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[0:00] It's nice to be up here again. You guys were saying, oh he's back. He must have liked us. Well, you guys are easy to like. You guys are actually easy to love.

[0:15] I've never met your pastor in person, so does he really exist? I've talked to him on the phone and we've texted and I've seen pictures of him on your website.

[0:30] I'm like, who's this gym guy? But every time I talk to him, he is just so clear that he loves you so much. So for him to invite someone else to come up here and preach God's word to you, it's easy to love you guys because your pastor loves you.

[0:51] So yeah, we were up here I think a month or two months ago. So, and I brought my wife with me and now we have our kids. So I was thinking, okay, I've been here once.

[1:04] They like my wife, I'm sure. So if they're going to invite me again the third time, we got to bring the kids. So they'll warm up to us a little more. Again, my name is Roy Augustine.

[1:15] I'm one of the pastors at Northwest Community Church down in Phoenix. And I'm just so thankful to be here with you again and to look at God's word.

[1:28] And I heard some of you earlier, some of you told me, oh, I remember what you preached last time. I think that's kind of hard to forget from James, not being a hearer only, but a doer.

[1:42] So I'm going to ask you, I've been gone for a while and you've heard a lot from Matthew, I believe. Right? You guys are in Matthew with your pastor.

[1:53] And the same question, are you doing what you're hearing? Are you applying the gospel of Matthew? Are you allowing it to convict and shape you from inside so that you can apply it and live it out on the outside?

[2:09] So that's exciting that you guys are studying Matthew. Well, this morning I want to focus your attention to Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. So make your way in your Bible there.

[2:24] We're going to look at how you are to live out the gospel specifically in your home. How you and I are to live out the gospel in our home.

[2:38] So Colossians chapter 3. But before we read our passage, let me give you the brief background of this letter. So this was written by the Apostle Paul.

[2:50] So he went on his third missionary journey. And then he lands in Ephesus. He lands in Ephesus and he starts preaching the gospel.

[3:00] And people are getting saved there. And one of the people who got saved there was a man named Epaphras. A man named Epaphras. So Epaphras gets saved under the preaching of Paul there in Ephesus.

[3:14] So Epaphras takes the gospel back to his hometown. And his hometown was Colossae. So he takes the gospel back to his hometown. And he starts preaching the gospel there in Colossae.

[3:29] And then sinners hear it for the very first time. And they too get saved. And then eventually later on, a church plant started. That was the church that the Apostle Paul wrote here in the letter of Colossians.

[3:46] So you have a brand new church with brand new believers in Colossae there. And most likely led by a young pastor.

[3:57] I believe it was Epaphras who started pastoring the church. And they had many exciting things that were going on. Their announcements probably sounded like yours earlier. Their fellowship meal, prayer time, going to Jerome, preaching the gospel, men's breakfast, all those things.

[4:16] They had so many things going on there. But at the same time, they also had problems that were coming up. They had problems that were coming up.

[4:26] So a young pastor, Pastor Epaphras, has this young church with new believers. Very exciting. But then at the same time, many challenges, many problems. And guess what he does?

[4:38] He goes to Rome. Because by this time, the Apostle Paul is now imprisoned in Rome. So he could not visit. So Epaphras goes to Rome. And he gives a report to the Apostle Paul.

[4:52] And since Paul can't go to Colossae in person, he sends his help in the form of a letter. That's how they received the letter of Colossians.

[5:04] So they received this letter that talks about, you're probably familiar with this letter. It talks about the supremacy and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, right?

[5:15] The first half, chapters 1 and 2. And in the second half, chapters 3 and 4, Paul talks about instructions. So because Jesus Christ is sufficient, because Jesus Christ is supreme, because the gospel is true about you, and therefore, chapters 3 and 4, this is how you are to live that out.

[5:36] This is how it should change you. This is how you're going to be different there in your hometown. And one of the instructions in the second half of this letter is how they were to live out the gospel in their home.

[5:52] The gospel in the home as a wife, as a husband, as a child, as a parent, as a slave, and as a master. So Colossians chapter 3, we're going to be in verses 18 all the way to chapter 4, verse 1.

[6:09] So kind of awkward break there if you are noticing that in your Bible. You get to chapter 4, and then there's verse 1 on the masters. It should be included in chapter 3, but we'll walk through that.

