Ephesians 6:5-9 | Working for the Lord

Amen, God help us Focus today, help us not be distracted with all the things that we would rather be doing before the winter comes, and we got to do outside. But instead be present right now at your feet. We love, you have a stress. You you're not my man.

So I pretty much started working as soon as able to get stuff for my family and I grew up watching my siblings all work and work really hard. And so, as soon as I got my first, real job when I was fourteen and I was at soccer, referee soccer referee is not really fun. It's basically a glorified babysitter this ideal parents as well and it takes and classes and cost money to be able to make money, which know 14 year old wants to do. But I started working as a soccer ref and my parents were willing to get me where I needed to be and my siblings were able to bring it to the game. So I needed to be in. So I so I had my first job but pretty soon. I wanted a job that we actually paid more and treat me, not like a child and end. So I started my own little business and I was doing wedding videography, which I thought was a word, but apparently I made it up at some point but no video ography. People would hire me to film their weddings as a 15 year old. Which is stupid. Don't hire 15-year old film your wedding.

And now that thinks I am, I trying to attract if that would hire 15-year old to film their wedding like the most important day in their life with their spouse. And they want a fifteen-year-old to document. It makes no sense. And I was using a computer that should not have ran Adobe on it. And I had a license of adobe that accident had actually had and everything around. Working this job was about me, wanting to work for myself and make like $400 for a wedding, which is why people are hiring me because it was cheap, but it wasn't good and Anyway, I had several gigs and people were hired me and not realize how stupid it was, how much pressure I put it on myself. And so I got out of that job and said, I'd never want to make videos over again. Just why we ask Carolyn if he cuz I don't make videos anymore. Yes. I know how she but. No, I won't until after I did that and I got my first real job who actually had a boss. And so this was at a bar and grill called Milwaukee Grill in Wisconsin and my sister and my sisters. She at one point had a boyfriend who was the owner owner's, son of this restaurant. And so, she started getting this job at a restaurant and she pretty quickly was like, she had to skip all the steps because she was dating the owner's son. And so she don't have to start doing the dishes. So you just start like, higher up all the money. She was bringing home. And then my brother 3 years older than me. He got the job from her and all the sudden there was this reputation at the restaurant. They hate Petrie's hire them because they're honest and they work hard and so are they want to get a job? My brother's at this restaurant and I wasn't pretty enough in. So I had to start at the bus boy. Starting as a busboy.

The hard job, pretty much. When you're the busboy, you do what? No one else wants to do. In our case. We had a, a Septa, sewage something. I don't know how the plumbing work for the basement was flooded all the time of the restaurant inside bass. Like I go and deal with all the floating poop and chickens made. Is that so it comes in that's like five gallon bucket and it's all like beat up with a broken like all the bones are at a super tender eyes and chopped up inside of it. And it's a nasty job or the busway, some poor bus, while he's in the basement of the kitchen where sometimes poop floats and there are breading and marinating this chicken and getting it, ready for all you guys as soon as my money on and it was just as gross job of being a busboy. And then you're also the ones who have to be there. 20 open. I have to be there until they get the first one there and the last one to leave and you don't have any respect. And if you don't do your job, your disposable just was going to Busboys. And I got it because I saw my brother, he started as a busboy, but then he became expediter and then he was the host and then he was the waiter and then there's a bartender and I started subbing in for the supervisor every so often. And so,, look, there's so much money to be spent on here, and I've got a reputation, so I, I want this and so I stuck it out. But there's this particular time, when I was the atlas be doing the dishes, and it was a thing was like a Friday night, and I have plans that evening to go out with my girlfriend somewhere. Yes, Jenny. She was my girlfriend. I always bring my girlfriend by start dating her when I was 15 minutes. So I refer to my girlfriend, it's her butt.

