Word of Salvation – Vol. 45 No.9 – March 2000

 

Working for the Lord

 

Sermon by Rev P Smit

on Colossians 3:22 - 4:2

Scripture Readings: Genesis 39

Suggested Hymns: BOW 8a; 452; 430; Rej 299; 474; 478

 

Beloved in the Lord.

The last time we looked at Colossians, we tackled the passage on family relationships.  We saw that when we follow Jesus Christ, he gives us guidelines to make our family relationships beautiful.  God gives us healthy guidelines for love, for respect, for godly submission.

Today we are looking at another aspect to this when it comes to Work.  Before we jump into this passage let's pause to remember something vital.

Submission doesn't come easy.  But we have a perfect example of submission.  We find it in Jesus Christ.  He submitted to his heavenly Father, His Lord.  Through Jesus' submission, our lives have found God's grace, forgiveness, and healing.

When you understand that, you, too, can learn healthy submission to the Lord, to those whom he places over us in positions of authority and leadership and care.  Knowing Jesus as your Lord and Master will affect your attitudes at work, school, and study.  Let's see how.

Before we unpack the principles in this passage we need to jump out of our culture and understand life 2000 years ago.  We need to jump into first century culture.

In Paul's day, people owned other people.  It was called slavery.  Slaves could be bought and sold.  They were domestic servants.

Let's get it clear from the start that nowhere does the Bible say that slavery is a divine ordinance like marriage, the family, or the day of rest.  The fact that one man can own another person, was not something that pleased God.

But the Roman world was full of slaves.  It has been estimated that in Rome itself at one time about a third of its people were slaves.  People became slaves because they were prisoners of war, or because they were convicts, or if they owed a big debt, or because someone kidnapped them, or simply by being born from slave parents.

Through Paul, God was calling slaves and masters to a new way of living.  For the Bible said that both slave and master must submit themselves to the Lord.  When that happens, relationships change, and authoritarianism and laziness can be transformed into fairness, equality and hard work.

While the apostle Paul was speaking into that culture, we can take the principles that he was applying and use them directly in our situation.  The culture has changed, but God's principles remain timeless.

So let's look at God's call to us:

1.  Slaves listen to your masters.  Or, Workers listen to those above you.

The Greek word for listen is hupakoete.  It means 'listen to', 'attend to'; it means more than hearing with your ears.  It means 'to obey'.  That means when they ask you to do something, you get at it.  The word is used of a doorkeeper, whose duty it is to listen for signals of those who wish to enter.  When they ask, he lets them in.

God gives us this instruction so that our work places will be productive, so that our employers and teachers will know the work is getting done.  So that there will be team work.

To you, children, God says, listen to your teachers.  When they ask you to do something, then be quick to do it.  You students, God says to you, listen to your lecturers.  When you are instructed to study certain things, do it.  Get at it.  Listen to them.  You employees, God says to you, when your supervisor or employer asks you to do something, don't get lazy, don't slack off, be productive, get at the work.  Don't ignore those who are over you.

The Bible says, slaves obey your earthly masters in everything.  Is that an absolute command?  Sounds like it, doesn't it?  But remember the example of Joseph.  He was a slave in Potiphar's house, but when he was called to do something for Potiphar's wife that was wrong, he refused.  Sometimes even in our work places we will need to stand up for what the Lord calls us to.  We cannot obey instructions that call us to compromise the Lord's Word and his will.  Just like Joseph found out, sometimes that costs, dearly.  But nonetheless, God calls us to have an attitude that listens and gets at the task at hand.

The Bible says, don't work hard in order to attract attention to yourself.  See verse 22, don't do it only when the boss has his eye on you.  Don't do it to just get attention and get in their good books.  This is not a show, where you switch on when your teacher or boss walks in the door.  No, do this because you are sincerely devoted to the Lord.  As it says in verse 22b, "...with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”

You see, when you know just how much Jesus has given you, how much God has worked for you, giving you the gift of eternal life, then it will transform your whole life, your motives, your goals, your attitudes.  God says: work with all your heart, because you are sincerely devoted to the Lord.

That leads us to the next call to action:

2.  Work with all your heart, as if you are working for God, not men (vs.23).

Have you ever known anyone who had a passion for something?  They put their heart, soul, mind and everything into whatever it is they are seeking to achieve.  God says, “don't do your work half-heartedly.  Don't give it second best.  When you work, do it with all your heart.  Even if it is mundane, even if it is ordinary."

Again, remember the example of Joseph.  He worked hard.  Why?  Because he loved the Lord.  He worked hard even though he was on the bottom rung.  God rewarded his faithful service even though it took years.  Joseph worked for God as a servant and was promoted by God.  He eventually became second in charge under Pharaoh himself.

Remember his example.  Whether your work is routine, or ordinary, sometimes mundane, or whether it is exciting, challenging, give it your all.  Put your heart into it.  Change your attitude if it’s wrong, remember that you're doing this for God.  You've got a heavenly Master who is wanting you to do your very best for Him.

You may not shout out that you're a Christian, but people ought to be able to see it in your attitude to your work.  This person is dedicated because he is working for God in his occupation.  So whether you are at school or work, work for God.