[6:24] So let's read it. Chapter 3, starting in verse 18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

[6:34] Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.

[6:46] Fathers, do not exasperate your children so that they will not lose heart. Slaves in all things, obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

[7:06] So whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for it is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

[7:20] For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a master in heaven.

[7:37] So again, the big picture here is instructions to those who were new believers in Colossae, how the gospel that saved them is now to be lived out in the home.

[7:52] And that applies to us this morning. So we're just going to go through these verses one at a time. And here is the outline. There are six ways how you are to model the gospel in your home.

[8:07] So we're going to personalize this. We're going to take it from back then. We're going to take the principal truths, and we're going to take it to today, and we're going to apply it. So six ways how you and I are to model or live out the gospel starting in our home.

[8:22] And we're just going to take them one at a time. We're going to look at the wives, the husbands, the children, the parents, and then we'll get to the slaves and then the masters. So here's the first one.

[8:34] Wife, submit humbly. Wife, you are to submit humbly here in verse 18. Paul says, Wives, be subject to your husbands as fitting in the Lord.

[8:51] The command here is be subject. I think ESV says submit. Be subject, submit. The idea is to place yourself under someone else's authority. So for the wife, it's to take yourself and to place yourself under the authority and leadership of your husband.

[9:08] That's the picture. Well, unfortunately, there's a popular lie that churches today believe, and that is that this leadership and submission is a result or one of the curses from the fall in Genesis chapter 3.

[9:28] So some Christians, some people today would say that, yes, that is a command in the New Testament, but that's actually a curse or a punishment after Adam and Eve fell.

[9:38] That's actually not a bad thing. I mean, not a good thing. Well, let's take a minute and go there. So go to Genesis chapter 3, because I want to equip you how to handle Genesis chapter 3 so that when you hear this, you can help people see it the way God has intended.

[10:01] So Genesis chapter 3. So the lie is that submission of the wife and authority and leadership of the husband was a result or a curse after Adam and Eve fell.

[10:14] So you guys know the context, right? Genesis chapter 2 and chapter 3. You have three characters there who sinned. You have Adam, you have Eve, and then the serpent.

[10:26] Yes, Satan embodied in the serpent. So three characters who sinned, and all of them, all three of them, were punished or were cursed. So look at verse 14, Genesis chapter 3, verse 14.

[10:39] We see the punishment or the curse on the serpent, on the snake. The Lord God said to the serpent, because you have deceived Eve.

[10:51] Cursed are you more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field. On your belly you will go. So starting on that day, the serpent, the snake, started crawling on its belly.

[11:04] That was his curse. Jump down to verse 17. Here's the curse or punishment to the man, to Adam. Verse 17. Then to Adam, he said, God said, because you have listened to the voice of your wife.

[11:19] You did not lead her. You sinned because of that. And have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying you shall not eat from it. Here's your punishment, Adam.

[11:30] Here's your curse. Cursed is the ground because of you. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life, both thorns and thistles. It shall grow for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

[11:43] By the sweat of your face, you will eat bread till you return to the ground. So from now on, Adam, from now on, man, you are still called to work, but from now on, you're going to be overworked and underpaid.

[11:57] You're going to be overworked and underpaid. You're going to work so hard, but the return is going to be small. There will be some return because I'm a gracious God, but because you have sinned, the return is now going to be tiny.

[12:11] So the serpent was cursed. Adam was cursed. Now look at verse 16. Now Eve, the woman, also received her punishment.

[12:22] Verse 16, To the woman, to Eve, God said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children.

[12:35] Stop right there. The serpent had a curse. Crawl on your belly. Adam had a curse. Your work is now going to be overly extensive with little return.

[12:49] For Eve here, the curse was pain in childbearing. The curse was in motherhood, not in her marriage, not in her relationship to Adam.

[12:59] Okay? Look back again in verse 16. So God said, I'm going to curse your childbirth, your childbearing. I will greatly multiply your pain in bringing forth the child in birth, and in your child rearing.

[13:18] In pain you will bring forth children. In your parenting. So it's on motherhood. Yet, Okay, this is, this is a positive yet. Okay, this is a positive encouraging blessing from God.

[13:33] Yet, your desire will still be for your husband. Meaning, you will still want to submit. You will still want to be in subjection. Because that's how I've created you.

[13:45] And he, your husband, will continue, will still rule, or lead, or shepherd you. That's the grace of God, even, even after they had sinned in the garden.

