Stones Hill Community Church
Ephesians - Finding Our New Identity
Welcome to an exciting new sermon series on the Book of Ephesians, one of the Apostle Paul’s most profound letters. Paul proposes that we are "in Christ." We have a new identity. In a sense, he encourages us to become what we already are!
Locations & Times
Ligonier, IN
151 W Stones Hill Rd, Ligonier, IN 46767, USA
Saturday 2:00 PM
MESSAGE TEXT
Ephesians 6:5-9
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INTRODUCTION
Paul is talking to the Ephesians via a letter and he’s basically answering the question, “How are you going to live tomorrow now that you’re Christians?” Paul’s counsel was not to go out and bulldoze all the things wrong with first century culture based on the cultural sensitivities we have in 2025. Besides, if Jesus was coming back soon like Paul taught, things like slavery would be abolished then. For Paul, the state-endorsed “slavery” of his day was an economic and social reality that people lived in. So Paul doesn’t take on the mission of defeating the blight of slavery, or patriarchal culture, or shame and honor dynamics, or social classes like patrons and clients. Instead, this was his approach: “Here’s how you can honor Jesus within these systems and structures right now as they are until Jesus returns.” What emerges from all this is an incredible work ethic.
*
Who do you work for? Who do you want to ultimately honor with how you do your job? Did you know that even a job that feels tedious and insignificant has tremendous influence when it’s done with excellence and for God’s glory? Even though Masters and Slaves of the first century are not an even comparison with Employers and Employees of today – but what emerges for us from Ephesians 6:5-9 is a work ethic that honors God and demonstrates how people filled with the Spirit are to relate to one another in the context of work. Your labors, whatever they may be, can be an arena for glorifying God; they can be an expression of your devotion to God.
*
PROPOSITION
Jesus is your Master and there are TRUTHS to take to work with you that will bear this out. Paul’s message to Slaves (domestic servants) / Employees – stop slacking off because great workers honor Jesus. No act is mundane when done for Jesus. Paul’s message to Masters (household leaders) / Employers – stop threatening because your true Master will hold you to account. When Jesus is your Master, you stop treating people as a thing and more like a person with dignity.
*
MAIN POINTS
Truths that will take you far in life; truths to take to work with you so that you can do your job so well so that your boss will not think poorly of your Lord. Paul says a great employee, a great co-worker, a great teammate, a great leader, a great date - is going to be:
*
1. Teachable obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, – be teachable.
*
2. Respectful with respect and fear, – show deference to your boss who is responsible for things.
*
3. Dependable serve wholeheartedly,- give it all you’ve got with a good attitude.
*
4. Loyal when their eye is on you – people work harder when they’re being watched by the boss.
*
5. Sincere sincerity of heart – It means without divided loyalty, freedom from the tension that is created by conflicting loyalties. In other words, settle it once and for all in your mind that you are not there merely to please the boss, you are there to please the Lord.
*
CONCLUSION
Only when we see the ultimate Master who took on the form of a slave so we who are slaves can be free; only when we see the ultimate Son who lost his heavenly Father’s felt presence on the cross so we who should be orphans have become children of God; now and only now can we really from the inside out live our lives in our family, live our lives in our workplace as we should. Jesus changes everything. The gospel changes everything.
Ephesians 6:5-9
*
INTRODUCTION
Paul is talking to the Ephesians via a letter and he’s basically answering the question, “How are you going to live tomorrow now that you’re Christians?” Paul’s counsel was not to go out and bulldoze all the things wrong with first century culture based on the cultural sensitivities we have in 2025. Besides, if Jesus was coming back soon like Paul taught, things like slavery would be abolished then. For Paul, the state-endorsed “slavery” of his day was an economic and social reality that people lived in. So Paul doesn’t take on the mission of defeating the blight of slavery, or patriarchal culture, or shame and honor dynamics, or social classes like patrons and clients. Instead, this was his approach: “Here’s how you can honor Jesus within these systems and structures right now as they are until Jesus returns.” What emerges from all this is an incredible work ethic.
*
Who do you work for? Who do you want to ultimately honor with how you do your job? Did you know that even a job that feels tedious and insignificant has tremendous influence when it’s done with excellence and for God’s glory? Even though Masters and Slaves of the first century are not an even comparison with Employers and Employees of today – but what emerges for us from Ephesians 6:5-9 is a work ethic that honors God and demonstrates how people filled with the Spirit are to relate to one another in the context of work. Your labors, whatever they may be, can be an arena for glorifying God; they can be an expression of your devotion to God.
*
PROPOSITION
Jesus is your Master and there are TRUTHS to take to work with you that will bear this out. Paul’s message to Slaves (domestic servants) / Employees – stop slacking off because great workers honor Jesus. No act is mundane when done for Jesus. Paul’s message to Masters (household leaders) / Employers – stop threatening because your true Master will hold you to account. When Jesus is your Master, you stop treating people as a thing and more like a person with dignity.
*
MAIN POINTS
Truths that will take you far in life; truths to take to work with you so that you can do your job so well so that your boss will not think poorly of your Lord. Paul says a great employee, a great co-worker, a great teammate, a great leader, a great date - is going to be:
*
1. Teachable obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, – be teachable.
*
2. Respectful with respect and fear, – show deference to your boss who is responsible for things.
*
3. Dependable serve wholeheartedly,- give it all you’ve got with a good attitude.
*
4. Loyal when their eye is on you – people work harder when they’re being watched by the boss.
*
5. Sincere sincerity of heart – It means without divided loyalty, freedom from the tension that is created by conflicting loyalties. In other words, settle it once and for all in your mind that you are not there merely to please the boss, you are there to please the Lord.
*
CONCLUSION
Only when we see the ultimate Master who took on the form of a slave so we who are slaves can be free; only when we see the ultimate Son who lost his heavenly Father’s felt presence on the cross so we who should be orphans have become children of God; now and only now can we really from the inside out live our lives in our family, live our lives in our workplace as we should. Jesus changes everything. The gospel changes everything.