Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Here is the Christian at work. True, it is written in the first century, but the principle here applies to the 21st century. I realize Paul is writing to masters and slaves, but the principles apply to employer and employee. Because the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms not only our homes, but it transforms our work.
This is the verdict: the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor John Monroe. Do you enjoy your job? Do you approach your job with purpose and enthusiasm? Or is it mechanical? Just something that pays the bills?
Today, we're thinking of the role of work. and realizing the privilege and opportunities that work provides. as we live as authentic followers of Jesus Christ. Here's Pastor John Monroe with his message, the Christian at work. Do you enjoy your work?
Does the fact that you are a follower of Christ make a difference in your attitude at work? I realized the work environment can be very difficult. you may have a difficult boss or a difficult job. In our passage today, in the book of Colossians, there are important principles which will help all of us in the marketplace, whether we are an employer or an employee. A CEO or at the entry level of the organization where we work.
Paul is writing to the Colossians to encourage them to stand fast in understanding that Jesus the Christ is Lord over all. Last time, we learned of the transformation in our homes and our relationships.
Now, Paul is challenging us as to the difference Jesus makes in the workplace. Let's open our Bibles to Colossians chapter 3. We're making our way, some of you think very slowly through this book. And we're looking at verses 22. through chapter four, verse one.
Colossians 3 then. There's Twenty two. Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye service as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart. fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord.
You will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving The Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there's no partiality. Masters Treat your slaves justly and fairly. knowing that you also Have a master.
in heaven.
Someone has calculated that the average person spends forty to seventy five percent of his or her non-sleeping time at work. or in work-related tasks. Like it or not, most of us have to work for a living. There's an old saying in Scotland that work is the curse of the drinking classes. Where there is sadly a high degree of alcoholism.
But is work. A curse. Do you look on work as a curse? Is work something to be endured? Admittedly, work is sometimes harsh, it's unpleasant, it can be unfair.
But is work part of the consequence of the fall? Not at all. Work was given to man before the fall. It is true that since the curse, work on earth is much more difficult and painful. Every job, including mine, And I'm sure yours includes some weeds and tears and thorns and thistles, making a living.
can be very, very tough, but work. by itself is not a punishment by God on us. Work is not a degrading thing, far from it. Rather, work. is a privilege granted to us by God.
to care for the earth. To minister for others, to support our families, and to help those in need. Above all, Our work is to be done. to the glory of God. John Stottwright's work.
is a consequence of creation, not the fall. The fall has aggravated the problem without destroying its joys. Do you look on your work? as a joy. In 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 10, Paul states that if anyone is not willing to work, They should not eat.
That is, the lazy, the undisciplined person, the person who doesn't want to work, is condemned in Scripture. It is true, people through no fault of their own can be temporarily out of work, but the Bible makes it clear that we are to work. and to work hard to provide for our families. And also, so that we would have to give to those in need, as Paul says in Ephesians 4, verse 28. Our subject this evening is a very important one.
It is the Christian at work. We looked at verses 18 through 21. We studied the Christian at home and saw that the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms homes.
Now we will see that the gospel of Jesus Christ. transforms our work. But before we look at the biblical view of work, let me briefly state some common views of work. that you might have heard. Certainly, I have heard them.
Some people say, I just work to earn a living. I don't particularly enjoy my work, but it just puts bread on my table. My real work is done at church. Others say I just live for the weekends. The thank goodness it's Friday syndrome.
And in any event, in fifteen years, four months and three days, six hours and forty minutes, I retire. I had one or two friends who were always talking about retiring. counting the days until they retired.
Some other people say, my self-fulfillment comes from being successful at work. Their identity, who they are, is dependent on success at work. Others say I just do whatever it takes to get the job done. Others say, The first chance I leave, the first chance I get, I'm going to leave this place. Others say I'm overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated.
Have you ever heard anyone say they're overpaid? Even ball players, right, that lose games, never say that. Here's another common one. I know much better than the boss how to run the place. I remember meeting uh a man who had some difficulties and uh sitting down for lunch And he started complaining about the boss.
And he he worked for a garage selling a particular make of cars. And he was telling me how the boss didn't know the first thing about running his business. And I knew the boss, and I knew that the business was very successful, and that this man's job was to sweep. uh the uh the floors. And I thought, how strange.
For a Christian. to be complaining. And to think that he knows better than the boss how to run the place. But that's a very common attitude, isn't it? Let me ask you this question.
Does your work Matter to God. Is work merely a place where we make some money, but a real work takes place in the church or in your home and in the community? Let me say this. One of the greatest needs today is for the Christian man Is for the Christian woman to live and shine for Jesus Christ in the marketplace, in our schools, in our offices, in our hospitals, in our factories, in our banks, and in our stores. The world is weary of the businessman who sings in the choir on Sunday, attends a deacon's meeting on Monday evening, goes to a Christian businessman's lunch on Wednesday, puts a fish on his business card, but is unethical, dishonest and greedy in his business.
