Running To Win

Dave McAllister: Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Ever complained about your job? Maybe you'd rather do something else. God's will may never include a raise, a promotion, or that dream position. Yet, your work, no matter what it is, has significance to God and His kingdom.

Today we'll see how we can display our commitment to Christ at the office. Stay with us. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, I suppose many of us should be grateful we have jobs, since so many are being downsized out of their positions.

Erwin W. Lutzer: Dave, I want to say a word to all those who perhaps dislike their job. Perhaps you are able to get another one, but meanwhile I want to encourage you and let you know that if you do it for God, it is honorable to Him.

And I'm holding in my hands a book that we're making available and, by the way, today's the last day we're making this offer. It's entitled Grace Awakening by Chuck Swindoll. What this book will help us to do is to apply grace wherever we work. It will show us that grace is not a license to sin, it is actually a deterrent to sin. But also it will deliver us from legalism—the idea that the way in which we can please God is simply by carrying out many rules.

I want you to have a copy. I want you to read it, share it with your friends. Here is how it can be yours. Go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com or pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now, because this is the last day we're making it available, I'm going to be giving you that contact info again. But I hope that this resource is going to bring a sense of deliverance and freedom and joy. The name of the book, Grace Awakening by Chuck Swindoll.

Today millions of people, millions of people are unhappy with their vocations. There are all kinds of reasons. For some it is because of boredom; they have a job that does not fulfill them. Others are tired of the hassle because of the interpersonal relationships that are so strenuous. Still others just feel that they're in the wrong job. And if you feel that you have the wrong job, I want you to know that you've got lots of company.

In the 70s, there was a study done that indicated, and I don't know how accurate it was, but it would say that about 80% of Americans probably have the wrong job. Aptitudes and desires lie in one direction; responsibilities and the necessities of economics force you to work in another direction. What do you do?

Well, I want you to put yourself in a time machine and go back 2,000 years and pretend that you were a slave in the Roman Empire. And if you would be a slave in the Roman Empire, you would join 60,000,000 other slaves. And the Apostle Paul gave some revolutionary principles on how even these slaves can be fulfilled in what they are doing.

Some people are very critical of the New Testament at this point. They say, why didn't Paul just tell the slaves to march and demonstrate and throw off the yoke of slavery? Well, my friend, I want you to know that 60,000,000 slaves means that there were more slaves than there were free people. There would be no place to go. The whole economy was based on slavery. What would the slaves do if they tried to break out of their slavery?

Secondly, the Apostle Paul stressed social change through the nature of the gospel and through changed hearts. Later on, Christianity became effective in taking care of slavery and literally abolishing it in the Roman Empire. But for now, what the Apostle Paul in effect says, as we shall see in a moment, is: be a good slave for Jesus.

Now, before we open our Bibles, I want to share my heart with you and I want to be very clear. In America today, we're not going to see a revival, we are not going to see America being won back to decency and righteousness unless there is a mighty change that takes place in the workforce among Christians in the United States.

Unless believers begin to understand that their responsibility in the workforce is just as important as my responsibility as a pastor or the responsibility of missionaries. Unless people begin to understand that they are going to be judged just as carefully by Christ as I am going to be, and that you can receive as many rewards as any missionary or any pastor or any evangelist by being faithful in the workforce today. Unless believers see that, they are not going to seize the opportunities that God puts on their doorstep.

But it is right there in corporate America, right there on the workforce in your vocation, whatever it may be, that you have the clearest opportunity to demonstrate the difference between a Christian and the people of the world. Yes, it's tough, but it is right there that the grace and the loving kindness and the mercy of God can be most clearly seen, if you understand your vocation as a direct calling from Almighty God.

One day, Jesus went into the synagogue and He began to read passages of Scripture and He began to teach. And He was criticized. And the reason that He was criticized is not because of what He said, but the people said, could this be the carpenter? A man with calluses on his hands from having sawed wood all day and hammering nails? He can't stand up and do ministry. They stumbled because of who He was and His vocation.

And ever since that time, the Christian church has always stumbled, not understanding the awesome calling that every single believer has. You, my friend, are important to God and your work is incredibly important. Now, if Paul, before we open our Bibles let's make a deal, if the Apostle Paul gives some revolutionary principles that even a slave can implement and find fulfillment in his slavery, don't you think that those principles will work for today in our workforce where people are continually hammering about the business of rights and where there are labor relation boards and all kinds of opportunities to redress wrongs? Of course they will work. And because we have looked into the Scriptures, your job can be different from now on.

Let's take our Bibles and turn to Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter 6, where the Apostle Paul talks about how to be a good slave for Jesus. Notice that he picks up the text here, the passage that we want, in verse 5. Chapter 6, verse 5.

