The kids are with us.
It is Labor Day weekend.
And happy Labor Day weekend, everybody.
Arousing.
But it doesn't fail to impress upon me that this Labor Day weekend, we're talking about our labor.
We're talking about work.
And so let me give you a brief kind of catch-up on what we've been talking about the last couple weeks.
Two weeks ago, we were in Genesis chapter 1.
And we saw God's creation of work.
God is the ultimate worker.
And what He did in the creation of this world was good after good after good.
This is good.
And He gave us the creation mandate to represent Him to do good to others in the world He has created.
And so we are His representatives to do good to others through our work.
Genesis chapter 1.
And then, last Sunday, we saw how sin corrupts our work.
We went from Genesis 2, the garden pristine, perfect, to Genesis 3, the garden as a crime scene.
You could kind of wrap around that yellow crime scene tape for Genesis chapter 3.
And in that passage, we were soberly made aware of the corrupting effect of sin in every area of our life, including our work.
And ever since Adam and Eve sinned, we've been born into it.
As a result, we have done something deeply, deeply grievous in God's sight.
We have rejected being His representatives in order to represent ourselves in the world.
We've rejected a God-centered view of all things for a self-centered view of all things.
So as our own representatives now, we're not looking to do good to others, but we're looking to get goods from others.
Instead of giving, we're taking.
It's the effect of sin.
All of us experience on a day-to-day basis.
We feel it, experience it in our very workplaces.
But there's something in Genesis 3 that I tried to draw out last week, and it was a promise in verse 15.
In the midst of curse, God promises that there's going to be an offspring of Eve that will come and crush the head of the serpent.
He's going to bring about a great reversal, which leads us into what we're talking about this Sunday.
Christ's redemption of our work.
God created our work.
Sin corrupts our work.
Christ redeems our work.
He is the promised offspring of Eve.
He crushed the head of the serpent on the cross, and He was raised from the dead.
And as a result, under His growing gracious reign, He's reversing sin's effect in us.
And so, we are all separated from God.
And so, because of the work Jesus did on the cross, now we are brought back into relationship with God, into His presence.
We are all experiencing strain in our relationship with others.
But because of what Jesus has done, we can now experience peace with others.
We all experience shame within ourselves.
But because of what Jesus has done, having paid for all of our sin, we have been set free from our shame.
And now, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And if that weren't enough, Jesus has begun a work in which we can experience His blessing and His peace with creation through our vocations.
He's doing a work.
The offspring of Eve has come.
And He's at work in our midst.
He's at work in our work.
Speaking of work,
some of you,
sitting here this morning,
you are wilting
in your workplaces.
You are withering
where God has planted you.
And so much so
that you feel stuck.
That you feel hopeless.
It's really difficult to get up
and go into work.
Because you're just feeling like you're going to get exposed
to the summer heat.
In our home,
we have a planter on the front steps of our porch.
And it's filled with a variety of plants.
And those plants are supposed to flower.
They're supposed to bring beauty, color, fragrance, and spread.
Now, what you need to know about the front porch of our house
is it's southerly exposed.
And so, it gets full sun all day long.
And this,
the poor plants in our planter,
they get neglected.
We don't water them.
And so, do you know what happens?
They wither
in the summer heat.
They shrivel
under the summer sun.
Is your workplace
like my front porch?
Do you feel constant exposure
to the heat of work
that makes you want to shrivel?
Do you feel like you're wilting
where you've been planted?
And maybe you've been feeling that way
for the last two days.
Maybe you've been feeling that way
for the last two weeks.
Two months.
Two years.
Two decades.
If you're feeling that way,
I'm glad God has planted you
in this place today.
You're in the right place
because it's time for you to bloom
where you've been planted.
We'll know more, brother and sister.
It's time to bloom
because Jesus, the Redeemer,
the one who brings peace,
He is able to make you bloom
where you've been planted.
He's the one.
He's the one that makes you thrive
in your workplace
regardless of the heat.
He not only rescues us
from sin and shame,
He makes us His representatives
in our workplaces
to do good to others
and to make us thrive.
Most of us spend about 30,
50 hours a week
in a work environment
that is essentially,
has essentially removed God
from its daily operations.
