To Slaves and Masters in Afton

ME:

What is your least favorite job of all time?

I asked this on Facebook.

And I got a lot of responses, some of you even responded.

A lot of jobs related to cleaning;

Dusting, vacuuming, laundry, cleaning toilets.

In fact, toilet, or plumbing related jobs seemed to be a common theme as well.

Another person said unclogging toilets and another said snaking their drain,

And I could include picking up their dog’s poop were some least favorite.

One response a couple people said I hadn’t thought of was not having a job,

Or having to look for one.

Customer service, if I can use that as a broad umbrella, was another one.

Having to do pushy sales or work at a call center or even cold-calling businesses for donations.

Some farm related jobs were also mentioned,

Haying one person said,

Or one guy on a show was talking about his least favorite job,

He said he use to have to neuter pigs for his dads farm.

And one last one I saw a couple people mention was working in the restaurant industry, specifically waitressing.

There were some others listed as well, but these seemed to be the primary themes.

There are some bad jobs out there.

Ultimately work is a gift from God.

Therefore, we should be thankful for work,

Even though some jobs are not the most desirable.

So, how do you find meaning in your work?

In one sense, you could say, well I work because I get paid.

I doubt any of you are obsessively motivated to scrub toilets or harass people for money!

But shouldn’t there be greater motivation to our work than money?

What about the work we do that we do not get paid for?

What motivates us to do that work?

These are some challenging questions,

Our passage this morning sheds light on these questions.

This morning we are in Ephesians 6:5-9.

This portion of Paul’s letter is addressed to the slaves and masters in Afton.

We will actually read through this passage three times this morning.

The first time, we will seek to understand the roles of slaves and masters which Paul is addressing.

Next, we will read through it again, focusing on the words Paul says to slaves and masters.

Then we will read through it one last time to learn how we can live as changed slaves and masters.

In this passage, we learn that Christ is the ultimate boss,

The highest master whom we work for.

So even if you feel like your job stinks.

You can work for a greater master, even without changing your job.

Because, regardless of your job, Jesus Christ is your boss.

This understanding should affect how we view work.

Whatever work we do, paid or unpaid, we can exalt Christ!

The Protestant Reformation reestablished this emphasis of living out our vocation, our jobs, to God’s glory!

Reformers teach that your job is your special calling that required the talents God has given you,

And He is active in your work.

Martin Luther would remind believers to think about how God would give us our daily bread.

Through farmers, transporters, and retailers.

It was not like Israel in the desert, where Dunkin donuts was falling down from heaven.

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs is a great children’s tale,

But not an accurate forecast.

Luther specifically asked;

“What is our work in field and garden, in town and house, in battling and in ruling, to God, but the work of children, through which He bestows His gifts on the land, in the house, and everywhere? Our works are God’s masks, behind which He remains hidden, although He does all things.”

So, if we understand what Luther is saying,

There is no divide between what we call secular work and other more sacred vocations like, oh I don’t know, pastor.

Why?

Because all work is done under Christ.

So, if you get nothing else from this morning’s message,

I hope you come away understanding that in Eph. 6:5-9, Paul teaches that there is not divide between secular vocations and sacred vocations.

Your faith is connected to your work, whatever it is, just as much as mine is connected to my work as a pastor.

Whatever work you do, as a Christ, you are a servant of Christ.

You are working for the glory of Christ!

Because all work belongs to Jesus.

And it all matters.

What you do matters.

I got a little ahead of myself this morning,

So, let us take a step back and pray before we go any further.

PRAY

WE: Understanding Slaves and Masters

Before we look at the words to slaves and masters,

And apply these words to live as changed slaves and masters.

We need to understand these roles of slaves and masters.

Making historical context especially important for this morning’s passage.

The past two weeks,

Where Paul addresses wives and husbands and children and parents,

He is writing biblical household codes,

To the ancient household.

Each of these are built upon the premise of submission to one another from Eph. 5:21.

With Paul emphasizing the mutual value and worth of each role.

This morning, we come to the final roles Paul addresses in his household codes,

Slaves and masters.

Typically, we tend to only bridge this to a modern day application of employees and employers.

While that is an appropriate application,

That is not necessarily the exact same role that slaves and masters held in the ancient world.

An ancient slave was not the same as a modern-day employee.

Therefore, understanding this passage as strictly an application to modern day employees and employers,

Misses out on a full understanding of the passage.

But it also overlooks the elephant in the room.

Which is, in light of the dark and shameful history of slavery,

Why did Paul not just ban slavery outright in this passage?

