Transcript

If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Ephesians 6.

Author and educator, Howard Hendricks, sat in a plane that was delayed for take off. After a long wait, the passengers became more and more irritated. Hendricks noticed how gracious one of the flight attendants was as she spoke with them.

After the plane finally took off, he told the flight attendant how amazed he was at her poise and self-control, and said he wanted to write a letter of commendation for her to the airline.

The stewardess replied that ultimately she didn’t work for the airline company, but for Jesus Christ. She said that just before going to work she and her husband prayed together that she would be a good representative of Christ.

Hendricks says, “Doing it for Christ’s sake adds another dimension to submission. You are submitting not just to your employer or husband or parent, but to the Lord, because of your love and gratitude for Him.”

The Lord is the focus here in Ephesians 6. Children are to obey their parents “in the Lord.” Fathers are to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition “of the Lord.” Servants and Masters are to do service “as to the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:5,6 says, “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.”

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Slavery was an established institution in Paul’s day. Paul doesn’t demand its overthrow or command slaves to rebel.

Instead, Paul tells slaves to be a Christian where they are and to behave in a God-honoring way. This doesn’t mean he approved of slavery. Paul’s ministry was to preach the gospel and win the lost to Christ, and the thrust of the Gospel is against it.

The King James Bible commentary says this, “Slavery must ultimately disappear where the gospel is proclaimed, with its implications of human equality, Christian brotherhood, and the Lordship of Christ.”

And so it is with the various issues we find in this country that rightly anger us, that the spread of the gospel of grace and the salvation of souls, is where our focus should be, as this is what will bring about true change in the hearts of people.

The instructions and principles for the servant/Master relationship apply easily to the labor-management, employee/employer relations of today.

Someone has figured that if you spend 40 hours a week on the job between age 18 and 65 that you would amass 97,760 hours on the job!? That’s a lot of time.

God cares with what you do with all that time and has instruction for it. And He desires that you use your position in the workplace to bring honor and glory to Him.

Showing again the importance that our children learn obedience in the home, we find that once they hit the workplace, they need to “be obedient” in v. 5.

Paul says that the servant should be “obedient” and listen and respond positively to their “masters according to the flesh,” or to their human master on earth, i.e., their employers.

Believers are not to be stubborn or argumentative with their bosses. Believers are not to obey when their employers only when they desire. They are to obey at all times. “Be obedient” is in the present tense in the Greek and speaks of a constant obedience.

The submission, humility, discipline needed to carry out this instruction faithfully is done through the strength of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit as 5:18 teaches us to do.

The first obligation of the believer in the workplace to please the Lord and be a faithful testimony to Him is by willing obedience to their employers.

In following this instruction of obedience and by submission to the authority of our employers, the believer demonstrates their submission to the authority of the Word of God. Because it is God’s will that a believer be obedient to their bosses. How a believer works in his job reflects on his Lord.

The employee should obey “with fear and trembling,” Paul says. This does not speak of a cowering fright. It speaks of proper respect for their employers authority and position. Humbleness of mind is needed to obey.

The principle of authority and submission is God-given and is to be honored. God has allowed bosses to be where they are, and employees to be where they are, and the believer is to submit themselves to those under whose authority God has placed them.

The employee should be obedient also “in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.” Singleness of your heart means it is not hypocritical or superficial. It speaks of being genuine. It’s about working and obeying with a simple, sincere, focused, devoted desire on the task at hand, doing our work well that we are assigned to do.

And this sincere, singly focused obedience is to be done “as unto Christ,” yielding to and obeying His will for the Christian laborer, out of love and respect for Him, by His power, and for the praise and honor of Him, our Savior.

Being a reliable, productive, cooperative worker is glorifying to the Lord. Every day at our jobs is a day of service to the Lord. And as Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”

The place of employment of the believer is part of our field of service for Christ. We serve Christ in our jobs. This comes through clearly in these verses.

When a believer does their work carefully and respectfully it is a testimony to unbelievers, an encouragement to believers, and is service rendered to the Lord.

The workplace is a mission field. A couple years ago, a pastor in Ohio left his church for various reasons, and we at Berean Bible Society contacted him and asked if he would like to have his name be made available to churches which were looking for pastors at the time.

He wrote back the following email: “A man from my church owns a paper mill and so I started working in his factory today. I loved every minute of it. All the guys have tattoos, body piercings, strange hair formations…and they use lots of profanity.

