1 October 2023 PM – Text: Colossians 3:22-25 – Topic: Work – Series: Col 23
Introduction: Paul was here addressing slaves or bondmen. Such “servants” or slaves were very frequent in the first century. Historians estimate that between 10 and 20 percent of the first century Roman population were slaves. Such slavery was not based on race. “Slaves in Rome might include prisoners of war, sailors captured and sold by pirates, or slaves bought outside Roman territory. In hard times, it was not uncommon for desperate Roman citizens to raise money by selling their children into slavery. All slaves and their families were the property of their owners, who could sell or rent them out at any time. Their lives were harsh. Slaves were often whipped, branded or cruelly mistreated. Their owners could also kill them for any reason, and would face no punishment.” https://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/slaves_freemen.html They had no freedom. A few earned their freedom, but most had no opportunity. These slaves had no motivation to do their best, other than to avoid punishment. Interestingly, the Apostles Paul (Ro 1:1), James (Jas 1:1), Peter (2Pe 1:1), Jude (Jud 1:1) and John (Re 1:1) each called himself a bond slave of Jesus Christ.
Transition: We are not slaves, but we all work for someone; therefore, the commands in Colossians 3:22-25 apply to each of us. Whether we are doing home jobs for dad and mum, working as a housewife, working for an employer, following government laws, or serving the Lord, God wants us to do our best. To help us do our best, God tells us WHAT to do, HOW to do it, and WHY we must do it.
1. Look for the What, How and Why in verse 22?
a. What: What are we to do? – Obey
1) Here God commands us to obey our masters. It does not matter whether our master is our mum, dad, husband, boss, or the government, God requires that we obey.
2) When we obey, we listen to instructions, and we do as we are told. If we do not obey, it is either that we did not listen to the instructions (which is common), or we stubbornly chose not to obey. Both are wrong.
3) God clarifies it for us by adding “in all things… according to the flesh”. We must obey all requests that deal with our flesh, excluding commands that are contrary to God’s Word.
b. How: Not with eyeservice, in singleness of heart.
1) We must not simply obey with eyeservice, as menpleasers.
2) Eyeservice is work done only when being watched or just to look good on the outside. Many students at school study with eyeservice. As soon as the teacher leaves the room, study stops and mucking around begins. Workers on the job try to look busy but do as little as possible. When the boss leaves, they take a break. This is eyeservice.
3) Work done as menpleasers is seeking to please people with no thought to pleasing God. It is working for praise of men or for promotions. It is not wrong to please our mum or the boss, but if we focus on doing just enough to please them and no more, that does not please the Lord.
4) We are also to do our work in singleness of heart. The idea here is to work with sincerity, to have no ulterior motives. This includes, working to try to earn a favour or gain some praise.
c. Why: It shows that we fear God.
1) When we obey and do our best work from the heart, it shows that we fear God.
2) Being afraid to displease the Lord will help to motivate us to do our best.
2. Look for the What, How and Why in verses 23-25?
a. What: What is the command? – Do
1) Look at verse 23. It says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily.” The first “do” means to make or to do something. The second “do” is a different word. It is commonly translated work. It speaks of labour. It is also a command.
2) God is commanding us to work.
3) Notice how God clarifies it for us. He said that whatever we do, make, produce, construct, prepare, form, etc., no matter what it is, we are to work at it.
b. How: Heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
1) We are to work heartily. The word used here literally means out from soul. Jesus distinguished our soul from our body, spirit and strength. (Mark 12:30) “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Working heartily is being motivated by the inner soul rather than by outward obligations. We might say, it is putting our heart into our work.
2) We are to work heartily as to the Lord. Whether we are cleaning the toilet, scrubbing the flour, doing dishes, typing a report, teaching a lesson, doing homework, repairing a motor, installing a program, painting a wall, building a bench, or preparing for a meeting, we are to be working heartily just as if we were working for the Lord Jesus.
3) The Holy Spirit had Paul add one last punch to the statement, “and not unto men.” We must not think of our work as working for people. People often do not notice the many jobs we do. Mums do countless tasks that never receive a thanks from the family. The boss may not realise how much work you put into a project. Remember, Paul addressed this section to slaves. After a long, tiring day of painful toil, all that many of them received for their labour was a bland meal, an uncomfortable bed and a few hours of sleep before starting the job all over again.
4) If we work for the approval of men, we will be greatly disappointed.
c. Why: The Lord will reward you accordingly (v.24-25)
Why should we work heartily as to the Lord and not to men?
1) As believers, we know from God’s Word that the Lord will give us the reward of the inheritance.
2) This reward is a recompense. It is repayment for work done. We will receive the reward of the inheritance. Believers are joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Believers will share all Christ’s eternal inheritance with Him. Peter described it as “… an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1 Peter 1:4). (1 Corinthians 15:58) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.“
3) We serve the Lord Christ, and He will not overlook even a cup of cold water given in His name. (Matthew 10:42) “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.“
4) Though we have God’s promise of a just recompense for each deed done for his glory, we also have God’s sober warning that those doing wrong will bring upon themselves harm for what they have done. God will treat every person justly who did not do his best.
Conclusion: These verses urge us to do our best. Very few slaves had any hope of repayment in this life, but if they did their best and worked heartily as to the Lord, the Lord will recompense them in glory.
Whether you are doing a dirty job, a boring job, a smelly job, a thankless job, an unpleasant job, or a fun job, DO YOUR BEST! Put your heart and soul into it. Do it just as if you were doing it for Jesus. You may not even get a “Thank you” in this life, but God will repay you richly on Judgment Day.
