A Letter of Thanks

Well, good morning and happy, slightly early Thanksgiving.

I hope you're excited about giving thanks this Thursday

with whoever you are celebrating with,

be it family or friends or fellow church members.

Last Sunday, if you were with us,

we talked about the importance of doing this well,

making sure that we slow down in our lives long enough

to really consider how blessed we are

and how much we have to be thankful for,

especially as we talked about last Sunday

about relative to Christians in other eras

who lived under much less favorable conditions.

And I got some really good feedback

from last Sunday's message.

People talked about how it was helpful in reminding you

about all the little details that you rarely think about,

ways that God has blessed you.

And even though you may think,

well, there's still some areas of my life

which I wish were easier or better,

whether it's your job, your finances,

your living situation, your dating life, whatever it is,

it's so easy to get wrapped up in those things

that we want so badly and forget and take for granted

the many gracious gifts that the Lord gives us

each and every day.

So as I said last week, giving thanks is nothing new to us.

That is not a new concept.

It's something we all realize is important,

but because we are so forgetful as a people

and because we're so busy as a people,

it is important for us to be reminded often,

not just one day of the year,

but reminded often about how much we have

and how little we deserve it.

And so I hope based on last Sunday

and what you're gonna hear this morning,

you'll be more and more prepared to celebrate well

on Thursday when you give thanks.

Now, let's talk about today's message.

Hold onto your seats.

This morning, I want to continue our Thanksgiving theme

in a very unique way.

We are going way outside the normal box

together this morning.

This is something that I've actually done twice

in the 17 plus years of the life of our church.

Both times it seems to have been a blessing

to our congregation, so we'll see what happens today.

What I want to do this morning is read to you

a pastoral letter that is uniquely adapted

to this body of believers.

And the model for this letter actually comes from a letter

that you will find in your Bibles.

It's Paul's letter to the Colossian Church.

So before I just jump in and read this,

why don't you grab your Bibles

and let's actually go to the book of Colossians

and just take a quick note, just a glance,

we don't have a lot of time,

at how the book of Colossians is structured.

Go to the very first chapter of Colossians.

As you arrive there, you're gonna find

that it has only four chapters, so it's not a long letter,

but it is packed full of practical instructions

and encouragement, not just for the church back then,

but for the church even today.

Just a couple notes about the background here.

Recall that Paul wrote this letter to the believers

in this somewhat rural city of Colosse,

at a time when he was serving a prison sentence

in a Roman jail.

Let's also remember that Paul did not plant

this particular church.

This was not one of his church plants,

and in fact, there's no evidence he ever

actually visited Colosse or met the believers

in that community, which raises the obvious question,

well then, how did they get a letter?

That's one of the great things I wanna know in heaven.

Well, Lord, how did you decide

which churches actually got a letter?

Well, it appears that the church was planted

by a friend of Paul's, a coworker named Apaphras,

who was a native to that area.

Sometime around the year AD 58,

Apaphras traveled to Rome to visit Paul in prison,

both to encourage him and to get some counsel

from the great apostle concerning a few issues.

So Paul then wrote back to the believers in Colosse,

addressing the issues that Apaphras brought to him,

but in general, challenging them

to keep growing spiritually

and to keep growing in their devotion to Christ.

Now, the structure of Colossians is actually very easy

to follow in terms of its flow and logic.

I'll put a few things on the screen

just so that you can understand the basic flow,

and this is gonna help you as I read my pastoral letter,

I think it's gonna help you understand

why I've included what I've included,

because it follows the same natural flow.

So if you look at chapter one,

again, this is gonna be quick at a glance,

you'll see that Paul starts out with a theme

that's very important for the season we're in right now,

prayer and thanksgiving.

And then if you wanna circle this, at verse 15,

there's a shift in tone.

You guys like to mark up your Bibles?

This is a good place you can write a line

or circle verse 15.

