“Christ in the Home”

Every one of us has what I’ll call a “home voice.” You know what I mean. Out in public—at H-E-B, in the office, at the football game—we can put on our best manners. We shake hands, smile, and show patience. But then we walk into our homes, close the door, and sometimes a different tone comes out. The way we speak to our spouse, our children, or even ourselves reveals who we really are when the world isn’t watching.

Paul knows this. After painting one of the grandest pictures of Christ’s supremacy in all of Scripture—Christ as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over creation, the head of the church—he doesn’t stop with the heavens. He takes all that glory and brings it down to earth, into kitchens, living rooms, and workplaces. Why? Because if Christ isn’t Lord at home, he’s not really Lord at all in our lives.

Here in Midland, we know how much energy we put into appearances. People keep lawns trimmed, houses updated, trucks washed, and social media curated. But those things don’t tell the full story. The truest test of Christ’s supremacy isn’t how polished our lives look on the outside—it’s whether his love rules in our homes.

And here’s where it gets hard. We live in a culture that prizes rights: my way, my opinion, my comfort. That attitude can creep into our homes. Spouses fight to win arguments instead of laying down pride. Parents provoke instead of nurture. Kids push boundaries instead of honoring parents. Employers use power for gain; employees cut corners when no one’s looking.

We’ve all felt that tug—the temptation to measure home life by control, comfort, or convenience. But Paul refuses to let us settle there. He says: if you’ve been raised with Christ, even the smallest corners of your home belong to him.

So here’s the question Colossians 3 presses on us today:

What does it look like for Christ to truly reign in our homes?

That’s where Paul takes us. He shows us how the supremacy of Christ reshapes marriages, transforms parenting, and reframes work itself. Christ doesn’t just change our Sunday morning routine; he changes how we live with the people closest to us every day.

Colossians 3:18–19 ESV

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Christ Shapes Marriages with Mutual Surrender

Paul begins where every household begins—with marriage. And his words strike us immediately: submit and love. Two words that carry weight, history, and even controversy. But remember where Paul is writing from. He’s just said in Colossians 3:11 that in Christ there is “neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” In other words, the old categories of status and hierarchy are transformed under Christ’s lordship. So whatever Paul means here, it is not about propping up power structures—it’s about showing the world what it looks like when Christ is supreme in a marriage. Submission here never sanctions abuse, coercion, or lawbreaking. Where harm exists, seek safety and call for help. Christ’s church protects the vulnerable.

For wives, Paul says, “submit… as is fitting in the Lord.” This isn’t about inferiority. Submission here is voluntary, Christ-centered, and rooted in trust. It means yielding in love, not being forced into silence or servitude. Paul ties it to the Lord, not to cultural norms or human power. In other words, when a wife surrenders pride or self-will in her marriage, she does so not because her husband demands it, but because Christ is Lord.

For husbands, Paul’s charge is just as radical: “love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” In Paul’s day, men held cultural authority in the home. But Paul doesn’t tell them to wield power; he tells them to lay it down. To love like Christ means to sacrifice, to cherish, to protect, to nurture. And then he adds: don’t be harsh. Literally, don’t make them bitter. Don’t use strength to dominate or words to wound. Use love to build up.

Together, these two commands paint a picture of mutual surrender. Wives surrender to Christ by honoring their husbands. Husbands surrender to Christ by loving their wives sacrificially. Both surrender self for the sake of the other. The cross stands at the center of the marriage covenant.

Think of it like a dance. If two people fight to lead, they trip over each other’s feet. But when each is attentive to the other—one yielding, the other guiding with gentleness—the dance becomes beautiful. Marriage is that kind of partnership under Christ. It’s not about who has more power; it’s about who shows more love.

Here in Midland, we know marriages are under pressure. Oilfield schedules stretch families thin. Financial ups and downs put stress on communication. The cultural noise says marriage is about what you get out of it—personal happiness, personal fulfillment. But Paul reminds us: marriage is not ultimately about me; it’s about Christ. When both spouses look to Jesus, their love for each other deepens. Schedules stretch us thin; the cross stretches us toward each other.

