| Introduction Last week we saw that first-century slavery looked very different to first-century Christians than it looks to us today. And our southern, antebellum concept of slavery is very different than the type of slavery Paul addresses in the New Testament. We also saw that slavery as an institution is not compatible with Christianity and Christians can (and should) insist on the abolition of slavery. All this being the case, what can this passage possibly say to us in the twenty-first century when the institution of slavery no longer exists in the U.S. and most people acknowledge that it is a moral reproach? The most direct connection between this passage and modern society is the employer/employee relationship. I. The Christian Should Do All of His Work as If He Were Doing It for the Lord… because he is, 3:23. A. Paul teaches that Christ has freed us to work more effectively. 1. The slaves could have asked, "We are free in Christ, does that mean that we no longer have to obey these horrible rules from our masters?" 2. Paul answers, "No, Christ has freed you to work more effectively. It has not lessened your motive for working. He freed you to give yourself in your labors and to do it as unto the Lord." B. Christ frees us from man pleasing and from eye service, 3:22-23. 1. The tendency of a person who is underpaid and underappreciated, is to give a minimalist effort for his employer. a. As long as the employer is watching that person may try and look like they are working hard, but when the employer is gone, he reduces himself to that minimal effort necessary to get by and to please his master. b. Paul says, "Don't work that way. Work as if you are constantly aware that the eyes of the Lord are on you." 2. We don't have to be ineffective, lazy, and self-centered in our work. C. Christ frees us to fear him in our work, 22. 1. It is to the Lord that we will give an account. 2. By saying that, Paul is affirming that all work done for the Master in heaven has dignity. a. It doesn't matter whether you are a member of a learned profession or not. b. Every lawful vocation can be done for the glory of God. 3. Here we see a great principle that the Reformers and the Puritans caught on to. a. We so often make a dichotomy in our view of work today. 1) There are spiritual things like being a missionary, being a pastor, being an elder, teaching a Sunday school class; those are spiritual works. 2) And then there are secular works, and in our eyes these are much lower and less important things: things like being doctors and lawyers and engineers and nurses and homemakers and teachers. b. Paul says, "Because Christ is Lord of your work, no matter what you do, he wants you to manifest his lordship as you do it." "… no race can prosper until it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem." Booker T. Washington c. We live in a day and age where certain professions are honored above others, and yet if you do what you do for the glory of God, it has eternal value in his sight. d. He cares how you labor and he cares about the way you treat those with whom, and for whom you labor. II. The Christian Should Do All His Work from the Heart, 3:22-23. A. Christ frees us to work whole-heartedly for those that employ us. 1. Paul is here speaking about that half-hearted work and service which characterizes so much of our community today. a. Have you ever gone to a service establishment and wondered if perhaps you were bothering the clerks by being there? b. Their hearts do not appear to be in it. c. Paul is saying, "Don't work that way. Work from the soul. Give yourself in your work. Enjoy your work. Throw yourself into this work that the Lord has given to you." 2. He is waging war against half-hearted service, and is that not the tendency of those who are either slaves or again underappreciated or underpaid? 3. This, my young friends, is why it is so important as you choose your profession, to remember that all work is a result of the Lord's calling, not just the ministry, not just the missionary work, but if God calls you to be a window washer, to be the best window washer that you can be. 4. And if God calls you to be a manufacturer of something or a giver of services, or a professional, you should seek the Lord's wisdom and guidance so that you can do whatever you do wholeheartedly. B. Paul is looking for whole-souled service in the workplace. III. The Christian Should Realize That His Work Will Be Rewarded. A. Paul is speaking to slaves initially here. 1. In the Roman world, slaves were obviously not rewarded with great remuneration for their labors. a. They had food and shelter and other basic forms of care, but they were not paid for their labors. b. And Paul is saying to these slaves, "you will be rewarded." 2. Furthermore, he adds this clause, "you will receive the reward of the inheritance." a. Now that must have been very special to the ears of those slaves, because under Greco-Roman law no slave could inherit. b. So this clause must have shocked everyone hearing the reading of this letter. c. Why are they going to be rewarded? 1) Because they serve the Master with a capital M. 2) They serve the Lord who is in heaven, and he will not fail to give them their inheritance, even if men do. B. Every single one of us, at some time or another, may be put in circumstances where we are robbed in labor of that which is due to us. 1. Perhaps it is because we have been defrauded in a business relationship. 2. Perhaps it is because we work for an employer who does not pay us appropriately. 3. Perhaps we are an employer who has employees who steal from us. C. Paul is saying here, no matter how difficult the situation is in which you work, no matter if you are being robbed of that which is rightfully yours in your labor, you will be rewarded. D. Paul also talks about the other side of the coin, 25. 1. He doesn't say whether he is speaking about masters or slaves there. 2. Paul wanted them to know that employees that defraud their employers of the rightful work that they owe them, the Lord will be watching. 3. And those employers who exploit those who serve them, God will be watching, and he will repay every wrongful activity. E. We see here that God cares about your work, and he wants it to be done under the liberty and the rule of Christ.
This also applies to how you serve in the offices in the church. Eye-service and man-pleasing is not the motivation for your services. The glory of God and the good of his flock is your primary motivation. So you don't look for praises and you don't shrink under condemnation. You press on toward the mark of the high calling you have in Jesus Christ.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2017/06/serving-christ-col-322-41.html
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