Paul transitions, shifts to some of the most important

and highest Christology that you will find

in the entire New Testament,

the theme being this, the preeminence of Christ.

And then in verse 24, he finishes the chapter

with a discussion of how he has labored

and suffered on behalf of the gospel

and for the spread of the church in the Greek world.

Then if you look at chapter two,

and again, we're going quickly through this,

you'll see Paul walk through an extensive teaching

on how believers in the church need to be rooted

and built up in Christ and knit together in love.

And then there's a transition at verse 16

where he addresses a particular legalistic heresy

that had infected the Colossian church,

and he reminds them that you're free in Christ

and not subject to manmade regulations.

That's chapter two.

If you go over to chapter three,

you see Paul exhorts the believers

to recognize who they belong to.

And since they belong to Christ,

they should put on the new self,

put on a new way of life that reflects

the example that they have in Christ.

Then there's a transition at verse 18.

Paul turns to some very practical topics,

probably something that Epaphras had asked him about,

relationships within the Christian household,

husbands and wives, children and parents,

masters and slaves.

And then finally, take a look at chapter four.

Here's where you see Paul's heart for people

really come out.

He gives final instructions.

He comes back to where he started

with prayer and thanksgiving.

He shares wisdom about how we should deal with outsiders,

how we should relate to them.

And then he sends beautiful greetings

from all of his co-laborers,

letting the believers in Colossae know

how much they are loved by the saints.

So it's beautiful.

It's a beautiful flow.

It's simple.

But now let's get to my letter.

And I want you to hear this really clearly

before I start this morning.

What I'm doing is using Scripture as a guide

to compose a letter to you guys specifically

from God the Father.

Now as I say that, you go, wow, that's dangerous.

You're writing on behalf of God, OK?

Understand, I am not trying to be presumptuous here.

I am not God, obviously.

Ask my wife.

I am not an apostle, obviously.

I am not trying to write holy, inerrant Scripture, obviously.

Make sure you understand that.

And if you're visiting this morning

and you're now frowning your brow,

wondering what's going on, this is a unique Sunday.

Come back next Sunday.

We're going to be in the Gospel of Luke

talking about Christmas.

So just trust me, this is a unique Sunday.

What you're about to hear is my attempt

to adapt the message of Colossians to Oak Hill

and to apply its timeless principles to our lives

together as a church family.

And in the spirit of Thanksgiving,

as we go through this, what I'm going to do

is ask you to pause.

I'm going to put some questions on the screen

about what you're thankful for.

Because we want to get ready to give thanks well this week.

So sit back and relax.

If you want to sort of track with me through the letter,

you can do that or you can just listen.

But make sure you're listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit

as he guides your heart and guides your mind

to track with me.

And my hope is that this morning you'll come out of here

encouraged with hope and joy and most of all with Thanksgiving.

Amen?

All right, here we go.

Chapter one.

How many chapters in Colossians?

A little more.

OK, chapter one is the longest one.

Chapter one.

To the saints in Christ at Oak Hill,

my beloved children in Santa Clarita, grace and peace

to each of you from my heart to yours.

Many prayers for you and for your church

have risen to my throne, especially prayers

of Thanksgiving for the work I'm doing among you.

Since the day I gathered you together and planted Oak Hill

Bible Church, many have heard of your faith

and the fervent love that you have for one another.

I have seen how vibrant your fellowship is

and how you long to serve and care for each other

in many practical ways.

And I see the word of truth is increasing among you

and constantly bearing fruit through the power of my spirit.

You're learning about gospel life from your elders

and your fellow bond servants, Adam and Grant and Dave

and Ross and Ken and the two Jeffs.

They're a group of men who are still a work in process,

but they're faithfully striving to shepherd you well.

They continue to pray for you that you

would be filled with the knowledge of my will

and all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

They desire that you walk each day in a manner worthy

of the one you worship, to please me in all respects,

and to continually increase in knowledge and good deeds.

It is I, the Lord, who gives you the strength and power

to do this.

