Working for the Lord
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“Do Work” - Work That Glorifies God
“Do Work” - Work That Glorifies God
Turn in your Bibles to and . Keep your finger there.
Today we are talking about the relationships between the Christ follower and work...
The kind of work that God loves
Scripture -
:22-4:1
3:22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
4:1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
A significant and often overlooked way that we serve God is in our everyday tasks. Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays; not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."
Transition - Hook
Transition - Hook
I. I was made to work.
God gives us an example of work. He made the universe, world and all of life.
Part of Adam and Eve’s job was to tend to The Garden of Eden.
When Jesus did his ministry He had to escape from the crowds to pray because His work became overwhelming.Part of Adam and Eve’s job was to tend to The Garden of Eden.
10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
II Thes 3:11-12
II Thess 3:-12
I hear retired people tell me all the time, I am more busy now than when I worked.
Why? You are volunteering more now. Volunteering to take care of grandchildren. Volunteering to take a meal to someone who is sick. Volunteering to visit a shut in.
Many of your are drawn to work.
Why am I drawn to work? I was made to work. God created Adam and Eve to work the Garden.
Work did not come about as the result of sin. Work is a Pre-Sin (Pre-Fall) creation. When sin entered the world it effected our work. Work is harder and more complicated now then God created it to be due the the effects of sin.
Students who struggle to work for school or do chores at home - get use to it - you will work the rest of your life. You say, “Yeah, I’ll get paid then.” Then something called bills comes and takes all your money and you have to work more.
The point is … We work because God made us to work & sin has taken a lot of the joy out of working.
Transition - Working means that most of us will have a boss. A lot of work done in N.T. times - was done by a slave - who had a master.
When Jesus did his ministry He had to escape from the crowds to pray because His work became overwhelming.
Why? You are volunteering more now. Volunteering to take care of grandchildren. Volunteering to take a meal to someone who is sick. Volunteering to visit a shut in.
The curse and sin has made work more difficult
Why? You are volunteering more now. Volunteering to take care of grandchildren. Volunteering to take a meal to someone who is sick. Volunteering to visit a shut in.
Many times the boss in Bible times was a Master.
Why? You are volunteering more now. Volunteering to take care of grandchildren. Volunteering to take a meal to someone who is sick. Volunteering to visit a shut in.
In our passage today - slave or bondservant
The slaves that are discussed in would largely be domestic slaves. Most slaves were the product of Roman conquest of lands where those who lost the war were placed in slavery. In the case of those in Colossian church most would have been domestic slaves. In many cases the upper class would own 1 or 2 slaves and worked closely as an assistant to their master. It is said that in the streets of Athens, Greece slaves were indistinguishable from free men. Slaves and their Masters had a close relationship. Many times the work was very specialized. Some slaves were doctors and teachers. Much of the slave work required slaves to work independent of their masters and have a specialized skill. Slaves could own property and many were allowed to mary.
I. Obey Your Employer
Note that this kind of slavery is very different from the abusive slavery we read of from the 17th and 18th century. While some slaves were abused - they commonly were not.
Let me pause and take a moment to say this.
I am not saying that the owning of another human being is acceptable.
In no way should slavery be encouraged.
Jesus and the Apostles never are spoken of owning a slave.
However, the book of Colossians was written to a Church - some people during that time in the church were slaves and slave owners.
Slavery was how much of the work got done. Slaves in fact were workers.
Transition - Today in the passage when we speak of slaves and masters it is very fair to apply this to employees.
II. Obey Your Employer
1A. Obey everything they tell you to do.
Why? They are your authority (earthly master)
1B. Lean you heart into it.
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
Romans 13:1-
This is a simple truth that gets tangled in the heart. When you boss tells you to do something you should do it & in a timely manner.
There are exceptions - sinful, illegal, breaking of employment law...
There are exceptions - sinful, illegal, breaking of employment law...
There are exceptions - sinful, illegal, breaking of employment law...
1B. We are not to fear our employer, but rather fear God.
Why does Paul say in verse 22?
v s. 22, “Fear the Lord” Why does he say this?
If you are treated unfairly - God will bring the revenge.
Col 3:25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
vs 25 If your boss treats you unfairly, don’t try to get him back (don’t spit in his coffee), God will pay back the Master. Fear the Lord, not your boss.
If your boss treats you unfairly, don’t try to get him back (don’t spit in his coffee), God will pay back the poor Master. Fear the Lord, not your boss.
vs 25 If your boss treats you unfairly, don’t try to get him back (don’t spit in his coffee), God will pay back the Master. Fear the Lord, not your boss.
