Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Title: This Then is the Gospel Way to Live (Part 1)

Title: This Then is the Gospel Way to Live (A Focus on Marriage)

Text:

Text:

Main Idea: Christ’s Rightly Motivated Rules for You Home

1. Christ’s Rules for Wives (vs.

18)

2. Christ’s Rules of Husbands (vs.

19)

Introduction

Introduction

When you break that down by number of marriages:

42-45% percent of first marriages end in divorce.

60% of second marriages end in divorce.

73% of third marriages end in divorce.

For the believer, these stats should be much lower because we are to be living a different life!

What is the Biblical Solution?

“Christians divorce at roughly the same rate as the world!”

It’s one of the most quoted stats by Christian leaders today.

And it’s perhaps one of the most inaccurate.

At bottom, it is used to explain that Christians are not doing well in living out their faith.

But it could also be taken as a statement that redemption by and real discipleship under Jesus makes no real difference when it comes to marriage.

But mainstream sociologists would tell us that taking one’s faith very seriously—in word and deed—does indeed make a marked positive difference in the health and longevity of marriage.

Based on the best data available, the divorce rate among Christians is significantly lower than the general population.

What do the hearers need to know?

Here’s the truth…

People who seriously practice a traditional religious faith—whether Christian or other—have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population.

The factor making the most difference is religious commitment and practice.

What appears intuitive is true.

Couples who regularly practice any combination of serious religious behaviors and attitudes—attend church nearly every week, read their bibles and spiritual materials regularly; pray privately and together; generally take their faith seriously, living not as perfect disciples, but serious disciples—enjoy significantly lower divorce rates than mere church members, the general public, and unbelievers.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-divorce-rate-among-christians/

And so, Paul - now in the very practical portion of His letter gives some hard-hitting counsel to the believers in Colossae.

Actually, he focuses on three areas.

Marriage, Parenting and Work.

This week we will focus on the Christian Marriage!

Main Idea: Hey Mr. and Mrs.! Do You Follow Christ’s Rules for Your Roles?

Interrogative: Yes, there are rules for your roles.

And if you chaffed at the sound of the word rule, you are in the right place this morning!

“Wait!”

You protest, “I thought we lived under the age of Grace?”

Amen and amen!

And the rules the Lord gives are not for your salvation, but for your growth in godliness!

Transition:

1. Christ’s Rule for the Christian Wife (vs.

18)

Lead in…While it is only one rule, it’s a big one!

And it uses a word that the unsaved world doesn’t much care for...

Text -

Explanation - Honestly, none of us like the “submit” love because it goes against our nature.

We don’t like to be told what to do, how to live, what to think and so forth.

Even if those things are good for us.

We want to be in control and in charge of our lives.

And this is especially true of women.

But, ladies, before you get too frustrated at this passage, let’s take a closer look so we can understand what Paul is really communicating!

This is how I restate the passage...

“Married Christian women have a biblical mandate from God through the Apostle Paul to willingly put themselves under the authority of their own husband, not because their husband deserves it, but the Lord does!” - Me

Paul is speaking to the New People in Christ and the New Way they are to live their lives.

And so the first thing He tells them to do is submit.

It is interesting that marriage vows used to include the word “obey” in them for the wife to promise to do for her husband.

Did you know that this in not what Paul is saying here?

The word submit in verse 18 is not obey.

In fact if you go to verses 20 and 22 the word obey is used.

Okay, so in verses 20 and 22 is the greek word, Hupakouo (ὑπακούω)

hupakouo (ὑπακούω, 5219), “to listen, attend” (as in Acts 12:13), and so, “to submit, to obey,” is used of “obedience”

But in verse 18 the greek word used is, Hupotasso (ὑποτάσσω)...

(ὑποτάσσω)

“subjecting yourselves”

hupotasso (ὑποτάσσω, 5293),

In other words, to willingly put oneself under another’s authority.

So it is not an issue of unquestioned, unwilling obedience, but of a willful choice on the part of the wife.

Well this begs the question, why would she do such a thing?

Why would she put herself under the authority of this man?

Paul gives what her motive ought to be… “Look at the end of verse 18...

“as is fitting in the Lord.”

Well, what does this mean?

The words, “in the Lord,” are to be construed with the word “fitting.”

This obligation on the part of the wife is fitting in the Lord in the sense that she is as to her position in salvation, in Christ, and a person in such a position has the moral obligation to obey the scriptures when they admonish the wife to be in subjection to her husband.

In other words, she, the CHRISTIAN WIFE is entrusting herself to the safe care and keeping not of her husband, but of her Savior!

The submission to her husband is an act of worship to her God!

Now, does this submission mean that she is somehow less valuable or inferior to her husband?

Absolutely not!

The wife is every bit equal to the husband as the husband is to the wife!

Explain -

What if your husband asks you to do something that is contrary to the Word of God?

Well, don’t do it!

Remember, when you are commanded to sin against God, we alway follow God! Remember what the apostles said when the sanhedrin commanded them to stop preaching the gospel?

We never obey man or his laws if they are in contradiction to what God has revealed in His holy Word!

Martha King, the author of An Exegetical Summary of Colossians, said this...

Neither does it mean that the wife should obey her husband if he asks her to do something wrong.

It is not slavery, nor is it being a doormat, but it is a willing submission springing out of the wife’s social position and out of the love she has for her husband and the desire she has to lean on him for support.

It is voluntary submission, recognizing that God has appointed the husband as leader, recognizing the hierarchy instituted by God in creation, accepting the way God has ordered life in the family.

(Martha King)

QUESTION—What is meant by ὑποτάσσεσθε ‘be subject’?

It means to be subject [EG, Herm, TH, WBC], to subject oneself [EG, WBC], to submit oneself [Ea, EG, Lg, Lns, TNTC], to be submissive [NTC], to be subordinate [NIC, TH, WBC], to obey [Alf, EGT, My, NTC, TH], to be ruled [TH], to accept or recognize the authority of another [SSA, TH], from which acceptance obedience flows [SSA].

It refers to the relationship between those in authority and those in subordination to them [Herm].

It refers to the role and function of the wife [TNTC].

It does not imply that the wife is inferior [EG, NIC, NTC, TNTC, WBC], nor does it downgrade her dignity [Herm].

Neither does it mean that the wife should obey her husband if he asks her to do something wrong [NTC].

It is not slavery [Ea, TNTC, WBC], nor is it being a doormat [TNTC], but it is a willing submission springing out of the wife’s social position and out of the love she has for her husband and the desire she has to lean on him for support [Ea].

It is voluntary submission, recognizing that God has appointed the husband as leader [Ea, EG, NTC, WBC], recognizing the hierarchy instituted by God in creation [EG, NIC, WBC], accepting the way God has ordered life in the family [Mrt].

Instead of telling wives to “obey” (Gk.

hypakouō), as was typical in Roman households, Paul appeals to them to “submit” (Gk.

hypotassō), based on his conviction that men have a God-given leadership role in the family.