Staying Hopeful when Working with Unholy People

Let me tell you: The corporate world is not a godly place to work at all. Now at year end its even more obvious - drunk office parties, swearing, infidelity… the list goes on.

Good luck getting corporate to understand the significance of Good Friday and easter, the importance of family and time spent with your spouse or children.

And for many christians, its in this unholy, awful mess that they have to trek into everyday to put meat on the table and clothes on the body.

So if you enjoy going to work in a place that does not harass your Christian sensibilities - count yourself blessed!

For the rest of you brave Christian soldiers - this sermon really is for you.

A man Surrounded by the Ungodly

In our story of Elijah we are about to be introduced to man who works in one of the most ungodly places on earth - this is a godly man, who loves God, but works with the Devil.

1 Kings 18:1–16 KJV 1900

1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10 As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. 11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth. 13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. 15 And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

Lets get the facts: Ahab nd Jezebel are absolute examples of the wicked, and they are in charrge.

Obadiah is a god fearing man, who loves the Lord but he is the govener of this wicked duo’s house.

Every morning this man of God gets up and goes to work in a place that is totally ungodly and he is sourrounded by ungodly people.

Obadiate was in constant danger, both physically (jezebel has no problem killing people) and Spiritually.

Let us talk for a moment about his spiritual danger.

Come Out From Among Them!

God gives us many stern warning about who we associate with:

Psalm 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 Corinthians 6:17 KJV 1900

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV 1900

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Why? because there is the constant danger of conforming to the standard and values of those who we spend time with.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NLT

33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

So God warns about who we associate with, but work is not really the same - we dont always get the lkuxuary of working with who we choose.

We my, like Obadiah, find our selves in a situation were we are sourrounded by ungodly people.

Let me tell you a few things - Notice that Obadiah did not conform - He kept the faith - he remained godly.

And notice, that we have no recond of him “wittnessing” to Ahab and Jezebel - he never challanged them, that was Elijah’s job, not Obadiah. I think that he knew that it would have only caused massive trouble, and would have hampered the work that he eas actually called to do.

This happs - you find yourself withy people that are not going to change - thats ok, what matters it that you dont change eaither!

Revelation 22:11 KJV 1900

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Thats the first thing - dont compromise your walking God based on your work enviroment.

But here are so many questions that are raised by this passage!!!

Why did Ahab and Jezebel let this Godly man work for them?

Jezebel murders 100 prophets, Ahab demand the worship of Baal, but they choose to let a God fearing man to be govener over their house. That makes no sense? Why?

This is not the first time something like this has happened.

Ungodly Pharoah chose Moses to be prince of Egypt.

Another ungodly Pharoah made a godly Joseph in charge over all of Egypt.

Ungodly Bapalonian king Nebercanezzer made the Godly Danil governor as well.

This is a trend in the bible. Ungodly leaders elect Godly people to work for them. Why?

I believe that is it simply because of the christian work ethos.

Daniel was the best worker, Joseph was the best worker, and ill tell you now, Obadiah was the best worker. Christians should be the best workers, why?

Colossians 3:23 KJV 1900

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

A christian i not motivated by greed to work but by thankfullness of God’s provision. So the Christian works hard, with grumbeling.

Also, the outstadning moral conduct of a christian puts them had and shoulders above the rest. Christans can to be totally trusted (they should be!!!). They do not gossip (they should not!!!) or slander. They show respect and always go the extra mile.

Matthew 5:41 KJV 1900

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

All these attributes makes Christans invalubible in the work place and the ungodly can see this and choose you over their own. At least those who want succses do.

You are at your job and you are kept because Christ in you shine bright.

How did Obadiah Cope?

Why did he stay? Life could not have been easy. why not just give up and go work someplace else?

Because of the good that he could do. Think of those 100 prophets, their wives, their children.

The people needed a man like Obadiah who would protect them of Jezebels tyriny.

Let me tell you, your presence at work matters. The good that you do, there are people, co-workers, people you dont even know, secetaries, cleaners, drivers, who have jobs and feed their families because you as a christian, do your job well and cause succsess for the company.

As a christian yo are not replacible, you are not just another cob in the company, your working ethic may be the thing thats keeps the company afloat - and dont you ever think otherwise.

If that were not so, why does your ungodly boss keep you around? Beause like Ahab and Jezebel, they hate Obadiah, but they dare not get rid of him.

Going to Hell every Morning

Its so easy to become cynical. At least thats what I find. How do we remain loving? How do we make sure that our hearts dont become stoney?

Well look again at Obadiah:

1 Kings 18:4 KJV 1900

4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Obadiah fed these godly men, these 100 prophets bread and water. Well the average human cannot go more than 3 days without water. so that must mean that Obadiah was making regular visits to the place where he hid these prophets, we can assume that at least 1 every 3 days.

In other words: Obadiah sustained his spiritual well being by being in constant fellowship with like minded, holy, set apart, dedicated people of God.

As much as he sustained them with food and water, they sustained him in prayer and fellowship.

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We need the spiritual uplifting of church. We need to come together, to be of one accord, to partake in the breaking of bread. All these things, because God has chosen this as the means of our spiritual growth, our spiritual accountability and our spiritual edification.

Obadiah was a single star shining in a sea of darkness, and by his faithful service many were saved.