Dwelling Place

Guest (Male): Do you have a mission field? No? Oh, think again. Here's Pastor Al Pittman.

Al Pittman: When we leave church, we are entering our mission field. When we leave this gathering and you walk out in the parking lot, you have entered your mission field. Every believer is called to be a witness. But how we conduct ourselves as employees and employers, I believe really impacts lives for the sake of the gospel far greater than any Sunday morning message or evangelistic message. Cuz people will hear what we say, but they watch what we do.

Guest (Female): Dwelling place, dwelling place, dwelling place. You are my Dwelling place, dwelling place, dwelling place.

Guest (Male): Have you ever received a letter from a special person that you kept and reread many times? Today on The Dwelling Place, we'll continue our study in Colossians. A letter Paul wrote that we should keep in our hearts and minds and reread often. Today we're looking at the last few verses of chapter three and we'll get into the relationship between employers and employees. As in every other area of life, there are right and wrong ways for both bosses and workers to act. Here's our teacher, Pastor Al Pittman, with our study beginning in Colossians 3 verse 22.

Al Pittman: Please open your Bibles to Colossians chapter 3. We're going to be looking at verses 22 all the way to chapter 4 verse 1. Not going to go that far, but this is kind of the the last part of a three-part series in faith relations speaking of husband and wives and then fathers and children last week and now employers and employees are as Paul says bond servants and masters. Verse 22 of Colossians chapter 3. Bond servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart fearing God.

Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done. There is no partiality. Masters, give your bond servants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a master in heaven. Amen. I think one of the most influential venues, if you will, of for being a witness for Jesus Christ is not the evangelistic meeting or the Sunday morning service, but the marketplace.

The place you go to every week to work or to run your business is a place of great opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ. Just imagine what would happen if we began to approach our jobs and businesses with the same excitement and anticipation as a Billy Graham crusade. If you're going to do a Billy Graham crusade, you've got to start with some intense prayer. Weeks before the event, there's a a prayer group and people are praying and interceding for the event. And then what we would do is not only pray, but we would ask God to convict the hearts of those who will attend.

Not only that, but we'd we'd prepare ourselves to counsel new believers and to encourage those who would commit themselves, recommit themselves to the Lord. So we show up prepared and with a great anticipation. Imagine showing up for your job like that. Yeah. Looking for God to do something exciting. Imagine people showing up at a Billy Graham crusade with an attitude like, yeah, well, he probably won't do anything anyway. But people show up expecting God to move. Every time they sing that song Just As I Am, people flood the altar, come down, surrender their lives to Christ.

Why? Because of the attitude with which they approach the the event with prayer and expectation from God. I think God wants us and when we go into the marketplace to go into the marketplace with great expectation. Showing up to your job expecting Jesus to show up and to do a work through your life. You know, when you think about it, in actuality, our jobs and businesses are evangelistic arenas in which God has placed us to experience the miraculous working of his Holy Spirit. In fact, when we leave church, we are entering our mission field. When we leave this gathering and you walk out in the parking lot, you have entered your mission field.

Every believer is called to be a witness. But how we conduct ourselves as employees and employers, I believe really impacts lives for the sake of the gospel far greater than any Sunday morning message or evangelistic message. Cuz people will hear what we say, but they watch what we do. In order for us to be effective, however, in the marketplace, we must have a kingdom perspective. And I take a kingdom perspective with me. I try to in every aspect of my life. I'm not perfect at it. One of the areas where I try to be a witness for the kingdom is when we go out to eat dinner, is in my tipping.

Amen. So some of you are squirming already kind of. I I think Christians ought to be a witness in the way they tip folks, man. I It's always bothered me when Christians would leave those fake $50 bills or $20 bills on the table and it actually is a track. That poor, you know, college student or single mom trying to make ends meet picks it up thinking it's a blessing and it's like, you know, do you have riches in Jesus? You know, or something, you know. And you think, well, I'm I'm I'm witnessing to them and let then leave them 50 cents on the table, you know what I mean.

