1. You’ve seen them… they’re plastered on cars all over the place.
“I Owe, I Owe, It’s off to work I go.”
“How can I soar with the eagles, when I work with turkeys all week?
“I’m so broke I can’t pay attention.”
They are the various attitudes and opinions about work!
And work is a very important chunk of our lives…
2. 97,760. That’s a big number.
a. Some might want to see that on their W-2 at year’s end.
b. Some might want to have that in their pocket right now!
c. But… 97,760… that’s an interesting number.
3. YOU SEE it’s not only interesting, it’s IMPORTANT. WHY?
a. Well, it’s the amount of hours the average person will spend at work during the course of their lifetime.
b. Yes… from age 18 to age 65, working just 40 hours a week, you’ll spend more than 1/3rd of your life at work!
c. BIG DEAL Ed… we have to work. It’s necessary & needful.
d. Sure it is. Through work, God supplies & provides…
4. NOW CHRISTIANS… Work is where it’s at! Where what’s at?
a. Work is the theater of God. His movie screen if you will.
b. AND Who’s the main attraction? Who’s the star? YOU!
c. Work is where the world watches…
d. Work is where the Christian is on display.
YOU SEE with all the stress & strains, all of the tensions & tests…
· As you face the deadlines and the demands…
· The world gets to see one of Jesus’ own in action!
· Why don’t you let that bother you… they think.
· Why do you work so hard… they wonder.
· OUR WORK IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS…
· Yet it’s not what they see, it’s what HE SEES.
SO WHAT’S BEFORE US is a matter of our perspective…
· Is work a place of drudgery & pain?
· Or is it a place worship & devotion?
NOTE: Someone coined the phrase: MONDAY MOANING.
· Rather than getting up charged and ready to run off to work…
· Oh, man, I hate Mondays… Oh God please bring on Friday.
· I’m waiting for the weekend… I don’t like my job, I don’t like my work, I don’t like my boss, I don’t….
· Monday Moanings, Monday Miseries, Monday Madness
“OH ED… you’re out of touch man. I wish I had you’re job.”
· You work IN THE MINISTRY… You work with the angels, you’re in the Bible, you get to pray, everyday all day.
· No problems, No hassles, No stress, No nothing!
· I mean what DO YOU DO Ed?!!! What exactly is your job?
· I bet Monday’s you’re out golfing. Tuesdays Tennis. Wednesdays Bike Riding. Thursdays Video Games.
· That’s not true… I don’t ride bikes!
· 45 minutes of teaching… Man, you’ve got it made!
· You work for the LORD!
· You’re in the Sacred places and I’m in the Secular world…
· It’s hard being a Christian in the REAL WORLD…
Q: Did you know the Bible never makes that separation?
Col. 3.22-24 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Whatever we do… God is using us to draw people to His Son…
Everything you touch is sacred, set apart for the Master’s use!
John 12.32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
How is He lifted up at King Soopers, or at Compaq, or at the School, or at Raytheon, or on the Base at Buckley...? THROUGH YOU!
And so the Holy Spirit takes time this morning to exhort & encourage, to teach & train you in the workplace…
· After all, those are 97,760 of God’s hours He’s invested in you through your relationships at WORK.
I. (6.5-8) EMPLOYEES
1. (1) Obey your masters.
a. SO… you think you have it tough where you work?
b. Paul was addressing Christian Slaves.
c. Roman Empire then there were over 6 million slaves…
d. They were viewed as being less than human, as property.
e. They were treated horrifically, brutally, and often fatally.
AND Paul writes to these men & women who wholeheartedly committed themselves to Jesus Christ…
· Be OBEDIENT to your Masters. Do what they tell you to do.
THOUGHT: It’s really hard to imagine the atrocities under which they lived.
· They worked in unsafe, unhealthy, and unclean conditions.
· They were tasked with the hardest, cruelest work assignments.
· But still, as a follower of Jesus Christ… be obedient.
TRANSLATED into today’s vernacular, EMPLOYEES BE OBEDIENT.
· Give your boss a full day’s WORK for a fair day’s WAGE.
