WEBVTT 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:08.740 Thank you, Kathy. Next Saturday is an important 00:00:08.740 --> 00:00:11.439 day for us to come here to the church and work 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:13.919 together for three hours. If you can do that, 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:16.879 would you please be here right at 9 o 'clock 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:19.120 and devote as much of that three -hour period 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:20.920 as you can to helping us with some of the fall 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:23.100 cleanup work that needs to be done. Jerry Pipes 00:00:23.100 --> 00:00:26.019 will be in charge of it. And whatever you can 00:00:26.019 --> 00:00:27.760 devote, whether it be an hour or two or even 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:31.239 three, would be greatly appreciated. Tonight's 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:34.039 service... We'll continue the theme, The End 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:37.679 of the Age. We're going to start a series, a 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:40.039 mini -series within the larger series tonight 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:42.700 on the coming kingdom and focusing primarily 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.060 on the return of the king, the return of Jesus 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:50.259 Christ. So we hope you'll be back tonight. A 00:00:50.259 --> 00:00:52.500 person's perspective on what he's doing makes 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:54.219 all the difference in the world, doesn't it? 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.960 His task becomes a delight or a drudgery depending 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:03.469 upon how he looks at it. There was a man who 00:01:03.469 --> 00:01:07.010 saw several masons working side by side on a 00:01:07.010 --> 00:01:11.829 wall. Struck with curiosity, he went over to 00:01:11.829 --> 00:01:13.950 them and spoke to the first one and said, Sir, 00:01:14.030 --> 00:01:17.489 what are you making? The man replied, A wall, 00:01:17.730 --> 00:01:21.870 can't you see? And so being a bit rebuffed, he 00:01:21.870 --> 00:01:24.969 went a few steps to the second man and said, 00:01:25.109 --> 00:01:28.719 Sir, what are you making? The man looked at him 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:31.280 and said, about $10 an hour, but I'm worth a 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:35.700 whole lot more than that. So again, he walked 00:01:35.700 --> 00:01:37.579 a few more steps and went to the third person 00:01:37.579 --> 00:01:40.700 and said, sir, what are you making? And the man 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:43.859 said, I'm a partner with the architect. We're 00:01:43.859 --> 00:01:46.579 building a great cathedral where people are going 00:01:46.579 --> 00:01:50.700 to praise God. The illustration is this, that 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:53.099 a person's perspective makes all the difference 00:01:53.099 --> 00:01:57.709 in the world in what he's doing. Our text today 00:01:57.709 --> 00:02:01.450 deals with the perspective of a Christian toward 00:02:01.450 --> 00:02:04.930 his business, toward his vocation. Whether we 00:02:04.930 --> 00:02:08.969 be employers or employees, all of us can benefit 00:02:08.969 --> 00:02:12.030 from the text today in Ephesians chapter 6, beginning 00:02:12.030 --> 00:02:17.090 in verse 5. Slaves, be obedient to those who 00:02:17.090 --> 00:02:20.189 are your masters according to the flesh, with 00:02:20.189 --> 00:02:23.210 fear and trembling in the sincerity of your heart 00:02:23.210 --> 00:02:27.259 as to Christ. not by way of eye service as men 00:02:27.259 --> 00:02:31.139 pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:34.960 will of God from the heart. With good will, render 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:38.319 service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:41.939 that whatever good thing each one does, this 00:02:41.939 --> 00:02:44.840 he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:49.039 or free. And masters, do the same things to them, 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:53.099 and give up threatening. knowing that both their 00:02:53.099 --> 00:02:57.120 master and yours is in heaven, and there is no 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:02.020 partiality with him. Paul addresses here slaves 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:05.599 and masters, for that was the basic economic 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:09.780 relationship in the Roman world. Slavery was 00:03:09.780 --> 00:03:14.539 widespread in that day, and slaves were the property 00:03:14.539 --> 00:03:18.900 of the masters. Slaves had no personal rights. 00:03:19.580 --> 00:03:22.599 Neither had they protection under Roman law. 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:27.080 Obviously, there was a good deal of ill will 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:30.199 toward the masters and the part of the slaves, 00:03:30.219 --> 00:03:33.319 and even quite some dishonesty on their part. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.219 On the other hand, the masters were known for 00:03:37.219 --> 00:03:40.979 their lack of respect, cruelty, and brutality 00:03:40.979 --> 00:03:45.879 toward their slaves. In the light of that, it 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:48.500 is interesting that the word of God did not command 00:03:49.259 --> 00:03:52.139 the dismantling of the institution of slavery. 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:59.819 It rather recognized it without approval or condemnation 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:06.240 as a result of mankind's sinful condition. In 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.639 the Old Testament, God regulated slavery among 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:15.039 his people to forbid cruelty and to provide for 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:19.990 emancipation. The New Testament did not directly 00:04:19.990 --> 00:04:24.850 attack slavery either. The result of that would 00:04:24.850 --> 00:04:27.149 have been catastrophic for the world in that 00:04:27.149 --> 00:04:30.750 day, and it would have been catastrophic for 00:04:30.750 --> 00:04:33.449 many of the slaves who depended upon their masters 00:04:33.449 --> 00:04:38.069 for their well -being. Furthermore, to have attacked 00:04:38.069 --> 00:04:40.449 slavery would have supplied ammunition to the 00:04:40.449 --> 00:04:43.029 enemies of the Christian message who claimed 00:04:43.029 --> 00:04:47.939 that Christianity was anti -Roman. Rather, the 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:51.019 New Testament established principles leading 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:56.079 to peaceable change. The New Testament teaches 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:01.079 personal transformation, which leads to societal 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:08.459 transformation. Social issues today, although 00:05:08.459 --> 00:05:12.379 slavery is not one of them, are not to be the 00:05:12.379 --> 00:05:17.860 primary focus of our Christian endeavors. They 00:05:17.860 --> 00:05:21.819 could become so. We are pressured on many sides 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:27.660 today to be involved in good but temporal social 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:33.500 issues. I devote a few hours every month to one 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:35.839 organization that I think is doing a fine job 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.199 in this area, in our state, and that's the Berean 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:40.819 League. I'm a member of the Berean League. Our 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:44.519 church as a body belongs to the Berean League. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:46.800 And I think every Christian ought to be a part 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.680 of the Berean League because of the good that 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.759 it's doing in this area. I devote a few hours 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.560 and a few dollars every year to the Berean League. 00:05:55.160 --> 00:05:57.959 But I don't believe that that kind of thing should 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:02.060 become the primary focus of my time or of yours. 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:06.699 We have more important issues to deal with than 00:06:06.699 --> 00:06:11.819 societal issues. I was thinking about this this 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:15.100 morning and realized that we probably give two 00:06:15.100 --> 00:06:17.540 or three percent of the money that we set aside 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:28.459 to give every month to works like this. Primarily, 00:06:28.459 --> 00:06:30.879 we give to our local church and our family because 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:33.199 I believe that that is a principle of God's Word. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.839 I would guess that 97, 98 percent of all the 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:40.759 money we give goes into the local church. Like 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:43.920 most of you, I receive a lot of letters asking 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:48.120 for money to this cause and to that cause. And 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:52.259 some of them promise me a nice plaque to put 00:06:52.259 --> 00:06:55.800 on the wall. And others say, if you give a dollar, 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:57.959 it'll be ten Bibles to this place. And there 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:00.480 seems to be more of a tangible response to that 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:04.699 kind of giving. And sometimes it doesn't seem 00:07:04.699 --> 00:07:07.660 as... quite as fulfilling to give toward the 00:07:07.660 --> 00:07:09.620 ministry of the church, for the light bill has 00:07:09.620 --> 00:07:13.480 to be paid, and staff people have to be paid, 00:07:13.579 --> 00:07:17.180 and the ongoing expenses of the church. And yet 00:07:17.180 --> 00:07:19.579 I recognized, and I'm glad I recognized early 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:23.120 in my Christian experience, that it is to the 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.220 local church that primarily I am to give in my 00:07:26.220 --> 00:07:29.899 giving. We can give beyond that, and I think 00:07:29.899 --> 00:07:32.860 we should give beyond that, but in the proper 00:07:32.860 --> 00:07:36.230 kind of light. I don't think that we should give 00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:38.430 all of our money to political parties and other 00:07:38.430 --> 00:07:41.250 good institutions that we may believe in, but 00:07:41.250 --> 00:07:44.829 which are a part of lesser things. Thinking about 00:07:44.829 --> 00:07:48.829 social justice is an appropriate end, but it's 00:07:48.829 --> 00:07:51.850 not the primary focus of what we're all about. 