INSTRUCTIONS FOR MASTERS

Colossians 4:1 (KJV) “Masters, give unto your servants THAT WHICH IS JUST AND EQUAL; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” Now let’s look at a few words in this verse.

Master: It is where we get our title MR. from. A title of respect, it is one who is given authority over others. 

Give: Which means to reach out to, to grant, to give, to offer to, also it means to take in your hand and provide something to those who are under your authority. If God has allowed us to be in a position of authority, we ought to serve in that position with great “COMPASSION AND LOVE”. We should pray and seek God’s strength, and direction in how we serve in that capacity.I want us to look at 3 things we should give to those under us. 

#1: That which is “JUST AND EQUAL”: Paul uses the Greek word translated “JUST” to mean “RIGHT” or “MEET”, and the Greek word translated “EQUAL” to mean in the same proportion or likeness to all the same for the work that they do. It does not mean that each servant gets the same amount, but in proportion to the amount of work they do or the type of work that they do. We have a saying to day that if you don’t work you don’t eat which actually comes from one of Paul’s epistles. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV) “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”  Paul is saying that those that are able bodied should help and not just lay around and let others take care of them. The statement JUST and EQUAL actually supports the custom of sharing what we have with those that are unable to work like others who are healthy enough to labor. Please don’t forget that Paul also wrote in:

Romans 15:1 also in the (KJV) “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” The answer to Cain’s question “….am I my brother’s keeper..” is YES!!!  A resounding YES!!!  So, “That which is just and equal”

Now in  Acts 17:31 (KJV) “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath GIVEN ASSURANCE unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” So:

#2. That which is “ASSUREDLY the TRUTH”: All that masters do and see to, what is done, should always be the TRUTH. Jesus as HE journeyed here on earth, was always about the truth, and in fact if you remember, when HE was answering Thomas’ question of “….how can we know the way?” Jesus said in John 14:6  (KJV) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Most of us have sought GOD at one time in our life, but sadly, some have overlooked HIM when they had the opportunity, by not seeking HIM for the right reason. They wanted to find GOD on their own terms, wanted GOD to be what they wanted GOD to be. In the last statement in the verse we just read JESUS said: “…no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” People, when they come to JESUS must come, repentful of their sins, know that HE is GOD in the flesh and that HE CAN and that HE WILL forgive them of those sins! Jesus said to other doubters, just before he spoke this statement in John 8:24 (KJV) “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” So! We who are masters must always remember we represent the “TRUTH” we must always remember, also, that we may be the last representation of “CHRIST” that some may see, because the next time they lift up their eyes, “IT MAY BE IN HELL”. Always show people that JESUS has changed you and you are now a different person, that you have been “BEEN BORN ANEW” or “BORN AGAIN”. So always remember we must always give those under us the TRUTH! Then in:

1 Timothy 6:17 (KJV) The Apostle Paul says: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who  GIVETH US richly all things to enjoy;” so another thing MASTERS’ must give is:

#3. That which they or we can “ABUNDANTLY ENJOY”: Listen, please, whatever you have, you did not get by your own strength, your own power, but GOD gave it to you. The things we enjoy today that are in our lives, “GOD GAVE US”, richly, and HE wants us to enjoy it while we are on our journey here. JESUS said: John 10:10 (KJV) “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  And I will reiterate that GOD wants you to enjoy your life down here as you continue on your JOURNEY. I always like to emphasize that we are on a JOURNEY, because this is NOT our home, we are just PASSING through to our heavenly home with JESUS, that is if we have been “BORN AGAIN”!  I must say here that I AM NOT one of these preachers that declare that GOD will give you a million dollars, or all that you would ever want or that everything will always go smoothly and you won’t have any problems while on that JOURNEY. BUT I will DECLARE unto you that GOD will GIVE you all that you need and that “HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU” the biggest problem we have, as GODS’ people, is calling out to HIM in our times of NEED, but instead we try to rely on our own strength. It does us all a lot of GOOD to always refresh our memory with the story of NICODEMUS, who really needed some strength and directions from GOD. If you will remember the story of NICODEMUS in the 3rd chapter of the GOSPEL OF JOHN. He was a Pharisee, which meant he was highly educated and highly respected, but also highly close minded. So JESUS kept him on track about a simple fact about the KINGDOM of GOD, and how to get there, by telling him, 3 times in fact, that you must be “BORN AGAIN”. But of course NICODEMUS thought he was already there, because he was a Pharisee and had all of the attributes he needed through his fleshly strengths. NICODEMUS  thought it was by all of his attributes that he would see GOD. HE had failed to see the fact that it takes FAITH to please GOD. I am going to close with some last instructive suggestions, if, first, you have performed the necessary action of being “BORN AGAIN”. Continue to do these 4 things.

#1: LOVE GOD SUPREMELY! “…THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME…”

#2: LOVE YOUR FAMILY! BOTH YOUR HOME  FAMILY AND YOUR CHURCH FAMILY! LOVE is what is needed in our families today!

#3: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR! We have got to love our neighbor, he must see JESUS in us!

#4: LOVE YOURSELF!