Sermon Extras

SERMON NOTES

Colossians 3:18-4:1 “An Embassy for the Kingdom” Review: Colossians 3:1 is Paul’s thesis for the rest of the letter!

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 This means that we don’t operate like the world “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..”- Philippians 3:20

 

INTRO> I think a boots on the ground way to illustrate this is what is known as an “Embassy”–“a group of officials led by an ambassador who represent their government in a foreign country” If you are a US citizens abroad, go to that embassy!

 

Big Idea > The Christian’s home is an embassy of heaven on earth.

 

3 crucial concepts:

• God created the family. Genesis 1:26
• Sin distorted the family.

• • “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:7-8

• • “To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” Genesis 3:16

• • “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.” Genesis 3:17-18

• • “ Cain spoke to Abel his brother.[d] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” – Genesis 4:8

• Jesus restores the family.
• Wives…fitting “in the Lord” v18
• Children…”pleases the Lord”v20
• Slaves…”fearing the Lord” v22
• Whatever you do…”for the Lord” v23
• Knowing that…”from the Lord” v24
• You are serving “the Lord Christ” v24
• Masters…”have a Master in Heaven” 4:1

1. Wives: Submit. v18

Submission is not:

• Inferiority- Men and Women are equal in value but distinct in roles. *ILL> Gas Pedal Break Pedal

• Absolute- notice “your husbands”

• Silence- Scripture is filled with women who speak wisdom!

Submission is:

• a reflection of the Trinity. “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3

• a recognition of God’s authority. LORD

• permission for my husband to lead. it’s voluntary.

“Female submission is not servile weakness but rather a display of strength and trust in God as the woman uses all her God given abilities while refusing to usurp the male authority in her life. The fall greatly distorted the harmonious yet distinct way men and women were intended to function together and God’s people are called to show the world how men and women are meant to relate in mutually beneficial ways for the glory of God.” ESV Study Bible, pg 2528

2. Husbands: Love v19

• The word that Paul uses here for “love” is the word ἀγαπάω (agapaō) ‘to love’ which is the word used for God’s love towards us.

Love is the self sacrificing commitment to seek the best for your spouse.

“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church-read on- and give his life for her. This headship, then, is most fully embodied not in the husband we should wish to be, but in the man who marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least.”- C.S. Lewis

• “do not be harsh with them” some translations say “bitter” Why did Paul say this? Because what if you actually do a loving act and do the above and don’t get the response that you want?

Two Types of Bitterness:

• Covert Bitterness- secret bitterness that is an attitude. Wishing she responded like other wives, constantly criticizing her in your mind and heart.
• Overt Bitterness- This comes out in your tone to her, how you speak about her.

James Dunn insightfully comments: “This is the likely outcome for anyone who stands on his rights alone and who knows and exercises little of the love called for in the first half of the verse.”

 

Big Idea > The Christian’s home is an embassy of heaven on earth.

 

Application:

• You can’t control your spouse but you can control your attitude towards your spouse.

• Fighting with your spouse and fighting for your spouse are two different things.

• The more you grow in your love for Jesus, the more you will grow in love with your spouse.

“ Everyday you and I reject the holiness of Jesus in a million different ways, only a fraction of which are we even conscious of. If Jesus were keeping a list of our wrongs, none us us would stand a chance. At any second of any day, even on our best days, Jesus could have legal grounds to say. “Enough of this, I can’t do it anymore, You’ve violated my love for the last

time.” The truth is, you’ve never met a wronged spouse like Jesus. You’ve never met a disrespected spouse like Jesus. You’ve never me a spouse who more than carried their weight like Jesus. He’s carrying the entire relationship on his back. This thing is totally one sided. And yet: he loves. And he gives. And he serves. And he approves. And he washes. And he delights. And he romances. And he doesn’t just tolerate us, he lavishes his affection on us. He justifies us and sanctifies us and we will glorify us.” Jared Wilson