RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE
EPHESIANS 6:5-9
#6 OF 6 IN OUR SERIES ON RELATIONSHIPS
MARRIAGE - HUSBANDS - WIVES - PARENTS - CHILDREN & NOW WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS
Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Ephesians 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
SOME OF US, OR MOST OF US, IF WE ARE HONEST, WILL SAY I REALLY STRUGGLE IN AT LEAST ONE OF THESE AREAS.
AND THEN WE SAY THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. I MEAN I AM DOING OK ON THE OTHERS, SO WHATS THE BIG DEAL.
PSALMS 119:2 "BLESSED (SPIRITUALLY ENHANCED) ARE THOSE WHO KEEP HIS TESTIMONIES, WHO SEEK HIM WITH THE WHOLE HEART. "
119:10 "WITH MY WHOLE HEART I HAVE SOUGHT YOU; OH, LET ME NOT WANDER FROM YOUR COMMANDMENTS."
119:34 "GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING, AND I SHALL KEEP YOUR LAW; INDEED I SHALL OBESERVE IT WITH MY WHOLE HEART ."
119:69 "THE PROUD HAVE FORGED A LIE AGAINST ME, BUT I WILL KEEP YOUR PRECEPTS WITH MY WHOLE HEART ."
119:145 "I CRY OUT WITH MY WHOLE HEART; HEAR ME, O LORD! I WILL KEEP YOUR STATUTES."
DO WE GET THE PICTURE THAT THIS CHRISTIAN WALK STUFF SEEMS TO CALL US TOTALLY TO WALK IN THE WAY OF THE LORD.
IT REQUIRES OUR WHOLE HEART.
ARE YOU WHOLE HEARTED FOR CHRIST?
ARE YOU READY TO GIVE HIM EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE? YOUR MARRIAGE? AS A HUSBAND? AS A WIFE? AS A PARENT? AS A CHILD?
NOW TODAY AS AN EMPLOYEE OR AN EMPLOYER?
WILL YOU BE WHOLE HEARTED?
• (VS 5-8) THE WHOLE HEARTED EMPLOYEE.
SERVING YOUR EMPLOYER
• (VS 5) BONDSERVANT - DOULOS ONE WHO WILLINGLY SUBMITS HIS AUTHORITY TO ANOTHER'S AUTHORITY - THIS IS A CHOICE THAT IS MADE - NOT A SLAVE FORCED INTO SUBMISSION
• (VS 5) OBEDIENT - HUPO- AKUOOH - UNDER THE SOUND OF ANOTHERS VOICE (SAME WORD USED FOR CHILDREN TO PARENTS, WINDS & WAVES OBEY JESUS)
• (VS 5) RESPECT - FEAR & TREMBLING
• (VS 5-6a) SINCERITY -
• NOT WITH EYESERVICE - LOOKS GOOD BUT HAS NO SUBSTANCE
• MENPLEASERS - DOING IT JUST TO PLEASE OTHERS.
HONORING/SERVING YOUR LORD
A. (VS 6b) AS BONSERVANTS OF CHRIST - (YES YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE, BUT 1 ST YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD.)
• (VS 6c) OBEDIENT - DOING THE WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART. FOLLOWING THE WILL OF GOD IS DOING A GOOD JOB FOR YOUR EMPLOYER.
• ASSURANCE - KNOW YOU WILL RECEIVE
• (VS 8) YOUR PAYCHECK COMES FROM ABOVE - WHAT YOU GIVE OUT IN SERVICE TO YOUR JOB, THRU THE LORD - IS GIVEN BACK TO YOU FROM GOD
LUKE 6:38 ".IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU, GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN SHAKEN TOGETHER, AND RUNNING OVER WILL BE PUT INTO YOUR BOSSOM."
(VS 9) THE WHOLE HEARTED EMPLOYER.
EMPLOYER TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES THE SAME WAY THAT THEY ARE TO TREAT YOU.
THINK ABOUT IT;
IN ADDITION TO GIVING UP THREATENING YOUR EMPLOYEES
SOME OF US HAVE DECIDED TO CHECK OUT - AND SAY YEAH BUT, YOU DON'T KNOW MY BOSS, YOU DON'T KNOW MY EMPLOYEES.
YOU ARE RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW THEM, BUT GOD DOES, AND HE SAYS LIVE BY THE GOLDEN RULE.
***SECRET TO ACCOMPLISHING GOD'S STANDARD FOR YOU IN YOUR JOB.
VS 7
WITH GOODWILL = BENEVOLENCE
FREELY GIVING WITHOUT EXPECTATION
DOING SERVICE = (DOULAN FR DOULOS SLAVE) IN BONDAGE
IF YOU WILL ALLOW CHRIST TO BE WORKED OUT OF YOU - YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE THE EMPLOYEE JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE.
