Serve the King in Community

            Life should never be lived alone.  Some of the best friends in my life are those with whom I have labored with serving the Lord.  You can build friendships around a common activities or events, but I believe you build deep “family” friendships when you serve the Lord in close community.  The Apostle Paul gives us a model in how to serve in close community.

Serve in Close Community

            Paul was an extraordinary man.  Outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, he probably did more to spread Christianity than any other individual in history.  He wrote 13 books of the Bible. He planted numerous churches. He was an extraordinary man, but he was also just a man.  He struggled with sin. He struggled with loneliness and fatigue.  He struggled with hurt and confusion. Paul was a man that was able to accomplish extraordinary things, because he had help.  First and foremost, he had help from God.  1 Tim 1:12, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.” Paul ultimately knew that whatever he was able to accomplish for God he did by the strength and grace of God. That being said, Paul was able to accomplish much for God, because he served in close community with other brothers in the faith. 

            Remember Paul is writing this letter in prison.  He was put into prison because of his preaching of the gospel. He was put in prison for following the will of the Lord.  It is hard emotionally to experience trials and difficulties when you are following God.  Have you ever been there?  You are working for the Lord and trying to serve him and yet are experiencing hardship and difficulty. Following God does not always produce comfort, but often it brings persecution and affliction.  If that is the case, how important were the men that served alongside Paul?  Listen to how Paul speaks of these men, verse 7, “Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” Verse 9, “⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.” Verse 14, “¹⁴ Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.” Can you hear his affection for these men?  There is so much warmth and love for these men. 

            Listen to verses 10-11, “¹⁰ My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) ¹¹ Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” Paul is in prison, experiencing hardship and trial, and yet God comforted him. How? Paul is comforted through the faithful service of his dear brothers in Christ.  Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.”  Aristarchus, a name that is not regularly used in our conversation, was a fellow prisoner. He was jailed with Paul for his service for King Jesus.  He was also with Paul during the riot in Ephesus in Acts 19:28-29” ²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater,” and in again during Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27. And yet, he was still with Paul.  A brother is born of adversity. 

When someone is with you and comforts you in adversity, your love for them grows exponentially. So let me say two things. First, if you are in trial, do not face it alone.  Invite people in to comfort you in the midst of that trial.  Secondly, if you see someone in trial, comfort them. Beloved, we do not need to go through affliction alone.

            Another blessing that Paul experienced in serving in a close community was that he was able to give away the ministry. The mission was bigger than the Apostle Paul.  He knew that there was much work to be done and more than one man can handle.  So he delegated the ministry to other men.  Paul sent Tychicus and Onesimus to the church to tell them about what was happening with him and to encourage their hearts. Verse 8-9, “⁸ I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our^[a] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. ⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.”

  Paul could not make it personally, but he still wanted to care for the people.  He wanted their hearts to be encouraged.  These two men came on behalf of Paul as if Paul was coming himself.  They came as a representative of Paul.  Would they have preferred for Paul to come? Of course, but they appreciated the men who came. Recently, our deacons have divided up on church membership roll to share in the responsibility of caring for the flock.  So if a deacon calls or visits, they are coming as a representative of the church.  As a pastor I want to make as many visits as I can, but if I do not make a visit, know that it is not out of lack of concern. Like Paul, I want your hearts to be encouraged, that is why we are dividing up our membership so that we may more effectively care for you and to work that no one is overlooked. More information will be announced in the forerunner this coming week regarding our deacon families.  

            Paul served in close community with other believers.  His friends and brothers were one of the reasons he was able to accomplish so much for kingdom of God. His brothers were dear to him and much loved.  So do you have close brothers or sisters that you are serving with?  If you don’t, you have to ask yourself why don’t you have these kinds of relationships. Pride? Selfishness? Fear of Rejection? Timidity? Friendships and relationships are strengthened when we serve together.  Serve in close community.

Serve your Church Community

            Paul wanted to see the church in Colossae grow in Christian Character and Christian Service.  We have seen that theme throughout this letter

. 

Colossians 1:9-14:                  

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption,^[e] the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 2:1-7

I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. ² My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. ⁵ For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

3:12-17:

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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.

Paul never had met this church personally, but he loved his church.  Why? Because the people that he loved, loved this church.  Onesimus was from among the church as well as Epaphras. Onesimus was a run-away slave from the household of Philemon.  Paul sent of Colossians as well as the letter to Philemon with Tychicus and Onesimus.  So the last time Onesimus was back home, he was known as a slave and thief, but he returns as a faithful and dear brother. Do the words forgive as Christ has forgiven you, mean more knowing that one of the recipients of this letter was going to have to forgive the one who brought the letter? But do not miss it, Onesimus came back to serve his people.  He name means useful, which was a common name for a household slave, which is fitting for he returns to his home to be useful for the Lord.

            And look at the example of Epaphras in verse 12-13, “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”  Epaphras served the church through faithful and consistent prayer for the church.  He prayed that they may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.  He was not casual about his devotion to prayer, but it says he wrestled in prayer.  The word used there is how we get the word gymnastics.  He labored for these people in prayer.  So Epaphras was serving the church in his prayers, he was also serving the church by caring for Paul’s needs. Many scholars believe that Epaphras was sent by the church to serve Paul. Also, Paul wrote the letter to the church because of the information shared by Epaphras as seen in Colossians 1:7, “You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”

            Epaphras and Onesimus were both servants of the church.  Epaphras left Colossae as a servant in his ministry to Paul while Onesimus returned to Colossae to serve the church. God used Epaphras and Onesimus to serve and grow the church at Colossae.  Although Onesimus and Epaphras served alongside Paul in planting and strengthening churches, they were just examples of the typical believer in the New Testament.  Paul writes in Romans 12:4-8:

⁴ Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his^[b] faith. ⁷ If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸ if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

1 Peter 4:17-11

⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.  What is your gift? What has God given you to serve others?  Use whatever gift you have to serve this church. Sunday School, Nursery, Visitation, Welcome, Outreach, Sound, Power-point, Choir, Prayer, Fellowship, Teaching, Giving, Administration, Transportation, etc. 