[13:59] It's not a curse on marriage, that now, because you've seen, you've sinned Eve, now you're going to have to, want to, want to succumb the leadership of your husband, and he won't like that, so he will overpower you in this battle here.

[14:15] That's, that wasn't part of the fall. The part of the fall was curse on motherhood. The curse on work for Adam, and curse on the serpent. So, if you have heard that, or, or maybe, maybe, you, you, you, you will hear that, probably, eventually, that, that, for the, the women, for the wife to submit, or be subject to her husband, is, is not a good thing, is a part of the curse.

[14:46] That, that's not true. The curse, again, in Genesis 3, was, on motherhood. The pain, in childbirth, and, the, the long-term pain, of, of, of parenting them.

[15:03] But, God said, yet, because I'm a gracious God, I'm a forgiving God, I'm a good God, yet, the, the design, for a husband, and a wife, the submission, and the leadership, that, stays intact.

[15:16] Yet, your desire, will still be for that, and his desire, will still be for that. So, back to Colossians, chapter 3. Again, verse 18, wives, be subject, submit, place yourself, under the authority, or the leadership, of your husband.

[15:36] And, why is that? Paul tells us, right there, because, or as, fitting, in the Lord. So, wives, why should you, obey this command?

[15:49] Because, this is fitting, in the Lord, Paul says. It means, when you obey, regardless of the leadership, or how your husband, is exercising, his authority, regardless of that, if you choose, to obey God, if you choose, to obey his word, his command here, in that moment, you are being, pleasing, to the Lord.

[16:09] regardless, of who, you're married to, regardless, of his attitude. If you're saying, okay, I, I am to, obey the Lord, and this is what, he has told me to do, and this is, his design for me, and I know, that, both me, and my husband, we are equal, in essence, but we are distinct, in roles, in God's eyes, meaning, we are the same, yet God has, given us, different, specific roles, okay, I believe that, regardless of what, he does then, regardless of what, he says, regardless of how, he acts, or his attitude, or how he treats me, I'm obeying this, I am pleasing, to the Lord, and you know, when you are pleasing, to the Lord, wives, there is, blessing, and reward, from your heavenly father, so wives, submit, humbly, secondly, number two, we get to the husband, number two, husband, lead lovingly, you and I, are called, by God, to lead lovingly, and Paul gives us, two commands here, the wives, our wives, got one, we get two, here in verse 19, two commands here, a positive, and then a negative, here's the positive, beginning of verse 19, husbands, love your wives, so this is what, you are to do,

[17:35] I'll give you, what you are not, to do later, but this is what, you are to do, husbands, love your wives, men, let me give you, a biblical definition, of love, okay, here it is, if you want to, write this down, I'll repeat it, a couple times, love is to love, others, at great personal cost, regardless, of the merit, of that person, okay, let me repeat that, love is to love, the other person, at great personal cost, regardless, of that person's merit, kind of sounds like, how Jesus loved, right, he loved, sinners, at great personal cost, amen, yeah, regardless of our merit, amen, and, and that's how, Jesus Christ, is calling, us husbands, to love our wives, the same way, right, Ephesians 5, you're familiar, with that passage, just as, Jesus Christ loved, the church, husbands, you ought to love, your wives, the same way, so when you think, of love, you think of it, that way, love, to love my wife, is going to cost me, something, regardless, of her merit, regardless, of her attitude, regardless, of, of, her, her speech, or conduct, because that's how,

[18:59] Jesus Christ loves me, and continues to love me, so, listen husbands, there's something, that you and I, are so good at doing, actually, we were born, really good, doing this thing, and, and we're so good at it, that we're actually, experts in it, and we do it, 24-7, guess what that is, love, love, the problem here, though, okay, the problem here, in this verse, is, is the, the object, of our love, so men, husbands, you guys, can, can agree with me, we are born lovers, we are so good at it, we're actually, experts in it, we can teach a class, on how to love, it's just wrong, because, it's, it's focused on, us, right, you, you, you, you woke up this morning, who did you think about, me, you open the fridge, what am, what am I gonna eat, right, you open your closet, what am I gonna wear, right, me, me, me,