And so, at best,
our work environments are agnostic.
And at worst,
they threaten
when you open your mouth for Jesus.
So, why I bring this up
is you need to realize
that your work environment
is most likely not neutral.
And neither are you.
The sin that has corrupted Adam and Eve
has also corrupted your heart.
And so, you go into
a challenging work environment
with challenge in your heart.
Many of us go to work
with what Paul Tripp calls
God amnesia.
It's like Jesus pulls us up
to the front door
of our workplace
and He looks at us
like He wants to come in
and we're like,
no, Jesus, pick me up at 5,
see you later.
We walk in
and we forget about Him
for the rest of the day.
And it's not just God amnesia.
We go to work
with deep shame
in our hearts.
We go to work
with unaddressed drives
for success,
unchecked desires
for accomplishment,
unmet cravings
to be accepted
and when you see people
striving for these things,
the world seems
to cheer on loudly.
You go for that.
But your God says,
you don't need to live that way.
You don't need to be ruled
by these things.
So each of us,
we can go to work
saying that we're a follower
of Jesus
but walk into the front doors
and all of a sudden
we functionally deny
God at our work.
That changes today
because I've got good news
for you.
Jesus
is able to cause you
to bloom
in your work.
To bloom
where you've been planted.
Anybody in the room
want to know
how to bloom
where God has planted you?
Anyone?
Me too.
Even pastors
can go to work
and realize
three hours in
they haven't thought
about God.
We're going to turn
in our Bibles
to Colossians 3
verses 22
through 4
1.
And in these verses
God shows us
how to live
for Jesus
in our workplaces.
How to live out
the roles
that we've been given.
that we've been planted
into.
And so
for those of you
who are in the room
who are wilting at work
or maybe
withering a little bit
these words
are life
to you.
Hear the word
of God.
Bond servants
slaves
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.
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
and I'm guessing
what you're thinking
right now is
Mike you had me
all charged up
to bloom
where I'm planted
and all of a sudden
you read me a passage
about slaves
and masters.
Well God has goodness
for us in here.
He instructs
people who are
in subordinate roles
how to live for Jesus
and then he instructs
people who are
in positions of authority
how to live for Jesus
in their workplace.
This is extremely
valuable for us
to know how to bloom
where God has placed us.
Here's the point.
If you are blood bought
you work for Jesus now.
The day that Jesus
saved you
not only did he say
you're mine now
you belong to me now
he said
you work for me now.
You don't work for yourself
you don't work for others
ultimately
you work for Jesus
now.
And I want to show you
that from this text.
There's two sections
from this text
it's the first four verses
Paul
God through Paul
addresses those
in a subordinate role
and then in chapter 4
verse 1
he addresses those
in a position of authority.
He's going to show us
how to bloom
where we've been planted.
But first
let me address
this issue
of slavery.
I just need to say up front
slavery
did not originate
in the garden
pristine.
Slavery
owning another
human being
is a consequence
of sin.
Slavery
in a variety
of forms
has been around
for a long time
and when you think
of slavery
and you are an American
you probably go
immediately
to the particularly
awful kind
of slavery
that was institutionalized
in our nation
in the south
in the 17th
18th
and 19th centuries.
Image bearers
of another race
deemed inferior
because of their race
were given
no choice
but were forcefully
taken from their homes
and then impressed
into the service
of men
who bought them.
do you know
why slavery
is wrong?
It fails
the love your neighbor
test.
Would you want
that done
to you?
No.
Slavery
in the United States
is a grievous
example
of institutionalized
sin
and let's
just be honest
the racism
that fueled it
it's not gone.
Now slavery
in the first century
Greco-Roman world
was a different
kind of slavery
than the slavery
in the United States.
Maybe a more
mild kind
of slavery
but it was slavery
nonetheless
because whenever
you limit
the rights
of another human being
there can be
gross
sinful
exploitation.
So don't hear me
saying
that I think
slavery was okay.
Paul never
says that.
But let me
explain why
Paul
here in Colossians
and Ephesians
and Ephilemon
and Peter
in 1 Peter
Titus
why they don't
come out
and say
we gotta
stop
slavery.
