Turn with me, if you would, to
1 Timothy chapter six. 1 Timothy chapter six. Let's read verses one and two. It says, let as many servants
as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor,
that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing
masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren.
but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved
partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. At face value, physically speaking,
this is what that's saying. It's talking about servants and
masters, which today we call employees and employers. Be a hard worker. Be a good employee. No matter who your boss is. I
know this is not the mindset of the world anymore. It used
to be. It says exhort and teach these
things and men did, but it was kind of understood. There was
a certain mindset toward honor No matter who your boss is, be
a good employee. Especially if your boss is a
believer, be an employee that respects and reverences the authority
that has been placed over you. No one wants authority over them
anymore. People are done with authority. Don't be one who disrespects
and badmouths and complains and talks back, which is so common
with people today. I go into businesses and see
employees and I think, what a terror. I tell my girls, don't you ever
act like that if you work for somebody. Don't let that rub off on you
and don't do it and rub off on anybody else. If they've hired
you for a job, then treat that job and treat your employer with
the reverence and the respect that that job and he or she deserves. If you're going to do it, do
it right. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your
might. Don't be lazy. Don't be rebellious. Don't be
careless about it. I just don't care. Do the job for your employer
like you would do it for yourself. And he said, here's the reason
why. The end of verse one says that the name of God and his
doctrine be not blasphemed. God's people represent the person
that they have been called to. Jesus Christ, our Lord. All right,
let me say that again. God's people represent the man
that they have been called to. This is important for us to understand. I sincerely want this congregation
to know this. Paul said, we are ambassadors
for Christ. And we are, we are ambassadors
of his gospel as we live our life out here in this world.
We are ambassadors for his gospel. We're ambassadors for his word
and how we carry ourselves and how we conduct ourselves. It
is a reflection on the God that we serve. Turn with me to Ephesians six.
There are some scripture references right here that go with this.
Let me read a few of them. Ephesians six. Verse five, Ephesians six, verse
five. It says servants, Be obedient
to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with
fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. In singleness, with one motive,
and one desire, and one purpose in whatever you're doing, as
unto Christ. Verse six, not with eye service,
as men pleasers, that means working real hard while the boss is looking,
and then as soon as he leaves, you know, go find him a spot
to lay down. But as the servants of Christ doing the will of God
from the heart with goodwill, doing service as to the Lord
and not to men." He said, you're doing this as unto Christ, you're
doing this as unto the Lord. Turn over to Colossians 3. Colossians 3 verse 22, it says,
servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh,
not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing
God, and whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord
and not unto men. knowing that of the Lord you
shall receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the
Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall
receive for the wrong which he hath done. And there's no respect
to persons. He said, remember, you serve
the Lord Christ. Turn over to Titus chapter two. Titus 2 verse 9, it says, exhort
servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please
them well in all things, not answering again, not gainsaying,
talking back, not purloining or separating yourself from them,
but showing all good fidelity, all good character in the faith
that has been given to you. that they may adorn the doctrine
of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying
ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world. looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us
from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people
zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort
and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. How we carry ourselves and how
we conduct ourselves, that is a reflection on the God that
we serve. If we go around in this world
with a rebellious attitude toward authority, that is a reflection
on the God that we serve. All authority has been placed
over us by the God that we serve. If we go around in this world
with a filthy, foul mouth, that's a reflection on the God that
we serve. I don't understand why some believers think it's
okay to just cuss like a sailor all the time. I don't understand
that. Peter didn't think that. He was
a cussing man. Peter was a cussing man. And
Peter said, Lord, I'm sorry. I'm a sinful man. That's what
he said. If we carry ourselves in a vile
way, If we're known for being rude and lewd and lazy and everything
that this sinful flesh is so prone to, that is a reflection
on the God that we serve. It's a reflection on His gospel.
