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