The Bible says, if you do that, you will receive your inheritance or reward from the Lord Jesus.

Although we are saved by God's grace, and there's nothing we can do to earn it, the Bible does say that Jesus will reward our faithful service.  Your employer may not reward you; you may not get a reward at school.  But remember the Lord Jesus is seeing your faithful work, and one day, he is going to give you a reward that will be better than anything else you could have dreamed for.  He's going to give you an inheritance: eternal life, and joy everlasting.  Let that be an encouragement to keep at it.  Keep on working for him.

But where there's an encouragement, there's also a warning, in verse 25: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favouritism."

Those who do wickedly, those who do wrong, will also reap the consequences.  God doesn't show favouritism.  If people are lazy, or deceitful, or wanting to rip off their employers, it's going to catch up with them.  They will reap what they have sown.  Not just in this life but in the one to come.

We've seen how employees should work: With all their heart as though serving the Lord.  But at work it's a two way street.  Employers can be corrupt, too.  Employers can treat their staff unfairly.  People in authority over others can abuse them, overwork them and treat them roughly.

This was especially true of masters in the first century who saw slaves as objects rather than people.  But it's also true today.  God has a word for employers and others in authority, too.

3.  Masters, give your workers what is right and fair.
            Or, employers, give your workers what is right and fair.

Whether you've got ten dollars in the bank, or a hundred, or a hundred-thousand, in God's eyes we are all accountable.  Whether you are an employee in manual labour, or a businessman running a million dollar business; whether you're a student just starting out, or a PhD lecturer in charge of a whole teaching staff; we are all accountable to God.  No exceptions.

God says to you who are in leadership over staff, students, employees: “Do what is right.  Do what is fair.  Don't overwork your staff.  Don't underpay them.  Don't grind their spirits into the ground by demanding too much.  Don't treat them like slaves.  Treat them with a sense of equality."

The Bible uses a call to action word for employers and leaders.  It says, Masters provide your slaves with what is right and fair.  ‘Provide’ means, you furnish this or present this to your employees.  In other words, you make fairness and equality happen.  You cause to bring it about.

I can't tell you how, but that's the principle God wants you to remember.  So encourage those under you.  Make their workplace enjoyable, reward them with encouragement and appropriate income.  Do this because, remember, you've got a Master, too.  The Lord!  One day you and I will need to stand before him and give an account of our actions.

Let's remember the example of our Lord Jesus.  For although he was in authority over his disciples, he got down on his knees and served them.  He encouraged them, He persevered with them, and most of all, he loved them deeply.  As leaders, what an example you have to follow.

Now I want to pause and talk to you people who have employers who expect too much of you.  You work hard.  You have no problem with what the Lord says here.  You do your best.  But right now your best is not good enough.  Some of you are expected to do more and more overtime.  You're starting earlier, finishing later.  It's as though your workplace is into slave labour.  You're becoming more stressed.  If you don't perform, you might be the next casualty when they downsize.

I want to draw some wise words from a book entitled "Boundaries", by Cloud and Townsend.  One of the writers says, “When I first went into practice, I hired a woman for 20 hours a week to run my office.  On her second day I gave her a pile of things to do.  10 minutes later she knocked on the door with the stack of papers in hand.  He said, "What can I do for you?”  She replied, “You have a problem."  "I do?  What is it?"  She said, “You hired me for 20 hours a week, and you have just given me about 40 hours of work.  Which 20 would you like done?"  Laurie, the new secretary set a boundary.

Many bosses do not realise that they set too much work.  Bosses that overload workers regularly need to learn what are fair boundaries.

Now you might say, “My boss knows he sets too much work.  The fact is he is a workaholic and expects everyone else to be.  His workaholism is his problem.  Your continual overtime is yours.

If you are doing lots of extra work because you need the job and because you are afraid of being let go, you have a problem.  If you are working more overtime than you want to, you are in bondage to your job.

Townsend and Cloud say, as hard as it sounds, you need to take responsibility for yourself and for your family which is being affected, to change your situation.  They provide a few suggestions:

1.  Set boundaries on your work.  Decide how much overtime you can do reasonably.

2.  Review your job description, if you've got one.

3.  Make a list of the tasks you need to complete in the next month.  Assign your own priority to the list.  Work out which tasks are not part of your job description.

4.  Make an appointment to see your boss and discuss your job overload.

If your boss still has unreasonable expectations of you, you may need to take a co-worker with you to see him.  Or, in the end, you may need to look for another job.  If you are in slavery to your work, the Lord will not be honoured.  Your family will suffer, your spouse and children will.

When people come to the end of their life they never say, “I wish I spent more time working."  They say, “I wish I spent more time with my family.”

The Lord calls us to work hard, but not to sacrifice our family on the altar of our work achievements.  In the whole of life, there is nothing more fulfilling than knowing we've done our best... in our family, in our relationships, and even in our work.

Let's be workers that listen to those above us.

Let's be workers who work with all our heart, because we're working for God.

Let's be employers and leaders that do what is just and right and fair for those under us.

Let's be workers that set boundaries that we can manage.

And, let's remember that the reason we do our best is because Jesus gave his best for us.  He promises to reward us with the gift of eternal life, as we work faithfully in our employment or studies for him.

Amen.