Spirit Filled Labor
Notes
Transcript
Remember Ephesians 5:18
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
Ever since then, we get to see what the Spirit filled life looks like.
First, how we speak to one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
Secondly, always giving thanks
Thirdly, submitting one to another
As Paul expands on this last one, we always see that God calls one party to submit, and then holds the other party accountable and responsible.
We saw this with marriage, the wife is called to submit while the husband is held accountable and responsible
In parenting, children are called to submit, and again, parents are held accountable and responsible as well.
Finally, today, we see this play out in the work force, where employees are called to submit, and the employers are held accountable and responsible.
Remembering this, we are talking about the Spirit filled life
Illustration:
On one of the last job sites I worked on, I had to work for a foreman that I did not respect very much. He wasn’t very smart and not a great guy to work for. I remember one day, it was the end of the shift, I picked up all my tools, wrapped up all of my cords, cleaned up my space, and headed back to the job shack to get my things and head home. We were building tunnels at the XXX airliner building, and I was working at the bottom, so I had to climb a couple ladders to get out. Just after I got to the very top, my foreman starts yelling at me to clean up before I go home. I was a little taken back, because thats exactly what I had done. Little did I know, on the top level, someone had left their saw out and cords unraveled, and he thought it was my stuff. I tried to explain that wasn’t mine, but that made him start yelling at me even more. At that point, I had had it. I picked the stuff up, which was not mine, put it away, and when I got back to the job shack, my foreman was there, and started at me again about leaving tools out. I finally let him have a piece of my mind. I was sure to add in all the feeling I had about him, how he wasn’t qualified for his own job, and wasn’t very godly to say the least. As I left, mad and irritated, thinking I had gotten the best of him, I remember getting home, and the Lord just hit me hard with conviction. This is the chapter the Lord brought me to, and as the conviction set in, I left for work early the next day, showed up even before he did, and when he got there, I pulled him aside and apologized for my attitude and what I said, and told him that he is my boss, and the Lord wanted me to honor him as such. He shook it off, never fired me, and I continued working for him for a while longer.
I say this because the Lord wants us to walk a Spirit filled life, and part of how that looks is how we deal with our relationships at work.
Now, before we begin, I want to remind you why this will apply to us and the Spirit filled life. Remember Ephesians 4:28
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
It is good to work, that way we have things to share with others. The Lord wants us to keep putting off the old self and putting on the new.
Employment
V.5
5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
Slaves:
The word here is “doulos”, and in context, this would be those who are serving another.
In the context of our world today, this would be the equivalent of an employee
Now, this form of employment is not what we see today
In Greek culture, slaves were the working class. You were owned by somebody and were to serve them
Today, working is all part of life. You either work for yourself, or work for someone. Some situations are great, others are not. Some have union representation, some don’t. We have laws that protect the workers from safety concerns and over working. We have the 40 hour work week. We have choices in the workforce. If you don’t like where you are at, you can go get another job somewhere else. If you don’t like your career, you can switch and change what you do. We have a lot of freedom.
But even with that in mind, there is a spirit filled way that we would be employees for our job, and whether you stay with a company or bounce around, the Spirit will always lead you to these things.
be obedient:
A spirit filled life will bring submisison to our employers.
This is the same word as v.1, children are to obey.
We need to listen and hear what our bosses tell us on the job.
How do we listen to them on the job?
Do what they ask you to do
Do it the way they ask, not the way you think is best.
With fear and trembling:
Who are we to fear? Our earthly master? NO
Think of Proverbs 19:23
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
This also makes me think of 2 Corinthians 7:1
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
We are to have respect for our boss, but it is the Lord we fear and tremble for.
Consider Proverbs 29:25
25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Sincerity of your heart:
Not fake, not self seeking
How do we do this?
As to Christ
V.6
6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
eyeservice:
Doing things to look good
Many times, when guys saw the boss coming around, they would start working hard, start taking charge and make it look like they know what they are doing. When the boss was gone, they would take a smoke break and stop being productive.
As eyeservice, doing things in front of them to make you look good
Men-pleasers:
We call this brown nosing, suck ups.
