Ephesians 6:5-9: Jesus is Worthy of My Best

Introduction

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/stolen-lawnmower-alabama-sign_n_626bbdb9e4b04a9ff89ac249 - Stealing Alabama sign? Why would you steal something that’s worthless? If you’re going to steal, steal something that’s worth something… 2nd rate college football program?

In this life, we see the worst in people quite often. Every day crimes, people mistreated, etc.

Corruption of politicians pandering to their bases while accumulating power and wealth.

Is there any hope? Yes… You as you allow Christ to live through you. We are the light of the world as Christ shines through us. (Lady serving at serve tour from 10 hours away.)

Ephesians 5-6 - Imitate God, husbands and wives, children and parents, and slaves and masters. Overall message: Jesus is worthy of your best - my honor, my obedience, my allegiance. Jesus is worthy of my best no matter of my life situation - whether husband, wife, child, parent, slave or freeman.

When you focus your life on giving Jesus your best, others will get your best - and when others get your best it opens the opportunity for the light of Christ to shine through you.

Paul writing to a culture that needed to experience radical change: idolatry, blatant sexual immorality, etc. How could real change come about in a godless culture? By Christians daily giving their best to God.

This morning, interesting passage that seems to have little to do with us, but even that passages that seem to have little to do with us are still God’s Word to us. It applies!

This passage is a reminder that Jesus is always worthy of your best. Two truths: 1. Jesus is worthy of your best when life isn’t the best. 2. Jesus is worthy of your best when life is at its best.

Jesus is worthy of my best when life isn’t the best.

Slavery? Two responses to these verses. 1. This has nothing to do with me. Slavery doesn’t exist in our country. Hold on… this passage has a lot to do with you. 2. (And maybe the bigger response…) Why doesn’t Paul speak against slavery? A prime opportunity to talk about how evil slavery is, and he doesn’t. Why?

If Paul were writing about slavery that existed in the United States in the 1800s, he might have said something different. Or, if he was writing to a modern culture where slavery exists in the form of sex-trafficking, he might say something different as well. But, that’s not the culture he was writing to.

Paul writing to a culture where slavery was a normal and acceptable part of life. In a Greco-Roman world, people weren’t calling for the abolition of slavery. Certainly, instances where slaves endured harsh living conditions at the hands of their masters, but many slaves experienced good conditions.

Estimated 60 million slaves in Roman empire. One-third of the people in Ephesus. We think of slavery as someone doing menial work at the hands of a cruel taskmaster, but in ancient world, some slaves were more educated than their masters. Some held professions such as teachers, doctors, nurses, etc. Slaves could own property and even save money to buy freedom. Many slaves gained their freedom by time they were thirty.

Slaves were often prisoners of war from other nations. Or, sometimes, someone might voluntary sell himself into slavery to pay off a debt. Sometimes, someone might sell himself into slavery because it provided a more stable and predictable life than living in poverty and actually gave you an opportunity for upward mobility.

In first century, some Christians sold themselves into slavery in order to provide food for others or to buy people out of slavery who had cruel masters.

While slavery was normal and accepted, it wasn’t God’s design. God doesn’t want His people living in slavery. 1 Cor. 7:23: “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” Or, Paul writes to Philemon about a runaway slave, Onesimus, and encourages Philemon to receive Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and not a slave.

Slavery was not God’s plan. God desires for people to live in freedom, but ultimate freedom is found in the Gospel.

Did Paul want to see slavery abolished? I’m sure he did. BUT, even more he wanted to see believers living out the Gospel whatever their lot in life - whether slave or free. Because living out the Gospel gives you opportunity to share the Gospel with people who are in bondage to sin so that they might see there is real freedom in Jesus.

So, the instruction to slaves: Life might not be the best it can be. You are indebted to someone else. However even though life isn’t the best, you can give Jesus your best.