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eye-service as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Principle number one. Are you ready? Serve Christ, not man. Serve Christ. Notice what he says. Do your work as to Christ.

Now, he emphasizes first of all that there should be single-mindedness. Notice that the text says that, not by way of eye-service as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ. He says you think that you're a slave of that taskmaster, actually look at him as if he were Jesus. What does it mean when he says not by way of eye-service?

Eye-service is when you have people who work only when the boss is there. You know, there are some companies where they ought to have work breaks rather than coffee breaks. Eye-service means that you get busy because you hear that the boss is coming and because you have a schedule to meet. But as soon as he is gone, you begin to waste the time and you no longer are faithful because he is not there. You have somebody, either yourself or someone else, keeping your eye on the boss.

Notice that the text says that we should be serving with fear, it says in verse 5. Those who are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in sincerity of your heart as to Christ. Now, whom shall you fear? Well, there were many people who feared their taskmasters, their slave owners, their masters.

But I think that the Apostle Paul is saying more than that. What he is saying is that we should not only fear doing a good job or not doing a good job as the case may be because of those who have authority over us in the flesh, but we must also do it with reverence and fear knowing that we are doing this for Jesus and we shall give an account to Him for the way in which we conducted ourselves.

We are going to see our lives in review day by day and faithfulness will be evaluated, and on that basis it will be determined where we fit into the eternal kingdom. Do you know what that means? That means that if in your job you are serving Jesus Christ, you do not cheat the company even though they may be unfair to you. You don't say, well they are paying me such a low wage that I'm going to take it out of time or I'm going to take some of the things home, I'm going to steal some things in my lunch bucket because after all, they deserve this. No, my friend. Would you steal from Jesus? Would you cheat Him? Then don't cheat your employer because the text says your employer is Jesus.

You say, well that's strong. Yeah, I know, but I'm not making it up. That also means that you don't participate in the slander that takes place in the office, all of the gossip, all of the talking behind people's back because you can't talk behind Christ's back. He's hearing it all and you're serving Him. At the end of the week, you pick up your paycheck and your paycheck is taken from the hand of Jesus and you say, this belongs to Christ and I have served Him.

You know, the Apostle Paul taught this because he understood that there were many slaves who would not have an opportunity to find jobs that were in keeping with their disposition, their gifts, and their aptitudes. So what the Apostle Paul says is, recognize that where you are placed is the very spot where God would have you.

Do you know what he said in the book of Titus? He again exhorts slaves and he says: be a good slave, well-pleasing, easy to get along with, do not pilfer. And then he says: adorning the doctrine of the gospel by your lifestyle.

I'm going to say some things today that are so contrary to society that you're going to have to forgive me in advance. All right? But I want you to know today that in a day where people have gone berserk regarding their rights—I don't know if you heard that story about a week ago where a woman without teeth because of a gum disease was suing to get her job back because she was fired in a hotel because they did not want someone to meet guests who did not have teeth. And so the legal discussion had to do with whether or not being without teeth meant that the dress code was not being met, you understand. I don't know how to relate to stories like that. I just—it just goes by me.

But we're living in a day when people are absolutely berserk about their rights. I want you to know that there is something even more important than your rights, and that is that the people around you see Jesus. Paul says slaves should adorn the doctrine and they should make Christ attractive to the people around. Yes, there's a place to fight for your rights even though the slaves couldn't, but remember that seeing Christ and that they see Him through you is the most important thing that you can contribute to your vocation. So first of all, serve Christ, not man. Serve Christ. You're working with someone who is hard to get along with, show them the love of Jesus for Jesus' sake.

Secondly, very important. Work for fulfillment, not advancement. Not advancement. You see, if you're going to work for advancement, if your great desire is to climb the ladder and end up being somebody, you might be disappointed because all of the plans that you have might fall to the ground. You might be unjustly treated and you might not be getting what you deserve. So what do you do then?

You see, if you set your heart on something, you always risk the possibility of bitter disappointment. You see, you and I have within ourselves a great desire to feel in the presence of others as if we have accomplished something. Within my heart and yours is a secret desire that someday people who are important to us will rise up and say, he has it made. We all want to be something.

Friend of mine said that he went into debt to buy a Chevy car. Probably not wise, but nevertheless he did. And he wanted to be something. He couldn't afford it, but he wanted all of his neighbors to look and say, oh look at that new Chevy car. So he went into debt to buy it. Said he drove it up on the driveway. His neighbor was mowing the lawn. Neighbor glanced up, glanced back, continued to mow his lawn. Wouldn't even come over and look at it. What a disappointment.

But all of us are like that. We want people to say he has it made, look at how successful he or she is, and there's something within us that says I need to do it. Listen to me carefully. It may not be God's will for you to fulfill some of the dreams that you have vocationally for yourself.

