Colossians Ch3v18-Ch4v1 - Living With Jesus As Lord

We'll read Colossians chapter 3 and we're going to start at verse 17 and finish at chapter 4, verse 1.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 3, starting in verse 17.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Let's hear God's word, his voice to us today.

Colossians 3, 17.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Parents, do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything.

And do it not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for human masters.

Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward, it is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs.

And there is no favouritism.

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair.

Because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Well, what a reading.

It might cause us some offence, but there is good truth there.

Let's pray and ask for God's help to us.

Father, we thank you for all of your word.

For all that has been written down and recorded for us, for our lives today.

Thank you that it is true and trustworthy.

That your word is sufficient to make us wise for salvation.

And also to train us and to build us up in our Christian life.

And so we pray that we would humbly sit under your word today.

And allow your truth to shape us and to mould us.

And to lead us as a people who follow you and honour you.

Thank you for your help.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

So who's your boss?

Who is it that tells you what you should do and how you should live?

Well, the answer is easy.

No one tells me what to do.

It's my life.

And I'm going to live as I want.

We govern our life with a self-rule.

Thank you.

We govern our life with a self-rule.

Nobody's going to tell me what to do.

Well, that might be the case in our thinking.

But if you're a Christian, there's a very different view to take.

You see, by trusting in Jesus, not only have we received a new life,

something we've seen in chapter 3,

it also means that we have a new ruler.

Go back with me to chapter 2, verse 6.

Chapter 2, verse 6.

This is a key summary of the whole book.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord.

You received Christ Jesus as Lord.

Lord is a title.

And it means the one with supreme rule and absolute authority.

And to get a glimpse of the rule and authority of Jesus,

just take a look back further at chapter 1, verse 16.

For in him, in Jesus, all things were created.

Well, what does that mean?

Well, things in heaven and on earth,

the things we can see and the things we can't see,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities,

all things have been created through him and for him.

He is before all things and in him,

all things hold together.

So you can see he is Lord over everyone and everything.

And so when we receive Jesus Christ,

we are not just trusting him as our rescuer,

we are bowing down to him as our ruler.

We now live our lives under the authority of the creator God.

So, chapter 3, verse 17.

Whatever you do,

whether in word or in deed,

the words we speak or the actions we take,

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

In other words,

live your whole life under the Lordship of Jesus.

Not only have we received a new life,

we are now committed to a new ruler.

So we're going to look at three areas of life

that shows us what it means to live under the Lordship of Jesus.

We're going to look at marriage,

family and work.

And I trust that for each one of us here,

whatever situations we find ourselves in,

that we will see ourselves as in either marriage

or family or work

or generally in our relationships with one another.

So I'm going to grab a drink first

and we'll continue.

So first,

a marriage that is fitting with the Lord.

A marriage that is fitting in the Lord.

Verse 18.

Wives,

submit yourself to your husbands.

Well, that's harsh, isn't it?

Wives,

submit.

Johnny,

don't you know you can't say those things anymore?

Those days are long past.

Didn't you know that women have equal rights?

Wives,

submit?

I mean,

it's terribly outdated and offensive,

isn't it?

It seems nobody is bothered

to update the Bible.

But my question is,

does it need to be updated?

You see,

despite what many people think,

and I'm sure if you were to have conversations

with your friends,

the scriptures actually have a very high view

of women.

Women are equally loved,

treasured,

and cared for by God.

Equally made in the image of God.

So for us to understand what it means

for wives to submit to their husbands,

I think we first need to take a step back

and look at what God commands

the husband to do.

So what does it say in verse 19?

Husbands,

any husbands here?

Husbands,

love your wives

and do not be harsh

with them.

Husbands,

love your wife.

And that means more than flowers

or the odd cup of tea,

and maybe for some of us

it would be a good place to start.

To love your wife

means to lay down your life

for your wife.

It's a life of sacrifice

and service.

In the letter to the Ephesians,

in a similar passage,

it says the same thing

with an addition.

It says,

Husbands,

love your wives

just as Christ

loved the church

and gave himself up

for the church.

So how did Christ

love the church?

Well,

he gave up his life.

He died for the church.

So,

husbands,

we need to learn

to die to our wants

and desires

so that the needs

and cares of our wives

come first.

