your master is in heaven eph. 6:5-9 · eph. 6:5-9. 5slaves, be obedient to those who are your...
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Your Master is in HeavenEph. 6:5-9
5Slaves, 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; 6not by way
of eyeservice, as men-pleasers,
but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7With good will
render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8knowing that whatever good
thing each one does, this he will
receive back from the Lord whether slave or free. 9And masters, do the same things to them, and give up
threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and
there is no partiality with Him.Eph. 6:5-9
Application?
Application?
Employees – work for your boss as if you are working for Jesus.
Employer – treat your employees as you would treat Jesus.
The composition of the first-century church, the first-century world.
Paul was not writing to employees and
Employers!
Common 21st-Century objections to our
evangelistic efforts
I can’t believe in a God who was so mean, who
allows so much suffering, commands genocide, etc.
It’s okay . . . in fact it’s necessary to grapple with
some of these hard issues in Scripture.
The horrors of modern slavery
21 – 46 million peoplewho were created in
the image of Godare enslaved
Approximately 10 millionslaves are children
Easier to obtain slaves now than in the past. Easier & cheaper to
replace them.
God hates slavery, inequality, racism,
and injustice!
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal. 3:28
[receive Onesimus] back forever, 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother - especially to me, but how
much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord . . .
“receive him as you would receive me”. . . I write knowing you will do even more than I say.”
Philemon 15-17, 21
A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is Godin His holy habitation.6God
makes a home for the lonely;He leads out the prisoners
into prosperity . . .Psalm 68:5-6
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed
free. Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1
And yet . . .
If God hates slavery, whydidn’t Jesus, Peter, or Paul
openly condemn it?
Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your
hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.”
Matt. 19:81
In the Old Testament, God was speaking to God’s people in God’s
nation living under God’s laws administered by
priests and king
In the New Testament, God is speaking to diverse people groups from diverse nations living under
diverse governmental rule.
The laws governing the people groups of the N.T. were man-made
laws reflecting man’s current morality, not God’s timeless truths
In the N.T. we never see God working to transform a political system. Instead, He is calling His
people out of all nations with new citizenship as part of a new
kingdom.
God’s purpose in the N.T. was not to transform governments to serve people better, but to transform people to serve the world better
The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19; 2 Cor. 4:4
Satan is the ruler of this world. John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph. 6:12-13
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my
kingdom is not from the world.”John 18:30
Submit to governing authorities Rom. 13:1-7
Pray for kings and leaders 1 Tim. 2:1-2Submit to human authority . . . The
emperor . . . Governors . . . Honor the king. 1 Peter 2:13-14, 17
Jesus pays tax to Caesar Matt. 22:21
What we know so far:
What we know so far:1. God hates slavery, injustice.
What we know so far:1. God hates slavery, injustice.
2. God is more concerned about transforming hearts than
governments.
What we know so far:1. God hates slavery, injustice.
2. God is more concerned about transforming hearts than
governments.3. God will replace all governments
What we know so far:1. God hates slavery, injustice.
2. God is more concerned about transforming hearts than
governments.3. God will replace all governments
4. God’s kingdom - equality
What we know so far:1. God hates slavery, injustice.
2. God is more concerned about transforming hearts than
governments.3. God will replace all governments
4. God’s kingdom – equality5. We are to live that way now