People watch what we do. And in a small way like that, blessing somebody, tipping big, you know, I know some of you old timers there, you know, are are old school, I should say, you know, believe that when you give somebody a dollar, that's a huge tip. I got an uncle in New Jersey. We went out to this big Italian dinner. I think it was like 60 bucks, 70 bucks, and threw a dollar on the table. I said, brother, what are you doing? These people are going to kill us. We're in New Jersey too near We're down here near Newark and you just going to leave somebody a dollar?

So I reach in my pocket, do some more money on the table. I say you have We don't want these people running out here after us, you know. Well, I thought I I thought I was doing good. I said, that's that old school, you know. Some of you are like that. You kind of, you know, just kind of squeak when you walk, you know. Pull a little dollar out. Yeah, you know, leave a little dollar on the table. You know, hey, you know, repent. You're a spiritual tightwad. Cast some bread on the water, it'll come back to you.

I'm being facetious now, but I just uh you know, I I use that as an opportunity to witness, you know. Some of my wife looks at me and goes, oh, you leaving that much? Hey, you know. Whatever. Who knows? I want to bless somebody. It comes back to me anyway. I'm not doing it for their eye service. I 'm doing it for his. But anyway, we can be a witness when we have a kingdom perspective in simple things like like tipping, but also more importantly, I think in our job performance and the way we conduct business within the marketplace.

In addressing the slave master relationship of his day, which in our society would be more the employee employer relationship, Paul revealed how we can glorify God through submission and the proper use of authority within the daily marketplace. Paul first says in verse 22 he says, bond servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart fearing God. Barring unethical or immoral acts or requests by your boss, we are to obey our employers. Now in Paul's day, as in some regions of the world today, there he was he's speaking to slaves.

There was slavery was common. And Paul is saying to these slaves who were usually people who were came under uh into slavery because they had a debt they couldn't pay back or they were uh a conquered nation that came was uh brought under subjection or subjugation to the conquering nation. And so here they you know, they were slaves taken as captives as slaves. They didn't have rights like, you know, equal opportunity employment agencies and and all that kind of stuff. Many times they were often abused. And with this in mind, Paul says and I might add, Paul is writing from prison.

He knows what he 's talking about. Paul says, obey your masters in all things. Now what does it mean to obey? You know, first it doesn't mean obeying with eye service. Paul says, don't don't do the eye service thing. Here comes the boss. You know, Hey boss, we're working hard here well, you know. Soon as he walks out, coffee break. You know, hanging out by the water cooler, hanging out by the coffee machine, you know, goofing off, giving eye service. It doesn't mean giving eye service because it's not the eyes of men that we serve, but the eyes of God.

It's the Lord looking. Sometimes people may look at you and say, why are you working so hard? You know, boss don't get in until 2:00. I'm not working for that boss. I'm working for another master. Paul says, if you're going to work, if you're going to work, this is the way that you can glorify God in your working and working for your master is to do it heartily. Obey heartily. Heartily, that Greek word the Greek word for heartily speaks of the soul, of the the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, our very heart, we would say in our culture today.

In other words, if we will glorify God on the job, we must perform our job as unto the Lord and with all of our heart. Got quiet on me. If we're to glorify God, we can't just show up and give eye service. We must serve and perform our task from the heart. Imagine what would happen if you went into work tomorrow and performed your task heartily. Came in whistling. You know, you know, what's what's wrong with that person, you know? I mean, hold it. I'm doing it cuz I'm doing it unto the Lord. You actually listening listening in the business meetings and and you offer viable solutions rather than complaints, you know.

You know, you perform your job with enthusiasm because you finally realize who you're working for. Change your whole attitude. It even change the whole atmosphere where you work. Now some people will protest and say, what but you don't know. It's easy for you to say, but you don't know my boss. If you work for her, if you work for him, boy, I tell you you feel way I feel. What was me? They're so cruel. Surely God doesn't want me to have to serve. How can you serve somebody like that? Would God want us to serve a cruel task master?