Paul’s companions were not special super Christians.  They were just ordinary people doing ordinary things for the glory of God.  I do not want to put an additional weight on you, but if you are not serving the church, you are the one missing out. But here is the thing, I should not have to convince you to serve the church.  The church is close to Jesus’ heart and if you love Jesus you should want to serve his bride. Listen to the words of the great hymn of the faith, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross:

        Were the whole realm of nature mine,

        that were an offering far too small;

        love so amazing, so divine,

        demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts captured the heart to service.  God has given us so much that even if we had the whole world, it would not be an offering far too small.  He is so worthy. He is so excellent.  He deserves everything and we should want to give it to him. God has blessed you with gifts so that you can bless others.  Be a blessing.  Serve the church community.

Serve for the Conquered Community

            We end the book of Colossians, where we began four months ago.  The first sermon I preached as your pastor, I challenged you to be fit for heaven.  There are many things that are important in life, but nothing is more important that being with God forever in Heaven.  This book is full of thoughts of Heaven. Col 3:1-2, “ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  Thinking about heaven is so important because it helps us finish the race, to fight the good fight and to keep the faith until we are part of the conquered community.

Let me point out a few things here.  Laodicea mentioned here was a neighboring city to Colossae.  It is also mentioned by Jesus in Revelation 3:

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church.”

Church at Laodicea was once strong and vibrant, but their works became lukewarm and they became wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  We are all susceptible to become lukewarm believers.  I believe that much of the American church has suffered from the sin of Laodiceans.  We have become lukewarm; we are neither white hot for the Lord or ice cold.  The Lord says that he wants to spit out the lukewarm believers. But God in her mercy reproves and rebukes those he loves and encourages his people to repent and turn back to him.  He is the one that stands at the door and is knocking for us to turn from being complacent and indifferent to red hot burning embers for the Lord Jesus Christ.  He says to get white garments to clothe ourselves so that the shame of our nakedness may not be seen.  For the one who conquers, Jesus will grant him sit with him on the throne as a co-heir of heaven.  Jesus has conquered death through his resurrection from the dead and is seated down with the Father in Heaven. 

            Beloved, we must serve with an eye on that conquered community which is the community of the

saints that have conquered death by trusting in Jesus Christ for their resurrection from the dead to eternal glory.  For even in the list we just read, we see one who did not endure until the end.  2 Tim 4:9-10, “⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.” Demas, who was once a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and a minister with the Paul, fell in love with this world and deserted the faith.  When you love this world, more than you love the world to come you end up abandoning the faith and losing eternal life.  We see a negative example in Demas, and a positive example in Paul.  Colossians 4:18, “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains.” Paul was in prison.  He was in prison for preaching the gospel.  He could have left prison if who would have denied Jesus Christ. But his hope in heaven was far better than his hope for comfort and ease in this life.

1 John 2:15-17:

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

One of the ways we protect our soul from love of this world is in serving others for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we serve, we give ourselves for others. We give our time, our energy, our money, our wisdom etc. We give ourselves.  And when we give ourselves for the sake of others, we follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Galatians 1:3-5

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And Ephesians 5:1-2

5 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

When we serve others, we love others and follow in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Jesus gave his life so we could be with God. In many ways, our service helps people experience the Lord. 

            God has given us gifts to build up the church. Look back at our text in Verse 17, “Tell Archippus: See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”  Archippus had given a work from the Lord, it was his job to complete it.  Let me ask you, what work have you been given in the Lord?  Where is God calling you to serve? See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.

            So how do you complete this work? How do we serve with an eye on the conquered community?  The last four words of this letter some it up. “Grace be with you.” Live in grace. Live in community.

To the Prideful: Receive the Kingdom Luke 9:46-62

“This is the greatest BBQ I ever had.” “This is one of the greatest books I have ever read.” “That was one of the greatest QB performances this year.” “That was the greatest compliment I have ever received.” Imagine if you could record all your conversations over the last month, and then do a search for how often the word “greatest” was used in a sentence, I think we would be surprised on how often the word appears. Our society loves to talk about the greatest. Whether it is restaurants, sports, books or vacations, we love to talk about the things that we think are the greatest. It is very interesting how passionate discussions can get when there is a debate about the “greatest.” Now many of us would not admit to this, but I believe that we enjoy these debates because deep down all these debates are about proving why we are the greatest. We want to prove that our interests, opinions and sports teams are the greatest because if they are the greatest well then I must be great for liking or having them. We know from the Bible that there is only one thing that is the greatest and that is God himself. God is the greatest. 1 Chronicles 16:25, “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.” God is above all and is indeed the greatest.

The Scriptures testify to His greatness, but it also testifies to our lack of understanding of his greatness. In Genesis 3, Eve was tempted to doubt God’s greatness and to replace His greatness with her own. So we read in Genesis 3:1,


“Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat for the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5)”


Eve was tempted to doubt God being the greatest with the promise that you can be like God. The serpent was telling Eve that she was the greatest. It was her opinions and her interests that mattered more than the Lord. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate (Gen 3:6).” Adam and Eve believed the lie about their own greatness and rejected the greatness of God. Their hearts were filled with pride and their pride brought sin and death into the world. Beloved, the prideful sin of Adam and Eve still lives in our hearts and we must be vigilant to address pride in its many forms. This morning, we are going to look at 4 exhortations to the pride in our hearts. The first three exhortations I will attempt to apply to all of us and the last I will hope to apply specifically to Robert Deaton who will be ordained as a deacon at the end of our service. First exhortation is to the Prideful Self: Receive the Least of the Kingdom.

I. To The Prideful Self: Receive the Least of the Kingdom


Verse 46, “An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.” We read verses like this about the apostles and we are shocked at their pride. Who goes around debating on which of themselves is the greatest? You may give them a hard time, but if you were to analyze your own heart, I am sure you have an inner dialogue about your own greatness all the time. You see someone doing something you disapprove of and the “Greatest Debate” starts in your own head. “Well how could she wear white shoes after Labor Day, doesn’t she know better? I would never do that.” Translation I am a better dresser than she is or I am the greatest dresser between the two of us.” So let’s not be too hard on the disciples.


