Colossians 3:22-25 - Christ at Work - 140727AM@TBC

INTRODUCTION:

1. Overview of the Book

 Theme:  Christ the Commander and Chief (preeminence of Christ)

“A proper view of Christ is the antidote for heresy.”

Outline:  

I. Doctrine: What Christ did for us  (Supremacy of)

II. Practice: What Christ does through us  (Submission to)

2. CONTEXT of the chapter

“If then you were raised with Christ,

seek those things which are above, where Christ is…

What does it mean to seek the things where Christ is?

1. The characteristics of the old man that must go.

2. The character of the new man to put on.

3. Christ and his Word should rule and dwell in you.

4. Our relationships should be defined by Christ.

3. PRAY and read Scripture ———>

²² Bondservants,

obey in all things your masters according to the flesh,

not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers,

but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

²³ And whatever you are doing, work heartily,

as to the Lord and not to men,

²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;

for you are serving the Lord Christ.

²⁵ But he who is doing wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

^4.1 Masters,

give your bondservants justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Note:

1. Of several primary spheres of relationships (government, church, family, and the workplace), Paul comments here on two of those spheres.  These are two examples of a larger concept of honoring Christ in our relationships.

2. This whole section of 3.18-4.1 focuses on how to find our proper place and priorities in these relationships.

3. He only gives brief comments about these complex relationships: husbands-wives and parents-children in the family relationships and masters-servants in the work relationship. 

4. Wait … Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit gives brief summaries of all but one, servants.  

Wives—        10 words

Husbands— 10 words

Children—   10 words

Fathers—      13 words

                       43 words total

Masters—     18 words

Servants—    71 words

5. Paul says more about servants alone that all the rest put together!  That is remarkable and we should take note of the importance it gives to these verses.

6. Why? … Possibly the Lordship of Christ is more challenging for a servant than the others.  However, the concepts in these verses also lay a foundation for all our human relationships.

BIG IDEA: There is one primary question that we are called on to examine in these verses.

Who are you really working for?

I. Parties Mentioned

· Note that there are two imperatives in these verses; “obey” (3.22) and “give” (4.1).

A. Servants

→ bondservants— δοῦλος  (G1401): (from deo, "to bind or fasten,") "a slave," originally the lowest term in the scale of servitude, came also to mean "one who gives himself up to the will of another," e.g., 1Cr 7:23; Rom 6:17, 20, and became the most common and general word for "servant   —Vine’s

nasb, rsv, niv84, went, hcsb, nlt—slaves;

nkjv, esv—bondservants; kjv—servants

→ obey— ὑπακούω G5219 hypakouō:  (From ὑπό sub G5259 and ἀκούω hear G191 ) to harken to a command 

· It is interesting to note, dads, that this is the same word used to describe the child’s relationship of obedience to you.  Your relationship with your boss gives you a strategic opportunity to model obedience for your children.

B. Masters

κύριος kyrios:  from a root “to swell,” “to be strong,” means a. “having power,” “empowered,” “authorized,” “valid.” The power denoted is a power of control rather than physical strength.  —Little Kittle

· This word is used like “Sir” and is uniformly translated masters in 3:22 and 4.1.

· Masters are exhorted to “treat with”, “give”,  “grant”, or “provide” or  justice and fairness to their servants.

· Note the special qualifier, “earthly”, “human”, or “according to the flesh.”

· This contrasts with the other four times the word is used in our passage.

C. The Lord Christ in heaven

· The qualifier in to master/lord in 4.1 _in Heaven” distinguishes it from the master “according to the flesh in 3.22.

· References to the Lord occur in every verse in our text.

· He is the reoccurring theme throughout the description of this workplace relationship.

· v. 22  “fearing God”

· v. 23  “to the Lord”

· v. 24   “from the Lord”

· v. 24   “serve the Lord Christ”

· v. 25    implied as one who repays without partiality

· v. 4.1  “a Master in Heaven”

· This Greek word κύριος (kyrios) is the word used to translate Yaweh in the Septuagint.  It is a reference to Christ’s deity. 