Then, In verse 25 there is a major socially liberal teaching for that time.
“...There is no partiality.”
25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
In other words, God views a poor gentile female slave as equal to a rich Jewish male master.
You may be female or a minority and feel like you are not getting a fair shake at work.
Know this - Sometimes mankind may view you different at work,
In God’s economy, He does not view you differently.
Transition - We see that:
God created us for work
That we are to obey our bosses, and thirdly
III. My heart must be in my work.
III. My heart must be in my work.
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Col 3:22-
Col 3:22-
IIIA. Work Hard
Why? You are pleasing the Lord. (vs 23), you are serving Christ (Vs. 24)
Ask yourself this question when you do a job for your boss. If I was doing this job for Jesus, How well would I do it? What kind of attention and quality would this get? We work hard because we work for the Lord.
IIIB. We work hard knowing God sees us.
Verse 22 challenges us to not just give eye service - working hard only when the boss is looking.
One of the greatest blessings you can give your boss and your co-workers is when your heart is in the work. Why?
When I work hard I:
-You lift those around you and are not a drag.
-You work more and talk less.
-You are dependable.
-You get your work done on time which helps others around you keep their work on schedule.
-You bless your boss and company by providing a valued product or service.
-You are a good witness in your attitude...
This doesn’t mean that you have to like your work.
In the U.S. we look for work to fulfill us.
In most of the worlds history and in 80% of the world today most people are simply happy to have a job they get paid for. If you happened to like your job - that is a bonus.
We don’t work hard because our job fulfills. We work hard because God sees us.
Illustration - C. S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory.
Transition -
Vs. 22,
There are exceptions - sinful, illegal, breaking of employment law...
The work of a Beethoven, and the work of a charwoman, become spiritual on precisely the same condition, that of being offered to God, of being done humbly "as to the Lord." This does not, of course, mean that it is for anyone a mere toss-up whether he should sweep rooms or compose symphonies. A mole must dig to the glory of God and a cock must crow.
Thoughts -We were made to work in Genesis. Work is not as a result of the curse. There is a
When we work - we work for God - knowing He sees us.
Finally -
Obey Your Boss ()
How does this passage point us to Christ?
IV. God the Father is our Great Master
In the Bible the word “Lord” is used in all, but 2 of the 66 books. The word Lord is use over 6000 times. Lord means - the one with power and authority; Master
… The word Lord in the Bible means - the one with power and authority; Master
Christ is the ultimate master
We are always a slave. This doesn’t sound politically correct.
I am not a slave to anyone or anything. I am free!
Look at what Romans 6
Slave to Sin or slaves to Righteousness, NLT
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Slave to Sin or Righteousness,
We have our sins forgiven when we trust that Jesus paid for our sins on the Cross AND we follow Him as our Lord/Master. Following God as our Lord or Master is repentance.
A person who calls himself Christian, but does not live a life of repentance is most likely not a Christian - they are just religious. This is why I like to use the term, Christ follower. It indicates that someone followers Jesus as their Lord.
46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
We also see Christ give us the example of being a slave.
This passage calls Christ a servant, but it is the same greek word that we have looked at interpreted as slave.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Christ took on the roll of a servant/slave on the roll of a servantfollower
Christ (the slave) followed the lead of the Master (His Father) to the Cross to make a payment for forgiveness of sins.
Christ gives us the perfect example of being a godly slave for God.
The slaves that are discussed in would largely be domestic slaves. Most slaves were the product of Roman conquest of lands where those who lost the war were placed in slavery. In the case of those in Colossian church most would have been domestic slaves. Mostly 1 or 2 slaves were owned by the wealthy and worked closely as an assistant to their master. In the streets of Athens slaves were indistinguishable from free men. Slaves and their Masters had a close relationship. Many times the work with very specialized, included independence and respect. Some slaves were doctors and teachers. Slaves could own property and many were allowed to mary.
As we close I would like to ask you 2 questions:
Note that this kind of slavery is very different from the abusive slavery we read of from the 17th and 18th century.
Let me pause and take a moment to say this. Your pastor does not think that the owning of another human being is acceptable. In no way should slavery be encouraged. Jesus and the Apostles never are spoken of owning a slave.
Are you doing your work for yourself or for God?
However, the book of Colossians was written to a Church - some people in the church were slaves and slave owners.
Are you living as a slave of God’s or a slave of sin?
Slavery was how much of the work got done. Slaves in fact were workers.
Today the