Well, if you'd open up your Bibles
to Ephesians chapter 6,
we're continuing on
and the light is at the end of the tunnel.
We're almost done in the book of Ephesians.
Let me pray for us one more time.
God, we thank You for the callings
with which You've called us to,
the vocations that You've given us,
the occupations that You've given us,
entrusted to us.
Now, Lord, I do pray that You would help us
to live out our vocations as to Christ.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen.
To Ephesians chapter 6,
verses 5 through 9.
Let me read.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters
with fear and trembling,
with a sincere heart as you would Christ.
Literally, as to Christ.
Not by the way of eye service
as people pleasers,
but as 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 good anyone does,
this he will receive back from the Lord,
whether he is a slave or free,
masters,
do the same thing 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.
Name that movie.
Whistle While You Work.
Snow White.
Got it.
This morning,
God is going to call us
not to whistle while we work,
though that may be
an outworking of what
he's calling us to.
God is calling us
to worship him while we work.
Even to worship him
with our work,
with our vocations,
with our occupations,
whatever that may be.
So,
if you are working part-time
at minimum wage,
if you're a student,
if you're a stay-at-home mom,
if you're a soldier,
or you are a CEO
vested with all sorts of authority
and raking in the dough,
if you are a Christian,
you are to work
as to Christ.
Work
as to Christ.
God wants you,
brother,
sister,
He wills you
to live out your occupation
as to Jesus.
So, this morning,
five points
to help you work
as unto the Lord,
as to Christ.
Point number one,
Christians work.
Point number one.
Just to clarify something,
I hope you realize
that work is not
a result of the fall.
Way back in Genesis chapter 1,
before the fall,
God commanded Adam and Eve
to be fruitful
and multiply,
to subdue
and to exercise dominion
over the earth.
God called Adam and Eve
to be stewards
to work His creation.
They're called to tend the garden
before the fall,
which means this.
Work is good.
We were made to work.
We were made to steward
God's creation.
We were made to use our time
in ways that advance
God's purposes on the earth.
But then the fall happened.
And when sin entered
the human experience,
toil entered the workplace.
Sin distorts work
by making it toilsome,
difficult.
And sin enters the workplace
corrupting work relationships.
In Ephesians 6, verse 5,
I'm not sure if you noticed
the first word,
slaves.
And then Ephesians 6, 5,
and then 6, 9,
we see the word masters.
Slavery
is a result of the fall.
Slavery is a distortion
and corruption
of work relationships.
Slavery is a system
that makes people
into property
in order to accomplish
several things,
one of which
is really cheap labor.
I'm guessing that
when you hear the word slavery,
you think about
our nation's history
in that blight
on our nation
of hundreds of years
of enslaving Africans.
sins.
Now what you need to realize
is that
there are some differences
between
the system of slavery
in our country
and then the slavery system
that took place
in the first century
Greco-Roman world.
They're not identical.
But,
they are immoral.
Slavery is immoral
because it denies
a human being's rights.
Intrinsic value
as an image bearer
of God.
That's why it's wrong.
It objectifies
a human being
into a means
of production.
One first century writer
speaking of slaves
said that they're
nothing more
than a living tool.
a means
to an economic end.
But you know what?
God does not see people
as living tools.
Our great God
sees people
made in His image
as worshipers.
Hardwired
to worship
Him.
So all this to say,
Christians work
because work is good.
And the distortion
of sin
has corrupted
our work
but now
by the power
of the gospel
of Jesus Christ
God is seeking
to redeem
our work.
He's looking
to rework our work
by reworking
our hearts.
I haven't asked
the glaring question yet.
I wake up
to that song
every morning
by the way.
Here's the glaring
question.
Okay,
so Ephesians 6
5-9
Paul is talking
about slavery
masters, right?
Why doesn't Paul
in this passage
call for the
abolition of slavery?
Why doesn't he do that?
By not doing that
is he condoning slavery?
Is the apostle saying
it's okay to own
another person?
No.
And here's why.