The focus here

is not

lead your wife

or to decide

for your wife.

They're well capable

of making decisions

for themselves.

Or demand

from your wife.

The focus is

love.

your wife.

And not only

love your wife,

but do not be

harsh

with your wife.

Remember the clothes

we're to wear,

not the physical clothes

we have on today,

but have a look back

at chapter 3,

verse 12.

Therefore,

as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves

with compassion,

kindness,

humility,

gentleness,

and patience.

Now,

I don't think

there's any wife

here who would

complain

or would complain

about a husband

who is compassionate,

kind,

humble,

gentle,

and patient.

Any wives

want to complain

about that?

In other words,

put to death,

husbands,

are harsh words

and are put-downs.

be careful

with how you speak.

So,

let's go back

to the command

to wives,

verse 18.

Wives,

submit yourselves

to your husbands.

You see,

submission doesn't mean

oppression.

It's not something

forcefully demanded

by the husband.

It is voluntarily

given

by the wife.

In fact,

far from demeaning,

it's coming

under the loving

and protective

care

of your husband.

It's a deliberate

and intentional

decision

to place yourself

in the hands

of one

who's going

to nurture you

spiritually

and encourage

you practically

so that you

flourish

and become

all that God

intends

for you.

now,

I have to add

that if you

are in

a relationship,

a marriage

relationship,

where your

husband

is not

treating you

the way

you ought

to be treated,

or maybe

there is

some form

or some

kind of

abuse

or difficulty,

well then,

we have to be

very careful

about that

and I encourage

you

to speak,

come and speak

to me,

speak to

Kirsty,

come and say

if there's a

struggle in your

marriage today,

there is help

and there is

support.

support.

Now,

the reason

we are to

live like

this as

wives and

husbands

is because

look at

verse 18,

the end of

verse 18,

it is

fitting

in the

Lord.

We can

say exactly

the same

for husbands,

husbands love

your wives,

don't be

harsh with

them,

as is

fitting

in the

Lord.

In other

words,

marriage

is a

picture of

living under

the Lordship

of Jesus.

They are

living in a

way that

fits

with God's

design.

They are

lining up

their lives

under the

Lordship of

Jesus and

following God's

plan for a

wife and a

husband.

You see,

as the

husband puts

himself under

his wife

to serve

her,

and as

the wife

places

herself under

her husband

to support

him,

so together

husband and

wife are

placing

themselves

under the

authority and

Lordship of

Jesus.

You see,

living under

his rule and

authority is

not harmful

or demeaning.

It's good.

it's the

context in

which we

become the

people God

calls us

to be.

So first,

husbands and

wives,

live your

marriage under

the Lordship

of Jesus.

Second, we

want to think

about family.

a family that

is pleasing

to the

Lord.

Verse 20,

children.

Any children

here?

Wakey,

wakey.

Children,

obey your

parents in

everything.

Well, my

goodness,

Johnny, you

really don't

know much,

do you?

You can't

tell children

to obey.

That's not

the way

things are

done.

You ask

your children,

what would

you want?

And you

let them

decide because

they know

what's best.

Obey your

parents,

that's awfully

damaging.

Well,

maybe not.

You see,

children are

a good gift

from God,

given and

entrusted to

their parents'

care,

where they

are nurtured

and cared

for.

So,

obedience to

your parents

is something

that will

lead to

your

well-being.

And of

course,

for us to

understand why

a child should

ever obey,

we need to

look at what

is expected

of a parent.

So,

parents who

are sitting

there all

smugly,

let's

listen up.

Verse 21.

Fathers,

or it can

be translated

as parents,

do not

embitter

your children

or they

will become

discouraged.

Stop it.

Don't do

that.

I told

you.

Get out

of the way.

Tidy

that up.

Behave.

my goodness,

those words

ringing in

my head.

If that's

all your

children

hear,

then you

will

embitter

them.

They will

become,

verse 21,

discouraged.

such harsh

demands on

your child

will only

provoke

them

and it

will cause

them to

lose heart.

They will

either turn

against you

and fight

you

or you

will overcome

them and

you will

crush them.

Either way,

whether it's

a fight

or a

crushing,

it's going

to end

in tears

and

brokenness.

You see,

obedience,

parents,

is not

something we

force by

our strength

or that

we motivate

by fear.