While your elders serve as good examples for you to imitate,

only I can grant you the power, the endurance,

and the patience that you need as a pilgrim so

journeying through life in a fallen world.

So be thankful and glorify my name,

for I am the one who not only strengthens your walk

but qualifies you to share in the eternal inheritance

of the saints.

Lest you forget, there was once a time

when every single one of you belonged

to the kingdom of darkness.

You were born into it, your nature corrupted by generation

after generation of human sin.

And therefore, on your own, you were

incapable of turning your hearts towards me in faith.

In short, you were lost and helpless and without hope.

But all that's changed now.

Now in Christ, you have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Why?

How did that happen?

Before I laid the foundations of the universe,

I already knew you.

And I purpose to save you, to rescue you

from your hopeless condition according

to my perfect timing.

I delivered you from the deepest pit

and now by my sovereign hand, you've

been transferred from the kingdom of darkness

into the kingdom of my beloved son.

And when I say that all of your sins have been washed away,

I mean it.

Past sins, present sins, even future sins.

Because of the cleansing blood of my son

has been applied to your account,

those sins are buried forever.

There is now no condemnation of this, you can be sure.

Let me pause for a second.

Let's talk about thankfulness.

Are you thankful for the vibrant fellowship here at Oak Hill?

Are you thankful for the team of men the Lord has brought

together as shepherds here?

Are you thankful that God has rescued you, washed away

your sins, and brought you into the kingdom of light?

I'll continue.

Listen, my children, you were purchased at a very high cost.

My son is precious to me, more precious

than you can even understand.

But it was I who crushed him.

It was I who made him a guilt offering for you.

In fact, I was pleased to do this.

That's how much I love you.

But still, you should know how valuable that sacrifice was

and you should never stop contemplating it.

Why is it so valuable?

Because of who Jesus was and is.

You know him by many names, the Christ, the Anointed One,

the Messiah, the Savior, and yes, he is a son,

but not a son as you understand that term on earth.

Many have stumbled over this over the centuries, so beware.

Since the early days of the church, teachers have come

in my name, claiming to speak truth,

but they are wolves among the flock,

because they have not rightly understood the nature of my son.

And by their teaching, many have been led astray.

So let me set the record straight.

When you see Jesus, you see me.

He is my icon, my exact image and likeness.

Beloved, make sure you get this right.

Jesus is not less than me.

He is not a God.

He is fully God.

He is my equal in all of his nature and attributes.

I know this is not easy for your finite minds to fully grasp,

but you must know that it's true.

Trust me, I've declared it so.

My son is also supreme over all creation.

Everything made bows to him.

Why?

It's very simple.

Everything in the heavens and everything on earth

and under the earth found its beginning in him.

He is the agent of all creation.

All things came into being through my son.

That's why the angels bow to him.

And that's why the rebellious demons are subject to him.

Every created thing finds its purpose in him.

He was in the beginning with me before anything

came into existence.

And even now, he holds the created order together,

fixing everything in its proper place.

Let's pause again.

Are you thankful that the Father crushed his one and only son

for your sake?

Are you thankful today that God himself came down to earth,

God himself came down to earth and took on flesh

and suffered to redeem you?

Children, one more thing you need

to remember about my son, he is Lord over the church.

It's his body.

And he is its head.

It belongs to him.

Which church, you might ask?

Well, understand, there is only one true church,

but it's never been found in a particular denomination

or in one particular building or even in one city.

The true church is a vast cross-section of humanity

from every nation, every race, every tribe, and every tongue.

It's made up of those who I have chosen and drawn to myself,

those whose hearts I have regenerated.

And as a result, they've placed their trust in me by faith

alone and not by their good works.

These elect saints belong to my son,

and he will never leave them, he will never forsake them,

and he will never lose any of them.

They will be raised up on the last day.

Count on it.

The plan to save each of you originated in eternity past

according to the counsel of my will.