A cruel boss. Doesn't he want me happy? Doesn't he want me to feel bad? Does he? Well, turn with me to 1 Peter. Turn right in your Bibles. Say hello to brother James and you come to 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 18 to 20. 1 Peter 2 verse 18. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, Amen. but also to the harsh. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it when you are beaten for your faults?

You take it patiently. But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. It's not commendable to you know, serve a wonderful boss. It's commendable before God when you're suffering wrongfully under a cruel boss and yet you willingly suffer. That word harsh and uh verse 18 of 1 Peter chapter 2 it means unfair, bad-tempered, unwilling to yield like a child. Anybody working for somebody like that? Amen. Can I get a testimony? Testify somebody, you know. We'll pause right here, but Pastor Al will be back in a few moments with part two of today's message in Colossians chapter 3.

It brings us great joy when we hear from our listeners. So email us today at cwcchs.org. And we have a brand new address to share with you for Pastor Al's podcast. It's anchor.fm/cwcchs-podcast. That's anchor.fm/cwcchs-podcast. If you'd like to partner with us financially, please give us a call at 844 221 3363 or again, visit our website at cwcchs.org. Now let's return to today's message in Colossians chapter 3. Here's Pastor Al Pittman. Many of us, especially if you worked over many years, you've probably worked for somebody that that word harsh describes unfair, bad-tempered, unwilling to yield like a child.

Now in reality, if we're honest, some of us deserve the bosses that we have. We've earned that boss. We don't we don't you know, you don't show up for work on time, you know what? You're going to get somebody that's on your back. If you don't do your job properly, you get someone on on your you know, on your case. And sometimes Christians will go, are you they're persecuting me at work. Well, why don't you show up on time? Oh, they're just picking on me. Well, just do your job. Do it unto the Lord. And they're picking on you and and and writing you because you're not doing your job.

Or sometimes you maybe you've heard this, you know, I was witnessing on a job and and you know, they reprimanded me for witnessing. Well, let me just say this, witnessing at the expense of your job performance is a poor witness at best. If you're going to witness to somebody, do it on your lunch break or on your break or whatever and maybe God will give you an opportunity to witness while you're working or whatever to share something with someone. But for the most part, if you're working for the man or that woman, work for them.

And be the best worker in the place. That is a better witness than anything you could preach. You're preaching all the time. You're preaching when you're working. So well, you never share the gospel. I m sharing all the time, man. I am doing quality work. I'm giving 110 %. I'm doing it unto the Lord. That's a greater witness than anything we could ever say. People may hear what we say, but they'll always watch what we do. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 20 tells us that if we suffer wrongfully, it is commendable unto the Lord. Why is it commendable?

Well, verse 21 of 1 Peter chapter 2 says for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. When the Lord said, pick up your cross and follow me, we didn't think it included suffering. Follow me to all the happy places. Follow me to the joy. Follow me to prosperity, you know. Oh, we're willingly pick up our cross and follow him. But follow me to suffer for to this you were called. A lot of people boast about callings in the Lord. Oh, I'm called of God.

Are you called to suffer? That's a calling. Following the example of Christ. So the Bible says here in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 22 speaking of Jesus, our example, who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled did not revile in return, when he suffered he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. Wow. That verse has kept me in the ministry. To not rise and fall on the opinions of men, but on what the father says. What he says is what really matters. But here's the lesson here.

Jesus suffered wrongfully. And if we are willing to suffer at times wrongfully like Jesus who suffered wrongfully, his suffering ended up uh resulted in our salvation. And we're all glad for that he suffered, but in the same sense Peter is saying here, we ought to also bear with others and suffer wrongfully at times because it may result in the salvation of your boss or your co-worker. You see, as they observe our faith in good times, that's one thing, but when they observe your faith, when you're suffering, when your faith is under pressure, that is what leaves an impression upon the world.