· The “God” who is to be feared in verse 22 is the “Lord Christ” who rewards and repays in verses 23-24.

· Christ is not only the center of this text, but also should be the center of the boss / employee relationship in our Christian walk.

· Application: When we leave this slide out of our lives, we cease to act like Christians.

II. Servant’s duties.

What are the stereotypes of employees today?

Lazy, disobedient, ungrateful, disrespectful, dishonest, (stealing), unreliable, uninterested  in the big picture.

A. To Masters

1. “According to the flesh”

· They [believers] were slaves only as far as human relationships were concerned.  — Charles Eerdman

· The meaning is that they had control over the body, the flesh.  The had the power to command the service which the body could render; but they were not Lords of the spirit.  The soul acknowledged God as its Lord.  —A. Barnes

· We should not gain our self-esteem or sense of worth from our status in the “fleshly” world.

2. “Obey in all things”

· If we cannot obey the boss we can see in all things, what hope is there for us to obey Christ, who we cannot see.

· Our piecemeal obedience to our boss at work can be an indicator of our vertical relationship with Christ.

· This is an area that we must really give over to Christ.

3. not with “eyeservice”

· Lit. “sight-labor” 

· “Another Pauline word (here and in Eph. 6.6), elsewhere only in Christian writers after Paul, an easy, and expressive compound, service while the master’s eye was on the slave and no longer.”  AT Robertson.

· “People don’t do what you expect; they do what you inspect.”  The common use of this proverb or saying is evidence to how widespread this problem is.

· “While the cat’s away, the mice will play.”

3. Not as “manpleasers” (people pleasers)

· We should not be motivated solely by a desire to win the favor of men. 

· Proverbs 29:26 
Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but every man’s judgment comes from the Lord.

· 1 Corinthians 4.2-4 ² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. ³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

· When work is done only or primarily for man’s approval, is it Christian obedience?

Applications:

· When we come home and gripe about our boss, we are teaching our children.

· Respect and obedience are not just for children and teens and not even primarily for children and teens.

· We teach our children to obey us not primarily to maintain order in the home, but to prepare them to obey Christ and honor him in their appropriate , godly obedience to others.

· When we are unfaithful in our earthly relationships we dishonor Christ.

We must honor Christ in our deeds, not just our words.

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Romans 14:

For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

For to this end Christ died and rosef and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

        B. Servant’s duties to Christ

· Notice how much more extensive and complete our obligation to the Lord is.

· The key issue here is  our perspective and that will affect our attitude. 

1. “Singlness of heart”

ἁπλότης  G572 - haplotēs: lit. singleness (like a braid)

Fig. 1. the virtue of one who is free from pretence and hypocrisy 

2. not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generosity

kjv, rsv—singleness; went—undivided; hcsb—wholeheartedly;

nasb, nkjv, esv, nin84, nlt—sincerity / sincerely

· “...without selfish designs, or hypocrisy and disguise... —Matthew Henry

· “...with undivided service…”  JB Lightfoot

· God to Asa after he didn’t trust him about the Ethiopian attack

· 2 Chronicle 16.9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

· This is reinforced and further explained by the next description.

2. “fearing God”

· Most of the versions translate this fearing (niv84 reverence)

· The fear of the Lord is the awareness that God is watching, weighing, and rewarding all that I do say or think.

· The fear of the Lord gives us courage and confidence when we  do right.  The awareness of God’s justice reminds us to avoid evil.
Pr 14:26-27 
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.

· We should not live in the fear of an earthly boss.  Our primary motivation to please the Lord Christ.

· Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

3. “Heartily”

· Lit. out of our heart as opposed to just going through the motions with no enthusiasm or energy.

· “as to the Lord” The idea is that doing something out of a heart of worship to the Lord will bring greater motivation and energy.

4. “Serve the Lord”

· I think that the contrast between the “obedience” to earthly masters and “serving” the Lord may be important here.