No,

we want

our children

to willingly

delight in

obedience

because they

see it as

right and

best.

And not

only do

we

embitter,

we're not

to

embitter

rather,

instead we

are to

train our

children.

It's not

stated here

in verse

21,

but again

in the

similar

passage that

we have

in Ephesians,

it says

almost the

same starting

out,

parents do

not

exasperate

your children,

do not

embitter

them,

instead

bring them

up in

the training

and instruction

of the

Lord.

So

parents,

our

primary

responsibility

is to

train

our

children

to

know

and

love

God.

And I

want to

share with

you three

ways we

can do

this.

This is

adapted from

a talk

that I

listened to

recently from

Bruce Ware.

Here's

three things.

First,

first,

I don't

think I've

got it

there,

have I?

Hang on.

No, I

don't.

Listen up.

Here's the

first one.

Head.

Head.

Teach

the truth

of God's

Word.

Parents,

let's get

alongside

our sons

and our

daughters

and show

them how

to read

God's Word

and teach

them to

pray.

Don't just

shove a

Bible in

front of

and say,

oh, have

you done

your Bible

reading

tonight?

No, get

alongside

them.

Read it

with them.

Help them

to understand

how you

read and

how you

teach and

how you

pray.

Teach

them the

truth of

God's

Word.

Second

one,

heart.

Embrace

the truth

of God's

Word.

In other

words, we

want them

to embrace

Christ for

themselves.

We need

to show

them that

our children

need a

Saviour and

we're not

their Saviour.

We need

to encourage

our children

to place

their faith

in Jesus.

Let them

hear you

as you

sit with

them and

as you

read the

Bible with

them.

Let them

hear from

your words

your prayer

for their

very

salvation.

Let them

hear them

cry out

to God

that God

would save

them.

Teach them

to embrace

the truth

of God's

Word.

So head,

heart,

hands,

live the

truth of

God's

Word.

Let them

see in

your life

as they

watch you

what it

is like

to live

the Christian

life.

Your

attitudes

towards

other

people.

How you

serve in

the life

of the

church.

Head,

teach them

the truth.

Heart,

show them

how they

can embrace

the truth.

Hands,

live the

truth.

Parents,

children

are a

gift.

They're

not

yours.

God

has given

you a

gift and

he's

entrusted

them into

your care

for a

time and

for a

season.

And the

best thing

that you

can ever

do for

your

children is

to train

them to

know,

trust,

and serve

God.

That they

would love

the Lord.

Now I

get it

parents,

there's lots

of pressures

that we

want our

children to

be the

best sports

people

possible.

and we

will drive

them and

ship them

to here,

there and

everywhere so

that they

can play.

We want

our children

to be the

best musicians,

the best

dancers,

the best in

their class,

and we

will do

everything

possible to

make sure

that they

get the

best education,

the best

opportunities.

Oh,

it's all

so important.

but do

we in

doing all

of that

neglect our

primary

responsibility?

Are we

sitting with

our children,

no matter

what age

they are,

showing them

what it is

to know,

trust,

and serve

God?

It's an

eternal matter,

parents,

an eternal

matter.

So,

back to

children.

Verse 20.

Children,

obey your

parents in

everything.

Obedience

to your

parents is

not harmful

or restrictive.

It's good

for you.

By obeying

your parents,

you're accepting

that all that

they are teaching

will be for

your very good.

Of course,

it doesn't

mean you

become their

personal

servants.

Get me

a cup

of tea,

pass me

the TV

controls.

No.

It means

that as we

obey,

we become

the people

God intends

us to be.

And the

reason we

do this,

children,

the reason

we obey

is,

verse 20,

because it is

pleasing to

the Lord.

God's

your creator

and designer.

God

made

families.

They're his

idea,

his plan

and his

purpose.

And so

when we

follow the

creator's

design,

it pleases

the Lord.

And as we

obey our

parents,

we are

displaying to

the world

that God's

way is

the best

way.

You see,

living under

the rule

and authority

of Jesus

is not

harmful

or demeaning.

It's good

for you.

And it's

in this

context that

we become

the people

God calls

us to be.

But let

me pause

again,

just as we

mentioned

about wives,

children.

Maybe you

find that

your parents

aren't behaving

in the way

that they

should.

