Scripture Ephesians 6:5-8 & Colossians 3:22-25
It is Labor Day weekend - at some point you may have been or are now in a job where you don’t get along with your boss. This story is for you: There was a man in a hot air balloon who realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am." The woman below replied, "You’re in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You’re between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude." "You must be an engineer," said the balloonist. “I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I’ve no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help at all. If anything, you’ve delayed my trip." The woman below responded, "You must be in Management." "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you’ve no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it’s my fault."
SLIDE
Click Ephesians 6:5-8
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
CLICK Colossians 3:22-25
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
CLICK Ephossians - CLICK Colesains CLICK 63:225-258
Click Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; with respect and fear, and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart just as you would obey and give reverence to Christ. Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, since you know that everyone will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Before applying this text to our work environment - let’s understand the context. It was not written about work. Eph. 6 & Col 3 are both about Christian households. They first talk about husbands and wives, then parents and children and lastly - and mostly get to slaves and masters. So when we apply the slave master relationship to our workplace, it was not intended for that - at the same time - it is very easy to draw principals from these texts that apply to the work place, the school yard, where ever one person has authority over another.
Also note that Paul nowhere condones slavery but accepts it as a societal norm he cannot change, but can exhort the Christian Slave and slave owner (as he did with Philemon regarding Onesimus-to treat him like a brother in Christ) to live a life worthy of Christ whether slave of free.
Let’s look at each part of our Colessains text
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything;
If this is about you as a student or employee, you are to do what you are supposed to do - not argue or whine or complain - just do it (unless it call you to cross your moral boundaries). How are you to do it?
with respect and fear,
Honor those who have somehow attained the position they are in.
and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart just as you would obey and give reverence to Christ.
Don’t just work well when your boss or teacher is watching to try to get a raise or look good in their eyes - do good when no one is watching. That provides a great Christian ethic, besides which God sees even when your boss doesn’t. Don’t do it to improve your paycheck (which isn’t a bad thing, just not the best reason). It says do it wholeheartedly - you do it with the right heart not just the right mind. You work well at your job because it honors Christ when you do good work - when you use your mind and body to the best of its ability in whatever you are doing, and the place you spend a majority of your time is at work/school.
You cannot call church sacred and work secular. Christ in you makes them both sacred. Being a pastor is not a higher calling than being a truck driver or secretary. Being a Christian who works well in your employment is your high calling. Or if you are s student, you honor Christ when you are the best student you can be - don’t be a goof off at school and say I follow Jesus because I go to church. Follow Jesus into every classroom and do your best for him.
Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,
Grow in your skill-set, work hard, and strive for excellence.
Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Proverbs 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
since you know that everyone will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Your reward at school is good grades and at work a paycheck. But that is true of everyone. Your real reward has two aspects beyond that - one day you may here Jesus say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Your reward NOW is knowing you are doing your best for Christ every day of your life at work or play and know that he takes delight when you do your job better than you would if you were not his follower - that way he gets the credit for your good work so that others give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
But what if you have a horrible teacher or a frustrating boss or work situation? If it is not something that can be changed, and there is no moral issue, then still do your best - don’t retaliate or do less than a great job.
1 Peter 2:18-21
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
If you have a boss who lords that position over you and it can’t be changed - work as though you are working for Jesus who loves the quality of your work regardless of what man says.
Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Statue of Liberty
Pic 1 On the cover of the New York "Herald Tribune" Sunday magazine, there was a picture of the Statue of Liberty taken from a helicopter. It showed the top of the statue’s head. It was amazing to see the detail there.
Pic 2 The sculptor had done a painstaking job with the lady’s hair style, yet he must have been pretty sure that the only eyes that would see this detail would be the uncritical eyes of sea gulls. It was dedicated in 1886. The Wright Brothers didn’t fly their first airplane until 1903. So the sculptor could not have dreamt that any man would ever fly over this head.
Pic 3 He was artist enough, however, to finish off this part of the statue with as much care as he had devoted to her face, her arms, the torch, and everything that people can see as they sail up the bay. You never know what new technology will catch you working when no one is looking, but God sees the detail of everything you do.
Boy Sleeps well on a windy night
"A boy went to a farmer and asked to be given a job as a hired hand. The farmer asked, ’Are you willing to work?’ ’Please sir, yes sir, I can sleep well on a windy night,’ was his strange reply. ’Can I trust you to look after my things,’ said the farmer, Again, the boy gave the same answer. The farmer asked several questions seeking to determine if the boy was honest and trustworthy; but, to each question, he received the same reply!
Deciding that the boy might be a little simple-minded, the farmer hired him anyway; because, there was something about that boy that he liked! The boy proved to be a willing worker and everything went well until one night a big storm came up! The farmer heard the howling wind and rushed to the boy’s room, ’Get up,’ he shouted, ’let’s go tie down the hay stacks, put up the tools, and secure the barn doors!’ The boy was so sound asleep that the farmer could not wake him!
Fearing to waste time trying to wake the boy and get him up, the farmer rushed out see about his things! When he came to the haystacks, he found them already firmly tied. He found the tools in their proper places in the barn; and, the barn doors securely closed! As he went back into his house, he realized what the boy meant about sleeping well on a windy night! He meant that each day, he did his work well; and, even in the midst of a storm, he could sleep!
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