by Woojong Kim
Reading (Colossians 3:22-4:1)
I am going to share with you about "Workplace Instruction" this morning.
What does Christian mean? I looked in the dictionary and it says that "A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ and who follows His teachings."
This is a definition of a Christian.
In order to believe Jesus we will have to know what Jesus says to us.
In order to follow Jesus we will have to be like Jesus through attitude or behavior in our daily life at our workplace. As the bible says (James 2:17) "If faith it is not accompanied by action, it is dead." The workplace is the place where we spend most of our time in our life.
Jesus says that "you are the salt and the light of the world." And Jesus commands us that (Matthew 5:16) "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Christians should start shining their light at their workplace to give glory to our God in heaven because we are God's children. This is what Jesus wants us to do.
To do this commitment, we have to have pride that we are Christians, as we are God's children. Why? Because we have been saved by the grace of God.
150,000 people die every day. On average 1.8 people die every second. What is the spiritual destiny of these people? How many people are going to heaven?
But as we are a Christian our eternal house is in heaven; our citizenship is in heaven where Jesus Christ the Lord our saviour waits for us there. (Reference Corinthians 5:1, Philippians 3:20).
How blessed we are! Absolutely it is "amazing grace."
Our cell group watched "amazing grace" movie at the Lido Theater last month.
John Newton confessed and devoted all his life to Jesus.
Amazing grace was written by John Newton and says as follow-
"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see."
What is the eternal life then? Eternal life is to know the only God through Jesus Christ.
If you believe this, you are an ambassador of the kingdom of God in this unsaved world.
This is why Jesus wants us to be shine like lights in this dark world.
As Christians, following Jesus, our workplace is the most important place because it is where we associate with other people and spend most of our life.
This is what I am going to share with you.
What is the practical way of the Christian at workplace?
As we read (Colossians 3:22-4:1) this scripture gives us an instruction in how to be a light at our workplace as we are a Christian.
1) Obey your master at workplace
As (Colossians 3:22) says obedience is the best policy at workplace.
Obeying to your employer is the best Christian behavior to build up a good relationship with him or her also obedience can show your sincerity to others at your workplace.
The bible advise us like this, (Peter 2:18 NIV) "Slaves, submit yourselves to your master with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh."
To live a Christian life in the workplace requires patience and respect. In order to obey our employer we have to give up our pride, favor and prejudice. One thing we have to remember is that obedience is accompanied with sacrifice and responsibility.
What we have to do with those who are harsh is (Matthew 5:44 NIV) "...pray for these persecute you." And (Thessalonians 5:15 NIV) "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." I believe that this is the difference between Christian and non Christian at workplace.
As we are Christians, Obedience is indicates faith. Look at the faithful God's man Noah, Noah saved all his family through obedience to his God. Through his obedience Abraham became an ancestor of blessing. What Noah and Abraham did was to be obedient where they were which means at their workplace.
Many people think that sharing God's love is only the job of missionaries but this is incorrect. All of us are God's workers in our workplace.
Jesus said (Matthew9:37) "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."
The more sincere we are at workplace, the more opportunity of sharing Jesus there.
Also obedience is the way to be a light for Jesus at our workplace and be blessed by God as Noah or Abraham were.
What is the practical way of the Christian at workplace?
2) Do your best at workplace
As (Colossians 3:23 NIV) says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for the men."
This is the Christian's discipline in the workplace. This is another mark of a Christian. Whatever you do, do your best in your workplace. It does not matter whether it is a small job or a big job. It is a good example.
King David was a faithful shepherd when he was a young boy. He rescued the sheep from the lion and bears. Nobody was in the valley but he looked after the sheep well and he sometimes played the harp. He did his job faithfully. (Reference 1 Samuel 1:34).
Later he became the most famous king of Israel.
We can not hide from God even if hiding under the tree.
(Proverbs15:3) says that "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
When we are being tested by someone, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus will rescue us from distress.
As Peter said to Jesus (Matthew 16:16 NIV) "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." But Jesus was crucified on the cross to save this world to glorify to God in Haven. That is why Jesus said (John 19:30) "It is finished." It was His mission for us.
Whatever we do if we do it to the best of our ability wherever we are,
this is following Jesus, Being a Christian.
I am a corporate cab driver. This is my workplace's sketch.