You've got to remember
that back
when this was written
we're just
talking a couple
decades out
from the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
and so
Christianity
is a really
kind of small
thing
in the Greco-Roman
scene
and so there was
really no political
clout
whatsoever
but
even if they
had political
clout
it's not
the modus
operandi
of the kingdom
of Jesus
God works
from the inside
out
God works
from the bottom
up
God works
from small
to big
God works
from individuals
into society
so what Paul
is doing here
is he's
addressing
an immoral
cultural issue
on an individual
level
from within
the corrupted
system
and so
I know that
because elsewhere
Paul says
things like this
this is
1 Timothy
1.10
Paul condemns
slave traders
he condemns
enslavers
these are people
who would
enslave people
and sell them
into slavery
to make a buck
in 1 Corinthians
7.21
he actually
encourages
slaves
that if they
can
to acquire
their freedom
there's this
little book
in your New
Testament
called Philemon
and Philemon
was a Christian
and he owned
slaves
and Paul
wrote him
a letter
because
one of his
slaves
Onesimus
had run
away
and while
Onesimus
had run
away
he bumped
into Paul
Paul shared
the gospel
with him
and Onesimus
became a
Christian
and so
Paul writes
this letter
back to
Philemon
and he says
in 15 and 16
hey
I'm going
to send
this guy
back to
you
and when
he comes
back
realize
he's more
than a slave
to you
he is
your brother
do you see
what Paul
is doing
right there
he's saying
you're equal
in God's
sight
even though
you may have
different
occupational roles
essentially
he's saying
you were both
bought by
the same
priceless
blood of
Jesus
I read
this quote
by a
commentator
this week
Christianity's
primary emphasis
has always
been the
transformation
of individuals
to influence
society
not the
transformation
of society
to influence
individuals
the gospel
works from
the inside
out
from the
bottom
up
from small
to big
from individuals
leavened
through
culture
and society
just because
Paul doesn't
call for the
abolition of
slavery
doesn't mean
he condones
it
he's working
against
slavery
from the
inside out
by helping
people see
that the
gospel changes
your hearts
and therefore
changes how
you relate
to other
people
so now the
question becomes
okay how do we
take a passage
like this
written to
slaves and
masters
2000 years
ago
and bring it
to apply
on our
vocational
situations
today
how do you
do that
well here's
how
first you
got to
realize
it's written
to Christians
so Paul
wrote this
letter to
Christians in
Ephesus
2000 years
ago
and the
majority of
the people
in this
room are
Christians
today
so it's
going to
get some
traction
but as far
as I know
there's no
slaves in
the room
is anybody
in the room
owned by
another
person
are there
any masters
in the room
someone who
owns another
person
so though it's
written to
Christians
there's still
some differences
so here's how
we're going to
apply it
here's the
key
though there
is not a
slave master
authority
structure
in place
in our
culture
today
there is
an authority
structure
in place
nonetheless
those who
are under
authority
workers
and those
who are
exercising
authority
supervisors
hence the
title of
the sermon
workers
and supervisors
with that
realization
God is
calling us
this morning
to work
as to
Christ
whether you're
a worker
or a
supervisor
everybody is
going to
work as
to Christ
so now the
question becomes
how do
Christians
work as
to Christ
Christ
and so point
one
Christians
work
point
two now
Christians
work
from
within
out of our
hearts
intrinsically
motivated
in Ephesians
6 5
if you look
there where
Paul writes
with a
sincere
heart
Paul's not
talking about
that nine
ounce muscle
pumping blood
through your
body right
now he's
talking about
your crank
house of
why you do
what you do
when he
writes in
6 6 that
we are to
do the
will of
God from
the heart
he's talking
about your
inner man
your inner
being and
6 7 when he
writes to
render service
with a good
will he's
writing of
something that
comes from
within a
