You may be seated, kids, you now may be excused to your King's Kids class, and if you would,
please open up your Bibles to Colossians chapter 3.
I'm going to read 3.22 through 4.1.
We've come to the end of this section in Colossians that's called kind of the household code or
the household rules, and we've seen Paul time and again instructing on these sets of relationships,
wives and husbands, children and parents, and now bond slaves and their masters.
Hear God's Word.
Bond servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye service
as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
Lord, whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.
Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward, you are serving
the Lord Christ.
For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your bond servants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a master
in heaven.
May God bless the reading of his Word.
Name that tune.
Name that movie.
Snow White.
Hi-ho!
It's?
Name that movie.
Snow White, 1937 Disney classic.
We got a bunch of happy dwarves going to work.
And then later on, in the same movie, we have an interesting situation with Snow White.
She's confronted with this cluttered house.
Oh, no, what is she going to do?
She needs to clean it up.
How is she going to clean it up?
She's going to whistle while she works.
Whistle while you work.
And she enlists these creatures from the forest to help her clean her house.
Could you imagine Snow White working for you?
That would be great.
Man, she would make a great employee, wouldn't she?
But brothers and sisters, here I am right now to tell you we can do far better than whistle
while we work.
Because Jesus is the controlling center of our lives.
We worship while we work.
Christian, who do you work for?
You work for Jesus.
We work for Jesus.
Now, if you are a Christian, also known as a saint, a holy one.
If you're a saint, you know what?
You're going to have to work like the majority of the 8.1 billion people on the planet.
We've got to work.
We've got to work to make a living.
God has given us good things.
If you want a 30-second theology of work, here it is.
God created work.
It is good.
Sin distorts work.
Now it can be a toil.
But Christ redeems our work so that now we can take joy in working for Him.
And then at the final consummation, when we're all in glory together,
we get to work some more for the glory of His name.
Brothers and sisters, we don't get a pass when it comes to work.
Rather, we are to work a certain way and for a certain who.
We are to work for Jesus.
So if you're a subordinate worker in the room,
or if you're a supervisor in the room at work,
we are to work for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, we can do far better than whistle while you work.
We get to worship while you work.
This section that we're in right now,
Paul has addressed wives and husbands.
With Christ as their controlling centers,
wives are to submit to their husbands.
Husbands are to lead their wives.
And it's to be good.
Children are to obey their parents.
Parents, dads, you are to lead your children.
Children are to lead their children.
And it is good.
And here we are talking about bond servants and masters.
Does anybody have slaves in the house?
No.
Does anybody feel enslaved?
Well, don't answer that one.
Don't want you to answer that one.
Now, if you're interested in the New Testament,
when it talks about slavery,
what is meant by slavery,
and how that differs from the chattel slavery of Africans in our country,
that's a blight on our history.
If you want to know the difference between that.
Or you're wondering as you're reading through this,
why doesn't Paul just tell these masters to let their slaves free?
I want you to grab this article.
Does the New Testament support slavery?
It is on the Connect desk in the vestibule on your way out.
But here's how I'm going to proceed this morning.
Given that this particular relationship is having to do with work,
I'm going to move forward applying this passage
to those who are in a subordinate role of work
and those who are in a supervising role at work.
And I think we're going to capture the intent of what God is saying.
Brothers and sisters,
whether you're a subordinate or a supervisor,
you work for the Lord Jesus.
And so here is how we're going to proceed.
Brothers and sisters,
you need a reminder.
We are saints who work.
And then I want to help you think,
how does a saint who is a subordinate work?
That's two.
And then number three is,
how does a saint who is a supervisor work?
Whether you're a subordinate or a supervisor,
if Christ is the controlling center of your life,
you are a saint and you work for Jesus,
changes the way you work.
We are saints who work.
You've probably noticed I've been using the word saint a lot.
If you flip back in Colossians 1,
verse 2,
Paul is writing these Christians in Colossae,
this church,
and he says in verse 2,
to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.
Saint is just a word that means holy one.
And if you look at 312,
do you remember when I preached this weeks ago?
We are told,
put on then as God's chosen ones,
holy and beloved,
beloved saints chosen by God's grace.
Do you know who's going to work tomorrow?