This goes beyond the obedience and submission
This is an ungodly form of behavior
The issue is not that you are trying to please your employer, but that you are compromising and without integrity in what you do.
As slaves of Christ:
God is your boss, and your work is unto Him.
In the same way as children and also wives are called to submit, as an employee, you submit to the Lord first.
Just as we read… doing the will of God from the heart.
If you are being asked to do something that is against God, then you need to submit to God’s authority.
Keep these verses in mind
9 He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked though he be rich.
Also take to mind these:
1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.
Do not compromise your integrity for your job.
V.7
7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
With good will:
Wanting what is best for them.
I always had the mindset:
If our boss is successful, then that means we all have jobs longer. If that success is off my back, it means they will want to keep me around. So it is wise and prudent for me to be successful for my boss, so he succeeds, and in turn, so do I
The Spirit leads us to want to be successful for our bosses sake.
as to the Lord:
I like how Paul says this in Colossians 3:23-24
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
If you have a hard time with your job, it feels useless, mundane, boring, too difficult, remember, do it as unto the Lord.
This can make it easier to bear with… but remember, this is the Spirit filled life. This is the attitude and work ethic the Lord is leading you to have.
V.8
8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
this he will receive back:
There is a reward at the end of this, not just retirement or 401k.
What do we get? Remember Romans 8:5-6
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
You get to experience life and peace, which is what we all want anyways.
You also get the reward of those who knew Christ because of you. They see something different. Even if you aren’t the most skilled, or the fastest, or maybe even the hardest worker, you are one who was filled with the Spirit.
That becomes winsome, that is something people see and want.
V.9
9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Masters:
Or, bosses!!!
If you are in a management position or own a company, run a company, this applies to you.
As employees are called to submit in the Spirit, you have a great responsibility and accountability in the Spirit as well
do the same things to them:
This follows the golden rule: Matthew 7:12
12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Listen to your employees, hear them.
People have needs and lives, listen to what they say.
I remember working for a company, the owner comes to visit us during lunch time. He asks us to work 10 hour days plus Saturday to catch up on the project. Now, my wife was 9 months pregnant at the time, so I told my boss, “I can work 10 hour days during the week, but my wife is 9 months pregnant, she needs me home on Saturdays so we can prepare for the new baby.” He looks at me, shakes his head and says, “I get it, I’ll take whatever you can give me.” You know what that did for me? It made me want to work all the more harder while I was there to please this guy. Most people would send me home with two checks, he never did.
Not by way of eyeservice, or as menpleasers…
You aren’t trying to impress your own boss nor some shareholders, but treating your employees with sincerity of heart.
You are a slave of Christ
How you treat others should reflect the heart of God, and how we ourselves have been treated by Him.
Doing the will of God from the heart
Not grumbling about your employees and those under you, but doing God’s will, to raise people up and build and equip the church.
With goodwill
Have their best interest in your heart, not the bottomline, but what is best for them
As to the Lord
That you would treat people well because you are doing it as the Lord would treat you.
Knowing whatever good you do for them, you will receive back from the Lord.
My favorite boss I ever had was a dear christian man. He brought me into his office after my first year there, and he told me that he has a responsibility to me and my future family, to make sure I am able to provide for them. That one conversation made all the hard work I put in worth it to me.
Give up threatening:
The Spirit filled life leads you to discipleship, not threatening people.
People shouldn’t fear for their livelihood because of a mistake or having to miss a day of work.
Both their master and yours:
Especially the brethren, other believers.
I think of Galatians 6:10
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
We have one master, and that is the Lord. We are all accountable to Him.
No partiality:
In Christ, there is no one who is better than the other, just simply different callings.
Remember this, in all of your relationships.
We can easily buy into the lie that if you have to submit to me, then I am better than you, or maybe more qualified. But that is not what God is saying at all. He has called those to submit, and called the others to responsibility and accountability in the Spirit. There is no partiality with God, only a design of how things work.
Conclusion:
This is the Spirit filled life, that we would learn how to submit one to another in the proper place.
Next week, we will try to finish ch.6, but we get to see the final piece to walking in a manner worthy of our calling, and that is to stand firm in the strength of His might.