Remember
the book
of Colossians
was written
maybe 30
35 years
after the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
and so the church
is young.
It does not
exert huge
political influence
it does not
exert huge
economic
influence
and so the tact
that the apostle
Paul takes
in addressing
slavery
is not
to go
political
it's to go
local
household
by household
person
by person
bringing the gospel
of Jesus Christ
to bear
on individual
slaves
and individual
slave owners.
That's
why Philemon
was written.
So over time
what took place
is that slavery
in the Greco-Roman
world was turned
inside out
by people
who've been
changed by Christ
from the inside out.
So now
back in Colossians 3
when it comes to
slaves and masters
he's addressing
roles in the context
of work.
Slaves were in a
subordinate
work role.
Masters were in a
position of authority
concerning work.
So this morning
we're going to
take the principles
related to work
from what Paul
writes to slaves
in a subordinate
role
and apply it
to all of us
who are in a
subordinate role.
And what Paul
addresses to
masters in a
position of authority
we're going to
take it and apply
it to those of us
who are in a
position of authority
in our work.
If you've been
bought by the
blood of Jesus
you work for
Jesus now.
That's shot
through
this text.
So whatever
your role is
at work
whether it's
a subordinate
role
you're reporting
to someone
or a position
of authority
where people
are reporting
to you
whatever you do
you must be
serving the
Lord Christ
in it.
You do it
for him now.
So
starting in
22
we read
slaves
those in a
subordinate
role
obey in
everything
those who
are your
earthly
masters.
There are
three commands
to slaves
obey
out of fear
of the Lord
work
heartily
as unto
the Lord
and then
serve
the Lord
Christ
all aimed
at Jesus.
Obey
means to do
what you've been
told to do
and
these people
are being
told to
obey their
earthly
masters
in everything.
For us
that means
everything
defined in
our job
descriptions
and everything
in so far
as it
doesn't
cause us
to disobey
Jesus.
And you notice
who we're
to obey
those who
are your
earthly
masters.
In other
words
anyone
in a
position
of authority
that you
report to
at work
you're
to obey
them
in
everything.
That's
God's
will
right there.
Do you
have somebody
at work
that you
can
think of
that God
is calling
you to
obey them
in everything?
What Paul
then does
is shows
us how
to obey
them.
First
how not
to obey
them.
Not by
way of
eye service
as people
pleasers.
He knows
that when
our supervisors
tells us
to do
something
we'll be
tempted
to do
it just
for them
for their
eyes
only.
Furthermore
eye service
eyes
have you
ever
happened
to you?
It's
never
happened
to me.
Your boss
walks in
and catches
you in
the middle
of watching
the baby
shark song
challenge
on your
computer
and immediately
you click
it like
he or she
didn't see
that?
Eye service.
That's what
that is.
You're doing
it because
you're being
watched by
your boss.
And what
Paul says
here
that's
people
pleasing.
What we're
going to see
is when
you obey
your
supervisor
or your
company
just for
them
you are
cutting
God out
of the
equation.
we're
not just
to obey
our
earthly
supervisors
for our
earthly
supervisor
sake.
We're
to obey
them
out of
the fear
of the
Lord.
What we're
not to
do
and now
what we
are to
do
we're
to obey
with
sincerity
of heart
fearing
the Lord.
What does
Paul mean
by that?
Well that
word
sincerity
of
sincerity
of
heart
it's a
Greek
word
that
carries
the
sense
of
singularity
focus.
It's
more than
just
sincerely
obeying
your boss
when he
or she
tells you
to do
something.
It's
purposed
obedience.
And notice
the word
heart.
The heart
biblically
speaking is
the control
center of
your life.
The
mainspring
of your
being
and your
doing.
So whatever
controls your
heart
controls your
life.
So if you
are obeying
just for the
eyes of your
supervisor
you are a
people pleaser
suffering from
God amnesia.
We are to
obey those
earthly bosses
out of an
internal drive
of fearing
the Lord.
Do you
see that?
Not by way
of eye
service as
people pleasers
but with
sincerity of
heart.
Fearing the
Lord.
The Lord
is Jesus.
All throughout
Colossians the
Lord is a
reference to
Jesus.
Colossians
chapter 1
starting in
verse 15.
