Colossians 3:22-25 - "Serving the Lord Christ"

Today, Saturday June 19 “Serving the Lord Christ” Colossians 3:22-25 “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. It is one thing to say that “Jesus Christ is preeminent” but quite another to personally give Him the place of preeminence in our personal lives.  Here in chapter 3, the Apostle Paul gets very specific about the areas of our lives that we should do this: In our personal purity (3:1-11), in our Christian fellowship (3:12-17), in our homes (3:18-21), and finally in our daily work (3:22-25). I’ll never forget reading about a visiting speaker at a local church who was greeting attenders with the pastor as they were coming in. He was engaging a dear lady in conversation and he asked her where she worked and what she did. Her answer was classic! She replied, “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, cleverly disguised as a machine operator at the local factory.” I believe her answer is the practical application of the verses before us today. In these verses Paul is addressing both Christian employees and employers. He reminds the employees that they are not just working a job to make money or to try to get ahead in life, but they are actually “serving the Lord Jesus Christ” as they work. So they are to work with “sincerity or singleness of heart”. That is, with the goal of honoring and pleasing Christ knowing He is watching when the boss isn’t. Whatever your vocation is, or your position is, wherever you work, you are a minister of Jesus Christ and your pay check is the means of supporting your ministry. Your ministry is always your family first, your local church and then sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world around you. That’s why you perform your task “heartily as unto the Lord”, because half-hearted work is a poor testimony and you need to remember that one day you will be judged when Christ returns. Employers are also never to mistreat their employees or shortchange them in anyway. They should pay and treat every employee justly and equally. Because one day we all will give an account before the Lord and He will show no partiality! Both the employee and the employer are “serving the Lord Christ!” What a wonderful world it would be if we all realized this! God bless!