Christ at the Workplace and the Family

Krisdos Cor/ady.iin yv Undanikin Me]

(God's Magnificent Work through Christ)

Ephesians 6:1-9

We finally arrived to the last sermon of the series on the Letter to the Ephesians entitled “God’s Magnificent Work through Christ.”

We learned to walk, to have new lifestyle because of Christ’s presence in our lives. Last week we talked about marriage, husbands and wives. I heard interesting comments during the week. Someone said, “I wished the sermon never ended.” Sermons will never end if we take them with us to our daily life, and put it into PRACTICE.

So let us move on to the last section:

There are two more areas about which Paul instructs Christians to walk in a Christlike manner: the family and work environment. I will start in the Armenian sermon with the work environment.

Christ at the Workplace (6:5-9)

Please do not think that slavery is being endorsed in this passage. In those days, the practice of slavery was widespread. In the church of Ephesus both masters and slaves were present. Let me add here that when the Christian message penetrates a society, it should bring justice, respect and freedom. Unfortunately, it took many centuries to stop slavery. However, this is not today’s topic.

Today we talk about employees and managers (“ bosses”).

Let me start by saying how important it is to work. Work is the means by which we gain our daily “bread.” If we don’t work, we don’t eat. God commanded Adam to work: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen 2:15)

God created work as a good thing. Yet, because of sin, “work” became harder. (Read Gen 3:17-19) Watch out: the soil is cursed and not the work. I think God is teaching humanity a very important thing. God’s purpose in cursing the ground was to teach us something, not to punish us but to redeem us. He did not want mankind to find ultimate fulfillment in work, so that they will seek daily their heavenly Father, the Creator.

I love to work, it energizes me. I like to accomplish things; it motivates me to go on. But work is also frustrating. It has “thorns and thistles”. We may love our job but hate the boss, or like the boss but hate the job, love the work but hate the environment, love the work but hate the payment, you name it… You see work is good; it is given by God, but it will never and never satisfy our inner longings.

- Workers:

“Obedience, respect,” and “sincerity of heart.” These words are not unusual for the Christian person. It starts in verse 5:21, “Submit to one another.” These words are used for children to obey their parents. Again the role model is Christ and the church. Workers, look up to your boss. Our conduct at work brings honor to God. Whatever we do, we do it to honor God.

I feel very bad when I recommend a Christian person for a job, and the recommended person does a lousy job, does not work promptly, is lazy, or is not punctual, and so on. We witness for Christ even when we work because we are the ambassadors of Christ.

-Managers, Bosses:

“Treat them the same way.” It is about mutual respect and honor. The wise boss is the one who encourages his employees. Unfortunately, when I look now at how CEO’s lay off workers, my heart is disturbed. Every quarter the figures of gain and loss are more important than workers. Of course the company should gain, but how? On whose account? That is the question.

Bosses and workers, do we honor God in our daily life at our workplace?

We will continue in English.