And maybe

you're

struggling.

And maybe

there's

something that's

going on

that isn't

very nice.

Well,

if you're a

child here

today and

you need to

speak to

someone,

speak to

them.

Maybe to

one of your

youth leaders

or to

another adult

that you

know.

So,

second,

family life

is to be

lived under

the lordship

of Jesus.

The third

one that we

need to look

at, we've

looked at

marriage,

family,

is our

vocation,

our work,

our job,

that is

working for

the Lord.

Lord.

Let's look

at verse

22.

Slaves,

obey your

earthly

masters in

everything.

Obey your

earthly

masters in

everything.

Well, if we

thought wives

submitting and

children obeying

was offensive,

slaves,

obey,

that's a

tough one,

isn't it?

Trinity

College in

Dublin are

in the

process of

changing their

library's name.

You may have

seen this on

the news.

Up to now

it's been

called the

Berkeley Library,

named after the

philosopher George

Berkeley from the

1700s.

And why change

it now?

Well, because

historians have

discovered that

George Berkeley

owned slaves.

So how could you

possibly have a

library in such a

great institution

as Trinity

with someone

who owned

slaves?

So they're

changing the

name.

Now, with the

same reasoning,

some people will

say, you need

to change the

Bible.

We need to

replace it with

something modern.

Fair point, I

say.

However, when

the Bible uses

the term

slave, it

has a very

different context

to how perhaps

we might

understand it.

Let me

explain.

First, we

must differentiate

slavery in the

first century that

we're looking at in

Colossians with the

transatlantic slavery

of the 15th and

18th century and

human trafficking

today.

It's very, very

different.

The transatlantic

slave, particularly

from Britain and

America, going to

Africa and taking

black African

slaves, was

primarily race

orientated and

involved the

buying and

selling of

people for

profit who

were afforded

no rights.

It was horrendous.

It was

disgusting.

It was, I

can't say the

word.

Second, slavery

in the first

century under

the Roman

Empire, well, it

accounted for

about one

third of the

population.

Slaves could

be a farmer,

could be a

miner, could

be a teacher,

a doctor, you

could be

somebody who

owned property

and looked

after an estate

on behalf of

somebody.

So you could

be a slave and

have a very

difficult job, or

you could be a

slave and have a

very high-profile

job.

So I think when

we take all of

that into

consideration, if

we exchange the

words, if you

look at verse

22, exchange the

words of slave

slave and

master with

employee and

employer, then

we get a close

contemporary

equivalent.

It's not exact,

but I think it

helps us make

some applications

this morning.

So when we

think, verse

22, slaves

think employees

obey your

earthly employer

in everything.

So what does

that look like?

I guess for

most of us here

today, we are

employees rather

than an employer.

So let's start

with employees.

Employees, obey

your boss.

You know how it

goes.

Do you see

there, verse 22?

Obey your

earthly masters in

everything, and

do it not only

when their eye is

on you, so to

curry their

favour, but

with sincerity

of heart.

You know what

it's like.

The boss is

off for the

day.

Early lunch,

guys.

You're

suffering a

late night, so

you get your

buddy to sign

in for you.

There's an

event you want

to go to, so

you pull a

sickie.

Of course, if

there's a chance

for promotion,

promotion, or

a move to

another department,

well, we never

look busier, and

we make sure

that he or she

is watching us

in all that we

do.

No, living

under the

lordship of

Jesus, we

are to work

as if Jesus

was our

employer.

Do you see

what it says

at the end of

verse 22?

We're to do

our work with

sincerity of

heart and

reverence for

the Lord.

whatever you

do, work

at it with

all your

heart as

working for

the Lord

and not for

human masters,

since you know

that you will

receive an

inheritance from

the Lord as

a reward.

It is the

Lord Christ

you are

serving.

You see, that

changes everything,

doesn't it?

When we walk

into work,

it is the

Lord Christ

we're serving.

We may have

an earthly

boss who

hires us

and fires

us, but

Christians, we

have a heavenly

boss, the

Lord Jesus

who rescues

us and

rules over

us.

So the

question is

not, is

my boss

pleased with

me today,

but is

Jesus honoured

through my

life today?

And of

course, this

implies to

employers

today.