00:07:53.129 --> 00:07:56.970 Rather, we should leave those issues to the God 00:07:56.970 --> 00:07:59.930 who is in heaven and who is in control, and to 00:07:59.930 --> 00:08:03.240 whom all must give final account. We have to 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.500 keep in mind, folks, that God's kingdom is not 00:08:05.500 --> 00:08:07.660 going to come through our legislative efforts 00:08:07.660 --> 00:08:11.920 or by our social action agendas. God's kingdom 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:16.899 is not coming that way. Our primary focus and 00:08:16.899 --> 00:08:21.360 duty for the stewardship of our time, our talent, 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:25.139 and our money is to be towards spiritual ministry, 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:28.420 the preaching of the gospel, the building up 00:08:28.420 --> 00:08:32.480 of the Lord's church. and keeping ourselves unspotted 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.360 from the world, living holy and God -fearing 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:39.480 lives. But nonetheless, we do have a responsibility 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:44.100 in society. Our primary focus is to be on the 00:08:44.100 --> 00:08:45.899 things of eternity, the things that are going 00:08:45.899 --> 00:08:48.539 to count a hundred years from now when we're 00:08:48.539 --> 00:08:52.620 in the presence of the Lord. But we do have a 00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:55.539 responsibility in society, and as we carry out 00:08:55.539 --> 00:08:58.289 the principles of God's Word, we're going to 00:08:58.289 --> 00:09:02.889 carry out God's impact in society. And so I repeat 00:09:02.889 --> 00:09:05.110 that God in his word did not directly attack 00:09:05.110 --> 00:09:08.970 the social abomination of that day, slavery. 00:09:10.429 --> 00:09:14.429 But the word of God laid down principles which, 00:09:14.490 --> 00:09:16.769 when followed, brought about the abolition of 00:09:16.769 --> 00:09:21.789 it. Now here in our word today, we come to some 00:09:21.789 --> 00:09:25.200 very practical principles. These are written 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:29.059 to slaves and to masters, but they as well apply 00:09:29.059 --> 00:09:34.379 to employees and employers, workers and supervisors. 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.480 To all of us who are involved in the working 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.720 world, and that's nearly all of us, the Word 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:45.019 of God speaks with simplicity and practicality 00:09:45.019 --> 00:09:50.639 when it says, Slaves, be obedient. And masters, 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:55.789 it says, Be considerate. That's my word, but 00:09:55.789 --> 00:09:57.830 I think that fairly summarizes what he says. 00:09:58.809 --> 00:10:02.730 Slaves, be obedient. Or, to put it in our own 00:10:02.730 --> 00:10:06.230 vocabulary today, workers, do your assignment. 00:10:08.889 --> 00:10:11.750 In our text, there are two masters that are in 00:10:11.750 --> 00:10:15.049 view. There is what is called the master according 00:10:15.049 --> 00:10:20.090 to the flesh in verse 5. This, of course, is 00:10:20.090 --> 00:10:24.379 the human authority. in our workplace. It is 00:10:24.379 --> 00:10:28.539 that supervisor, employer, or foreman to whom 00:10:28.539 --> 00:10:32.919 we must give account in our working. But there 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:36.059 is a second master overseeing this that is in 00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:38.940 view as well. In verse 9 he is called the master 00:10:38.940 --> 00:10:42.860 in heaven, and in verse 6 we are called the slaves 00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:46.980 of Christ, so there's no lack of certainty as 00:10:46.980 --> 00:10:49.320 to whom the second master is. It is the Lord 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:53.200 Jesus Christ. And what we are told here is that 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.600 we are to serve both masters at the same time, 00:10:56.700 --> 00:11:02.000 recognizing the superiority of claim upon our 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:06.799 lives of our heavenly master. But we do have 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:11.159 a responsibility to our earthly master as well. 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:16.460 Our responsibility as those who are hired to 00:11:16.460 --> 00:11:19.980 perform a service is, simply put, obedience. 