“Wow, what a terrific opportunity for evangelism! I’ll earn their respect first…

“Thank you for your offer to put my name out there to pastor, but I need some time to just work in a factory.” That’s seeing your work as for Christ and as a mission field!

Paul says that our labor should not be “with eyeservice.” The boss caught Calvin sitting at his desk staring out the window. “Why aren’t you working Calvin?” Without much thought Calvin confessed to his boss, “Because I didn’t see you coming.”

Eyeservice speaks of or working extra hard or working only when his employer or other employees are watching. The believer should need to be checked up on, but always working hard whether or not someone is around and watching.

But we actually are always working with someone watching! The Lord sees all.

Proverbs 5:21 says, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings.” Proverbs 15:3 also says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

On March 11, 2004, terrorists exploded 10 bombs in Madrid, Spain, killing almost 200, wounding another 1,800.

Two months later there was a scare in Philadelphia. It was May 5th, and a conductor for Pennsylvania’s transit authority discovered something frightening on the tracks near Philly’s massive 30th street station.

It was an electronic transmitter, planted alongside the tracks in the commuter rail yard. Agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI soon swarmed the scene.

Investigators discovered that the mysterious gadget was in fact a motion detector designed to send a signal to a nearby receiver. Tension mounted. Finally, a train mechanic stepped forward and admitted installing the transmitter.

Was he a terrorist, or a disgruntled employee looking for revenge? No, the mechanic worked the graveyard shift and had installed the motion detector to sound an alarm in his work area whenever his supervisor was approaching.

That way he could safely take a nap; if the alarm went off, he could get up and look busy when the boss showed up. That’s eyeservice!

Paul says as bondslaves of Christ, belonging wholly to Him, we should not work only when someone is watching, seeking to please men, but rather our priority is to seek to please Him in all we do “from the heart.”

Believers involved in secular labor are “doing the will of God.” And in doing the will of God in the workplace it is God’s will that we be good testimonies by being submissive, obedient, respectful, sincere, hard-working, conscientious employees for Christ’s glory.

Jimmy was a committed believer who worked after school in a grocery store. One day a customer said to Jimmy AFTER making a purchase of fruit, “Throw a few extra pieces into my sack.”

Jimmy replied, “Oh, I can’t do that. The Boss wouldn’t approve.” The man said, “But the boss isn’t in.” Jimmy said, “Oh yes, He’s in. He’s always in. I’m a believer.”

Ephesians 6:7-8 says, “With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”

God’s will also is that we “with good will do service as to the Lord, and not to men.” We are to serve in our employment with good will, or a good mind set, with good intentions, a good attitude. Thus, we’re not to be complaining, bragging, criticizing or being disruptive or discouraging by a bad attitude.

And we are to serve with a proper perspective and motive as we are to work “as to the Lord,” seeking to please the Lord, not men.

As we serve in our jobs and obey our employers, we are to do so with the mindset that we’re serving the Lord and doing what we do as unto Him.

Thinking about it this way is to give us a different mindset and higher perspective. The believer is to live on a different plane, knowing that really we are serving the Lord in all that we do, including our daily employment.

Walter Wangerin: If a carpenter crafts a chair for a rich stranger, he may do it well, but if he crafts it for his daughter, he will do it lovingly. Much, much is different between the first and the second crafting, and much is different between the two chairs, too, though only he and his daughter may see the difference.

Believers work, not just for the pay, but also for the joy of knowing that we’re serving our Savior in our jobs, and that what we do, we’re doing it for Him and out of love for Him and our families. This makes a difference in how we work and the kind of effort we give it.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

The most menial and commonplace tasks in life are dignified when they are done for the glory of God. Everything we do is to be done for Him, and should glorify His name, including in our jobs. All of life is Christian and His and to be lived for Him.

Jerry DeLuca writes, “As believers we sometimes exalt ‘spiritual’ work and downplay simple labor. However, any work, no matter how mundane, that is done for God is spiritual work.”

This being true, Paul says in v. 8: “knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.”

That teaches us that as we work faithfully and do good in our jobs as unto our Lord, will be rewarded one day at the Judgment Seat of Christ, when we stand before the Lord to give account of the journey of our Christian lives.

“Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” Romans 14:12 tells us.

As it’s been said, “No good thing done in His name and for His glory can pass His notice or fail to receive His blessing.” God’s Word assures us of eternal reward in our service rendered for Christ, including our service to God within our daily employment.

So we labor knowing that even if we are taken advantage of or passed over for a promotion, or our hard work is overlooked or never recognized, our Lord will recognize it when we stand before Him, and we will receive eternal gain from Him one day.