So employers,

if there's

any of you

here, verse

one of

chapter four,

employers

provide for

your employees

what is right

and fair.

Don't just

pay the

minimum wage

of what you

can get away

with.

Pay them

what is

fair.

And

employers,

don't keep

your employees

at a minimum

so that you

don't have to

offer a

contract.

Do what

is just.

And the

reason, end

of verse

one, because

you know

that you

have a

master in

heaven.

Our

master is

the Lord

Jesus and

he used

his power

and authority

not to

squelch

you, but

to bless

you.

So in

the same

way,

employers,

be

gracious

and kind

to your

workers.

You see,

whether we

are working

as an

employee

or an

employer,

we are

working for

the Lord.

Verse 23,

whatever you

do, work at

it with all

your heart as

working for

the Lord.

In fact,

when we work

for the Lord,

we can be

guaranteed of

two things.

Do you see

it there in

verse 24?

First, we

receive an

eternal

inheritance.

Since you

know that

you will

receive an

inheritance from

the Lord as

a reward.

Every paycheck

you receive,

every promotion

that you get,

every salary

increase,

one day all

of that is

going to be

turned to

dust.

You won't

take it.

it will be

left.

But for the

Christian who

works and

serves for

the Lord,

there is an

eternal reward,

an eternal

reward in

God's

kingdom.

And second,

you will

receive justice,

verse 25.

Anyone who

does wrong

will be

repaid for

their wrongs.

And there

is no

favouritism.

God is the

ultimate

master.

He sees all

that you do

in private

and in public.

He knows

your employer

and all that

he does and

the motives

that they have

for doing

what they do.

And one

day he is

going to put

all wrongs

to right.

so Christians,

we don't

need to

settle

scores by

cheating

our boss,

by

dossing

off early,

or taking

things that

we want

that belong

to the

office but

were taken

home.

We leave

all of

those

injustices

with the

Lord.

In the

knowledge we

will receive

an eternal

reward and

justice will be

done.

You see,

how we work

every day

reflects to

everybody around

us who our

true master

is.

By obeying

our employer,

by providing

for our

employee,

we reflect

the kind

of saviour

we have.

Our work

demonstrates

what it

looks like

to live

for Jesus.

So third,

let's do

our work

under the

Lord Jesus

in a way

that honours

him and

pleases him.

So let's

sum up

together.

Marriage,

family,

and work

lived under

the Lordship

of Jesus

is not

oppressive,

harmful,

or demeaning.

It's good

for you.

In fact,

as we live

under the

rule of

Jesus,

as we go

into our

marriages,

as we live

our life as

family,

as we go

to work

tomorrow

morning,

as we

live our

life under

his Lordship,

we are

displaying a

picture of

the Gospel.

You're a

living,

walking

witness to

the Gospel.

Well,

how do you

say that?

Well,

you see,

in Jesus

we see

the true

husband

who loved

us by

giving his

life for

us.

We see

in Jesus

the ultimate

parent who

trains us

by his

word and

by his

spirit.

In Jesus

we have

the greatest

employer who

treats us

with grace

and kindness.

And in

response,

as God's

people,

we can

submit to

him because

it's good.

We can

obey him

because it's

best.

We can

serve him

because it's

the way we

honour him.

Not to

earn his

favour,

but because

we can say

in our

hearts,

he is

my

Lord.

You see,

it's in the

context of

our marriages,

our family

and work,

that we

demonstrate to

a watching

world the

beauty and

goodness of

living under

God's

rule.

God's

way is

best and

right for

you.

Let's take

a moment to

reflect and

to pray.

Lord God, we thank you that you are

like the perfect husband

you are like a perfect parent

you are like a perfect employer

everything you do and have done and will do

is for our good and for our best

and you have proved that through giving of your life for us

in service

you treat us with kindness and grace

you are patient with us, training us

to become the people you call us to be

and so in humbleness

we submit to you

we obey you

and we serve you

because you are our Lord

Father, give us all the help that we need

to live our lives well as husbands and wives

as children and parents

as employees and employers

and we pray that it will be to your glory

and that as people watch us

that our lives would be a demonstration

of what it is to live under your good

kind and blessed rule

help us we ask

in Jesus name

Amen

Amen

We're going to sing

Jesus is Lord

I'm not Lord and you're not Lord

Jesus is Lord