Who Is Lord of Your Work (Eph 6:5-9)

Who Is Lord of Your Work? (Ephesians 6:5-9) [After intro passage from Php. 2:1-11, and taking communion together] Read Passage & Pray: Make [us] to know your ways, O Lord; teach [us] your paths. Lead [us] in your truth and teach [us], for you are the God of [our] salvation. Cf. Ps 25:4-5 ESV I. Paul’s approach to Christians and culture. A. The point of this passage is not to condone or condemn slavery. It is to give practical application, in the most common and sometimes challenging relationships in our lives, of how a new way of living plays out in what is now a Christian life. The spirit of Christlikeness is to have a submissive and serving spirit of sacrificial love to the glory of God. – whether you are husband or wife, parent or child, master or slave. B. With that said, our 21st century sensibilities chafe greatly at the notion of any human being owning another human being. And rightly so. But we ought not be shocked either that Paul addresses this situation as standard in his day. 1. Quoting another biblical historian, John Stott notes, ‘It has been computed that in the Roman Empire there were 60 million slaves.’ After quoting this statistic, Stott continues, “They constituted the work force, and included not only the domestic servants and manual labourers but educated people as well, like doctors, teachers and administrators. Slaves could be inherited or purchased, or acquired in settlement of a bad dept, and prisoners of war commonly became slaves. Nobody queried or challenged the arrangement.” (p. 250) 2. Slaves were treated as property, not people, which is why Aristotle would say, “A slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave,” even while admitting that “a slave is a kind of possession with a soul.” (Stott 251) C. With that understanding of Roman culture in his time, we should realize that what Paul suggests should be normative for believers in the household of faith is quite a stark contrast from the world around them. 1. Paul not only humanizes slaves, but unequivocally gives them equal footing in the family of God. (Gal. 3:28 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.) While they may still labor under earthly masters, their new Lord is Christ, mentioned in each of the four verses to servants. (read those) Paul then carefully maintains that this same Christ is Lord of any earthly master, who himself shows no partiality. (see there too)  Whether slave or free on this earth, every man can be free in Christ. (John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.) 2. It makes me consider that there’s a principle here from the NT approach to societal evils and cultural degeneracy that we ought to receive with careful consideration. – “The Gospel of our Lord does not call on us to overthrow evil institutions as much as it does to be lights in this world by response to them.” (Deffinbaugh)  If we aren’t careful, I believe that we can become confused about how to share and demonstrate the gospel. – Attacking the evils of society won’t work. Nothing happens without fundamental heart change. People must be recreated by God through faith in Christ. 3. But the point of this letter to the Ephesians is that when God recreates us, he joins us together into a new society in Christ. God’s family behaves differently than the rest of the world because we are fundamentally changed. – It does make a difference, then, to be different and live differently in our broader society. Do you suspect you might stand out? Not a poser, but genuine. (Think of individuals and institutions that give off an air of caring about the appearance of morality. They are like a bad popsicle.) Not sneaky, but above board in ways that surprise. (reporting ALL your tips) – I’ve subtly shifted toward what is the focus of Paul’s exhortation. Let’s get to it now. II. Of Lords and Laborers… in our context  [read off screen first, then…] (Whether in a position of authority over others, or in a place of serving others,) God’s expectation of us (whom he has rescued by the blood of His Son Jesus) is that we live like HE is our Lord (our master) and that our work is rendered to HIM for HIS glory. A. The clear question is, as believers, to whom do we ultimately belong? Who possesses us? Therefore, whom do we serve? (In our culture, we think of serving ourselves. Even serving the costumer is for self-serving benefit.) B. Instead, Paul says “obey… with fear and trembling,” meaning with respect for their authority. And “with a sincere heart, as you would Christ.” (All your excuses just got flushed away.) 1. Who is sovereignly in control, with complete and perfect authority? That’s right, God. Or kids, it’s ok, you can say “Jesus.” See chapter 1, verse 22. Even over the angels, v. 21, because they are created beings. He is God, their Author.  Who has any authority on this earth that has not been delegated by God? That’s right, no-bo-dy. – So respect for an employer or government official is a way that you demonstrate supreme fear of God. 2. You do that by obeying your earthly/human lords (5a) in every way that you can when it does not cause you to sin against or disrespect your ultimate authority and true allegiance to God. Although Paul’s expectation here is that earthly masters who are believers will demonstrate the same kind of respect and godliness toward those whom they serve Christ over (9a), the Christ-like response of us peons is not contingent upon him (or her) being a good guy, much less a perfect one. (1 Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.) – Excuses… flushed… away. Bah! 3. And Jesus always takes it to the next level, because he wants your heart first of all. He, your Creator, knows best that your internal motivation… and sincerity… and integrity behind the scenes is the true indicator of your allegiance and affection. – You might say, obey the people over you with respect and with a sincere, generous, enthusiastic heart. – 6c ‘doing the will of God from the heart’ (literally, soul – not kardia this time, but psyche.)  