Please turn with me to Ephesians 6 - starting at verse 5.  This morning is our last Sunday looking at Relationships.  Remember the little cupid with the arrow in the back.  Thinking about relationships - the reality is that at one time or another most of us have felt like that little cupid. 

We’ve been looking at what God says about our relationships - how to move through them - survive them - grow through them - even triumph in them - all to the glory of God and our well being.  Today we’ve come to relationships in the work place - employees and employers.  Relating to the Master.

Recently I ran across a list of The Laws of Work.  See if you can relate to these:

If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
The first 90 percent of a project takes 90 percent of the time. The last 10 percent takes the other 90 percent of the time.
It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters what you say you've done and what you're going to do.
After any salary raise, you will have less money at the end of the month than you did before.
When the bosses talk about improving productivity, they are never talking about themselves.
When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
Following the rules will not get the job done.
Getting the job done is no excuse for not following the rules.
No matter how much you do, you never do enough.

Now, these are suppose to be actual answers people filled in on their job applications:

Education:  Graduated in the top 66% of my class.
Accomplishments:  Completed 11 years of high school.
Reason for leaving last job:  They stopped paying me. 

How are do we relate to those we work with and under?  How do we survive?  What does God have to say about those relationships?

Ephesians 6 - starting at verse 5 - Paul is going to begin by writing to employees - otherwise known as slaves.  Verse 5:  Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye-service, as man-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.  With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Lets pause and notice three things about slaves relating to masters.

First The Activity Required.  Say that with me, “The activity required.”

There are estimates that about ½ of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves.  Many slaves were Christians.  Slaves may have been highly educated - someone who was captured in a war - and then shipped off some place in the empire as a slave.  Bottom line:  they were in bondage to someone else.  Slaves were considered no more important than a tool - like a pick or a shovel.

While most of us would not consider ourselves slaves in that sense - it is true that when we become an employee we sell our bodies and minds to our employer for a period of time.  We give up certain parts of our freedom to serve another.

What Paul writes here to slaves - in a very similar way has application to where we live our lives today.

Slaves are to be obedient.  The word Paul uses - in Greek - for obey - has the idea of placing ourselves under the authority of what we hear.  Employees are suppose to actually listen to their bosses - discern what’s expected of them - and then in submission to their bosses authority - actually do what’s been asked of them.  That’s the activity required.  Pretty simple:  What the boss says to do - do.  Obey him.

Keep that in mind:  The activity is obedience.  What’s the activity?  Obedience.

Second notice The Attitude Required.  Say that with me, “The attitude required.”

Slaves are to obey with fear and trembling.

“Fear” is the Greek word “phobos” - phobia - fear that causes awe - respect - honor.  “Trembling” is the word “tromos” - trembling in astonishment - going weak at the knees because of what we’re confronted with.

Several - several - years ago I worked for a florist shop as a driver - the delivery guy.  This florist shop was run by a woman who had issues.  Know what I mean?  Basically she hated men.  The other employees were all women.  So the women would be all friendly with themselves - talking and laughing - doing all the easy stuff.  My job - along with delivering flowers - my job was basically to do every horrendous task possible and to jump when this boss lady decided to take out her issues on me - the lone male in the shop.

That’s not what Paul has in mind here.  Paul isn’t telling us to be spineless mindless automatons - in fear and trembling - subservient to every whim of the hierarchy.

In Philippians 2 - verse 12 - Paul writes that we are to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” - same words.

The Holy Almighty God condescends to allow us to know Him.  To give us the privilege of living in a personal relationship with Him - even dying on the cross to open the possibility of that kind of relationship.  Christians live daily in touch with the awesome almighty living God - who is at work within us and through us.  That should bring us to our knees in awe before God.  In fear and trembling we should live before Him.

The point here is for us to consider our attitude in this work relationship. To view this employer - employee relationship - to have an attitude of  fear and trembling - respect and high regard - because our relating to the boss is very much a part of our living out our relationship with God.