This isn't that the managers have hates Brian. You're staying till close tonight. And I'm like, no, I'm not on my schedule tonight. I'm not. No, I I got plans and something happened with the clothes and Busboys and he had to go home. And so someone's got to do the job. Someone's got to work and so is my job to do it. And But he didn't ask me, am I willing to do what you ask me to have the time to do it? So it was just hey if you want to keep your job, your closing and I remember his feelings. So

Squashed like like what you going to do is take it but as bitter and my mom always tells me that I wear the emotions on the sleeves of my shirt and everyone in the room. Knows how I'm feeling which is a blessing and a curse, but I did the job, but people knew I wasn't happy about it.

There was another situation when I was doing the dishes and cleaning the tables, doing the grunt work, that people didn't want to do. And apparently my emotions are also visible at day and

And if you do Tyler and the work, I didn't want to be there. I didn't think I was getting paid enough. Didn't think people are tipping enough. Then when am I going to get promoted? Don't you know who I am? And I just kind of like me, me me. And then the owner of the restaurant, which normally don't deal with him because he owns a place to buy, would he be hanging out with the Busboys? But he said we got to talk and we talked and he pointed out one of the other Busboys why I got these mother opossum, and I don't think it's a term, but one of us was the name is Esteban and Esteban, didn't speak very much English. And if the restaurant was open, he was there. And if he wasn't there because he was at his other restaurant, working a second job. And he was also the Busboys there, but he's always smiling, always joyful, always happy to be at work and the owner of the restaurant. You told me, because of Azkaban language barrier, you'll never go to work in the front of the house, because this is what he he gets. And look how joyful he is. But how grateful we are that. You have the job and then there was me. Crabby and bitter and prideful too. Good. Be washing dishes to goodison it to the managers. And he told me, you know what? I think that I'm too good for this job. But this is what he looks like. He's sending money home to Mexico and this is his life and he's joyful and thankful. He can be here. And then I'm like, I don't want to do this and I'm a 16 year old kid in here. Like how visible limit communication with the way that I work. All I can say Terrence, if you kid wants to get a job and let them be a, busboy shapes them and teaches them how to work a good job for kids. Although I still hate washing dishes today. But I think we all learned some point in our lives. We learn, hopefully sooner than later that there is a structure that we live and no matter what the work is. We have bosses and we have tortillas and if we don't like it, well, don't keep that job. But we have our own work and authority and goals and attitudes. And these are all the types of things are talking about today here. And I think it's super applicable to to how we live our lives. The last several weeks we've been talking about the book of Ephesians. Well, I mean, if you don't chapter 5 verse 15,

Open my bible as a fusion.

