Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them.

Colossians 3:18‭-‬19

* Relationship begins with…* ORDER in the HOME* …submit yourselves to your husbands…* …as is fitting in the Lord.* ORDERS to the HUSBAND* …love your wives…* Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her – Ephesians 5:25* …and don’t be bitter toward them.* Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. – Ephesians 4:31* Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. – Hebrews 12:15* But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head  — Christ. – Ephesians 4:15

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared,   but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:11

* Find out about his…* ANNOUNCEMENTS* There was a man sent from God whose name was John. – John 1:6* In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. – Matthew 3:1‭-‬4* Notice…* The message he delivered* REPENT!* When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. – Matthew 3:7‭-‬8* Repent in..* Character* Conduct* The Messiah he declared* For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:  A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:  Prepare the way for the Lord;  make his paths straight! * Matthew 3:3* “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. * Matthew 3:11* ARREST* When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. – Mattheww 4:12* For Herod had arrested John, chained him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful for you to have her.” – Matthew 14:3‭-‬4* Notice…* His doubt* Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.” – Matthew 11:2‭-‬6* His death* So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. Then his disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus. – Matthew 14:10‭-‬12* AFFIRMATION* This affirmation came from Jesus…* Personally* “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared… – Matthew 11:11a* Plainly* …but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. – Matthew 11:11b

…since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.  In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Colossians 3:9‭-‬11
For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.

Galatians 5:17
Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:16‭-‬17

* We have been…* CHOSEN by the Lord* CLEANSED by the Lord* CHERISHED by the Lord

* There are new…* DEEDS* Deeds of the…* Fruit of the Spirit* Compassion* Kindness* Humility* Meekness (gentleness)* Patience (long-suffering)* Forgiveness of the saints (v. 13)* Fragrance of the Savior (14)* Fullness of the Spiritual Life (15)* DIRECTIONS* Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. – Colossians 3:16* Notice the…* Dwelling of the Word of God* Declaring the Word of God* Demonstrating the Word of God* NEW DECISIONS* New decisions in…* Our words* Our ways* Our witness

Notice that Enoch…

* WALKED with the Lord* And after he fathered Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him. Genesis 5:22‭-‬24* Walking with the Lord begins with…* A conversion experience at a point in time* By consistently walking through time* WELL-PLEASING to the Lord* By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God.  Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  Hebrews 11:5‭-‬6* Notice the…* Relationship to be well-pleasing to the Lord* Result of being well-pleasing to the Lord* …he rewards those who seek him.* A WITNESS for the Lord* It was about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied: “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him.”  Jude 1:14‭-‬15* Enoch was witnessing by…* Proclaiming* Practicing

2 Samuel 6: 1-12

Notice the…

* BACKGROUND of the Ark (1-8)* David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel: thirty thousand. He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim.  They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart  and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.  When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. Then the Lord ’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God. David was angry because of the Lord ’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is today. – 2 Samuel 6:1‭-‬8* Discover the…* Description of the Ark* Dark day in Israel* BOLDNESS for the Ark (9-11a)* David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” So he was not willing to bring the ark of the Lord to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months… – 2 Samuel 6:9‭-‬11a* Discover the…* Home offered to the Lord* Heart opened to the Lord* BLESSINGS of the Ark (11b -12)* …and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his whole family.  It was reported to King David: “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing.– 2 Samuel 6:11b‭-‬12‭* The blessings of a…* Special home* Spiritual home* But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord , choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship — the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord .”- Joshuaa 24:15

…put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.  In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.Colossians 3:9‭-‬11
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:1

* Notice the…* New man’s CREATION* Creation is about…* “Renewed”* “…which is renewed…”* “In knowledge”* “…renewed in knowledge…”* “Created in His image”* “…after the image of Him?????* New man’s CHARACTER* No differences in…* Country* …not Greek and Jew…* Creed* …circumcision and uncircumcision…* Culture* …barbarian, Scythian…* Class* …slave and free…* New man’s CHRIST* …but Christ is all and in all.

for we are about to destroy this place because the outcry against its people is so great before the Lord , that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”  At daybreak the angels urged Lot on: “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. Because of the Lord ’s compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters. They brought him out and left him outside the city.  As soon as the angels got them outside, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look back and don’t stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”  Then out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord .  He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:13‭, ‬15‭-‬17‭, ‬24‭-‬26

*  We are to…* RECALL her PRIVILEGES* Privileges of…* Family that surrounded Lot’s wife* Faith that was seen by Lot’s wife* REVIEW her PROBLEMS* Problem of…* Disbelief* Disobedience* Deception* But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 Luke 9:62* Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead… Philippians 3:13* REMEMBER her PUNISHMENT* Her punishment…* Was sudden* Was serious* Was sure

Colossians 3: 1-10

Luke 8:2, John 19/20

* Her love is about…* A GRATEFUL heart* and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); – Luke 8:2* A grateful heart seen in a…* Changed life* healed of evil spirits and sicknesses…* Committed life* Afterward he was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out of her); Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions. – Luke 8:1‭-‬3* A GRIEVING heart* Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. – John 19:25* Her grieving heart points to…* A deep love* Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. – Deuteronomy 6:5* A devoted love* For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. – 2 Corinthians 5:14* A GLAD heart* On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. – John 20:1* A glad heart because of the…* Absence of the Lord* So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” – John 20:2* Appearance of the Lord* But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” – John 20:11‭-‬15* Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic,  “Rabboni!”  — which means “Teacher.” – John 20:16

His appearance leads to a job to do!

If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

Colossians 2:20‭-‬23

* Way of understanding the warnings* LEGALISM (16-17)* MYSTICISM (18-19)* ASCETICISM (20-23)* A self denying way of life in an effort to be acceptable to God* Notice the…* POSITIVE POSITION* If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations…* I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20* PRESSURE to PERFORM* …Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.* One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”   Jesus answered, “The most important  is Listen, O Israel! The Lord  our God, the Lord  is one.  Love  the Lord your God  with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,  and with all your strength.  The second is, Love your neighbor  as yourself.  There is no other command  greater than these.” – Mark 12:28‭-‬31* PROBLEM of this PRACTICE* All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.