Good evening, everybody is great to be here with you to worship.
And now to study God's word together, we're going to be
studying in Colossians chapter 3, verse 17 through 21.
If you'll turn with me there, I don't know if Terry thought he
was funny, giving me the section on the home and how wives are to
treat their husbands husband to treat their wives and not a
parent. But he gave me a good challenge
that I think I learned a lot from.
So thank you for that and now you have to deal with it.
So we're going to go ahead and read those verses to begin
beginning. In verse 17 of Colossians
chapter 3, it says, and whatever you do in word or deed do all in
the name of the Lord, Jesus giving.
Thanks to God the Father I threw him wives submit to your own
husband's at his as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands love your wives and do not be bitter toward them
children obey, your parents in the and all things for this is
well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers do not provoke your
children less, they become discouraged.
Okay so this is our the landscape of what we're going to
cover tonight. Now let's go back up to the
first verse. I love how this starts out he
says, and whatever you do in word or deed.
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
So this gives us a good starting point for everything.
We're going to look at everything.
He's going to say is based on the premise of what he just said
it makes everything else. He's says, okay, because this is
on Jesus Authority and everything we do.
This is supposed to cover every area of Our Lives because it's
not something we take our godliness and were Godly and,
and one section. And we go about our work or we
navigate our relationships, another area of our life.
These areas of our lives are where we, where we ignite
godliness there, the mediums through which we involve
godliness in our lives. And that's he says, they're
everything we do is in the name of our Lord Jesus.
So that first question says, what is meant by the phrase?
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
So it's not saying that we need to do everything in the name of
the Lord Jesus. By speaking those words, I go to
school. Today, I go to work today in the
name of the Lord Jesus and we To say those words, that's not what
it's saying. What that word that phrase in
the name of the Lord Jesus is, is it's acting knowing that
that's who are acting on behalf of he says, in word or indeed,
if that's who we're speaking on behalf of that is who were
operating on behalf of in this and in our life and that's hard
to focus on all the time, when we realize how big of a deal
that is, its kind of overwhelming.
I'm the one who speaking for God on Earth, I'm the one who is
supposed To show people what Christ is like.
And that's a big thought, but that's what second Corinthians.
5:20 says it tells us that we are Christ's ambassadors on
Earth and Ambassador is somebody who who leaves the country on
behalf of the country and goes and speaks to another country
and their representatives. It's a representative for for
the country or part of. So, our US ambassador, may meet
with a rep meet with an ambassador of China and they
discuss operations. They discuss relationships from
each side. And that's what we are for God.
We are a representative for God. We are acting on behalf of God,
here, in everything we do. And he said here, that this is
to cover anything we say, and anything we do and, you know,
it's, it would be kind of silly if you had an ambassador who
just sat around and did nothing, you just sat with his feet up
all day and didn't go make any interactions who if you had a,
you know, someone else, maybe they're their assignment was a
CIA agent. If they just sat around and did
nothing, if we have a position, And we need to stand up to our
position. It's not like we can shrink away
from this and say I know that's that's great for some people but
I just don't want to be that. We're called to be an ambassador
because no one else is going to do it.
And it's important that we do it well because because it's not
like Christ is gonna be here, picking up our pieces all the
time and physically if I go about my daily life Christ isn't
standing there, talking to everyone else going.
Okay? He was a jerk today.
He was not very kind you and he didn't do what he should have
been doing it. He didn't help you guys.
Like you should have but that's not what a Christians.
Really like a Christian shouldn't be like that.
A christ-like person is someone like this Jesus isn't there to
pick up our pieces all the time. It is.
Our job to be Christ's representative in the way we
live. And that concept of doing
everything in the name of the Lord.
Jesus is something that should govern everything we talked
about going on from here. So, carrying the name is to
summarize, it is the realization, the perspective,
and the purpose of working for him and for his glory.
So moving on to the next verse Verse 18, do the second half of
verse 17 says, do all in the name of the Lord.