As Christians, we forsake slavery,

So, how do we understand this passage addressed to slaves in light of all this?

Let’s begin reading Eph. 6:5-9, seeking to understand slaves and masters

Ephesians 6:5–9 ESV

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

In 2016, the ESV went through a revision,

In that revision, one of the noted intents was to replace the term slaves in this passage,

Due to the historical trauma of slavery in our culture.

Which is why we see the ESV use the term bondservants.

However, most English translations still use the word slaves.

But the slavery Paul is speaking about in this passage is not like slavery in American history.

American slavery occurred across racial lines, and it was a life-sentence.

The slavery in Paul’s context did not occur across racial lines,

And while it could be a life-sentence, it was not for certain that all slaves were given a life sentence.

This is not to say there were no similarities, but it was certainly not the same.

So, Paul begins by addressing slaves.

Just like children and wives, it was not commonplace for slaves to be addressed in household codes.

Following a similar premise as every other role he has addressed.

Paul commands this obedient submission exemplified by Christ.

What does Christ’s example of obedient submission look like?

Phil. 2:5-11;

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This humiliation, this suffering Jesus entered into.

Is something all believers are called to share in.

To be obedient slaves of righteousness.

Just as we share in the humiliation and suffering of Jesus,

We do so in order to share in His exaltation and glory,

As Paul explains in Rom. 8:17;

Romans 8:17 ESV

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Do not misunderstand, Paul is not saying that we endure further suffering than we need because we are slaves.

Nor does slavery need to be a permanent status.

He clarifies this in 1 Cor. 7:21;

1 Corinthians 7:21 ESV

Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)

You see, Paul does not seek to lessen the reality that a life of slavery is hard.

A slave in ancient households was not free,

They were forced to serve in the household in which they were a slave.

Some households treated their slaves benevolently.

The slave would be provided and cared for.

But there were others where the slave had to find a way to care for himself,

Because the master was cruel to him, only using him for what he needed,

And was unconcerned about the well-being of the slave.

But at the end of the day; good, bad, or indifferent,

The slave was essentially property of the master.

Often it was used because the slave owed a debt of some kind to the master,

Or the parents of the slave owed a debt and sold their child to the master.

And the slavery was the means used to repay the debt.

It is hard for us to comprehend the use of slaves in the ancient world,

Because we are so influenced by the slavery that occurred in America,

The term for slave and servant was often used interchangeably.

Because a slave ultimately was doing the work of a servant.

In this context, slave does not carry the derogatory baggage it does in our context.

Slavery was commonplace in essentially every culture of the ancient world.

It could be public slaves, like the Israelites were enslaved by Egypt as a nation.

This was generally more like prisoners being used for their labor.

Often, this form of slavery was quite inhumane, they would be branded by the state, and many had a short life expectancy.

Household slaves, who Paul is addressing in our passage, generally fared much better.

And these slaves held this position as a legal status.

This slavery became social death,

Because slaves were alienated from any birthright,

Nor did they inherit any rights of the household in which they served as slaves.

This was so common in the culture that majority of households had at least one slave.

Over time, Greek and Roman influence, began using a slave system as an opportunity where slaves could earn property or money,

And eventually buy their freedom.

It began to make slavery something that was economically secure.

Thus slavery became the primary labor used for the majority of agriculture.

And slaves were often the most skilled workers.

Some estimates place the number of slaves somewhere in the range of 60 million in the Roman Empire.

That would be about one-third of the population in Ephesus.

An enlightening book on this subject is Everyday Life in Ancient Rome by Lionel Casson.

He dedicates an entire chapter on slavery in Rome during the time of Paul’s letters.

He includes some firsthand accounts of slavery and summarizes it this way:

“There were multitudes of Greek and Roman slaves—the gangs in the mines or on the vast ranches—who lived lives full of hardship as the slaves on the sugar plantations of Brazil of the cotton plantations in the American south. But in the days of the Roman Empire there were also many, a great many, who were able to escape from slaver and mount the steps of the social ladder, in some cases to the very top…But there also fell to them much white collar work: they were clerks, cashiers, bookkeepers of Ancient Greece and Rom. And they manned not only the lower levels of such work but the upper as well. Banks were owned by wealthy Greek or Roman families, but the officers who were in charge of them could be slaves of freedmen.”

Slavery is prominent throughout the OT.

Exodus and Deuteronomy outline legal guidelines regarding slavery.

We have narratives in Genesis of slaves.

The Psalms and Proverbs include mentions of slaves as well.

