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Sermon #4182

Our Master in Heaven

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:5-9

Originally preached July 10, 1960

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:5-9 ESV KJV
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not …

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Sermon Description

Regardless of whether one is the boss or employee, Christians work for God. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:5–9 titled “Our Master in Heaven,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that both the master and the slave are under the authority of God. This has great significance for how both are to conduct themselves in their respective roles. Slaves are to serve their masters honestly and to do so as hard workers. Masters are to treat their slaves kindly, remembering that they are slaves of Christ Jesus. It is the heavenly perspective that the gospel brings that informs how both live. As new creatures in Christ both should remember that this life is passing and transitory, for all believers are pilgrims in this world looking forward to their true home in heaven with Christ their Savior. Both slaves and masters are to see life in this new perspective in which both are subject to Christ as their Lord in heaven and under his authority. This provides a radical new understanding of relationships that is different from anything worldly philosophies have to offer. In Christ Christians are no longer defined by social position and status, but by His blood they are a new people who are to love and serve one another because of who and what Christ has done.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon examines Ephesians 6:5-9 which discusses the relationship between servants and masters.
  2. The passage shows the perfect balance and fairness of Scripture by addressing both servants and masters.
  3. Christianity solves societal problems by bringing people to the same position under God. There is no bitterness or selfishness.
  4. Servants and masters are both slaves of Christ and should serve to please and glorify Him.
  5. Servants should serve with fear and trembling, singleness of heart, as unto Christ, from the heart, and with goodwill. They should not serve with "eye service".
  6. Masters should do the same - serve with fear and trembling, singleness of heart, as unto Christ, from the heart, and with goodwill. They should forbear threatening.
  7. The motives for servants and masters are the same: to please Christ, spread the Gospel, and receive reward/judgment from Christ.
  8. Everything in this life is temporary and "according to the flesh". The eternal, heavenly realm is what really matters.
  9. Christ is the Master and Lord in heaven. There is no favoritism with Him. All human distinctions do not matter.
  10. We will all stand before the judgment throne of Christ and receive for the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad.
  11. We should live in light of eternity and Christ's judgment. We should serve Christ and spread the Gospel.

The Book of Ephesians

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.