Work as Worship: Serving Christ in Your Job

Paul begins with the calling from Ephesians 4, that God has called His people to “live a life worthy of the calling.” Ephesians keeps pressing the same big idea, that there is a new way of being human, a new way of doing relationships, marriage, parenting, and now work. Work is not treated as a curse. God originally commissioned work as a gift, and sin corrupted it, but even in the new heavens and new earth there will still be work without the curse.

Paul refuses to let faith stay in a spiritual compartment while work lives in a totally different compartment. The passage brings Jesus into the office, the hospital, the factory, the kitchen, the warehouse, the construction site, and every place where people clock in and clock out. Ephesians 6 names slaves and masters, and the passage does not bless slavery or pretend slavery is good. Paul writes into the world his hearers actually lived in, and his concern is to show how a follower of Jesus serves faithfully in the context where that person has been placed.

Paul first calls the church to work with the right perspective. “Earthly masters” reminds employees that every earthly boss is temporary and limited, while Jesus is the true Master. A paycheck matters, food on the table matters, but the deepest reality is that followers of Jesus are working for a King. The bricklayer image makes that plain, because one worker says, “I’m just laying bricks,” while the other sees something bigger.

Paul next calls the church to work with the right attitude. Integrity shows up when the boss is not watching, when no one is evaluating, and when the shadow has not yet come around the corner. God is not only interested in what gets done, but how it gets done. A bad attitude can turn a good job into misery, while a good attitude can turn a bad job into ministry.

Paul then calls the church to work with the right enthusiasm. The Lord sees the good that nobody else notices, and nothing done for Christ is wasted. The paycheck is not the final reward, because the Lord will settle every account. Paul also gives a word to bosses, managers, supervisors, and employers, because authority is not ownership, it is stewardship. Jesus used authority as a servant, not as a bully, and every leader will answer to the same Master in heaven.

The Lego reminder turns the whole thing into something concrete. The little brick says that work can be offered to God with the right perspective, the right attitude, and the right enthusiasm.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Work for the higher Master Earthly bosses may sign checks, set schedules, and make decisions, but Paul keeps the word “earthly” in view so the real chain of command is not forgotten. Jesus stands above every workplace, which means even hard labor and thankless assignments can become service to Him. The Christian’s work changes when the job is no longer just “working for the man,” but working for the King. [47:37]
• 2. Integrity begins when unseen Paul presses past performance that only appears when a manager is watching. Character is revealed in the hidden places, in the unobserved hour, in the moment when cutting corners would be easy and nobody would know. God’s loving attention makes ordinary work spiritually serious, because He cares not only about output, but about the heart behind it. [52:22]
• 3. Attitude turns labor into ministry A complaining spirit can poison a workplace, even when the task itself is good. Paul’s call to do the will of God “with all your heart” means the manner of work matters deeply to God. A difficult job may not instantly become easy, but a heart surrendered to Christ can make that place a field for faithfulness rather than just a place to survive. [55:26]
• 4. God sees forgotten faithfulness Paul anchors enthusiasm in the promise that the Lord will reward the good that is done. Unnoticed effort, extra responsibility, early mornings, and late nights are not invisible to Christ when they are offered to Him. The earthly paycheck is real, but it is not the final word, because the Savior will settle every account. [58:27]
• 5. Leadership is stewardship, not ownership Paul’s word to masters confronts every boss, manager, and employer with the same truth, authority is accountable to Jesus. People under a leader’s care are not tools, obstacles, or units of productivity, but image bearers who belong to God. Christian leadership should look like the Master who served rather than dominated.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [38:13] - Ephesians And A Worthy Life
• [39:08] - A New Way To Work
• [40:05] - Work Is Not The Curse
• [41:28] - Ending Spiritual Compartmentalization
• [43:03] - Slaves, Masters, And Context
• [46:04] - Work With The Right Perspective
• [51:37] - Work With The Right Attitude
• [58:08] - Work With The Right Enthusiasm
• [59:42] - Judgment, Salvation, And Rewards
• [63:23] - A Word To Bosses
• [66:19] - Faith Belongs In Every Workplace
• [67:18] - Commissioning Work To God
• [69:00] - The Lego Reminder
• [70:26] - Invitation To Follow Jesus

1. What specific instructions does Paul give to employees (bondservants) about their attitude and motivation in work?
2. How does Paul contrast working for an "earthly master" with working for the Lord in verses 6–7?
3. In the sermon, the bricklayer analogy contrasts two workers: one who says, "I’m just laying bricks," and another who says, "I’m building a cathedral." What does this reveal about perspective? [50:26]
4. What warning does Paul give to employers (masters) in verse 9, and how does he ground this warning?

1. Why does Paul emphasize working "as to the Lord" (v. 7) rather than merely for human approval? How does this redefine the purpose of work?
2. The sermon mentions that "integrity begins when unseen" and uses the example of push-ups in gym class when the teacher isn’t watching. Why is hidden faithfulness central to Christian character? [52:44]
3. Paul tells employers to "stop your threatening" (v. 9). How does viewing leadership as stewardship, rather than ownership, change how authority is exercised?
4. The passage says God "will reward each one" (v. 8). How does the promise of eternal reward shape our daily work, even in mundane or difficult tasks?

1. What practical step could you take this week to shift your perspective at work from "just doing a job" to seeing it as service to Christ? (Example: Praying for coworkers before starting a task.) [47:37]
2. Think of a time when you were tempted to cut corners or complain at work because no one was watching. How might remembering God’s presence in those moments change your response next time? [52:22]
3. If you’re in a leadership role, how can you actively steward your authority this week to reflect Christ’s servant-hearted leadership? (Example: Encouraging a team member instead of criticizing.) [01:04:18]
4. The Lego reminder was meant to symbolize offering work to God. What tangible object or habit could you use to remind yourself daily to work with enthusiasm and integrity? [01:09:00]
5. How might your attitude at work impact others’ perception of Jesus? What specific behavior or word could you adjust to reflect Him more clearly? [56:13]
6. Are there tasks or roles in your life (even unpaid ones) where you feel "invisible"? How can you lean into the truth that God sees and values your faithfulness in those areas? [58:27]
7. If you struggle with a difficult workplace, what is one way you could intentionally turn your labor into ministry this week? (Example: Choosing gratitude in a frustrating situation.) [55:26]