[20:14] I, I, why, because, we're lovers of self, so, Paul here is saying, husbands, love your wives, it's not that, it's not that I need to teach you how to love, you're so good at it, you know, you're so good at it, what I, what I want you to do though, is that, you know, that shower head, you know, they make them really big now, it's like, you know, in all, on the sides, on, you know, the bathrooms today, the showers are just everywhere, Paul's saying, just, just, just take your, all of your shower heads of love, and instead of pointing them to you, turn them to your wife, just turn them to your wife, is, your struggle is not that you don't know how to, you're so good at it, it's just, you're so focused on yourself, so, so take that shower head of love, and just turn it to your wife, husbands, love your wives, that way, redirect your love, away from yourself, toward, your, wife, so, that's the positive command, here's the negative command, the second half of verse 19, so, so here's what I want you to do, love, here's what I don't want you to do, and do not be embittered against them, against your wife, do not be embittered against your wife, the word here is, is picros, which means bitter, okay, if you, for the homeschool moms, you probably studied picric acid, right, that's the same root word there, picric acid has the same root word, picric acid is not only bitter, but it's actually explosive, that's why they use it to make dynamite, so that's the root word here, embedded in that word, and do not be bitter, like a picric acid, that you end up exploding, on your wife, here's, here's how that works, it's, it's, it's, inward bitterness, right, we, we, we have this inward bitterness, toward our, toward our wives, and, and left unchecked, if ignored, and we don't talk about it, and we don't take it to the Lord, we don't repent from it, that festers, and festers, and festers, that inward bitterness, suddenly explodes into outbursts, of external anger, that's the picture, so how do you prevent, the inward bitterness, from festering, so that it doesn't end up, external, as an outburst of anger, two simple things, number one, practice patience, remember that God, is patient with you, so you should also, be patient, toward your wife,

[22:55] I mean, just think about, how patient God is, toward you, he doesn't develop, this inward bitterness, and then he doesn't, all of a sudden, one day, shows an outburst of anger, he doesn't do that, he's patient, secondly, practice forgiveness, practice forgiveness, remember that God, is quick, to forgive you, even when you, even when your, your prayer of confession, is lame, right, even, even in our confession, of prayer, we still kind of, point the finger, to our wives a little bit, yet, God is so quick, to forgive us, in the moment, he doesn't say, ah, come back, make sure, make sure, make sure your confession, is right, make sure you are really, thinking about this, come back to me, and then if, and if it's, if it's, up to par, up to par, then I will forgive you, he doesn't do that, to us, so for us, we need to remember, that God is so quick, to forgive us, so we should also, be quick, to forgive our wife, so again, there's a picture, of this, bitterness, that festers, deep inside, that, that one day, left unchecked, will result, in an outburst, of anger, how do you cure that, how do you deal with that, before it gets there, you practice patience, and you practice forgiveness, so husbands, love your wives, just take the shower, simple, just do that, and guess what, there's like, an automatic swivel, it always goes like this, it always goes like this, so you need to be, doing that consistently, and do not be embittered, against them, number three, so we looked at the wife, the husband, number three, children, children, obey consistently, children, you are to obey, consistently, verse 20, look at the, the first, part of verse 20, children, be obedient, to your parents, sometimes, be obedient, to your parents, when you feel like it, where are our children here, raise your, raise your hand, if you're living, with your parents, there you go, okay, the, the Bible says, children, be obedient, to your parents, in all things, okay, be obedient, to your parents, in all things, so children,

[25:37] I'll give you, a biblical definition, of how you obey your parents, okay, so, if you're a note taker, you got to write this down, okay, simple definition, of how you are to obey your parents, here it is, obedience, is doing what you're asked, without challenge, without delay, and without excuse, all right, children, did you guys hear me, you guys paying attention, okay, that's how you are, called by God, in the Bible, to obey your mom and dad, okay, you are to, do what you are asked, without challenge, oh, but that's just so hard, you know, my friend so and so, they don't do that, right, that's challenge, without delay, oh, can I just finish this movie, 30 more minutes, oh, it's only 8 o'clock, you really want me to get up now, can I sleep in till 10, right, that's delay, or excuse, mom, dad, you really, do you really expect that from us, to read our Bibles, to go to church with you guys, you really expect that much from us, those are excuses, again, children, obey your parents, what you're asked by them, without challenge, delay, or excuse, you are to, obey your parents, not only when the command is easy, not, not only when you feel like it, not only when there's a reward,

