What Business Are You In?
Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Intro: I have always been a big proponent of people going into business.
Cut out the middleman.
Do the work, make the money. Be your own boss. It’s wonderful!
I started my own grass cutting business when I was fifteen.
Bought my first piece of equipment; a 22-inch Murray push mower from K-Mart and a 2 gallon gas can.
I couldn’t afford a weed eater, so I pulled the weeds by hand.
I left my job in 1996 and started my own business.
People thought I was crazy. I went from making $600 a week to $1,200 to $1,500 a week the first month.
Not everybody can run their own business, but I had a great time.
I’ve helped and encouraged many other people to go in business for themselves.
But even if you don’t work for yourself, you are still in a business.
The word BUSINESS comes from the word busyness.
What you are busy doing is your business.
There are some great Bible verses that deal with this matter of being in business.
I love this one:
· Deuteronomy 24:5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
A lot more people need to memorize this one:
· 1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
Paul encouraged the people of God to assist their sister in the church with “whatsoever business she hath need of.”
Romans 16
· 1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
· 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
You can learn a lot about a person by finding out what business they are in.
Several places in the Bible, a person’s business was one of the first things people wanted to know about them.
JACOB prepped his sons on how to answer Pharaoh.
Genesis 46
· 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?
· 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
JONAH was confronted by the mariners on the ship and they asked him about his occupation.
· Jonah 1:8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
PAUL was compelled to move in and live with Aquilla and Priscilla because they were in the same business.
· Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
The question tonight is this: What Business Are You In?
Joseph was in the business of:
I. PROSPERING the INTERESTS of the MASTER
· Genesis 39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
First Mention Principle: His business was the business of the master. He had no other business.
There was no conflict of interest.
There was no need for a non-compete clause in the contract.
He had no business other than protecting and pursuing the interests of the master.
Several interesting things about Joseph’s business ethics.
1. The Lord was with him – vs. 2
2. God made him prosperous – vs. 2b
3. Others saw that the Lord was with him. – vs. 3
4. He was promoted because of God’s blessings. – vs. 4
5. God blessed others because of Joseph’s work ethic. – vs. 5
6. God blessed Potiphar, his house and his field because of Joseph. – vs. 5
7. Joseph was trustworthy in every area. – vs. 6a
8. Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored. – vs. 6c
9. Joseph protected his master’s interests even under extreme pressure. – vs. 7-10
10. Joseph was granted mercy by God even after being falsely accused and imprisoned. – vs. 21
MORAL: You can never go wrong protecting and promoting the interests of the master, especially when your Master is God.
These men were in the business of:
II. PREVENTING the INSTABILITY of the MURMURING
Acts 6
· 1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
· 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
· 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
· 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
There were two groups of people in these verses: the murmurers, and the ministers.
The church was growing. It had exploded.
There was an undercurrent of racism in the church over the fact that the widows were being neglected.
The Grecians felt like the Hebrews were being partial in their care of the widows.
They probably were.
But the early church needed to start a business.
It was the business of dealing with murmuring.
It was the business of seeing that the people were taken care of fairly and daily.
It was the business of freeing up the apostles to the ministering of the Word and prayer.
In order for that to happen, there were several requirements. – vs. 3
1. They needed men. (Men are better at squashing drama with women than other women.)
2. They needed honest men.
3. They needed men full of the Holy Ghost.
4. They needed men full of wisdom.
Notice what happened when they appointed these men over this business:
1. The Word of God increased. – vs. 7a
2. The number of disciples multiplied greatly. – vs. 7b
3. The company of priests that were obedient to the faith was great. – vs. 7c
Jesus was in the business of:
III. PREPARING for INVOLVEMENT in the MINISTRY
· Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Even at the age of twelve, Jesus was serious about what God had sent Him to do.
You are never too young to begin preparing for the work of God!
He was sitting in the temple, expanding his knowledge of the Scriptures.
· 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
· 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
Sitting in the midst of the doctors. What a place to be!
He was listening to them. He wanted to learn.
And he asked questions. He demonstrated a hunger and thirst for knowledge.
And even as a child, He was able to understand their answers and give them answers.
NOTE: He didn’t start learning the scriptures when he was twelve; he was able to astound them with his answers when He was twelve!
He wouldn’t begin His earthly ministry for another eighteen years!
He couldn’t even begin the work God sent him to do until He was thirty years old.
But he was adamant to Mary when He realized that they had been searching for him.
· How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
In other words, why would you even look anywhere else?
Where else would I be?
What else do you think I would be doing?
This leads me to believe that He had been showing this kind of interest in the things of God long before now.
He had already been busy “about my Father’s business.”
This wasn’t the first time.
This wasn’t His first encounter with the Word of God and the things of God.
Conclusion: John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
This verse is a powerful motivation.
· Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Let me ask you a question: WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU IN?
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