Luke goes on in verse 47, “But Jesus knowing the reasoning of their hearts.” Beloved, always know that you cannot hide your heart from God. Jesus does not judge you based on your external obedience, but on the inner working of the heart. And Jesus hates a prideful heart. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 say, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God is against the prideful and he is also against the prideful thoughts in your own heart. So in love Jesus Christ, knowing the reasoning of our hearts gives us an illustration on how to fight against our prideful thoughts. Verse 47, “But Jesus knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me, For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

In Jesus’ day children were not highly valued. In the Mishnah, a record of oral rabbinical teaching, it says, “Morning sleep, midday wine, chattering with children, and tarrying in places where men of the common people assemble, destroy a man.” [1] Children were not taught the Torah until age 12 and were looked at like as a nuisance. Jesus redefines greatness. Greatness is not being known to the powerful, but in the reception of the lowly. The key phrase in verse 48 helps us understand what Jesus is saying. He says whoever receives this child in my name receives me. Greatness is found in knowing Jesus Christ and receiving the least of the kingdom in Jesus name. Our reception to the least of our society is an indicator whether we truly have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Christians should never strive to be great in the eyes of the powerful in our world, but to receive the lowly. For the least will be the greatest. Those who humble themselves will be exalted by the Lord.

When I graduated college I served at a church in Washington, D. C. in the men’s ministry. We were in the nation’s capital and when I started a bible study my goal was to serve the well-educated, thoughtful, future power brokers of our nation in the Word, but the Lord, knowing the reasoning of my heart, wanted to teach me to receive the lowly. The Men’s Bible study was eventually filled with the homeless and downtrodden. These men had no power and no external greatness, but they knew Jesus Christ. And they taught me that true greatness is not found in the company of the powerful, but in the company of weak. So, who is in your company? How do you receive the weak and lowly? Jesus says to the Prideful Heart: Receive the Least of the Kingdom. Second, exhortation is to the Prideful Church: Receive the Laborers of the Kingdom.

II. To The Prideful Church: Receive the Laborers of the Kingdom
Verse 49, “John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” So the disciples are slow learners. Jesus is trying to correct their prideful hearts, but John responds with pride. John wanted to show Jesus on how great of followers the disciples were being. He says that we caught someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but because he does not follow with us, they tried to stop him.


Beloved, people who are not against us and the gospel of Jesus Christ are FOR us. We are on the same team. There should be no competition among churches. One of the reasons I regularly pray for other churches and meet to encourage other pastors is to remind us that we are all part of the same kingdom. We are all members of the kingdom of God. If a revival broke out in Rock Hill and people were coming to Christ left and right and churches across this city were being filled up and our attendance remained the same, would you be glad and rejoice? I would. Paul writes in Philippians 1:18, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” When the faithful bible preaching churches of Jesus Christ are growing, God is pleased. So praise His Name. We want the greatness of Jesus Christ to be magnified in this city. If Christ is proclaimed, in that rejoice. If He wants to use Park Baptist Church to that end, to God be the glory. If He wants to use the church down the street, to God be the glory.


So let me say this, I love this church. I love what God is doing in this church. I am excited in how God is growing us and who God is bringing in our midst. It is exciting. God is moving at Park. But if you have friends and family who attend other faithful bible preaching churches, do not invite them to our church. Tell them to be faithful and loyal to that church. Now, there are times when people need to leave their church. It could be due to reasons of ministry philosophy or theology, but it should always be done in a gracious and loving way. We want our church to grow. But we don’t want to our church to grow only numerically. We want our church to grow in holiness, in love for God’s Word, in grace, and in humility. We want it to grow God’s way. So before you invite people to our church make sure you know why you are inviting them. Be excited what God is doing at Park, but be even more excited for what God is doing in the Kingdom. So if they are not attending church, Invite them. Are they non-believers? Invite them. Are they searching for a church home? Invite them. Are they faithful members of other Gospel preaching churches? (Key word: Gospel preaching) Ask how you can pray for them and their church. Got it. The third exhortation is given to the prideful world: Receive the Lord of the Kingdom.


III. To The Prideful World: Receive the Lord of the Kingdom

Verse 51, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up (probably a reference to his ascension following his resurrection), he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” After verse 51 Jesus starts to narrow his focus on the cross and resurrection. Jesus words and ministry start to intensify. The focus of his ministry starts to turn to Jerusalem where he will be crucified and resurrected. This is important because as the attention turns to the cross so does the rejection of Jesus Christ. The people of the Samaritan village did not receive Jesus. Why? Because his face was set toward Jerusalem and the people did not want to receive the message of the cross.


The message of the cross strikes right at the heart of the pride of the world. As I mentioned in the introduction, we all have an innate sense that we are the greatest because of our sinful nature. Our sinful nature replaces God as King with placing the kingly crown on our own heads. We believe that our desires are the most important desires in the world. The message of the cross is against sinners. Pastor Mark Dever says, "A gospel that in no way offends the sinner has not been understood." The cross should offend the sinner. The cross says that your sin is so heinous in the eyes of God that you deserve to die. Friend, if you are here with us today and are not a believer in Christ, the Bible says that all human beings have fallen short of the glory of God. We have rebelled against God’s greatness and deserve to be punishment. The punishment for our rebellion is unquenchable fire and the weeping and gnashing of teeth in a literal, eternal place called Hell. The message of the cross is that you, a sinner, deserve to die. The message of the cross says you are dead in your sins and need a Savior. And that is offensive. (Pause) But it is also glorious.


