Through Ephesians -11- Work Work Work!

Reading: Ephesians 6:5-9

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.               Ephesians 6:7-8 (NIV)

Intro:

   This passage originally was directed probably toward household servants. But the principles between servant and master apply equally well to employers and employees.

I. As you would obey Christ (v.5)

   A.    Obey with Respect

       1.    If he’s paying your wages, you have obligations.

       2.    Its stealing, if you take more than your wages without your employers permission.

           a.    If the “everybody’s doing it” argument doesn’t work at home (and it shouldn’t) it doesn’t work on the job.

   B.    With Sincerity of Heart

       1.    Lit. Singleness or simplicity of heart

           a.    Double meaning:

               (1)  only thinking about the boss’ interests

               (2)  acting in genuine concern/love for the boss.

       2.    As you would obey Christ!

           a.    A high order!

           b.    The position of being under authority is an opportunity to exploit for service

           c.    The chief work of love is service and love is the chief work of Christians.

II.    Serve Whole - heartedly (vv.6-8)

   A.    Not just when you’ll be Noticed

       1.    Some people only get busy when the boss or the supervisor is walking by.

       2.    Who are you when no one is looking?

       3.    Instead of working to be noticed, work to benefit your employer or supervisor.

   B.    From the Heart

       1.    “Doing the will of God from your heart” (v.6)

           a.    Who’s will?

           b.    In serving our employers we serve God.

       2.    Serve wholeheartedly (lit. With good will/intentions) often used with the idea of enthusiastically.

       3.    The basis for this service is not even the wisdom and value of being a good employee, but that such service pleases God.

   C.    Work for God’s Reward

       1.    A good job can be it’s own reward, and a fair pay for a fair day’s work is another but the best reward comes from God.

       2.    Unlike employers who always miss our good deeds or underestimate their value to him, God always rewards not only what we do well, but the intentions of our hearts (even when we don’t do well).

       3.    Slave/free is not a distinction God makes when it comes to passing out rewards. Neither employer/employee/supervisor, low seniority or high.

III.   Treat Employees with Respect (v.9)

   A.    In the Same way

       1.    It is no surprise that employees should respect their employers, but that employers should treat their employees as they wish to be treated, this is news.

       2.    Employees are not chattel to be bought and sold in sole service of the bottom line.

           a.    Employers who higher and fire for mere short-term financial gains often loose out in the end.

       3.    The most important thing about people is that they are people. It is always a privilege to be served by people and the one who serves deserves to have that service respected and his/her person respected too.

   B.    Don’t Threaten or be a Threat

       1.    Lit. Give up or Quit the threat.

           a.    Threats of job loss, or penalties are sometimes used by employers to manipulate people into compromising their integrity, their values, and their rights.

           b.    Paul doesn’t even mention an alternative form of motivation. He just says Don’t do this.

       2.    The temptation to use the power of position for mere personal pleasure is real. Employers are to resist it.

   C.    No Privilege before God

       1.    On the one hand we all have duty stations in life to which we have to be faithful, some in positions of greater service, others in positions of greater authority.

       2.    On the other hand God does not judge us, nor our value on the basis of the position to which he assigns us.

       3.    The one and only activity that governs all others for Christian employers in relation to their employees is love. Everything boils down to this one thing.

           a.    If it ain’t about love, it’s not about the right thing.

           b.    Not to oversimplify and somehow imply that employees don’t have to be let go because of their incompetence or because their presence can no longer be supported by economic realities.

           c.    But an employer who disciplines or fires an employee without sadness for the affected person needs a heart check.

The Bottom Line:

Let us serve God by Serving each other at Home and at Work