To accomplish that plan, it was my pleasure

to have all the fullness of the Godhead dwell in my son.

Yes, even as he walked the earth in human flesh.

And as he suffered and died on that Roman cross,

peace was established between you and me.

We are now reconciled.

Does that not bring you great joy?

Beloved, let me expand on this picture of reconciliation

so that you might grasp how deep and wide my love is for you.

There was a time when you were absolutely alienated from me.

You had turned your backs on the whole idea of God.

Your minds were full of hostility towards me.

Your entire life was an act of rebellion

against the very one who created you.

It's hard to believe, isn't it?

Now, if I were merely a human being,

I would have returned that hostility and kind.

I would have ignored you, left you

to your own wicked desires, and in the end, judged you

and snuffed out your life for all eternity.

But I am not a man.

Rather than respond with hostility,

I have chosen to make you my friend.

And not just a friend, as you know it on earth,

I've adopted you as my own, a son, a daughter, an heir

to all that I possess.

And all of this is for my glory that in the ages to come,

you and everyone else might come to see how merciful

and mighty I am.

Let's pause.

Are you thankful today that Jesus is head of the church

and that you are part of his body?

You've been made part of his body.

Are you thankful that you've been reconciled to God

as you sit here this morning?

Are you thankful to be adopted into God's family as a child

and as an heir?

Someday, my children, every one of you

will leave this physical world and pass it into eternity.

If you've been reconciled to me through the death of my son,

when you come before my throne for judgment,

I will see only Jesus in you.

And I will proclaim you to be holy and blameless.

How is that possible?

I have declared it.

And there is no other way.

You cannot do this by yourselves.

It is solely an act of my grace.

For now, though, there's something

you must do during your days on the earth.

You must endure in your faith.

I've set you free and given you the power to reason

and to make very real choices.

So choose wisely in the way that you walk.

Be firmly established in the truth of my word.

Become immovable in your faith.

Never give up on the hope that you have.

I want you to know something about my servant Paul, who

I chose to write many important letters in my word.

He suffered greatly for the sake of the gospel in his day.

And to some degree, you too will have to endure suffering.

But men like Paul, who've been called

to reveal the mysteries of Christ through the teaching

and preaching of the word, they will come under great attack.

So pray for your leaders at Oak Hill.

They strive with the strength that I provide them

to proclaim, warn, and teach you with all wisdom.

And they do it with one goal in mind

that each of you would become mature in Christ.

One last pause before we get to chapter 2.

Are you thankful today that God sees you

as holy and blameless because of Christ?

Do you believe that's true, that God sees you

as holy and blameless?

Chapter 2.

Beloved, here's another set of reasons

why your elders struggle in prayer on your behalf.

They want every member of the body at Oak Hill

to be joined together in love and have

all the riches of understanding and knowledge

concerning my son.

Whenever you're together, he must be your focus

because all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

are hidden in him and discovered in him.

So then, just as you've received Jesus as Lord, abide with him.

Walk with him.

Be rooted and built up in the faith concerning him.

That's what your leaders have been telling you.

And be thankful.

In fact, be overflowing with gratitude.

I exhort you in these ways for a very important reason,

friends.

There are many opinions about Jesus out there,

so be careful.

I've told you exactly who my son is.

So do not let anyone delude you with some worldly

philosophical argument that contradicts what

I've already said in my word.

Your church is now almost 18 years old,

and I have delighted to see your growth in discipline

and in the solid, stub substance of your faith.

What a joy to see Miles and Brandon, Veronica and Elijah

and Kenzie on fire for the gospel.

To them and to the rest of you, I say this.

You're on the right track.

Do not deviate from it.

Watch out for people who try to take you captive

with so-called new perspectives on what

Holy Scripture teaches.

They seek to drag you away by their foolishness and deceit,

and their arguments have no basis in the truth.

Rather, their sources are simply this.

Wicked desires mixed with worldly logic

backed by spiritual forces of darkness.

