Serve the Lord

Big Idea

Tension: How does Paul provide common ground to both the Slave and slave master?

Resolution: By reminding them they both have a heavenly master who will reward for good work, and who will punish for sins.

Exegetical Idea: Paul provides both the slave and the slavemaster common ground by reminding them that Christ both rewards good work and punishes evil.

Theological Idea: Whether God has placed a man as slave or master, a breadwinner or housewife, Christ will reward hard work and punish evil.

Homiletical Idea: Because Christ is the master of all who rewards good and punishes evil, work hard as unto him!

Outline

Introduction:

Slaves & Christianity

Slavery was pervasive in the ancient world. In the first century, slavery was incredibly complex.

The causes of slavery was complex. It took a long time to root out.

The Bible explicitly tells slaves to seek freedom if they can. (1 Cor 7:21)

The New Testament subverts slavery by reminding masters and slaves they are equal before God, by telling slaves slavery did not define them, and by showing that Christ became a slave to accomplish salvation.

Slavery itself was redeemed because Christ took slavery and submission onto himself. (Phil 2:5-11) Christ became a slave so we might be free. Christ became a slave so he might become our Lord. We are free from teh world, but slaves to Christ. Because he was sold, we get an inheritance.

Wherever Christianity spread, slavery died out.

It was adopted in modern Europe again from Muslim countries.

It was Evangelical Bible-Believing Christians who led the fight to get slavery abolished in the English speaking world.

This passage in particular cannot be used to justify slavery because he describes slaves as if they were children (“obey according to everything,”), because he tells the masters to do the “right thing” for the slaves (which would have inevitably led to freeing slaves), because he reminds slaves they get an “inheritance” from teh Lord, and because he equalized the slave and the slave-owner.

But perhaps the most important way that he shapes his teaching on slavery, is that he gives them what we would call vocation. Vocation is from the Latin word “vocatio” meaning to call. And when we say they have a “vocation”, we mean that God has, by his Providence, put them as either slaves or slave-owners. And therefore, because God has called them to this they should be faithful in it, not knowing his secret purposes. And from that perspective, all of us can learn from this, because all of us have a vocation, that is a calling. All of us are placed by God in particular places in life. And whether they are glorious or not, we should be faithful. So whether we are working in a job we love or hate, or whether or not we are stay at home moms, or we are retired, or we are students, God has put us where he put us for a reason. So we need to be faithful. So how can we be faithful in these places?

Slaves

Obey in everything your earthly authorities (22)

This obedience should not be by appearance only

It should not be only to make people look at you

Rather, it should be done out of a sincere heart. Do it and mean it.

Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men (23)

Serve the Lord Christ. “Slave for the Lord Christ.”

Why?

because you know that Christ will give the faithful their inheritance (24)

You may feel like you’re wasting your life right now, but God will pay you back for all your wasted time if you work for him.

Yet, remember what he said in vs. 22, it should be done in the fear of the Lord. Why? Because the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done (25)

God is just, and he shows no partiality

Make no mistake, when you are lazy, when you cut corners, when you complain, when you spend all day on your phone, you are stealing from Christ.

The last thing to note about this this is all said to a slave with a slave master. The expectation is that the relationship between the slave and the slave master is one that verges on violence, one that is precarious, one where the slave is persistently and consistently told, “Your life does not matter.” It’s to that slave that Paul says, “you do matter, so work for the Lord, regardless of what your master thinks of you.”

Masters

Do justice and equality for your slaves - that is in and of itself a remarkable thing. Because he is saying that slaves deserve equality and justice. WHy? Because they are equally in God’s image.

Why? Because they also have a master in heaven. So they should remember they will be held to account just like their slaves.

They were told to not lord their authority over their slaves, but to love them, and to do right by them. I think that inevitably meant freeing them.

Big Idea: Because Christ is the master of all who rewards good and punishes evil, work hard for him!

Application

Know that Christ became a slave to set you free. No matter how hard you work, no matter what you do, no matter how brilliant or talented you are, if you do not, as Jesus says in John’s gospel, let the master serve you, you have no share in him. Christ served you by taking the sins off your shoulder, by bearing your sni and your guilt and yoru shame. So dear friend, you are free in Christ, free from sin, free from death, free from guilt.

Nevertheless, you are a slave of Chrsist. Because Christ was exalted as Lord over all, you and I now serve him.

Wherever you are in life, this applies to you. Workers, students, moms, retirees, elders, if you are alive, you have a vocation. God has put you where he has put you for a reason, so live for him.

I don’t think that this means you have to like your vocation, but you should carry it out knowing that where God has placed you is in his good purposes and is best for you. In other words, you do your work as an act of faith.

Whatever you do, do it well.

If you have employees who report to you, do not treat them with partiality or unfairness.

Bring Christ to work. Try to leverage the relationships that you have for Christ. Bring your Bible. Talk about Jesus. Get to know other Christians at your workplace.

Let Christ have control. When you are anxious, when you are fearful or frustrated, when things at your job are not going like you want them to, pray and trust Christ that he has you there for a purpose.

At times this will cost you. When it does, trust that the Lord will repay you in eternity.

Conclusion: Christ has called you to a vocation. Don’t waste that.