Work Relationships: What You Need to Know
Ephesians 6:5-9
I was 20 years old, making more money than I ever had in my life, driving a new car, living with friends — and it was one of the saddest, most depressing times I had ever experienced. I kept wondering, is this it? Is this what life is all about? There had to be something more than this daily grind and never being satisfied, no matter how hard I tried. It was co-workers who relentlessly invited me to church, and eventually an executive vice president who pulled me into his office and opened a Bible on his desk, that God used to change everything. I repented of my sin and put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior — right there, in the middle of a workday in corporate America. I still carry the card he gave me 31 years ago as a reminder that that moment radically changed my life.
That story is why I believe what Paul writes in Ephesians 6:5–9 isn’t just ancient instruction — it’s alive and urgent for anyone who goes to work. The central truth of this passage is this: it is Christ who we really work for. Paul repeats it four times in five verses — “as you would Christ,” “as bondservants of Christ,” “as to the Lord and not man,” “you will receive back from the Lord.” How we work, our attitude, our interaction with others, our performance — all of it should reflect that.
First, You Need to Know What You Believe About Jesus
Before anything else in this passage lands, there’s a foundation to establish. Paul opens Ephesians by addressing “the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” This book was written to Christians — and that’s important context, because it determines how you understand everything that follows. The things we’re called to do in relationships, including at work, are impossible if Jesus isn’t your Lord and Savior. You can read your entire Bible and take away some morally right insights, but “as soon as something else pops up, your strength alone cannot sustain it.” People are hard. Work is hard. Relationships are hard. So before you know anything else about work relationships, you need to know what you believe about Jesus.
Four Things a Christian Employee Is Called to Do
Paul addresses bondservants and masters in Ephesians 6 — and while slavery in Paul’s day looked very different from our modern context, the principles carry directly into the employee and employer relationship. I want you to see four things from this text.
First, obey your leader with fear and trembling — which means with respect, even if you think they don’t deserve it. No grumbling, no complaining. A recognition of their position and yours, without letting pride or jealousy get in the way. Second, obey with a sincere heart, as you would Christ. “When your manager asks you to do something, you are to respond as if Christ himself asked you to do it. Whatever it is. Join that meeting. Dig that ditch. Clean that toilet.” Ask yourself how that compares to how you typically respond to them today.
Third, don’t just do good work when they’re watching. Any parent who’s asked a child to clean a room understands this. The true test is what you do with your time, your talents, and your speech when your manager is not around. And fourth, render good service to the Lord and not man — doing your work with a heart posture of bringing glory to God, not glory to yourself or the company. “There should be no question in the eyes of your boss or your coworkers that there is something different about you.”
Leaders Aren’t Off the Hook
Paul turns in verse 9 and writes: “Masters, do the same to them and stop your threatening.” I called this the first executive summary ever written — you can’t summarize it more than that. Mutual respect, mutual honor. If you’re a Christian leader, you should never use your position of power in an abusive, threatening, or unjust way. Jesus said it plainly to his disciples in Matthew 20: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” Our example on how to lead is Christ. The world celebrates a very different kind of leadership — just look at our political environment for a quick example. But we’re called to think about leadership differently.
Who Your Real Master Is
The second half of verse 9 is the anchor: “He who is both their master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.” The Lord does not care what your title is at work. He doesn’t care if you’re mopping floors or making million-dollar deals. There’s an old hymn that puts it well — “Rich man, poor man, bond man, or free. The ground was level that day at Calvary.” Can you imagine what work would look like if every Christian, from janitor to CEO, prayerfully approached it this way — where interaction with others was not based on title or corporate hierarchy, but on being equal in the eyes of God? “The world would take notice.” And while we may not change the world individually, we can make a real difference in the places where we have direct influence.
Discussion Questions
- The speaker described responding to the question “Who do you work for?” with simply “God.” Have you ever had a moment at work where your faith opened a door for a gospel conversation? What made it possible?
- Ephesians 6:6 warns against “eye service” — working hard only when the boss is watching. Where do you feel the most tension between that temptation and genuine integrity in your own work life?
- Matthew 20:25–28 describes servant leadership as the model Christ set. Who is someone in your life — at work or elsewhere — who has led you that way, and what did it reflect about their faith?
If someone asked you this morning whether you are a Christian and your honest answer would be “no” or “I don’t know” — I want you to know that at one point, every person in that room had the same questions, the same uncertainty, the same fears, the same shame. I encourage you to reach out to Pastor Mike or one of our deacons, or stop by the Connections desk in the lobby on your way out and just let them know you’d like help understanding the gospel. They would love nothing more than to walk through that with you. That conversation changed my life in an executive’s office 31 years ago — and it can change yours too.
Work Relationships: What You Need to Know
What does the Bible say about work relationships? A message from Ephesians 6 on who we really work for — and how that changes everything at the office.
Walking in Love, Purity, and Truth
What does your love and holiness say to the world around you? A message from Ephesians 4:32–5:7 on walking in love, purity, and truth.
How God Frees Us To Forgive
True forgiveness isn't pretending it didn't happen. Ken unpacks Genesis 50 and Ephesians 4 to show how God frees us to forgive — really.
Right Thinking Leads to Right Living
Right thinking leads to right living. A look at Ephesians 4:25-32 on anger, speech, and bitterness — and the gospel that makes obedience possible.
4 Actions from God; 4 Actions from Us
John Powell unpacks Psalm 23 — four actions from God, four responses from us — and why a sheep without a shepherd is just someone else's lunch.
What Does It Actually Mean to Be a Godly Father?
Ephesians 6:1-4 – Explore what Scripture really calls fathers to do — and not do — in the home.
We hope you enjoyed the sermon and would love to see you in person. Plan your visit to Community Baptist Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee today!