the Bible encourages us an excursion to the ant hill (Prov. 6: 6)

Believers who shy away from training and study for productivity, will certainly forfeit their true purpose for living and be ashamed on the day of judgment (Matt. 25: 20 - 23, 25, 28, 30)

Some points to note:

1.      Will your work win you God's approval

2.      Take advantage of work place training (Acts 7: 22)

3.      Complement your knowledge - skills and experience by maximizing the power if the Spiritual gifts and innate talents in you (Dan. 1: 3 - 4)

4.      Eschew poor quality products and services which demean your person. Rather give your best. As an "epistle" read by men, let nothing inferior come under your brand. Be a man or woman of excellence to the Glory of God