Should Being in Christ Affect How You Live Each Day?
Introduction:
Paul’s letter to the Colossians stressed that Jesus us all that one
needs. He’s all-sufficient for our needs. Our text today
emphasizes that this sufficiency should affect every area of a
Christian’s life.
Text:
Colossians 3:18-25 – 4:1
Body:
I.
Spouses
Colossians 3:18-19
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the
Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward
them.”
NKJV
·
Wives are to “submit” to their husbands. This word in Greek
means to subordinate, to arrange under, to subject oneself
to another, to yield to another.
·
This is not an option, but an obligation.
Note Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your own husbands,
as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as
also Christ is head of the church; and He is the
Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is
subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own
husbands in everything.”
NKJV
·
“as is fitting” – what is due, one’s duty Submission
is part of every Christian’s life.
(Ephesians 5:21) “submitting to one another in the fear of
God.”
NKJV
·
Wives’ submission to their husbands may help their
unbelieving husbands obey the gospel.
(I Peter 3:1-2, 5) “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your
own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they,
without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
5
For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who
trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to
their own husbands,”
NKJV
·
Husbands are to love their wives, a sacrificial love, as
Christ loved the church.
(Ephesians 5:25, 28-29) “Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
28-29
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own
bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one
ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,
just as the Lord does the church.”
NKJV
·
Husbands must cherish and nourish, care for and show a
tender love for their wives. There must be no harshness or
bitterness. Be worthy of love and honor; they are heirs
together of the grace of life. So husbands are to insure
their wives are well-protected and well cared for all the
while showing both affection and devotion.
II.
Parents and Children
Colossians 3:20-21
“Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well
pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your
children, lest they become discouraged.”
NKJV
·
Children Obedience is well-pleasing. Jesus set an
example. (Luke 2:51-52) “Then He went down with them
and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His
mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus
increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and
men.”
NKJV
This verse contains a promise.
(Ephesians 6:1-3) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord,
for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is
the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well
with you and you may live long on the earth.’ ”
NKJV
(Exodus 20:12) “Honor your father and your mother, that your
days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is
giving you.”
NKJV
·
Disobedience came with serious consequences.
(Exodus 21:15, 17) “And he who strikes his father or his
mother shall surely be put to death.
17
And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be
put to death.”
NKJV
(Deuteronomy 21:18-21) “If a man has a stubborn and
rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or
the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened
him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother
shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of
his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to
the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and
rebellious; he will not obey our voice, he is a glutton and
a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him
to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from
among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.”
NKJV
·
Fathers are to be firm, yet fair. They have responsibility
to train, discipline, and teach their children.
(Ephesians 6:4) “And you, fathers, do not provoke your
children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and
admonition of the Lord.”
NKJV
Fathers must not be domineering or thoughtless. This verse
protects children from unjust and severe treatment.
Discipline is to be administered to correct behavior, not as
a way to vent anger.
(Proverbs 23:13-14) “Do not withhold correction from a child, For if
you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a
rod, And deliver his soul from hell.”
NKJV
III.
Servants and Masters
Colossians 3:22-25 – 4:1
“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to
the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in
sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from
the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for
you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be
repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
4:1
Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair,
knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”
NKJV
·
Servants would apply to employees today. We must obey our
employers in everything, the exception being things illegal
or unethical.
·
“Not with eyeservice” We must not just work while the
boss is around. “People
pleaser” We should not act just to please men or to
court favor of others. Employees should rather be sincere
in their work, not hypocritical or self-seeking.
·
Employees should work with reverence and respect for God and
put their heart into their work. Our aim is to please God
for we are ultimately working for Him. Our reward will come
from Him. (Ephesians 6:5-8) “Bondservants, be
obedient to those who are your masters according to the
flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to
Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as
bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not
to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will
receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or
free.
NKJV
We will be repaid based upon our work and service.
(II Corinthians 5:10) “For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the
things done in the body, according to what he has done,
whether good or bad.”
NKJV
·
Masters: Employers, managers, supervisors are to be
just, rendering to those under them their due. They are to
be fair, doing what is right and equitable, showing no
partiality. (Ephesians 6:9) “And you,
masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening,
knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is
no partiality with Him.”
NKJV
There are to be no threats or abuses. Practice the
Golden Rule.
·
Even masters have a Master in heaven! If you want Him to be
fair and just with you, then you must be fair and just with
others.
Conclusion:
Being in Christ should affect every area of our lives: marriage,
family, business. This allows us to show others what “Christ living
within us” really means.
Bobby Stafford
March 5, 2017
Colossians: Lesson 12
Colossians 3:18-25 – 4:1
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