· We do obey what our earthly masters tell us.  We are well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilferiring, but showing al good fidelity,
 but we serve the Lord with all our hearts on a different and higher level.

· Our obedience and respect belong to men, but our hearts belong first to the Lord.

· 1 Corinthians 7:22-23
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.  ²³ You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men

5. “the reward”

· Slaves received no wages upon earth and were allowed no legal rights of inheritance; for them, however, there was laid up an inheritance in Heaven.  —CR Eerdman

· Ephesians 6.7-8
with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸ knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

· While salvation in the Bible is according to Grace judgment is always according to works, whether good or bad, for unbeliever and believer alike.  It is to believers that Paul writes elsewhere; “we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.”  (2 Cor. 5:17)  —NICNT

6. “No partiality”

· Sometime we get the idea that God will always be on the worker’s side.

· Leviticus 19.15
'You shall do no injustice in judgment.
You shall not be partial to the poor,
nor honor the person of the mighty.
In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.

·  

Applications:

•When we serve and fear our earthly masters, we are in danger of idolatry.  Check your heart.

· To have a godly sense of loyalty to our employer is a good thing. 

· To show respect is important.

· To do what they tell us is a Christian duty to God.

· But there is a service and fear that is only appropriate toward God.

· Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man brings a snare,

· Luke 12.4-7
⁴ "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

When we just do our duty to men we are just good, moral people. We are not Christian.

· It is a good thing to do your duty to men, but it is not enough.

· Only when we serve the Lord at work can we be truly and completely Christian.

· If Jesus is really your Lord, then He is the one that you ought to do your work for.  (Are you prepared to present each product, job, or service for His inspection.)

· Your conduct on the job can reflect your commitment to the Lord.  What is it saying?

 
Who are you really working for? 

The Charles Simeon Trust: The Melodic Line

MELODIC LINE
Principle: We will handle a specific text better if we understand what the whole book is about.

Explanation: Books of the Bible have a coherent, sustained message—or big idea—similar to the unique melody of a song. It is waiting to be heard. It unites the whole book, big theme and big aim, concisely stating what the whole book is about. Every passage will, in some way, be related (directly or indirectly, as support or even contrast) to the melodic line. Our task is to listen well enough and long enough to hear the melody.

Strategies: read and reread, identify a top and tail (e.g. Romans 1:5 and 16:26), find a purpose statement (e.g. Luke 1:1-4, John 20:30-31) or thesis statement, find repeated words and phrases and ideas (e.g. “joy” and “fellowship” in Philippians), follow the Old Testament quotations

Practice Texts: John 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 1 Samuel 8

Listen: Kent Hughes teaches at the 2012 Bay Area Workshop [mp3, 35mb]

http://www.simeontrust.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=125&Itemid=327

Father's Day Family Devotion for home use on 140615PM@TBC

 This family devotion guide was prepared to replace the normal evening worship service at Tulsa Bible Church with a family time around God’s word.  This collection of Scriptures, questions, and activities is probably more than you need, so that you may choose the parts that work best for your family.

I. Opening Prayer

    (Optional Warm Up Activity)

II. Scripture Reading

III. Lessons From Jeremiah 35

    (Optional Hymns)

IV. Closing Prayer Time

     Extras

A few tips:

· Just the act of having a family devotion or worship time says something to your kids about what it important.  You want to strive to make it an enjoyable and profitable time, but that will never happen if you don’t even try.

· Plan ahead for a good time when everybody can participate and make sure they know not to make other plans for that time.  Keep it short. Keep it simple.

· Turn off all electronics. I know this may seem like a given, but it needs to be mentioned.

· Let  the children interrupt and ask questions at the right times. This is not just a sermon. Let everybody ask, speak, tell, share, and participate. We want to know them.

· Include everyone, even the young ones. While it may seem easier to have a quiet time just with the ones who can sit and listen, it is so important to include your little ones in this family time.  As they grow and mature, they will learn and should be expected to sit quietly during the study.

