Colossians 3:22-4:1 Workers & Bosses

Intro:

One year anniversary of being in this building

vs. 17 Do everything in the name of the Lord

Read Colossians 3:22-4:1

Transition

Paul’s teaching here was accompanied by a great amount of tension, for several reasons.

Primary was the amazingly vast extent of slavery and its dehumanizing nature.

Ancient historians estimate that there were some 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire, or about one-half the population.

Because of this, work was considered below the dignity of the slave-owning Roman free man.

Practically everything was done by slaves, even doctoring and teaching.

Ancient tradition, dating back to Aristotle, classified slaves as things, living tools.

The situation of slaves in general was not good, and for some it was terrible.

Thus a melancholy blanketed the lives of millions in the ancient world.

Christianity’s preaching of the gospel with its explicit doctrine of equality raised the tension.

Galatians 3:28 ESV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

This teaching was far more revolutionary than the previous marriage and family teachings

The advice Paul gives here was ultimately revolutionary, because in time it brought the downfall of slavery as an institution.

But it was also immediately revolutionary in that it brought fullness to the Christian’s life, whether slave or master.

Today the application is largely professional as we are either masters or serve our masters.

The average worker still divides five or six days of his week into more or less equal periods of eight hours work, eight hours sleep, and eight hours “free time.”

Work is so important that our society normally defines people by what they do.

So how do we navigate today’s culture as Christian workers?

We are going to look at both Bosses and Employees

Overall we are going to look at our motive and attitude that we bring to both

Obey Your Boss vs. 22

The first rule Paul gives us for the workplace is for workers to obey your boss

The word Bondservant here means slave

It is the Greek word doulos

It was changed to servant in later translations of the Bible because translators were afraid the word slave would scare people off and give justification for slavery

Slavery has always been wrong

Sadly, through human trafficking it is becoming more prevalent today

So its understandable why Paul tells the slaves to obey their masters

Obey Everything Short of Sin

We are to obey everything they ask us to do within the scope of our job short of sin.

Because your obedience is to the Lord

This is revolutionary today

Workers think they have an opinion, can protest, and appeal to a higher power rather than do what they’re supposed to do

If you are going to live as a Christian the rule is to do what your boss tells you to do

Now if it is outside of your work time and it is something unethical you don’t have to do it, but otherwise it needs to get done

I know there are bad bosses out there but if you are working for them, you are working for the Lord

Sadly, too many Christians have the reputation of being whiny and lazy

Every Christian should be the hardest worker in the workplace

There is nothing more valuable in the workplace than a trustworthy worker

Government workers I know this isn’t always true but as we will see later the wrongdoers will be taken care of

Don’t Give Eye Service

The next instruction Paul gives is your attitude

Two things are mentioned in this section

Don’t give eye service

Don’t be a man-pleaser

Eye-service is work done only when the boss is looking

Titus 3:1 ESV

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

This comes down to an issue of integrity

Integrity is who you are when no one is looking

We should be the hardest worker when no one is looking

Don’t tell your boss you’re gonna do something and then not do it

Instead, be proactive and do things before he asks

Being a man-pleaser is being too worried about what everyone thinks and unwilling to do the right thing

The worker will do whatever makes the boss or coworkers happy even it means not doing their job

A Christian worker lives be different values

They should set the example in how to do their work and how to treat all co-workers

Serve in the Fear of the Lord

Do your work with a sincerity of heart knowing that you will eventually stand before the Lord

Going through the motions, doing shotty work, and having a bad attitude are poor stewardship and a bad witness

Your workplace is the missions field that God has placed you in

The fear of the Lord is knowing that even if no one is watching, God is and you will have to stand before him one day

Work in such a way that pleases the Lord

Work w/ the Right Motivation vs. 23-25

The second rule that Paul lays out is for everyone to work with the right motivation

Whatever you do, work heartily

Heartily means to breathe or blow, and is compared to the Soul

Your hard work is as automatic as breathing

Work is a part of us

We were created to work

Sin made it a struggle

Work can be an act of worship to the Lord as long as we don’t worship our work

When we do our work with the right motivation it can bring us a sense of Joy

Work for the Lord, not Men

Your motivation should be to please the Lord in everything

Your primary motivation at work shouldn’t be promotion, increased salary, or impressing your boss

It should be to glorify the Lord

Nick Saban’s process

At Alabama, football coach Nick Saban always preached the process

Don’t focus on winning national championships or even winning games

Focus on improving everyday at practice and the rest will take care of itself

If you do your Job well God will take care of the rest

Don’t fall prey to the games that supervisors play

When you go to work be reliable

You might get passed over for a promotion for raise, but God sees everything

He will work it out

A Reward is Waiting

Workers love to get rewarded

Some workers get rewarded when they shouldn’t

There is no guarantee you will get rewarded here on earth, but you will be rewarded by God

He sees your hard work

It doesn’t go unnoticed

The reward talked about here is an eternal inheritance

I know a lot of pastors that are getting passed over to lead churches because the retiring pastor making their son their replacement

Trust God

Don’t get caught up in the drama or politics

Wrongdoer’s will be Paid Back

Earlier I spoke of those who don’t do their job well

God sees them and he will judge them

Some will get earthly consequences, but ALL will get eternal judgment

For ancient Christian slaves and for modern Christian workers, there is no guarantee on earth of fairness of treatment from those whom they work for.

Sometimes partiality means that bad workers are unfairly rewarded and good employees are penalized or left unrewarded.

Paul assures both our ancient brethren and us that there is a final rewarding and punishment, and with this there is no partiality.

Treat Your Workers Fairly

The final rule we see in this series is for bosses to treat their workers fairly

Equality in God’s eyes is important

Human nature is to try to elevate yourself over others

This is no more prevalent than in the work place

Not only do bosses treat employees as slaves but as lesser human beings

Your position doesn’t make you better

You may have more knowledge and experience but that doesn’t put your above anyone

So paul emphasizes two things for bosses

Treat Employees with Respect

Treat them with respect

That means you treat them fairly

Stop playing favorites

Give them the benefit of the doubt

Extend grace

You also treat them justly

That means you don’t go on another person’s opinion

You Serve a Master in Heaven