Paul goes on in verse 5 and expands that teaching.   He writes that we’re to have fear and trembling in the sincerity of our hearts - as to Christ.  The King James Version translates that word “sincerity” as “singleness.”  The single purpose of your heart.  One agenda not two.  Not my will and what Jesus wants.  Living out our relationship with Jesus - obeying Jesus - means that we obey our bosses.

Paul gives us two examples to examine ourselves by.

First:  We’re not to obey our bosses by way of “eye-service.”

Ray Stedman - preaching on this passage - Ray Stedman shared about an foreman in Africa who had several African nationals working under him.  He found that they were afflicted with this disease of eye-service - they only worked when this foreman was watching them.  But this particular foreman was the proud possessor of a glass eye and he found that he could take his eye out of the socket and lay it on a stump where it could “watch” the men and they would go right on working, whether he was there or not.

Until one day he came back to find them all lounging around.  He had placed the eye on the stump, but one of the men had found a way to sneak around behind and had come up behind the eye and put his hat over it so that it could no longer see them. (1) 

“Eye service” is working only when the boss is watching - sneaking around and not giving our best.  That’s double hearted.  We’re not being single heartedly obedient to Jesus if we’re half-heartedly obeying our boss.

Second - We’re not to obey as “man-pleasers.”  These are the people who kiss up to the boss.  Bring extra donuts.  Say all the right things playing office politics.  Getting ahead - covering our backsides - while not being worthy of that esteem as an employee.  That’s double hearted.  It shows that we’re trying to make people happy while not respecting what God says about obeying the boss.

Paul writes - verse 5 - obey in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ.  Verse 6 - doing the will of God from the heart.  Verse 7 - with good will render service - as to the Lord and not to men.

Do you see what Paul is getting at here?  With fear and trembling - because all this ties into the heart of our relationship with God - with fear and trembling we’re to be examining our own attitudes - because it is so easy to get swept up in how “things are done” - how business is conducted and the attitudes of our fellow employees.  And yet, as Christians we are commanded by God not to get swept up in all that.  We need to have a single heart - obedient to God - obedient to our bosses.

Keep that in mind.  The attitude is a single heart.  The action was?  Obedience.  The attitude is... a single heart.

Third notice The Awareness Required.  Say that with me, “The awareness required.”

Its been said that the most motivated person on earth is a five-foot, ten-inch non-swimmer in six feet of water.  Paul is writing about what motivates us - keeps us going - deep down at the heart level.

Thomas Jefferson said, “When the heart is right, the feet are swift.” (2)

In verse 8 Paul writes that whatever good we do God sees it and He will take care of you - even if your boss doesn’t.  It really doesn’t make a whole lot of difference what our situation in life is God has us covered. 

That may not mean that things are going to change a whole lot.  I’ve had  some pretty interesting jobs - upstairs maid - street sweeper - jobs that didn’t pay a whole lot - that weren’t exactly glamorous.  God may not immediately change our circumstances.  But He will recompense us.  He will demonstrate His grace to us.

The awareness of God watching over us - what fuels the attitude that produces the activity is a fundamental awareness that while we may not work under the best of conditions we are still working for God and He will take care of us.  So we need to trust Him - obey Him - and keep working.

Keep that in mind.  The awareness is of God’s justice.  Activity:  Obedience.  Attitude:  a single heart.  Awareness:  God’s justice.

In verse 9 Paul moves on to employers - otherwise known as “masters.”    The more things change… the more they stay the same.  The masters were the people in authority - sometimes life and death authority - over the slaves.  While bosses today generally don’t have life or death sway over an employee they do have authority.  Much of what Paul writes here relates to us today.

Verse 9:  And masters, do the same thing to them - the slaves - and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Notice that Paul instructs masters - or bosses - those who have authority over those who are working - slaving - masters are to “do the same things to them” - who?  the slaves.  In other words the same three things that we just looked at regarding employees - activity, attitude, and awareness - they also apply to bosses.