· It’s also important to remember their ages.  If you have small children, you are probably not going to have a deep, heavy teaching time.  If you have a varied ages, try to include different approaches that are appropriate and applicable for the different ages.

I. Prayer:

· The leader (probably dad) should start your time by asking God to bless your time together. 

· You may also want to give the family members an opportunity to say a short prayer for their dad.

(Optional Warm Up Activity)

Starting with the youngest, let each family member tell something that they have learned from their Father.  (Parents, don’t forget to share something, too.)

III. Scripture Reading*:  Jeremiah 35:1-16

¹ The Lord spoke to Jeremiah in the time that Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, ruled Judah. This is what he said. ²  ‘Go to Recab’s family and ask them to come to the temple. Take them into a little room at the side of the temple and give them wine to drink.’

³ So I went to get the whole of Recab’s family. They were Jaazaniah, son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons. ⁴ I took them into a room in the Lord’s house. It was the room of the sons of Hanan. He was the son of Igdaliah, the man of God. It was next to the officer’s room, and that was over the door keeper’s room. The keeper of the door was Maaseiah, son of Shallum. ⁵ Then I took some bowls of wine and some cups. I put them in front of the men from Recab’s family and I said, ‘Drink some wine.’

⁶ They replied, ‘We do not drink wine. Our father Jonadab, son of Recab, said this to us. “You and your sons must never drink wine. ⁷And you must not build houses, or plant seed or vines. You must never have any of these things, but you must always live in tents. Then you will live for a long time while you move through the country.” ^8-9 We have obeyed everything that our father Jonadab, son of Recab, told us to do. We have never drunk wine. And we have never built houses or planted seeds. And our wives and children have never done any of these things. ¹⁰ We have obeyed completely all our father Jonadab’s rules. ¹¹ But, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came into this country, we came to Jerusalem. We said, “We must go to Jerusalem. We, must save ourselves from the armies of Babylon and Aramea.” So we stayed in Jerusalem.’

¹² Then the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. ¹³ ‘This is what the great, powerful Lord, the God of Israel, says. Go and speak to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Ask them to learn a lesson from the sons of Recab. ¹⁴ Jonadab, Recab’s son, said that his sons must not drink wine and they have always obeyed him. They have not drunk wine even to this day. They have always obeyed their father’s rule. But I have spoken to you again and again and you have not obeyed me. ¹⁵ I have sent my servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not obeyed me. The prophets said, “Each of you must stop doing wrong things. You must change the things that you do. Start doing the things that are right. Do not be servants of other gods. Then you will live in the country that I have given to you and your fathers.” But you did not think that this was important. You did not listen to me. ¹⁶ The sons of Jonadab, Recab’s son, obeyed the rules that their father gave to them. But these people have not obeyed me.

* If your children are old enough, you might want them to take turns reading a verse each.  It is usually helpful for each to state the verse number when they read, especially if some are using different versions.

* We have provided the passage in the EasyEnglish Bible, which is based on a vocabulary of 1,200 words to make it easier for younger children. You may prefer to read from another version if your children are older.

IV. Lessons from Jeremiah 35: 

· This story reminds us of  how the father has a responsibility to give wise counsel to their children.  It also reminds us that obedience is wise and sets a good example for others.

· The first three questions give background on the main characters.  The next three focus on lesson to be learned from the events in the passage.  The last three are related questions with verses from the book of Proverbs to reinforce the truths in the story.

· The answers are only intended to provide highlights.  You will want to expand further.  Examples from your life will help make these truths come alive for your children.

 

1. Who was Jeremiah?

Jeremiah was, by nature sympathetic, gentle and tender in his feelings.  A decided contrast to this is found in the hard and unmerciful judgment which it was his mission to announce. God made him strong, firm, and immovable like iron for his mission.  He prophesied from the reign of  King Josiah through the destruction of Jerusalem. 

