Making much of Jesus in the workplace as an employer...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of Ephesians. Wednesday, we saw the Apostle Paul reveal for us the many ways that we as employees are to make much of Jesus in the workplace as we willing place ourselves under our employer’s leadership. Today, Paul concludes this section of his letter by shifting his focus from the employee to the employer in Ephesians 6:9:

  And 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.

This morning, did you catch that? Did you catch that Paul commanded those in the church at Ephesus who were masters to do the same things when it came to how they related to their slaves. Paul commanded those in the church at Ephesus who were masters to willingly place themselves in a position to put their slaves first.

Paul here is applying the principle of mutual submission that we looked at a few weeks ago to the relationships between master and slaves. In Ephesians 5:21, we discovered that we are to be subject to one another. In other words, we are to place ourselves under others by placing others first in a way that demonstrates respect toward one another based on the nature of our relationship. We discovered that when we willingly place ourselves under others by placing others first when it comes to our horizontal relationships, we reveal and reflect Jesus to those that we are in relationship with.

And here we see Paul command the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters to embrace their responsibility to serve their slaves. The members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to no longer treat their slaves in a disrespectful and threatening manner.

Instead, the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves with respect. The members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves with integrity in words and actions. And the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves in a way that recognized that Jesus was the One who is ultimately large and in charge.

While they may have been in a position of authority when it came to their slaves, Paul wanted them to remember that Jesus is ultimately the One who every human being will answer to when it comes to their actions. And Jesus will evaluate and reward their performance to the exact same standards.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to how employers are to make much of Jesus in the workplace. And that timeless truth is that we make much of Jesus in the workplace when we embrace our responsibility as employers to serve our employees by treating them right.

We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by not treating them in a disrespectful and threatening manner. We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by treating them with respect. We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by demonstrating integrity in our words and actions.

And we make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by recognizing that Jesus is in charge. Whether employer or employee, Jesus is ultimately the One who everyone will answer to when it comes to our actions in the workplace. And whether employer or employee, Jesus will evaluate and reward our performance to the exact same standards.

Now, if you do not buy the whole Jesus, Bible, church thing, what would happen if you were to put into practice the principles in your workplace? What would happen to your workplace experience? Would your workplace become a better place? Would your relationships improve at work?

And if you are a follower of Jesus, here is a question to consider: Are you making much of Jesus in your workplace? Are you making much of Jesus in the workplace by willing placing ourselves under our employer’s leadership? Is your effort in the workplace marked by respect, integrity, and a positive attitude that is committed to our employer's success?

Are you making much of Jesus in the workplace by embracing your responsibility as an employer to serve your employees by treating them right? Do you treat your employees with respect? Do you demonstrate integrity as an employer?

Do you recognize that whether employer or employee, Jesus is ultimately the One who everyone will answer to and who will evaluate and reward our performance to the exact same standards. Because our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace.