5 Star Disciples At Work

For more than a century, a French company has issued a series of guide books where they award stars to the best restaurants. It’s the Michelin rating system. Here’s a quick run-down of their rating system - Three stars is exceptional cuisine and worthy of a special journey. Two stars is excellent cooking, worthy of a detour. One star is a very good restaurant. And no star means you’re eating fast food with the pastor! What if the Michelin rating system were to rate Christians?

Today, I want to speak to you about being a “Five Star Disciple at Work.” How you can be a Five Star Christian at Work.

Keep your Bibles open to Ephesians 6 one more time. We conclude our yearlong study of Ephesians this morning. Keep in mind we did the section on Spiritual Warfare last fall. The Christmas series will have to wait until next week. Thank you for being a part of this church family. We looked at the relationships of parents to children (last week). And now the relationship within the workplace of master to servant, of employer or manager to a worker.

Today’s Scripture

“Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 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” (Ephesians 6:5-9).

How you can be a Five Star Christian at Work.

1. Why Doesn’t the Bible Condemn Slavery?

Paul turns his attention to slaves: “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ” (Ephesians 6:5).

Let’s ask an important question in the midst of rioting in our nation: Why didn’t Jesus and Paul stand up and shout, “Slavery is wrong”? Many skeptics think the Bible cannot be trusted since it doesn’t outlaw slavery.

1.1 Slaves in Ephesus

We should note that there are four verses (Ephesians 6:5-8) addressed to slaves, with only one verse (Ephesians 6:9) addressed to masters of slaves in Colossians. It’s thought that as much as 1/3 of Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus were slaves. It’s important to understand Paul is giving instructions on how slaves are to act because they were a part of the typical Roman household. Even modest households would have between 2-3 domestic slaves.

Be aware that the early church had slaves worshipping alongside everyone else (Colossians 3:11). In fact, Paul mentions a slave named Onesimus by name in Philemon. This probably reflects a higher number of slaves inside the church. The Early Church attracted slaves, children, and women in strong numbers. In fact, a pagan philosopher criticized the church as having “only foolish and low individuals, and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children…” as converts.

Let’s ask an important question in the midst of rioting in our nation: Why didn’t Jesus and Paul stand up and shout, “Slavery is wrong”?

1.2 Roman Slavery

Americans struggle to understand slavery in the New Testament because of what was practiced in our history. Many simply read in the African slave trade movement into their New Testaments. Slavery practiced during the New Testament wasn’t the same as practiced in the South prior to the Civil War. The African Slave Trade had three factors that distinguished it from slavery in the New Testament. The African Slave Trade was 1) race-based, 2) lifelong, and 3) based on kidnapping. In your New Testament, slaves served in all kinds of capacities, from mineworkers whose life expectancy was very short to someone who could also be trusted and respected household slaves who helped run businesses and raise children. In fact, slaves in Roman days could be doctors, teachers, accountants, and sea captains.

1.3 Slavery and Race

The antebellum South forced one race of people to be slaves. But the kind of slavery practiced in the New Testament was not a “race-based” slavery. Slaves would come from all kinds of ethnic groups. Slaves were not distinguishable from anyone else by race, speech, or clothing. If I was walking around the marketplace of any Roman city, I could not have distinguished a slave by their speech, clothing, or jewelry.

1.4 How Do I Became Slave?

Nor was everyone forced into slavery. Yes, some slaves were gained if your nation was conquered and you were now forced into service. Plus, people were made slaves because there were no bankruptcy laws. If you were “head over heels” in debt, you sold your family and yourself into slavery until the debt was paid. Yet, education was greatly encouraged for a slave because this made them more valuable. Slaves could even own other slaves. Many slaves were surely treated terribly, but many others could anticipate emancipation by the age of 30. Slaves often lived normal lives and were paid the going wage, but were not allowed to quit or change employers and were in slavery an average of ten years. I don’t want to romanticize slavery in any way because it is a practice that we have happily abandoned.