I will go to Ephesians 6 Look at verses 5-8 This time that talks about slaves Slavery we will talk about today Ephesians 6 and 5-8 Ephesians 6 and 5-8. I will read. You slaves, listen to your Jewish masters. Show them respect and reverence with an upright heart, as you listen to Christ. Do not be eye-worshippers who try to get close to people, but be Christian slaves who wholeheartedly do God's will. Serve willingly as you do when you serve the Lord and not people. You know that everyone who does something good shall receive his reward from the Lord, whether he be a slave or a free man. Amen, that was the word. We are left with Paul's practical part of the Ephesians. If we remember the structure of the letter, he begins with theology, he begins with healing, grace, salvation of grace through faith alone, by being chosen before the foundation of the earth has been laid, by Christ has died and redeemed them from their sins, and by the Holy Spirit has forged the salvation on them, he has stamped them, they have received See the sign of the Holy Spirit and wait for the day of the Resurrection until the Resurrection, until the final resurrection and salvation. He has spoken of salvation and theology and all that God has done for us Christians, for his people. And then we are now in the second part of the book and have talked about a lot of practical things that are actually also about what God does. What God continues to do in his people. He has saved them by grace through faith. Are you saved? Not by yourselves. God's work are you created for good deeds that God has prepared for you to walk in them. These good deeds that we are going to walk in, as Paul puts it in this part of the Ephesians, is what we are going to continue to walk in and what God continues to do for deeds. And this text he has spoken of now, different households, precepts, he has spoken of men and wives, parents and children, And now he speaks of slaves and lords. He still speaks of the household, how you in your family, in your household, should function in the family you live in to please the Lord, to live according to the will of the Lord. And at that time, slaves were part of a household. Not all households had slaves. But those who were slaves were part of the household or a family. Household and family is synonymous in the Roman Empire and in Greek. They are part of a family and should function in the family they are in. The slaves lived in the house, ate food just like the children. But they carried out tasks, just like the men had their tasks in the family. The women had their tasks in the family. The slaves also had tasks in the family that they would do. And they would function in the house, in the family they lived in. They will lie to their Jewish lords, to the slaves here. We will also see, even if this is an old-fashioned form that does not exist in this country in that way with slaves. We will still see what this text can have to say to us today when it speaks to slaves. What can we learn from this text? Paul orders the slaves to be obedient to their masters according to their flesh, their earthly masters or their fleshly masters, their human They will listen to them, they will obey them, in the same words as when the children will obey their parents. In verse 1 it says that the slaves will obey their masters as they obey Christ. As they obey Christ. It is also the same thing that goes on through this text. The wives, the wives shall subjugate their men, as the congregation subjugates Christ. The children shall obey their parents in the Lord, because of the obedience to the Lord. And the slaves shall obey their Jewish masters. just as they obey Christ, verse 5, and they will serve or be slaves as if they serve the Lord and not people, verse 7. Serve willingly as you do when you serve the Lord and not people. In the end, this is attributed to the service for the Lord, the work for the Lord, because they are Christians. Because it may not depend on the people they serve, it may not depend on their lords. Just the fact that they are slave owners, slave lords, shows that it is a doubtful moral that they live by. Even if it was an important part to function in society and all that, it could not depend on the goodness of their lords, or how nice or lovable they were. If it depended on that, it would lead instead to the slaves despising their lords, looking down on them. The Bible has several invitations to the slaves. This is for God. Their slavery should happen to God and not to people. Because of people's goodness or something like that. Because they are their masters. First and foremost because it happens before God. If it depends on people, Slavery is not worth slaving for any human being. In the first letter of Peter it also says to slaves, You slaves, subordinate yourselves to your masters, and show them all respect, not only the good and mild, but also the hard. If someone who knows that God is with him, endures when he suffers innocently, then it is grace from God. Here Peter says to those who are slaves to subjugate their masters and show them respect. Not only the good masters, but also the hard, the strict masters. Your respect, your obedience to your masters does not depend on theirs. goodness, or hardness, or strictness, but based on the fact that they are to suffer God. And he gives comfort to those who are under harsh masters, that you know that God is with you, and when you