It's a reflection on this ministry that He's given to us. The end of verse two in our text
says, teach God's people this. This is important. The name of
our God and His doctrine is represented by us. And the last thing that
a child of God wants to do is give anyone a reason to blaspheme
His name or His doctrine. That's the last thing a child
of God wants to do. This is a real warning for us,
and it's because, very sadly, this is something that God's
people are very capable of falling into. this conduct of blasphemy
that promotes blasphemy. It happens and we need to be
warned. We need to be watchful of it
because if we allow ourselves to just give in to it, it can
bring some very devastating results. King David gave in to it all
the way to the point of committing adultery with Bathsheba. and killing her husband Uriah.
Is there mercy for a man who does something like that? Takes a married man's wife, commits
adultery with her and then kills him. Is there mercy for a man
like that? Thank God there is. But when Nathan the prophet came
to David and he said, thou art the man, this is what Nathan
said. He said, because you have given
the enemies of the Lord reason to blaspheme, That child is going
to be taken from you. He said there are consequences
that must come because of your conduct. Earthly, physical consequences. We need to be aware of that.
A man who murders somebody, is there mercy for a man who commits
murder? Yes. But he's probably going
to have to go to jail. There are earthly consequences
that come for our actions, and I pray God will teach us this.
I pray he'll help us to be examples in our conduct, physically speaking. Now, done. Thank God we have someone who
represents us and represents our conduct, spiritually speaking. Thank God. Thank God. If you haven't, go back to 1
Timothy 6. I read this and I think, thank
God for Christ. Thank God for Christ. Look at
verse one. It says, let as many servants. In Isaiah 42, the father said,
behold, my servant. Ephesians one says the father
was the first one to entrust the work of his servant. Jesus Christ, he was the first
one to trust the work to him, his servant. Verse one says,
let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy of all honor. Let the name of God and his doctrine
be not blasphemed. Are you reading between the lines
on this? Let the one who is under the yoke, let the one who bears
the yoke, the burden of the work, let him
count his master, the one who laid the work on him. Let him
count him worthy of all honor, all glory, all praise. Turn with me to John 17. John 17, verse 1, these words
spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father,
the hour is come. Glorify thy son that thy son
also may glorify me. That means lay the work on me
that I may glorify you in it. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given Him, and this is life eternal, that they might
know Thee, the only true God. in Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent." I love how Christ honored the Father, Christ honored the
Father, honored the Father, and the Father honors the Son and
honored the Son. They each give all honor to each
other, all glory to each other. Verse 4, he said, I have glorified
thee on the earth. I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do. Christ said, Father, I have honored
you in accomplishing the work that you sent me to do. I did
it willingly. I did it cheerfully. I did it
as unto you. I did it all as unto you. I delight to do thy will. Oh, how Christ, the servant,
honored his father in the yoke that was laid on him, the one
who bore the yoke. There was no rebellion. There
was no talk back. He said, not my will, father,
but thine be done, whatever you'd have me to do. In him was no
sin, only honor and glory and praise to his father. That's
all that there was. Verse six right here, he said,
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me
out of the world. Thine they were and thou gavest
them me and they've kept thy word. I've manifest your name
to them. Look at verse 25. He said, Oh, righteous father,
the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee. And these
have known that thou hast sent me. And I've declared unto them
thy name. I'm declaring thy name. And will
declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in
them and I in them. That right there is God's servant,
our representative. He did all of that for us. With
a humble spirit, with a willing heart, he was the servant that
did all of that for us. Go with me back to 1 Timothy
6. Verse Timothy six, verse one,
it says, let as many servants as are under
the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the
name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that
have believing masters, let them not despise them because they
are brethren. but rather do them service because
they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These
things teach and exhort. He said if both parties are believers,
give double honor. You're brethren. You're brethren. Not just master and servant,
but brethren. Now in this spiritual side of
things, let me show you a beautiful picture. If both of you are brethren,
if you're partners in this partaking of the gospel. Let me show you
this gorgeous picture here. Turn over about four pages to
the book of Philemon. This is one of the most beautiful
stories in all of the word of God. One chapter, Philemon, in this
story, A man named Onesimus, and this is a true story, a true
account. A man named Onesimus, he was the servant of a man named
Philemon, and he mistreated his master. Onesimus stole from him
and ran away from him, and he was a wicked, rebellious servant.
