March 18, 2012
Paul is writing this letter of Colossians to those who know the Lord; believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 1, Paul writes: God has preeminence over the philosophies of the world. If it is contrary to God’s Word throw it away.
In Chapter 2, Paul writes: God is preeminent over the Church. If what they say in the Church is contrary to God’s Word throw it away.
Now in Chapter 3, Paul writes: Christ must have preeminence over you.
V1: Seek God. In everything we do, in every aspect of our lives, in every decision we make we must seek God.
V2: Set our mind on things above. It means to focus, especially in a world that is busy. Set your mind, your affections, and your desires on God. You have to want to.
The theme of Colossians is your mind. Changing, renewing, setting your mind on God.
Paul wants us to understand what it means to serve God. He knows it’s not easy but it is possible. The reward is being able to live and fellowship with our Savior.
Paul says in v4, this is not the end; this world is not the end. But, if we set our mind on things above we can exist in a sinful world and still live for God. If we look at God’s Word He by His Spirit places in my heart the knowledge that He will take me through all that is going on with a promise of eternal victory.
V5-11: Paul shows us what our way is, the carnality and things that are not of God. Because we are of God Paul identifies those things that are sinful so that we can be dead to those things. We need to dig a hole, take our sins and bury them in the hole and put a tombstone on it.
God is about life and giving us life. Those things that do not bring us life, we need to put to death or they will kill us. God has freed us from these things. We need to not be a slave to sin. We need to recognize the signs and temptations that lead us to sin. When the world offers temptations we need to ask God for help.
V12-17: Christ must have preeminence over our lives. We need to give all our situations over to Him and let Him deal with it. We were just like all those who are not in Christ until God saved us. It doesn’t matter who you are. Therefore, our goal is to give God glory in everything we do.
V18-25: Christ is Preeminent in the Home. If God is not in charge of your life, forget about Him being in charge or being preeminent in your family. To the degree you allow the Lord into your life that is the degree to which you allow him to have input into your home and family.
God tells wives submit to their husbands in the Lord. We have to pray for our husband and make sure our home is taken care of; always keeping God as our focus.
God tells husbands to love their wives. Love from a husband to a wife carries a sacrifice even to death.
God tells children to be obedient. The price of disobedience can be severe.
God then tells fathers not to provoke their children. A child must always know they are loved. We have to go to the Lord to find the balance for our children.
God tells bondservants to obey their masters. Bondservants are those who have chosen this master. For us, now it is our jobs that we have chosen. We need to pray for them but be obedient. We have to make sure our heart is right.
We are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and our lives are a testimony for him. Whenever we are doing the wrong thing we need to stop, pause and repent. When the Holy Spirit shows me my wrong I need to pause and ask God to help me to honor him.
God then tells masters, be fair because you also have a master in heaven. God is our master. We expect Him to show us grace and mercy and fairness and we in turn should do the same.
Does Christ have preeminence over your personal life? He has come that we might have life and that more abundantly (John 10:10). He is not a kill joy but a joy giver.
Pastor Pete
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