Series Big Idea: "Humanity is only complete in God the Son"

Sermon Big Idea: "Our relationships matter to God"

Key Scripture (Colossians 3:18-25)

Christians, do you struggle with how to live out your faith in your everyday relationships? How do you treat your family, friends, co-workers, and even those you may not get along with? This passage today from (Colossians 3:18-25) provides us with a clear and practical guide on how to live out our faith in all our relationships.

(Colossians 3:18-25)

18 Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so they won’t become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 

As Christians, the Father calls us to submit to His Son Jesus Christ, and His teachings in all areas of our lives. That includes our relationships. This means that we must align our thoughts, attitudes, and actions with what is pleasing to God. It is through those relationships that we have the opportunity to reflect the love and grace of Christ to others.

In these verses, the apostle Paul has given instructions to the believers in Colossae on how to live out their faith in their relationships. He starts by addressing specific relationships within their household: wives and husbands, children and parents, and slaves and masters. Each of these relationships includes a call to submission, with a focus on honoring and obeying God above all else.

The society in and around this city was deeply hierarchical, with men holding power over women, children, and slaves. Paul’s instructions to submit here, however, were countercultural, as he stresses mutual submission and a focus on serving one another rather than seeking power or control. This would have been a radical message, especially for women and slaves, who were seen as inferior in society. Paul was reminding them that in Christ, all believers are equal and called to submit to one another in love. Paul begins his teaching with the relationship between wives and husbands. The command for wives to submit to their husbands does not suggest inferiority, but a recognition of the husband’s leadership role in the family and a call to respect and support him. Husbands, on the other hand, are called to love their wives sacrificially, just as Christ loved the church. This means putting their needs above their own and seeking to understand and serve them in love.

He also addressed the relationship between children and parents. Children are called to obey and honor their parents, which is not always easy, especially in the culture that we live in that values independence and individualism. But as children honor and obey their parents, they are ultimately honoring and obeying God. He urged parents, in turn, not to provoke their children to anger but to guide them in the ways of the Lord. Paul didn’t stop there.

Next, he discussed the relationship between slaves and masters. Slavery was a common practice in the Greco-Roman world, and we need to know that Paul is not validating it. Instead, he is providing guidelines for how slaves and masters should treat each other considering their shared identity in Christ. Slaves are called to obey their masters with sincerity and diligence as if they were serving the Lord himself. Masters, on the other hand, are called to treat their slaves with fairness and equality, remembering that they too have a Master in heaven who shows no favoritism.

Conclusion

For us, these guidelines may seem hard to apply in the day and time we live. Our culture is totally opposite. But my friends, the principles of mutual submission, sacrificial love, and treating others with equality and respect, are still relevant today. As Christians, we should strive to build healthy and loving relationships with those around us, whether it be in our families, at work, or in our community.

Our relationships matter to God. He desires for us to live in harmony and love with one another, reflecting His love and grace to the world. I challenge each of us to continue to live out our faith in all our relationships, always seeking to honor and obey God above all else. We can start by examining our attitudes and actions towards those in our relationships. Are we showing humility, love, and respect to our spouses? Are we honoring and obeying our parents and treating our children with grace and patience? Are we treating those around us with fairness and equality, regardless of their social status or role? We can also ask for God's help to live out these principles in all our relationships. This means putting aside our own desires and seeking God's will for our relationships. It may also mean seeking forgiveness and making amends when we have failed to live up to these standards.

Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:

Holman Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version Bible

King James Version Bible

Christian Standard Bible

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