Well, we've finished our series within a series on what Colossians has to say about the family, so we can now turn our attention to our next topic - work. Colossians 3:23-24 are probably some pretty familiar verses to many of you.
This verse goes hand in hand with 1 Corinthians 10:31,
But the verses don't end there. "Knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ." For our commitment to doing everything for Christ, we'll be rewarded with an inheritance. This inheritance is an eternal reward from God.
Finally, we must not neglect the last part of vs. 24 - "You serve the Lord Christ." Who do we ultimately serve in all of our work? Christ. When we hand in that English essay, or math test, or report, we may be serving our teacher, but we're firstly serving our Lord Christ.
So, in summary of all this, what does Colossians say about work? That 1) it must be done enthusiastically, 2) it must be done for the glory of God, not men, and 3) we will be rewarded for our faithful work.
"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ."I like how the verse begins with an important blanket statement - whatever you do. This is the statement that gets rid of any chance of loop holes - there is now no excuse. Whatever we do, however we work, whether we're working at school, working at a job, working at church - whatever way we work - we've got to do it enthusiastically. But this doesn't make much sense unless we include the next phrase. We can be really enthusiastic about things, but there's a big difference between plain old enthusiasm, and enthusiasm, "as something done for the Lord." This enthusiasm in Colossians 3:23 is an excitement in the Lord! This is pouring ourselves into whatever work we do, doing our very best, totally and fully to glorify the Lord. This is doing whatever we do not to magnify ourselves or any man, but to magnify Christ.
This verse goes hand in hand with 1 Corinthians 10:31,
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory."That about sums it up. Whatever we do, we must do everything for God, for His glory, for His sake, for His name.
But the verses don't end there. "Knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ." For our commitment to doing everything for Christ, we'll be rewarded with an inheritance. This inheritance is an eternal reward from God.
Finally, we must not neglect the last part of vs. 24 - "You serve the Lord Christ." Who do we ultimately serve in all of our work? Christ. When we hand in that English essay, or math test, or report, we may be serving our teacher, but we're firstly serving our Lord Christ.
So, in summary of all this, what does Colossians say about work? That 1) it must be done enthusiastically, 2) it must be done for the glory of God, not men, and 3) we will be rewarded for our faithful work.