It’s not just about being a good employee, and it’s certainly not about doing it in fear of man or to please him. (see the rest of vv.6&7) Paul wants you to draw a straight line from your inmost being to the heart of God. 4. Only we know our secret life, yet each of us knows we run the risk of being what Paul cautions against in vv.6&7 instead of honoring God with integrity in all our work. a. Consider carefully, in what kind of situation(s) have you been fulfilling your duties to the best of your ability only when the boss is watching? (eye-service) b. Trace the problem. If you are doing what’s right simply to please the overlord when he’s watching, to make you look good so you can receive some benefit from it, what does that say about your heart in the moments when the fear of man isn’t present? If you are alone wasting time or disrespecting the boss behind his back, what does that say about your character before God? c. See what Paul’s getting at? You are not rendering service as to the Lord. When we work as servants of Christ, we help people without compensation for it, we give generously without receiving earthbound recognition, we serve intensely and use time wisely for God’s glory when no one knows except us. Oh, and of course your Master knows. C. And with that Paul leads us into what we have labeled in our Bibles as verse 8. (read) 1. No good deed goes unrewarded. (That’s not the phrase we’re used to hearing.) God says here in his word that for every good thing done to the glory of God with right attitude and action, he gives blessing to the one who honors him this way. If not in this life, then in the one to come. “For those who honor me, I will honor.” (from 1 Sam. 2:30)  I don’t think we can comprehend yet exactly all that this receiving reward or credit from God might entail, if indeed it means that some form of reward is credited to our account. (Although I have my doubts that that is what it means.) At the very least it does mean the following two things. a. Your reward is the eternal inheritance stored up for you. Turn to Col. 3:22-24, another letter with many parallels to Paul’s words to the Ephesians. b. Secondly, when you love and worship God, the knowledge of his pleasure is great reward. “[…] the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” Ps. 147:11 c. This is indeed great encouragement to those placed in servitude to others not by their own choosing. God honors your submission to those earthly masters when done in fear of Him. 2. No wickedness goes unpunished. See v. 25 (Col. 3). Many people who walk in evil appear to be thriving in this life, but little do they know that punishment awaits, and that they are in fact NOT living the best life that they could have on this earth, for that joy and hope, that comfort and confidence, only comes in knowing and loving God through Jesus Christ. As for the false prosperity gospel, “Your Best Life Now” isn’t found in God giving you what you want and supposedly deserve. The true gospel is not so easy nor so cheesy as that. Jesus didn’t die so you could get your Christmas list. Jesus died so you could be rescued from that selfishness and the penalty that comes with it. So your highest good in this life is in God giving you himself as you yield more and more to his love and will for you. D. And so all of the above applies equally to masters, bosses, people in any position of authority over others. (9a) 1. Don’t threaten. Don’t be rude and inconsiderate. Don’t abuse the power given into your care. Instead, lead with justice and grace. Lead with the example of a suffering servant, like Christ the Lord. 2. Oh, and the next part is so good and so poignant that I can feel the sharp point of it. Stop your threatening, and here’s a warning you had better hear: 9b! a. You must treat the people who work or volunteer for you the way that you want God to treat you. –Forgiving, understanding, blessing, encouraging, supporting, comfort, etc. b. I’ll tell you what else it means. Sorry William Ernest Henley, you could be the captain of some ship, but you most certainly are not the master of your fate nor the captain of anybody’s soul, least of all your own. There is only one Sovereign over all creation; he is Christ the Lord. There is only one Lord of people’s souls. His name is Jesus. III. Who is Lord of Your Work? Who possesses you? To whom do you belong?  “Trusting in Jesus Christ is inseparably tied to the matter of our submission and obedience to His authority.” (Deffinbaugh) A. Whether worker bee or queen, no one ever said that working with the right action and right heart attitude was going to be easy. – (But) Our Savior is sufficient to change our selfish rebellion into lasting faith and joyful obedience. …because of God’s work of saving faith in us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10) B. Have you confessed and agreed with God in your heart to his possession of you? If you will do that through faith in the person and work of Christ alone to save you, he will free you from the heavy burden of your sin and selfishness… and give you the lasting joy of having God as your possession. You will then say with Thomas, “My Savior and my God.” (Jn 20:28) And having been indwelled by God the Holy Spirit, in him you will also say with sincerity and assurance in belonging to God, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”) [Prayer] Our Father in heaven, again from Psalm 25 this morning we pray. To you, O Lord, we lift up our souls. O God, in you we trust. According to your steadfast love remember us, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon our guilt, for it is great. Turn to us and be gracious to us. Guard our souls, and deliver us! Let us not be put to shame, for we take refuge in you. [Benediction] As you leave this place to be God’s people in the workplace, in the home, and in the community, may you rest in the security of belonging to Christ, of being his dearly loved possession. May he bless the fruit of your labor for the sake of his great name. Welcome Greg Fisher as our newest formal member!