WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:04.639 As has been mentioned, uh, I'm Zayn. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:05.839 I'm one of the pastors here. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:10.080 It's my joy to bring the word to you this morning. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:14.480 And um just want to say thank you if you're a guest here. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:21.519 I know that this is Labor Day weekend, so you may be in town because of family, you may just be in town because you didn't have any other plans. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:26.000 Whatever the case may be, we are grateful that you chose to come here this morning. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:37.280 I may be partial, but I think this is the best place you can be, not namely Redeemer Church, but within church, hearing the Word of God, both sung, prayed, and now preached this morning. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:51.359 If you're exploring the matters of faith, this is again the best place that I think you can be as we dive into the Word and seek to look at the Bible as our means of understanding how to live in the world before us. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:01:02.719 So, as you heard the passage read, you may have historical baggage, uh historical uh conceptions that come along with this passage. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:07.200 It is not an easy passage, especially in the context of America. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:18.400 Looking at our history through the American slave trade, this verse, this passage, uh, some verses within this passage have been used in great ways for wicked deeds. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:25.599 So, as we wade these waters together, I want to just kind of point out a couple of things before we do. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:29.040 So at Redeemer Church, we love expository preaching. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.359 Now, what is expository preaching? 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:34.560 I'm gonna steal the late John MacArthur's definition of this. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:43.439 It says, in describing expository preaching, the message of preaching finds its sole source in Scripture. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:48.000 The message is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:51.519 So looking at verse by verse, looking at the context of what it is. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:58.799 The message, preparation correctly interprets scripture in its normal sense and its context. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:04.000 The message clearly explains the original God-intended meaning of Scripture. 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:08.800 The message applies the scriptural meaning for today. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:30.960 So I want us to keep that definition in mind as I seek to expound, exposite Ephesians 6, verses 5 through 9, because parts of this passage, as I've mentioned, have been used by so-called Christians throughout history to carry out wicked acts against others made in the image of God, namely slave owners in the time of chattel slavery. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:43.759 But also, even in the here today, it's often used by so-called religious leaders to lord over those under their care, to lord over those who are under their authority. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:52.319 Now, that has been the case for so-called religious and so-called Christians, but this these verses have also been on the other side of the spectrum. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:05.759 They've been used against Christians as a means to discredit the Bible, because Paul, in these words and elsewhere, doesn't flat out condone slavery or condemn slavery. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:13.599 They use these verses as a means to say we should not follow Scripture because slavery was obviously wicked. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:20.319 Now, I would say both of these groups are, were incredibly wrong in their approach to this text. 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:26.719 Paul is not seeking to talk about social reform or social revolt. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:41.360 As we look at this passage, we want to take in the context, the evidence, and that's why it's important to understand what would the readers at this time, when they're hearing this letter read aloud in their gathering, what would have been going on in their minds? 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:46.080 And then as we seek to understand that, bridge the gap to here and today. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:55.120 Now, I point out that disclaimer because oftentimes there are passages in Scripture that we just cannot ignore, the historical context that comes with it. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:04:00.879 In expository preaching, as we seek to go verse by verse, we're not going to shy away from those things. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:02.639 We want to meet it head on. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:04.400 We want to talk about it. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:14.400 But just know this morning, I'm going to seek to talk about what this verse means, not the ways in which it's necessarily been used wrongly. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:28.959 So as we seek to understand these verses in our context today, through the lens of the gospel and what it meant for the first uh century church in Ephesus, let us pray before we dive into that. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:32.319 Heavenly Father, God, we thank you for this morning. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:34.399 God, I thank you for your word. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:40.720 That every single word written in Scripture was inspired by you. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:44.879 That Lord, where things are abundantly clear, that was purposeful. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:47.759 Where things are vague, that was purposeful. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:54.560 And Lord, as we seek to look at Ephesians 6, verses 5 through 9, God, would you give us clarity? 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.639 Holy Spirit, you you say in your word to ask for wisdom. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:02.959 Lord, this morning we ask for wisdom as we wade these waters. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:11.439 Father, would you help us understand your word and live in accordance to it, glorifying you in everything that we do. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:13.120 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:14.079 Amen. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:21.279 So our main point for this morning is our work, because that's what this passage is, verses 5 through 9. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.399 It's about work. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:28.800 Our work, regardless of what it is, is ultimately for the glory of God. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.000 So that's our main point. 