Jesus giving. Thanks to God the Father through
him. So that's something we do with
thankfulness. It's something we don't want to
shirk away from shy away from, is the chance that we get to be
a part of this. We get to be an ambassador of
Christ. We get to have that license if
you will. What if God said, you know, you
messed up so you can never be a part of my team.
You can never be a part of what I'm going to do on this Earth.
You know, that be disappointed. We'd be on the outside looking
in, but God tells us you get to be a part of my team.
You get to act as my Ambassador and you need to give, thanks to
God, the Father through him and everything you do.
It's an attitude of thankfulness even though it's a heavy thing,
we accept it and we're going to be doing everything we do with a
thankfulness toward God. Okay, so Verse 18, says, wives
submit to your own husband's as is fitting in the Lord.
So what we just said, Everything we do needs to be done in the
name of the Lord Jesus. So, so, starting off in wife or
wives wives need to act toward their husbands and in the name
of the Lord Jesus, let's remember that.
So we're acting on wiser to act on the name of the Lord Jesus
and the way they act and how are you how are women supposed to
act toward their husbands to submit to your own husband's as
is fitting in the Lord. So the first part, I want to
notice on that is the OWN the word own right there.
He could have said, well, I've submit to men like in statement,
but I think it's important here and what he says is that he says
submit to your own husband's, women are not an inferior being.
There is a headship crisis. Stablished God, the Father
Christ, man. And God, that's just the order
of things that God set it up in. But it doesn't mean the women or
the wife's are in any lower position, less of a any position
of lesser value. And is important to notice that
he says to submit to your own husband's.
This isn't that there's a direct commandment to submit to any
man, any situation. So I think that's an important
note as we move forward. But the overall command that's
given here is to submit. Now this is for something.
I want to focus as a universal concept because we are told as
Christians to be submissive as a whole, that's a command
throughout scripture. And I think that is the Biggest
most probably the most impactful way we can show Christ to others
in general, that is what Christ did.
He took his will and he put it aside and he came down here,
everything you see in Christ's life was a this is what I might
want, but I'm going to set that aside and do this.
I'm going to set aside everything that's perfect up in
here here in heaven. However it is I'm going to set
aside and go to my people. I'm going to set aside what I
want over and over. And so Christ attitude that he
set for us was one of submission.
And so instead of looking at like many people, look at that
as a negative thing, this submissive attitude.
It's not, it is a position of strength.
It is, I have this power but I'm going to release it.
It's kind of like gentleness. I've heard gentleness described
a strength controlled Like, like I have the ability to do one
thing, but I'm going to give, I'm going to carefully control
myself and handle this and give you the, the upper hand or
whatever. It might be.
So this concept of submission is discussed in Ephesians chapter 5
verse 21 through 23. And there is says submitting to
one another, to one another, in the fear of God, that is a
commandment for everyone to submit to one another.
So this is primarily an instruction to be submissive to
all Christians. Now I think both for this
command toward the women to be to submit to your own husband's
and the command that's going to follow, for the husband's to
love your wives. Those are both.
Those are both commands for all Christians to love your wives
and do not be. Be bitter.
Those are the love to not be bitter and submissiveness is
something we're all commanded to do anyway.
But I think these two are pointed out specifically for one
for the man and one for the woman because maybe there are
areas that we commonly fail in that one of the areas we falter
first and is maybe the husbands don't love their wives if they
feel certain way and they turned bitter.
That's a maybe that's a first reaction.
Maybe the wives first reaction for many is when their husbands
not acting. Well to I'm not going to say
admit to that. But so this, these are ways that
God is pointing out perhaps that their key areas, we need to
focus on and if we're in one of these roles as a husband, or a
wife, In Philippians 2 verse 3. We're told to do nothing from
selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others, more
exciting. More significant than ourselves
to look at to the other to the needs of others.
As more important than our own. And I think, as we, as the
question asks, well, how does this a wife submit to her own?
Husband is important to notice these Concepts as a whole to
know, how this can be implemented in a way in a wife's
life is that they are you weird to look at no one else's needs
above our own and a wife can do that by looking out for the
needs of her husband, and taking care of those.