 —www.InternationalStandardBible.com

2. Who were the Recabites?

The Recabites belonged to the Kenites, who accompanied the children of Israel into the Promised Land, and dwelt among them.  Moses married a Kenite wife (Judges 1:16).  Jael  was the wife of “Heber the Kenite” (Judges 4:17-22).  Saul also showed kindness to the Kenites (1 Samuel 15:6). The main body of the Kenites dwelt in cities, and adopted settled habits of life (1 Samuel 30:29); but Jonadab commanded his descendants to lead a nomadic life.  —WebBibleEncyclopedia.org

3. Who was Jonadab?

Jonadab is described as an ally of Jehu in the demolition of Baal-worship in Samaria (2 Kings 10:1-36). He is called the "father" of the Rechabites, who derived from him their ordinances for their nomadic life and abstention from wine (Jeremiah 35:1-19).   —www.InternationalStandardBible.com

——————————-

4. Why were Jonadab’s instructions wise? 

Jonadab’s instructions to not drink wine helped to keep them sharp and alert (Proverbs 23:29-35*).  The prohibition against living in houses and planting kept them from being tied down to a particular location.

5. How did obeying Jonadab help the Recabites?

When the Babylonians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel, it was easy for the Recabites to get away by moving to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 35:10-11).  Their obedience helped to keep them safe from danger.

6. Why was God able to use the Recabites a good example?

Because the Recabites obeyed their grandfather, they set the example for Israel on how to obey God (Proverbs 20:11; 1 Timothy 4:12).  When we obey our parents, we are also learning to obey God.

——————————-

7. Why do our fathers correct us?  What would it mean if they didn’t care how we acted?

Proverbs 3:11-14 (esv)

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

¹² for the LORD reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

8. What does our response to our father reveal about us?

Proverbs 15:5-7 (esv)

⁵ A fool despises his father's instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.

9. How can we bring joy to our father?

Proverbs 23:22-25 (esv)

²² Listen to your father who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³ Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

²⁵ Let your father and mother be glad;

     let her who bore you rejoice. 

(Optional Hymns)  

· Faith of Our Fathers, by Frederick Faber

· Great is Thy Faithfulness, by Thomas O Chisholm

· Eternal Father, Strong to Save,  by William Whiting

· Sing one of Dad’s favorites.

You can use hymnary.org, sermonaudio.com/hymnlist.asp, or hymntime.com to get the words.

IV. Closing:

· A father should remember that he was a husband first.  One of the best things he can do for his children is to faithfully love and cherish their mother.  His example sets the tone for the whole family.

· The father should take a few minutes to speak words of blessing and encouragement to each family member and then close by praying for them.  If the father is not available, mom or an older child can close in prayer.

Extras:

Bible Trivia about Fathers: Who am I?

1. I can't believe that one of my sons is best friends with my worst enemy! Who am I?

2. My sons had a tendency to be hot-headed and earned themselves the nickname "Sons of Thunder". Who am I?

3. When an angel messenger told me my elderly wife would bear a son, I asked for a sign as proof. Who am I?

4. I promised to give my beautiful stepdaughter anything she wished if she would dance for my guests. Her vicious request shocked me.  Who am I? 

5. I married the only woman in the world.  Who am I?

6. I was a ruler of the synagogue who begged Jesus to cure my dying daughter. Who am I?

7. I was the son of Nun? Who am I?

8. I thought my son was dead, but later he saved my life.  Who am I?

9. I thought my dad was going to sacrifice me, but God provided a sacrifice.  Who am I?

Jokes:

“Things Dad Would Never Say.” Such as:

“Here, you take the remote.”

“Can you turn up that music?”

“I LOVE your tattoo. We should both get new ones.”

“Don’t worry about how much it costs.  Money is no object.”

A family of mice were surprised by a big cat. Father Mouse jumped and said, "Bow-wow!" The cat ran away. "What was that, Father?" asked Baby Mouse. "Well, son, that's why it's important to learn a second language."

Trivia answers:  1. Saul;  2. Zebedee;  3. Zacharias;  4. Herod; 5. Adam;  6. Jarius;  7. Joshua;  8. Israel;  9. Isaac