endure, even if you have to suffer innocently, then there is mercy from God. Then you have mercy from God. 1 Timothy 6,1 Paul also says about the slaves, all who bear the yoke of slavery shall consider their masters worthy of all respect, so that the name of God and the teaching shall not be trampled. Again, whether it is a good or evil slave, owner or master that they have, they shall respect them so that the name of God and the teaching shall not be trampled. for the slaves to do their good deeds, to be a good sign to their Lord God, their heavenly Lord, their God, a testimony for their unbelieving lords, so that the name of God and the teaching are not destroyed. There are many, many challenges to Christian slaves, how they should behave to their masters. There are also those who have believing masters. And this is interesting. 1 Timothy 6 and 2. Those who have believing masters should not look down on them because they are brothers. So there is a possibility for the slaves to look down on their masters. That's probably the case for most slaves. They don't serve their masters because they look up to them. They are forced to do so. They are forced to work, to slave for their masters. Otherwise they are punished. Otherwise they have no food, nowhere to live. And this is a kind of slave I stand before you, I will continue to serve my lords. Look down on them, just serve them out of compulsion, out of unwillingness. Paul writes that it is also possible that believing lords have slaves in the Bible. And those who have believing lords, the slaves, I will not look down on them because they are believing. because they are brothers, but on the contrary, they serve them much more willingly because they are faithful and loved. Those who receive the good service of the slaves. So Paul says that the slaves do a good service, they help someone. But the thing is, what is in their heart, what is the motive behind their service, their work? A slave is stuck. Forced. Can not have good reasons to serve a lord. Since they are forced to do so. They just have to. They have to do it. But thanks to being a Christian, you know that these power structures on earth mean nothing in the long run. Slaves know that in the end they will be freed and come to serve their heavenly Lord, just like all other people, just like others, even their masters if they were Christians. What can help a slave to have the right motive to do a good job and do a good service? It can only be God that they have a heavenly Lord. who will reward them in the end. That they do it for the glory of God. That they do it from the heart. And know this principle, that every authority you have over yourself, every authority, every power that exists, is committed by God. Slav lords, the power, the state, the government, the president, the prime minister, the king, the emperor in Rome. Paolo says that there is no power that is not imposed by God. Those who exist, without exception, are imposed by God. And one should subjugate the authority one has over oneself, whether it is The king, the emperor, the government, the president, the prime minister, the owner, the slave lord, the boss at work, your parents, your mom, your dad, Every authority is committed by God, and in their service to God as a Christian, they should serve the authorities they have over them. Not because they are worth serving and obeying, or because they have a choice whether to do so or not, but because they are committed by God. And we serve God by subduing the powers God has put over us. By subduing the powers God has put over us. We must note, it is so important, to say and remember that this is not a text that predicts slavery in itself. If we look at the whole Bible, we understand that slavery is something bad. Slavery is something that God is against. God is against slavery. This text is not an introduction of Paul in society, in the social debate about slavery or not. that slaves, slavery should exist in society and it is an important part of society. He speaks to Christians who are slaves, what they should do in their situation that they are in right now. In this situation that exists, where society looks like it does right now, where there are, or right now, not now for us, but right now, where Paolo is writing, there are slaves and slavery and some Christians are slaves and this is how you should act in your situation. This is not a text that has been used, as it has been done throughout history, that slave owners or politicians have used these texts to say that the Bible is for slavery. Non-Christians, slave owners and also Christians who have existed, as we also see from the Bible, have used the Bible wrongly to say that it's okay with slavery and that my slaves must obey me, because that's what the Bible says. These are not slave lords who should use these texts to their slaves, or people who should use it to suggest slavery. This is the apostle Paul who writes, who is not a slave owner, but he writes to slaves. He is sent by the Lord God himself, and the Lord God says to his slaves, who we all are as Christians, And here he says to his slaves, who are slaves, that they should handle their situation in this way. Subordinate the power you have over you. In your case, it is your lords. And for other Christians, you have other powers over you, different powers over you. But in this case, he speaks to Christians who are slaves. And this is how you