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.100 That is the same word that is used in verse 1 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:28.000 where children are commanded to obey their parents. 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:35.539 It means to listen to and to submit to. It means 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:39.279 to do what is expected of you. It means to fulfill 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.960 what your job description says. Now there are 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:47.200 several additional ideas that elaborate upon 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.990 this basic idea of obedience. Notice that he 00:11:50.990 --> 00:11:54.629 says we are to obey with fear and trembling. 00:11:55.809 --> 00:11:59.710 The thought here is that we are to do our work 00:11:59.710 --> 00:12:05.409 with concern and care to do our very best so 00:12:05.409 --> 00:12:08.110 that we might glorify God in what we're doing, 00:12:08.230 --> 00:12:11.429 that nothing we would do would detract from our 00:12:11.429 --> 00:12:15.649 testimony. The Apostle Paul went to Corinth, 00:12:15.769 --> 00:12:19.789 1 Corinthians 2, 3 tells us, with fear and trembling. 00:12:20.090 --> 00:12:23.070 What was his concern? Was he afraid of the people? 00:12:23.230 --> 00:12:27.429 Was he intimidated by them? No. His concern was 00:12:27.429 --> 00:12:30.330 that he might serve the Lord acceptably among 00:12:30.330 --> 00:12:34.049 them. Likewise, we are told in Philippians 2, 00:12:34.129 --> 00:12:36.750 12 that we are to work out our salvation with 00:12:36.750 --> 00:12:40.159 fear and trembling. What does that mean? What 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:42.539 it means with a recognition of our own human 00:12:42.539 --> 00:12:47.399 inadequacies, our own trust in God to make us 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:51.500 sufficient. And so the point is that as we serve 00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:56.000 our supervisors, our foremen, our employers, 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:00.059 we are to do that with care to do our best, recognizing 00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:03.259 our own inadequacy and depending upon God to 00:13:03.259 --> 00:13:06.179 make us sufficient for that job with fear and 00:13:06.179 --> 00:13:09.690 trembling. Then he tells us that we are to obey 00:13:09.690 --> 00:13:15.669 in the sincerity of our hearts. The word sincerity 00:13:15.669 --> 00:13:19.210 here means singleness. The root idea is simplicity, 00:13:19.370 --> 00:13:22.490 and his point is that in our work we are not 00:13:22.490 --> 00:13:27.289 to have a divided loyalty or motivation. We are 00:13:27.289 --> 00:13:31.889 not to become diffused, but rather focused on 00:13:31.889 --> 00:13:35.269 the duty that is at hand. In other words, we 00:13:35.269 --> 00:13:39.529 are to give the full attention. and energy that 00:13:39.529 --> 00:13:43.549 God has given to us to the assigned task at work. 00:13:44.190 --> 00:13:46.870 We're not to allow ourselves to become so spread 00:13:46.870 --> 00:13:49.710 out in interest that we don't get our job done, 00:13:49.789 --> 00:13:52.950 but with singleness, simplicity, or sincerity 00:13:52.950 --> 00:13:56.169 of heart, we are to serve those who have hired 00:13:56.169 --> 00:13:59.629 us to do a job. And then he says that we are 00:13:59.629 --> 00:14:05.610 to obey as to Christ. Our earthly employment, 00:14:05.730 --> 00:14:10.600 folks, is our duty. He is our heavenly master 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:15.299 who oversees all. But as we serve our earthly 00:14:15.299 --> 00:14:19.419 master, we are as well serving our heavenly master. 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:26.019 Whatever our avocation may be, our ambition is 00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:31.000 to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. William Carey 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:34.419 was one of the great missionary statesmen of 00:14:34.419 --> 00:14:37.259 his day, a pioneer who opened up the continent 00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:41.159 of Asia. He applied for foreign missions work 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:45.179 with his denomination in Britain. And someone 00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:48.019 there, knowing that he was not an ordained, quote, 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:51.840 minister, said to him, and what is your business? 00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:56.960 It was to be a put -down to him because, in fact, 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:01.480 he was not a minister. Carey wisely replied to 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:06.899 him, my business is serving the Lord. and I make 00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:12.720 shoes to pay expenses. What a great answer. I 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:16.100 want to ask you what your business is, and then 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:19.779 what do you do to make money to live on? As we 00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:24.220 do, whatever we do, we are to do it as to Christ. 