The text says in verse 51 and 53 that Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem. The good news of Jesus Christ is that while we replaced God’s greatness with our own, Jesus set his face to Jerusalem where he would lay his life down as a ransom to purify filthy sinners with his precious blood. The message of the cross is the most offensive and encouraging message in the world. In one breathe it says you are a sinner and deserve to die and in the next it says that one has come to die in your place. Jesus died and was raised for everyone who would turn and trust in Him. The people of Samaria did not receive the message, for in their pride, they did not want to admit the first part. They could not acknowledge their sinfulness; therefore they missed the second part of one who came to die for them. Friend, admit you are a sinner deserving of punishment and receive the Lord of the kingdom. Believer, this message also gives you freedom to confess your sin because you do not stand in your righteousness but in the righteousness of another. Every time we confess our sin, we are placing our trust in the work of God in the cross of Jesus Christ.


Luke goes on in verse 54, which has an important lesson to the pride remaining in our hearts, “And when the disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.” The people rejected Jesus and James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven on them. We see their pride well up again. They took great pride in being in the inner circle of Jesus. They accepted Jesus so why don’t others? It is right to call fire down on heaven for those who don’t. I see so much of the Southern church culture. We take so much pride in our position as Christians, that we lose sight in how we became Christians in the first place. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the

gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” We were shown grace by God in our coming to faith. It is not of our own doing. So when we encounter people who do not receive Jesus Christ, we must pray that God would be merciful to them in helping them open their eyes for without grace we would be there too. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon says to the self-righteous:

“O you self-righteous people, how can you talk about being saved? What saving do you want? You are as full of good works as you can be and your pride shines—how can you be saved? Those who are saved by Jesus are those who are in themselves lost, ruined and undone. Until you know your ruin, and confess your sin, it is not likely you will ever accept a Savior. While you feel you can save yourselves, you will attempt it; but when you can do no more, then you will fall into the arms of your Savior; and what a blessed fall that will be!”[2]


Beloved, fight against self-righteousness, and fall into the arms of your Savior. And go into our prideful world and pray that they would receive the Lord of the Kingdom. The last exhortation goes as a warning to the Prideful Servant: Receive the Labor of the Kingdom.


IV. To The Prideful Servant: Receive the Labor of the Kingdom


We take the ordaining of our deacons and pastors very serious. Ordination is our way to set aside someone for unique service the kingdom of God. In Acts 13:2, “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Today, we are going to set apart Robert Deaton for the work to which the Lord has called him: to serve as a deacon. I would like to give a charge to Robert from the end our Sermon Text this morning. Luke 9:57,


As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.


In this section, Jesus lays out the cost of following Him. Robert, there is a great cost in following Jesus. Notice how often the word “follow” is used in this section.

V. 57, “I will follow you wherever you go.”


V. 59. “Follow me.”


V. 61, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first...


The command of Jesus is very simple. Follow me. Follow means to come behind or to be a disciple. Jesus is calling you follow him. But remember what Jesus means when he says follow him. He is calling you to follow him as he set his face to Jerusalem. He is calling you to follow him in the way of the cross. I want you to notice how many people in this passage claimed that they would follow Jesus…eventually.


Verse 59, Lord let me first…


Verse 61, I will follow you, Lord, but let me first…


Robert, you are being set apart to serve as a deacon. The word deacon itself means to serve. But you are not called to serve like the people that Jesus met along the road that day. They all said that they would follow Jesus, but they would not follow him first. The calling of all Christians, especially leaders, is to serve Jesus Christ as the greatest joy of your life. You must humble yourself under His Lordship. The labor of the kingdom is a glorious task.


Jesus gives a great image of those who follow him. He says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. “ Robert, you are being called to put your hand to the plow and sow into the kingdom of God. Farmers would plow up the hard ground to prepare the seeds for the harvest. You are called to plow up the hard ground of the heart with sacrificial love to prepare to seed of the Word for people’s hearts. Farmers would plow the field in hot seasons of drought and in season of perpetual rain. God is calling you to labor for his glory in times of pain and in times of blessing. The work of plowing was hard work and it often costs the farmer his strength. Robert, God is calling you to work hard even at the cost of your strength. Jesus says no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. We are setting you apart as deacon for good. This is not a temporary job, but a commission to lifelong service to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is a great honor to serve the Lord. I exhort you to receive the labor of the Kingdom.







[1] Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke Volume 1: 1:1–9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (p. 895). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
[2] http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-four-lucky-lepers-robert-leroe-sermon-on-evangelism-urgency-48291.asp?Page=3 accessed on 8.31.13 3:44 pm

Modesty & Judgment: The Heart of the Hemline

Below is a link of the article that was published in the Rock Hill Herald about Church Dress.  It was written to add a framework to think about church dress that I felt was missed in the article the previous weak (a link that article is also listed below.

Modesty & Judgment: the Heart of the Hemline

Churches Ponder Proper Church Attire

Sow Generously into People

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 1 Corinthians 9:6

Beloved,

We reap what we sow. It is a simple and yet profound principle. When Paul writes to the Corinthians he is speaking specifically about financial giving. If we give bountifully, then we will reap bountifully. Although Paul applies the “reap and sow” principle to giving, the same principle can be extended to relationships. We should sow generously into others so we can reap generously from others. You get out what you put in.

The church is a family; a family full of diverse and rich relationships. God calls people from all different sectors of life to join this family. We have to be zealous for the family to which God has called us. If we are going to be a healthy and loving family then we must sow generously in our relationships. See how this principle works in our own families. If we sow time and attention to our relationship with our spouse, we reap a healthy and happy marriage. If we sow energy and love into our children, we reap a healthy and loving relationship with our kids. Now imagine how different our church would feel, if we made it a priority to sow into our brothers and sisters with time and encouragement. If we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully.

The principle is simple to understand, but often hard to implement. It is hard to implement because we are sinners. Paul writes to the church at Philippi, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4).” This attitude is clearly seen in our Lord Jesus who did not look to his own interests but the interest of a lost and dying world. His sowed generously in his life, therefore he reaped generously in that God, “has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name (Phil.2:9).”