should handle this situation. And this is how you can find joy in your situation, in understanding that you are doing this for the Lord and serving the Lord. But in the whole Bible we see that slavery is something negative. Slavery is something that God is against. It's nothing we should use from the Bible to suggest. God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt. His goal is to free slaves from the slavery of sin. Free his people from slavery in Egypt. We read in Philemon the letter that I preach about a long time ago. Paulus says to Philemon who owned a slave that Paulus had met in prison, a Roman slave, Onesimus. Onesimus had come to the same prison as Paulus. Paulus had told the gospel to him. Onesimus had become a Christian. And Onesimus had a slave owner who was also a Christian, named Philemon. And in the letter to Philemon, Paulus writes to Philemon, that now when Onesimus comes out of prison and I send him back to you, I ask you to set him free. Because Paul says personally to Philemon that, kindly, I ask you to set free Onesimus, your slave, with reference to yourself. So we see what is proposed is that slaves should be freed. But nothing can be changed so easily in society and it took, what did it take? 1800 years. after Christ, after Christ, because in the end Christians came to the conclusion that slavery should be abolished. And it was Christians from the Bible who abolished slavery in the end. It was not atheists or liberals of freedom or anything like that, but it was Christians who showed from the Bible that this is wrong. And around the world where Christianity does not exist, slavery still exists today. It is a fact. And he speaks to the slaves. It starts from this great principle with, as I have mentioned, as I have already said, to subjugate the authority one has over oneself. Even if Paulus speaks of physically literal slaves, we have to learn a lot from this text about subjugating superiors. About subjugating superiors. The employer is a kind of slave driver at your job. The difference is that you have voluntarily entered a union, a work contract, about being a slave, being a worker, eight hours a day, more or less. and work, not for yourself, but to do what the employer wants you to do. Sure, you get paid for it and all that, but it's not for yourself that you work. It's to produce products that this employer, the producer, wants you to do, which has nothing to do with your life or your interests, maybe. We have several in here who work in factories and several others who work with different things that they may not be so interested in really. An employer is an authority that is above you. Another authority, the government, the municipality, the board, There are many different powers, authorities in society, which in God's sovereignty may not be justified, but they are organized in society through God's vision, God's sovereignty. And those powers, we Christians have the task of subjugating ourselves, those we stand under. And Paul, here in the text, he gives practical Descriptions of how to do this for the Lord. Not in the first place for the boss, or the ruler, or the government, but for the Lord. and shows differences. He describes how it should not be done, verse 6, it should not be done with eye service. Do not be an eyewitness, that is, someone who performs his service only when one's boss or superior looks at You pretend to do a good job only when the person looks at you, and then when the boss goes into his office and closes the door, you go down to the coffee machine, have some coffee together with your colleagues and don't do your job. Or when you're out driving on the road, you're driving at 100 on the 80 road, and then you come to the speed camera, And then you slow down, because that's when they see you. That's when they see that you're driving too fast. Then you brake quickly. We see a lot of those out on the roads that drive really fast and then they brake right next to the speed camera. I don't do that. I have a speed camera in the car that keeps the speed. Yes. No, she's driving too fast, actually. But it's an example of how you can be an eyesore under the state, under the government. You can probably cheat a lot of taxes, leave incorrect information, Because you think they can't see my account statement or something. Or because you're afraid, you know they can get information from different sources. And then you only fill in your tax declaration correctly. Because you think they will discover you in the end. A way to be an eye-catcher, or a human pleaser. How not to subordinate yourself to your superiors, like pleasing people. Just do it because they should like you. Not... As an eyewitness who tries to stand in front of people or show off. Show off to a good position just because it will lead to good for yourself, to a salary increase, to a promotion or something like that. Because you expect a salary reward from the employer or from the one you have above you. Not because... Paul also says that everyone who does something good will get his reward from the Lord. His reward from the Lord. And Jesus speaks in the prayer of the mountains about already getting your reward. To do good deeds for people in different ways. So that people will see how good you are. And reward you, honor you in different ways. Same thing here, especially when you have a ruler over you who really has the power to reward you, give you more