And he represents you and me. That's us. That's us before our
God. All of God's people are unprofitable,
wicked, rebellious servants by nature. And in this story, this
is a picture of Christ making intercession to the Father for
His unprofitable, wicked, rebellious but chosen, redeemed, called,
regenerated saints. This is a picture of Christ making
intercession for the sin of his people. The apostle Paul right
here is interceding to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. Just listen
to this, okay? Such a beautiful picture of salvation.
Look at verse 10. Paul writing to Philemon said,
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus. And as we read this, here Christ,
Paul representing Christ, Onesimus is us, and he's speaking to the
Father. I beseech thee for my son, Onesimus,
whom I have begotten in my bonds. I begot him through my bonds,
which in time past was to thee unprofitable. He was a sinner
against thee. but I begot him again in my bonds. And he goes on to say, but now
he's profitable to thee and to me, before he was unprofitable.
But now he's profitable to thee and to me, whom I have sent again,
I'm sending him back to you. Thou therefore receive him that
is mine own bowels. He said, receive him as though
you are receiving me. He is one with me as my own bowels. Receive him as though you're
receiving me. Verse 13, whom I would have retained
with me that in thy stead, he might have ministered unto me
in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind, would I
do nothing? I don't do anything that's in
disagreement with your will, your pleasure. that thy benefit should not be
as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore
departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him forever.
And that's what happened to us. We departed from our God for
a season, but in what Christ did for us, he received us again
forever. Verse 16, not now as a servant,
but above a servant, a brother. receive him as a brother beloved,
specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh
and in the Lord. Now listen to verse 17. He said,
if thou count me therefore a partner, Christ said, Father, if you count
me to be an equal, if you count me to be a brother, if you count
me to be worthy, if thou count me therefore a partner, receive
him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth
thee aught, put that on my account. You put it all on my account.
Verse 19, he said, I've written it with my own hand. I will repay
it. He said, if you count me to be
a brother, receive him as a brother. Receive him as receiving me. That is just beautiful, isn't
it? Go back to 1 Timothy 6. Verse 1 says, let as many servants
as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor,
that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. And
I'll just tell you, that deserves a message all its own. The name of God and His doctrine. If I don't get to it, one of
you men can do it. What is God's name? What is God's
doctrine? Maybe next time. But he said, let as many servants
as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor
that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And
they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because
they are brethren, but rather do them service because they
are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit. These things
teach and exhort. He said, the servant that's under
the yoke, let him honor his master by doing him service, accomplishing
his bidding as a faithful and beloved partaker of the benefit. And this is how Christ did that
for his father. Now, I was gonna have you turn
to John 6, but I'm just gonna tell you, this is how he did
that for his father. Let me just quickly read it to
you. John 6, this is what verses 38 to 40 say. I came down from heaven not to
do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this
is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he
hath given to me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it
up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that
sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on
him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the
last day. The Father says to us, The father
is saying to his people in glory and rejoicing and rejoy, behold
my servant. That's what he's saying. You
behold my servant. That's what the father says to
us. And this is what Christ the servant says to us. The father
says, you behold my servant. And this is what Christ the servant
says to us. I will have you turn with this
and we'll close. Go with me to Matthew 11. This, we have to go here. Matthew
11, this is what Christ the servant has to say to his people. Matthew
11, verse 28. Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden over all that sin you've committed. and
I will give you rest. Now listen, he said, take my
yoke, let the servants that are under the yoke, take my yoke
upon you, take my work upon you and learn of me for I am meek
and lowly in heart and you shall find rest unto yourselves for
my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Christ, the servant
of God, who bore the yoke, he says to his people, you come
yoke up with me. A yoke, yokes two together. And he says, you come yoke up
with me. I'll do all the work. You just
rest. I've done all the work. You just
rest. I've already honored the Father
for you. You just rest. Just rest. You just rest. Thank God for Christ.