Christian
he's writing
about what
motivates you
what motivates
you to work
the way
that you
do your
crank
house
so what
Paul is
doing here
is
motivating
us
from
within
which means
this
no matter
wherever you
are
no matter
what time
it is
wherever
whenever
no matter
what you're
doing
we can
be
motivated
to work
use our
time as
to Christ
we are to
have an
internalized
motivation to
work
working from
the heart
as Christians
we are to
work a certain
way because
of something
we treasure
in our
hearts
and that
something of
course is
Christ
did you
notice all
the references
to Jesus
in this
passage
look at
verse 9
masters
knowing that
he who is
their master
and yours
is in
heaven
that master
is Jesus
verse 8
those who
do good
those who do
goodwill
will receive
back from
the Lord
Jesus
verse 7
rendering service
with the goodwill
as to the
Lord
Jesus
and not to
man
verse 6
but as
servants of
Christ
doing the
will of
God
from the
heart
as servants
of Christ
and verse 5
those under
authority
are to do
what those
in authority
tell them to
do out of
fear and
trembling
with sincerity
of heart
as to
Christ
it's all
about Jesus
verse 5
is a really
interesting
verse
you see
those words
fear and
trembling
it's rarely
if ever
used
that phrase
fear and
trembling
rarely if ever
used
of one human
being's
relationship
to another
human being
it always
is used
of a person's
attitude of
heart
towards God
and so
when you read
the word
fear
think
reverence
think
awe
an awe
that makes
you shake
that's the
word
tremble
it's a
reverence
that controls
your body
it's a
reverence
that controls
all of who
you are
another word
for it is
called
worship
with sincerity
of heart
that word
sincerity
actually means
singleness
of heart
integrity
of heart
oneness
unity
in undivided
focus of
heart
one heart
all in
for
Christ
with fear
and trembling
with a
sincerity
of heart
singleness
integrity
of heart
as to
Christ
it's all
about
Christ
Jesus
Christ
is all
glorious
do I
have an
amen
our love
for him
our reverence
for him
compels us
to live
our lives
at work
our occupations
for him
so when your
supervisor
in the flesh
tells you to do
something
you say
yes
and your
yes
is actually
a yes
that goes
right through
your supervisor
to Jesus
your obedience
to your
earthly
supervisor
is
obedience
to your
heavenly
master
Jesus
so the
fear and
trembling
in verse 5
that's not
fear and
trembling
at your
supervisor
earthly
supervisor
that's
fear and
trembling
with an
integrity
of heart
at
Jesus
how's that
for a
motivator
well how does
that happen
how does a
Christian live
for Christ
in the
workplace
well the
good news
is not
that
complicated
what you
really need
to do
first and
foremost
is set
your
heart
on
Christ
that's
where it
all starts
the way
you do
that is
by looking
to Jesus
in this
great book
it's called
the Bible
it's all
about him
hey when
was the last
time that
you were
in a
gospel
that you
were soaking
up Jesus
like your
nose was
like right
there
what would
it be
like to
come to
shore with
him
that country
of the
garrisons
what would
that be
like
I've
had the
privilege
the last
couple
Sundays
to be
preaching
at our
Sunday
morning
breakfast
and I've
been
preaching
out of
the gospel
of Mark
and I'm
not sure
who's
benefiting
most
I love
it
it's like
Jesus
is awesome
he's
amazing
his
authority
over
nature
his
authority
over
the
demonic
his
authority
over
disease
and
ultimately
over
death
he's
amazing
it changes
the way
I roll
every day
it changes
the way
that I
use my
time
believe it
or not
you know
what
you don't
have to
be a
preacher
in order
to have
your heart
set on
Jesus
are you
having a
hard time
at work
the first
place to
check
is where
your heart
is
in order
to work
as to
Christ
from your
heart
your heart
must be
freshly
awed
daily
awed
by
Christ
himself
Christians
work
as to
Christ
from
within
the heart
point
three
Christians
work
according
to a
higher
standard
let me
ask you
a question
whose
eyes
are you
most aware
of at
work
your
human
supervisor's
eyes
or the
eyes
of Jesus
in verse
six
God tells
us that