So let’s ask the hard questions:

Wives, are you surrendering your heart and will to Christ, so that your respect and encouragement toward your husband flows out of Jesus?

Husbands, are you laying down pride and harshness, showing love that reflects the patience and sacrifice of Jesus?

When Christ reigns in a marriage, pride gives way to humility, harshness gives way to tenderness, and selfishness gives way to love. That’s the kind of marriage that makes Midland take notice—not perfect people, but people who reflect Christ in the way they love each other.

Now, from marriage to parenting we move:

Colossians 3:20–21 ESV

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Christ Transforms Parenting with Gospel-Shaped Nurture

Paul moves from marriage to parenting, and again, he anchors everything in Christ. Notice that both children and parents have a word from the Lord here. This isn’t one-sided—it’s relational, reciprocal, and ultimately Christ-centered.

For children: “Obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Paul isn’t saying parents are flawless or that kids should obey things that are sinful or harmful. He’s pointing to the heart of obedience—obedience pleases God. When children learn to obey, they are practicing the same trust and surrender they’ll need as disciples of Christ. Obedience at home becomes the training ground for obedience to God.

This is crucial in Midland homes today. Young people, I know that you are pulled in a hundred directions—sports schedules, schoolwork, social media, part-time jobs. And the culture often whispers that authority is old-fashioned, that obedience is stifling, that you young people should “find your truth.” But Scripture counters that—obedience, rightly understood, trains your heart to trust God.

Now, some of you parents feel like you sound like a broken record. “How many times do I need to ask you to pick up your room or do your homework or get off your phone.” And your kids may roll their eyes, and say “I don’t know, like six-seven more times” or whatever new nonsense is trending on TikTok. But let’s be honest—kids have always found creative ways to tune out. Paul’s point is this: when children learn to obey their parents in the Lord, they are actually learning to obey Christ. Young people, I hope you hear this: You learn how to be a good follower of Jesus by learning to obey your parents in the Lord. That’s not outdated; that’s discipleship.

For parents (Paul says “fathers,” but the principle applies to both): “Do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Paul knows the danger here. Parents can misuse authority—setting standards so high that kids give up, or doling out criticism so often that encouragement is forgotten. The result? Discouraged children—kids who feel like they can never measure up, who associate the word “father” not with love but with pressure.

The word “provoke” means to stir up anger, to needle, to embitter. Ways we provoke: moving goalposts, public shaming, constant comparison. Parents, we need to hear this: our role is not to crush our kids under expectations, but to raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). That means discipline, yes, but discipline saturated with encouragement. It means correction, yes, but correction tethered to hope. Ways we encourage: clear expectations, consistent follow-through, cheerful affirmation.

I’ve seen that parenting comes with unique challenges. Your jobs often mean long hours or weeks away from home. When parents return, it’s easy to swing between indulgence (“I feel guilty, so I’ll let it slide”) and harshness (“I’ve been gone, so now I’ll lay down the law”). Both extremes can discourage children. What our kids need most is consistency—a steady, Christ-shaped presence that models grace and truth.

Think of it like tending a mesquite tree. You can’t force it to grow faster by yelling at it. You also can’t neglect it and expect strength. You have to water it, protect it, prune it, and wait patiently. Parenting works the same way. It’s a long obedience in the same direction, full of nurture, correction, and encouragement.

Paul gives both children and parents the same focus: the Lord. Kids obey because it pleases the Lord. Parents encourage because they represent the Lord. That’s gospel-shaped parenting. It’s not about raising perfect kids—it’s about pointing kids to a perfect Savior.

So let’s ask the reflective questions here:

Young people, are you learning to see obedience to your parents as practice for obedience to Christ?

Parents, are you raising children in a way that lifts their eyes to Jesus, not just to your rules?

And together, are our homes shaped by Christ’s grace, where forgiveness flows quickly, encouragement flows freely, and discipline is steady but never crushing?

When Christ reigns in parenting, obedience becomes discipleship, discipline becomes encouragement, and homes become training grounds for grace. That’s the kind of household that doesn’t just survive Midland’s pressures—it shines as a witness to Christ.