00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:31.210 He and His kingdom, that's our business. And 00:15:31.210 --> 00:15:34.450 then we are to obey not by way of eye service, 00:15:34.549 --> 00:15:40.450 in verse 6, as men pleasers, but as slaves of 00:15:40.450 --> 00:15:46.529 Christ. Not by way of eye service, or eye slavery, 00:15:46.570 --> 00:15:51.029 actually, he says. The point is that we are not 00:15:51.029 --> 00:15:55.129 to simply go through motions to be noticed by 00:15:55.129 --> 00:15:59.049 our employer, but fail to accomplish very much. 00:16:00.269 --> 00:16:03.690 Nor are we to work hard when the boss is around 00:16:03.690 --> 00:16:08.590 and then be lazy when he's gone. For a couple 00:16:08.590 --> 00:16:11.389 of years, between my years in college, I worked 00:16:11.389 --> 00:16:14.610 at a Beatrice Foods plant at the peak of Kansas. 00:16:15.610 --> 00:16:18.590 I had part in making cottage cheese and sour 00:16:18.590 --> 00:16:22.090 cream and packaging it, as well as stacking ice 00:16:22.090 --> 00:16:25.490 cream and various other sundry items that the 00:16:25.490 --> 00:16:29.830 lowest person on the totem pole got to do. But 00:16:29.830 --> 00:16:31.809 I remember some of the employees there who were 00:16:31.809 --> 00:16:35.049 rather comical to watch because when the supervisor 00:16:35.049 --> 00:16:38.909 wasn't around, they took it real easy, sometimes 00:16:38.909 --> 00:16:41.649 even looking for a place to lie down and snooze 00:16:41.649 --> 00:16:43.450 for a while because they'd been out late the 00:16:43.450 --> 00:16:46.929 night before. But I tell you, when the boss was 00:16:46.929 --> 00:16:49.250 coming around and somehow there was this message 00:16:49.250 --> 00:16:52.070 that got through the plant as the boss was making 00:16:52.070 --> 00:16:55.070 his rounds, he's on the way, people got busy, 00:16:55.289 --> 00:16:59.860 real busy, to impress the boss. That's the point 00:16:59.860 --> 00:17:02.100 here. We're not to get busy just when the boss 00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:07.059 is around with an eye to pleasing men. We're 00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:10.319 not to be eye slaves. We are to be slaves, genuine 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.799 slaves of Jesus Christ. And then we are to see 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:19.059 the job, he tells us, as the will of God to be 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:21.900 done from the heart. Do you see that in verse 00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:25.819 6? Do you look upon your job as the will of God 00:17:25.819 --> 00:17:30.009 for you right now? God wants you to see it that 00:17:30.009 --> 00:17:33.329 way. It doesn't mean that you're going to be 00:17:33.329 --> 00:17:35.950 completely fulfilled necessarily in what you're 00:17:35.950 --> 00:17:39.269 doing. Sometimes God's will takes us through 00:17:39.269 --> 00:17:43.109 stress and trial and difficulty. But wherever 00:17:43.109 --> 00:17:45.869 you are at this point, if you're serving the 00:17:45.869 --> 00:17:48.910 Lord Jesus Christ, would you see that job as 00:17:48.910 --> 00:17:53.390 God's will for your life, at least for now? And 00:17:53.390 --> 00:17:56.549 would you do it as the will of God from the heart? 00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:01.279 So often we make a division, don't we, between 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.720 the secular part of our life and the sacred part 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:07.579 of our life. Monday through Friday, well, that's 00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:10.019 secular. That's over here. That's in one category. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:13.779 And then Saturday, of course, is in another category. 00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:16.500 That's ours. And then Sunday, well, we give some 00:18:16.500 --> 00:18:18.720 of that at least to the Lord. That's the sacred 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:22.500 part of our life. That's not so. God says that 00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:26.339 every day is sacred, and everything we do is 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:30.069 to be counted as sacred. And he says that as 00:18:30.069 --> 00:18:32.910 we see life this way, we are to do what we do 00:18:32.910 --> 00:18:35.789 from the heart, that is, with enthusiasm and 00:18:35.789 --> 00:18:39.549 with wholeheartedness. There is a parallel passage 00:18:39.549 --> 00:18:44.849 in Colossians 3, in verse 23. And there he puts 00:18:44.849 --> 00:18:50.930 it this way, Whatever you do, do your work heartily, 00:18:50.930 --> 00:18:56.900 as to the Lord, rather than for men. Do your 00:18:56.900 --> 00:19:00.039 work heartily, whatever your hand finds to do. 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:04.220 Do that with all of your strength and all of 00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:08.220 your energy as to the Lord, seeing it as the 00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:12.460 will of God. And then he says that we are to 00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:17.359 obey with goodwill. That is, with readiness to 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:20.779 do what we're asked to do, without coercion, 00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:26.680 without complaint. And finally, he says, we are 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:31.299 to render service as to the Lord and not to men. 