Title: Submission at workProposition: As children of light, we must be submissive at work
Text: Eph 6:5-9
Intro:
1. How many of you remember the series “Roots”? (slaves were often whipped,
abused, raped, etc. )
2. Would you like to know what the Bible says about Slavery?
3. Context: Being Spririt filled, in Marriage, and in the Family, and now in slave/master’s
4. Background
a. Slaves were common (1/3/ of Empire 60 million people)
b. Slaves considered as property
c. Some were treated with respect dignity & compasion, but most had it hard
d. One educated Roman writer wrote a treatise on agriculture in which he divides
agricultural tools into 3 classes: 1) Mute 2) Inarticulate 3) Articulate-A slave
which was no different than a beast who talks
e. Sometimes slaves were literally thrown out when they outlived their usefulness
f. A slave was crucified for killing a pet quail; one was branded because he lost
some towels; another was flung into a fish pond full of lampreys because he
had broken a crystal goblet.
g. IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT PAUL WROTE
6. TEXT: Eph 6:5-9
Spirit-Filled Slaves and Masters need to serve each other
TO SLAVES (EMPLOYEES)
I. RENDER SERVICE WITH OBEDIENCE
A. Obedient to Masters (or employers)
1. 4 of 5 verses directed to slaves (majority of Christians were from this class)
2. Slavery is so offensive, it is suprising Paul did not condemn it
3. His ministry was not to overthrown the govt. or social activist
a. His concern was to win souls to Christ
b. A rebellious slave would not be a good example & win souls to Christ
4. May not be a slave, but the PRINCIPLE applies to Employees.
B. Explanation
1. “But you don’t know my boss...” Notice what he did not say:
a. Obey your boss only if he is a good Christian
b. Obey your boss only if you enjoy what he has assigned you
c. Obey your boss only if he respects you
d. (I Peter 2:18-20)
2. What he did say was: Be obedient (even when they are unreasonable I Pet)
C. ILL: SIr Leonard Wood once visited the King of France, King so pleased, he invited him
again. When Sir Leonard arrived, the King said, “Sir Leonard, I did not expect to see you.”
Reply- “Didn’t you invite me to dine with you you majesty?” King-”Yes, but you did not
answer my invitation.” Reply-”A Kings’ invitation is never to be answered, but to be obeyed.”
D. Have you been a good employee who is OBEDIENT to the boss?
II. RENDER SERVICE WITH RESPECT
A. Service is not truly service without respect
B. Are to obey with “fear and trembling” (tells us how to obey)
1. Same idea as in 5:21 (be subject to one another out of fear for Christ (reverence)
2. Fear and trembling - common phrase, idea of respect.
3. Obedience and REspect should go hand in hand
4. Not to Respectfully obey destroys 2 things:
a. Destroy God’s principle of authority and submission
-it is to be upheld in marriage/home/work place
b. Destroy your Christian Witness
-Matt 5:14-16 - “Let your light shing before men that they may see
your good works
-How can you ever hope to share Gospel with boss if he sees you
as a goof-off, or a rebel
C. ILL: The Bible does not say that we should object to authority, even bad authority.
Question was asked in Russia during a Forum after preaching: Is communism
wrong according to the Bible?
D. What can you do to show respectful obedience to your boss?
1. NOT:
-Poking fun at him behind his back
-Trying to get others to see all his faults
2. DO:
-Calling him “Sir” or “Ma’am”
-Speak highly of him because of his position
III. RENDER SERVICE WITH SINCERITY
A. Not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ....
B. Sincerity requires these things
1. Realization that it is not just the boss, but GOD you are serving
2. Honesty - Be truthful about what you say you will do and what you did
3. Integrity - Do not cut corners (Military inspection, afterwards, go back to normal
One guys job was to buff the floor every fifteen minutes in case the
IG comes in)
C. ILL: Jesus told the story about 2 sons (Mt 21:28), father said to first do do work in
the vineyard, he said he would but did not go. Came to the 2nd and he said
he wouldn’t, but did.
D. Don’t be like the first son in the parable
IV. RENDER SERVICE WITH A SMILE
A. With good will render service
B. Explanation
1. Do we render service to our employer with good will?
2. Do it as you are serving the Lord and not for men
3. You will be rewarded BY GOD, even if your employer never does
C. My Dad and the creation of the Chocolate Shake award
D. Smile because you are actually serving God
TO MASTERS (EMPLOYERS): DITTO ON ALL THE EXHORTATIONS TO EMPLOYEES
I. Serve with Respect (Obedience?)
A. Same attitude of respect for employees
B. A good employer will respect his employees
1. Listen to them
2. Empathize with them in problems at home
3. Show your employees that you value them
C. Also remember sincerity and good will
II. Serve with Christian Kindness
A. Give up threatening (easy to do for a slave master)
B. Motivate in positive ways (If not threaten, then what?)
-Does not mean not to be firm when you have to
1. Bonus, Chocalate Shake award (Incentives)
2. Be genuinely interested in your employees (Gulick knew all 200 in the unit)
3. Praise and affirm your employees, show your appreciation
4. A CHRISTIAN EMPLOYER WILL NOT MISTREAT HIS/HER EMPLOYEES
5. It is another opportunity to be a Christian example
III. Serve with Christian Humility
A. “knowing that both their master and yours is the same...NO PARTIALITY”
B. There is neither Jew/Greek, Slave/Free/ Man/Woman ALL HAVE SAME PROMISE
C. In a position of authority, but God has authority over you both
CONCL:
1. Christian Employers and Employees serve each other in they ways we’ve looked at
2. Employees
a. Render Service with Obedience
b. Render Service with Respect
c. Render Service with Sincerity
d. Render Service with
Employers
a. DITTO on above
b. Respect
c. Kindness
d. Humility
3. Employees: Is my work good enought to present to Jesus himself? Is my attitude good enou
Emloyers: Do I respect and treat my employees well?