[27:14] Paul says, how often, when, how, where, in all things, in all things, now children, why does God want you to obey your parents, look at the second half of verse 20, here's why God is telling you, okay, these are, these are not your, your parents telling you, okay, this is God, higher authority, through the Bible, is telling you this command, so why does he want you to do that, the second half of verse 24, or because, this is well pleasing to the Lord, it is well pleasing to the Lord, children, are your parents sinful, you can nod, yes, right, are they impatient sometimes, yes, can they even, be unreasonable at times, yes, but guess what, even when they are being like that, and you still choose, okay, this is, this is a choice, and you still choose, to obey, what God has told you here, in that moment, you are being pleasing to God, you are pleasing to God, and there's reward there, and there's blessing there, actually, you can go back to, no,

[28:34] I'm just kidding, number four, parents, fourth one, parents, here's, here's, here's our command, instruct carefully, we are to instruct, carefully, verse 21, fathers, do not exasperate your children, now it says fathers here, but, but, by implication, this is really, for both parents, because we both instruct, the fathers are singled out here, I believe, because you are the leader of the home, both in your marriage, and in parenting, but this also, by implication, applies to, the mothers, so both parents, parents, you are to instruct carefully, how, how do we do that, do not exasperate your children, ESV says, do not provoke, might be a little clearer, do not provoke, do not provoke them to anger, do not provoke them to, to anything that's sinful, there's a, there's a parenting book, that I highly recommend, titled,

[29:37] The Heart of Anger, The Heart of Anger, and parents usually pick that up, because their children, or one of their children, is, is just getting out of control, and then parents will read that, and they too will be instructed, because they too get angry, so, if, if you, if you're trying to read a book, that, that addresses the anger issue, in your children, and the anger issue in your heart, that book will do it, it's called, The Heart of Anger, and the author, Lou Priolo, gives a list at the end there, of the book, ways to provoke your children to anger, he's not saying, do this, do these things, and you provoke them, but, these are the things, that if you end up doing, they will provoke your children, into anger, so let me give you just, just, I think he had like 20 something, I, I just jot down 10, things that, will, provoke your children, to anger, if you do them, number one, lack of marital harmony, lack of marital, marital harmony, number two, parents with reverse,

[30:43] God given roles, like we looked at already, establishing, a child centered home, oh that's so true today, establishing, a child centered home, it should be a, God Christ, Bible centered home, habitually, disciplining, in anger, being inconsistent, in discipline, right, mom does it, this way, dad does it, this way, and then, there are two, different standards, inconsistence, unrealistic expectations, constantly, finding fault, practicing favoritism, here's a good one, being a hypocrite, and last one, number 10, not admitting, when you are wrong, if you and I, parents, do those things, we will exasperate, or provoke, our children, to anger, now why should we, parents, need to watch out, for those things, look at, verse 21, second half, why should we, be careful, why should we, be intentional, so that, they will not, lose heart, or so that, our children, don't become, so discouraged, that they lose, motivation, that's the picture there, that they do not, lose heart, when we, provoke them into anger, when we exasperate them, the result, is that our children, will become, so discouraged, that they lose, motivation, to do things, even the important things, like doing well, in school, getting along, with their siblings, or even losing, and being discouraged, losing the motivation, to obey, their parents, that's what, provoking, to anger, and exasperation, does, to our children, that they get, so discouraged, that they, there's no motivation, in their heart, so parents, mom and dad, instruct, carefully, number five, now we get, to the employee, employer, relationship, number five, employee, work sincerely, you are to work, sincerely, verse 22,

[33:07] Paul says this, slaves, in all things, obey those, who are your, masters on earth, they had slaves, back then, and today, we have employees, so we can apply, this passage, this verse, to those, who work, under their, employer, or their boss, or a company, so if you are that, if you're an employee, you are to obey, Paul says, just like the children, sometimes, when you like it, when it feels good, no, in all things, in all things, it means you're to obey, whatever your employer, asks of you, without challenge, without delay, without excuse, now, real quick, as a side note, let me mention this, there's an exception, that applies, to the, to the employee, employer relationship, and then to the, children and parents, relationship, and then to the wife, and to the husband, relationship, when it comes to the, submission, and obedience, type here, the exception, is that, when their commands, put you in a place, that you would end up, dishonoring, your heavenly father, and you'd end up, sinning, or displeasing, or disobeying him, then that's, when you respectfully, and humbly, do not submit, or do not obey, there's that, exception there, so, employees, how are you to work, look at verse 22, the second half, how are you to work, not with external service, as those who merely, please men, but, opposite, contrast, but with sincerity, of the heart, fearing the Lord, you're, you're, a, you're, if, if you're a man pleaser, you work this way, you only go the extra mile, to please your boss, that's a man pleaser, worker, or, or you only work hard, to look better, than your co-workers, that's a man pleaser, worker,