Raise your hand.
Man, you walk into work.
Do you know who's walking into work?
A saint of the living God.
A beloved saint.
There are such a variety of occupations represented in this room.
And every one of us who've been flipped by the grace of God,
we enter our workplaces as holy ones,
as saints.
So let me just kind of unpack that for you,
just to convince you,
remind you of who you are.
Remember chapter 1, verse 13,
we have been delivered from the domain of darkness
and transferred into the kingdom of the beloved son.
You're a saint because you've got a new king
and a new kingdom.
And Jesus has become the controlling center of your life.
He's no ordinary king.
In 115, he is the firstborn of creation.
The king of creation.
And in 118, he is the firstborn from the dead.
He's the king of the new creation.
Do you know what kind of kingdom we're a part of?
We're part of a new creation kingdom.
And you're a new creation in that kingdom, brother, sister.
You're a saint.
You got flipped by Jesus.
You've been repoed by Jesus Christ.
And you've also been given a new ID,
a new identification.
It's a holy ID.
In 2.20, we read this.
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world.
And then 3.1, we read, if you've been raised with Christ.
If you've died with Christ, if you've been raised with Christ,
means you've been united with Christ in his death and resurrection.
You're a new creation.
The old is gone.
The new has come.
Changes everything.
We're talking about your union with Christ.
And because you've been united with Christ in his death and resurrection,
you're dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
It changes everything.
You're a saint who's walking into your workplace tomorrow, brother, sister.
We're not done.
It changes your aim.
3.1, we're to seek the things that are above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Jesus is reigning on high over all things.
Ephesians 1.22 says,
all things have been put under his feet.
So when you go into your workplace and you're thinking,
everything's a mess here,
Jesus is reigning over it all.
Even your CEO.
All things are under his feet.
And we work for him.
He is our greatest aim.
He's the one in whom we're looking to please above all else.
And we're on a new time frame.
Church, what time is it?
It's Christ time.
We live in between the first coming and the second coming of Jesus.
And when he comes back, he's going to judge it all, even you.
So you know what that means?
You walk into work,
and you might think I'm on company time,
and you are on company time,
but you're also on Christ time.
And it matters to him.
Your aim is Christ,
and you will one day give an account for your work life.
We're on Christ time.
We live in light of the eternity
that Christ has rescued us for in our daily working.
But you also have new work wear.
We have new wardrobe.
Before you put on your work outfit tomorrow morning,
you've got to put on your Christ wear.
You've got to put off the grave clothes of the old self
that used to live under the dominion of darkness.
And you're to put on as chosen,
God's chosen, holy, and beloved,
things like compassionate hearts,
meekness, kindness, humility,
patience.
You put that on first,
and then you put your work outfit on over that.
So you walk into your workplace tomorrow,
and you've got Christ wear on
underneath your business attire.
It's Christ likeness
that we're aiming at,
that we're living for.
Hey, who's walking into the workplace tomorrow?
A saint!
I went to high school outside of Chicago,
and I grew up in a suburb called St. Charles,
and our mascot, well, they were the fighting saints.
And on our football team,
I don't think there were any kind of biblical saints.
But do you know what our school song was?
Oh, when the saints come marching in,
oh, when the saints come marching in,
tomorrow morning,
when you walk into your workplace,
you can be singing this song.
Oh, when this saint
comes walking in
to this workplace,
oh, when this saint comes walking in,
I'm going to work
for King Jesus.
Oh, when this saint comes walking in,
do you know who's walking into work tomorrow, brother?
A holy one of God.
That's who you are.
Don't forget it.
Remember who you are.
You've got a new kingdom,
a new ID,
a new aim,
a new time frame.
You've got a new wardrobe,
and that's who's walking in
because Jesus is the controlling center
of your life.
When you go to work tomorrow,
you can worship him
while you work.
That's who you are.
We are saints who work.
It's the intersection of two kingdoms
in the workplace.
Now, if you are a saint
and you're a subordinate,
point two,
how do you go about your work
as a subordinate for Jesus?
And we see this in chapter 3,
verses 22 through 25.
Now, remember,
Paul is originally addressing bond slaves,
and I'm going to apply
what Paul instructs here
to work subordinates,
and you are a work subordinate
if you report to someone above you.
