Take Jesus to Work
For the last few weeks, we have been looking at how God wants us to conduct our faith in relationships. We’ve looked at the relationship between wife and husband, children and parents, and now Paul turns his attention to employees and their employers. Isn’t that such a wonderful thought? God loves us so much, He even gives us instructions on how to get the most out of our work lives. Whether you are an employer or employee, God wants you to glorify Him in your work and today we learn how.
Scripture
Ephesians 6:5-9 ESV Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants 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 bondservant or is free. 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.
Bible Study Questions
Slaves and employees
In this part of Ephesians, Paul speaks about the relationship between slaves and their slave masters. How do you think this is relevant, or applies to the relationship between employees and employers?
Ephesians 6:5 ESV Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
Colossians 3:22 ESV Bondservants, 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.
Against the grain
As always, Paul’s instructions are completely counter-cultural. In common cultural settings, the call would be for the slaves to fight for their freedom, and earn their glory. Instead, Paul tells them to dig in and obey and make the most of it. Why is God like this, why not rebel?
Ephesians 6:5 ESV Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,
Ezekiel 11:19 ESV And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Jeremiah 24:7 ESV I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
Christ first
When you read this text, it’s clear that Christ needs to come first if we are to be Godly employees and employers. Why must your relationship with Christ be the primary foundation for how you relate at work? Give practical examples of how this works.
Ephesians 6:7 ESV rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
The thin lines
We’re told to focus on Jesus and our heavenly rewards. Where is the biblical balance between having your focus on heaven and yet providing for necessities on earth? Do savings accounts, investments, etc. violate the heavenly focus?
Ephesians 6:7 ESV rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
1 Corinthians 16:2 ESV On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
Luke 14:28 ESV For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
When a job is over
The text implies that we need to endure hardship in our workplaces. But this is to a limit. When is it right and when is it wrong to seek to better yourself financially through a job change? Give biblical support.
Ephesians 6:7 ESV rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,
Dan 3:16-18 ESV Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. (17) If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
The rewards in heaven
We are not working for our salaries, we are working for rewards in heaven. To what extent should rewards in heaven motivate us? Is this motivation selfish? Why/why not?
Ephesians 6:8 ESV knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
Hebrews 11:7-11 ESV By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (8) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. (10) For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (11) By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
A heavenly workplace
For employers, Paul is speaking about creating a safe, productive workplace for employees. How can we live this out in our workplaces, for those of us who are bosses?
Eph 6:9 ESV 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.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Ephesians 4:16 ESV From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.