It's Jesus
who is the
Lord of
creation.
The creator
and it's
Jesus who is
the Lord of
redemption.
The one who
has purchased
our salvation.
We are to
obey out of
fear of him.
And what it
means to be
fearful of him
is that we
take him
seriously.
He is our
all in all.
He controls
what we do.
Another way to
think about it
is like this.
Let's say you are
going to work
and you are
going to drive
by a gas
station to
fill up.
Not only do
you have to
fill up your
tank and your
car.
You have to
fill up your
heart and how
you are going
to obey your
boss that
day.
You can
pull out
one of those
things that you
put in the
tank and fill
up with
people pleasing
or you can
fill up with
fearing Jesus
having a
glorious view
of him.
We are not
to people
please.
We are to
fear the
Lord.
If you are
in a
subordinate
role at
work, God
is calling
you to
obey your
earthly
supervisors
not for
their own
sake but
out of an
internal
commitment of
taking Jesus
seriously.
That he is
your all in
all.
It changes
the way that
you work
because you are
working for
Jesus now.
in this
little passage
there is a
contrast between
earthly masters
and the
Lord Jesus.
Earthly
masters,
they are
earthly in
that they are
temporary,
limited,
and imperfect
but Jesus
is your
forever
master,
unlimited,
and perfect.
He is the
one that you
work for.
There is also
a contrast
between how
you obey
whether it is
externally
motivated from
the eyes of
your earthly
boss or
internally
motivated out
of fear of
your Jesus.
And what
Paul is
saying,
serve,
work,
obey out
of the
fear of
Jesus.
Now can I
just tell you
not to do
something tomorrow
when you go
to work?
Don't walk
into your
boss's office
tomorrow and
declare something
like this.
Sir,
I'm going to
obey you
today,
not to
please you
but out
of fear
of the
Lord,
have a
great day.
That's not
what Paul
is saying.
We
obey our
masters,
earthly
masters,
out of
fear of
the Lord.
It's a
means to
an end.
Let your
actual
obedience to
your boss
shine like
a light
in a dark
place,
a refreshing
kingdom
presence
in a
toxic
place.
So when it
comes to
obeying your
earthly master,
tomorrow when
your boss
tells you
something to
do,
imagine
Jesus behind
him.
Imagine
Jesus behind
her.
and when
your boss
tells you
something to
do,
you're like,
you got it,
but in your
heart you're
saying,
yes,
Jesus,
I'm doing
it for you.
When you
take Jesus
seriously,
in obeying
your boss,
you're going to
find yourself
energized by
this,
by spiritual
strength.
You're going
to begin to
blossom where
you've been
planted because
you're living
for Jesus.
and you're
representing
him in
doing good
to your
boss.
Obey,
work.
Verse
23,
bond
servants,
whatever you
do, work
heartily as
for the
Lord and
not for
men.
Whatever
your boss
tells you
to do,
verse 22,
that,
verse 23,
you're to
work with
everything
you got.
Work in
the original
language of
Greek means
work.
It means
labor,
output,
effort,
applying
yourself to
what your
boss has
told you
to do,
even if
you don't
like it.
Whatever
you do.
It's kind
of a side.
Has anybody
seen the show
Dirty Jobs
with Mike
Rowe?
Oh,
it's one
of my
favorites.
If you
are feeling
overwhelmed by
your work
and like
this work
stinks,
just watch
a couple
episodes of
that and
you'll
realize you
got it
pretty good.
but that's
not going
to help you
blossom where
you've
planted.
What God
is calling
us to
is to
give
ourselves
to the
work
our bosses
tell us
to do.
And it's
going to be
marked by
pain and
strain.
There might
be some
hurts,
it's going
to be
hard,
there's going
to be
thorns and
thistles that
need to be
dealt with,
your obedient
work to
your boss
will cost
you pain
and strain,
it's not
going to
come easy
because we're
living under
the curse
still.
And you
might be
grumbling in
your heart
thinking,
you get a
task tomorrow
and you're
like,
they don't
pay me
enough to
do this.
And you
may be
right,
but ultimately
you're not
in it for
the money,
you're in
it for
Jesus,
to represent
him.