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:41.680 Our work, regardless of what it is, regardless of what you do, regardless of your social status, regardless of all of that, your work is ultimately for the glory of God. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:50.560 Now, these verses in the context of Ephesians is the last part of what scholars call the household code. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:54.079 So it's important to understand that Paul is talking about the household. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:58.160 So two weeks ago we talked about wives and husbands within the household. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:05.040 This divine institution that God ordained, family, husbands and wives, act this way. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:09.839 And then in chapter 6, it moves on to children and parents. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:15.920 And now we move to the what CSB labels as slaves and masters. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.720 This is part of the household code. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:28.399 He's addressed these different variations of the household that were God ordained: wives, husbands, parents, children. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:34.160 But now when we get to this part of the household code, this is not a God-ordained situation. 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:38.000 Paul is addressing the social construct of the time. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:48.319 So we want to separate family issues from societal issues, but all of these are in the context of this household code. 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:49.279 So why? 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:56.879 That begs the question, why is Paul needing to address slaves and masters as part of this household code? 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.439 Which gives us our first observation. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:07.759 Work is not a consequence of sin, but the very difficulties we find within work are. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:09.199 So I'll repeat that. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:25.439 So Paul is having to talk about work in the context of this household code because of what the culture has done, because of sin. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:32.079 Sin has wrecked the original design that God had ordained in creation with Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:37.360 So we're going to do a little biblical theology before we really dive into this, these verses. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:38.480 You don't have to flip there. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:41.920 I'm going to be jumping a little bit in Genesis 1, 2, and 3. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:46.879 But let's take it back to Genesis 1, where God creates everything. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.800 So here we see God working. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.079 So work was God doing creation. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:52.879 God spoke. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.879 And elsewhere in chapter 2, it talks about him creating. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:58.240 So God is creating things. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:07:59.759 That's a work that God is doing. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:02.079 Work existed before the fall. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.279 He created man out of the dust. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:06.480 He formed man. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:10.560 He's shaping man and created Eve out of the rib of man. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:17.040 So God is working and molding and shaping and creating everything that we have ever known. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.600 And listen to this in Genesis 1 28. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:34.879 It says, God blessed them, Adam and Eve, and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it, rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:45.519 So not only did God start creation, start the world, he existed before time, but in starting what we live in today, everything that we know, he is working it together. 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:50.799 And then he creates Adam and Eve and puts them in this creation and says, work it. 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:52.159 Be fruitful and multiply. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.480 So there we see the God ordained family, Adam and Eve marriage, and then we see parents. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:59.679 God is ordaining that and he's ordaining work. 00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:02.159 So we are created to work. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:07.360 Before the fall, God gave Adam and Eve a job. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:12.480 They existed in this creation to work for the glory of God. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:14.480 God created everything. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:19.200 And can you imagine how beautiful it was for Adam and Eve? 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:30.559 But you think of vacation, and I'm not a beach person, I know a lot of y'all are, but like you think about sitting on the beach and enjoying the scenery, sitting and relaxing. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:34.080 Now, Adam and Eve probably were able to do that in the garden. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:41.039 They were probably able to enjoy that, but God doesn't say, hey, kick up a chair, kick back, relax, take it all in. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:42.720 No, God gives them a job. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.080 He says, work it, subdue it, rule over everything. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:49.279 So work existed before the fall. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:55.600 Work in and of itself is a good thing, it is a God-ordained thing. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.679 I love this quote by John Piper. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:06.879 It's kind of his mantra, really, but God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:23.279 So when God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, if you think about that quote, they are going to experience God's goodness and be most glorified in him when they're most satisfied in him, when they're enjoying and working and doing exactly what he had created them to do. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:30.159 Adam and Eve would be most satisfied in God by working and subduing all of creation. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:36.399 But catch this, this is really important, especially on this topic, as we get into slave and free. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:41.519 Adam and Eve weren't free to do whatever they wanted. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:43.919 God gave them parameters. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:49.120 He said, This is all yours, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.519 Don't touch it, don't eat from it. 