Hopefully, you guys beat me. That's not it. Verse 15. It says

no chapter 2. Big, five little 15 and then how to live your life, not as unwise people. But as wise. Pay careful attention for how you live your life. Then which means giving everything else that Paul's are we talked about? Be careful how you live your life and then he spend a bunch of time and he unpacked what it means to live your life out. Getting everything else is already taught and said that he's cute. He's talked about. Why isn't it talks about husbands? They talked about children and love and honor and all this stuff and it's all comes back to being careful how you lived your lives out. And then we get to a category that we kind of skipped over because we don't have it today and that's in chapter 6, verse 13, verse five. And so open your bibles. If you're not there. I'm going to be primarily in the csb instead of the ESV. I like it better and I like the unique but it's pretty much the same salary both it says slaves. Obey your human masters with fear and trembling and in this is Saturday of your heart as you would Christ don't work as don't work. Only while being watched as people Pleasers but as slaves of Christ and do, the God's Will from your heart surgery with a good attitude as to the Lord. And not two people knowing that whatever. Good. Each one does slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. And Master is treat your slaves in the same way without threatening them. Because you know that both their master and yours is in heaven and there is no favoritism with him. The ESV is headed this way. Bond servants will be at your Earthly masters with fear and trembling with a sincere heart as he would Christ not by the way of eye Service as people Pleasers, but as Bond Servants 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 anyone does this y'all received back from the Lord whether it's a bond servant or is free Masters do the same to them and stop you're threatening knowing that he who has both their master and yours isn't heaven and there is no partiality with him. If you've been in the church for some time, you've heard this before and you know, how we teach it now. We, we normally contextualize it mean, the employer-employee relationships and basically means work hard and be nice. But Before, before I even get there, we we we need to understand with eyes wide open, say what? What is Paul trying to get at? And for that, we need to understand slavery and bond servants than that. I'll actually mean it. Here we go. The recipients of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. They all have one common trait. You wrote, it was. Do Christians, say they all claim Jesus as their lord and savior. And so, because they claim Jesus as Lord, there's certain things about how they're supposed to live. But otherwise, there's all sorts of different differences about who they are and how they live. And so did that there's a male and female rich, and poor children parents husband's why slave owners slaves? And as Christians, they all come together. They worship regularly to learn about God in his kingdom and the question that have their mind. It's okay. Just like you guys, how do I take this and apply it to my life? And so that's what Paul is trying to do. He's trying to say, was it look like to be live as a Christian in my role and in my home in our society. How does the large of a Christ? Transform how I live my life day today? And so basically it's okay. I'm a Christian now. So now what, what do I do? And so an intersection Paul assumes. The Roman socio-economic power structure as what it is. Meaning. He doesn't offer a critique of what the society system is. He just says, this is how life is, people are living as a society, where Silly Avery was the normal thing that, that was it. In fact, flavor, the start of Judaism since the very beginning, the patriarch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, they all had slaves and at the point where Paul was writing Realms population of the third slaves, and Wealthy landowners who are farmers, they might have hundreds of slaves and if you are not so wealthy, but you still own some land, chances are you probably have one or two slaves to help you around the house. and, Call. He also assumed that Jesus was coming back soon with like we do, right? Except when Paul, as soon as you supposed to call me back soon. He's thinking like soon, not two thousand years later and so is he's thinking of Jesus is coming back soon. He's not going to try to critique the entire social system that Jesus is going to solve when he comes back and said he says, this is the life we have right now. How do we live in it as followers of Christ until we don't see this massive critique about slavery and said we see Paul saying here's how you live your life as a Christian as a slave or with Liz which some people have taken throughout history. Is that okay? To Bible says slavery is good. Which it doesn't. It just says, this is the way life was, so we'll get to that. Slavery. Don't walk away today, saying, what you learned about slavery and how do you have a lot of slaves and you should to that, that that's not the message. The message is that slavery was that the ownership of people against their will? And They don't have right soon as deprivation of Freedom. It was bad, and we're not going there or not and we're not forced labor, you guys. Okay, good. I'm so appalled he says slavery is just the way it was. When we went, when we read things about husbands as heads of the families or read about wives submitting order about children. Obeying East each, one of those things. There's a theological basis. I feel as though reason for why they ought to behave in that way. What happens with slavery is there's no see lots of bases. It's just not defended. Theologically is not Don't don't be that guy that takes the Bible and says it's for slaves. And so therefore, I can't worship that. God it's not. Give me a song about slavery. It trigger us to think about the practice of slavery that was in the new world, but slavery and the Roman world was so very different. And so we have to understand if we want to see what Paul's writing about slaves, would be inappropriate or irresponsible for us to get to read 17th century. 19th century, American slavery in the context of Roman slavery. And so what what are the differences? First, Roman era slavery had nothing to do with race. That there was no particular group of people, or race of people who were the ones who were enslaved. Everyone was enslaved. Every country, every nationality within the entire area has layers of some sort and the most common source of slaves were from prisoners of war. And so in the first century 80, there's this guy named Pompeii and he conquered Israel in the first century and he brought thousands of Jewish. Prisoners to Rome who became slaves. And so we have all these different slaves in room. We were Jewish because prisoners of War, there's a smaller number of them who were abandoned as infants. And if you have signed an infant raise months, they're your slave now. Cool, not cool. Wrong word. Sorry, another group of slaves who were slaves, sold themselves into slavery because of they were in some sort of debt and they couldn't live their life as they were hoping to, and I found himself in a bad situation. So a solution for their day was to sell themselves into slavery. For a period of time and then pay off that debt. Others were actually capture the landslip Bible refers to professional slave Traders and slept with a thing as well when people go and capture slaves and then there's the whole gamut, but the most part most slaves were prisoners of War II difference, is that slaves, could reasonably expect to be freed at some point in their life. In fact, most people most slaves could expect to be free by the time that they were thirty years old in. Ennis was so prevalent that Caesar Augustus in the first century 80, he declared that you have to be 30 years old to be declared free. No, no more letting these slaves get off too soon. And even so he limited how many slaves were able to be freed each year. And so that there is this culture where if you are slaved the chances are some point, you could be free from it. And then also, there's this whole thing with slave owners would, if they certain task was done in a way that was exceptionally well and they, they weren't dumb. They said, we want more of that. And so they would give the money as a reward and then they would offense. Save that money up and use it to purchase their freedom. All this in contrast, to slavery in the new world. Seriously in the new world, your slave. That's it. Third many slaves, worked in a variety of special positions that had responsibilities slaves were confined somewhere in agriculture and Manufacturing. The next few days in life was really hard but others were doctors or teachers or writers are accountants or agent or Bayless. Oversee your secretary, see Captain, there's all sorts of different rules that were responsible. When I grow up, I want to be this tight rules that slaves were feeling. How did they get there while they had training in the new world. We didn't train slaves to educate them. They were in the Roman World. Thought it was seen as beneficial to the master and the sleigh to train them to get them as smart as trained as possible. And use them as they could just seems like I'm detective Fields naughty

