OUR STUDY BEGINS IN
EPHESIANS 6:5-9
This study guide is designed to help you dig deeper into the weekend message over the next week. The
questions below are meant to encourage thoughtful discussion and prayer within your Life Group.
MAIN IDEAS
READ THIS SECTION ALOUD WITH YOUR GROUP:
This weekend we studied Ephesians 6:5-9 with Pastor Billy. Slavery is a painful topic to us today,
and Paul’s directive for slaves to obey their earthly masters offends our sense of justice. In order
to understand Paul’s message, we must understand the differences between the slavery that he
knew, and what most Americans think of when they hear the word “slavery.”
As opposed to historical American slavery, Roman slavery was not based on race and was rarely
permanent. Some slaves willingly indentured themselves as a way to pay their debts. Roman
slaves had legal rights and could take their masters to court. Some slaves were high ranking in
society and served in professions requiring a great deal of education. Some scholars believe that
Luke, as he wrote his gospel and Acts, was or recently had been a slave, and used slavery as a
way to gain medical training. Also, slavery was Rome’s way of assimilating captured soldiers and
civilians, and was a way to avoid military massacres. It was a way to preserve life.
This is NOT to say that slavery was ever good, but it is important to realize our assumptions about
the nature of slavery may not apply to Paul’s context. Even though Paul told slaves to obey their
masters, his messages-that there is no favoritism with God and that Christians should live lives of
sacrificial love and service-promoted the end of slavery in Rome.
So, how do Paul’s words to slaves and masters apply to us in the East Bay? The truth is that these
same messages concerning the spirit, quality and motivation of work apply to all Christians in all
contexts. To best understand how these verses relate to us, let’s focus not on slavery, but on
work. How do we approach work as Christ followers? Americans devote a mass majority of our
time and energy to work. Even when we aren’t at work, many of us are devoting our attention
and worries to our jobs. God cares deeply about our work lives because so much of who we are
goes into what we do. God wants each and every part of our lives, including our work lives. Work
dominates American culture, so it’s important to recognize that some of us do not have traditional
workplaces. Some of us raise children at home or are on the job hunt. Some work alone most of
the time, away from co-workers. Some of us are retired. “Work” is not defined by a company or a
tax-return. Work is what we devote our lives to; it’s how we spend our days.
Regardless of profession or company or vocation, Jesus is the Christian’s primary boss. Believers in
Christ work for Him. No matter how or where you spend your days, you are Christ’s worker. In fact,
according to verse 6, you are a slave of Christ. The word “slave” has such a negative connotation
that we may recoil at the idea of being Christ’s slave. But, that reaction may be rooted in a
misunderstanding of who Christ is, who we are, or what work is. In the context of this teaching,
let’s focus on getting a right understanding of work. Without Christ’s perspective, we tend to see
work wrongly. Either we believe work is evil, or we make it an idol. In truth, work is a holy calling
from God. He calls us to participate in work for His glory. We worship Him through how we perform
our work. By acknowledging Christ as our boss, we more fully live into the truth that all of our
time belongs to Him, not just the few hours a week we participate in church-sponsored events.
So, work for the glory of God. Work with excellence, regardless of who is watching or what reward
is at stake. Work is worship. Also, consider your workplace as your mission field. Our co-workers
watch how we live our lives, and there is no better testimony that to work with excellence.
As Christ’s workforce, let us worship and serve Him through our work, treating our bosses, coworkers, employees and clients with honor, as we would treat the Lord.
KEY SCRIPTURE
Read Ephesians 6:5-9 together as a group.
? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What do you identify as your work and your
workplace?
How do you view work? As drudgery, as your
identity, as an idol, as a way to worship God? Some
combination?
GOING DEEPER
Take some time this week to
consider working with excellence.
As we are all fallible human beings,
we all can benefit from pursuing
excellence (none of us are there,
yet!). As you go through your week,
take a moment each day to think
about what “pursuing excellence”
looks like in your current situation.
How do you think Jesus would do your job? What
might be ways for you to work more like Him?
Many of us are “reported to” by others: employees,
children, service providers. What would change if we
considered everyone we know-especially those who
report to us-as people on equal footing before the
Lord? How might we change if we realize God has
no favorites?
Understanding the context of Roman slavery, what
does it mean that we are Christ’s slaves?
Slaves serve their masters. Does thinking about
your work as service to Christ change your ideas of
your work, your company, your (human) boss, your
relationship with Christ?
BIBLE READING PLAN
As you read throughout the week,
take time to meditate and pray on
each section of Scripture. Consider
memorizing the verse or verses that
stand out to you.
[SIX DAY BIBLE READING PLAN]
MONDAY: Ephesians 6:5-9
TUESDAY: Colossians 1:9-14
WEDNESDAY: Genesis 39
THURSDAY: Genesis 41
FRIDAY: Matthew 20:20-28
SATURDAY: Romans 6:15-23
MEMORY VERSE
Ephesians 6:7-8
Serve wholeheartedly, as if
you were serving the Lord, not
people, because you know that
the Lord will reward each one for
whatever good they do, whether
they are slave or free.
06.14.2015