Christlike at Home and Work
Colossians: It's All About Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
I found this article quite parallel with this passage of scripture we are studying today in .
Wives, submit 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.
Fathers, 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 win their favor, 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, not for men, 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 his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Colossians
Perhaps if you have a modern translation of the Bible, you will see a subtitle that says, “Rules for Christian Households.” Paul begins this list speaking directly to women. Paul does not address the wives first because they are the neediest. He addresses them first because in most cases, they are the glue which holds the household. There are some exceptions to that, but I would think that most of us present grew up in household in which that mom did most of the work, provided most of the care, and took on most of the responsibilities.
A recent article on Salary.com listed several positions a mother might have. Some of these included:
Academic advisor, accountant, chef, coach, dietitian, driver, executive housekeeper, interior designer, judge, lawyer, marketing manager, psychologist, nurse, and social manager to name a few. The article went on to say that if a mother was paid at today’s rate for all the jobs she did, she would need a salary of $162,581. Perhaps you can remember your mother doing all of those jobs, and if you are like me, you don’t remember her getting such a salary.
In our study of Colossians we come to this passage that is probably one of the most misinterpreted passages in all the Bible. Sometimes people take scripture out of context and try to make it into what they want it to be. Just like in this passage, where someone reads the words SUBMIT and OBEY and perhaps that is all they read. While certainly these words are in the text, there are many other words and phrases that must be examined.
There are men in this world that are egomaniacs that believe that these words mean that a woman has to be a doormat to be used to wipe our dirty feet on and use at their convenience. That is not what this passage or any other says in the Bible.
A close look at and there is a phrase that says “as fitting in the Lord.” A close look at tells husbands to love and not become embittered. A close look at tells our children that obeying their parents is “pleasing in the Lord.” speaks of sincerity of heart and fearing the Lord. speaks of putting yourself wholly into whatever you do as if you are doing so for the Lord. Do you see what is sprinkled through out this passage? It does not look like selfishness, greed or by no means control. It looks we are are called in our households to be selfless, to be giving, and to be loving. If that is the case, then why are so many Christians struggling to do so?
I read a leadership article recently by a man named Bob Goshen. Bob is what you would call a motivational speaker and does training for companies all over the world. The article incorporated what he called the “three D’s.” He said for every organization to be effective you first needed to define your values by discovering who you are. Then once your have defined your values, you should declare your vision and in doing so, you would answer the question, where are we headed? The next “D” of these three “D’s” is to determine your voice. In other words, answer the question, what is our message?
I found this article quite parallel with this passage of scripture we are studying today in . Woven throughout this passage are the God given traits that were passed along to us both genetically and spiritually. I don’t care if you had the the best mom in the world or the worst mom in the world. What matters is what you do with these biblical precepts and principles. What a way to move forward from a cherished past or a troubled past.
So how do you take what you have, good or bad, and move forward in a way that could bring honor to both your mother and your God?
It begins with defining your values.
Define Your Values
Define Your Values
Why do you believe what you believe? For many of us, our faith was taught to us by our parents. Whether or not it was as fitting to the Lord will determine how much of that you need to practice. Defining your values are directly related to what you believe. What you believe, if you call yourself a Christian, should be directly related to what is fitting to the Lord.
Looking from God’s perspective, you and I were designed to praise God.
Praise the Lord.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Our values start with God’s desire for us to praise Him. However, when we as parents praise God for our children in the context of our Colossians passage today, we will define our values through dedicating all that we are, have and do over to the Lord.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
A similar instruction is found in .
Ephesians
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,
That comes from defining your values based on the truth of God’s word. I am very fortunate to have a mother that still defines her values from the word of God and spends time in prayer for me to do the same. I am reminded of what Hannah prayed in the dedication of Samuel.
1 Samuel 1:
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
I remember several years ago I was at my mother’s house. I had gone through a very difficult period in my life and I wasn’t sure if I would ever be involved in ministry again. I stumbled across my mother’s prayer journal and saw where she had written a prayer about me. In that prayer, she had asked the Lord to continue to use me in ministry. What a reminder of my mother instilling in me values that her life was shaped by and by which that I would also shape my life. Why do you believe what you believe? Have you ever written our your creed? Your values need to be strong enough that they will not be washed away by non-biblical teaching . Remember Jesus taught that you had to build your house on the rock and not on shifting sands ().
Once you define your values, you must next declare your vision.
Declare Your Vision
Declare Your Vision
The declaration of this household code in is from the fact that Paul had defined his values and therefore his values became the rock of his foundation. On that foundation, the structure is built and the vision is cast.
Where there is no vision, the people perish:
But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
The vision sets your compass and helps you become that person that does things to please the Lord.
Remember, says, “it is the Lord you are serving.” When you declare your vision, you are setting the compass and the direction you need to go. Many moms have helped do this in a beautiful way. Unfortunately, many also didn’t do a very good job. However, it doesn’t matter. Today is a new day and you can declare your vision by setting your hearts and minds on the things of God.
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
We have the promise of
“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
When we define our values based on God’s word, He places them in our hearts and on our minds. We are able to move towards what He has called us to be and do no matter where we have come from or what we have done. As you share your vision, you will realize that you have a message to tell. When you have a message to tell, you can determine your voice.
Determine Your Voice
Determine Your Voice
Your message should be God’s message. I am so thankful that my mother instilled in me at a very young age to believe in and rely on the Word of God. You may say, “that is great, but my mother did not do that.” Okay, but you are hearing it now. You can choose to receive it or you can choose to reject it. I promise you, based on the truth of God’s word, when you receive it, apply it and allow it to become your reality, you will have a message that will set a fire within you that you cannot keep silent.
Deuteronomy
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Want to make your momma proud? Define your values, declare your vision, and determine your voice. At your house, at your work, in your school, in your community. Set these things before you so that you can receive your inheritance.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
My mother will leave me an inheritance. It won’t be an inheritance of millions of dollars. In fact, there will probably not be anything of monetary value at all. But what I will receive will be the fact because of her godliness imparted on my life, many others will received it accordingly. Thanks Mom.
The inheritance I receive from my Mom will be nothing like the inheritance I receive from my Lord. I am assured that I through my faith in Christ, I will receive an inheritance like no other. If Christ is the preeminent one in our lives, and we serve Him wholeheartedly, we will not have to worry about verse 25.
Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
There will be a judgement day on how we treat those in our household as well as those with whom we come in contact. No matter how you were raised, you are called by our Lord to be right and fair, as well as fitting to the Lord, pleasing to the Lord, with sincerity of heart and reverence, and we are called to do whatever we do with all our heart, as working for the Lord. On Mother’s Day and every day, live for Jesus because He is the One who died for you!