That doesn't
mean you
stay unnecessarily,
but that
means you do
give yourself
for him.
In verse
24,
he gives
a reason,
work heartily
knowing that
from the
Lord you
will receive
the inheritance
as your
reward.
God goes
on to tell
us why
we're to
work from
the heart
for the
Lord and
not men.
We got a
bonus coming.
When you
work for
the Lord
now,
you're not
in it for
an earthly
bonus,
you do
your work
in light of
an eternal
bonus,
your
inheritance.
And what
we're talking
about now,
this reward,
this bonus,
it's not
something that
Jesus has
promised
to give
you a
month out,
a month
bonus,
or an
end of
the year
bonus.
We're not
talking about
the 25
year wrist
watch or
little plaque
for faithful
service.
Jesus is
the one who
gives this
reward.
Do you see
that?
Knowing that
from the
Lord you
will receive
the inheritance
as your
reward.
Think about
it this
way.
Do you
think that
the risen
Christ,
when he
returns in
glory,
to establish
his reign
on earth
and it's
come time
to hand
out rewards,
do you
think that
he's going
to hand
out trinkets
that you
can lose
in drawers?
No!
He's going
to give
great reward.
We work
now to
the Lord
and we
have the
assurance
that we
will receive
on that
day a
reward from
the Lord.
He's aiming
us at
the end
of time.
That's
when we're
rewarded.
And you
know what
he's doing?
It rescues
us from
being ruled
by money.
Do you
know what
will help
you endure
the hardship
of your
work in
light of
this verse?
Read up
on your
eternal
inheritance.
Maybe the
best thing
you can
do.
If you're
wilting
at work,
maybe the
best thing
that you
can do
is open
your Bible
up to
Revelation
21 and
22 and
remember
what God
has planned
for you.
In those
two chapters,
we're given
a glimpse
of the most
glorious city
that will ever
exist on the
face of the
planet,
whether the
planet is in
its old state
now under
the curse or
when it's
made anew
when Jesus
comes back.
And the
most glorious
aspect of
this city,
the new
Jerusalem,
is of course
that Jesus
himself is
there.
You're going
to see him
face to
face.
You're going
to stand in
his very
presence.
You're going
to hear his
audible voice.
You're going
to feel his
embrace.
We're not
working for
mere men,
for earthly
bonuses.
We are
working now
as to the
Lord,
knowing he
will give us
a reward for
our faithfulness
to him on
that day,
and there's
no bonus
that compares
to that.
And when
you own
that,
and you're
living that
way day by
day,
guess what
happens?
You begin
to blossom
in your
workplace.
You're not
undone by
bonuses or
non-bonuses.
And despite
what people
say,
to be
heavenly
minded is
to be
earthly
good,
imagine
two men
six feet
in the
ground
digging a
hole to
lay a
coffin.
They work
for a
cemetery,
and their
backhoe is
broken.
So their
boss,
Jerry,
rudely
tells them
that they
need to
get this
hole dug
before 10
a.m.
or else
threat.
It's going
to be back
breaking work,
and they're
digging in the
hole together.
one of the
men digging
is bitter
and angry
and only
puts us
back into
it when
boss Jerry
comes around,
and when
boss Jerry
isn't there,
he complains,
they can't
pay me enough
to be doing
this.
We can see
who he's
living for.
But the
other man in
the hole,
who was
soundly
converted to
Christ in
prison four
years earlier,
he's thinking
to himself,
while he's in
that hole,
Jesus,
I'm in this
hole for you.
Thank you for
the work,
despite the
pain and the
strain.
And then his
mind goes to
his boss Jerry,
and instead of
being bitter
towards him,
he prays for
him.
Oh God,
Jerry seems to
be having a
hard day.
God, would you
bless him?
Would you help
me to be a
blessing to him?
Would you use
me, even in a
subordinate role,
to bless my
boss?
And if that
weren't enough,
as this brother
is digging,
praying, this
thought dawns on
him while he's
digging this
grave.
There are no
graves in the
new Jerusalem.
There are no
graves in the
new earth.
There are no
grave diggers
there, because
there's no
death there.
And all of a
sudden, you see a
brother in a
hole with his
mind set on
his eternal
reward.