So how can you sow generously into others’ lives in the church? Here are a few ways:

· Sunday School – a great place to grow closer to each other and in the Lord. It does require a little additional time on Sunday morning, but will reap a stronger connection to others in the church. Just think how well you will know someone after spending 48-52 hours with them over the course of the year.

· Serving – a great way to build friendships is through serving. Whether it is through the volunteering in the nursery, writing a letter to a shut-in or taking someone dinner, sow into others in service.

· Presence- a simple way to build relationships with people is just to be available. Get to church early and don’t be in a rush to leave after the service. Take an extra 10 minutes to have a conversation with someone you may not know.

Beloved, there are many ways to sow relationally within the church. How we invest in others may look different from one another, but we must implement the “reap what you sow” principle in our relationships. If we want to continue to grow as a church family then we must remember that the church that sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

In Christ,


Pastor Dave

“Let Jesus Be Supreme in our Home”

Parenting is a joy. My son and I were driving down the street the other day and he says to me, “Daddy, what if under the road was a land of dinosaurs? What if we were driving then dinosaurs came out the ground and tried to eat us? That would be pretty cool.” Well, that would be pretty cool buddy. Parenting is a joy. You never know what children are going to say.


Although parenting is a joy, parenting is also extremely hard. I desperately want to be a good father. One of the greatest joys and passions in my life is my children. I love my children. I love their laughter. I love their personalities. I love to watch them grow. I love to pick them up when they cry. I love that God made me a father. It is one of the greatest joys in my life. But it also is one of the greatest responsibilities that I imagine. God has entrusted me with Elizabeth, John David and Olivia. It is my responsibility to steward and shepherd their lives. It is a great and awesome task. The more that I read the Bible and study fatherhood, the more awestruck I am on how great this task of parenting truly is; it is huge. I pray today that I will give a sense of how great the task of parenting truly is and encourage you to trust God and his Word in how you raise your children.

We are continuing our series in how we can make Jesus supreme in our lives by focusing today on the family. Paul writes in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus, “is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Jesus should be supreme in our home, and more specifically Jesus should be supreme in the relationship between parents and their children. This morning we are going to look at how we can let Jesus be supreme in our Home. First, we let Jesus be Supreme in our Home when Children Obey their parents.


We let Jesus be Supreme in our Home when Children Obey Their Parents


Look at the verse 3:20, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Sometimes the Bible makes things so clear, doesn’t it? Children must obey their parents in everything. First, it is important to note that children were being addressed directly. Children were hearing this letter being read in the gathering of the church. The children were present. But also note that having children told to obey their parents implies that children were able to obey their parents. God gives children a very high standard. We must call our children to a high standard as well.


Remember this commands are given to Christian households. Look back to Colossians 2:5-6, “6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Paul is addressing Christians, those who have received Jesus Christ as Lords. This implies that children can be saved. This is crucial for parents. In are parenting, we must teach our children the good news of Jesus Christ. As we teach our children to obey, we are well aware of their propensity to disobey. The reason kids disobey is because they are sinners. And when they disobey our children are learning their inability to keep the law. Their disobedience should expose their sin and feel the weight of that sin. But when they sin, we must then explain them that sin separates them from God, but God knew we were not able to keep the law so he sent his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus perfectly obeyed His Father. He even obeyed his Father to death. Then God raised Jesus from the dead. So if anyone puts their trust in Jesus as their Savior, then they will be saved. Jesus died to bring us back to God. God gives our kids the ability to obey when he saves them by the Holy Spirit. So we need to teach our kids the gospel and pray that they will receive Christ Jesus as Lord.


The reason that God requires obedience from children is that obedience brings blessing. In the parallel passage in Ephesians 6, Paul fleshes this out a little more. Ephesians 6:1-4:


Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.


In Ephesians Paul quotes the Ten Commandments, “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise) and what is that promise: that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.


Obedience Brings Blessing

Obedience brings blessing to the child.



Children are blessed when they obey their parents. God loves us and his commands are for our good. Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right and it is for your good. I tell my kids to obey because I want them to be happy.


Not only does obedience brings blessing to the child, but obedience brings blessings to the parents. Listen to these Proverbs:


10:1 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.


15:20 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother

23:15-1615 My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.16 My inmost being[d] will exult when your lips speak what is right.


This is only a sampling. There are many other verses in Proverbs that show how parents are blessed by their child’s obedience. When my children are struggling with obedience, I bring them aside and I ask, “Do you want to make your Daddy happy? The Bible says, “A wise son makes a happy Daddy.” Obedience brings blessings to parents.


Obedience also brings blessings to society.

We did not live lives of isolation. Our actions or inactions always affect other people. We live in community. We all know this, but as a culture we largely forget that how we raise our children affects the larger world. Listen to 2 Timothy 3:1-5:



But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.


One of the reasons that times of difficult will come is children are disobedient to their parents. Child disobedience is grouped with some awful things which should give us awareness to how God views disobedience to parents. Romans 1 has a similar list of those who are full of evil saying, “They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” It should jar us that those who are disobedient to parents are grouped in the same sentence with haters of God. God takes disobedience serious. So when children obey their parents our world and community will be blessed.


Obedience also brings blessing to God.
Look at end of verse 20, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Obedience pleases the Lord. We should teach our kids to obey because it brings joy to the one who made them. Obedience blesses our God.

Obedience is important. It brings blessing to the child, to parents, to society and to God. So how do we bring about obedience? Obedience requires discipline and instruction. Ephesians 6:4, “ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We must
bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. So we cannot allow disobedience, but we must discipline our children. Proverbs 22:15, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Discipline is not about changing our children’s behavior; discipline is about driving foolishness from their heart that they may know God. Proverbs 23:13-14, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14 If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.” Some parents worry that if they discipline their child, they will ruin them, but God says the exact opposite. If you withhold discipline you are setting them up for death. If you discipline your child, he will not die. We discipline our children so that they may be saved. But we do not only discipline our children, but we also instruct our children in the Lord. The instruction of the Lord takes places primarily at two places:


In the Home and in the Church.