And we all know such people, don't we? The word of God that we read is refreshingly practical, direct. and challenging. Here is the Christian at work. True, it is written in the first century, but the principle here applies to the twenty first century.
I realize Paul is writing to masters and slaves, but the principles apply to employer and employee. Because the gospel of Jesus Christ works. It transforms not only our personal lives, not only our homes, but it transforms our work.
So let's look. At the Christian at work. I think there are two obvious basic principles in this passage, and the first we see in verses 22 through 25. that employees If we put it to a principle, employees must work hard for their employers. Do you get that?
Employees must work hard for their employers. Verse 22, slaves. Obey in everything those who are your earthly masters. Go back a few pages to Ephesians. And we will see the same principle.
Ephesians 6 Verse five. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ. Not by the way of I service as people pleasers, but as servants of Christ. Doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing. That whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a Free.
Work hard. For the boss.
Now, at the time of Paul writing to the Colossians, about half of the population. with slaves. Many of the masters were harsh and demanding, but still Paul gives the command. Slaves and certainly employees must obey their earthly masters and work hard. Do you hear it?
Now, this obedience to our earthly masters, to use the Words of verse 22 is not to be mechanical, but is to be enthusiastic. It says Paul, don't serve by way of eye service. That is, don't just work hard when the master's eye is on you. I remember When I was a law student, I worked couple of summers. On a building site, in fact, uh laying reinforced concrete.
It was then I decided that I really needed to study law. Because it was terribly, terribly hard work. And there was a few of us. Um and uh the boss's name was Johnny. And Johnny had a little red van.
And he would come, he would give us the instructions, and then he would go away to some other site. And When Johnny was there Everyone worked hard. When the little red van went away, Most of them Relaxed. And they would watch, and they would see the road, the little red van. And whenever the little red van appeared, A lot of the men started working hard.
And I thought, you know, that does not honor God, does it? That's what Paul is saying. Don't just work hard when the little red van is there and when the boss is standing watching you. Don't do that. Don't work just to look good in front of your boss.
Or before other people. There are people who do that, don't they? They ingratiate themselves to the boss. When the boss is there, they pretend to be very hardworking, very obsequious, but when the boss is gone, they may criticize the boss and do very, very little. You see, the motivation is not merely to please the boss.
You have to work hard. particularly when no one is looking. We are. Verse 22, to work with a sincere heart. And a clear Conscience.
That is, the Christian is to be the best of workers, the most loyal of workers, the most hard-working. The obedience is done, Paul says, it's done fearing the Lord. In other words, what motivates us is not the fear of man, but the fear of God. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We are to work sincerely with a singleness of heart, not in a phony, superficial way.
We are to realize that we are working in the very presence of the Lord. Paul is saying that he is supreme, that the Lord Jesus Christ is supreme overall. That's the great theme of Colossians, and he's certainly to be supreme in the workplace. And how totally unacceptable. And how dishonoring for the Lord.
for the Christian. not to work hard. No, the Lord is looking at and the Lord is evaluating. Your work. No sweeping under the carpet.
This biblical response means that the employee will never do anything which is dishonest. or unethical or immoral. The Christian employee will never lie for the boss, will never lie to a customer, will never lie to a colleague. They will never do anything which is against scripture, which is against their conscience, which would harm innocent people. We see here in verse 23 that the command is for all of us to work enthusiastically, whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.
The slave then was not to work in a sullen, mechanical way, even when doing menial and drudging tasks.
Now the slave wasn't paid. Paul does not say to slaves that they should rebel. Rather, the transforming power of the gospel is to be seen in the worst of situations, that is in slavery. And if the unpaid slave was commanded to work enthusiastically, How much more we who are paid are to work enthusiastically? You ever worked with somebody who doesn't work enthusiastically?
Who's sullen? Mechanical. Just getting through the day. Five o'clock comes, and they're out of the door as quickly as they can. I've known Christians to complain and mourn at work.
Do you work enthusiastically? You say, well, you've got a very difficult boss. Paul knows that. He's talking to slaves. Let me explain what you're to do.
First, You are to obey your boss in everything. Verse 22: Slaves, obey in everything. Those who are your earthly. Masters. You're to obey your boss not just when you like him or her or agree with them But even when the boss is unreasonable, when they're lazy, when they're inconsiderate, when they're harsh.
As long as there's not a violation of your conscience or the word of God, you are to obey the boss in everything. Number one. Secondly, you're to do that heartily. You're to do that enthusiastically. You're to do it, as it were, with a smile on your face.
A Chinese proverb states: A man grows most tired while standing. Stale. No, don't stand still or work, work enthusiastically. Third, Verse 24. You always remember that when you're working for the boss, You are in fact serving.