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:38.720 You know, when you and I see our work as work 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.880 that is done primarily for the Lord, we will 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:46.460 no longer be working primarily for men. They 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:48.500 may have the privilege of giving us our paycheck, 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:52.319 but we're working for one who is greater than 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:56.039 they. or the net company. We're working for the 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.160 Lord. If only some of us could grab a hold of 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:02.039 that truth, it would change the way we look at 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:05.660 the boss. Because some of you work in very difficult 00:20:05.660 --> 00:20:09.579 circumstances. There's a lot of pressure. And 00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:12.720 in some cases, even opposition to your Christian 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:17.420 witness and testimony. You hate to go to work 00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:20.460 on Monday morning because you know when you get 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:23.019 there, you're going to be in the vice. and the 00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:26.539 pressure is going to squeeze you. And that's 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:30.140 not fun. It's not fun for anyone. But would you 00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:33.579 ask God to help you today to see that job as 00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:36.740 something that you're doing for the Lord and 00:20:36.740 --> 00:20:41.980 not for men? He is your heavenly master, and 00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:46.480 your work is out of love, the love of a slave 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:51.529 for Jesus Christ. And because his will has assigned 00:20:51.529 --> 00:20:54.589 you that particular spot, what you're doing, 00:20:54.609 --> 00:20:57.130 that service that you're rendering, you're rendering 00:20:57.130 --> 00:21:00.769 to the Lord and not to men. If you can just look 00:21:00.769 --> 00:21:05.549 beyond that supervisor who rides you and see 00:21:05.549 --> 00:21:10.869 Jesus Christ overseeing that supervisor, that 00:21:10.869 --> 00:21:13.509 will help you in your service in that place. 00:21:14.430 --> 00:21:18.079 Then he speaks to masters as well. That is, to 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:21.720 those who are managers, who are executives, who 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:25.599 are employers. He says, be considerate. Here 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:27.779 are the biblical principles that are laid down 00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:31.279 for us. In the first place, he says, do the same 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:34.359 things to them. That is, to those who are in 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:39.880 your hire. Treat them with respect, is the principle. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:45.160 Treat them with understanding. Practice the golden 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:50.109 rule. with those who work for you. Promote the 00:21:50.109 --> 00:21:53.690 welfare of your workers, just like you expect 00:21:53.690 --> 00:21:57.970 them to promote your welfare. It seems to me 00:21:57.970 --> 00:22:00.269 that Boaz must have been a man who practiced 00:22:00.269 --> 00:22:03.630 this with his workmen. For when he got to the 00:22:03.630 --> 00:22:07.210 field, it says in Ruth chapter 2 and verse 4, 00:22:07.390 --> 00:22:09.950 that he said to them, May the Lord be with you. 00:22:11.089 --> 00:22:14.589 And then they, his reapers, replied to him, May 00:22:14.589 --> 00:22:17.970 the Lord bless you. When was the last time that 00:22:17.970 --> 00:22:21.049 happened in your office? When your boss came 00:22:21.049 --> 00:22:23.730 in and blessed you in the name of the Lord, and 00:22:23.730 --> 00:22:25.509 you turned around and said, and the Lord be with 00:22:25.509 --> 00:22:29.109 you too. I tell you what, that would change a 00:22:29.109 --> 00:22:33.269 lot of offices, wouldn't it? You see, here's 00:22:33.269 --> 00:22:35.809 a man, Boaz, who treated his workers with respect. 00:22:37.109 --> 00:22:39.549 Every one of us who has people working under 00:22:39.549 --> 00:22:42.940 us and for us. You need to treat them with understanding. 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:49.980 Secondly, don't abuse them. Threats, intimidation, 00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:54.339 coercion, they may get the job done, but they 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:58.279 will destroy your relationship and your Christian 00:22:58.279 --> 00:23:03.599 testimony. Rather, use a positive approach to 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:07.200 motivate those who work with you. Treat them 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:10.220 with what Paul says in Colossians is fairness. 