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Now let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skiff Heidzig. Paul said, I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. I've wanted to model that. I don't feel that I could ever tell a church. that I've given you the whole counsel of God unless I have taught through the entire Bible.
We have done that a few times. We are currently going back and forth from the Old to the New Testament, and God willing, we're going to finish. The book of Colossians. Chapter 4 is a short chapter. I'm going to dip back into chapter 3 because I was gone for a week and I want to get a little bit of context.
Plus, we sort of left off at verse 17 of chapter 3. But To remind you. The grand theme of this book is the preeminence of Jesus Christ. Or, to put it another way, that he is superior. To everything and everyone else.
Paul was riding against a group of people that had made their way into the church of Colossi, telling them Jesus is a good start, but only a step. On the way to knowing the true God, and we're going to help you make more steps.
So Paul prays for this church. That they would understand that Jesus Christ is supreme over all creation, the firstborn over creation. That just means Place of supremacy.
Okay. That he is supreme over Uh the church that he is the Of all the people that have been resurrected, the most important one who has been raised from the dead, therefore he deserves that place of preeminence. But On a practical note, all that theology as a base is important, but all of that aside, How does that theology make its way into My practical life. What does it mean on a practical level? How?
Does the Christian demonstrate That This is the superior way to live with Jesus at the center. We are complete in Him, as Paul said in this book. What evidence Does our life really show? And Paul would say, by the changes. In your life, by the fact that you live a transformed life.
So If you go down to verse 12 Of chapter three, just as a reminder: therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering. This language that he uses in the chapter, put off, put on, put off the old. man, put on the new man, and in particular put on these graces these These characteristics of a redeemed nature. He's basically saying this: you are chosen by God, you are picked by God, act like you are picked by God.
If you've been blessed. Then get dressed. With these graces, with these characteristics. That he lives here. These are the evidences.
Yeah. The superiority of just having Jesus as enough. At the center of one's life. If you go down to verse 17. He says, and whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.
The idea of a person's name back then was his reputation, his character. All that he is is embodied by his name. Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name. Or according to the nature, or according to the character. Of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Okay. Now Paul in the following verses, verse 18, to the end of the chapter gives The shortest marriage seminar in history. He just Cuts to the chase and gives almost like a one-word summation or a one-sentence summation. of the roles of wife and husband. Parent, child.
in the home.
Now, he will elaborate on this in the book of Ephesians. He did elaborate on that. He wrote. More details about that here. He sums it up, and toward the end of the book, I'm going to show you why.
These two are probably related. Ephesians. And Colossians. Two separate letters, but why are they related? And perhaps why Paul here just writes in summary form.
Yeah. Of course. I love that about scripture and about truth. It's not. complicated.
You know, do you remember in school, K-I-S-S? What does that mean? It's simple. Keep it simple. Stupid.
Paul is saying, K-I-S-S, keep it simple, saints. The Saints of God, the Church of God. Should be able to reduce things to their irreducible minimum so that it's understandable.
So we launch into The shortest marriage seminar, and here it is, verse 18. Wives. Submit to your own husbands as is fitting in the Lord. I know them's fightin' words in some circles. But not in Christian circles.
Because in Christian circles, We understand this has nothing to do with Superiority, this has everything to do with functionality. Yeah. For a wife to submit to her husband doesn't mean that the husband is intellectually superior or emotionally superior or whatever. It's purely functionality.
Somebody needs to call the shots. In the home. There needs to be an an order for things to flow smoothly. And there's a lot of reasons for that. We have detailed those reasons in other places, but let me tell you.
Why its functionality over superiority?
Okay. In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, Paul says, I want you to know, brethren, that the head of every man. is Christ. The head of a woman Is man. And the head of Christ Is God God the Father.
Now, does that imply that God the Father is superior? To God the Son. No. That would be heresy to say yes. Jesus is divine.
He is God. He is. The second person of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is not inferior to the Father, but functionally He submitted himself. He poured himself out.
That's what we discovered in the book of Philippians. He emptied himself of not deity, but of the prerogatives of deity.
So he surrendered. He submitted to the will of the Father. As is fitting.
So, wives, submit to your own husbands as is. Fitting in the Lord. Of course, if your husband is telling you to do things, That are unbiblical, that are immoral. Honey, I don't want you to read your Bible. Sweetheart, you cannot go to church.
And I'd like you to get drunk with my friends on the weekends. You say no. I am not going to submit to that. Why? Because that's not fitting in the Lord.
And that's the qualification. Wives, submit to your own husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands Love your wives. The word agape, agapa'o, it's the selfless, self-sacrificial love. The divine highest kind of love.
Love your wives. and do not be bitter toward them or harsh. toward them.
Now the word husband is a great word. It comes from an ancient word that means a tiller of the ground. A cultivator. If you know the King James Version of the Bible. In John chapter 15, Jesus said, and this is how it's translated in the King James, I am the true vine, you are the branches, my father is the husbandman.
or the cultivator, the farmer, the tiller of the ground. The vine dresser, as the New King James says.
So, the idea of a husband in a marriage is one who cultivates. The relationship. is the tiller of the ground.
Somebody once said, a happy man. Marries the girl he loves. A happier man loves the girl he marries. That's a cultivator. That's one who continually gives and tills that ground.
So, wives submit. Functionality, husbands love. Unconditionally, sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. Paul will illustrate that in Ephesians.
Now for children. Children. And the word here is techna. And technile was a term that referred to children, typically young children, children who lived at home. still with their parents.
Of course, these days that might be up to 30 years of age. But back then, it was the younger children who were submitting. Uh in the home, he says, children, techna. Obey Your parents in all things. For this is well pleasing.
To the Lord. I do believe that even when a child leaves home. There may not be the same kind of obedience in all things, but there still must be an honor. You honor your father and your mother, and that never ends. Even Jesus illustrated that.
He was hanging on a cross. in what would normally be a very Um self-absorb. Act of dying, crucifixion, excruciating pain. But he took time to make sure that his mother was taken care of. Mother, behold your son.
Son, John the Apostle, behold your mother. Take care of my mom. Make her as your mother. He was honoring his father and mother. Showing love.
So children, techna, obey your parents. In all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Everyday friends like you help connect people around the world to the life-changing truth of God's Word through clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching. Our world constantly tells us we need something more.
But the book of Colossians reminds us that everything we truly need is found in Jesus Christ. That's the heart of Pastor Skiff's resource, Expound Colossians. As he walks verse by verse through this powerful New Testament book, you'll discover why Christ is supreme over all things, how to recognize truth in a world full of competing voices, and what it means to live each day firmly rooted in him. We'll send Expound Colossians as our thanks when you give $50 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer.
Now let's return to today's teaching. The word obey is a very interesting word here. I just want to unpack it. Hupaka'o. Hupaka'o is a word that means children listen.
Under Your parents. Listen under your parents. My dad. would always make sure I was listening. Skip, did you hear what I just said?
What did I just say? He wanted to make sure that I was listening. Under Came. And that's why to this day, I was listening because I can repeat to this day. Verbatim, many of the lessons he taught me, because he would say them over and over and over again.
I wasn't always good at obeying in all things.
Now you If you're a child and you are um At an age where Maybe you think The advice or the Counsel the Uh uh commandments of your parents are as wise as You are And you are saying, why should I obey my parents in all things? First, let me give you three reasons. Number one, you are expensive, that's why. Your parents sacrifice an enormous amount of their money. Just to have you in this world, on this earth, feeding you, sending you to school, making sure you're involved in sports activities, et cetera, getting you married.
You cost a boatload of money. But but there's a better reason. Number two, it is well pleasing to the Lord. That's what it says here. When you obey, you are listening under, you are.
functionally surrendering to your parents. According to the order of God, this is well pleasing to the Lord. And let me give you a third reason. It's foundational. It's foundational.
Apparently And a child relationship in a home is a foundational relationship if the child. does not listen or obey Parents at home they're going to have a very difficult time obeying employers at work. or obeying policemen in their city. and law enforcement. It is foundational for the rest of one's life.
we learn surrender and submission within the home.
So wives submit. Children obey. He continues, Do not provoke your children. Lest they become Discouraged. Don't provoke.
Hassle. Endanger the future of your children, lest they become discouraged. How could a father provoke his child so that they get discouraged. A few ways, hypocrisy. Saying one thing, living another way.
You know, we listen to our parents, but we also watch them to see if they. Live up to what they say? A second way would be inconsistency. Among siblings, boy, you treat me this way, but you don't treat my older brothers this way. or my younger sister that way, so inconsistency.
being overly critical. I often felt that my father was overcritical. With his kids? And that was discouraging at times. Wanted to make sure that I would learn from that in raising my son.
Favoritism of one child over another one. kind of fits in with inconsistency. All that could discourage a child.
So Fathers, do not provoke your children.
Now, why is he writing to fathers and not mothers? Not because mothers don't have authority. They're the ones that typically raise the children, even in this ancient culture. But again, this is speaking of functionality in the home. The buck stops with.
Him. And All right. From my experience, My father was much sterner than my mother. If I wanted a sympathetic ear, I didn't go to my father. I did go to my mother.
And also a male voice. when they are angry, though my mother could get angry. And she she would show it. Boy, that booming voice of my father was enough to Shake and discourage one. He continues, verse 22, bondservants.
or slaves Obey in all things your masters. According to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God, and whatever you do. Do it heartily, as unto the Lord and not to men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done.
and there is no partiality. There was slavery. In the Roman Empire. And some people in reading the New Testament have wondered. and faulted Paul or the other apostles for Not standing out against it.
Why didn't they seek to abolish? Slavery. Why didn't they organize Petitions to sign against the Roman government, or tell slaves to rebel and revolt. Like our modern civil rights movement. And there is never in the New Testament a time where Paul says that they should do that.
In fact, I'm going to show you a case, hopefully. We're going to finish the chapter tonight and I'll show you a case where that is so. But They didn't seek to abolish it. Why? Let me give you a few quick reasons.
Number one, it was part of the social fabric of the Roman Empire. That predated Christianity by a long shot. It was such a part of the fabric of the Roman Empire that. It is estimated one out of every three people in the Roman Empire were slaves. And in some estimates, As many as 40% of the entire population of the Roman Empire were slaves.
Reason number two. The early church had no political power whatsoever. They were a minority. They had no power. You couldn't vote one Caesar out and another Caesar in.
For them to push the slaves to rebel and form an insurrection would have reduced Christianity to a mere social gospel and would have robbed it of the impact it had in changing people's lives. And by the way, it did change people's lives.
Some masters, some people who owned slaves themselves came to Christ. One of them. is mentioned in the Bible a man by the name of Philemon. And his slave Onesimus, who is going to be mentioned in this chapter. There's a third reason why Paul doesn't tell them to rebel, nor does he seek to abolish slavery.
Because I think Paul knew that the problem is never with the system, it's always with. The people. Yes, people make up the system, but the problem is not with the system, it's with the hearts. Of the people.
So you can have the right system in place, but the wrong people running that system. Even in a democracy or a constitutional republic like ours. Uh You can also have a wrong system, but you can have the right people. Makes all the difference.
So the problem is never with the system, it's always with The people themselves.
So he tells. The slaves, basically, the bondservants. Be the best servant you possibly can. in the name of Christ as if you are serving Christ. Because after all all, we are all Slaves of Christ, Romans chapter 6.
Whatever you do. Verse 23: Do it heartily as to the Lord, not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance. Slaves never got an inheritance. But they would get in a in a an eternal inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ.
But if you do wrong, you'll be repaid for what you have done, and there is no partiality.
Now You are not slaves. If you have employment, you work for an employer.
So let's take the principle and Apply it in that regard. Obey your employers. Work hard at your job. The best witness as a worker is to be the best worker. In the company.
I remember when I went to apply for a job, and this verse was in my mind. I was a Christian, a young Christian. I was getting a job at a radiology department in Westminster, California. I was hoping to. I applied for the job.
I had an interview, gave him my resume. And I could tell that I was going to be passed over. Because Uh the um One who interviewed me said, smiled very politely. Thank you very much. We'll let you know.
And I was about to walk out and I turned around and I said, Last word. If you hire me, I'll be the best worker. in this entire department. You know, I thought it's worth a shot. And I was thinking of this verse, and he looked at me and he said, You got the job.
Then I walked away going, oh man.
Now I have to perform, right? I have to indeed be the best worker they have in this department. I've got to show up on time. I can't leave early. I have to be very responsible.
go out of the way to show that I'm worthy of that. But I've discovered that when you have a job, whatever job, whatever employment you have, that can become your pulpit. You can reach people in such a way that the unbelieving world thinks there's something to the Christian faith. Because of this worker that I've hired, or because of the way he or she interacts with. with the public.
Now he continues in verse one of chapter four. And by the way, Chapter 3 should have ended with verse one of chapter four. This is one of those mistakes.
Now, you're saying, are you saying the Bible is not an error? No, the Bible never had chapters and verses until the year, around the mid-1200s. When the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, decided, let's give it chapters and verses so people can find their way around the books. And so that was put in. All due respect to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
This was a mistake. Chapter Three should have ended with Verse 1 of chapter 4, masters give your Bondservants, what is just? and fair knowing that you also have a master in heaven. Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Now, here's how to pre-order an exciting resource from Pastor Skip that's coming next month. Have you ever wanted to understand the Bible better but felt overwhelmed by where to begin? In Soaring Above It All, Pastor Skip Heitig guides you through the big picture of Scripture in short daily devotionals designed to help you better understand God's Word. Pre-order your copy of Soaring Above It All today, wherever books are sold. Before we go, remember, your generosity helps share God's word with people around the world through clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching.
And this month, when you give $50 or more, we'll send you Expound Colossians as our thanks. In this five-message study, Pastor Skip explores one of the Bible's clearest pictures of the supremacy of Jesus Christ and shows how being rooted in Him changes the way you live every day. Give today at connectwithgift.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888. See you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzigs. Make a connection!
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