CrossWalk - Cross Culture Church RDU

Pastor Clay continues his teaching from Colossians 4:2-18 today as we wrap up the "Colossians - It's All About Him" series. Proclaiming Christ is the mission of the Church and in the last chapter of the book of Colossians, we find the Apostle Paul reminding us of the importance of that task and giving us three essentials for the mission of proclaiming Christ. Last week, we looked at the first essential, prayer, and as Pastor Clay shared with us, without prayer we'll never see the power of God at work. This week, as we come to the conclusion of our series in the book of Colossians, we'll see the other two essentials for proclaiming Christ. We're living in uncertain times to be sure and the message of Jesus is the only hope the world has. We simply can't afford to waste any time.

Just before Jesus went back to heaven He gave us what has come to be known as, 'The Great Commission.' For two-thousand years the Church has been working to fulfill that commission with all kinds of programs and presentations, but is it possible that the Church has, at times, failed to plug into the power to fulfill that great commission? We're just beginning our study of the last chapter of Colossians and a section that Pastor Clay has entitled, 'Christ Proclaimed.' This week and next Pastor Clay is going to give us three essentials that are needed if the message of Jesus is going to go out and change the world. This week, we're going to look at prayer, one of the power tools that gives the Church the power it needs to proclaim Christ to the world.

Have you ever had a job you just couldn't stand? Have you ever had a boss that mistreated you? As followers of Jesus when we find ourselves in a difficult work situation how should we respond? Well today, we continue in our series entitled 'Colossians – It's all about Him' and we find the writer of the book, the Apostle Paul, giving instructions to slaves and masters in their conduct toward one another. It's a timely message for those of us who work and the people we're employed by. You may love your job or you may not, but as we'll learn today God's expectations for us in the work place are clear.

Parenting, is there any harder job on earth? "Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart." Those words from Colossians chapter 3 and verse 21 is God's command to fathers and parents, but exactly what does it mean to exasperate our children? Should parents just give into their children and give them everything they want? These are just a couple of the questions Pastor Clay is going to address today in his message from this series in the book of Colossians as well as offer parents some very practical suggestions to help them raise their children in a way that honors God and blesses their children.

We've been working our way through the book of Colossians this summer and we've come to Colossians chapter 3 verses 20 and 21 and the responsibilities of children and parents in the family. A child's obedience is not always easy in a culture that promotes individual liberty above pretty much everything else. Certainly each individual adult or child is precious in God's sight and of equal worth. So why should a child be obedient to his or her parents? Today, Pastor Clay explains that there are some very good reasons for children to submit to their parents.

In our series in the book of Colossians, Pastor Clay has been walking us through this important and relevant book. Last week we came to Colossians chapter 3 and verse 18 where the Apostle Paul stated that wives should "be subject" or "submit to their husbands," and we looked at what all that meant, and what it didn't mean. Today Pastor Clay is going to go back to verse 18 briefly to share a couple more truths about a wife's submission to her husband, and then we're going to take a look at verse 19 and a husbands responsibility to "love their wives and not be embittered against them." As with the wife's role Pastor Clay's going to show us what that means and what it doesn't mean. Marriages today are certainly under attack and if a marriage is going to not only survive, but also thrive, both husbands and wives need to know God's expectations for them.

Most Christians would agree that marriages and the family are under attack and as we continue our series in the book of Colossians we now come to a very important section as it pertains to the family. In Colossians chapter 3 verses 18 through 25 the Apostle Paul addresses specific responsibilities of individuals within the marriage and family beginning with the call for wives to submit to their husbands. If Paul were alive today I doubt if he'd ever get invited to be the keynote speaker at a meeting of the National Organization of Women, but it's important for us to remember that Paul is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and what he writes is exactly what God wants us to know. We invite you to listen as Pastor Clay walks us through these timely verses and explains to us what a wife's submission means and doesn't mean.

Our two part message from Colossians chapter 3 verses 15 through 17 stretched out to three parts; that's just how important your answers to these questions are. Over the last few weeks, Pastor Clay has asked us to examine our lives and answer four questions based on verses 15 through 17 of the third chapter of Colossians. Do you want to live with the peace of Christ in your heart? Do you want the word of Christ richly dwelling in you? Do you desire the joy of Christ filling your heart? And do you want the life of Christ coming from your heart? Join us today as Pastor Clay outlines the A-5 Challenge to strengthen your walk with Christ and help you on your way to answering “yes” to these four questions.

This is part two of a message from Colossians chapter 3 verses 15 through 17 and four questions that can have a profound impact on our lives. Last week Pastor Clay asked us "Does the peace of Christ rule in your heart?" and "Does the word of Christ dwell in your heart?" As Pastor Clay explained, it's more than just the intake of the knowledge of God's word. It's the outflow from our lives. That's something we're going to hear more of today as we’re asked two more questions. Like the first two, these questions are very important for determining where we are in our walk with Christ.

As we continue in our series entitled 'Colossians – It's All About Him,' the Apostle Paul has moved from the more theological section in the first half of his letter to the more practical section. Followers of Jesus aren't called to just know the right things, they're called to live the right things and to live the way Christ would want us to. In this message, and in next week's message, Pastor Clay is going to be asking us four very important questions based on verses 15 through 17 of Colossians chapter 3. How we answer those questions will go along way toward helping us understand where we are in our walk with Jesus.