If someone has a responsibility
and authority over you
in terms of your work performance,
then you are a subordinate.
You might be a supervisor too,
but you are a subordinate.
In this passage,
in 322 through 25,
when Paul addresses subordinates,
we see a what,
a how,
and a why.
The what.
Verse 22,
we read this.
Bond servants,
obey in everything
those who are your earthly masters.
The what is obey.
If you are work subordinate,
you are to obey
your work supervisor.
It's the same word used
earlier in verse 20
when talking about children,
obey your parents.
It's the same word.
It's the same exhortation.
Obey.
Obey in everything
your earthly masters,
your earthly supervisors.
Obey in everything.
It's like God is addressing you,
brother, sister,
in a subordinate role.
He's addressing you
and saying,
here's how I want you
to live for me
in your workplace.
I want you to be known
for your obedience
to your supervisors.
I want you to be known for that.
Now, when you read the words
in everything,
maybe you start getting
a little nervous.
Well, there's two qualifications
with this.
If you're a subordinate,
you are to obey
your supervisor
in everything
with two qualifications.
First one is this.
You are to obey them
in everything
insofar as what they are
requiring of you
pleases the Lord.
So if your supervisor
is asking you to lie,
you need to say,
sorry, boss,
I can't do that
for the glory of Jesus.
If your supervisor
is asking you
to look the other way
because there's something
going on
that he doesn't want to be
or she doesn't want
to be held accountable for,
you can't go along
with that.
If you are being told
to treat someone
in a way that is grievous
in God's sight,
you can't do that.
If you're told
to kind of make
some numbers change,
you can't do that.
because you are working
for Jesus
in your workplace.
And so you are to obey
your boss in everything
insofar as it pleases
the Lord.
Secondly,
you are to obey
your supervisor
in everything
so long as it pertains
to work.
So if your supervisor
is insisting
that you take
her marriage advice,
you don't have to
because she's
out of her lane.
She doesn't have
authority over you
for that.
She doesn't have
responsibility for you
in that.
If your supervisor
is telling you
how to invest
your money,
you can take
that with a grain of salt
but you don't need
to do that.
You don't need
to obey them in that.
They don't have
responsibility for you
in that.
So insofar
as it's pleasing
to the Lord
and it pertains
to work,
you are to obey
your supervisors
and everything
and you are to
obey them
quickly
and you are to
obey them well
and you are to do it
with all of your heart
which brings me
to not just
the what
of obeying
but the how
we are to obey.
And we see this
in verses 22,
all the way
down into 24
but what
the apostle Paul
does here
is he sets up
a really interesting
contrast.
He wants us
to obey
our supervisors
but he goes
in to say
don't obey
them this way,
obey them
this way.
Look at the passage.
On servants
obey in everything
those who are
your earthly masters
not by way
of eye service
as people
pleasers
how not
to obey them.
But here's how
you obey them
but with sincerity
of heart
fearing the Lord
whatever you do
work heartily
as for the Lord
and not for men.
So how are we
to obey
our supervisors?
Well in everything
as to the Lord.
this idea
of eye service
as people pleasers
means you're
more concerned
with what
your earthly
supervisor
thinks
than what
your eternal
king thinks
and that you're
willing
to do
eye service.
It's this
extrinsic
outside
kind of
motivation
that you're
doing something
like for your boss.
Classic example
it's summertime
if there are
people who work
for the
Wisconsin Department
of Transportation
this is nothing
against you
but let's say
you're driving
on the highway
there's a work
crew working
and you're
at a crawl
and you're
watching these
guys lollygagging
you know
talking it up
leaning on
their shovels
and then you
watch their
supervisor
shows up
and then
shovel starts
flying.
That is
eye service
people pleasing.
They start
working because
they see
and want to
impress a
human being
but
contrast
this
eye service
people pleasers
with this
internal
sincerity of
heart
fearing the
Lord.
Whatever you do
work heartily
internally
as for the
Lord.
Not for
men.
This is
intrinsic
motivation.
This is
you work
hard and
you work
well
for
anybody
because
you serve
the Lord
in this.
The best
workers
in town
should be
followers
of Jesus.