And in many different ways and companionship, and strength, and
encouragement support. Anything you might throw in
there. It is, it is something that the
wife should be looking for and submitting to sometimes take
what she wants and set aside and do what might be best for her.
Husband that how the question as to.
How does a wife submit to her husband?
I think is important to note that says, as As is fitting in
the Lord that you don't just submit to anything.
If you're a wife, you submit to things that are proper in the
Lord. First things that are, okay,
that God wants us to do first. And from, there it is, I guess
it's a discretionary command is what can I do for him in this
situation? What can I do for him and this
situation? So it's a situational thing is
how to best submit to her own husband and taking care of him
and helping him. And I think this is also
addressed in First Peter chapter 3 beginning in verse 1.
There it says that wives are to submit going to turn over there
real quick. Why is likewise be submissive to
your own husband's that? Even if some do not obey the
word, they without a word, may be won by the conduct of their
wives. So, what you just said there is
that if you have an unbelieving husband, even if you might not
believe the word of God Alone, maybe because of your actions,
your submissive attitude, your your godliness, you can change
him. And I think that is a critical
part of everything we've discussed here is the power of a
submissive. We'll have it your way out of
tude and changing hearts. For both the woman and for all
of us to have a submissive attitude, I don't know.
One thing that can turn someone's head faster as when
they expect you to do one thing in a selfish way and to act in
their own interest and you say no here, we'll do it your way.
I know I wanted this and it's obvious maybe by the situation
but no, we're going to do it your way.
I'm going to sacrifice on my behalf to get to let you have
the upper hand somehow and that is a beautiful thing because
people are going to say, wait what?
They can have a double. Take.
What do you mean? You're going to?
Give up something for me. I know you wanted that.
No you can have it. That's for you.
We're going to do it your way. And so as a whole this is an
attitude. I think we can all learn from
Going on to verse 19. It says husband's, love your
wives and do not be bitter toward them.
So this instruction for the husband's is to not be bitter.
Some of these things, I'm not gonna have a whole lot to say on
because I will maybe leave for the older man or someone else to
fill in these gaps because I don't have a whole lot of advice
on, but one of the things as I was thinking about these things,
why can a husband get bitter toward his wife and typically
Bitterness comes from, it seems like from a place of an
expectation that was not met for example.
If you had a friend who was supposed to be a good friend to
you that you guys had been close friends for a long time and they
betrayed you or they went, you know, they did something
contrary to you. And they kind of left you high
and dry that creates a certain feeling of bitterness that you
don't feel from anyone else. People can make you angry on the
side of the road, people can make you angry.
You're going about your daily business.
They can make you frustrated. But Bitterness comes from
something that's deeper seeded and you're angry about because
they should have done better for you.
And I think as as many men approached relationships
husband's approach relationships, they see, they
see this wife when, you know, maybe the first together is
this, the this perfect being that can't do any wrong and
they're just so overwhelmed with how great they are.
And then there's a point where they realize, hey, they're
human. But for for someone who felt
like this woman is everything that will ever need in my life
to make me happy in any way. That's a big drop off for them
to feel like, well, this person failed me this, you know, my
wife failed me on this and so maybe that's where the
bitterness comes in, where his expectations for her were so
high that when she didn't meet those expectations, he got
bitter because she should have been something else for him.
That's just some thoughts. I have maybe that's why, but I
think that speaks to the need for husbands to have wise
expectations. I guess I'm pointing.
Fingers at myself. As I'm the one who's kind of
stepping on Deck to this, but to have wise expectations, that,
that yes, you, you want to choose a Godly wife and you want
to choose, someone is going to be best for you.
But there's a point where she is human as well, and she won't be
God. She's not going to be perfect.
And, and if, if she does feel, that's just because she's a lot
like you, she's a lot like any of us.
So, to have wise expectations for marriage and for A spouse or
for anyone in our lives. I think it will be helpful in
fostering, good relationships, but the message to the men is to
love the wife, to show them like to show them love.