APP: It’s so easy to get caught up the water cooler banter, to get caught up in the office politics. IT’S EVERYWHERE
· GOSSIP - Did you hear about so and so?
· COMPLAINING - Did you know Joe got a raise? That guy’s a blanket blank.
· MURMURING - I can’t stand my boss. I hate this company…
· LAZINESS – Ok, so you spent 2 hours at the water cooler.
· THIEVERY – That was your company’s time. Did you clock out?
Everybody has a reputation…
· When I was in the business world, one of my jobs was to revitalize departments.
· I was part of a management team tasked with helping turn around struggling work groups…
· One of the first things we did was sit around and watch.
· There was a GOSSIP, a COMPLAINER, A MURMURER, a LAZY PERSON, a THIEF in every place.
· ALL I HAD TO DO WAS WATCH.
That’s it isn’t it? People are watching. God is watching.
· What’s your REPUTATION?
· Well, I’m just fighting for my rights. OK.
· I’m just trying to RIGHT the WRONGS of company XYZ. OK.
· I’m just this, I’m just that… Ok.
Too many Christians are known as something rather than as a LOYAL, HONEST, FOLLOWER of Jesus Christ.
Paul says to OBEY in fear and trembling.
· Fear and trembling could be better translated as.
· Obey your boss and Respect him.
· Well my boss is mean and a hard-nose.
· Obey him or her, and respect the position of their oversight.
APP: It’s true we may struggle with respecting a person, but we can be faithful employees by respecting the position.
THEN NOTICE… we’re told, obey, respect, sincerely.
· You have opportunity to bless your boss, bless your co-workers beginning tomorrow…
· By following the rules, doing a good job, respectfully & sincerely.
2. (6) Doing the Will of God ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
a. You work where you work… Your boss is who he is.
b. Your cubicle is there, your paycheck is that much…
c. BY THE WILL OF GOD.
d. Walking into work with that attitude… How can you not be the best employee in the whole place?
WELL THE WORLD… they see work as a curse, as an irritation.
WHY? Because they are living under the effects of the curse.
· Remember in the Garden of Eden… Adam worked.
· BEFORE & AFTER his fall into sin.
· Before the fall work was fun, exhilarating, and exciting.
· But after the fall, work could still be fun, exhilarating and exciting.
· BUT it COULD ALSO BE HORRIBLE, HARD, and MISERABLE.
· What made the difference? Adam’s Relationship!
· With God Work was purposeful & meaningful.
· Without God Work is meaningless & without purpose.
NOTE: So the world works with EYESERVICE.
· You know those guys. When the boss isn’t there, he pulls out the magazines, takes 3 hour potty breaks, makes personal calls.
· OH but the boss walks in and oh man, got to work. Hi Mr. Harris, boy what a fine boss you are. We just love working here!
AND The world works to PLEASE MAN.
· The only reason I’m working hard is because I’m climbing the corporate ladder. Work hard so one day I won’t have to!
· Don’t get in my way man or I’ll destroy you along the way.
DO CHRISTIANS GET CAUGHT UP IN THIS? Unfortunately yes.
I’ll never forget when I got caught up in these attitudes. For years I worked for a small mom & pop company. They paid OK and I was able to raise my family and go to Bible College.
· One day the boss called a meeting and told us he sold his company to a national Corporation.
· Great… layoffs and unemployment was just around the corner.
· But it didn’t happen that way. I was promoted and put into management and promoted again… WOW, this is cool.
SO I decided to promote myself and try to land a job that would give me the power, the prestige, and of course the money…
· I had been a Christian for 5 years at that point. Serving in many leadership positions at the church…
· And… I was just asked to become the Singles Pastor.
· I turned it down to pursue my corporate dream which had consumed my life.
· Well… I didn’t get the job. I repented and asked to be reconsidered as the Singles Pastor…
· And now… 6 years later… here we are worshipping together!
· PRAISE THE LORD FOR THAT!
Luke 21.34-35 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Psalm 75.7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
NOTICE AT THE END OF V6… we’re bondservants of Jesus.
He has us where He does, He’s our paychecks the size they are, for His good will and purpose.