As mentioned earlier, in Exodus, God’s people are found in slavery.

The liberation of God’s people from slavery becomes an overarching theme of God’s Word.

But we tend to portray it as God’s people were free from slavery altogether as a result of this liberation.

But the reality is that God’s people were transferred back to their rightful owner, God.

No longer were they slaves of Egypt,

But they became slaves of God.

This is true freedom.

The cultural acceptance of slavery continues into the NT,

But there is a slightly different tone.

Slavery is still condemned in the NT but it is not endorsed.

Slave imagery is used to describe followers of Jesus.

In Matthew 10:24-25, Jesus uses slavery as an illustration for discipleship.

Similar to our passage this morning, Peter calls slaves to be submissive in 1 Pet. 2:18-19;

1 Peter 2:18–19 ESV

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

But do not misunderstand,

When the NT authors address slaves, they are not condoning slavery,

They are not encouraging believers to blindly submit to this system of slavery.

It is a theme of urging all people, slave and free, to identify with their status in Christ,

Over their temporary societal status as either a free person or a slave.

As we see in our passage this morning,

As well as Col. 4:1;

Colossians 4:1 ESV

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Paul commands masters to treat their slaves with fairness,

To be kind to them.

Paul frequently referred to himself as a slave.

He introduced himself as a slave in his letters to the Romans and Philippians.

Using his slavery as a metaphor to communicate his sense of devotion.

For example 1 Cor. 9:19; 2 Cor. 4:5; and Gal 5:13;

1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

2 Corinthians 4:5 ESV

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Galatians 5:13 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

We looked at earlier, how Paul pointed to the example of Jesus in Phil. 2,

Who humbled Himself, taking on the nature of a slave.

But slavery wasn’t always used in a positive way.

In Galatians, Paul describes living under the law as enslavement to the law,

And exhorts Christians to avoid this enslavement to the law.

He goes into greater detail with this metaphor in Rom. 7,

Describing the tension between the law and our fleshly desires as being sold into bondage to sin.

One thing the Bible as a whole seems to indicate is that slavery is part of the human experience.

But in our passage this morning, Paul is teaching that slaves and masters are equal before God.

Something that would be shocking to the culture.

God is concerned for the welfare of slaves.

Thus, He opposes enslavement to anything but Himself.

He desires to have everyone enslaved to Him,

Because He offers His slaves true freedom.

Therefore, regardless of any earthly master,

We serve the risen and glorified Christ.

Thus slaves are a new creation in Christ.

We have been purchased by the blood of Christ,

Making us ultimately slaves to Christ.

This slavery to Christ makes every other human identity irrelevant.

As Paul states in 1 Cor. 7:23;

1 Corinthians 7:23 ESV

You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

We understand Paul is undermining cultural slavery in our passage this morning.

Paul’s main focus is not to destroy slavery,

His concern is the spread of the Gospel.

The Gospel transforms the master-slave relationship.

Which in turn plants the seeds for the destruction of slavery.

Which is why Paul is telling slaves and masters to relate to one another as they relate to Christ.

Klyne Snodgrass comments;

“That masters are to treat their slaves ‘the same way’ is cryptic but still shocking. For them to follow this instruction, they would have to treat their slaves with respect and fear and with sincerity of heart as to Christ. That alone should have abolished slavery for Christians!”

GOD: Words to Slaves and Masters

Now that we better understand slaves and masters,

Let’s read Eph. 6:5-9 again, looking specifically at Paul’s words to slaves and masters;

Ephesians 6:5–9 ESV

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Paul tells slaves they do not only work while people are watching them.

Or even worse, appearing to fulfill their work while they are being watched by their master.

While not actually accomplishing his duties when the master is not around.

This is hypocritical and it is a good instruction for all of us.

Do not just work while you are being watched.

This is an attempt at trying to please man,

Trying to please their human masters.

As you can see, the word Paul uses,

Is being a literal people-pleaser.

I know this word resonates with me,

And I believe it does for many of you as well.

It is this intense desire to satisfy the wants, needs, commands, or attention of people,

More than God!

And that is not good, it is a form of idolatry.

The usage of it in his commands to slaves is the only time Paul uses this phrase.

Revealing this innate temptation for us to work for the approval of man,

Over the approval of God.

But Paul is making it clear,

Regardless of any earthly masters,

Slaves ultimately serve the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Vs. 4-8 in our passage mentions Christ;

vs. 5, as you would Christ,

vs. 6, as slaves of Christ,

vs. 7, as to the Lord,

and vs. 8, receive back from the Lord.