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:16.539 and justice. Don't abuse them. And then the third 00:23:16.539 --> 00:23:20.160 principle, remember that all of us will give 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:24.880 an account to our heavenly master. All of us 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:27.619 will. Whether we are an employer or employee, 00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:32.759 whether we're a supervisor or supervisee, whether 00:23:32.759 --> 00:23:36.740 we are an executive or a worker, all of us will 00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:39.470 one day give account to the Lord. And not just 00:23:39.470 --> 00:23:43.369 for what we do on Sunday morning, but for the 00:23:43.369 --> 00:23:47.650 way that we work through the week. The way that 00:23:47.650 --> 00:23:50.410 we treat people through the week. That's the 00:23:50.410 --> 00:23:54.430 point. And there's one basic principle that our 00:23:54.430 --> 00:23:57.109 Lord will use in his examination of all of us. 00:23:57.630 --> 00:24:04.130 No partiality. God is no respecter of persons. 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:09.460 He will treat all of us the same way. We will 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:13.079 all have the same opportunity when we are judged 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:17.880 by the Lord. And that principle, by the way, 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:21.119 of no partiality is one that all of us should 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:25.720 practice in our treatment of other people. There 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:29.279 is nothing that so commends Jesus Christ to a 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:34.720 lost world as that believer, whatever his position. 00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:38.480 As that believer who's chosen, redeemed, and 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:41.420 sealed by the Holy Spirit, that believer who 00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:43.960 has been added to the body of Jesus Christ, there 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:47.559 is nothing that so commends Jesus Christ to a 00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:51.119 lost world as that believer who lives out his 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:57.359 faith in the business world. That's business, 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:02.200 but not as usual. That's business done God's 00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:08.019 way. My friend, it is truth that transforms the 00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:12.640 lifestyle and manifests Jesus Christ. This is 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:17.019 God's truth for us today. Will you allow God's 00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:21.539 truth to transform your life? Will you declare 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:24.000 this morning that you will allow your life to 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:26.579 be conformed to the principles of God's word 00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:30.940 so that your life being transformed by the word 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:36.170 will be a testimony to Jesus Christ? And to you, 00:25:36.190 --> 00:25:38.589 my dear friend, who is without Jesus Christ, 00:25:38.890 --> 00:25:42.990 who is lost, do you see today your desperate 00:25:42.990 --> 00:25:47.930 need for the Savior? Will you call upon him today? 00:25:49.250 --> 00:25:53.670 We sang earlier, Pass me not, O gentle Savior. 00:25:54.250 --> 00:25:57.890 Hear my humble cry. While on others thou art 00:25:57.890 --> 00:26:03.000 calling, do not pass me by. I want you to know 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:07.079 that Jesus Christ will pass by no one who calls 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:11.079 out to him. Jesus was surrounded by a multitude 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:13.599 of people as he passed through Jericho that day. 00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:18.480 And over on the side of the road was Bartimaeus 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:21.099 along with a friend or two of his who were blind. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:24.900 And the Bible says that as Jesus was passing 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:28.259 by, Bartimaeus, understanding who it was and 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:32.180 having heard of the power of Jesus, to deliver, 00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:36.420 cried out and said, Jesus, Jesus, Son of David, 00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:40.599 have mercy on me. And those who were standing 00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:43.400 by tried to quiet him down. He was such a noisy 00:26:43.400 --> 00:26:47.660 fellow. But he continued to cry out, Jesus, have 00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:52.779 mercy on me. And our Lord responded to Bartimaeus, 00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:56.839 and he said, Your faith has made you well. And 00:26:56.839 --> 00:27:00.109 Bartimaeus, that day, my friend, was healed of 00:27:00.109 --> 00:27:02.950 his physical blindness, but he was delivered 00:27:02.950 --> 00:27:06.589 as well from his spiritual blindness and sin. 00:27:07.509 --> 00:27:09.990 And whoever you are today, if you will call upon 00:27:09.990 --> 00:27:14.089 the Lord Jesus Christ, he will save you. He will 00:27:14.089 --> 00:27:18.369 not pass you by. And then you can join the rest 00:27:18.369 --> 00:27:21.750 of us who in our lives desire to serve the Lord. 00:27:22.609 --> 00:27:25.009 Who are you serving today, my Christian friend? 