Being a
blessing,
blossoming where
he's planted six
feet in a
hole.
As he's
thinking these
thoughts, he
laughs.
His bitter
co-worker says,
what's so funny?
The Christian
replies, I don't
know, I could
have had so much
joy digging a
grave.
And you know
what that bitter
worker would
ask?
How can you be
joyful in a
thing like this?
I work for
Jesus.
If you are
blood-bought, you
work for Jesus
now.
And you work
for Jesus,
mindful of the
reward waiting
for you.
Serve.
serve.
At the end of
verse 24, we
read, you are
serving the
Lord Christ.
This is, in
the English, it's
kind of weak.
It's a really
strong statement.
Literally, word for
word, from the
Greek, it would
read, the Lord
Christ you must be
serving.
It's emphatic.
It's about Jesus.
And you must be
serving him.
Think about this
command to serve
Christ with your
work.
Think about it as a
summary command, which
the apostle is making
sure that Christians
are prioritizing right
their masters.
the Lord Christ, you
say, serve.
Here's the point.
All the work we do
for our earthly
masters is to be
done for our
ultimate master,
Christ Jesus.
Paul is saying that
all work done is to
be done in service
to him.
What's interesting to
note is what Paul
doesn't do.
He doesn't
disconnect secular
work from sacred
work.
He doesn't
disconnect saying,
yeah, you serve
your masters,
earthly masters over
here, and then when
you come to church,
you can serve Jesus
over here.
He doesn't
disconnect them.
He integrates
them.
Work done for
earthly masters is
to be done as
service to Christ,
and it's a lifeline
for us all in our
workplaces.
All the work we do
for our earthly
bosses is to be
done as service
to Jesus.
Our culture has
driven a wedge
between the secular
and the sacred.
There's secular work
and there is sacred
work, but the
implication here is
that all work for
Christians is sacred
because it's done
unto Jesus.
one can make the
mistake of thinking
that a guy like me
serving as a pastor,
my work is sacred
work, and that the
work of a garbage
collector or an
investment banker or a
teacher or an air
plate pilot, they're
secular work.
work.
But that's not true
because Jesus is our
Lord and all of our
Lord.
We get to value all
types of work because
all types of work get
to serve Jesus now.
It's all sacred.
All our work is sacred.
Now, you could say
this, that the work that
you do, data entry,
cleaning rooms,
analyzing data,
listen to heartbeats,
you could say that all
the work that you do
now is an offering of
worship to the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And we just don't do
our work unto Christ.
We do our work as a
representative of Christ.
to do good to others.
Verse 25 is a really
interesting verse.
For the wrongdoer will
be paid back for the
wrong he has done, and
there is no partiality.
The same Jesus who
will reward those who
do their work for him,
the first part of 24,
Jesus will impartially
pay back those who do
the work of a wrongdoer.
It's a warning.
If you're in the room
and you're doing your
work and you're doing
it as a wrongdoer,
you're looking to not
bless people, but to
take advantage of people,
you're exploiting people,
you're exploiting your
work, you've got to hear
this.
The Lord Jesus himself
is going to hold you
accountable.
You've got the ultimate
job review at the end of
time.
But there's also a promise.
If you've been bought by
the blood of Jesus, he's
redeemed you from sin's
corruption.
He's restored you as his
image bearer to do good to
others, and if that's true
of you, you need not fear
this warning, but take heart
because the Lord sees.
If you're in a context right
now where you are being
wronged by another worker or
your supervisor, take heart.
Jesus sees and he will pay
them back impartially on the
day he rewards you.
In this section to
subordinate workers, we see
that we need to obey our
earthly masters out of fear
of the Lord, to work hard for
our earthly masters as to the
Lord, and we are to serve
Jesus with our work.
It's all about Jesus.
It changes the way that you
work.
When you were bought by the
blood of Jesus, he called you
to work for him.
As for masters in chapter 4,
verse 1, those in positions of
authority, what Paul is
referring to here is if you
have people reporting to you,
people you need to be
managing, whether that's one
person or a thousand people,
whether that's paid or
volunteer, you need to know
that God is very interested in
how you conduct yourself with
those people.
You have an opportunity to
represent Christ to them and to
do good to them.