Sincerity
of heart.
We do
things with
excellence.
We do
things well
and we
follow through
on it.
We work
hard.
The object
of course
is
Jesus.
We're
working for
Him.
Aimed at
Him.
Now you
tell me
who would
you want
working for
you?
I
service
people
pleaser?
I
work
or
working
heartily for
the Lord.
Come on.
That's the
how.
And now
the why.
In
verses
24 and
25,
24 you
see this
word
knowing?
That's
going to
show up
again in
4.1 but
that word
knowing is
to tell you
something.
If you're a
subordinate
who is
working in
a place,
you need
to know
something.
And it's
going to
inform,
motivate you
in order to
work heartily
for the
Lord,
not for
men.
And what
is it?
Knowing that
from the
Lord you
will receive
the inheritance
as a reward.
You are
serving the
Lord Christ.
If you
are a
saint who's
working as
a subordinate,
you must
know that
your reward
is coming
from the
Lord Jesus.
your bonus
is not
based upon
your work
performance.
Did you see
the word
inheritance?
Do you know
what that's
for?
That's for
someone who
is a
son or
a daughter.
It's not
based on
performance.
It's based
on grace.
Your reward
is the
salvation
that will
come
fully
realized.
That's
knowing
that
is why
we work
heartily for
the Lord.
We're being
aimed here.
It's
Christ the
Lord who
rewards us
at the
judgment,
of course.
It's a
promise.
Full
and final
salvation
to be
realized
and enjoyed.
It's the
reward of
our
inheritance.
We work
hard because
God in
His grace
has poured
out His
grace upon
us and
will continue
to all the
way through.
But we
also have
something of
a warning
in verse
25.
For the
wrongdoer
will be
paid back
for the
wrong he
has done.
Know that.
There's no
partiality.
You've got to
know that.
And if you
are a
worker in
the room,
if you
are a
saint,
a subordinate,
and you
are doing
what is
wrong,
and you
know it,
you're wearing
grave clothes
at work,
you're
deceiving
your
supervisors,
you're being
lazy,
you're not
trustworthy,
if you're
doing these
things,
that needs
to stop
because the
Lord sees
it.
But there's
another reason
why this is
here.
let's say
that you
have a
supervisor
who's
wronging
you.
Isn't it
good to
know
that the
Lord Jesus
will hand
out
consequences
to your
supervisor?
No
partiality.
Doesn't mean
you need to
stay at your
place of
employment,
commitment,
but what it
does mean
is like,
okay,
I don't
need to
take this
into my
own hands
necessarily.
I know
the Lord
is seeing
this and
He will
act.
Did you
notice all
the references
to the
Lord?
Fearing the
Lord,
work
heartily as
for the
Lord,
knowing that
from the
Lord you
will receive
the inheritance,
you are
serving the
Lord
Christ.
The
emphasis
is loud
and clear
if you are
a subordinate.
You work
for the
Lord Jesus.
Do I
have an
amen?
Okay,
let's do
some
assessment.
If you're
a subordinate,
I want to
help you to
assess
yourself.
Brother,
sister,
what is your
aim at
work?
Who are
you working
for?
You've got to
remind yourself
of who you
are before
you walk
into your
place of
employment.
Whether that's
a work site,
that's an
actual building,
whether that
is some
kind of
home office,
or you're
visiting a
client,
whatever you're
doing,
you need to
remember first
and foremost
that you're
a saint who
works and
your aim is
the Lord
Jesus.
You're going
to work for
Him.
Brother,
sister,
what's your
attitude like
at work?
Do you
have a
grave clothes
attitude?
Let me point
you to some.
Verse 8 and
9.
Anger,
wrath,
malice,
slander,
obscene talk
from your
mouth,
lying to
one another.
Is that
what's
characterizing
you at
work?
That attitude
is to go.
That's grave
clothes.
We're to be
marked by the
312,
compassionate
hearts,
kindness,
humility,
meekness,
and patience.
Putting on
the love,
verse 14.
It's
attitude.
That's what
you bring to
your place
of employment
and action.
Brother and
sister,
are you
working as to
the Lord with
sincerity of
heart?
Are you
working hard?
Are you
working well?
Are you
pursuing excellence?