Such people do not know me or my son.

Behold, I've already warned you through my servant Solomon.

There is a way which seems right to a man,

but in the end, its way is death.

So stay alert and make sure you don't

fall into the clutches of these people

or their false teaching.

Remember, you don't need worldly ideas to make you complete,

for I have made you complete in Jesus.

He is the fullness of the Godhead,

and he is the head over every ruler and every authority

in heaven and on earth.

Through him, the power of sin in your life

has been stripped away.

Do you not realize that if you know my son,

you've already been buried with him in baptism?

Do you not know that already you've been raised

to life with him by faith?

Never forget, my beloved, there was once

a certificate of debt sitting in front of me

with your name on it, a list of decrees

which laid out all of your sins.

I remember the names, Sam, Scott, Esme, Olivia, Andrew,

Kristen, Wesley, Sarai, Polly, Serena, and not just those,

but every other person at Oak Hill.

Trust me, it did not look good for any of you,

not for Brianna, Emmy, Logan, Riley, Katie, Ryan, or Molly.

You were all dead in your sins, but that's when I moved.

I made you alive together with Jesus.

You literally went from eternal condemnation to eternal life.

That nasty certificate of debt was canceled,

taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross.

And on that cross, the dark spiritual forces

were stripped of their false authority.

They were marched naked through the streets,

humiliated for all the world to see.

And now, for each of you, the curse of the law is wiped out.

Death has been overcome, and fear no longer

has a hold over you.

Let's pause again.

Are you thankful this morning that you've

been buried with Christ in death and raised with Him to new life?

Are you thankful that that certificate of death

that you once owed to God has been erased and wiped clean?

Do we not have a lot to be thankful for?

Let me continue.

So in light of all these things, friends,

don't let anyone out there pressure you

over non-essential matters, things like what you should

eat or not eat, what you should drink or not drink.

Don't let legalistic teachers tell you

what holidays you should observe or not observe.

All such human regulations are mere shadows.

Stay focused on Jesus.

He is the substance.

Also, ignore all of the distracting noise

about things like ascetic practices and rituals

that are devoid of meaning and chasing after visions

and false worship that's rooted purely in emotionalism.

Have you not noticed that people who claim to participate

in these things become inflated in their own minds?

That's because they've lost connection

to the source of life, the head from whom the true body

of Christ is held together.

So now think.

If you've died with Jesus to the human logic

and man-made traditions of this world,

why would you submit yourself to a set of rules and practices

which I have not commanded you?

For goodness sake, Jesus came to set you free, so be free.

This world is no longer your home,

and all these conflicting ideas about eating and drinking

and observing will one day perish.

The fools who engage in such legalistic behavior

may at times look pious and humble,

but I know the truth about their hearts.

They're just showing off, trying to make themselves look more

godly than they are.

And in reality, none of their practices

have any value in curbing sinful desires.

Before we get to chapter 3, one more pause.

Are you thankful today that you are free in Christ?

Are you thankful that your faith is in the living God

and not in man-made rules and regulations?

Be thankful.

Chapter 3.

So my saints, if as you sit here this morning

you've been brought to life and reconciled to me

through my Son, if you've been brought out of darkness

and into the kingdom of light, then stop looking around

at your circumstances.

Stop being consumed with worry, and stop

seeking the ungodly pleasures of this world.

Instead, shift your mind and your heart

to things above where Christ is seated at my right hand.

I'm going to give you some insight into a mystery that Paul

talked about in his letter to the saints in Colossae

long ago.

You have already died.

David, Brooke, Seth, Lena, Isabel, Preston, Julie, Bruno,

you've all died.

I know that your physical heart is still beating,

but hear this lofty spiritual truth.

Long ago, you were crucified with Jesus.

You were raised from the dead with Him,

and you were seated in the heavenly realms with us.

And yet for now, for a short time, for a vapor,

your life does go on.

But trust me, your life is hidden in my Son.