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:53.600 He gives them parameters. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:58.480 He says, Go, subdue, rule over everything, but don't do this one thing. 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:00.399 So they weren't free to do whatever they wanted. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:02.879 So that's a that's a let's get that out of our minds. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:04.879 We're not free to do whatever we want. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:11.759 We're within the confines of what God ordains, what God places in the structures in which He puts us. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:17.120 So God established in that moment that He is the ultimate master. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:20.000 He is in total control of the situation. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.840 Adam and Eve are not on level standing with God before the fall. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.320 They are subjects to the master. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:27.840 They are created by God. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:32.639 God is the master, and he gives them parameters to work in. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.519 So Genesis 2, 15 through 17 goes a little further. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:42.960 It says, The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:53.759 And the Lord commanded the man, You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.399 The world was their oyster. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:04.960 They could do what God had given them to do, except for eat from the tree of knowledge and good and evil. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:08.879 But they were deceived by the serpent. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:22.080 They ate from the tree that was forbidden and sin because of their actions, because of them effectively saying, God, we see you as master, but we want to be our own masters. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:25.200 We're not going to live in the context of what you're telling us. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:27.679 We're going to go do our own thing. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:35.120 Sin enters into the world, and God reveals the consequences of sin in that moment in Genesis 3. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:40.720 And I'm only going to highlight what he says to Adam in this, but there's also strong words for Eve. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:55.440 But in Genesis 3, 17 through 19, God says to Adam, after they have taken other fruit and are exposed of their sin, says, Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, do not eat from it. 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:57.919 The ground is cursed because of you. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:02.000 You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:06.399 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:16.639 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it, for you are dust, and you will return to dust. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:30.080 Because of their selfish desire to work for themselves rather than for God in the way that they were created, in the confines in which God had created, sin entered into creation and wrecked everything. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:34.879 They're cast out of the Garden of Eden, and again we see God at work. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:37.039 God makes clothes for them. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:38.960 But they're cast out. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:50.480 And as you go through the Old Testament, we see time and time again where people did what was right in their own eyes. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.480 That is the way of sin. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:58.159 When people do what is right in their own eyes rather than what God has commanded. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:06.399 Which brings us to the context of what we find in this Greco-Roman culture, the historical context for our passage today. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:11.840 Christians in Ephesus are living in a society that was not founded on the law of Moses. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:19.039 Now, in some commentators, when they're looking at these verses, they're like, oh, well, there's a year of Jubilee where the seventh year the slave would be free. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:20.720 They're in the Roman context. 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:22.159 This is the church in Ephesus. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:28.240 They are likely filled with Gentiles who were immersed in this pagan culture. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:34.639 They were not living for God, they were living for themselves and for whatever God they worshiped outside of that. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.039 They were immersed in the culture. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.080 That is where we find this passage today. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:51.360 One historian writes that out of a total, out of a total Roman imperial population of some 70 million people, roughly 7 to 10 million people were enslaved. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:53.440 So it's around 10 to 15%. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:15:01.519 And slavery at that time, some scholars will say it was very different than what we know of as chattel slavery in America. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:08.720 But let's just strip it down and say the slave system was predominantly class-based in Greco-Roman culture. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:13.440 So it wasn't race-based like we find in historical slavery in America. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:15.440 It was class-based. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.720 But what we can say of both systems, they were both wicked. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:23.679 They both enslaved people, took away their rights, and dehumanized them. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:30.159 The Greco-Roman culture, there were more means that you could get out of it because it was a class system. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:35.759 So if you were in debt, you could voluntarily become a slave. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.639 And primarily you would be a household slave. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.960 You more than likely wouldn't be working in a field. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:44.799 That was usually reserved for those who were captured in battle. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:47.519 But there were different types of slaves in this time. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:56.559 But as we look at this passage in Ephesians, it seems as if Paul is talking primarily to household slaves, because it's the household that he's talking about. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.080 But there would have been other slaves in their midst, hearing these words of Paul. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:11.279 So as we look at this, both systems, the Greco-Roman culture, system of slavery, and slavery in America, both were wicked systems. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:13.440 Let's not downplay either one. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:18.639 There was wickedness in both because they were enslaving humans. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:31.279 The slaves in the Greco-Roman culture would have been able to work for their freedom in a way that American slavery did not allow. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:38.399 But what Paul was doing here, let's keep this in mind, Paul was not speaking in terms of social revolt. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:42.240 He wasn't trying to stir up slaves to fight against the system. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:49.440 What Paul was doing was sowing seeds of how to live differently within this context. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:57.759 Paul was giving the early church the tools that would one day, and this is historical data, one day destroy the slave system as a whole. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:15.680 It didn't change it primarily in 60, 70 A.D., but come 330 A.D., the slave system was destroyed in the Greco-Roman culture by the work of Christians, taking the words that Paul is saying to heart and changing the way that they lived. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:25.599 And as we look back at historical data in America, it was predominantly Christians that rose and were abolitionists and fought against slavery in America. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:34.799 So when we look at scripture, we look at these things, we it's not that the silence is because God does not care about those things. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:44.480 Paul here, for the context of the church in Ephesus, is giving them the tools to live within the sinful structure that they find themselves in. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:49.680 So that's what what we seek to do as we look at this passage today. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:56.880 I know this is a hard jump, but bridging the gap from then to now, because right now our time in America is different. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:03.359 So when we think of those things, this context is more of an employer-employee relationship. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:11.359 So as we think, as we bridge the gap to think about today, we can take these words from an employee-employer perspective. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:23.920 So as we shift and look at these verses, I'm going to read verses five through eight, and we'll move into our second observation of how you work reveals who has your heart. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:28.319 How you work reveals who has your heart. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:30.720 So let's look at verses five through eight. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:39.119 It says, slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:45.359 Don't work only while being watched, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:59.359 Do God's will from your heart, serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:04.640 Now again, a cursory glance at these verses would make them hard to swallow. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:14.640 But especially especially given the historical context, you think of someone, uh a first century slave hearing those words, slaves, obey your masters as to the Lord. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:17.279 That's a hard pill to swallow. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:22.720 But let's let's take it into the context of what Paul has already said in Ephesians 5. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:28.000 So it's not like the slaves in this time were outside of the room when the letter was being read. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:31.039 They would have heard the whole context of this. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:40.480 And when Paul is talking about the Christian life, consistency within the Christian life, verse 21 says submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.599 So as Christians, we are to submit to one another. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:50.720 And what Paul is bringing up here is that slaves are not exempt from this just because of their status. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.240 They're included in this family of God. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:20:01.599 Regardless of social status, they're included in this family of God, in this in these family instructions. 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:13.920 He's giving slaves in that time tools to see that it's not just who they are because of their position, but who they are because of who God says they are. 00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:24.400 Paul's words are meant to draw the slaves' eyes upward to Christ rather than downward at their physical position and their social status. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:28.319 So I love the way that Paul structured this. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.720 So look at five, six, and seven. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:34.720 So there's some verbs, there's obey, there's work, there's serve. 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:44.000 And in this we see obey your human masters with fear and trembling, as you would Christ. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:51.680 So he's he's recognizing, obey your human masters, this is where you are, but as you would Christ, lifting your eyes upward. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:57.200 Don't work only while being watched, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:05.039 So again, he's pointing out it it may be easy for you to just do your work only when my master is watching. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.519 But Paul is saying, no, no, no, don't just do that. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:10.480 You're a slave of Christ first and foremost. 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:14.000 Serve with a good attitude as to the Lord. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:19.759 So obey as you would Christ, work as slaves of Christ, serve as to the Lord. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:29.119 He's drawing their eyes upward rather than downward, and pointing out that we are in our work, we're working first and foremost for the Lord. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:32.480 So bridging the gap to today, this is true today. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:35.599 It was true of the slaves then, it is true of today. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:50.559 First and foremost, whatever your work is, if you're a stay-at-home parent, if you go to the office every day, if you're in a factory, if you're in a field, if you're retired, whatever you're doing in a day-to-day, first and foremost, it is for the Lord. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:54.720 We are to lift our eyes upward and say, God, what I do is for you. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:57.519 It's not for me, it's not for my spouse, it's not for my kids. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.119 Everything that I do is for you. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.759 First and first. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.119 And foremost. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:08.400 So catch how that is lifting the slaves' eyes upward rather than downward in their lowly position. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:13.279 Paul is pointing their hearts, pointing to their hearts rather than their actions. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:17.519 So don't just obey your human masters because they're telling you what to do. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.160 No, no, no. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:21.759 Obey your human masters with fear and trembling as to the Lord. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.759 We're to work out our salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:33.039 We are to revere the Lord who is strong and mighty to save with fear and trembling, not with pride and arrogance. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:38.079 That is how we are to serve the Lord and in turn submit to one another. 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:40.880 We submit to one another with fear and trembling. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.440 In the sincerity of our heart, he's pointing out the heart need in this. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:49.039 And that our hearts are what dictate our actions. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:55.599 So all in this, Paul isn't talking about their status, humanly speaking. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:59.440 He's talking about their status before God and how that dictates what they're doing. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:04.240 And when their heart is set on Christ, they're going to be the best workers. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:15.359 For you today, you are going to be the best worker when your heart is set on Christ, not because you're skilled in whatever your job is. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:23.759 It's not about your actions, it's about your heart posture, about who you are in Christ, not by what your position is. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:30.799 So as he's pointing out these, do this, don't do that, look at the opposite of these things. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:38.480 As I've mentioned in verse 5, he's saying, serve with fear and trembling, not with pride and with arrogance. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.599 Don't work only while being watched as people pleasers. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.039 Be diligent in your work. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:44.319 Don't be lazy. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:47.359 So these are these are action points for us today in our work. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:49.759 In verse 7, serve with a good attitude. 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:51.359 Don't be grumpy. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:54.079 That's what Paul is bringing out in this. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:24:01.599 The slaves would have every every right to want to be prideful and arrogant and say, I don't deserve this position. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:04.640 I don't deserve to be in this place that I'm at. 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:09.039 I deserve to be a little lazy when my boss, when my master isn't looking. 00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:12.960 How often do you find yourself in that same position in your work today? 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:18.240 How often do you find yourself prideful and arrogant, potentially in your position of work? 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:20.480 How often do you want to just be lazy? 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:25.759 How often do you just want to be grumpy and complain about whatever is going on in your work? 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:27.359 I work full time. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:32.240 I understand what it is like to be in the work field. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:51.519 Sometimes it is easy to shift into looking at our status, whatever our role is, whatever our earthly status is, rather than looking upward and looking at Christ and knowing everything that we're doing, first and foremost is for the Lord, not for our earthly boss, not for our human master. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.480 No, no, no. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:56.319 It is first and foremost for Christ. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:11.279 I love this quote from Tim Keller as he, I think Tim Keller just does a good job of looking at the social uh landscape and just uh pointing out fallacies in the American culture, uh, for instance. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:26.880 But in in looking at our culture today, in this American dream, where we're where we're just we're essentially suffocating ourselves with work, that there's always another hill to climb, there's always another step that we can take within the business world. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:32.319 Tim Keller says Christians should be the hardest workers, but not overworkers. 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:37.599 Christians should be the hardest workers, but not overworkers. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.480 Now, some of you, if you were a boss, you might be saying, like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.440 No, no, no. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:46.000 I want my, I want those under me to be hard workers. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.920 I want them to work diligently. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:53.039 A phrase that I heard often, I've heard often is like, work until your work is complete. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:56.799 Well, what if that work is always churning up? 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:57.359 Right? 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:01.359 We get stuck in this rat race that we are in. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:06.799 Now, I would say that is an outlier, and not what I'm meaning by overwork in this. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:09.920 I don't think what Tim Keller was meaning about overwork. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:15.119 Overwork, what I'm bringing up in this is generally like the people-pleasing aspect. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:19.279 Like, no, no, I'm gonna work as hard as I can because I need to I want to get this promotion. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.240 I want to get more money. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:24.319 So there's greed involved, there's people pleasing involved, there's fear of man involved. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:29.119 It's I need to keep working because if I don't, someone else is gonna get that position. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:35.279 If I don't do this, if I don't make X amount of money this year, I'm gonna view myself as a failure. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:41.599 If I don't do this every single day, I'm going to be a failure, which leads to overwork. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:44.480 We should be hard workers. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:48.319 Christians should be the hardest workers in any job field ever. 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:52.799 Stay-at-home moms should be like incredible workers, and they are. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:57.599 I'm I'm amazed at the work that stay-at-home moms do. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:03.279 That the world would say is not work, but is an incredibly hard job. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:10.240 Christians should be hard, hard workers, but we should not be overworkers. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:16.720 We should not be dictated by our jobs and how that shapes and molds our lives. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:19.680 Our hearts need to be fixated on Christ. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:45.039 And as you're looking at your job, if it is drawing you away from Christ and causing you to neglect family, causing you to neglect being a parent, causing you to neglect your church family, causing you to be stressed out to the max to where you can't even sit down and pray, you can't even look at the word, you can't have conversations, you can't meet with people, then I would say, because of the context we live in today, look for a different job. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:49.119 You should not stay in a job to overwork just to get that next position. 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:54.480 If there's promise of easier, you know, greener grass on the other side. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:28:07.279 We live in the American society that is a churning wheel that seeks to keep you motivated, to keep you pumping out money to somebody else's pocket. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:12.000 That's that is I'm being brutally honest in that. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:19.759 I've seen it, I've been in it, I've wanted that next promotion because I think, oh man, when I get that, I'll have more time to spend with my family. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:26.000 Well, then I get that promotion and I get more responsibility and more things that draw me away from family. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:32.640 Now, that is not going to be the case with every single person in every single job and every single case. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:41.920 This is a matter of wisdom and prudence as we look at our culture today and look at what where we find ourselves. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:52.079 That's why I say what Paul is bringing up here in the cultural context of their time was giving them the tools to live within the societal construct that they're in. 00:28:52.319 --> 00:29:00.720 And again, today, it is giving us tools to be faithful followers of Christ, regardless of what our job is. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:04.319 Now, I didn't include a quote from Martin Luther. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:13.759 Martin Luther, the great reformer, in his day and age, work was considered holy work, was only for the monks and priests. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:17.359 All other work was just meaningless work. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:23.599 So as an employee in a factory at that time, like they didn't find anything sacred in what they were doing. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:30.000 They didn't have this text that they were looking at because they were led astray by those religious leaders of their time. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:34.240 But what Martin Luther sought to bring out in that was no, no, no. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:36.480 Whatever you do, we do for the Lord. 00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:41.119 Every bit of work can be for the Lord, regardless of what your job is. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:47.039 I know for me when I was in college, it's like, well, I want to do full-time ministry because that's that's the Lord's work. 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:54.079 I'm not neglect neglecting the fact that being a full-time person in ministry is hard work and it is God glorifying work. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:30:13.680 But someone who is a um a garbage truck driver or a janitor at a school, up to a CEO of a major corporation, anywhere in between, all of that work can be God glorifying because it matters of how you are operating within the construct of the job that you are in. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:16.480 It's not the job itself that brings glory to God. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:19.680 It's your heart in giving God the glory in it. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:24.720 So, regardless of what your job is, don't look at the job itself. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:27.680 Look at the evidences, look at the fruit within that job. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:31.440 Is this job helping me glorify God? 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:35.440 Or am I being a people-pleasing, greedy person in this? 00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:40.720 Am I stuck in the cog of the wheel as we move on in this world? 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:46.319 I love these uh read from Psalm and Ecclesiastes, just two wisdom points. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:53.440 So in Psalm 127, verse 2, it says, In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:31:00.559 Yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves, not to the one who works hardest and works all of these hours. 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.519 No, no. 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:05.680 Our rest comes from the Lord, not your paycheck. 00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:15.359 Trust me when I say, if you get that extra pay bump, you're quickly going to be looking to the next paycheck. 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:19.440 Man, wouldn't it be nice to just have a little more? 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:28.400 True contentment comes when we find our rest in God, not in our job, not in our paycheck, not in our ease of life. 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:43.119 In Ecclesiastes 5, verse 12 says, the sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:51.039 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:55.839 So what does that mean as you find yourself in whatever your job is? 00:31:56.000 --> 00:32:08.480 And and I uh when I'm talking about work, I keep bringing up stay-at-home moms, I keep bringing up people in offices and doing uh working for companies, being an employee, employee, employee, employer relationship. 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:12.160 But this also includes those of you who are retired. 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:14.240 It does we're to work. 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:16.160 We're to work. 