Forgive me for that. Anyway, there's a demaster, they saw as a wise business strategy and end. So we had slaves who were educated and they saw themselves as having the opportunity to be free someday. And then when they be free today, they also became Roman citizens as well, which gives them all sorts of Rights and false words responsibilities. And then they would often to form small herd of a client relationship with their previous slave owner of some sort of working relationship. It wasn't like, okay, blind as far away as possible. Now it was okay. I understand how life Works in this neighborhood and how to do this job that I was been doing the last 30 years anyways, and so I want to keep doing it. Closer was a lot different. Don't hear me saying that ancient slavery was more Humane than New World slavery. And so therefore it's okay because it's still the covers of ownership of another person who they still had few legal rights. They lack honor. They were subject to whatever punishment the owners thought that they deserved, no matter how messed up it was. There was no sleeveless ancient marriage or family, bonds, it that they couldn't keep their children. I was born to them their slave owners, could separate their marriage. If it seems like a good business choice for them. They're not allowed to own any property. Few, if any would ever want to like willingly, put themselves in the position of slavery. The answer is in this context that Paul writes, any cast, a vision for how slaves are supposed to live. Now that they are Christians are trying to figure out what Christian life looks like until infusion chapter 6, verse 5 or our first verse that says slaves. Obey. Your human masters with fear and trembling. In the sincerity of your heart as he would Christ. The previously Paul. He spoke to husbands and wives and children how to live and now he's speaking to his latest directly. With a third of the population of Rome was were slaves. And so it makes sense that he would have dress number at the same time. Their slaves. Why is Paul even writing? So they can't read it. Although educated, but but it's shocking that there's even a section on slavery and what we see is that there's like five or six different ways. That Paul says, here's how you should live out your relationship based on belong to Christ because you're Christ slave, primarily. This is how you're supposed to live. The answer. The first thing that we just ride with obey, your masters with fear and trembling. The last time I saw someone with fear and trembling with stuff and he got in trouble and he knew I was upset. And he looked at me and there's is fear and trembling. There's like a spear of 45 seconds when no matter what I say, he would listen and all day here in Franklin, right? He knows that it's making come in.