Obey your masters as you would Christ. Pattern in Eph. 5:22-6:9. Jesus is in charge. He’s the true master - not your earthly master. Fear and trembling - Bring honor and respect!

vs. 6 - give your best - whether your earthly master is watching or not - give your best - because God is watching. You are His slave, and He is a good Master. Serve with a good attitude as to the Lord. Notice how many times Paul reminds slaves - it’s to the Lord. He’s the master.

Know that God will reward you - master or slave - Your earthly master might mistreat you but not your heavenly master.

If Jesus is your ultimate master:

Jesus is always worthy of your best in everything. Colossians 3:17 - “Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Even when I’m in terrible circumstances? Even if I’m a slave? Yes! Why? Because Jesus gave His absolute best for you. He died in your place and rose again so you could find real freedom.

You don’t take a break from giving God your best… “When life gets better, I’ll serve better… But right now, I just want to pout.” If God is good

Is there ever a time that justifies you not giving your best to God? Saying, “I’m done?”

Jesus is always at work through you in everything. What a powerful testimony when you give your best to the Lord when life isn’t exactly what you want it to be. Think about how God changes the lives of people through people who daily live for Jesus - who have the right perspective - who have a good attitude, etc.

When you give Jesus your best, you end up giving people your best - because that’s what it’s about! Letting people see God at work in me so I might have opportunity to point them to Jesus. You know that’s how it works! When you’re walking close with Jesus you are much more sensitive to the needs of others. When not walking close with Jesus, you aren’t as concerned with others because of focus on self.

The mission of God goes on in spite of your circumstances, and God often uses your poor circumstances for His mission.

Jesus is worthy of your best when life is at its best.

To masters - life is good for a master. Wealth, land, you have enough that you need slaves. Life seems to be working in your favor.

And, it’s when life is working in your favor that you forget God. It’s when life is working in your favor that you forget that God has a mission for your life - to be a blessing to others and make Christ known.

To earthly masters - treat your slaves the same way - give them your best. Care for them, respect them, etc. Don’t threaten.

Realize you have a Master - He does not show favoritism. He’s not impressed by your social class. And, he doesn’t look down on your slave because he’s not of the same status as you. God knows no partiality.

Slave or Master - You both have one Master - and He is always worth living for.

When life is at its best I need to remember I’m not as important as I think I am. You certainly aren’t more important than anyone else or better than anyone else. Your life situation doesn’t determine your value before God. Your value before God settled at the cross.

When life is at its best I need to remember how needy I am. I am always in need of God’s grace. Good circumstances don’t eradicate my sin problem.

We’re all sinners in need of God’s grace. AND, if we have embraced God’s grace, we’re all brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of our life situation. Not one of us is better than the other.

How do I give Jesus my best?

Have a posture of surrender - I have one Master, and I live to do His will. For some of us, we’ve never settled who the real Master is.

Problem: you have too many masters you’re trying to serve: Yourself, your job, your family, sin, etc. Reality: You will never give your job your best if it’s your master, your family, etc. You’ll only give your job your best, your family, etc. when you’ve determined that Jesus is your Master because He’ll change your perspective on your job, your family, your relationships, etc.

The real master is the One who freed you from sin and death to give you forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Do you know Him? Today, trust Him as Lord.

Address your attitude now - (Good attitude) Life situation has given you a bad attitude. You resent others for what they have and you don’t have. You constantly complain. You feel like you’re stuck in a bad job. You feel like you deserve better but life doesn’t seem to give you what you think you deserve. God has given you more than you deserve.

Don’t take your eyes off of why God has left you on this earth - To be a part of God’s plan to change the world through the Gospel one heart at a time. Get so involved in so much - pursuing the American Dream - or the FB and Twitter wars - or the protesting about what we don’t like about our country.

When we give Jesus our best, we give others our best - what’s the best that we can give others? The truth of Christ - that He is the answer to all of life’s problems. No matter your life situation, you can give Jesus your best, and you can give others your best.