Love What You Do - Ps. Sam Hartanto - 11 Oct 2026 - IFGF BANDUNG

Summary

Pastor Sam Hartanto’s sermon, part of a series on “Labor and Purpose,” uses Jacob’s years working for Laban to show that work is about more than staying busy, earning money, or pursuing a career. Work can serve a larger purpose when guided by love, faithfulness, and God’s values.

Key strategies and reflections

• Connect work to the people you love. Consider who benefits from your effort, and let providing for your family or serving others be an expression of love—not merely a response to fear, bills, or ambition.
• Be present, not just productive. Make time for family and others entrusted to you. Work can be demanding, but busyness should not become an excuse for absence.
• Hold to your values under pressure. Jacob remained diligent and honest despite Laban’s unfair treatment. The sermon encourages listeners not to cut corners or lower their ethical standards when circumstances or compensation are difficult.
• Let difficult seasons shape you. Rather than viewing work only as a means to immediate success, see challenges and delays as part of a process in which character, faith, and purpose can develop.
• Make room for restoration, with discernment. Be open to God working in strained relationships, while recognizing that embracing people does not mean accepting harmful or toxic behavior.
• Keep hope and faith during hardship. Surrender your plans to God, seek wisdom, and remain faithful through difficult seasons. The service also included prayers for people facing work, health, and family challenges.
• Reflect on three questions:
  • Who am I working for, and have I neglected to show them love?
  • Am I staying true to my values when circumstances are difficult?
  • Am I allowing God to shape me through what I am experiencing?

The service also highlighted the value of faith communities, learning together, and practical service to others, including a church program to help students continue their education.

Presenters and sources

• Sermon presenter: Pastor Sam Hartanto
• Service hosts and worship team: Not identified by name in the subtitles
• Biblical sources: Proverbs 16:2–3; Genesis 29 and 31; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Genesis 47:7
• Other speakers mentioned in event announcements: Pastor Alvi Raja Guguk, Lois, Gloria Setia Utama, Sari Simorangkir, and Sydney Mohede