Sometimes I think that's what you read this to say. Hey, what is a day of human masters with fear and trembling, but if we were to look at this whole concept of fear and trembling and what else where else is being used in the Bible, if using a variety of different ways.

Colossians chapter 3 says slaves. Obey human Masters and everything. Don't work. Only while being watched by people Pleasers, but we're cool. Harley through in the Lord.

Focus.

Other places fear and trembling in Psalm chapter 2, there's uses this phrase and it talks about how it's supposed to be the way that we serve the Lord with this fear and trembling and in Philippians chapter 2. It says that it's, this is the way that we should work out our Salvation in the New Covenant, and Paul says that he approached the Corinthian when he went to go preach to them and weakness and interfere with much trembling.

But it is a Corinthian Church was supposed to receive Titus with fear and trembling. I think it's too far off the mark to say that that the type of attitude that slaves are supposed to have for their masters is fear and trembling with like the sort of hair that they're going to be whipped. If they don't listen for that. That's not the image that Paul is trying to get out and said it much closer than most of the New Living Translation translate sit as obeying of a deep respect and fear. It also said they should respond with the sincerity of their hearts. This means without any improper motive. Purity of and their attentions. No scheming no deceit, no off face militants dead all day as you would obey Christ, Paul knows that his audience is right into our Christian for cleaning Christian. If, by the way, if you're a Christian, that means Your Allegiance is to Christ. These Lord and King and savior, not just one of those until he's not questioning whether or not, they're leaving sister crisis. He's saying you're supposed to live and the slave master does not represent Christ. Christ is Christ, but serve your master as if they were Christ. Colossians 3 verse 17 says, and whatever you do, whether in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord, Jesus giving, thanks to the god in the father threw him. Make sense of our chapter 6 that continues in it and it keeps spelling out what it what this means and qualifies it more and more and more and says vert 646 don't work. Only as being watched or being watch as people Pleasers, but as slaves of Christ to do, God's Will from your heart.

Based on their new identity as slaves, belonging to Christ serve two masters. Not not just to make a good impression. Not just very good motive. And this is where I went wrong with the whole working. At the restaurant. I was serving as the as the Busboys. And I was saying I want to work here and I'm going to be seeing her how good I'm working. And then they're going to promote me out of here because this job sucks and I wanted to get out as soon as possible which is like not what they want to see if you don't get promoted. That's not your attitude, you supposed to have Fastest way to st. Don't don't work in a way where you just want to be seen for how you're working, but worth the same work. Consistently, his teaching has any any motives, any point-of-service that's done. I was just being nice. And so when the master turns his back, do you stop working? Or are you afraid that that last my authority over there? And so I'm going to work in a few looking at work. And if he's not working, I'm just going to relax and wait until he looks again, and kind of have this type of attitude.

In other words, don't see, people Pleasers Christians are supposed to be higher calling. Some of that. Who are you trying to? Please is not the people at its price. We belong to someone who has far greater of authority, far more honour than a slave owner would have had in, and we serve someone who God has exalted higher than any Earthly. Have any power until he calls slaves belong. To answer of that greatest Master, recognize that their status and their identity. It comes ultimately come along at a price and not from who they belong to an Earthly level. Spoiler alert, we're going to get to go to the end. Anyone who is a Christian is a slave, a price. So this whole teaching about slaves. We all definitely see ourselves in there as well. But look at the end. DePaul. He sees as the highest priority for Christians is to do the will of God. Verse. I'm at 6 ish.

Yeah, so don't work. But only I'll be in the watch as people Pleasers, but as slaves of Christ to do, God's Will from your heart. Listen to call for all believers slave or not doesn't mean that God's Will from the remaining slavery. But as long as they're under the structure of authority, sure if you and Masters a human Masters as if you're serving Christ and not attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of their masters. And so when they're doing his true, they're not serving grudgingly, but from the from the heart or full heartedly.