Parenting is a community project. If we are a healthy church, then we understand that all help in teaching our children about God and his gospel. That is why during a child dedication, like Wesley’s, I ask you to stand to commit to help raise him in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Now although the church is supposed to help, the primary work of instruction is to be done in the home.


Deuteronomy 6:4-9:


“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.



The teaching that Moses is talking about only can be done by parents. The church is to supplement and enhance what is happening in the home, but never to replace it. There is plenty more I can say, but we must move on.


#2 We Let Jesus be Supreme in Our Home when Fathers Give Hope to their children


Verse 3:21, “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” One would think that after Paul addresses children he then would address parents, but notice he doesn’t address parents, but fathers. Fathers do not embitter your children. Paul addresses fathers because they were responsible to ensure the faithful discipline and instruction of the Lord. So fathers you have a high calling in your home. Fathers we must give hope to our children. There are several ways, we can give hope, but we must know what it looks like to be discouraged. A discouraged child is one that feels like he cannot please his father, feels it is impossible to do right, broken, despondent, hopeless. So we want to avoid making our child discouraged. Let me offer one negative way and two positive ways how we can work to this end.


First, we give hope to our children by not embittering or provoking. The word for embitter is a Greek word used for arouse, provoke, stir up or make resentful. What are ways a father can provoke his children? There are many, but let me provide you with a few:

Overcritical or constantly criticizing - A child with an overcritical father leads to discouragement. I experiences this as a college football player. I played fullback and tight end in college and was very rarely complemented by my coach. I even remember making a one hand catch on a badly thrown ball in practice. I came back to the huddle and my coach says, “Try to catch it softer next time.” What? Did you see that catch? What ends up happening with constant criticism is that you get so discouraged you want to stop trying. If I am never going to please him then why bother. Fathers, we cannot be overcritical.

Having Unrealistic expectations- With a child’s command to obey their parents in everything, parents have to be very wise what when they ask for their children’s obedience. Parents need to teach their children to obey, but we should enforce obedience in areas that is not essential. Unruly demands discourage and exasperate children to the point of despair. Make sure commands are age specific.


Withholding love and affection or neglect – Children need our attention and affirmation. I know several people, both men and women, who barely can remember their fathers expressing love and affection to them. The lack of a father’s love can discourage a child greatly.


There are other ways we can provoke our children. One of the best people we can ask is our wives. Maybe later today, fathers ask your wives in what ways you provoke your children.


Let me challenge you in two positive ways in which you can give hope to your children. Now remember we are not talking about the hope of the world. We are talking about giving our children hope in God. The only true hope in this world is a hope that rest on the person and work of Jesus Christ. We do not want to discourage our children and have them move away from God, but we want to give them hope so they will believe in God and be saved. Listen the way one pastor says it:


Here is what I mean. Paul's teaching makes it clear that when he says we should be fathers who give hope instead of discouragement, he means hope in GOD, not hope in money or hope in popularity or hope in education or hope in a spouse or hope in professional success. If you had asked Paul, or Jesus, "What kind of freedom from discouragement do you want our children to have?" he would not have said, "I want your children to be freed from discouragement by being filled with hope that they will become wealthy . . . or well-known, or intellectual, or married, or successful." We know that is not what he means. He means, be the kind of fathers who do not discourage your children but rather fill them with hope in God.[1]



So let me suggest two ways you can give hope to your children.


First, you give hope in God, by having hope in God. If you want your children to believe in God, then you must show them what it looks like to have hope in God. Fathers, the best thing you can do for your children is to be filled with hope in God. Love His Word. Rejoice in the Salvation that we have in Christ. If our children see that we love God and are happy in Him, they will not be discouraged, but will want what we have. So the best way to not provoke your child is to be a new man in Jesus Christ. Do not be one who only professes Jesus, but denies him with his works. Be transformed by the gospel. Trust in Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone. If anyone is in Jesus Christ, he is a new creation. The best thing you can do for your children is to be reconciled to God through Christ. If you are here visiting today and are not a Christian, can I ask you if you have hope? And if you have hope, on what grounds do you have it?


Secondly, we give hope to our children by showing the Heavenly Father’s generous love. Fathers, it is essential for us to commend fatherhood to our children. Our children should see our love for them as a picture of how God, the Father, has loved them. Listen to Psalm 103:13, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” The love and compassion a father shows his children models the love and compassion that God shows to those who fear him. So fathers, is your love commending the Father to your children? We have an awesome and wonderful task to give our children the sweet taste of fatherhood so they will one day taste and see that the Lord is good. We must never underestimate the powerful influence a father can have on his children. So how do we commend fatherhood to our children? We commend God the Father when we act in generous love towards our children. For that is exactly how God has acted towards us. While we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God the Father so loved the World that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Even today, we can see the generous love of God as we celebrate communion. The Lord provided a picture for us in the Lord Supper in just how generous He has been with us.


God gave us his Son. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? What could be more generous than that? You model God’s love when you are generous with your life for the sake of your children. Lay your life down for your children that they may not be discouraged, but have hope in God through Jesus Christ.


Life is fallen. We sin. We fall short. Fathers do not always commend fatherhood to their children. But we have hope!! If we did not have a good earthly father, God has given us himself as the ultimate example as a Father. Listen the first interaction we see of the Father and the Son:



9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”



Listen to what pastor Doug Wilson says we can see in God the Father from this scene. First, The Father was there. Second, The Father made his presence felt in the spending of the dove. Thirdly, He made his presence known by speaking. Fourth, he identified with his son saying, “You are my Son.” Fifth, he expressed love for His Son. And Sixth, he expressed his pleasure in the Son.” We can see what fathers should be in the God the Father and His relationship with His Son. But even if you never had a good father, you still have God the Father. The Bible says that we have been adopted as sons and daughters.