First:  The activity was what?  Obedience.  Bosses generally don’t obey their employees.  But they can submit to them in the sense of listening to them - of considering the environment in which they work - their needs and concerns.  In Colossians 4:1, Paul writes, “Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness.” 

There’s a Greek proverb that goes “You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.”  The word here in verse 9 for “give up” has the idea of relaxing - lighten up - loosen up.  Lighten up with the threatening your employees thing - dangling a pink slip in their face - threatening to cut their wages - or refusing to pay them for work accomplished.  Don’t exploit them.  Instead provide a safe and clean and a just working environment.  Pay them equitably for their labors.  Relax on the bow.

The activity of Christian boss is not getting rich by breaking the backs of his employees.  A Christian boss is concerned for the well being of his employees.

Second:  The attitude was what?  A single heart.  Paul writes in verse 9, “knowing that both their Master - the slaves Master - and yours is in heaven.”  

In the Roman Empire there were both slaves and masters who were Christians.  They would come together - sit side by side on hard wooden benches - because they didn’t have those cushy teal colored chairs we’re going to be sitting on in a few Sundays - they would come together for prayer and communion and instruction and worship.

Isn’t this what Paul writes in Colossians 3:11?  “There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”  Before the foot of the cross they were brothers and sisters in Jesus.

But on Monday morning there was a real question in their minds.  How do we continue this Christian relationship in our work?  What attitude should I have?

Fear and trembling and a single-minded heart means knowing that we’re both working for the same Master - God who’s in heaven.  By “heaven “ Paul doesn’t mean that God is way out there some place - completely detached from what goes on down here with mere mortals.  It means that God is in heaven - not out to lunch or vacationing on Rigal 7.  God is in the office - very much aware of what is going on down here - very much involved in our lives.

That means that whatever the employee does or whatever the employer does - each does it out of respect for God - out of single hearted obedience to God - as integral to their relationship with God.  We live out our relationship with Jesus through the way we manage others.

Third:  The awareness was what?  God’s justice.

Paul writes that God is not partial.  Which means that His justice is equally applied - fairly - to both employee and employer.

Longfellow said, “Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceedingly small.  Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness He grinds all.” (3)

Jesus is the one who said things like, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27,28)  He was the one who said, “To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40)  Or the reverse, “To the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” (Matthew 25:45)  Jesus said, “by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)

God isn’t impressed with the diversification of our portfolio.  The Hummer in the garage.  The dimensions of our plasma TV.  Our esteemed social standing.  Its not our bottom line that’s important.  Its God’s bottom line that matters.  God is observing our activity.  He knows our attitude.  God recompenses employees.  He will recompense employers - for good or for evil.

The bottom line of what Paul is teaching here - activity - attitude - awareness - is that life - for the employee and the employer - our relationships in the workplace are to be lived out with same awareness of God - who is our Master.  To treat each other with value and respect just as we value and respect God.

Now, there are a lot of places we could go with this teaching - thinking through what Paul teaches and how it applies to us.  Let me suggest two.

First:  What Paul is touching on - with labor - management - struggles and  our attitudes in the workplace - all that touches on a much deeper issue - which is the issue of self - SELF.  Say that with me, “Self.”

I read about a man who took a flight that included dinner.  After the stewardess had served him his meal, he unwrapped the salad and noticed right on top a rather large cockroach.  Infuriated, enraged, he couldn’t wait to get home and write the president of the airline a letter - hot and to the point.

Within a matter of a very few days he received a special delivery letter in return, an answer signed by the president of the airline himself, typed beautifully on the letterhead of the airline.  It was dripping with apologies.  “I have taken immediate action,” it said.  “In fact, I have temporarily pulled that airplane off the line.  We have stripped the seats.  We have stripped the upholstery.  It will not go back on line until everything is in shipshape condition.  You have my word.  The flight attendant who served you that meal, well, her job is in jeopardy.  As a matter of fact, I promise you that will never occur again.  Please, continue to fly on our airline.”