I think of Deuteronomy chapter 6 and I talked about this a lot with my preacher mad because I think it's important but it says to love the Lord. Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and for believing waves with means to comply with the orders, a human Masters, but a good attitude. Even as hard as that might be. And I can't imagine how hard that could have been.

But that's the calling that God put on us. Serve god with everything. Which means? Who's your Authority and serve them with everything you have? Ephesians chapter 6, verse 7 continues with a good attitude as to the Lord and not two people. Served with a good attitude as to the Lord and not two people.

Serving with a good idea since Donna seeing what power bad attitude has over your perspectives or how powerful a good attitude has over your perspectives by myself, with a bad attitude. And I'm crabby and I realize that the ads who's my problem and so then I was text Craig and if they tried calling me, I got a bad attitude and said he'll call me, and then he'll tell me all the reasons why my attitude is bad. And so stop it, which is really helpful because we have the ability to change our attitudes, right? It doesn't change the circumstances but we change the lens of what's true. And what's not true and and reaching how we're living John Maxwell, right? But leadership. He says people make your your words, but they steal your attitude. And what Paul is getting at is that ultimately the way of thinking about their service, if the attitude is an attitude that is Honorable to God. No, it doesn't change the circumstances, but it changes their maybe they're temptation to lose heart or sir begrudgingly or not. She has a way that would represent Christ. Well. That any continues. Any says why we're doing this. It says verse 8. Knowing that whatever. Good. Each one does flavor free. He will receive this back from the Lord.

Call want slaves to know that their good works are noticed by the crate for.

And how I think about times and I was in the basement there, a restaurant clean, the poop off the floor. And in my mind is like a slavery and how messed up that is half of what slavery actually was like, but there's stuff that people don't see, they want to think about, they don't want to know about. You know, boss will ever know. And then haul saying he betrayed the training God. He's looking after us and cares for us. He sees us.

He notices the things that we're doing.

And they can be assured. That there's a future reward coming, not know that we were it is, and I'm like, I don't want to get too caught up. I'm like everything I do out of a reward because I feel like a dog that way but it's comforting for me to know that. No matter what I'm doing. there's a God who's noticing, you don't no one else notices and and if it's done out of a worshipful heart, there's going to be Some sort of conversation with god about it and it may be the reward is just well done. And then that's enough.

That's that, the passage it did turn his attention to the slave masters. But before we get there, just reviewing for a second of how call want slaves to live. As Christians, one. He wants to build a with a deep respect and fear, deep respect and fear for their Authority, not from Tara, but from her set and I think about how sometimes in the military I've read that you sometimes need to salute the rank and not the person and how that might be the case here, where the person are the authority that slave has might be a terrible person of his. We have zero respect for but their authority over us, and so there's this happens. How to dispose have pure motives innocent from an improper motivation. They're supposed to serve consistently. Wholeheartedly not only what I've seen of people Pleasers but knowing that Christ is watching what's being done. We're supposed to remember that Christ is the ultimate Authority. He's the greatest Master until starter with a good attitude assume the best.

serve in a way that's informed by the truth that we belong to God and not

It's not just about us that God's involved in this whole process. in other words, fall telling people the slaves, survive in a way where you think about the end times is a logical perspective is God, you're going to talk with Dad about this at the end of the day. 7 way that you think about that conversation. This is a high calling. I think this is super super hard for us to live out for anyone to live out. Even on our good days without slavery at with that, will employee work conditions where we get paid a lot of money. It's hard to let out all these different things of Paul's teaching. That's even harder on the days where we're feeling like we're being abused.

Lentol, he he was on the slave owners in chapter 6 verse 9.

He says in Masters treat your slaves in the same way without threatening them.

Really? Are you telling me how I'm supposed to treat my property in my house? That seems like a violation of my rights.

But he tells slaves to behave. Hey slave behave. That at the is being like the slave of the month every single month that possible. You could be the Stars, like everyone else is supposed to model after. Sure, I like it when God says that, but if I'm the slave owner, don't don't, don't tell me the hell. I'm supposed to be treating my slaves.