Romans 8:15-17, “15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[g] And by him we cry, “Abba,[h] Father.”16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


















[1] Piper, John. Fathers who Gives Hope. Accesed on 9/27/12. http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/fathers-who-give-hope

“Let Jesus Be Supreme in Our Marriage” - Colosssians 3:18-19

Marriage is one of the most hotly debated topics in our day. It is hard to go through a day without reading an article or watching a news piece debating marriage. The issue of the day has become “who should be allowed to be married.” The same-sex marriage debate has taken over our culture. Now the Bible is clear that marriage is between one man and one woman. But I think that one of the reasons that this issue has

become so debated is the lack of godly marriages throughout out land and throughout our churches.

Marriage is the foundation of society. After God created the world and man in his own image, he said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” So God caused Adam to go into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs and made a woman and brought her to Adam. Adam responded with poetry, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” God built society around marriage and the family. But we have become so ingrained in debating who should be married that we have lost how we should be in marriage. I believe that we would not be having our current marriage debate, if men and woman, trusted and obeyed God’s Word about marriage. The world’s argument would have no weight because of the powerful example of godly marriages within our churches.

I know that when the topic of marriage arises it can create many deep and emotional responses. Some of you were very happily married, but have lost your spouse to death. Let me encourage you to think and reflect about the good gift God gave you in your spouse. Hear my words today and rejoice in marriage and share that joy with others. Others of you may have been very hurt in a marriage. My words today may open up old wounds. But let me encourage you to think and reflect about your own marriage and use your experience to help others in theirs. I am committed to teaching the whole counsel of God. And I know that this approach, may at times, address certain topics that seem controversial or create feelings of uneasiness, but God has a word to say about marriage. We cannot avoid God’s truth because we may not like how it makes us feel. We must let Jesus be Supreme in our marriages.

So this morning, we are continuing to work through this letter to the church at Colossae. This letter is known for having a very high view of Jesus Christ. Paul wants Jesus Christ to be supreme in everything. So we read in Colossians 1:17-18 that Jesus, “is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church, he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy.” We have finally arrived at the point in the letter, where the Apostle Paul fleshes out the practical instruction for the Christian household. Today’s message will be very clear, but not necessarily easy. I have 2 Truths this morning on how we let Jesus be Supreme in our marriage. We let Jesus be Supreme in our Marriage when: Wives submit to their husbands and when husbands love their wives. Sometimes it is just that simple and yet profoundly difficult. Let us look at our first truth this morning.

Wives Submit to Your Husbands

Look at verse 18, “Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” It is very straight forward. The idea that wives should submit to their husbands is not found only in this first, but found throughout the New Testament. Listen to a sample of verses that discuss a wife’s submission:

Ephesians 5:22 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1-6 3 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Titus 2:3 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God

Submission, for wives is very common biblical theme. So we cannot attempt to excuse it or explain it away. We have to trust that God’s design for marriage and the roles within the marriage relationship are best. Now before we talk more about what submission is and what it looks like in a marriage, let’s first look at what it is not:

Submission does not mean inferiority. Men and women are equal in worth but different in role. We see this most clearly this in Jesus. Jesus was completely God. Col 2:9, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Jesus was fully God and yet he chose to submit to God the Father. John 5:30 Jesus said, “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” Jesus submitted to God and Jesus is equal with God. Submission does not mean someone is inferior. Without submission, we cannot understand the Godhead as Trinity. So wives when God calls you to submit, he understands for Jesus, the Divine Son, submitted to the Father. Do not allow yourself to think that submission is a bad thing and it causes someone to be inferior.

Submission is not only a concept for women, but for all believers: Eph 5:21, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 1 Peter 5:5, “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Submission does not mean the wife becomes a slave, a doormat or a wallflower: A close study of the ideal wife in Proverbs 31 shows a woman that speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction. She is a woman that works diligently with her hands and is clothed with strength and dignity. The godly wife is not a slave, a doormat or a wallflower, but is intelligent, diligent, expressive and uses her gifts for the glory of God.

So what is submission? Submission is voluntarily yielding in love.[1] It is voluntary. For submission comes from the wife, never from the husband to the wife. A husband never subjugates his wife; he never makes his wife submit. The Bible does not allow for any abuse of a woman by her husband. Rather the wife freely submits to her husband out of reverence to the Lord Jesus Christ.

A wife is called to submit to her own husband and not to men in general. As one scholar says, “Paul does not ask every woman to submit to every man, but rather asks wives to submit to their own husbands. Paul is not insisting that every relationship between a woman and a man is one of submission and headship, but that where leadership is an ingredient of the situation, as in marriage, the woman should submit to that leadership (headship) of the man.”[2]

It says in Ephesians 5:24, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” The Bible says you should submit in everything. Your husband’s flawed character is not a reason for you not to obey God. Marriage is between two sinners. It will not be perfect. Wives, let me tell you something you already know, your husband is not perfect. But the Bible still requires you to submit to him. For the command does not come from your imperfect sinner of a husband, but for the Supreme Wise Creator of the Universe.

There is much that can be said about the submission of the wife to the husband, but ultimately it is a spiritual matter. The Lord commands wives to submit to their husbands, because that is how he has ordered the marriage relationship. We see this in the second half of the verse 18, “as is fitting in the Lord.” This phrase is referring to what is proper in the Christian marriage. This is the outworking or the implication of having Jesus Christ as Lord. Wives, if you to walk with as Jesus Christ as your Lord; then you should submit to your husbands, for this is proper for those that are in the Lord. This does not mean that you follow your husband into sin for as said in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.” But God is calling you to submit. So what does submission look like?

The wife must respect and honor her husband with her words and character. A wife should never speak against her husband, but build him up in the eyes of others. A wife must bring concerns, advice and corrections in a loving and gracious manner with gentleness. A wife should regularly pray for her husband that he may have wisdom in the leadership of the home. Wives remember the verses we looked at last week. If you are going to be able to honor the Lord in your submission to your husbands, you must let the peace of Christ rule your hearts and his word dwell in you richly. We can only fulfill the Lord’s commands with his help.