Well, the man was remarkably impressed.  However, he noticed something unusual.  Quite by accident the president’s secretary had somehow inadvertently allowed his original letter to be stuck to the back of this letter.  And as he turned it over, a note at the bottom said, “Send this guy the standard roach letter.” (4)

Years ago advertisements showed what was available to meet people’s needs.  Today - according to the New York Times - today each American is exposed to 3,500 desire-inducing advertisements.  Ads that are designed to create desire - the promise of satisfaction being only one more purchase away.

In America we assign value to others - to ourselves based on what we purchase.  What we have.  Our identity is tied to the clothes we wear - the car we drive - the house we live in - the music on our iPod - what we consume.  Shopping is the number one leisure activity in America.  We no longer consume to live.  We live to consume.  I consume therefore I am.

Business knows this.  Employers know this.  Employees know this.  That’s why a guy gets a roach letter.  Because people don’t matter.  Only their purchasing power.  Their purchasing power replenishes my purchasing power.  Are we together?  

Years ago employers actually cared about their employees.  Providing a job meant helping a family.  There was a feeling of responsibility.  Employees were actually grateful to their employers for the job - even feeling a certain loyalty to the company.

Not today.  The motto of business - both employer and employee:  “Screw everyone on the way up.”  Who cares who gets hurt in the next leverage buy out and downsizing.  Who cares what I have to do to move up - to expand my bottom line.  Who cares if they end up like that little cupid - face down dead - with an arrow in the back.  All that matters is me. 

See if you agree with this.  Labor negotiations - strikes - the goal of labor is to gain for self.  Balance that with the goal of management which is to retain and expand for self.  Its all about self.

Remember what James wrote - James 4:1:  What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?  Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?   The source is in you - self.

The second point of application is the issue of God - GOD.  Say that with me, “God.”

John Mitchell, Jr. wrote about the Christian in business.  Let me share a part of what he wrote.

Will Christianity and business mix?  Is God interested in the way we do our work?  Is He interested in a lathe operator and in the quantity and quality of his output?  Is He interested in a watchman as he makes his rounds through the warehouse in the darkness and silence of the night?  Is He interested in a stenographer, in the way she types her letters?  Is He interested in a salesman and what he say to a prospect?  Is God concerned about a businessman’s business?  Is God there when he makes out his income tax return or his expense account?  Does He take an interest in the company’s advertising campaign and the claims made for the company’s product?  Is He present at personal interviews, at conferences, director’s meetings, labor union negotiations, trade conventions, business luncheons, and black-tie banquets?  When a businessman succeeds or fails, is God interested?

To say “no” to these questions is to relegate God to a place of no importance in the very area of a person’s life where he spends most of his waking hours.  On the other hand, he who answers “yes” to these questions, whether he be a supreme court justice or a garbage collector, transforms his career into a thing of dignity, high purpose, satisfaction, and excitement.  (5) 

Business - work - is not separate or distinct from our life with God.  What happens Monday through Saturday - is very much a part of what happens on Sunday - and vis versa.  Church is not one thing and business another.

Hear this:  When we remove God from employment we’re left with self.  We end up with stress and anxiety and worry - empty pursuit - dissatisfaction - all of which gets carried disastrously into our homes - effects every other area of our life - including our relationship with God.  Conflict becomes a way of life - an expectation - in the workplace.

Paul’s point is that God calls all of us to something far greater.  Relating to the Master.  To Jesus.  To place Him supreme over our relations at work.  While we may not have much materially - that’s up to God - what we will have is His joy and peace and relationships that glorify God - and may actually make a difference in the places we work.

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world.”  (Matthew 5:13,14)  What would happen if our workplaces actually got seasoned with Godly salt - if God’s light broke in through us?

______________________
1. Ray Stedman, from the sermon “Employers And Employees”
2. Quoted by Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes
3. John Bartlett, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations
4. Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes
5. John E. Mitchell, Jr., The Christian In Business