If you're in a position of
authority, chances are you are
in a subordinate role too, that
you yourself are reporting to
someone else.
And Paul plays on that here.
Those in authority are
commanded to treat their
subordinates with justly and
fairly.
Do you see that in verse 1?
Justly and fairly.
Justly means to do what's
right.
You are to do right to those
who you have responsibility for
at work.
You are to do them right.
You are to treat them with
respect and dignity.
Don't use your position to
wrong them.
Use your position to bless
them, to right them.
Know their names.
Know their situations.
Know their strengths and
weaknesses.
Don't jump to conclusions if
something goes sideways.
But treat everybody with
respect and dignity.
And if you're wondering, hey,
can you just help me out?
How do I treat somebody
rightly?
It's the golden rule.
How would you want to be
treated?
Fairly means to be treated
with equity.
Fair pay for their work.
Fair expectations for the
performance.
Fair preparedness to get them
ready to do what they've called
to do and fair treatment of
them as another person.
If you're in a position of
authority, you are not more
valuable than they are because
you have a different position
or you have a greater pay.
You are equal in God's sight as
image bearers.
So treat them fairly.
If you're in a position of
authority, can I encourage you
to begin to pray for those who
report to you?
Pray for them by name.
I've got a friend.
He's a manager.
And when someone who is
working for him is out of
sorts, do you know what he
does?
He calls them into his office
and he prays for them.
He hasn't been turned down
yet.
He treats people fairly,
kindly, with dignity.
He loves them.
And look how Paul motivates
this.
Knowing that you also have a
master in heaven.
What a sober reminder.
The master language is
purposeful.
Paul is implying that though
someone may be an earthly
master, if they are blood
bought, they are a slave to
the Lord Jesus.
They have a master.
They must serve the Lord
Christ in their position out of
a subordination to Jesus.
That's who you are.
If you treat people the way
that you're being called to
treat people here with
justice and fairness and
dignity and kindness, you're
going to bloom where you're
planted and you're going to
stand out.
Managing people is hard.
So instead of coping with
the stress of managing
people by drinking in a way
or by entertaining in a way
or by sleeping around or
trying to get as much stuff
as you can, climb the ladder,
try to just cope with the
hardness of it, you get to
love Jesus through it.
It's for his sake.
You represent him by doing
good to those under your
authority.
Your work is holy work because
it's done unto Christ and he
will cause you to bloom where
you're planted.
So whether you were working as
a subordinate or working in a
position of authority, Christ
redeemed you with his blood to
work for him.
If you're a blood bought, you
work for Jesus now.
Now, we were created in God's
image to represent him by doing
good to others through our
work, but sin has corrupted that
good gift and we rejected being
an image bearer of God to
represent ourselves and not too
good to people.
But Jesus has come, the
offspring of Eve, and through his
death and resurrection, he's
vanquished the serpent of old.
And so now we represent him in
our workplaces.
We do good to others and he will
cause us to blossom where we've
planted.
And so when Jesus said from the
cross, it is finished.
It was his good work to free you
to work for him.
Let me encourage you with three
things.
First, before you go to work
tomorrow, set your sights on
Jesus.
Remember, he is more valuable
than anything at work.
Value him above all else.
Second, commit to memory.
Verses like Colossians 3.24.
Just the words, you are serving
the Lord Christ and personalize
it.
You go to work tomorrow and you
go in with Jesus saying, I'm
serving the Lord Jesus today.
I'm serving the Lord Jesus
today.
Halfway through the day, I'm
serving the Lord Jesus today.
Jesus, I'm serving you.
Doing this all for you, for your
sake.
And then finally, pray.
Pray for those you report to.
Pray for those who report to
you.
See them through God's eyes as
image bearers needing redemption.
When Jesus is your all in all, he
will cause you to blossom in the
very place where he's planted you.
And that's good news for those who
are wilting.
Let's pray.
God, thank you so much for your
word.
I pray that you would use your word
now and stir our minds and hearts
that, Lord Jesus, we would serve you
tomorrow and Tuesday and Wednesday
in whatever place of work you
place us.
Ultimately, Lord Jesus, it's your
fame and glory that we want.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.