The story is told of an elderly missionary couple who were returning home on a ship after many years of sacrificial service in Africa.

On the same ship was Theodore Roosevelt, who had just completed a highly successful big game hunt. As the ship docked in New York Harbor, thousands of well-wishers and dozens of reporters lined the pier to welcome Roosevelt home.

But not a single person was there to welcome the missionaries. As the couple rode to a hotel in a taxi, the man complained to his wife,

“It just doesn’t seem right. We give 40 years of our lives to Christ to win souls in Africa, and nobody knows or cares when we return. Yet the president goes over there for a few weeks to kill some animals and the whole world takes notice.”

But his wife quietly reassured him and told him, “Dear, we’re not home yet.”

For the believer who works faithfully at their job day after day to take care of their family and provide for them, and is a godly testimony in the workplace, when we get home to glory, we will “receive of the Lord” and be rewarded and recognized by the Lord.

Paul adds “whether he be bond or free.” Paul says regardless of social class or economic status, rewards are not adjusted to status or position in society.

Christ does not regard such distinctions in His Body or in His future judgment of the church, all are one in Him, and all will be justly and richly rewarded for service rendered to Him, for serving Him where they’re at.

John Smith was a loyal carpenter, working for a very successful building contractor who called him into his office one day and said, “John, I’m putting you in charge of the next house we build.

“I want you to order all the materials and oversee the whole job from the ground up.” John accepted the assignment with great enthusiasm and excitement. For 10 days before ground was broken at the building site, John studied the blueprints.

He checked every measurement, every specification. Suddenly he had a thought. “If I am really in charge,” he said to himself, “why couldn’t I cut a few corners, use less expensive materials, and put the extra money in my pocket? Who would know the difference? Once the house is painted, it will look just great.”

So John set about his scheme. He ordered second-grade lumber, but his reports indicated that it was top-grade.

He ordered inexpensive concrete for the foundation, put in cheap wiring, and cut every corner he could, yet he reported the purchase of much better materials.

When the home was completed and fully painted, he asked the contractor to come and see it. “John,” said the contractor, “what a magnificent job you have done! You have been such a good and faithful carpenter all these years that I have decided to show my gratitude by giving you this house you have built, as a gift!”

What it comes down to in this passage is that God wants us work with integrity, and to demonstrate godly character on the job, and to work for Him knowing He observes and watches all that we do, and will justly reward our good and faithful service in the workplace.

Ephesians 6:9: “And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with Him.”

Finally, Paul turns to the Masters and gives instruction for them also, telling them to “do the same things unto them.” In other words, use the same attitude and the same spirit with regard to God’s will in the workplace, doing it all in light of the authority of Christ.

They were to treat their employees respectfully, kindly, fairly, doing their best for them with their best interests at heart.

The motivation and goal should be the same among employer or the employee in the workplace: to obey and please the Lord and do His will.

Christlikeness is the goal for both the employer and employee.

Paul tells the masters to be careful to “forbear threatening,” to not threaten or be abusive or inconsiderate, or throw their weight around or lord it over those beneath them.

And employers are to obey these things, “knowing that your Master also is in heaven,” that they are under the supreme authority of the Lord, and are accountable to Him, and will have to answer for how they used and carried out their position one day.

An employer is to know that his own authority is strictly functional and temporary, and that they are servants of Christ with their employees, and are all accountable to the same Lord.

Paul’s point also is that they as masters should treat those beneath them like their Master in heaven treats them, with patience, kindness, fairness, grace, forgiveness. And employers should not show favoritism like their Master in heaven also.

Paul says, “neither is there respect of persons with Him.” Man has respect of persons, but not God. God does not show favoritism, and the employer is no more important in himself than the least of his employees.

The Lord will show no favor to the one because he was a boss, or withhold favor from the other because he was an employee at the day of judgment.

He will treat both equally and according to their character. This instruction is to motivate the bosses to treat their servants with justice, equity, and fairness.

Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

This instruction for employees and employers needs the strength of the Lord and the power of His might for them to be carried out as we yield to the Lord by faith.

Our job, our work, can be a strong testimony for the Lord. An irresponsible, lazy lifestyle, or a poor work ethic, discredits the gospel and our testimony to the lost.

But as we work diligently and do our duties well and heartily for the Lord in our daily employment, it makes our faith attractive to the lost. By our jobs and how we carry them out we can show Christ in us, the hope of glory, and be a bright light for the Lord.