From marriages to parenting and now to work:

Colossians 3:22–4:1 ESV

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Christ Redefines Work with Integrity and Devotion

Paul now turns to the world of work. In his context, he’s speaking to bondservants and masters, a system different from modern employment but still pointing to the same principle: Christ transforms how we approach work, whether we lead or follow, whether we manage or are managed.

Work with integrity, not just appearances.

Paul says, “not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers.” You know what that’s like—doing just enough when the boss is watching, slacking when he or she isn’t. Paul says: Christ-followers work differently. You don’t just punch the clock; you work from the heart. Why? Because you’re not ultimately working for a human boss—you’re serving the Lord Christ.

Many of you work in oil and gas, education, healthcare, construction, or service industries. Some jobs get public recognition, others don’t. Some feel exciting, others feel monotonous. But Paul says all of it becomes sacred when it’s done “as for the Lord.” Running a rig safely, teaching a child patiently, serving a patient gently, fixing a leak faithfully—all of it becomes worship when offered to Christ.

Think of it this way: in the oilfield, you’ve got two ways to run a job. One is cutting corners—ignoring safety checks, skipping details, just trying to look good on the report. The other is integrity—doing the job right, even when nobody is around to notice. Paul says the Christian way is integrity. Work hard, work honest, work heartily—not because your boss is perfect, but because your true Master is Christ.

Work with hope, not despair.

Paul adds: “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” That was radical to bondservants in Paul’s day. They didn’t normally inherit much. But Paul says: in Christ, you’re not overlooked. Your faithful labor is seen, remembered, and rewarded by God himself.

That’s a powerful word in Midland, where downturns and layoffs can make people feel disposable. Maybe you’ve been there—years of service suddenly swept aside when the market shifts. But Paul says: your worth is not determined by whether your company keeps you. Christ sees your labor. And Christ promises an inheritance that no market can erase.

Lead with justice and fairness.

Paul doesn’t stop with workers; he addresses “masters” too. For us, that means anyone in management, leadership, or ownership. He says, “treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

In other words: leadership is stewardship. Bosses don’t just squeeze profit; they model Christ. Supervisors don’t just manage production; they shepherd people. And Paul reminds leaders that they too answer to a Master—Jesus Christ.

This hits home for managers and business owners. In a boomtown economy, it’s easy to see people as resources to use rather than souls to care for. But Christ says: treat people with fairness, justice, and dignity. Pay fairly. Listen well. Lead humbly. Because how you lead reflects the Master you serve.

Think about Friday night football here in Midland. A great coach doesn’t just care about the scoreboard; he cares about his players. He pushes them to work hard, yes—but he also protects them, teaches them, and shapes their character. Paul says that’s what Christian leadership at work should look like. Lead with justice, not favoritism. Lead with fairness, not fear.

Paul reframes all of work—whether we’re hourly or salaried, rookie or seasoned, employee or employer. He says: “You are serving the Lord Christ.” That changes everything. Work is not just about the paycheck. It’s not just about the promotion. It’s about pleasing Christ.

So let me ask:

Are you working with integrity—or just appearances?

Are you motivated by Christ’s inheritance—or discouraged by earthly circumstances?

If you lead, are you treating people with fairness and dignity—or just using them for results?

When Christ reigns in the workplace, work becomes worship. And that kind of faithfulness speaks loudly in Midland, where careers often define identity. Paul says Christ is your life—not your job. Christ is your reward—not your paycheck. And when you work for him, your labor is never in vain.

Paul’s vision for the home isn’t about rules that crush us; it’s about Christ who transforms us. Whether husband or wife, parent or child, worker or boss—the common thread is this: Christ is Lord of it all. He redefines every relationship.

Paul tells wives and husbands to live out mutual honor and sacrificial love. He calls children to obey with sincerity, and parents to nurture without provoking. He tells workers to labor with integrity and leaders to lead with fairness. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the center.

In Midland, where family schedules are full and work demands heavy, it’s easy to separate faith from daily life. But Paul won’t let us. He’s saying: how you love at home is as spiritual as how you worship at church.

