Unlimited Grace

Bryan Chapell: He is saying if you give out of your heart to the purposes of God, then your heart's greatest desire is going to be satisfied. What is that desire for a believer? It is that the kingdom of God advance, that the fame of Jesus be known, that your Savior would be known and embraced by more and more people. God is saying as you support the work of Christ by your job, by your occupation, you are fulfilling a holy calling.

Guest (Male): So glad you joined us for today's Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of Pastor and author Bryan Chapell. In today's episode, Pastor Bryan shares the second half of a lesson from Ephesians chapter 6. Dr. Chapell investigates the role that God plays in our work and careers. You can find this lesson and many others when you visit unlimitedgrace.com.

While you're there, look for Pastor Bryan's commentary on the book of Ephesians, which he wrote for the Reformed Expository Commentary series. Dr. Chapell reveals how when we lift our eyes beyond ourselves to share Paul's expansive vision, then we too will join his doxology for God's amazing grace that transforms the world. Let's hear now from Dr. Bryan Chapell as he shares the second half of the lesson, Work Matters.

Bryan Chapell: I want to ask you to look in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 6, Ephesians chapter 6. Here we are again in Ephesians, and it gives us an opportunity for a full coverage as we consider today, particularly appropriate on a graduation Sunday, what the Lord says to us about our occupations. As we think about careers and serving God wherever he has called us, here are true and appropriate words. Let me ask that you would stand as we honor God's word and consider Ephesians chapter 6, verses 5 through 9.

Now the students are going to think the first word is particularly appropriate: Slaves. But there is more to say than that. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ. Not by the way of eye-service as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.

Knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 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. Let's pray together.

Father, thank you for young people that you have trained up in this church. Thank you for hearts set on you. May their paths continue to follow after you, recognizing that what you are calling them to do is to be ambassadors for Christ in every walk, in every occupation, in every career, in every relationship. They have this tremendous opportunity to be working as unto the Lord and not them only, but all of us here. In every phase and position in life, we are before your face and therefore have opportunity in every moment to glorify our Savior. Teach us how, even in the workplace, how we might be those who glorify Jesus. We pray in Christ's name, amen.

Please be seated. All work is worship. What are implications of that? If all work is worship, it means that Sunday is for Monday. I know that sounds simple, but it's actually a stark reminder of the age in which we live. Recognize in Old Testament times, the worship was done at the end of the week on Saturday. You messed up during the week, you don't do everything right, and you compensate at the end of the week by offering sacrifices on Saturday.

Through the work of Jesus Christ, the sacrificing is done. The one sacrifice has been made for all. We don't show up on Sunday to compensate for what we did during the past week. We come to Sunday to prepare for what comes in the coming week. Sunday is for Monday. If that's the case, you have a right challenge that you can give to me. You can say, "Pastor, if that's true, if Sunday is for Monday, give us something to work with."

We came for a purpose. If you're to be preparing us, give us something to work with. Of course, I have a challenge for you too. I can always say, then on Monday, don't forget what you heard on Sunday. It works both ways because Sunday is preparing for Monday. If that's the case, if Sunday is preparing for Monday, then we should see the Apostle Paul saying, "I am preparing you."

Just in the most concrete ways, recognize that this letter written by the Apostle Paul was meant to be read in the church on Sunday so the people would be prepared for their work on Monday. He's going to write things that are preparing people for their work. If I'm going to give you something to work with, we've just got it covered. Are you ready? Here we go. What do you have to work with?

There is instruction to workers. Verse 5, slaves, servants, bond-servants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling. That wasn't a very good start. The fear and trembling is a colloquialism for giving people proper respect. It's actually the language the Apostle Paul uses in Philippians 2:12. Remember, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do his good purpose.

In order to fulfill the work of God in you, you need to treat God with proper respect. Part of working for God is to treat employers, the masters, with proper respect. Why? So that they'll listen to your testimony, so they'll believe that your life is different, your pattern is different, your ethics are different because you are respecting them in the way that those who would respect God are called to do.

That's why Paul immediately follows after the fear and trembling, verse 5, do this with a sincere heart as you would Christ. Work with integrity as though you were serving Christ himself. I know your boss is not always going to seem like Christ, but you are representing Christ to that person. Therefore, to him, to her, to employees around you, you are working for Christ's name's sake.

That means verse 6, there's an implication as you work. It's not to be by the way of eye-service, not working just when the boss is looking or ignoring what might not be seen or painting over things so they can't be seen. Kathy and I are in that process because just yesterday, our son-in-law graduated from his university in St. Louis. As a consequence, the house that we had in St. Louis, we're now ready to sell because my daughter and her husband are moving away.