[35:10] Paul is saying here, don't, don't be a man pleaser, be a God pleaser, meaning you're honest, you don't cheat on your hours, even when your co-workers cheat, and they never get caught, right, so you're honest, about your work, and you're trustworthy, you have this, this work ethic, and you're known by, not just by your honesty, but your trustworthiness, that, that your boss may worry, about giving, certain responsibilities, to others, but not to you, why, because you're a trustworthy employer, you're a trustworthy worker, and Paul brings it all together, in verse 23, whatever you do, okay, whatever work you are doing, you are to do that, do that work heartily, meaning, with, the term there is, is from the heart, with sincerity, sincerity of the heart, you are to do, whatever you've been given, whatever the task, you've been given to do, you are to do that, with sincerity of the heart, why, as for the Lord, rather than for men, not really for others, not really, not really for your co-workers, not really for the customers, not really for your, your boss, but for, the Lord, that's why it starts, from the inside, from the sincerity, of your heart, do whatever, you've been asked to do, now is it hard to do that, again,

[36:31] Adam, right, since the beginning, since Genesis 3, all the way to today, providers, fathers, husbands, we know it, we are, overworked, underpaid, welcome to the Genesis 3 club, right, it is like that, it is like that, so is it hard, when, especially when you're, employer is an unbeliever, and unfair, of course it's hard, right, it's hard to obey, it's hard to work, with the sincerity, of the heart, it's hard to do, whatever they've asked us to do, but, thankfully, Paul gives us some motivation, look at verse 24, God knows it's hard, so he gives us, this encouraging motivation, here, verse 24, knowing that from the Lord, you will receive, the reward, of inheritance, it is the Lord Christ, whom you, work for, there, there goes the motivation, right, we're, we're trying to work hard, we're trying to save, we're trying to pay bills, we're trying to save, we're trying to provide, for our families, oh, it's so hard, you know, if you're under someone, who's an unbeliever, and unfair, but God gives us, the motivation here, we are ultimately, working for the Lord, we are ultimately, working for the Lord, not for man, and we are, not really, working for the paycheck, here on earth, we are working, for the reward, the inheritance, it says here, that awaits us, in heaven, right, so an honest, work ethic, a trustworthy, work ethic, someone who works, for the Lord, and not for man, and someone who works, for not the paycheck, but for the glory of God,

[38:18] Paul says, that is the goal, that is the goal, now, before Paul moves on, to addressing the employer, he has one warning, for the employees, look at verse 25, here's the warning, for he who does wrong, that's still talking about, the slave, or the employee, for he who does wrong, will receive the consequences, of the wrong, which he has done, and that without partiality, if you obey your employer, and you work hard, to please the Lord, and you work hard, waiting for your heavenly reward, God will bless you, but on the flip side, on the opposite, if you disobey, if you work to please man, if you work only, for the paycheck, God will bring, consequences your way, that's the warning, because God sees the heart, again the focus is, employee, labor, or work, with the sincerity, from the sincerity, of your heart, because you're working, for the Lord Jesus Christ, for his glory, and there's this reward, that awaits you in heaven, last one here, number six, we get to the masters, the employer, employer, manage honorably, manage honorably, so now we're in chapter four, verse one, masters grant your slaves, justice and fairness, knowing that you too, have a master in heaven,

[39:53] God's main concern for you, if you're an employer, or, or, or, some, position that's similar, like a supervisor, or a manager, that would be a parallel, if, if God has placed you, in that position, his concern for you, is not what you can get, out of those people, his place under you, but what you can give them, okay, it's not how much money, you can get out of your employees, but what you can provide, for your employees, and he just gives us, three things here, number one, is justice, okay, that's a responsibility, of an employer, to his employees, justice, you're to treat those, under you, with justice, righteousness, the word there, is righteousness, or right, meaning you do, what's right for them, you give what's right for them, you, you, you provide what's right, for them, secondly, you're to treat those, under you, with fairness, justice, and fairness, this means you treat, all your people, all your employees, equally, and you pay them, in accordance to, their work, in a fair manner, no favoritism, it's a fair, workplace, and here's the third one, this is probably, the more convicting one, you're to treat, those under you, with humility,

