Colossians 3:18-4:1 / David VanAcker

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. 4 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

For much of his letter, Paul writes in high and lofty theological terms. Inevitably, then, the Colossians must have been wondering what all of that meant for their ordinary lives, in their marriages, families, and homes. Our passage is Paul’s answer to that question. For the next three weeks, then, we’re going to look at three pairs (one pair each week—husbands/wives, parents/kids, masters/bondservants) of relationships that mark Christian households.

This week we’ll focus exclusively on vs.18-19. Insodoing, we’ll see the big idea that one critical aspect of enduring persecution and living according to our new natures in Christ is wives fittingly submitting to their husbands and husbands gently loving their wives. That’s also the main takeaway.

Service Order

Welcome
Exhortation
Assurance of Pardon
    O Church Arise
Reading – Psalm 33:1-5
    This Is My Father’s World
    Turn Your Eyes
Offering
Sermon
    When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Communion
    His Glory And My Good
Benediction

Memory Verse

Isaiah 64:4 - "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him."

Service Times

Prayer
8:30-8:45am
Sunday School
9:00am-10:00am
Worship Service
10:30am-Noon

Berea

This Sunday in Berea, we will continue our walk through Church History, this time covering the 4th century. Sunday School (kids ages 2-12) and Berea (kids 12+ and adults) is at 9am on Sunday mornings.