[Sunday, August 24, 2025] Do it as you would to Christ | Ephesians 6:5-9
Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch)
2025. 8. 24. 주일예배 설교- 에베소서 강해 22
본문: 에베소서 6:5-9
제목: 그리스도께 하듯 하라
설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)
Today's message is about how to build relationships in the context of master and servant. Nowadays, some may think, “Who has a master and servant?” but in modern terms, this refers to relationships between people in positions of authority and those under them in society. In the workplace, it could be the relationship between a boss and an employee; in school, a teacher and a student; in church, between pastors and congregants, or shepherds and their flock.
We live forming relationships with many people around us. The more time we spend with someone, the more conflicts tend to arise. Surveys show that most people who say they have been hurt the most have experienced it from their parents. There is a lot of pain in family relationships, and also at school or work from those we spend the most time with. Our text today teaches us how these relationships can be established according to God’s will.
1. Relationships Must Be Built in the Lord
The first thing necessary to form a proper master-servant relationship that pleases God is that the relationship must be established in the Lord.
This is the most important. The relationships we studied over the past weeks—husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant—are all believers. Only when husband and wife, parents and children, master and servant are in the Lord can the happiest and most beautiful relationships be achieved.
Why is this? Fundamentally, nothing exists apart from God. As in your own experience and in my household, when children achieve something or on birthdays, we have conversations like this: at first, we say, “You’ve worked hard, congratulations.” Then, “Didn’t your sister help you? Be thankful to her.” Then we remember that without mom and dad, none of this would have been possible, giving thanks to them. Ultimately, we thank God, saying, “Had God not given you to us, would this have happened?”
Indeed, there is no relationship in this world apart from God. Yet many live as if God does not exist. How does the Bible describe such people? [Psalm 14:1] The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
How does our text express the master-servant relationship? [Ephesians 6:5] Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
[Ephesians 6:6] Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
[Ephesians 6:7] Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,
[Ephesians 6:8] because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Continuing: “as you would obey Christ, as slaves of Christ, serving the Lord…” What does this mean? It teaches that all our relationships cannot be conceived or exist apart from the Lord. Recognizing this is the most important principle for human relationships. Remember, the relationships between people who abide in Christ are the most beautiful and correct.
After a tsunami, many fish are left on land, unable to return to the sea with the water (illustration). If those fish tried to form good relationships with each other, what must they first do? They must return to the water. If you want a tree that has been uprooted to bear fruit (illustration), what must happen first? The roots must be replanted in the soil. Trying to bear much fruit while remaining uprooted is foolish.
The most important thing in relationships is to establish them in the Lord. If parents do not believe in Jesus, or children do not, a happy and beautiful family cannot exist. Hold fast to the promise and pray. [Acts 16:31] Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.
The same applies to master-servant relationships. Do you want truly good relationships between teacher and student, or boss and employee? You must believe in the Lord. Why did I say “truly good”? In fact, even between unbelievers, there are many good relationships. There is loyalty, sacrifice, and commitment—sometimes more than among believers.
But after believing in Jesus, I realized that truly good relationships cannot exist without Him. Why? [James 1:17] Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The best things come from above. What is every good and perfect gift from heaven? Life itself. Without life, even good relationships cannot last. Truly good relationships exist only in the Lord. Remember this, believe in the Lord, and pray for your unbelieving family and neighbors, forming relationships in Him.
[Application] Who has God placed in my life for the salvation of their soul, for whom I should pray and serve?
2. See one another through the Lord
We must not forget that relationships are never one-sided; they are always relative.
But we often forget this, thinking only from our own perspective. The important declaration to remember in relationships is: [Ephesians 5:21] Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
In husband-wife, parent-child, and master-servant relationships, obedience is not unilateral. Everyone is called to submit to one another because they fear Christ.
According to today’s message, slaves—employees at work, students at school, congregants in church, members under a shepherd—must obey their bosses, teachers, or leaders as if obeying the Lord.
[Ephesians 6:5] Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
The opposite of obeying Christ is not obeying the devil—it is obeying people. [Ephesians 6:7] Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.
Serving as if for the Lord, who will reward us? Not the human authority, but the Lord. [Ephesians 6:8] Because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Conversely, how should masters treat their servants to ensure mutual submission? [Ephesians 6:9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
“Treat them in the same way” means as the Lord, their Master in heaven, treats them—with love and mercy. See your subordinates through the Lord. When you look at the person next to you, consider, “How would the Lord see this person?”
[Application] Have I hurt someone or caused relational difficulties by treating them “as people” rather than “as for the Lord”? How does seeing a difficult relationship through the Lord change my perspective?
3. Stop threats and judging by appearance
[Ephesians 6:9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Masters were expected to threaten servants at that time. Threats often involve thinking, “If you don’t do this, you’ll regret it,” or “Are you really going to do that?” Why? Because the master feels superior and entitled to control the subordinate.
Even when paying for someone’s labor, it does not make the employer the true owner of their life.
[Psalm 24:1] The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
However, to insult someone’s character or to threaten them as if you control their life and death because you consider them inferior is an act that shows you do not know who your true Master is. The master of the servant is God, and the master of the master is also God. [Ephesians 6:9] And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Here, "them" refers to the servants, and "you" refers to the masters. This verse teaches that the master of the servant and the master of the master is the same one God in heaven. Do not forget that the pride behind threatening others is the desire to become a God who controls and rules over them.
As a senior pastor reflecting on the past 17 years of ministry, I realize that the most challenging moments were when my associate pastors or congregation members did not meet my expectations. Hidden within that feeling was the pride that wanted to manipulate them according to my own will. At such times, it was not only my heart that suffered, but the relationships themselves became strained. Therefore, now I try as much as possible not to judge or condemn others just because they do not meet my expectations. I entrust them to God, their true Master, and pray for them. Sometimes Idnl even wonder if it is proper, given my role as senior pastor, but whenever I sense that my desire to overstep boundaries and sit in God’s place to control others is growing, I quietly keep my mouth closed, kneel, and pray.
When trying to control or threaten others, often our hearts judge them by external factors such as their social position, status, age, education, career, wealth, or the appearance, words, and actions they display. “After all, you are young, my student, my subordinate, my employee.” Yet God does not judge people by such outward things. God sees the heart.
But can we see the heart of every person? No, we cannot. Therefore, we must refrain from judging or threatening others based on outward appearance. Instead, just as the Lord loved us, gave His own life, and bestowed the grace of salvation, we should treat those entrusted to us as we would serve Christ, sharing Christ’s love with one another.
[Application] What criteria do I use to judge or evaluate others? Who have I failed to treat as I would Christ?
In conclusion, beloved saints, build your relationships through the Lord, obey and serve as if serving Him, and love those entrusted to you as He does. May God grant you truly beautiful relationships of love and obedience between masters and slaves, in accordance with His will, in the name of the Lord.
하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.
Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.