[41:15] Paul says, knowing that you too, have a master in heaven, that's, that's this humble attitude, this, it means, you see your authority, as a delegated authority, from your master, who is in heaven, Lord Jesus Christ, it's a delegated authority, and because of that, you consider yourself, no better than, those people under you, and also, much more, you are aware, that you're going, to give an account, how you have, practiced, and, and, and, given, you're going to be, given an account, to how you've treated, and practiced your authority, over those people under you, that's a scary thing, Paul says, knowing that you too, masters, you too, employers, have a master in heaven, you're no better, you're no different, and, I'm actually going, to, hold you accountable, how you practice, this delegated authority, that I've, given you, so, those are the six ways, how, how you and I, as, as Christians, are to model, the gospel that saved us, and live, live it out in the home, as, as a wife, as a husband, as a child, as an employee, as an employer, now, let me leave you, with three practical applications, just, just three quick ones, because, we kind of looked at, a lot of, a lot of, situations here, and a lot of, titles in the home, here's the first one, if the shoe fits, wear it, okay, if, if you're a wife, obey that, be a doer of that command, if you're a husband, you wear that shoe, if you're a child, you, you obey that command, whichever one, you find yourself in, obey what God, has commanded you, number two, if, if no shoe fits, yet, prepare now, okay, prepare now,

[43:14] Lord willing, if you're single, you will get married, you don't, you don't practice, submission, and, and, and, and love, and, and parenting, and those things, the day of your honeymoon, or, or, or, or before you go to the hospital, for your, for your, for your first, childbirth, you don't, you don't wait then, you, you prepare now, right, so if new, if no shoe fits yet, you prepare now, because Lord willing, one day, you will be one, or two, or more of these six things, that we looked at, thirdly, if the shoe no longer fits, let's say, you are, you are no, these things no longer apply to you, maybe, maybe, maybe, the Lord has moved you on, you're an empty nester, or a widow, or, or probably, maybe retired, if, if the shoe no longer fits, what, how do you apply this?

[44:10] Disciple others. You are to disciple others. If you're a grandparent, if, if you are retired, if, if you no longer have no kids in your home, you are called to disciple those in this church, those who will be in those shoes later on, you come alongside them and say, hey, I struggle with this, but because of, because of God's grace, I was able to obey this command, this is how you are to love your husband, this is how you are to submit to your husband, this is how you are to respect, this is how you are to work, you can do that, if the shoe no longer fits, disciple, disciple, disciple, disciple, disciple, right?

[44:55] That's the culture of the church, right? We look at God's word, but like we just looked at, we, we are convicted by it because of the Holy Spirit, where we fall short, but we're thankful that the Lord is working in us and through us, and we can obey this commands.

[45:12] If, if nothing applies to us right now, we are to be preparing, right? For the sake of those people that the Lord will bring to our lives, and again, again, we are to disciple others in these commands.

[45:26] Amen? Let me pray real quick, and then we will have a, a short time to reflect and ponder what we just looked at. Okay? Heavenly Father, thank you for your word.

[45:39] Thank you that, that we, we, we are just convicted where we fall short as, as a wife, as a husband, as, as a child, and even in the workplace.

[45:55] We fall short, so we, we confess those weaknesses and, and shortcomings to you. Be patient with us, forgive us, and continue to work in us and through us.

[46:08] We pray that we would be, not only, quick to hear, but quick to, obey what we just looked at. And we know it's hard, we know it's difficult, because we live in a sinful world.

[46:22] We live with sinful people in the home. But you always remind us, that we, ourselves, are also sinful. So, how you have been patient with us, how you have been so forgiving toward us, we pray that we would treat others the same.

[46:40] So, may we apply these things, because of the gospel, so that our homes would be centered, and living out the gospel, so that others would, would look, and not give us glory, and not give us the praise, but, but would give you the praise, because of what you have done.

[47:02] So, help us now, to live this out. Again, thank you for your word. Thank you for this church. Thank you for these people here. In Jesus name, Amen. Amen.

[47:30]  Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.