INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• How many of us love to get up and go to work each day? How many of us cannot wait for the next work day, we look forward to Monday as much as Saturday?
• How many of us put as much into working as we doing looking for a way to get out of working?
• OX AND MULE ILLUSTRATION. (John Maxwell- One hour with God)
• The sign in the store window read: NO HELP WANTED. As two men passed by, one said to the other, "You should apply--you’d be great." (Principles regarding work, Decision-making and the Will of God, p. 336.)
• For many American workers today, time’s a wastin’ - literally. According to a new survey by America Online and Salary.com, the average worker admits to frittering away 2.09 hours per 8-hour workday, not including lunch and scheduled break-time. As a matter of practice, companies assume a certain amount of wasted time when determining employee pay. However, the America Online / Salary.com survey indicates that employees are wasting about twice as much time as their employers expect. Salary.com calculated that employers spend $759 billion per year on salaries for which real work was expected, but not actually performed. (www.salary.com)
• Why do we work? Is it just to make some money? When we work, how are we supposed to do it, are we called to give the minimum effort or are we to give more?
• More importantly does God have a purpose in mind for us as we spend 40-60 hours plus a week in the workplace?
• I remember during my almost 13 years at Square D Company really struggling with my attitude and effort at work.
• In the text we are going to seek answers from God’s Word today. The text speaks of the relationship between a slave and his master. The closest thing we have to this relationship today is the employer/employee relationship.
• We are going to look at four principles of the workplace that we need to understand so that we can please and glorify God in the workplace.
• Understanding these principles will help you to find a deeper meaning and purpose to work than just drawing a paycheck.
• SLIDE #2
SERMON
WORK IS A PLACE TO DISPLAY INTEGRITY. (22)
• One thing we need to realize concerning work is the fact that most of us spend 40 hours per week or more at work. Some people spend more quality time with their co-workers than they do with their own spouses and children.
• We spend a lot of time with people and we have a lot of influence over them. We can be one of the reasons they come to Jesus or turn away from Jesus.
• The workplace gives us an opportunity to practice what we believe and it is a place where we can display a level of integrity that matches our faith.
• SLIDE #3
• Look at what God’s Word tells us concerning the issue of integrity.
• READ COLOSSIANS 3:22
• That word OBEDIENCE shows back up. Slaves were told to obey their masters in all things.
• Now if we translate that to the workplace, we would be told that we are to obey our employers in ALL things. The exception comes when we are told to do something that is contrary to what God tells us to do.
• Here is where the integrity comes in.
• It is pretty easy to do what the boss wants you to do when they are watching isn’t it?
• Look again at what God Word says in verse 22.
• We are to obey not only with external service as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart.
• The Message translates this by saying: “And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best.
• When the boss is not looking, when the boss is not standing over your shoulder we are to work with a sincerity of heart.
• A sincere heart is one that is not divided in its’ loyalty. When we are at work, we are to be loyal to our employer. That is part of what we get paid to do.
• GRUMBLING EMPLOYEES
• We know that no matter what, when we are at work, we are to work with diligence.
• Why? Because we “fear” or we hold God in high reverence!
• We work hard because our God would want it that way.
• If I am a lazy untrustworthy employee, what will happen when I try to tell others about Jesus?
• When I worked in the factory, I saw that VERY thing happen. The way a person worked affected how effective they were in reaching others for Jesus.
• We must guard against just trying to look good when people can see us.
• Let us look at a second principle that will help us to better understand our roles at work.
• SLIDE #4
II. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHO WE REALLY WORK FOR. (23)
• When you are on the job, who are you really working for? You are working for the place that is giving you the paycheck, but you work for someone who is higher in authority than the CEO if the company.
• I remember the CEO of Square D Company coming to our facility on a couple of occasions.
• The atmosphere was a lot different than it was normally.
• Everyone was working hard. There were no people taking extra time for lunch or for break time.
• Everyone was at their best working to the fullest.
• Why was that kind of effort not there all the time?
• How is the Christian called to work?
• SLIDE #5
• Look at what verse 23 tells us.
• READ Colossians 3:23
• We are called to work heartily. This means we are to work faithfully from the heart.
• Who are we working for?
• We are told to work as if we are working for the Lord!
• Would that change the way you go at your job?
• In a moment we will see why it is of the utmost importance for us to understand this concept.
• I know how easy it is to get upset at your employer. It is easy to justify not giving your best, but that is not an excuse for doing so.
• If you are in a job in which you cannot give your best, then for your own spiritual good, you need to find somewhere else to work.
• If you realize that you are really working for Jesus, it will change your attitude about work.
• I used to work with many people who would profess misery in their job, but they would do nothing about it other than coming into work every Monday only to go through it all again.
• Where I worked they would even pay for your college education if you wanted to take advantage of it.
• The truth of the matter is that for many people, complaining about the job is easier than actually doing something about it.
• Realize that when you work, you are representing Jesus wherever you are.
• Let us look at an important third principle of the workplace.
• SLIDE #6
III. PAYDAY IS COMING. (24-25)
• Why are we to work heartily? Why are we to work as if we are working for the Lord?
• One day, we will receive a paycheck per se from God.
• SLIDE #7
• READ Colossians 3:24-25
• One day we will receive a paycheck of sorts from God.
• Those who belong to Christ will receive their full inheritance. This issue of inheritance was a foreign concept to the slaves of the day because they would not receive any kind of inheritance.
• The slave had nothing to really look forward to in this life so the appeal was to realizing that God has a wonderful reward awaiting those who are faithful to Him.
• This goes back to knowing who you serve. Look at what verse 24 reminds us! It is the Lord Christ whom you serve! WOW!
• In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells those who were faithful with what they were given the following:
• SLIDE #8
• Matthew 25:23 (NASB) 23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
• Part of being that faithful servant is remembering that we will receive the ultimate paycheck from Jesus! (Remember our salvation is not earned)
• Verse 25 also reminds us of a sobering thought: those who do not faithfully serve will receive something also; they will receive the consequences of not being faithful.
• It does not matter who you are, God will deal with each one of us.
• This goes back to realizing that although your earthly boss may not see you, God does. We are serving Him.
• If we are in a situation where we are just drawing a paycheck, what kind of example will we be to those around us?
• Remember who you serve and remember who writes the ultimate check!
• The last principle we need to understand is this:
• SLIDE #9
IV. EMPLOYERS HAVE A BOSS ALSO. (4:1)
• In the slave/master relationship, masters needed to know they had responsibilities before God also.
• Employers need to realize they too will be held accountable before God for how they handled their position and authority.
• See what Colossians 4:1 says
• SLIDE #10
• READ Colossians 4:1
• The employer is not to take advantage of the employee. They are to provide a fair wage. They are to provide good working conditions and they are to treat their employees with fairness and respect.
• One of the things I enjoyed about working for Square D Company was the fact that they were provided one of the highest wages in the area and they also provided some of the best working conditions you would find.
• The management generally treated people with respect and it was a good place to work.
• The employer too is will answer to God. The Christian businessman has a higher standard to work with.
CONCLUSION
• It’s not just a job, it is an example. Many people will spend as much time or more time at work then they do with their family.
• We are called to do our best; the Christian should not just give a minimum effort because we are working for the Lord!
• Other people will draw conclusions about our God by the way we conduct ourselves at work.
• Christian and non-Christian employers should want to hire Christians because we should be the hardest working, most reliable and ethical people they can hire.
• Remember, we represent Jesus wherever we are.