we are
to obey
the will
of our
unseen
master
in heaven
over
doing the
will
of our
supervisors
on earth
I've
had a
variety
of jobs
over the
course
of my
very
short
life
variety
of jobs
my
most
notable
job
was
I
was
the
assistant
maintenance
man
at
an
upscale
trailer
park
in
the
state
of
New
Jersey
it
was
interesting
to say
the least
for a
summer
but over
the course
of my
life
there's
one thing
I've
noticed
about a
certain
kind
of
worker
when the
boss
is away
this
guy is
leaning
on a
shovel
telling
stories
looking
busy
without
actually
working
anybody
know who
I'm
talking
about
but when
the boss
steps
onto the
work
site
this
guy
is
like
a
tornado
of
productivity
he's
throwing
dirt
talking
shop
looking
the part
maybe
even
breaking
a
sweat
this
is an
example
of
what
not
to
be
when
Paul
writes
not
by way
of eye
service
as
people
pleasers
that
describes
someone
who's a
people
pleaser
who's
just
looking
to
do
things
by way
of eye
service
actually
this
person
is
an
example
of
a
divided
heart
an
insincere
heart
a lack
of
integrity
he is
one
type
of
worker
when
the
boss
isn't
there
than
another
type
of
worker
when
the
boss
is
there
that
type
of
worker
is
more
concerned
about
what
his
human
supervisor
thinks
than
what
Jesus
thinks
about
him
because
one
who is
motivated
by
Jesus
works
the
same
way
all
the
way
through
this
guy
this
people
pleaser
he will
do
what
he
needs
to
get
done
to
keep
the
boss
happy
but
make
no
mistake
about
it
the
real
person
he's
living
for
is
himself
here's
how to
know
when
you're
living
for
your
unseen
master
in
heaven
you
do
his
will
from
your
heart
no
matter
what
why
because
his
will
is the
most
important
thing
to
do
why
is
that
well
if
you're
a
Christian
you
may
be
presently
employed
by
company
x y
and z
but
you
will
be
always
a
slave
of
Christ
Jesus
hmm
I thought
slavery
was immoral
how can
someone be
a slave
of
Christ
Jesus
is that
immoral
well
most
slavery
is
immoral
but
there's
a
kind
of
slavery
in
which
a
person
freely
submits
themselves
to
the
lordship
of
another
and
when
a
sinner
initially
puts
their
faith
in
Christ
by
his
blood
frees
them
from
enslavement
to
sin
and
to
death
and
the
devil
and
the
payment
Jesus
pays
to
free
a
sinner
that
way
is
his
own
life
and
having
been
liberated
from
the
slavery
to
sin
a
Christian
then
joyfully
reverently
submits
themselves
fully
to the
lordship
of Jesus
Christ
every
day
for as
long
as
he
has
breath
and
if
you
think
that
coming
under
the
lordship
of
Christ
means
being
reduced
to
some
kind
of
object
of
no
value
you
couldn't
be
further
from
the
truth
when
one
becomes
a
slave
of
Jesus
instead
of
being
worthless
lifeless
purposeless
hopeless
and
joyless
one
finds
fullness
of
word
fullness
of
life
fullness
of
purpose
fullness
of
hope
fullness
of
joy
Jesus
himself
said
I
came
that
they
may
have
life
and
might
have
it
abundantly
to
the
full
to
become
a
servant
of
Christ
then
is
just
another
way
of
saying
I'm
living
my
life
totally
for
Christ
because
he's
totally
worth
it
even
if
that
means
I
must
displease
my
earthly
supervisor
I'm
a servant
of
Christ
first
and
foremost
and
I
will
do
his
will
what
we're
being
told
here
is
this
to
obey
the
will
of
God
from
our
hearts
you
can
sum
up
his
will
in
two
commandments
commandment
number
one
love
God
with
everything
you
got
number
two
love
your
neighbor
as
yourself
and
if
those
two
commands
function
as
guardrails
on
the
path
of
holiness
and
you're
walking
that
path
you
are
living
your
life
in
obedience
to
the
will
of
God
you
can
be
confident
that
you're
pleasing
him
when
that
path
leads
you
through
your
eight
hours
of
work
every
day
the
fourth
thing
I want
you
to
see
Christians
work
with
eager
affection
look
at
verse
seven
rendering
service
with a
good
will
as
to
the
Lord
and
not
to
man
that
word
translated
good
will
in
the
ESV
or
wholeheartedly
in
the
NIV
it's
a
word
that
kind
of
means
a
couple
things
in
English
there's
not
like
a
one
English
word
that
gets
it
means
eagerness
with
affection
the
idea
is to
do
your
work
with
an
eager
kindness
of
heart
so
maybe
coming
from
