Playing the Part

Introduction

Peter said that Paul’s writings can be hard to understand

the passage before us today is not necessarily difficult to understand, but does cause us to say, “How?”

We saw this last week, as we look above, focus on Christ we put to death the things of this world, chasing after things that satisfy our flesh

which leads to anger, slander, malice, ext…

we replace those things with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love

this leads us to another question… what does that look like in my life?

Colossians 3:18–4:6 CSB

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 1 Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven. 2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

PRAY!

The entirety of our lives are to point people to Christ. From the roles we have to the way we conduct ourselves in them.

The Family is a Picture

18  Authentic living in the light of God’s glory is not about being perfect but about living grace filled lives. Chip Ingram Effective Parenting in a Defective World (2006)

Chip Ingram

Everyone wants the perfect family picture…

describe

one where the parents look young and not tired at all

one where kids are smiling perfectly, not fighting or crying

really, we want to look like we do not normally look

Sometimes there is a picture that is snapped that just catches the real you

There is a different picture that we are supposed to be showing the world

not us, but Christ

Colossians 3:18–21 CSB

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they won’t become discouraged.

Roles of marriage were set by God in creation

God created man, male and female he created them

Eve was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh

God set the order and Satan challenged it

Satan spoke to Eve, who was with her husband, he did not speak to Adam

but when God came to the garden, he went to Adam and asked, “What have you done?”

The wife is suppose to submit to her husband

submit = to place or rank under

it means to come under his leadership

this is not to every man or that women are less than men

fitting = proper

this does not mean because it is the right thing to do

in the Lord

this is how the Lord has set up the fitting, proper way that we relate to each other

The husband is supposed to love

Eph 5 would add, as christ loved the church

a compassion (love in action) that puts her needs first

loving like the Lord is to present holy and pure

here love them and do not be bitter towards them

meaning we are not mad when we do not get our way

or hold a grudge when we think that she is not submitting like the Bible says

the sins of others do not mean that we are free from obeying God’s word

Children are to obey

obey = hear and do

parents have to set this standard

you do not have to teach them how to disobey or wait until the 3rd time to listen

This pleases the Lord

pleases also in Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

doing what pleases the Lord is a way of worship

teach our children to obey and please the Lord

not because you are

Fathers cannot push them to discouragement

we are not to seek obedience to feel powerful

I have seen very week men play very powerful to small kids

to stroke our ego, by having others think we are great

our push for obedience is for their growth in the Lord, to serve him, live as he has called us to do

you are discipling them

Pleasing the Real Master

One of Paul’s very controversial sections of his letters

slavery is abhorrent

US has a horrible history with it, though we did go to war within ourselves to rid ourselves over it

Romans slavery was a little different, though still horrible

people owned people

slaves had possibilities to be redeemed

was not based on race, but class

in roman world you were free or a slave

this is why Paul says the phrase, “slave of free” in many of his letters

Paul calls for believing slaves and masters to be countercultural

Colossians 3:22–4:1 CSB

22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 1 Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

slaves were to obey their human masters

same word as was spoken to the kids… obey your parents

hear and do

9 times the greek word kurios is used

twice referring to human masters or lords and the rest referring to the Lord

slaves are to obey not as people pleasers

earlier in chapter 3, focus on what is above, on Christ

put to death earthly things

that includes our desire to please people over the Lord

Earthly masters, lords…

treat them justly and fair, because you have Lord

both would have been starkly different in the culture at the time

Why this instead of, fight for your freedom, or free your slaves

we see that Paul is not afraid to confront a slave owner and seek the freeing on a slave,

read his letter to Philemon

slave owner who had a slave run away, Onesimus

ended up with Paul, then converted and now Paul is sending him back with this letter and the letter to Philemon

There is sin in the world, God does not always protect us from the consequences of it

The Lord is our reward

we do not work for earthly prizes

we live for the Lord in everything

we do not worry about what will be done with others

Peter in John 21, looking at John “What will become of him?”

The Lord will punish those who treat us unfairly

so we live in the good and bad situations in a way that points the sinful world around us to him

every day, every situation, is an opportunity to point others to Christ

Devoting Our Lives to Make Him Known

It is not enough to know to do all of these things…

I would guess that nothing is necessarily new… In every way, live for the Lord

just like Paul telling us that we are to put to death the things of our earthly flesh, put on Christ, by dwelling in the word of God

Colossians 4:2–6 CSB

2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

How are we to make every role and relationship that we have point people to Christ… devote yourself to prayer

devote = attend to constantly

same word that Jesus said to Peter, James and John in Gethsemane

they failed and often we fail too

you can see when you are failing in prayer, when we begin to live in a way that points to us

we live in a way that is earthy, not set above

do so thankfully

The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes Colossians 4:2

Prayer should be mingled with praise. God is as pleased to give us his blessing as ever we are to receive it. It is as much to his honor as it is to our comfort. He takes more pleasure in our prayers than we do in his answers. Therefore, we ought to come boldly. We ought to come with thankfulness in our hearts and on our lips and join the hymn of praise with the cry of prayer.

It should blow our minds every time we go to him in prayer.

That he would listen to a people whom he had to redeem.

How can we not be thankful?

Since you’re praying… Paul has a request

pray for us… Paul, Timothy and everyone with them

speak the mystery of the gospel (back to chapter 1)

Colossians 1:26–29 CSB

26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.

God would open a door for the gospel

that Paul would speak the word correctly

that he would do so to please God, not people

You are not off the hook either… Share the gospel

not just with your actions, but also with your words!

"Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words," has been credited to St. Francis of Assisi

understandable that your actions speak louder than words

Romans 10:9 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:14 CSB

14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?

Ligon Duncan, “Saying 'Preach the Gospel Daily, use words if necessary' is like saying 'Feed the hungry, use food if necessary'".

Colossians 4:5–6 CSB

5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

do not change the bible to make it like speak about something going on here

this is not about immigrants

there are only those saved and those not

so act wisely, take advantage of the time you have with them

As people see our families and begin to see the relationship God has with his people, devoting ourselves to prayer, we must take advantage of the opportunities and wisely speak the grace of the Lord Jesus

so that many will taste and see that the Lord is good!

Memory Verse

Colossians 3:23 CSB

23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,

Discussion Questions

How does the biblical concept of submission in marriage relate to our understanding of servitude towards Christ?

What implications does Paul’s instruction to fathers about not exasperating their children have on the view of God's authority?

In what ways does Scripture call us to treat all individuals, regardless of their status, with dignity and respect?

How does the mystery of Christ being revealed to the Gentiles challenge our understanding of inclusion in the faith?

How can you show love and respect in your relationships with your parents or guardians?

What are some ways you can demonstrate obedience towards those in authority, while still being true to your faith?

How does prayer strengthen your relationship with God, and how can you incorporate it more into your daily life?

How can you make every role you have (as a student, friend, sibling) a way to point others to Christ?

How can being part of a family that follows Christ help you navigate difficult times?

What practical steps can you take to ensure your actions reflect your service to the Lord and not just to people?

In what ways can you apply the principle of doing everything wholeheartedly in your workplace or community service?