Faith under pressure. Layoffs have come down. Guys are people are afraid of losing their job and there you come walking in with joy. So what's wrong with you? Did you get an offer someplace? No, I'm not working for this corporation. I'm working for Jesus. And he supplies all my needs according to his riches and glory. I don't know how it's going to work out, but it's going to be all right. And so therefore I can have joy. Oh, I may not be happy about the situation, but I have joy unspeakable and full of glory because of my relationship with him.

You can be a witness in those times when when the heat is on as Paul stood up in the boat in Acts chapter 27 in the midst of the storm when they had despaired of life on that boat that was destined to be shipwrecked. It was Paul who stood up in the storm and at that hour he was the greatest witness to those men on the ship. And he said, don't worry, it's going to be all right. The God to whom I serve and who I belong appeared to be and said, we're going to be fine.

Many times standing up our faith standing up in the storm is what impresses people. Not the faith that stands up when the sun's shining and everything's wonderful. So we suffer because we're called to it many times so that others might see Jesus through us. It's as Paul said elsewhere in 2 Corinthians when he said, I carry about in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ that the life of Christ may be manifested through my flesh so that death works in me, but life works in you. As I'm dying to myself and my own self will and I'm humbling myself and coming under the suffering and being persecuted maybe on the job and yet there's still joy.

I'm dying so that they can see Jesus and not me. Now we can suffer wrongfully if you got a certain mentality or attitude. You can suffer wrongfully if like Jesus you have fully committed yourself to the judgment of God rather than the judgment of people. Oh man, when you know God has placed you in a place of destiny and no weapon formed against you can prosper. All the trickery of your boss and the things that he tries to do to manipulate or make you mad, you can just laugh at. That you can't do anything but what my father allows you to do because I'm committed to his judgment.

It ultimately doesn't matter what you think or what my father thinks is what matters. In fact, I believe that when we hear well done, we can rest in what we've done. Only message the voice I want to hear on Sundays when I stop preaching is I want to hear the father say well done. I mean, actually my best messages are preach Monday morning because I think about all the things I wish I had have said or whatever, you know. And I'm canceling Sunday and just show up Monday, you know. But we you know, we tend to beat ourselves up, but if I know I've done the will of the father, if I've delivered his word and and have said what he wanted me to say, if I'm pleasing to him, it doesn't matter what the opinion of others is.

I'm not concerned about what people think. If I hear him say well done, I can rest in what I've done. Father's judgment is what really matters. The point that Paul is making here, don't give eye service. Give heart service to the Lord. Our response in such situations many times when things are the pressure's on at work or when you maybe you've had to go through a time of suffering, have to endure under a little pressure from the boss or whatever, many times those situations often reveal whether or not we are focused on the wages of men or the wages of God.

As Paul tells us back in Colossians chapter 3 verse 24, he says, you need to serve heartily as to the Lord in verse 23 and not to men. Verse 24 he said, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done. There's no partiality with the Lord. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 to 21, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If your heart is in the opinion of men and in that check that you receive every two weeks, if your heart is there, your treasure will be there. That will be the treasure and that will be the very thing you're living for. But if your heart is in the things of God, is in the eternal treasure, then your heart will be with the Lord. Someone said, you know, you can't take it with you, but you can always send it ahead. Storing up treasure in heaven with my eyes focused on pleasing the father rather than pleasing men.

Guest (Male): Thanks for listening to The Dwelling Place with Pastor Al Pittman. If you'd like to hear today's message from Colossians again, you can get an audio CD by calling us at 844 221 3363 or listen online to an archive of Pastor Al's messages at cwcchs.org. Can I ask you today to take a moment and send Pastor Al an email and let him know you're listening to The Dwelling Place. It would mean a lot to Pastor Al and all of us at this radio ministry. Send your email to amen at cwcchs.org. That's amen at cwcchs.org. And include a prayer request if you'd like.

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Join us at our west side campus or our creek side campus. You can find service times and directions for both on our website. The Dwelling Place with Pastor Al Pittman is brought to you by Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. May the Lord richly bless you.

Guest (Female): Dwelling place, dwelling place, dwelling place. You are my Dwelling place, dwelling place, dwelling place.