He said Street on an exact same way. That's what everything that you were selling the slaves themselves.

So they can treat them with deep respect and fear not from this stance of authority, and I'm in charge, and you're not, but instead out of this respect. Katie some quality time. That's why you're consistently. Not just when other people are watching when people are like Everyone seen that. That happy, couple that a church. That seems like it runs great. But then at home, kind of wonder, if things are not great. And he said don't don't do that. Either. Treat you what? When people see how you're treating you are slaves. Had that be the same as you treat them at home and no one was watching. Needless to say that this was not the typical away the owners treat their slaves are. So it's been a really hard teaching for the listeners part of the slave owners attitude towards the slave was to include that band in your threats. And if you're not making threats anymore, what else are you not doing? You're not carrying out those threats. And so that the way that you you interact with the slaves is no longer these punishments, but instead you got to figure something else out.

An Impala continues verse 9 says, knowing that, the Lord in heaven is both their lord and yours and is no favoritism with him. The principal motive, for all of this is knowing that. My God, and their God is the same God.

that that, that that the whole motive,

They are under the same Authority, the master. And so if I'm thinking that I'm in charge, I get to do what I want. Don't tell me what to do. He's really going to answer their. It's it's me, but but what I was saying is we we are all under God's Authority and so live like it.

So much of Christian Living comes back. Remembering that God has gotten that. We are not eating raw meat after 10. Says the Lord, your God, is a god of gods and Lord of lords and Lady an awesome. Who shows no partiality be except snow? Bride, does attribute of God of not, showing favoritism was like the same thing. If all built his whole foundation on Jews and Gentiles all being accepting the kingdom of God that matters. So much for us today is not Jews as being part of the Kingdom. He's using that same principle and say, okay. He shows, no favors, and he doesn't care. Who, who's the slave owner? Who's the slave? It's a Level Playing Field. It's a live like that.

Essentially treat slaves the same way God treats them. So what do we do with that today? We don't have slaves and it's tempting to skip over this and I kind of teased earlier that we tend to take this meeting employer-employee relationships. The thing is that none of what Paul saying here is contingent on an ownership type of relationship. None of this says. Hey, please be nice and never leave your message because they own you instead of. Hey, you you believe, you belong to the Creator. So, act like it, and that applies to all of us, no matter what Authority we have, or what Authority that we are under.

I got to be honest. I said, starting to read this. I was really hoping that it was just lazy eisegesis. Lazy interpretation saying, well, we don't have slaves today and the Bible sufficient for everything. So he's gotta mean something as well. Just apply it to work because we got a flat somewhere. I was really hoping that it was just a lazy way to apply that's, but the more I started studying and reading the more I realize that

Equating a Roman slave to as an employee that that's being lazy run. As late as not, an employee wife was not great. As a, Roman slave was Culver's of ownership, not at will employment. But it does not mean the teaching does not imply. I'm set up lies even more to any sort of relationship within our system that we have today. Employer-employee, but also could be Soldier infernal or prisoner-of-war dinner, events are teacher or athletes and coat that anywhere where there is a Authority structure in place. You can property owner and contractor, the people, you hired to come in your house. But if you're Christian live, like he's actually Lord of your life. That's like it should show up in your life. And so given our current contact or talk a lot about the employer-employee Futures. I think that applies to most of us, but if you are the student or the contractor, or if you report, in any way, to anyone who is in authority over you, listen up, use all the supplies. So the first principle here is that we ought to treat our managers and supervisors with deep respect because their position over you deep respect. He even if you think they don't deserve it. Sometimes you got to salute the position and not the person, if that's the case. Second were supposed to do or work with a pure heart and a good attitude. That there's a lot of reasons for deceitful motives that you not pleased God. And so as workers, do we check our hearts and and do a self evaluation of? Why am I trying to get what I'm getting? And I just trying to serve myself my own Idol. Or am I trying to worship god of what I'm doing? Don't just perform to make a good impression.

