The Orderly Family Series

THE ORDERLY FAMILY

COLOSSIANS 3:17-21 & 23-25

INTRODUCTION:

A. Have you ever seen the Jerry Lewis movie "The Disorderly Orderly"

1. It’s a great comedy

2. Jerry just did not seem to be able to get things right - he was not very ordered.

3. It made for a good comedy in the movies, yet in life things are not quite as easy. You see

B. Our God is a God of order

1. Paul wrote the Corinthians in 1 Cor 14:40 saying, Let all things be done decently and in order.

2. In creation there is an order - a course - if you like and the earth, planetary bodies and heaven continue in them

3. When God gave Moses the instructions for the tabernacle there was an "order" everything had its place and when put together everything was placed in order

4. There is an order of beings: God, Angels, and man

5. There is order in the resurrection - For we read in 1 Cor 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

C. So it should come as no surprise to us that the Lord would order the family.

1. The title of our message today is "The Orderly Family."

2. Our text is Col 3:17-21 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

D. We will look at two points

1. God’s Order

2. The Family Order

In beginning this morning I believe we must take the time to look at the context of our passage. As in all things context must be kept - it will guide us into the true meaning of the Scripture. So we begin with

I. GOD’S ORDER - Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

A. This verse ends a lengthy oration of how Christians are to order their life

1. It begins with Col 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

a. Notice the preface - If ye then be risen with Christ: First there must be salvation - GIVE GOSPEL

b. Notice: seek - above & set affections above

c. As we look into the Orderly Family we must begin here

d. God gives us an order to set our sights on heaven and seek those things - be willing to do as the Lord commands and directs

e. For The Family Order to work each member of it, must take these words to heart - enforce them in their OWN life

2. The chapter then goes on to list things that should not be present in an individual Christian’s life (Col 3:5-9)

3. Paul continues on to tell us what the individual Christian should put on (Col 3:10-16)

B. This sets up our current verse - Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1. This has a direct impact on the words that follow - do all in the name of the Lord Jesus - wives, husbands, and children

2. The center of it all is the LORD JESUS CHRIST - If you take your mind and heart off of this, it will not work: anger, malice, envy, rebellion, disgust, resentment, selfishness, and many others will take up residency within the family.

3. The Family Order we will discuss is not easy to begin with, but it will be much harder if we leave this important principle behind. Therefore God’s order to us is

4. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Col 3:17

Having set down the ground rules for this passage the Lord goes on to explain the

II. FAMILY ORDER - Col 3:18-20 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.