Or are you
being prodded?
if you are
known to be
a Christian
at your
workplace,
but you
show up
late,
you do
shoddy work,
and you're
continually being
prodded to
work harder
and faster,
something needs
to change.
These are just
standards for
everybody.
You work for
the Lord,
and so what
will happen
is if you're
saying you're
a Christian,
but you're
living like
that,
it undermines
your witness.
And the way
that you
regain your
witness is by
working heartily
unto the
Lord.
One final
question before
we move on
to supervisors.
Just a
self-reflective
question.
Subordinate,
would you
want to be
your
supervisor?
Would you
want you
working for
you?
You get
it?
And if you
wouldn't,
why not?
We work for
the Lord,
intrinsically
motivated from
the heart.
Now let's
say that you're
a saint who
is in a
supervisory role.
We see this
in 4.1.
Now you
may be
reporting to
someone above
you, which
makes you a
subordinate, but
you have at
least one
person's
reporting to
you.
You have
responsibility for
the work
performance of
somebody else,
and therefore
you have
authority in
order to help
them work
better.
Now I just
want to remind
you of the
nature of
authority.
I've been
trying to
make this
case with
each of
these pairings,
with wives
and husbands
and children
and parents,
and here with
workers and
supervisors.
Remember,
authority is
an outworking
of responsibility.
If you have
responsibility for
someone, God
gives you
authority to
act on their
behalf.
And it's
true of the
workplace.
So supervisors
have the
distinct
responsibility to
make sure that
his or her
subordinates are
doing what
they've been
hired to do.
So as a
supervisor, you
have authority
over a
subordinate as
far as it
relates to
their work.
So if you're
a saint who's
supervising at
least one
subordinate, God
requires something
of you.
He's saying,
okay, here's how
I want you to
do your work,
supervisor.
And just like we
saw with
subordinates,
there is a
what, there is a
how, and there
is a why.
You ready?
The what?
4.1.
Masters, treat
your bond
servants.
He's not saying
treat them with
candy.
That word is
more like direct
them, manage
them.
All I want to
put into place
here is dignify
them.
You treat your
subordinates with
dignity.
Because they
are either
full-on image
bearers or
they're blood-bought
image bearers.
Treat them with
dignity.
And the
you're in this
is that you
don't own
them.
But you do
have responsibility
for them at
work.
So you want to
take this
exhortation to
our heart.
There is a
way in which
you as a
supervisor treat
your subordinates.
And now let's
look at the
manner of that,
the way of
that, how that
actually looks
like.
We see that.
Masters, treat
your bond
servants, two
words, justly
and fairly.
Justly and
fairly.
That word
justly, here's
how you need to
think about it.
It's biblically
speaking, it's
doing your
subordinates
right.
You do them
right.
And that
starts with
being very
clear with
them what's
expected of
them.
So if you're
a supervisor
in the room
and you're not
using some
kind of job
description,
you need to.
To be just.
To be clear.
To help them
know what
they're supposed
to do.
Clear on
what's expected.
And make sure
that thing's
updated.
And you
want to be
consistent with
consequences.
That's being
just.
You want to
help them
understand what's
expected of
them.
And when they
fall short, you
can reprimand
them.
And when they
do well, you
reward them.
But you're
consistent.
And it's all
based upon this
objective realities
laid out for
them in their
job description.
You are to be
honest and
helpful in
instructing how
they are to do
their jobs
well.
You're to be
impartial in
all of it.
Not showing
favorites.
You don't want
to be accused
if you're a
Christian supervisor
showing favor to
a Christian
subordinate,
especially if
they're not
performing well.
one of the
other ways that
we are just is
making sure those
who are our
subordinates are
rightly compensated
for their time
and labor.
And we
never,
never give
them reason to
sin against God.
Never.
Justly.
We dignify
people that way.
And then we
treat them
fairly.
It's not just
doing one of
your subordinates
right.
It's doing all
of your subordinates
right.
It's equity.
It's fairness
across the board.
That you're
consistent in
your treatment of
all the
subordinates that
you're responsible
for.
No partiality.
No favoritism.
No
I think what
Paul is getting
at here is
what's shown up
in this household
code.