Do you realize that some of these slaves that were working in the empire at that time, the Roman Empire, many of them may have had gifts in drama? There could have been some Shakespeares among them. Many of them could have had careers in law and great opportunities. But because of their situation, they never had a chance to be all that they could have possibly been if they had lived in our generation. They had to be content with a lifestyle into which they were born. Paul says: fulfill the will of God from the heart.

Now there's nothing wrong with seeking your dream. My wife for many years had a great dream to be a nurse. That's what she wanted to be, and when our children were young she couldn't do that. But several years ago, she went back to nurse's training for the first time and she has become a nurse and now she has her dream. She works in the OR, the operating room. And she comes home and tells me all the things that are done and I say, honey, I love you very much but keep the conversation short. I just—I just can't relate and the very sight of blood makes me weak. She loves it.

Now you see, there are times when God allows us to be able to do what we really want to do. But if you're not there yet, look at this period of your life as that training ground when God is saying I can fulfill you where you are. Now I'm going to give you a New Testament principle that will revolutionize the way in which you see your job. The New Testament would teach that it is not what you do that should be the source of your fulfillment, but who you do it for.

What a revolutionary principle. Of course this isn't exactly what you want to do. Yes, this is beneath your dignity. Assuredly your aspirations lie in another direction, but there are no opportunities and you are confined to something that you don't like. Would you do it for Jesus? Do it for Jesus and that is doing the will of God from the heart, and for that you will be generously rewarded.

Do you remember that story? It's a myth actually, but it is a myth that has a point. When Jesus was on earth, the story goes that He asked some of the disciples to pick up stones. And so they all picked up stones and then after carrying them around for several days, Christ took those stones and turned them into bread. And some people had bigger stones, that means that they had more bread than others and they shared.

And then Jesus said, I want you to pick up stones again. So they picked up stones and this time they all picked up bigger stones. They carried them day after day after day. And finally they came to a river and Jesus said: take your stones and throw them into the river. They looked at one another, couldn't believe it, but they took their stones and threw them in the river to the obedience of Christ and then wondered what was the purpose of it all. And Jesus, it is said, turned to them and said: why do you wonder? For whom do you carry the stones? For whom do you carry them?

If Jesus wants you to carry stones and later on have them thrown into the river with no visible evidence of any purpose to it, who cares? For whom do you carry them? Some of you work in factories. Bless your heart, you need the grace of God. But I want to tell you something. Let that turn of the wheel be done for Jesus. And if you're shoveling dirt, let every shovel of dirt be done in the name of Jesus and for His glory. And if you're a corporate president and you run the board meeting, run the board meeting for Jesus. And if you sell insurance, sell those policies in the name of Christ and for Him. That's what the Bible says. You do the will of God from the heart. You work for Christ, not men. You seek the fulfillment that comes from doing something for Christ rather than the advancement that all of us so naturally seek.

And there's a third principle, and that is you work for eternity, not for time. Notice it says in verse 7, with good will render service as to the Lord and not to men. He emphasizes it again. Students, don't write that term paper for your prof. Write it for Christ. And then verse 8, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

And then Paul goes on to exhort the masters to take good care of their slaves. Whatever you do, whether bond or free, you will receive back from the Lord. That's the important thing. You are not looking at this from the standpoint of time, but from the standpoint of eternity.

My friend, when you stop to think of eternity and the fact that we shall give an account to God, we're reminded of the fact that we cannot achieve what God wants us to apart from grace. I know that we are saved by grace, obviously, but did you know that the Bible teaches we must live by grace? And because that becomes liberating, for a gift of any amount we're making a very special book available for you. And today is the last day you can receive this resource.

That's why I hope that you have a pen or pencil handy. What Chuck Swindoll does in the book entitled Grace Awakening is he wants to keep us from legalism—thinking of ourselves as pleasing God simply because we're doing rules—and understanding that we should do it from a different motivation, the motivation of grace.

Here is what you do. You go to rtwoffer.com. rtwoffer, by the way, is all one word. rtwoffer.com or you can pick up the phone and call us at 1-888-218-9337. What Chuck Swindoll does in this book is he'll help us to understand the one error of legalism, but also the error of license. So once again, right now go to your computer, go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

As you think about this book entitled Grace Awakening, it will show you that it helps us when it comes to our marriages, when it comes to giving, when it comes to living, when it comes to our relationships. All of that should be motivated by grace. Once again, go to rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337.

Dave McAllister: You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. In our series on commitment to Christ, we're finding guidance from Ephesians chapter 6. Here we see how to serve those we work for with godly attitudes. After all, we're called to work for God, who is our ultimate boss. Next time, more on the concepts of servants and masters. Plan to join us. For Pastor Erwin Lutzer, this is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.