And here's the best news of all.

A great day is coming when I will send Him back to the earth

to judge and to rule and to reign.

He will be revealed in great glory,

and you too will be revealed right alongside Him in glory.

Alex, Chris, Barbara, Bill, Ron, and Kim,

can you imagine what it will be like to reign

in a perfected, glorified body with no sin, no illness,

no pain, and no more heartache?

Can you imagine it?

Before I get weepy, let me pause again.

Are you thankful that spiritually you

are already seated with Christ in the heavenly realms?

That's how secure your salvation is.

Are you thankful for that this morning?

Are you thankful for the promise that He's coming back?

I hope so.

Now as you wait for the return of my Son,

I have some instructions for you.

Don't check out on me just because your salvation is

secure.

There's work to be done.

Start by putting to death whatever

belongs to your earthly nature.

Sexual sin, impurity, lust, and the evil desires

that leak from your heart.

These are all forms of idolatry, and I

am a jealous God who will deal with any idol that threatens

to steal away your heart.

You once walked in those things, but no more.

Alongside the sins of the flesh, you

must put aside the kinds of unmet desires

that destroy relationships.

Anger, malice, slander, profanity, abusive language,

and lying to one another.

These are not fit for children of the King.

Why would a child of the King wear such a filthy set

of clothes?

Put to death the old self.

That's not who you are anymore.

And in its place, put on the new self.

Put on your true identity in Christ

as if you're slipping on a new set of garments.

Every new piece of clothing is custom-made by my Son

with His label on it.

From now on, there are no category distinctions

between any of you.

Jew, Gentile, Barbarian, slave, Freeman, white, black, brown,

red, or yellow.

These things don't matter in the long run.

All that matters is this.

Which set of clothes do you have on?

Will you be found in Christ or not?

That's all that matters.

And here's the things I want you to put on.

The very same garments that Christ modeled for you,

compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Follow your master.

It is a privilege to wear the garments that he did.

Now hear me, children.

I've not called you to be new individuals only.

Together, I've called you to be a new people.

And it begins in your local church right there at Oak Hill.

I want you to bear with one another's weaknesses and faults.

I know it's not always easy to do that,

but this is what makes you different from the world.

Think the best of your brothers and sisters.

Recognize spiritual growth in them,

even if they still have a long way to go,

because that's true of you as well.

So bear with them and forgive.

By all means, forgive.

When they disappoint you, forgive them.

When they say something unkind, forgive them.

When they do something that seems insensitive, forgive.

Do you understand how much I've forgiven you?

If you did, you would never withhold forgiveness

from a brother or sister.

In your daily lives, let the peace of God the Son

rule your hearts.

Peace with others, yes, but also peace within.

To have that, you're going to have to trust me.

And why wouldn't you?

I am sovereign over every circumstance, every sickness,

every paycheck, every child, every bird,

and every blade of grass.

If you want peace, my peace I give to you.

I also desire that you let my word dwell richly

within you in your devotional life,

in your Sunday gatherings, in your community groups,

in your casual lunch or coffee dates.

In your entire life as a body together,

let my word sink in deeply.

Read it, study it, pray it, feed on it, teach one another,

and correct one another from my word.

Sing it as well.

Sing the words of scripture.

Sing psalms and hymns and all kinds of spiritual songs.

And if you can't carry a tune, sing anyway.

Don't worry.

You don't have to sing as well as Ariana or Carly or Akaila

or Laura or Becca to get my attention.

I will receive your praise.

My beloved, whatever you do, in word or deed,

do it all in the name of my son.

When you clean the bathroom, when you do the dishes,

when you take out the trash cans, when you drive to work,

when you're eating dinner with your kids, everything you do,

do it all to my glory as you give thanks.

Did you know that Daniel coaches basketball for my glory?

That Emma writes music for my glory?

That Jason sells hardware products for my glory?