Therefore, slaves render all their service to Christ.

This service rendered to Christ is rendered in good will, Paul says.

Meaning, the work slaves are to do is meant to be done with kindness or with charity and graciousness.

Because the service of slaves is to the Lord, not to their human master.

This mindset can enable the slave to obey with a good attitude,

Even if their human master is being unjust, or simply not recognizing their hard work.

This prevents slaves from placing their value in their work.

But instead placing their value in Christ,

Who gave His life, shedding His blood on the cross for them.

Which in turn transforms their work and service.

It frees slaves to work in a way that is not begrudging of their master or their job.

They are able to have a good attitude about their serving.

Because they know that whatever work they are doing,

Whether they are obligated to do a certain work,

Or they have the freedom to choose to do their work,

Whatever it is, they are doing it for the Lord,

Who provides for and takes care of His slaves.

Paul describes this provision as knowing whatever good is done will be received back from the Lord.

This being paid back from the Lord is not only in the positive sense.

Paul says in Col. 3:25;

Colossians 3:25 ESV

For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

After these words to slaves, Paul turns his attention to masters.

Alluding to the OT law in Lev. 25:43, which states;

Leviticus 25:43 ESV

You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God.

Paul is telling the masters,

Listen, you can have confidence that believing slaves will serve willingly,

Therefore, you must do the same.

You must treat your slaves the same way they treat you.

With integrity, respect, humility, and gentleness.

You must be submissive to them.

Which is a truly shocking and outrageous command for a first century slave owner.

Ultimately, treating slaves the way Christ treats His slaves,

The way Christ treats His children, as we saw last week.

And the way Christ treats His bride, as we saw two weeks ago.

This is the theme Paul has been addressing.

Time and time again, Paul is showing every role that is in authority,

Is an obedient, submissive, sacrificial role.

As Christ, who is our authority, is obedient, submissive, and sacrificial.

Therefore, masters are not to abuse their authority over slaves.

They should not be threatening them, abusing them, or intimidating them.

What reason does Paul give for this?

Because human masters and slaves share the same Master in heaven.

As Prov. 22:2 says;

Proverbs 22:2 ESV

The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all.

You see, the Master in heaven is not impressed by the fact that you are a human master.

He does not hold masters in higher regard than slaves.

In the eyes of the heavenly master, whom we all serve,

Slaves and masters, children and parents, wives and husbands,

Are all of equal worth and value.

All are on level ground at the cross.

This is summarized when Paul says in vs. 9 that there is no partiality with Christ.

We saw this with the life of Jesus in the Gospels,

He showed respect to slaves, to children, and to wives.

Roles that were typically diminished and devalued in society at that time.

Jesus does not play favorites, He is just and fair with all people.

Paul is addressing this to believers,

There will be a judgment believers will have to face for whatever good or evil they have done in the body.

Whether they were a slave or master, child or parent, wife or husband.

Paul teaches this in 2 Cor. 5:10;

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Dr. Ben Merkle explains in reference to our passage this morning:

“Slaves should be obedient, with good attitudes, because they will be rewarded at the last judgment by their heavenly Master for the good they do. Regardless of whether or not their earthly masters see or acknowledge their good works, nothing will escape the gaze of their Master in heaven.”

YOU: Changed Slaves and Masters

Now that we better understand slaves and masters,

And we have looked at Paul’s words to slaves and masters,

Let us read Eph. 6:5-9 one final time to apply how to live as changed slaves and masters;

Ephesians 6:5–9 ESV

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

This obedience with fear and trembling is simply a command to show respect toward your earthly masters.

And a sincere heart is this internal affectionate respect, displayed through outward obedience generously being given to your earthly masters.

This sincerity communicates purity, innocence, and honesty.

These are the type of motives that are to define your heart toward your earthly masters.

That means you are honest and straightforward, with your work, and with your speech, toward your earthly masters.

It means your attitude is one of affection, kindness, and generosity in your work.

Paul is calling for integrity among slaves.

Telling slaves to demonstrate love to their earthly masters.

The motivation for this love comes from the fact that you are ultimately a slave to Christ,

Not to this earthly master.

There are really only two commands in this passage,

Actually, it is essentially the same command,

Just directed at the two distinct roles Paul is addressing.

It is the command for slaves to live out the second greatest commandment to their human masters.

And the command for masters to live out the second greatest commandment to their slaves.

Slaves, love your masters as yourself.

Masters, love your slaves as yourself.

Care for one another.