As we are going through that process of inspections, we found out that the person who inspected the home when it was sold to us a few years ago did not inspect the electrical system. He marked that he had, there was no one who could see that he didn't, and the consequence is now when an inspector sees now, he says, "How in the world did this get passed? Your family has lived in danger for years. This needs to be corrected immediately."

Because no one would see it, the job was sluffed over, not only endangering us, but should that man have been a believer, dishonoring to God. We don't serve chiefly for eye-service. We are to serve in such a way that we are honoring God in what we do, doing a job in such a way that people would say even when I didn't see it, you operated with integrity. As not as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Important words. You are doing the will of God in your work. It's first reminding us the way in which you and I are made, the way in which we are gifted is according to the will of God. Already we've said in the body of Christ, some are eyes, some are ears, some are feet. We are made differently. If that is the case, we recognize that God has given us different callings to pursue.

We honor God when we honor the gifts he has given us. If you are made to be an artist, it honors God to do your art. If you are made to be a preacher, it honors God to preach. If you are made to make money, and there are people I'm just amazed at times at certain people have a gift for that, to say if God has gifted you to do that, that is your calling.

I remember the words of Eric Liddell, the Chariots of Fire hero from the movie, who remember he didn't run on Sabbath because he felt that was dishonoring the Lord. But he ran in another race. One of the reasons he said is God made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure. But that wasn't all he said. He added to that, "and to win is to honor God."

I don't think he's saying just because you win the race, that's what honors God. He's saying when I apply the skills God has given me. If you're being driven into some profession just by other people's expectations, rather than the honest evaluation, how has God made me? Recognize part of doing God's will is pursuing the you that's you, to actually apply your gifts, your talents, your skills, your calling, your desire. That honors God.

It was his will to make me this way. If I'm honoring him in what I do, then that means I'm fulfilling his giftedness in the way that I pursue my profession. That's part of my worship. To do the will of God means we also do not use our gifts to do things contrary to the will of God. Recognize that there are patterns and products that would dishonor the name of Christ, which is the name by which we are called, Christians.

If our pattern is to slough off or to operate without integrity, to take advantage of people, to serve their compulsions or their vanities, all of that is not the will of God. You can use gifts well and actually do what is not according to the scriptures. But if what we are doing is honest work, it is holy work. If what we are doing is according to the giftedness that God has given us, then we are the priest of that place to which God has called us.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of Pastor and author Bryan Chapell. The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians to declare God's plan that the gospel of Jesus Christ would reach the world through weak and sinful people like you and me. He writes that God has redeemed us to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

When we lift our eyes beyond ourselves to share Paul's expansive vision, then we too will join his doxology for God's amazing grace that saves individuals, empowers the church, and transforms the world. Yes, such grace really is possible, and Pastor Bryan's commentary on the book of Ephesians clearly teaches the details of this amazing truth.

As a thank you for your support of our ministry here at Unlimited Grace, we would like to send you a copy of Dr. Chapell's commentary, which he wrote for the Reformed Expository Commentary series. You can request your copy of the commentary on Ephesians when you donate online at unlimitedgrace.com or by calling 844-41-GRACE. That's 844-414-7223. Now, more from Bryan Chapell on today's Unlimited Grace.

Bryan Chapell: I don't want you to miss the fact that the ninth verse is not directed just to employees, but to employers. Very specific words: Masters, do the same to them. Do you recognize how radical just that little phrase is in Roman society where masters had absolute control, the power of life and death, not just of the wage? That the apostle says, now listen, as your slave is to give you respect, as your slave is to operate with integrity in your house, as your slave is to serve you according to the will of God, you are to do the same to them.

Treat them with respect. Operate with integrity, fairness, and justice is required of the master. I mean, you can just see masters going, "What are you talking about? I have absolute rights here, I don't have to do." No, you don't because your master is God, the same as the God of the one that you now have a charge of. Stop your threatening.

The apostle's just reminding those who are employers, listen, you have to care for those who are in your care. You have to be concerned, "is my wage just and fair? Do the benefits take care of families? Is the health benefit that I'm providing appropriate for the families that God has given to my care?" All of these are sometimes extremely hard decisions as one is balancing profit and the welfare of employees.

At the same time, the apostle's saying, I know you have to maintain the business. At the same time, you cannot do it just for self-gain. You are being required to consider those who work for you because God is their God even as he is your God. They're your brothers and sisters in Christ. They are fellow image-bearers of the eternal God. If that is the case, you have the responsibility to see that love and justice and mercy and compassion are the concerns of your business as well as its profit.