But here’s the danger—we can cling to shadows. We can measure our families by appearances: kids who succeed, marriages that look polished, jobs that feel secure. But Paul says those aren’t the substance. Christ is. Without him, the best-looking home can still be empty. With him, even ordinary homes shine with resurrection life.

So what does this mean for us this week?

In marriage: Don’t ask, “Am I getting my way?” Ask, “Am I showing Christ’s love?”

In parenting: Don’t say, “How do I control behavior?” Ask, “How do I point them to Christ?”

In work: Don’t settle for “good enough when the boss is watching.” Say, “I work for the Lord.”

Those questions lift our eyes beyond self-interest to Christ-centered living.

Here’s the heartbeat I want you to take home:

Christ at the center changes every relationship.

When Christ is your life, it shows up in how you love your spouse, how you parent your kids, how you handle conflict, and how you do your job.

Midland doesn’t need to see a church split by preferences or a people clinging to old uniforms of sin. It needs to see households and workplaces transformed by Christ. Imagine the testimony: families marked by grace, marriages marked by love, children raised in truth, employees known for integrity, leaders known for fairness. That kind of community shines brighter than any rig on the horizon.

So, church family, let’s not live in the old clothes. Let’s live raised with Christ—at home, at work, in every relationship.

Loved ones, let’s step back and see what Paul is really saying. This passage isn’t just about rules for marriage, parenting, or work. It’s about resurrection life breaking into the ordinary. It’s about Christ not just being supreme over heaven and earth, but supreme over kitchens, living rooms, job sites, and boardrooms.

That’s good news because, let’s be honest—home life can expose our worst selves. Marriages hit rough spots. Parents lose their patience. Kids test boundaries. Bosses demand too much. Employees cut corners. We all fall short.

But the gospel says we are not left in our old clothes. In Christ, God has made us new. He has forgiven our sins, nailed our record of debt to the cross, and raised us up with his Son. That means when Christ enters your life, he doesn’t just give you Sunday religion—he gives you Monday-through-Saturday transformation.

Think of it:

Husbands who once used words to wound now speak life because Christ has loved them first.

Wives who once carried silent resentment now find strength in Christ’s sufficiency.

Parents who once parented out of fear now raise children in the hope of Christ.

Workers who once toiled for approval now labor for the Lord who already accepts them.

Leaders who once exploited now serve because they know the Master in heaven.

This is resurrection life applied to everyday life. This is the gospel touching the home.

Friends, with this being said, if you’ve never trusted Christ, hear this: the greatest relationship you need restored isn’t marriage or parenting or work—it’s your relationship with God. Sin has fractured it, and no amount of effort or good behavior can fix it. But God sent his Son. Jesus lived the life you could not live, died the death you deserved, and rose again in victory. By faith in him, you can be forgiven, reconciled, and raised to new life.

Friend, that means today you can move from death to life. Today you can say: “Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and rose again. Forgive me, take my life, make me yours.” That prayer isn’t magic—it’s surrender. And when you surrender, Christ becomes your life.

Second, for believers who already know Christ: Paul’s words are a call to live what is already true of you. Maybe you’ve been drifting back into the old clothes—anger, unforgiveness, selfishness. Maybe you’ve been clinging to shadows—preferences, appearances, comforts. Christ says: take those off. Put me on. Live raised.

That might mean having a hard conversation in your marriage with humility instead of pride. It might mean parenting with patience instead of control. It might mean walking into work tomorrow with integrity when no one is watching. Whatever the situation, the call is the same:

Christ at the center changes every relationship.

And when Christ changes us, the world notices. Midland doesn’t need more talk about family values—it needs to see families transformed by Christ. It doesn’t need more Christian bumper stickers—it needs to see Christian workers laboring with integrity, Christian leaders exercising justice, Christian parents raising children in love, and Christian marriages that display the love of Jesus. This church doesn’t need more local missions programming, it needs authentic Christians living their faith out at the gas pump, in line at the store, and at the soccer field.

So, church family, let’s not walk out today in the old clothes. Let’s live dressed in Christ. Let’s show Midland what resurrection life looks like in the home, in the workplace, and in the community.