What when the boss is gone, how's your job performance?

Lord's way of everything we do and that's our hearts were serving him with our jobs will be giving our all no matter what whether the boss is looking or not. Force give God's will top priority in our life and work ultimately were serving Christ and we will answer him at the End of the Age until God will should always overrule any wrong attitude or behavior that we don't have. Even if there's something that is clearly wrong or unethical, that our boss is going to do what we're serving, God's Will and not the Masters well, and so that there might be times when Serving God comes first. And so I imagine there were several situations where the slaves were commanded to worship this idle, or a female to have sex with their, their master or different power dynamics, where things were not good. And not, honorable call saying, hey slaves, live in a way where you're doing God's will I have been really hard.

But God is God first, and that's what he says how we're supposed to live. Just remember that, Lord expects us to do good works. And I noticed his only do them and he'll reward us at the end and I really hope it's like just God being proud of us and saying yeah, you're mine. Rather than being like, here's your trinket. I don't want to drink it. I want I want comedian. Look at it. I don't. I don't want a trophy saying, hey, you did a good job good for you. I want intimacy and communing with God and I think that's, that's done it.

Now it's for all of us who are in Authority positions, employers, or supervisors. Those who can manage anyway. All this. Have you talked about applies to you as well. And I think this is contempt the Contemporary wisdom of the day to go to Barnes & Noble in a look at the leadership stuff. You going to find it very similar things. Basically, that's don't be a jerk if your teenagers, that sounds familiar to come from stuff like this be Treat your people under you as servants, but what's unique is that the reason for doing it is because we're under God and God's Will and God's power and authority. And so there's two specifics discourages the use of threats. And so it doesn't mean that employees should be held to account, not be held accountable, for their performance, was more about motivation. Why? Why are we trying to get our employees to work at NCG? Well, it's better to motivate than to threaten. Titusville. And then second, he appeals to avoid favoritism. And this had me thinking, for a while of why not, but when he, when he claimed flavored favoritism or nothing, says Hermione, anything of the sort.

It is greatly demoralizing to all the, all the rest of the people, as well as remember. Whose whose authority are we under? Its gods. And so act like it?

The day that we're in the position of authority and we say, I'm in charge, what I say goes, or maybe we don't get enough. Is enough with ourselves to say that I'm in charge of what I say. Goes funny. That's our attitude. That's how rapidly surgeon. Who's actually in charge of our lives at that point? If we're still caught up with the power. And you, you are your God. God is not until I give you the charge. We need to repent. And remember, God is God. We are not. He's our Authority and so act like it. And for those of us who are not in a position of authority and then maybe it won't be for a long time. For the workers the labors that yes, and then we should serve not gradually, but from the heart wholeheartedly from the soul. A awesome question my motives. I'm one of those guys who I'll question my motives so much that I'll question my judgment of what my motives, are you? So someone asked me or be talking to someone about trying to feel what my motive is? And where I conclude, I kind of assumed whatever I conclude it is, actually the wrong thing as well. And I get so lost in my motives, are trying to figure out, why am I doing what I'm doing? I get stuck in a scary Loop of trying to sell Center. What about me? And said, I'm asking entirely the wrong question. So the question should be and my doing what I'm doing it. As I'm doing it for the Lord. But yeah, it, if you're serving God, you're not question what your motive is.

I'm trying to hit home with my teenagers, that everything we do is worship. Everything is is praising, God or praising, something else where it where?

Scootin and a target of what we're actually worship in.

Flippo's teaching here. Is it is that if you have a boss who belittles you or a manager of gaslights you or a Coates? I won't give you a chance. We're social deism as we withhold a price with an attitude that would give Christ and for the slave.

I can't imagine that because you stuck there too today. If your situation, we can do stuff about it. We'll talk about that. Two side bars of we're done. First one.