Because you are actually brothers and sisters in Christ.

You are slaves together, serving the same Master,

The Lord, Jesus Christ.

WE:

Perhaps you have been thinking this entire time, I am not a slave, nor do I have any slaves,

So, how exactly am I suppose to live as a changed slave or master?

Well, because no work is merely a job.

It is a way we serve Christ.

Therefore, we can now understand this application to employees and employers, right?

Maybe you are currently working in your least favorite job.

Or perhaps you just have to do work you really do not enjoy.

Think about the truths Paul has been teaching us throughout this letter.

You have been spiritually raised from death to life, saved by grace,

You are indwelled with God’s Holy Spirit!

So now, as you live, love your spouse, honor your parents, raise your children, and do your work.

You do not do it alone.

You do it all with the presence of the living Christ inside you.

We do all our work through the strength and presence of Christ.

The Lord is with us in all our work, even the mundane or miserable.

We depend on the Spirit’s power to do our work.

What does this look like?

We pray before going to work, we pray for the Spirit to fill us, we pray that God would use us as a missionary in our work place.

But not only does Christ give us the strength to work.

As always, He is an example for the type of worker we are to be.

Remember the example of Jesus as a slave in Phil. 2?

He also testified to this in Mark 10:45,

When He said He did not come to be served but to serve.

Jesus is a hard-working slave.

Jesus was respectful, He worked obediently to the Father,

He never billed people after healing them,

He never had a begrudging spirit,

And no task He did was ever deemed insignificant.

As believers, we are to be exemplary as workers.

We should not need our supervisors to micro-manage us.

We should make the name of Christ look good in our workplaces.

We are working for the Lord.

This is regardless of where we are working.

John Stott put is this way:

“It is possible for the housewife to cook a meal as if Jesus Christ were going to eat it, or to spring-clean the house as if Jesus Christ were the honored guest. It is possible for teachers to educate children, for doctors to treat patients and nurses to care for them, for shop assistants to serve customers, accountants to audit books and secretaries to type letters as if in each case they were serving Jesus Christ.”

*Work for Christ today, knowing you will receive a reward from Christ later.

Do not fall for the lie that your work does not matter.

As Paul said in Eph. 2:10, God saved us to do good works.

Jesus teaches that rewards are given on faithfulness.

The ultimate reward is hearing our Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

At the same time, employers have the challenges of leadership.

Employers often have numerous responsibilities,

Which often entail numerous sacrifices.

Just like workers, you need the power of the Spirit.

Employers lead out of the strength of Christ.

and the example of Christ.

Jesus made Himself a slave,

He also is our Master.

He demonstrated what we call servant-leadership.

Employers, leaders, managers,

We have to give an account one day.

As a leader, you may opportunities to blur the lines of ethics,

Due to less direct forms of accountability.

Our passage this morning is a reminder that you are accountable to the Lord.

Though you are a human master, you are a slave to Christ.

Honor Him with the way you lead.

We have a hard time, even as Christians, understanding the values of these roles.

Paul is teaching that their is no hierarchy of value among people.

Not among wives and husbands, children and parents, and slaves and masters.

*Our roles do not define our worth.

*Human hierarchies do not exist for Christians.

We serve the same Master and await the same judgment.

Therefore, the way we relate to others must be different from the way the culture around us does.

We do not show preferential treatment based on social class, ethnicity, gender, age, or political affiliation.

This includes the way we speak, the attention we give, even our body language toward others should not be preferential.

You are not superior because of your role in any way,

Do not dehumanize people or exalt people based upon roles.

Our roles do not define our worth.

What is most important for us all,

Is not our role, it is our relationship with Christ, our Master.

Is Christ your Master?

You can gain the whole world; riches, prestige, authority,

But Jesus asks, what is it worth, if you lose your soul?

Tony Merida asks us some poignant questions on this subject;

“What matters most to you? The economy? The president? Your team? Your grades? We should all long to say it like Paul: ‘For me, living is Christ and dying is gain’ (Phil 1:21).”

If Christ and His Gospel does not matter most, then you need to submit to Him as your Master.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate Master,

And He became the ultimate slave,

Dying for your sins.

He has done what we could not;

Freed us from the slavery of sin.

Making us slaves to righteousness.

Bringing us into a loving relationship with God.

We could not earn it.

All you do, is believe this in your heart to be true,

And confess Jesus as your Master with your mouth.

And you will be welcomed into true freedom with Christ.

This is what defines our worth.

Our roles do not.

Please join me in prayer.