Did you know that Tom, Alex, Glenn, and Josh

work for me in Hollywood of all places?

It's all for my glory.

So pause.

Are you thankful for the privilege

of living out the one and others in this local church?

That is a privilege.

Are you thankful for the privilege of forgiving others

just as Christ has forgiven you?

Are you thankful that Oak Hill puts the Word of God

at the center of everything we do?

That's an important truth.

My children, let me get really practical now.

I care deeply about your households.

I'm a God of design and order, and I

have declared my design and my order for your family.

It was divinely instituted from the very beginning

of time in the garden.

So to question it or to try to go your own way

is the absolute height of foolishness.

Your home should operate in a way that honors me

and makes you different from the world.

So are you ready?

This won't be easy.

Wives, I want you to follow your husbands.

I want you to back off and let him lead your family.

I know this may be hard.

You may think you're a better leader.

You may think that he's not a strong leader right now,

but I want you to trust me in this.

Danny and Sarah and Kaylee and Zariah,

Kaitlyn and Mariah, Kelsey and Sage, Brittany and Tierney,

I've called your husbands to lead.

And if you try to step in and usurp his leadership,

it's not only a sin against me, but it

will bring you unhappiness and create chaos in your homes.

So beware.

You will certainly struggle with this.

And when you do, I want you to look past your husband's faults

and look at my son.

Trust me with this command.

And if you need help on how to do it well,

you have Tanya and Carol and Jesse and Meredith

that you can talk to.

They will give you lots of wise counsel

from the years of experience in marriage.

Husbands, your job is even more difficult than what

I just gave to your wives.

Are you ready?

Zach and Luke and Matt and Colton and Caleb and Mario

and Josiah and Travis, I want you to love your wives

using Jesus as your model.

That means you're to be a servant leader, one

who puts the needs of your wife before your own.

Be humble in your leadership.

Be gentle and kind, never taking advantage of your role

as the authority in the home.

If you fail in this area, I will hold you responsible.

So beware.

For children still living in the home,

do what your parents tell you.

Amen.

It's as simple as that.

I know you don't always feel like it.

I know you think you've got everything figured out

and your parents don't have a clue.

But guess what?

They do know a few things.

They do know a few things about being a child,

about being a teenager, and I have

called them to guide you during these difficult years.

But you have to speak less and listen more.

If you'll obey them, you will please me.

Parents, you've been given a huge stewardship responsibility.

Blaine and Kelsey, Mike and Cassie, Dylan and Juliana,

Josh and Yael, Robert and Kimberly, TJ and Rana, Mason

and Sabrina, you are to shepherd those little hearts and lives

in your household.

So raise, teach, and guide them carefully.

Never forget that you have the privilege of representing me

before your kids.

You get to be an example of godliness

that they can imitate.

Don't neglect to discipline your kids in order

to keep them on track.

But as you do, do not squash their spirit

and cause them to lose heart.

That would be a great tragedy, for I

desire that they flourish under your loving hand.

Those of you who are employees, Tori, Andy, Ben, Tammy,

I want you to work hard.

And I want you to put in the hours required of you,

whether you work from a physical office or from your home.

Obey those I put an authority over you.

I know that some of your bosses are difficult to follow.

But remember, as you work throughout the day,

you're really serving me, not your boss.

So don't just do the minimum to get by and collect a paycheck.

Work with real integrity from the heart.

And even if you don't get paid what you're worth,

never forget that I will someday give you

the ultimate inheritance.

So be patient.

It's worth it.

If you're a boss over others where you work,

like Jayden or Stephen, Tom or Simon,

the authority you wield in the lives of others

carries great responsibility in my eyes.

You must be fair.

You must be generous.

And you must be righteous in the way

you deal with those I have put under your care.

As you go throughout your work day,

never forget that you have a boss too, a boss in heaven.

And I will someday judge both employee and employer

without regard to earthly positions.

On the day of judgment, there is no favoritism.

All are equal in my courtroom.

