Series: Colossians: Supreme!

Title: “How To Thrive at Work”

Scripture: Colossians 3:22-4:1; 2 Cor 5:10; Galatians 3:28; Gen 1:28; 2:15; Matt 7:24-27; Ephesians 6:1-9

(Commentary helps listed at the end)

Last week’s Bottom line: When we gladly submit to God’s design as the blueprint of our family, we (with our spouse) will build our home/family to thrive even in chaotically evil times.

Bottom line: When we gladly submit to God’s design for our work life/career/vocation, we will thrive in the fullness of life.

Opening story:

Matt 7:24-27 parable of how to build your family to thrive in a world of chaotic evil. This is Jesus’ summary and fitting conclusion of application to his “sermon on the mount” which is essentially his kingdom manifesto. This is also appropriate for how to thrive in our vocation/work/career.

Context:

It is estimated that there were 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire. That’s about 50% of the population.

• Work was considered beneath the dignity of the slave-owning free Roman male.

• Practically everything was done by slaves—even doctoring and teaching.

• Though some exceptions, back to Aristotle slaves were classified as things; living tools.

• Varro classified farm implements into 3 classes:

  • The articulate (slaves)

  • The inarticulate

  • The mute

• If you buy a farm, it was said to toss out the old slaves to die, because they’re broken tools.

• Gauis, the Roman lawyer, said, “…universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over a slave.”

• If a slave ran away, he was branded on the forehead with the letter “F” for fugitive. Sometimes put to death with no trial.

• This created a national melancholy over millions.

• Into this rang out the gospel raising the tensions—and the hope.

• Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are one in Christ Jesus.”

Paul’s advice/instruction was “ultimately revolutionary” though not immediately.

for in time it led to the collapse of slavery as an institution.

How was it revolutionary?

• It led to systemic change eventually.

• It brought “fullness of Christ” to slaves immediately.

It was both

• a personal/domestic issue for it affected the family.

• today it’s more a professional issue as the principles relate to our work as employers/employees.

• Work is so important in our culture today that it often defines people. It shouldn’t but it does. “Hey, my name is. What do you do?”

Transition: In a world where what we do becomes our dominate identity, we must cling to God’s original definition and design for work if we are going to thrive in these chaotically evil times.

Paul’s outline shows 2 sides of relationships in relation to the male leader outside the home.

In order of priority they are:

We’ve already seen 1 & 2.

1. Wives/husbands (marriage)

2. Children/fathers (family; parenting

3. Slaves/masters (work/culture)

My Outline: (based on Kent Hughes commentary heavily)

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:22-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/col.3.22-25.NIV

A powerful example of someone who lived out verses 22-25 is Joseph in Genesis starting in ch. 37 when he’s sold into slavery by his brothers.

I. A Full Life (Thrive) for servants/slaves/employees (3:22-25)—Should diligently work for their master/boss/employer.

• Who’s side are you on, Paul? This command of submission and obedience is tough!

  1. Obey master/employer

  2. In everything

  3. Not as a people pleaser but

  4. With sincerity of heart

  5. Whether boss present or not

  6. As unto the Lord

  7. Fearing the Lord—Mother Teresa in Calcutta, “Taking Matthew 25 seriously, she believed that when she and her Ssiters of Charity were cleansing sores and touching the ill for Christ, they were doing it to Christ.”

     1. Don’t over romanticize

     2. Most of us are doing less than noble work; “nothing” jobs pushing paper, moving dirt, etc.

     3. This transformed the Roman empire

     4. Christian slaves brought higher prices because of this work ethic

     5. Pagan slave served his master bound by fear vs.

     6. Christian slave served his master better because he feared God.

  8. Because God will reward you with an inheritance of

     • Either good

     • Or bad

     • No partiality

     • Based on performance

     • Second judgment

     • “All believers, though under the ultimate forgiveness of Christ, will have their works judged.” 2 Cor 5:10

Paul’s teaching regarding he work of slaves (employees) in the Colossian Church is found in 22-25.

How should this impact our work ethic?

1. Don’t assume that if you live up to the Biblical standard that all will go well with you on the job. At times you’ll be…

   1. Treated poorly

   2. Passed over for promotions and raises

   3. Misunderstood

   4. Wrongly accused

   5. Taken advantage of

   6. Fired for no good reason

2. Don’t use this to justify overworking or workaholism. Capitalism/Free enterprise is easily perverted to the worship of work or self-promotion.

3. We should be the best workers out there. Instead, we are sometimes the opposite.

   1. 2 seminary students observed to spend lots of time standing around talking about God to each other

   2. One student came out of the restroom after 20 minutes and said to his friend, “I just read 3 chapters of John in the john.”