money, give you a better place. It should not be so, but it should happen, says Paul in verses 5 and 6, of an upright heart, of truth on the inside, of the soul, he uses, of a heart, of the soul, He speaks about what is inside the human being. It should happen from an upright inside. Not for people, not for motives, underlying motives, thoughts, but from the heart and soul. You should put in your service, do your service, as Christians do God's will, as if it were for the Lord. As if it is for God himself, because it is for God himself in truth, because you should subordinate yourself to the authority you have over yourself, which God has used. And by serving the authority you have over yourself, you serve God, just as Christian slaves do God's will, as for the Lord. and know until the end, verse 8, that you will get your salary from the Lord. So we are all subordinated to different powers, different authorities, but first and foremost we serve God. We are all God's slaves who will serve Him where we are, in the places we are, whether slaves or free or employees or subordinated, different powers, we shall, where we are, serve God. Do these tasks we have above us, before God. It is literally, it says in verse 5, listen, ye earthly lords, with fruit and bread. Not fruit and bread for them, but fruit and bread for God. You who are not believers, it is not possible to serve God with your eyes. God sees everything. God knows everything. Nothing can be hidden from God. You must also fear and weep over this fact that you also have God above you. Even if you have not been bought by him to identify you as Christians, all people have God above them and all are guilty of serving God, of doing their duty to God. For He has created you. He has the right to you. He takes care of you. Therefore you are also guilty to live for him and serve him, live for his honor. If you fear and weep before this fact, turn to him, ask him for forgiveness, so he will set you free from the slavery of sin, redeem you through his son's blood. It is not absolutely necessary to enjoy, as J.C. Ryle quotes Thomas Brooks, it is not absolutely necessary to enjoy good health, strength, friends, or even freedom, or even life. But it is absolutely necessary to be holy. that is, to live for God, to be sanctified, to live for Him, to walk in sanctity, that is, to humble oneself to Him, to renounce sin, to obey Him, to walk in His ways in holiness. A man can see the Lord, continues Thomas Brooks, A man can see the Lord without worldly prosperity, whether one is poor or rich, slave or free. It does not matter. One can be a Christian anyway. One can be saved anyway. It does not matter if one is poor. One can see the Lord without worldly prosperity, but one can never see the Lord if one is not holy. Strive for holiness until without holiness, no one can see the Lord. Without holiness, no one can see the Lord. Without subjugating the Lord, the powers one has over oneself that he has imposed, without wandering in holiness according to his will, obeying his law and following his commandment, one cannot see the Lord. It is absolutely necessary to be holy, but it is absolutely not necessary to be rich and free. You can be a slave. We have seen in this text the relationship between slaves and lords. How slaves will subjugate their lord that they have over them. How relevant it is for us today in a time where we are against slavery and do not have such literal physical slavery, even though we of course see many different forms of slavery at the bottom. It is relevant for us as subordinated powers and authorities and authorities. First and foremost, we are subordinated to God himself, the Lord our God. We who are Christians, we are His slaves. Whether we are slaves or free, we are God's slaves. We do not live for ourselves, but for Him. We will get our salary from Him in the end. And this motivates us to do our service, to do our tasks in life, in society, with an upright heart. of joy, of the soul, not to please these people who, as we know, will not reward us, but unjustly to cause us suffering. But we know that we get our salary from the Lord, and the joy in itself, to earn for the Lord, to earn and honor the Lord, is a joy in itself. If you are born again, have a new heart, It is something that no non-believer can understand. That we feel joy just by serving, just by pleasing and serving God. And look forward to heaven where we will serve Him fully, holy, without sin. Holiness is more important than worldly success. Let us join. Lord our God, we pray and thank you for this text. As always with all your texts where you teach us, we pray to God to give us guidance and strength, even if none of us are physical, real, literal slaves in that way. So we ask you to help us, give us strength where we are, in the difficult situations where we are, where we feel oppressed in different ways, where we are tired and work. We ask you for guidance in everything and strength in everything, to be persistent in everything and persistently look to you and see that we will live for you. Live for you in all areas of life, in the family, at work, in society. Give us wisdom and understanding, everything we deserve, Lord, so that we may please you in everything, so that we may be slaves to you, not to sin, not to ourselves, not to people in the end, but to you, Lord our God. We pray all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.