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Good morning friends, today we’re looking together at Colossians 3:18 – 4:18. This section of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Colosse, builds of course on all Paul previously wrote in this letter, but especially on the first 17 verses of Chapter 3. Paul issues a challenge to a radical lifestyle, that is only possible if God really has transformed a person, from who they were naturally, to who they are when the Holy Spirit of God lives within them. Paul is describing what I’m calling a ‘radical lifestyle’ which is counter-culture to normal life both in his day and ours, in every society of the world. Would you agree with that?
Look at 3:7 “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.” I’ve titled our journey, “Walking with Jesus” in part because of this verse. There should be a dramatic contrast between the person you and I were before we trusted fully in Jesus, and we were radically transformed by the Holy Spirit of God in our re-generation, and who we are now after that miracle of God, as we now walk daily with Jesus. Do you agree?
Paul gives us some graphic examples of that previous lifestyle in 3:5-9, and some very specific instructions of HOW to live the new life of “walking with Jesus” in 3:12-17. The evidence of Jesus in our lives should be undeniable, my friends! It should never come as a surprise to someone who hears you are a Christian! Right?
This radical lifestyle begins with the focus on our hearts and minds, in 3:1-4. Do you see the clear statement of where the risen Jesus is now, in vs. 1? Then Paul’s challenge about our responsibility to take authority over the temptations that want to creep back in and draw us back in the darkness in vs. 5?
Do you see the action words Paul uses in the following verses? This is not a passive lifestyle, it requires commitment, discipline, perseverance, and careful attention to our attitudes and actions. Look carefully at these action phrases… “…clothe yourselves…Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another….put on love…let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another…” (3:12-16)
Do you see the importance of filling our minds and hearts with God’s Word in vs. 16 and finally the priority of making sure our overall life objective is vs 17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Now beginning in vs. 18, Paul challenges wives, husbands, slaves and masters with short statements that should be the living evidence of the deeper inner work of the previous 17 verses. May I paraphrase them this way. . .
18… “Wives, as your husbands live God honoring lives as described above, submit to them with joy, certain that as they follow Jesus, so you will be able to follow them, in confidence that God is guiding you together, and will bless your marriage.”
19...“Husbands, as you consistently live the Holy Spirit filled life described above, you will naturally love your wives as Jesus loves them, and you will treat them with tender respect and honor, as God’s wonderful life partner gift to you.”
20…“Children, as you watch your parents live God honoring lives as described, you will want to follow your parents’ lead in every way, as you see them following Jesus. In this way, the entire family is following Jesus together, and this will please God greatly and bring His blessing upon you.”
21…“Fathers, be careful as you lead your families. Your wife and each child are unique, so be alert to how the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and discernment to treat them as Jesus would treat them if He were their husband or Daddy. Be careful not to treat them in a way that causes them to become bitter toward you or toward God.”
Now I ask you… do you see those as fair paraphrases of what Paul wrote as pertains to the family?
You’ll notice Paul did not focus a specific verse on Mothers. Let’s remember that up until the industrial age, children spent a great deal of time with their Dad’s working the farm or caring for the animals. Both boys and girls were profoundly influenced by Dad since as soon as they were weaned, like little Samuel, they joined in the family work under the direction of the Father. Mothers had a very important role in the family, but fathers were primarily responsible for the development of the children’s character, work ethic, practical skills, teamwork, self-motivation, following instructions etc. both boys and girls, as they worked closely with their dads, everyday in the life of the family business.
Do you see how much dad leaving the family to ‘go off to work’ and being away from the family the majority of the day, and sometimes even traveling in their work and away several days at a time, has had dramatic effect on the family relationships and the God designed mentoring role of Dad’s? Do you see the damage of ‘absentee Dad’s’, or the travesty of single parents families?
