We'll read Colossians chapter 3 and we're going to start at verse 17 and finish at chapter 4, verse 1.
Colossians chapter 3, starting in verse 17.
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.
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.
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
We're going to sing
Jesus is Lord
I'm not Lord and you're not Lord
Jesus is Lord