Colossians 3:18-4:1 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Handout Download Manuscript → Click to view the Sermon Outline 3 keys to living out your roles in everyday life I. Committing to work for the glory of God in all aspects of life A. In your deeds Colossians 3:17 - Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. B. In your heart Colossians 3:22 - Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. C. Always giving thanks Colossians 3:17 - Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. II. Glorify God in your most common relationships A. Submission is a common biblical theme B. In the marriage relationship Colossians 3:18-19 - Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. C. In the parental relationship Colossians 3:20-21 - Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. D. In the workplace Colossians 3:22-4:1 - Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. III. Remember that you will reap what you sow Colossians 3:24-25 - …knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. A. There is to be a focus on rewards B. There is also to be a focus on consequences Outlined Manuscript As we continue our series in Colossians and our yearly theme “In Christ Alone”. I have two questions. one serious, and one less serious. First question. Have you ever taken those closest to you for granted? Ever said, well, they know I love them. That won’t bother them. It’s just so and so…. Do you ever treat your familiar relationships as familiar, and not as purposeful as you should. Second question. Do you mind it if your food touches? As a kid, I couldn’t handle it if everything got mixed up. How about you, are you a KFC bowl, or a Tupperware everything sort of person. Sometimes we like to separate things. Regardless of your plate preferences, Sometimes we do that with God. Here are my church friends, here are my work acquaintances, this is my family, and I just function differently, and nothing really ties them all together. This passage today helps us think about both of those issues. Loving those you see everyday, and recognize that God is to be woven into all aspects of your life, and all of you. Please turn with me to Colossians 3:18-4:1. It is on page 158 in the bible in the chair under the seat in front of you. Let me start in verse 17. With our time remaining lets focus on Faithfulness to Christ at Home and Work: Three Keys to living out your Roles in Everyday Life. I.             Committing to work for the Glory of God in all aspects of life (Col. 3:17, 22) [TRANSITION] At the beginning of Colossians 3, we are called to set our mind on the things above, because we have been raised up with Christ, we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in in God. The text also says that Christ who is yo

Colossians 3:5-17 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Manuscript Download Handout → Click to view the Sermon Outline Ephesians 4:22-24 - …that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. #1. You must love and appreciate what Christ has done for you Colossians 3:5 - Therefore … #2. You must hate the corrupting and destructive influences of sin and idolatry Colossians 3:5 - Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:8 - But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Colossians 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices… A. Because God’s wrath is upon those who practice idolatry Colossians 3:6 - For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience… B. Because we exchanged the old way of life for a new one Colossians 3:7 - …and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. Colossians 3:10-11 - …and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. #3. You must repent for your willing participation in that sin Colossians 3:5 - Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Colossians 3:8 - But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Colossians 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices… A. By taking responsibility for sin B. By recognizing the Lord’s warnings C. By accepting consequences #4. You must renew your mind with the peace of Christ and the Word of Christ Colossians 3:15-16 - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. A. Let the peace of Christ rule B. Be filled with the Word #5. You must do the actions that glorify Christ Colossians 3:12-14 - So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:17 - Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. A. A heart of compassion and kindness B. Humility C. Bearing with another   Put to death Renew my mind Put On Sinful anger I believe that sinful anger is wrong and is a disgrace to the cross of Christ. I hate what it is doing in my life and relationships.   I believe that my anger should be consistent with the Lord’s. Righteous anger Sinful expressions of anger I believe that my expressions of anger are sinful. They are not consistent with the Lord’s treatment of me nor are they appropriate.   I believe that my anger should be expressed in ways consistent with biblical truth. Righteous expressions of anger Impatience I believe that my impatience is sinful and if God treated me the way I am treating _