While Paul uses the word “slaves” in vs. 23, may I urge us to consider the word “employees”? And rather than the word “masters” may I suggest the word “bosses” or “employers” or “supervisors” as you apply Paul’s teaching in 3:23-4:1 to today’s marketplace? In those verses, my friends, you’ll find a wonderful picture of a God honoring employment environment and one which will produce mutually beneficial results for everyone… employee, employer, customer, vendor, stock holder in the company etc.
Now… let’s stop just a moment and ask ourselves how we could take all these powerful truths of Chapter 3, and pour them into our kids, grandkids and everyone willing to listen? What a dramatic difference it would make if your extended family and mine; your church and mine; and the business environment of every business we frequent…would function like Paul has instructed here! Do you agree? But remember, it’s not the result of hard work only, it begins with the focus of our minds and hearts (3:1-4) and the authenticity of the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our lives!
In chapter 4, you’ll find a bucket of priceless jewels in vs. 2-6. Oh my! Prayer… my dear friends, have you discovered the remarkable wonder of conversation with Almighty God, as your heavenly Father who loves you deeply, and is Sovereign over all, with unlimited understanding of you, and everything in your life? Have you discovered the delight of interceding for other people, even if they don’t know you are praying for them, and then watching God work in their lives? Have you seen the power of Prayer when God does what only God can do, in response to the prayers of His people?
Verses 5 & 6 are gold aren’t they? “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
‘Outsiders’, as Paul refers to them here would be anyone unknown to you or anyone who you believe are not followers of Jesus Christ. “seasoned with salt” is using the phrase Jesus used in Matthew 5:13-16, and Paul’s readers would have understood it to mean they should speak truthfully, honestly, and only those things that are helpful to others. Remember Ephesians 4:29? Peter expanded a bit on this concept of giving a proper answer when he wrote “..in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” (1 Peter 3:15,16)
In the closing verses of Colossians, Paul again gives special greetings to friends, and assures the Colossian Christians, that they are loved and being prayed for by he and those with him in Rome. It appears Paul sent this letter to Colosse with Tychicus and the repentant slave Onesimus, who was going back to his master Mr. Philemon. Remember the letter Paul wrote to Philemon which we looked at a few days ago?
Notice please vs. 8 & 9. Paul was constantly trying to put out the fires of rumors about him, so here again he wants to send friends who will provide accurate information about him and his situation in Rome. Oh my friends, let’s never feed the wildfires of rumors or gossip. Rather, let’s be fire-extinguishers when those flames come running toward us.
Lastly, notice Paul urges the folks in Colosse to send this letter on to the Christians in a nearby town called Laodicea, as it will serve them well to read and apply it to their lives as well. Paul also refers in vs. 16 to a letter he evidently wrote specifically to the Christians in Laodicea, and urged them to share it with the Christians in Colosse. That letter, has been lost over the course of the first century, and thus is not included in our Bible.
And then Paul’s final comments “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” We presume Paul dictated this letter and perhaps Tychicus was the scribe who wrote what Paul dictated, and then brought it to Colosse. But Paul wanted to add, in his own handwriting, a final comment confirming this letter was authentically from him.
And then three powerful little words. . .”remember my chains”. Do you hear a call for pity in those words? Oh no, my friends. Paul repeatedly said it was actually is privilege to be in chains for his faithfulness to God and his refusal to be silent about Jesus! I think Paul is inviting the people to see Paul’s chains as trophies and weapons God was using to draw even the Roman guards to Jesus, as we will see when Paul writes to his friends in Philippi.
And finally, it was always Paul’s desire that everyone touched by his life would experience God’s kindness, God’s grace, poured out upon them! Is that our desire too my friends. . .that everyone who knows us, hears us speak, sees our eyes connect with theirs, and our smile, feels our touch. . .will be experiencing God pouring His kindness through us to them?
Oh Lord Jesus, thank you for this remarkable letter from Paul, may your Holy Spirit please burrow the words deeply into our hearts, bringing us the same encouragement and teaching that you brought the Colossian Christians who first received it 2000 years ago!
Click to read today’s chapter: Colossians 3. Colossians 4. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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