Never forget this.

Before we wrap up with chapter four, a few more questions.

Are you thankful for God's design and ordering

of your household?

Are you thankful for that plan?

Are you thankful for the role that God has called you

to play within the family?

Chapter four.

Finally, my children, never forget

that you were a foot soldier in a great spiritual battle that

is playing out in real time.

Content for the faith that's been passed down to you,

the same faith I delivered to you through my prophets

and apostles.

I want you to pick up the weapons that I've provided to you

and take ground for the kingdom.

And to that end, I've given you two unique weapons

that come with my sovereign power behind them,

your prayers and your witness.

Devote yourself to prayer.

Abide with me all day long, even as you're

doing your earthly tasks.

Take every thought captive.

Bring every trial and temptation that you face before me.

I'll be there.

I'll listen, and I'll help you guard your heart.

Make sure that you stay alert.

Remember, the enemy seeks to distract you and discourage you.

And if you stumble into your day without a thought or prayer,

he will devour you.

So don't fall asleep at your post.

Speaking of prayer, make sure to lift up the missionaries,

evangelists, and pastors that are

on the front lines of the battle.

Make sure that all of the elders and their wives

are on your regular prayer list, plus Chris,

who leads your evangelism table, Malia and others

at Children's Hunger Fund, and Josh and Allie,

who desire to go abroad in the coming years.

I have ordained your prayers as a means

to accomplish my will through them.

So pray for open doors for my word to go forth.

And pray that my ambassadors will clearly

proclaim the gospel.

That's one of my favorite prayers to answer.

Children, each one of you has a specific mission

when it comes to evangelism.

I work through my servants to bring my elect

into the kingdom, so stay on mission.

Whenever you're among unbelievers,

be careful how you act.

Check your attitude and make sure it reflects my love.

Be self-aware as you mingle with people who

might be open to the gospel.

Victoria, Stone, Isaac, are you praying and watching?

Sophia, Kristen, Lizzie, are you prepared to share your faith?

Divine opportunities will come your way,

so make the most of every opportunity that I give to you.

And remember, beloved, watch your speech carefully.

Your conversations with unbelievers

should always be filled with a balance of grace and truth.

And when you speak about your faith,

let all the flavor of your relationship with me

come out.

Make it tasty.

Make it attractive.

One last pause, and then we'll finish.

Are you thankful this morning for the gift and privilege

of prayer, to be able to speak to the creator

of the universe?

Are you thankful that God has called

you to be an ambassador for his saving gospel?

Church at Oak Hill, the saints up here in heaven

send their greetings.

I testify that they have a great concern for you

and for all the other believers in Santa Clarita.

They send greetings to Megan and Ella, to Eugene and Michaela,

those who labor in leading your worship.

They send their greetings to the other deacons, Alex and Blake,

Connor, Glenn and Laura, men and women

who are devoted to the church and who constantly pray

on behalf of the congregation at Oak Hill.

I love you all.

And I'm with you always, even to the end of the age.

Your father in heaven.

We bow your heads.

Father, thank you for your word.

Lord, even as we adapt the message

that you have given to the church from the first century

to today, Lord, the way you have communicated your truth to us

is so beautiful.

To sit back and just enjoy how much you have loved us

by communicating so clearly to us who you are, who we are,

what you have done for us.

Lord, we are thankful people this morning,

thankful for so many things that were included

in the letter that Paul wrote to the Colossians.

Things that, Lord, we may have taken for granted,

may not have thought about in so long.

Father, I pray by your spirit that you

would bring those things to our hearts and minds

this Thanksgiving season and give us

the privilege of talking to you about it

and praising you for all of it.

So God, I pray that as this letter seeps

into the hearts of our body that, Lord, it

wouldn't be my voice.

It wouldn't be Jeff's voice that they hear,

but your voice, your spirit speaking to them.

So thank you for this time this morning.

We love you, and we praise you in Jesus' name.

Amen.