And another scripture it says to bear with them and understanding
and to dwell with him and understanding so to really get
to know them because that will help to not have a ridiculous
estimation for them. They're not going to be gone.
Let's get to know them how they are.
Let's get to know them in the different ways.
That That will help us interact better.
So, to dwell with him in understanding, instead of being
bitter and to love, that's the instruction.
Going on in verse 20, it says children obey, your parents and
all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
So the instruction to Children is to obey and that's funny.
I had one Cole was younger. He had to write like children
obey your parents in the Lord. For this is right.
Honor, your father and mother for this is the first
commandment with promise Cole got in trouble for doing
something that you shouldn't have done.
I think he, he, you know, my parents knew he was going to do
something, but he told me wouldn't.
But he did anyway, whatever went on it.
Did something. And he had to write like 150
times that whole scripture out, and I just remember pages and
pages of that. But the beautiful thing with
this scripture is it something the child can do to glorify God?
You know, we can wonder, how can I really make God happy?
How can I make God? Feel something that's, that's a
fascinating thought and for a child for someone who's
underneath the parent underneath their roof, it's as simple as
doing what they say and it doesn't feel like that's a big
deal, but Odds is, it makes him happy.
And that's all we need to know. I think to really soak in that
awareness, that it's that simple.
And I can do that today and I can't access God in that way.
I can get to God in a way that will make him happy by by
obeying my parents because for because God sets up parents, as
kind of the first authority figure in our lives to where we
learn Authority. We learn, we learn how to
ultimately handle God. By the way, we handle our
parents by The way we submit to our parents, by the way, we obey
them and show respect to them. And so it is important that we
take that picture going to set up as God the father and learn
how to interact with that presence with our Earthly
fathers, in our Earthly mothers. And there's another scripture.
We're told in the fusion 6 verse 2, it says to honor them we're
told the children on your parents and and the best way to
do that regardless of whether they are in the Lord whether
they're not is to obey them because honoring them Obeying
them shows them honor. Now, as this question States is
ever permissible for a child to disobey his parents and this is
where the Ephesians 6 verse 1 and 2 comes in is yes, I
believe. So, if that parent is asking the
child to do something that is contrary to what God wants, God
is always the primary head in our life.
He's the primary figure of authority and so while a parent
may be the head of the child the primary Authority is God now.
In the situation that you have a parent wanting a child to do
something, contrary to God's, will the child is still honoring
the parent by doing what God wants, even if they're not
obeying the parent because of the wrong instruction, they're
getting they're still honoring their parent because as as their
parent, it is their job to prepare them for God.
And so if that child Will obey. God first that is an honor to
the parents in reality, whether the parent is Godly and realizes
it or whether the parent is ungodly and doesn't realize it.
The highest honor that can be given is to First obey, God.
I don't know if I made that clear, but we can honor our
parents and all things regardless of whether their
instruction is wise or unwise. Verse 21, fathers do not provoke
your children less, they become discouraged.
I was I was I was talking to Frank about this.
He said that his favorite description of it is to
exasperate, don't exasperate your kids, don't harp on them in
a way that that kind of Beats them down the bludgers them and
doesn't it doesn't help them grow.
Because as a parent the job of the parent is to nurture and to
raise up a child to build them up and not to take hits at them.
not to take body shots that hopefully make them stronger,
it's to build them up and one of the things he said is that
Parents shouldn't say something to a child that they can't
respond to like name-calling or blood during comments.
That really don't the child is like, what do I say to that?
How do I respond? I can't like improve with with
ridiculing comments. I can't be better with with the
grading comments. So I guess the words he
suggested were to give words that children can respond to and
Obey and improve upon. And this this instruction was
given as I understand as he was telling me from a culture where
the parents had authority to do really too much, they have the
authority to even give or take the child's life.
And so they had to be reined in. They had to learn to wield that
power in that control with, with a Godly attitude instead of a
domineering one. We thank you for listening to
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