Christlike Relationships

Colossians 3:18-4:1

Hopewell Baptist Church

May 15, 2022

Opening Illustration

Transition

Big Idea: All our relationships should be influenced by our relationship to Jesus.

Colossians 3:18–4:1 (ESV)

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 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.

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. 1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

This is the Word of the Lord our God, let us pray.

Christlike Relationships

I. Husbands and Wives – Colossians 3:18-19

a. In Christian marriage, in the Creation Order of Marriage, husbands are to be the leaders of the home.

i. We live in a time when many marriages seem to be more of a living arrangement, or a business arrangement, not the combining of two flesh into one.

b. Wives ought to align with and submit to the leadership of the husband.

i. Doing so is not blind obedience, but instead living out faithful obedience to the Lord.

c. Husbands must love their wives, sacrificially, as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her.

i. Culturally, when this was written, wives were often the recipient of a husband’s frustrations.

ii. Paul is reminding men here of the “and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2::24) via Biblical marriage.

d. If the Husband and Wife are walking in obedience to God, focusing both their lives and their marriage on Christ, then Christ will be modeled in their relationship for others to see.

II. Children and Parents – Colossians 3:20-21

a. Paul here codifies the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12), the first with a promise (Ephesians 6:1-2

b. Theses verses echo Paul’s writings to the Ephesians – Ephesians 6:1-3

III. Masters and Slaves – Colossians 3:22-4:1

a. Slavery is a sinful, manmade institution, something that the Bible does not condone, but it does address it because it exists. Culturally speaking, many slaves had freedoms and rights that we don’t necessarily think of when we think of slavery.

i. Many professions were made of slaves

ii. Possess property

iii. Practice their profession and make a living

iv. Possible earn enough money to buy their freedom

1. Emperor Cicero’s secretary, Tyro, was able to purchase his freedom and retire and die free (at 99 years old)

b. Paul exhorts believing slaves to work hard for their masters, as if they were working for Jesus.

i. Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”

ii. Paul exhorts believing masters to treat their slaves with dignity and honor.

1. Think Onesimus from Paul’s letter to Philemon, a letter which arrived at Colossae most likely at the same time as Paul’s letter to the Colossians!

2. Be fair and just with them, don’t just treat them as property.

IV. Application – Our relationships must be influenced by our relationship to Christ – Because we are Christians, we must act like and live out Christianity in our relationships with others.

a. Focus Your Relationships on Christ

i. Husbands and Wives, remember, your relationship is a picture of the church and of the Gospel to your family and loved ones.

1. Marriage is a God ordained institution where man and woman become one flesh! – Genesis 2

ii. Parents, speak to your children in a loving manner, even when discipling them.

1. Don’t be angry and don’t drive them to anger.

a. Proverbs 15:1

b. Ephesians 4:29

b. Focus Your Relationships on being Christ-like

i. When someone wrongs you, don’t complain or gossip behind their backs, talk to them – Matthew 18:15-20

1. Conversely, if you wrong someone, seek forgiveness

ii. Be Respectful in your relationships (regardless of how old you are!)

1. Be respectful in your conversations, even if you disagree.

2. And if you do disagree with them, make sure you deal with the feelings in a respectful manner, not in anger or the like because you disagree

c. Focus Your Work on brining honor and glory to God

i. Work hard and work well, in excellence, for your employers

ii. Employers, take care of your employees,…

d. Remember, We Are All In Christ. Our identities are first and foremost in Christ. We are what we are because we are in Christ.

Christlike Relationships

V. Response

a. Belief

i. Repent

ii. Believe

b. Obedience

i. Baptism

ii. Membership

c. Surrender

i. Vocation

ii. Volunteer