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:20.960 Just because you're retired doesn't mean you just kick back and relax and don't do anything. 00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:24.559 No, the scripture's clear like, no, no, you're you're to teach the next generation. 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:29.119 You're to carry on the gospel proclamation to the next generation. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:34.319 So this is for everyone, regardless of where your status is. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:44.079 So in the confines of work, wherever you find yourself, whatever your job is, we should abhor what is evil and we should hold fast to what is good. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:47.839 This doesn't give us the freedom to do whatever our boss is telling us to do. 00:32:48.079 --> 00:32:59.440 So if you're in a job and your boss is telling you to do something that is immoral or goes against the word, as a Christian, you should not do that. 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:03.119 You just deal with the ramifications when they come. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.039 I've been in situations like that. 00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:11.599 You would be surprised when you stand your ground and say, no, no, no, because of my belief, like I can't do that. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.440 You might get fired. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:15.599 Or you might not. 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:22.720 Regardless, we're seeking to honor Christ, not do whatever we are told. 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:25.680 Because our master is in heaven. 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:29.440 Do not be partakers of evil. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:35.759 So we can't just neglect what Scripture says because our work is telling us to do X, Y, and Z. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:38.799 We should make the most use of our time. 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:41.200 We should be hard workers, but not overworkers. 00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:46.240 We should be ready at all times to give an account for the hope that we have in Christ. 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:50.559 So wherever you find yourself in your work, hopefully there are unbelievers around you. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:34:02.400 It is an opportunity for you to work diligently, to be a hard worker, to set an example, and be ready to have a defense when they say, but our boss isn't watching, just take a break. 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:03.200 No, no, no. 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:04.720 I'm working for God. 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:08.719 That's who I'm seeking to honor, not earthly matters. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:15.760 We should not partake in gossip and slander that oftentimes is ravaging the workfield. 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:19.360 Those who are under management. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:25.760 It is so easy to get caught up in gossiping about those who are in authority above us. 00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:32.000 We should not gossip or slander, but rather build up and encourage those around us. 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:37.760 In the same way that Paul is urging these slaves to obey their human masters with fear and trembling. 00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:40.000 This would have been counter-cultural. 00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:43.119 He's telling him to seek to honor them. 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:47.280 Love them, serve them as you would Christ. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:50.079 It is counter-cultural. 00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:55.920 In our jobs, we should be displaying the fruit of the Spirit rather than the works of the flesh. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:04.480 We should be displaying the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:11.119 Those should be the markers of your work in your job. 00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:17.599 All of this points others, those who see you doing this work, to Christ, not yourself. 00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:19.760 Catch that. 00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:25.519 Paul was not telling slaves to do this so that they would gain more favor from their masters. 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:36.239 Elsewhere, he's he tells slaves, whether they're cruel or whether they're kind, serve them, love them, in a way that is pointing them to Christ. 00:35:37.760 --> 00:35:39.280 I love this quote. 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:45.119 Since he looked upon me, my heart is not my own. 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:47.840 He has run away to heaven with it. 00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:58.960 So in Christ, regardless of your status, regardless of what your job, in Christ, it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in and through you. 00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:05.679 That quote, I love it because it's saying, like, no, no, no, our heart, our lives, what we mean by our heart is our actions. 00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:08.719 What flows out of us is dictated by our heart. 00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:11.599 That's what the scripture means when it talks about the heart. 00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:13.519 That is with Christ. 00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:15.199 Christ owns that. 00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:19.119 He is our heavenly master. 00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.639 He is our all-in-all. 00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:23.760 He has run away to heaven with our heart. 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:28.639 Therefore, let us serve, let us be diligent in our work. 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:40.639 Regardless of if you're slave or free, as he goes on in verse 8, we are to seek to do good and trust the Lord in it, because he is the one who is actually in control. 00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:44.559 Our ultimate wage comes from him. 00:36:45.360 --> 00:36:49.039 Now, our earthly wage, yes, comes from the work that we do. 00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:54.480 We live in a society where the work that you do, hopefully, you get paid for it. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:37:06.239 But our ultimate wage, our ultimate reward, as Paul points out in verse 8, says, knowing whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. 00:37:06.559 --> 00:37:09.760 Our ultimate reward is Christ Himself. 00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:16.159 That when He returns to call us to Himself, He is our reward. 00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:23.280 For this culture, for these slaves in this time, that is hope. 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:28.559 That is encouragement to press on in it. 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:32.880