The Lord Jesus Christ. That's a very important principle, isn't it? Verse 24. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward, you are serving the Lord. Christ.
Do you know that you have the best boss in the whole of the universe? The Lord Jesus. He's your boss. When you're serving that unreasonable employer, When you're working with that lazy Colleague. Only works when the boss is round, and when the boss is out the door, it starts bad-mouthing him or her.
But when you're serving, when you're working, You're serving The Lord Christ. That is All work. When done to the glory of God and in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is sacred. Did you get that? All work when done to the glory of God, And in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ is sacred.
When you're flipping hamburgers, you're serving the Lord. Christ. When you're selling a product or a service, you're serving the Lord. Christ. When you're typing a letter, you're serving the Lord Christ.
When you're attending a patient, you're serving the Lord Christ. When you're driving a bus, you're serving the Lord Christ. At work. When you're doing what no one else wants to do. You're serving.
The Lord. Christ. Now, remember that tomorrow morning when you go to your bank or your office or your store or wherever it is that God in His sovereign purposes have placed you, you're serving God. The Lord Christ. You say, Well, John, you're a pastor.
That's easy for you. No, the principle is the same for you as it is for me. You're serving The Lord Christ. Howard Hendrix, Professor. Recently retired at Dallas Theological Seminary.
He tells of a time when his flight was delayed. His fellow passengers were getting more and more irritated, and some of them began to take out their frustrations on the flight attendants. Hendricks noticed how gracious and poised one of the flight attendants was, and when they finally took off and she had a minute, he called her over and commended her. He told her that he wanted to write a letter of commendation to the airline to tell them what a good job she'd done. Her reply was I don't work for the airline.
I work for Jesus Christ. And this morning before I left for work, my husband and I prayed. that I would be able to serve Christ in my job. A flight attendant. dealing with frustrated, perhaps unreasonable passengers realize this truth.
that she was serving Christ and as she did that What an impact. It was going to make. Do you have that attitude? Do you pray that before you leave? For work.
That you would be able to serve Christ. Whatever you're doing.
However, menial, however, ordinary, however routine, however big, however small. And dealing with that very important person at work, or dealing with that person who seems to be a total non-entity, that you're serving the Lord Christ. Paul reminds us here in verses 24 and 25 that the Lord is evaluating our work. Whether it is good or bad, the Lord knows about it. The instructor at a first aid course asked one of his employees, What's the first thing you would do if you found out you had rabies?
The employee answered, bite my supervisor. Have you ever felt like biting your supermiser? You ever worked with a difficult supervisor? It's very interesting when I interview Um young men for pastoral positions. And um I asked him, you know, why are you leaving uh the church you're leaving to?
Nine out of ten will give this reason. You have no idea what the senior pastor was like. And I've often thought if we could Only get these associates to be senior pastors and the senior pastors to be associates, wouldn't the church thrive much better? That's life, isn't it? We often find ourselves In difficult circumstances, and it's not so much sometimes the boss as it may be as our own.
attitude. Don't look at your boss as your enemy. He may be an unbeliever, he may be a communist. He may have he may blaspheme, he may have a dirty mouth. But remember this, you're serving.
Christ, and you're going to be evaluated. As would um evaluated at work, as all of us probably are from time to time. That's not a very pleasant experience usually, isn't it? But God's evaluation will be perfect. We may have impressed our earthly masters, but are we impressing The Lord were accountable.
to God. And Paul is saying here in verse 24, you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You're serving the Lord Christ. The Lord has no favorites. Your boss may have, the employees may have, but God has no favorites.
You will receive the inheritance as your reward. On the other hand, God will not overlook wrong done to the master by the slave or the employee. This is very serious, isn't it? First principle then. employees must work hard for their employers.
Principle number two, employers must treat their employees fairly, verse four. Chapter 4, verse 1: Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a master in heaven. Look back to Ephesians 6. Paul says much the same thing. Ephesians 6 verse 9 Masters do the same to them.
And stop your threatening. Knowing that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven. and that there is no partiality with him. Colossians 4 verse 1 was revolutionary. Treating slaves fairly was revolutionary advice in the culture where about a third of the people of the Roman Empire were slaves.
So, Paul is not advocating or condoning slavery. That was a political, social, economic reality at the time. What he is saying is he recognizes the reality that masters have to be just. And fair to their slaves. Masters.
chapter 4 verse 1 and not to take advantage of their position. This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God.
To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry. Whether it's $5, $50, or more, your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world.
And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam. It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte. We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road.
If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services. For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Do you work hard? Are you an enthusiastic employer or employee? or do you just do the minimum to get by? Do you understand that the Lord Jesus is watching you as you work?
When you serve others, you are in fact serving Jesus. This will transform your attitude and actions at work and open many doors to tell others of the difference Jesus makes in your life. Don't forget to tune in next time as we continue to consider this important subject of the Christian at work. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