All those we are being required to consider just because the apostle tells us to do that. The implications are immense, reminding us not only that Sunday is for Monday, but the reason it is is because Monday is forever. Now I know you're going to think some of my Mondays sure seem like forever, and maybe Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, too.

The apostle's reminding us of the eternal significance of the jobs that we do. Verses 6 and 7 again, even those who are workers are to serve not as eye-servants or people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will. I'm serving God with a good will toward others, which means their welfare, particularly their spiritual welfare, remains my aim even as I'm serving others.

I have to think, is what I'm doing not only good for career, for advancement, for business? Is it spiritually good? Is there good will in what I am doing for the sake of others? This takes us to terribly challenging decisions. I'm going to ask you to look at one more portion of scripture, this is one of I think the most difficult scriptures in the Bible as God is reminding us of our work responsibilities.

First Peter chapter 2 and verse 18. What would it mean to be concerned for the good of others? It means that we recognize that the reason Monday is eternal is our work is part of our testimony of eternal things. Because we are concerned for eternal things, there are sacrificial callings upon us in our work. First Peter 2:18, servants, be subject to your masters with all respect. We've heard that before.

Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called.

Because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example. Verse 24, he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. That our testimony is not just to those who are good and kind and nice to us, but to those who are in spiritual need.

If there are souls in spiritual need, they typically indwell people who are not very nice. Souls in spiritual need typically indwell people who are not very nice. The apostle is saying eternal things are now trumping our temporary ease. I'd rather work for somebody who's nice. I'd rather get around somebody who's treating me badly. I need to get away from somebody who's unfair, unjust.

I recognize your calling to your family may mean if somebody's treating you unjustly, you may need other occupations. But we're never to ignore the fact that there are spiritually needy people for eternal reasons around us in our workplace. It may not be a boss, it may be a co-laborer, and we are called to be with good will concerned for eternal things. Monday is forever.

Not only is the intention of our forever Monday work to be testimony, it's to actually be transformative. I want you to remember in this book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul is reminding us from the first chapter, the 22nd, 23rd verse, that we are the body of Christ, of which he is the head, and by which he is transforming all in all. That the apostle is expecting God to use us by the Holy Spirit to transform the world around us.

Not just our homes, not just our church, but Peoria and state and world to be affected by the ministry of the church. When we see that, we recognize our jobs are callings of all different sorts we may never have imagined. One of my favorite students ever at Covenant Seminary was named Paul Cagul. He went to seminary to learn to preach, he never finished because he had a terrible stuttering problem.

He could not preach, and I could not find a way to help him. He left after a couple of years, and when he did, he still believed it was his calling to spread the gospel. I must tell you something, he was gifted in making money. He was a businessman like few I've ever known. What he began to do was to establish a business that would hire seminarians while they were training for the pastorate.

Dozens and dozens of ministers are now a consequence of the jobs he provided as a businessman who said, "My job is still transformation. They need me in a different way. I'm going to serve my gifts a different way." We have a holy calling as we are seeking to transform our world in the place that God has called us. That's true of masters, that's true of moms.

I tell the story about Kathy one time changing a particularly messy diaper and saying to my mom, who was standing nearby, "These hands have played Mozart." My mom saying, "And now maybe they're raising Mozart." Eternal callings, world transformation. Some of you may be raising the next Billy Graham or Bill Gates. Huge influence on the spiritual world, the business world, the developing world.

If you're thinking before the face of God, I'm making these choices, these decisions as I go to college as I think about what careers I'm pursuing, these are things that touch on eternity for myself and others. This is not secondary, it's not an afterthought. I'm living for the glory of God. This is my worship is to work in accord with the calling that he has given me and the gifts he has granted me to have.

I hope you recognize all that we are called to do in our different ways is to provide for the support of what God calls each of us to be doing. No preacher worth his true calling wants to tell you to give lots of money as a charlatan or a panhandler. Praise the Lord and pass the plate. But I do you no service if I do not remind you what this passage itself says in verse 8.

You must know that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is slave or free. I don't think the Lord is promising in kind, that's the charlatan preachers. If you give money, you'll get more money. He is saying if you give out of your heart to the purposes of God, then your heart's greatest desire is going to be satisfied.

What is that desire for a believer? It is that the kingdom of God advance, that the fame of Jesus be known, that your Savior would be known and embraced by more and more people. God is saying as you support the work of Christ by your job, by your occupation, you are fulfilling a holy calling of God spreading his fame.

Guest (Male): That's Pastor Bryan Chapell, and you've been listening to Unlimited Grace. Please be sure to join us next time as once again we endeavor to put Christ at the center of our efforts so that lives might be transformed by his unlimited grace. This ministry is brought to you by Unlimited Grace Media and continues to be made possible with your generous financial support.