Keep the car clean and shinny always, when customer get on or get off then open the door, drive safely, polite manner and smile. These are the disciplines of my job.
When the passenger feels comfortable and safe in my car then they start to talk and trust taxi driver then I love to share with them Jesus shed blood on the cross.
It was a beautiful Friday around lunch time. Two customer ask me to go to Takapuna from Clown Plaza in city. As soon as they got in my cab they asked me to give them a discount on the taxi fare. So I was embarrassed if they have the reason certainly I would like to help them. But it didn't look like that. So I explained I have to pay to taxi company called levy fee, pay insurance fees, petrol for car which is around $70 per day and maintenance fee. So taxi fare looks expensive to customer but it is not expensive to me. I explained politely and when we got over the Harbour Bridge they asked me "Are you a Christian?" So I said "Yes I am." I asked "How do you know I am Christian?" She said "You look like Christian! Happy face, careful driving, clean car and polite manner." So I said "Jesus makes me happy everyday." So I asked "Are you Christian?" She said "No." I said "Believe in Jesus. Jesus will give you happiness and eternal life." When we got to Takapuna she gave me a tip instead. Because she was so happy with me and the conversation we had. After she got off I prayed to God for the salvation of her soul.
What is the practical way of the Christian at workplace?
3) Do not show favoritism at workplace
As (Colossian 3: 25 NIV) says "Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism."
We can not deny that we are living for materialism. The culture of materialism makes us selfish, lonely and corrupt.
Favoritism comes from being unjust, unfair and selfishness.
When we show favoritism in the workplace, we may lose a good opportunity as a Christian's role to others because favoritism brings division among us in the workplace.
This does not give a impression of a Christian for others.
What Jesus says to us is "be the light in the world."
We remember what Jesus did during His ministry. (Matthew 9:35 NIV) "Jesus went through all the towns and all the villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness."
Jesus did not choose specific areas he went through all of towns.
Jesus continued saying that
(Matthew 9:13 NIV) "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners."
Absolutely Jesus did not show favoritism to us. (Matthew 11:28 NIV)
"Come to me, all you who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
This is why we called Jesus "The mighty power of God, The mighty prince of peace and our saviour."
All creation is Gods. We were created by God.
Even the maker of the universe, God says that (Roman 2:11) "God does not show favoritism. He is merciful, (1 Samuel16:7) "God only looks at our heart."
(Galatians 2:6 NIV) "God does not judge by external appearance." These scripture give me strength, power and a huge encouragement and comfort. The reason is I look different from normal New Zealanders such as skin colour, language, culture, face so on. But God is just to everybody. What a merciful God he is!
Albert Schweitzer and mother Teresa were the great followers of Jesus through their life's sacrifice in Africa and in India. They practiced doing in love as Jesus said (John15:12 NIV) "Love each other as I have loved."
No favoritism is the Christian way in the workplace
I have a Maori regular customer. His name is Riki-Ana Haare Raukainga Aporohama Taunui Pure. I pick him up 3 days a week to go to rehabilitation center in Green lane from Manurewa. He started to go to jail when he was 13. He said that "I never met before, such a nice taxi driver." Now we became friends and I shared about Jesus with him and he started to read the bible. The books of John, Matthew, Mark , Act and he is on the way to surrender to Jesus. Many of my customers are high standard even if he wasn't among them I served him the same as any other person.
Leaders! Be afraid of God.
Jesus said (Matthew4:4) that "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." The statistics of the great leaders who sacrificed their lives reveals had a vision for the nations and were afraid of God, such as Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah so on...
We remember that Saul was the first King of Israel, he was blessed by God but he did not listen to God. He was not afraid of God. As a result of that the blessing was withdrawn by God and his life ended tragically and God prepared David to be the next king of Israel.
American president Abraham Lincoln was a pioneer for releasing the slaves, Antislavery pioneer, William Wilberforce in the movie "amazing grace" was a hero of humanity, and finally slavery trade was abolished the Great British Empire. One man led a movement that changed the world.
When he was shouting to the noble regarding the slaves, "God made man equal."
It was very impressive and shows he must be faithful to God.
The great leaders should rely on God and be afraid of God,
Because the word of God will stand forever.
One thing we have to remember that is to keep praying for the leaders of the nations, for the leaders of the church for God's wisdom because there is tremendous power in prayer.
Through this commitment may God richly bless you all.