It shows up
between wives
and husbands.
He says to
husbands,
don't be harsh
with your wives.
And then he
says to fathers,
hey, don't
discourage your
children.
I think what's
getting at here
with just and
fair is
excluding harsh
treatment of
your subordinates.
If you're being
harsh and
unpredictable,
do you know
what it does?
It destabilizes
the work
environment.
But if you're
being just
and fair,
it stabilizes
your work
environment.
All for Jesus.
Now why?
We've seen the
what?
Treat them with
dignity.
The how?
Justly and
fairly.
Now the why.
Again, it's
queued up with
the word
knowing.
Knowing that
you also have
a master in
heaven.
If you're a
supervisor in
the room,
you don't get
to do whatever
you want with
your subordinates
because you have
a heavenly
supervisor that
you're accountable
to.
He'll hold you
accountable.
by the way
you treat
your subordinates.
You work for
the Lord,
supervisor.
You work for
him.
And if he's
the controlling
center of your
life,
it will show up
in the way
that you treat
those you're
responsible for
in the workplace.
So let's do
some self-assessment,
supervisor.
You go into
work tomorrow.
what is your
aim?
Who are you
working for?
Who are you
supervising for?
Not for the
eyes of man.
Not to impress
your subordinates,
but for the
Lord Jesus.
What kind of
attitude are you
to bring as a
supervisor?
Are you to be
unjust,
unfair,
unpredictable,
and harsh?
That does not
line up with
the Christ wear
that you were
to be putting
on that morning.
No.
We are to live
out Christ's
likeness.
That doesn't
mean you're a
pushover.
That means you
are just and
fair to all
of your
subordinates.
What kind of
action?
It's that just
and fairness,
consistent and
clear.
you do all
of your
subordinates
right.
Because you're
worshiping while
you work.
Now, if you
are a
supervisor and
people know
you as a
Christian and
you are being
unjust and
unfair, you're
being harsh,
impatient, you
might get
results, but
are you
pleasing Jesus?
And the answer
is no, you're
not.
That needs to
change for the
glory of Jesus.
So, supervisor,
here's the
question for you.
Would you
want to be your
subordinate?
Would you
want to be
reporting to
you?
Whether you
are a
subordinate
or supervisor
or both,
work life?
If you're a
saint, you
work for
Jesus.
Your work
life is to
magnify Christ,
to telescope
him so that
other people can
see how wonderful
he is.
It shows up in
the way you
work, how you
interact with
fellow workmates,
to work in a
manner worthy
of the Lord.
I started this
sermon talking
about snow
white, whistling
while you work.
Brothers and
sisters, we can
do far better
than whistle
while you work
because Christ
is the controlling
center of our
lives.
I mean, he's the
king of creation.
He is the king
of the new
creation.
He is full
reign of every
area of our
lives.
Because he's the
controlling center,
we worship him
while we work.
Remember
chapter 3, 17,
in whatever you
do, whatever you
do in word or
deed, do
everything in the
name of the
Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to
God the Father
through him.
If you're a
wife, do
everything in the
name of the
Lord Jesus,
word or deed.
If you're a
husband, do
everything, word
or deed.
If you're a
child or parent,
everything, word
or deed.
Subordinate,
everything, word
and deed.
Supervisor,
everything, word
and deed.
Do everything in
the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ.
He's your
controlling center.
Brothers and
sisters,
saints of the
living God,
God, when you
go in to work
tomorrow, you
can go in
singing, oh,
when the
saint comes
walking in, oh,
when this saint
comes walking
in, I'm doing
all my work for
my King Jesus.
Oh, when the
saint comes walking
in, walking out,
we work for
Jesus, therefore,
we worship him
while we work,
and it is a
witness to him
while we work.
Let me pray.
Lord Jesus, we are
so thankful that
you call us
out.
you call us
out of the
worldly grime
of work,
and you call
us to do
our work from
our hearts
for you with
all that we
got.
Lord Jesus,
you're worthy.
Would you,
Father, do a
work by your
spirit in which
we, this
week, even
tomorrow, we
work aimed
at Jesus on
Christ's time
because you
have wonderfully
changed us.
Lord Jesus,
you are worthy.
It's your name
we pray.
Amen.