Numbers 13:-14 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Handout Download Manuscript → Click to view the Sermon Outline 1 Corinthians 10:11 - Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Numbers 13:2 - …the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel… 3 characteristics of people God uses to lead the accomplishment of His plan I. Passionate Commitment to the Word of God A. In the twelve spies Deuteronomy 1:23-33 - The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe. They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol and spied it out. Then they took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought us back a report and said, ‘It is a good land which the Lord our God is about to give us.’ Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God; and you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. ‘Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.” ’ Then I said to you, ‘Do not be shocked, nor fear them. The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.’ But for all this, you did not trust the Lord your God, who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go. B. In John Wycliffe (1330 – 1384) Leading pastor and professor in Oxford, England Taught that church leaders who live and rule unjustly are in breach under the terms under which God delegates authority. Suggested that “rather than looking to the pope of his emissaries, one just needed to study the Bible to learn all that was necessary for the Christian life.”  “Wycliffe’s greatest contribution to reform was to popularize the Bible.  In those days, for the most part only Latin translations were available, which was inaccessible to most people; they were kept in churches and read by the clergy, who were supposed to translate the text and teach people its contents.”  “Wycliffe believed that the Scripture was complete—it contained the whole of God’s revelation.  Thus canon law, church tradition, and even the papacy had to be judged by Scripture.” C. In John Hus (1369 – 1415) “Like Wycliffe, Hus argued that the Bible alone was the basis for spiritual authority—not the church, not councils, not traditions—and if the Bible is sufficient for spiritual guidance, it should be available to everyone.” D. In you and me II. Willingness to Stand Up and Stand Out A. On the twelve spies Numbers 14:1-3 - Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! “Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” Numbers 14:6 - Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes… B. John Wycliffe Condemned as a heretic by Pope Gregory XI with 18 bulls (papal decrees) F

Colossians 3:1-4 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Manuscript Download Handout → Click to view the Sermon Outline Psalm 10:4 - The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is no God.” 1 John 2:15-17 - Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 3 realities to help you live out your faith I. Your Present Position Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. A. You’re united with Christ 3:1 - …raised up with Christ… 3:1 - …where Christ is… 3:3 - …hidden with Christ… 3:4 - …with Him in glory… B. Raised with Him Colossians 3:1 - Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ… “Paradoxically, before Christians can reach the world, they must first leave it.” John MacArthur, Colossians, p. 125 Colossians 2:21 - Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! Colossians 2:23 - These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. C. Died with Him Colossians 3:3 - For you have died… Colossians 1:13 - For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son… Romans 6:3-4 - Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. D. Your life is hidden Colossians 3:3 - For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 1. You share a common life with the Father and Son. 1 Corinthians 6:17 - But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 2 Peter 1:4 - …you may become partakers of the divine nature… 2. This new life is concealed from the world. 1 Corinthians 2:14 - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 John 3:2 - Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be… 3. Christians are eternally secure, hidden protectively from all spiritual foes. John 10:28 - …and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. II. Your Purposeful Pursuit A. Keep seeking things that are above Colossians 3:1 - …keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. zeteo – continuous action – keep seeking Matthew 6:33 - But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. B. Set your mind on things above Colossians 3:2 - Set your mind on

Colossians 2:8-23 Watch Video Listen to MP3 Download Handout Download Manuscript → Click to view the Sermon Outline Colossians 1:9-10 - For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…  3 ways that we can be fulfilled in Christ Alone I.  Beware that you do not accept false teaching of any kind (v. 8) Colossians 1:8 - …and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. A. The origin of false teaching will be human tradition rather than God and Christ  B. The content will not be consistent with the sufficiency, supremacy, and sovereignty of Christ C. The motivation will serve self rather than Christ II. Be confident in Christ and His Word in you (vv. 9-15) A. Christ is fully God (v. 9) Colossians 1:9 - For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form Philippians 2:6-8 - …who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. B. Christ made you complete in Him (v. 10) 1. By making us a part of the people of God (v. 11) Colossians 2:11 - …and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ 1 Peter 2:9-10 - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 2. By making us spiritually alive (vv. 12-13a) Colossians 2:12-13 - …having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him… 3. By forgiving our sin (v. 13b) Colossians 2:13b - …having forgiven us all our transgressions… 4. By cancelling our debts (v. 14) Colossians 2:14 - …having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 5. By giving us victory over our enemies Colossians 2:15 - When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. III. Embrace the freedom you have in Christ alone (vv. 16-23) A. We have freedom from legalism (vv. 16-17, 20-22) Colossians 2:16-17 - Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Colossians 2:20-22 - If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? B. We have freedom from self-righteousness (vv. 18a, 23) Colossians 2:18a - Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels… Colossians 2:23 - These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of t