Eph. 2.10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
3. (7-8) Working FOR the Lord expecting FROM the Lord.
a. Your boss is really the Lord.
b. Another bumper sticker: “MY BOSS IS A Jewish CARPENTER”?
c. Your work is not primarily toward your boss or company but for Jesus Christ in the world.
The way of the world is to SKATE by, BEAT the system, COUNT the clock, SKIM on materials, MARK up the prices…
· But the way of the Lord is give more, do more, love more…
NOTICE the command comes with a promise at end of v8.
· You will receive the same from the Lord.
· What you do here on earth will bring faithful rewards in the time to come.
· In light of eternity, what you are doing for your boss, even if she never sees it, even if he never appreciates it…
· When you get to heaven… Jesus saw it… He knows.
Matt. 25.23 "His lord said to him, ’Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
But it’s not just eternally… I believe you will also be blessed now.
· Our Lord Jesus is looking for those that are engaging themselves in the things of God here on earth.
· I do believe God will open doors for you, promote you, protect you, and provide for you as you follow through with his plan for you at work.
· Are you called into the ministry… be faithful.
· Do you have big goals and dreams in Jesus… be faithful
Zech. 4.10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth."
APP: It’s amazing as you survey the Bible that God never called someone into service that was sitting around waiting for that call.
· Servants like Deborah, or Elisha, or Moses, or Esther…
· They were all serving faithfully when the Lord had more to give!
Ecc. 9.10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…
APP: Of all the people you encounter in life… someone will be impressed by your dedication, someone will appreciate your devotion, someone will recognize your enthusiasm…
· Perhaps there will be a few who NEED to see Jesus through your work habits or your attitude…
· Maybe it will take 20 years at your job… (THANKS A LOT)
· But you’re His messenger there… speak with your life!
II. (6.9) EMPLOYERS
1. (9) Now you bosses… serve your employees.
a. Just as they are to serve you, you are to serve them.
b. With what attitude? Knowing you have a master in heaven.
c. You serve your employees because you have an EMPLOYER in heaven who doesn’t care if you OWN the business. He doesn’t care if you’re the CEO. He doesn’t care if you’re the new junior supervisor.
d. He cares about using your position, your influence, your ability to make life-changing decisions…
e. TO SAVE SOULS and lift Jesus up!
NOTICE he says “giving up threatening”…
· Why do we think threats are good motivators? They are horrible motivators and aren’t becoming of a follower of Jesus!
· Threats replaced with love. Yelling replaced with prayer.
· God has your company, your business… in His hands. He knows.
NOTE: As you follow through with God’s calling upon your life, your employees will wonder… hey?
· Why do you treat me so well?
· Why are you so helpful? Why did you give me that time off even though I knew it would put you in a bind…
· Hey… I know the Lord will take care of this business…
Bosses, Owners, Supervisors… pray for your business, you’re employees.
· Not just that you will have more business and jobs.
· BUT that God’s will would be accomplished in that place!
· That lives would be mended, families restored, people saved!
Hey wait a minute, you didn’t spend enough time on the employers!
Well, they fall under the same category as employee…
The only difference is that they are entrusted with MORE so they have a LARGER responsibility…
CLOSE…
An old fable that has been passed down for generations tells about an elderly man who was traveling with a boy and a donkey. As they walked through a village, the man was leading the donkey and the boy was walking behind. The townspeople said the old man was a fool for not riding, so to please them he climbed up on the animal’s back. When they came to the next village, the people said the old man was cruel to let the child walk while he enjoyed the ride. So, to please them, he got off and set the boy on the animal’s back and continued on his way. In the third village, people accused the child of being lazy for making the old man walk, and the suggestion was made that they both ride. So the man climbed on and they set off again. In the fourth village, the townspeople were indignant at the cruelty to the donkey because he was made to carry two people. The frustrated man was last seen carrying the donkey down the road.
We smile, but this story makes a good point: We can’t please everybody, and if we try we end up carrying a heavy burden. Well-meaning Christians may offer us advice, and much of it is valuable. But when we try to do everything other believers want us to do, we can easily become frustrated and confused. That’s why we need to remember that the One we must please above all others is Christ. And we do that by obeying God’s Word.