the
other
angle
of
what
it's
not
may
help
what
this
is
not
is
doing
your
work
begrudgingly
or
complainingly
or
lazily
or
procrastinatingly
why
it's
right
there
because
we
work
as
to
the
Lord
and
not
to
man
he
is
our
motivation
we
work
as
if
we
are
doing
our
work
for
Jesus
because
ultimately
we
are
doing
our
work
for
Jesus
it's
all
about
him
he
is
our
master
and
he
wills
us
to
work
eagerly
as
to
him
who
you
work
for
makes
all
the
difference
it's
the
difference
of
being
joyful
at
work
and
not
and
what
we
are
being
told
here
is
that
whatever
work
you
do
whatever
your
occupation
may
be
do
it
as
to
the
Lord
your
master
Jesus
Christ
so
here's
what I
would
recommend
for
this
work
week
approaching
us
very
quickly
make
that
three
word
phrase
as
to
Christ
your
work
mantra
well
you may
be
asking
what
does
this
as
to
Christ
eagerness
look
like
well
I took
a shot
four
examples
the
fifth
is
from
true
life
first
one
is
this
what
as
to
Christ
eagerness
looks
like
at
work
Jim
we've
got a
backed
up
toilet
by the
loading
docks
and
you know
the
CEO
is
taking
a
tour
of
the
plant
in
20
minutes
it
smells
like
something
died
over
there
I'm
going
to
freak
out
can
you
take
care
of
it
three
words
come
through
your
mind
as
to
Christ
yeah
I'd
be
glad
to
do
that
can
you
show
me
where
the
plunger
and
containment
suit
is
I'll
be
right
there
you're
a
young
mom
better
yet
you're
a
mom
with
kids
under
two
you've
just
changed
and fed
junior
for the
second
time
that
night
and it's
209
a.m.
you go
back to
your bed
you look
at the
clock
you do
some math
you start
thinking
man
maybe I'll
wake up
at a
glorious
730
I'll
actually
get
five
hours
of
uninterrupted
sleep
this is
amazing
you close
your eyes
you look
over at
the clock
it's
337
a.m.
oh
move your legs
over the
side of your
bread
as
to
Christ
as to
Christ
you make
your way
into the
baby's
room
and you
say
it's okay
sweetheart
mommy's here
to help
mommy's here
to serve
another
illustration
you know
Tammy
I uh
I know
you're
religious
and everything
but I
also know
that you
like working
here
and now
how long
have you
been here
now
five years
maybe
I think
you're
up for
promotion
right
well
here's
what I
need you
to do
for me
would you
mind
going
through
last
quarter
sales
numbers
and
just
increasing
my
numbers
by five
or six
percent
across
the board
if anyone
asks
you don't
even say
anything
by the way
would you
get that to
me in
just a couple
days
because
I got to
present
those adjusted
figures
in a
powerpoint
for next
week's
sales
meeting
well your
heart sinks
as three
words come
across your
mind
as to
Christ
excuse me
sir
I'd rather
keep my
integrity
than get a
promotion
I cannot
change
those numbers
you're a
student
that's your
occupation
and your
teacher has
assigned a
ten page
paper on
to kill a
mockingbird
that's due
in four
weeks
your first
thought
awesome
I've got
three and a
half weeks
just to
kick back
then three
words come
into your
mind
as to
Christ
you look at
your watch
realize you
have an
hour before
dinner
so you
go to
the library
you check
out the
last
copy of
to kill a
mockingbird
and start
reading
as to
Christ
as to
Christ
eagerness
that's what
it can look
like
here's the
true to
life situation
before becoming
the lead
pastor here
at Christ
the King
Church
I actually
served as
a youth
pastor of
another
church
and at
that church
the church
had hired
a man
his name
was Dominic
is Dominic
to keep
up the
building
and one
particular
day I
was walking
through this
building's
multi-purpose
room
to find
Dominic
doing two
things
simultaneously
he was
sweeping the
floor
and I'm
guessing
it must
have been
his 350th
time
sweeping
that
floor
but it
was the
other
thing
that he
was doing
that stirred
my heart
he was
singing to
his Savior
he didn't
hear me
come in
and he
was pushing
the broom
away from
me so
he didn't
see me
either
but he
was singing
to Jesus
while he
was sweeping
Dominic
was sweeping
as to
Christ
he was
worshipping
while he
worked
you see the
difference that
Jesus can
make in
the way
he worked
here's another
difference it
makes