So ladies examine your relationship with your husband. Are you honoring God in your submission to your husband? If you are not, confess to God and to your husband. Trust in the cleansing of the blood of Christ. Ask God for help to obey his word through the power of the Holy Spirit to live differently. We need to have Jesus be supreme in our marriage. Our world desperately needs to see wives who chose to honor God and His Word by submitting to their husbands. We let Jesus be supreme in our marriage when wives submit to their husbands.

Secondly, we let Jesus be Supreme in Our Marriages when Husbands Love their Wives.

Husbands you must love your wives. Love is not primarily an emotion. It is an action. Men must act in love towards their wives. The most famous chapter on love in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. Listen to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

In the original language all of those adjectives of love were written as verbs. So love is not about a feeling it is about doing. Husbands must be patient, be kind, not be envious, or boastful or proud. A husband must not be rude or self-seeking or easily angered. A husband must not keep a record of wrongs. He must always protect, always trust and always persevere with his wife. God defined love as action. So husbands, we must love our wives.

Love Like Christ

The greatest challenge for husbands is the example that God gives us in how we are to love. Ephesians 5:25-26, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” Husbands we are to love our wives as Christ has loved the church. Jesus gave up his life for the church and therefore we must do the same. We have to be willing to love our wives more than our own desires. We have to joyfully sacrifice our lives for the sake of our wives. Simply put, you cannot love your wife too much. Because you have never loved your wife as much as Christ loved the church, you can always grow in your love for your wife.

Just like wives are called to submit to their own husband, husbands are commanded to love their own wives. This is very important. In order to love our wives well, we must know our wives. We must know how to love her therefore we must study and listen to her so we can learn how to most effectively love her. The love we give to our wives is not just a general love, although it is that, it is much more than that. For example, my wife tends to struggle more emotionally during rainy days. Knowing this, I can uniquely love her by making more a point to do something sweet for her on days when I know she has the tendency to be naturally down. So I may bring her home ice cream or take the kids out of the house or do extra chores during rainy days like this past Monday and Tuesday. God has uniquely made my wife. I need to know her strengths and her weaknesses, her temperament, what brings her joy and sadness so that I can better love her. God did not just give me any woman, he gave my beloved so I want love her uniquely and specifically as my wife. He who finds a wife finds what it is good.

Love without Expectation

It is also interesting to note that the husband must love his wife regardless of the treatment of his wife. Jesus Christ gave his life for the benefit of sinners. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We love our wives like Christ loved the church, when we must chose to continue to lay down our life even when our wife is acting sinful. She may be rude and disrespectful, but you are still called to love her. We should remind ourselves of the Paul’s word in the passage above, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Those words are given to the church in helping us live and love in unity. If that is what we must do to those in the church, how much more should we be called to do in the home? Bear with your spouse. Forgive your spouse whatever grievances you may have against her. Forgive her as God has forgiven you.

Love in Gentleness

After Paul tells husbands to love their wives, he tells them that they must not be harsh with them. Why is it easy to be harsh with our wives? It is easy not to be harsh with friends and coworkers, but in our own homes sometimes it is easy to be harsh with our wives. One of the reason why we are harsh with our wives when we are not with others, is we do not give our wives the rightful place they deserve. We have to look at our wives as the most precious gift that we have. Imagine you had 1967 Chevy Corvette Convertible. One of the most prized car for all collectors, valued up to $300,000. You would make sure it had a safe place in your garage. You would have it covered. You would keep clean. You would shine and buff and wax it to make it shine. You would never take out a key and scratch the exterior. You would never take a hammer and break the tail lights. You would take care of the car and protect it because it is precious to you. When we are harsh with our wives, it is like we are taking our keys out and scratching our 1967 Chevy Corvette Convertible. Our wives are worth much more than car. Proverbs 31:10 “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.”

Do you love your wife as Christ loved the church? Do you look at your wife as precious, more precious than rubies? Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh with them. When let Jesus be Supreme in our marriages when husbands love their wives. 

Marriage as a Display of the Gospel

In God’s Sovereign wisdom, he has chosen to make marriage a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When wives submit to their husbands and when husbands love their wives, the gospel is displayed to the world. When Jesus is supreme in our marriage it is not only for the sake of our marriage, but for the sake of God’s own name. Let me read two scriptures to you then make some closing comments.

Ephesians 5:22-33

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Titus 2:5

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

God gives pictures, illustrations throughout our world to display Himself and His own character and His love for His people. Marriage is not only the foundation of every society, but it is a picture of God. When husbands love their wives well we are proclaiming to the world that Jesus is real. Husbands offer a picture of how God loves His bride. When wives submit to their husbands the word of God is not be maligned, but the Word that is able to make one wise for salvation is trusted. Wives offer a picture of how the church responds the love offer of the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus.

German Theologian Dietrich Bonheoffer was imprisoned in Germany in World War II after an assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler. He was eventually executed, but two years before his death he wrote, “A Wedding Sermon from a Prison Cell,” where he wrote this:

Marriage is more than your love for each other. . . . In your love you see only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal—it is a status, and office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man.[3]

Marriage is much more than your love for each other and your happiness in marriage. Marriage is a picture of what God has done in sending his own Son to redeem a lost and rebellion people. Marriage is picture of how God gracious loves sinners and how sinners respond to the amazing love with submission. We want Jesus to be supreme in our marriage because we want Jesus to be Supreme in all the world.

Beloved, marriage is a wonderful gift from God. This church is full of wonderful examples of godly men who sacrificially love and lead their wives and are full of many strong godly women who gracious, voluntarily yield to their husbands in love. I pray that we look to those examples and we see Christ and the Church. Marriage is not only about us it is about the gospel. Let us display the glory of God as Jesus reigns supreme in our marriage as wives submit to their husbands and husbands love their wives.

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[1] Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Pg 168

[2] Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Pg 169

[3] Quoted from Momentary Marriage by John Piper originally in Dietrich Bonhoeffer,  Letters and Papers from Prison, ed. Eberhard Bethge (New York: Macmillan, 1967), 27. All the quotes from Bonhoeffer on the facing pages of each chapter of this book were taken from Letters and Papers from Prison; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (London: SCM Press, 1954); Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1967).