00:27:25.509 --> 00:27:29.710 For whom are you laboring? Does it seem that 00:27:29.710 --> 00:27:34.309 you're pouring out yourself with very little 00:27:34.309 --> 00:27:36.670 in return? You're not even paid what you're worth 00:27:36.670 --> 00:27:40.390 like that fellow working on the wall? Are you 00:27:40.390 --> 00:27:42.450 pouring out yourself with little appreciation 00:27:42.450 --> 00:27:46.049 that seems to come to you? Well, remember this. 00:27:46.569 --> 00:27:49.549 As you serve the Lord, as he's commanded us to 00:27:49.549 --> 00:27:52.630 in his word, one day when you stand before him, 00:27:52.750 --> 00:27:57.920 our master in heaven, and he rewards. He will 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:02.279 pay back to you what you deserve. He will put 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:05.599 on deposit for you there that which you have 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:11.380 given for him here. The story is a familiar one, 00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:14.099 but it's so worth telling, about the old missionary 00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:16.799 who was returning home after many years of service 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:20.359 for the Lord in Africa. On the same ship that 00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:23.000 he was traveling on was President Theodore Roosevelt, 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:26.380 who had... been on a wild game hunt in Africa 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:30.279 and was returning home. When the ship docked 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:32.599 in New York, there were great crowds who were 00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:35.480 there. The press was there. Bands were there 00:28:35.480 --> 00:28:39.940 to play their music, all to welcome the President 00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:44.220 of the United States. The old missionary and 00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:50.380 his wife walked off of the ship unnoticed and 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:54.359 made their way to a cheap hotel. to spend the 00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:59.859 night before traveling further west. The missionary 00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:02.720 said to his wife that evening, Honey, you know, 00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:07.519 it just doesn't seem right. We've given our lives 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:11.980 in Africa to win people to Christ, and when we 00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:15.220 arrive home, there's nobody to meet us, and no 00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:19.660 reward. The president shoots some animals, and 00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:22.359 he gets a royal welcome. It just doesn't seem 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:28.849 right. And thoughtfully, his wife responded to 00:29:28.849 --> 00:29:33.009 him, the voice of the Lord speaking through her. 00:29:35.109 --> 00:29:39.049 She said, Honey, do you know why we haven't received 00:29:39.049 --> 00:29:43.930 our reward yet? It's because we're not yet home. 00:29:46.490 --> 00:29:57.000 Let's pray. My friend, this isn't home, our final 00:29:57.000 --> 00:30:05.319 home. We're heading there by God's grace. But 00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:08.579 this is our place of service, where we are assigned 00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:14.900 by the Lord in his will to represent him. Will 00:30:14.900 --> 00:30:19.180 you, in response to his word this morning, quietly 00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:22.559 within your own heart, give yourself afresh? 00:30:23.049 --> 00:30:30.089 to the Lord? Whatever that area of struggle and 00:30:30.089 --> 00:30:32.309 doubt has been, will you tell the Lord that you 00:30:32.309 --> 00:30:36.750 give him that? Maybe there's been some resentment, 00:30:36.910 --> 00:30:43.069 discouragement. Will you tell your heavenly master 00:30:43.069 --> 00:30:46.490 today that you're content to wait until you get 00:30:46.490 --> 00:30:55.920 home before you get your reward? Father, I pray 00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:58.359 that whatever our spiritual need may be today, 00:30:58.599 --> 00:31:01.839 that the Holy Spirit will work in us, that that 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:05.119 need may be met by our yieldedness to the word, 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:10.880 and may the truth transform us. I pray in Jesus' 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:12.839 name. Amen.