   3. We should have the best

      1. Attitude

      2. Dependability/reliability

      3. Integrity/trustworthiness

   4. We should see and value the intrinsic nobility and gift of work given to us by God. Before the Fall and sin…

      1. God called Adam “to work (the Garden) and take care of it.” (Gen 2:15)

      2. God called Adam and Even to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it; rule…” (Gen 1:28)

II. A Full Life (Thrive) for masters/employers/bosses/owners (4:1)—Should justly provide for their slaves/servants/employees.

“Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://colossians.bible/colossians-4-1

1. Command is for masters of slaves (employers/bosses/owners today as well)

2. Provide—slaves own little to nothing.

3. Your provision should be just and fair.

   1. Employers, you will answer to God for how you treat your employees.

   2. These words would have sounded strange to non-Christians—slaves and masters alike—because slaves effectively had no rights.

   3. This might have been more difficult to carry out for the masters than for the slaves.

      • If he treats his slaves “right and fair”, fellow slave owners were likely to ostracize them hurting their finances, social standing and more.

   • Guiding reality for both master and slave: Both have the same Lord. (4:1)

4. Reason: because you have a master too and he commands this.

   1. Fullness in life will elude you to the extent that you ignore this command.

   2. God wants us to receive fullness in our domestic and professional lives. Fullness from God follows in the wake of glad submission and glad obedience to the Lord.

   3. This fullness should overflow into our world as faithful fruitfulness to the great commission to love God and love people by making disciples who make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Transition: The risen Lord Jesus Christ calls us to follow his design for domestic and vocational living. This is the foundation of rock the wise man built his house on in Matthew 7. When we do this, it leads us to the full life—a life of thriving in the midst of chaotic evil like we have in today’s world.

This leads us to live lives that demand a gospel explanation. In other words, people will see how you live and want to know why and how you live that way.

This is the mission: To explain the life we live that can only be explained by the gospel. This is why gospel fluency is essential for every Christian to master. This is why we’re heading towards Matthew starting at Easter. This is why we major on the New Testament in our teaching and preaching.

This mindset of the great commandment and the great commission are seen in the Lord’s supper where Christ calls us to look back, look up, look inside and look ahead. 1 Cor 11:23-26

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIV

This transitions us towards the Lord’s Supper where we remember why we do all of this—because of what he did for us at the cross.

Conclusion

Back to Jesus’ parable about the 2 houses and the 2 foundations:

1. “The assumption in Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders is that our homes necessarily have to endure a barrage of torrential storms.”

2. “The assurance of his parable is that those who build their homes according to God’s blueprint can withstand life’s onslaughts.”

In other words:

1. Building on the world’s philosophies will lead to family and societal collapse.

2. Building on the Lord’s blueprint will lead to stability, security and peace despite the devastating storms around us.

Bottom line: When we gladly submit to God’s design for our work life/career/vocation, we will thrive in the fullness of life.

Pray

Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32

Other

Kent Hughes

V. Servants/Slaves/Employees (3:22-25)—

• Not advocating for slavery.

• Staying silent on this institution for the simple reason that there’s a battle to be fought first that lays the foundation for victory later achieved.

• “Through the example of Christ, the apostles understood that the great rest need for social and cultural change was a spiritual transformation through the power of the gospel.” -Pace, p. 110

VI. Masters/Bosses/Employers (4:1)—

• His purchase of our freedom/forgiveness establish his ownership of us.

• 1 Cor 6:19-20; Romans 6:17-18

• Christ is our ultimate Lord and master, King and authority over all of us. He created us and redeems us!

• Christ modeled this by being equal to the Father and yet submitted to his command to come and die for us. Should we do any less?

“Paul’s instruction for masters and servants mirror his emphasis for all members of the household: ‘Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.’” (3:23)

“This verse (3:25) summarizes and reiterates his general directive for all believers in v. 17” reminding us:

• WHAT we do matters “whatever you do”

• HOW we do it matters “do it from the heart” and

• WHY we do it matters “as something done for the Lord”

What’s your foundation: Rock or Sand?

Sand—Worldview of entitlement, blame, and selfishness.

Rock—Worldview of selfless, sacrificial love for all people surrendering al land gladly submitting to proper authorities starting with God at home.

Hearing the word AND doing the word lead to growth in Christlike being and doing (character and competency) = Fruitfulness

Cross-references

Ephesians 5:21-6:9

Matthew 7:24-27

OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS:

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:

• Exalting Jesus in Colossians by Scott Pace

• Preaching the Word: Philippians, Colossians and Philemon commentary by R. Kent Hughes

• ESV Global Study Bible

• Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel

• Bible Knowledge Commentary

• The Outline Bible, Wilmington

• Paul for Everyone, The Prison Letters, NT Wright’s commentary on Philippians and Colossians

• Gospel Transformation Bible

• NIV Study Bible

• The Bible Exposition Commentary, Warren Wiersbe