by and large
when Jesus
is your
motivation
for working
you should
be a joy
to work
with
you should
be a joy
to work
under
you should
be a joy
to work
over
your
as to
Christ
eagerness
makes
you a joy
and it's
all about
Christ
the fifth
thing I want
you to see
Christians
work for
a future
review
and reward
Christians
work for
a future
review
and reward
you see
that in
verse 8
knowing that
whatever good
anyone does
this he will
receive back
from the Lord
whether he
is a slave
or free
a review
of a lifetime
is coming
for each
of us
your lifetime
will be
reviewed
and Paul
writing to
both slaves
and masters
he appeals
to this
future
reckoning
in verse
8
and it's
also implied
in verse
9
knowing that
your master
in heaven
is impartial
he judges
impartially
Paul is
reminding
both workers
and supervisors
that Jesus
sees all
and will
recompense
all
each one
accordingly
now according
to 2nd
Corinthians
510
every Christian
will stand
before the
judgment seat
of Christ
and so if
you're a
Christian in
the room
and all of a
sudden you
hear the word
judgment
you're going to
stand before
Jesus
and you get
this big lump
in your throat
because you're
like man
is he going to
let me in or
not
be assured
your salvation
has been
secured
based upon
the faithful
and finished
work
of Christ
on the
cross
what we're
talking about
here
is a judgment
of our
faithfulness
to him
we're to be
sobered
that we will
be held
to account
for the way
we live
our lives
so 2nd
Corinthians
510
says this
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
so what
you need
to know
Christian
is that
though you're
saved
you don't
need to
fear
damnation
you don't
need to
fear being
cast into
the lake
of fire
but what
you do
need to
realize
is that
there is
a review
coming
and the
one who
is going
to review
you is
Jesus
himself
he has
authority
to review
your life
now regarding
the reward
notice in
verse 8
that whatever
good anyone
does
this he'll
receive back
from the
Lord
it's a
promise
so here's
what that
means
has ever
anybody been
overlooked at
work
has anybody
done good
things at
work and
nobody
noticed
Jesus
noticed
though our
good work
may be
unintentionally
overlooked by
our supervisors
or may be
intentionally
ignored by
our supervisors
because we're
light in the
Lord and we
may be a
thorn in the
side
we can be
confident that
our Lord
Jesus sees
with a
comprehensive
vision of
everything that
we've done at
work and he
knows the good
that we've
done and the
promise here is
that he will
repay us for
our faithfulness
to him
it's all
about him
the parallel
passage in
Colossians 3
adds a bit
of a warning
it says this
for the wrongdoer
will be paid
back for the
wrong he has
done
so our
future review
of a lifetime
holds both
promise
for good
and evil
promise
a recompense
of reward
and consequence
we're not told
what the
consequence is
but you can
be sure to
this
reward
is going
to be
awesome
every
Christian has
a review
of a
lifetime
coming
and a
large part
of that
review
will be
the
evaluation
of what
each of
us has
done
occupationally
how we
have used
our time
at work
and as
we seek
to please
our
master
Jesus
as to
Christ
even
when
overlooked
we hold
on to
the promise
that he
will reward
our faithfulness
to him
it's all
about
Christ
so let
me just
wrap up
by saying
this
passage
is in
our
Bibles
to help
us
Christians
see
how God
changes
the way
that we
are to
work
we work
as to
Christ
work is
good
we work
from our
hearts
Christians
work
according
to a
higher
standard
the will
of God
Christians
work
with an
eager
affection
joy
Christians
work
for a
future
review
and reward
when we
worship
through
Christ
through
our
work
we
will
stand
out
as
light
of the
Lord
let's
pray
Lord
Jesus
you are
our
master
and we
are so
grateful
that
you
have
bought
us
with
your
blood
and
you
have
called
us
to
obey
you
God
we
don't
want
to
obey
anybody
else
we
want
to
honor
you
above
all
and
out
of
that
love
other
people
God
I pray
for those
in the
room
who
have
hard
work
situations
God
would
you
draw
their
gaze
to
you
in
Jesus
name
amen