Living For Jesus Series

Living for Jesus

Colossians 3:18-4:1

Over the past several weeks we have been studying the book of Colossians on Sunday mornings. The theme of this wonderful book is Jesus is preeminent. Jesus must be first in every area of our lives.

Remember the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes this letter to the church of Colossae from prison. As he pours out his life he reminds us how Jesus poured out His life for us.

So we are instructed to live for Jesus. If we are Christian it’s not a suggestion it’s a privilege and a blessing that we live for Jesus. This is referring to being a follower of Jesus, a disciple. Not a lip service faith but a sold out follower who surrenders to His will.

William Willimon used to be the dean of the chapel at Duke University. "One day he received a phone call from a very irate father. The father exploded on the other end of the line, telling Willimon furiously, ’I hold you personally responsible for this!’ He was angry because his graduate-school-bound daughter had decided (in his words) ’to throw it all away and go and do mission work in Haiti with the Presbyterian Church.’ The father screamed, ’Isn’t that absurd! She has a B.S. degree from Duke and she is going to dig ditches in Haiti! I hold you responsible for this!’ Willimon said, ’Why me?’ The father said, ’You filled her with all this religion stuff.’ Will Willimon is not easily intimidated.

He asked the father, ’Sir, weren’t you the one who had her baptized?’ ’Well, well, well, yes.’ ’And didn’t you take her to Sunday School when she was a little girl?’ ’Well, well, yes.’ ’And didn’t you allow your daughter to go on those youth group ski trips to Colorado when she was in high school?’ ’Yes . . . but what does that have to do with anything?’ ’Sir, you are the reason she is throwing it all away. You introduced her to Jesus. Not me!’ ’But,’ said the father, ’all we wanted was a Presbyterian.’ Willimon, who has an instinct for the jugular, replied, ’Well, sorry, sir, you messed up. You’ve gone and made a disciple.’" (Len Sweet, Preaching Plus, 2/15/2004)

Here in our text is the explanation of living for Jesus. The Bible outlines the two main areas of our lives and how we are to obey the Lord as a follower of Jesus as we live for Him in this world.

Notice these two areas:

I. Our Home life (v.18-21)

God’s word pulls no punches in describing how the home is to operate. If the family is functioning in accordance with God’s word there will be peace and security in the home.

A Marriage that follows the Bible is going to be blessed. Unfortunately many marriages today are like the story I heard about An older couple was sitting by the fireside. He looked over at her, had a romantic thought, and said, “After sixty years, I’ve found you tried and true.” The wife’s hearing wasn’t very good, so she said, “What?” He repeated, “After sixty years, I’ve found you tried and true.” She said, “After sixty years, I’m tired of you too,”.

Here the Bible lists the 2 keys to a happy home life:

A. Submission (v.18) Submission is not a bad word. The word means to line up in proper rank. I say this every time I preach on this topic. Only a Godly, spirit-filled woman will do this.

This word does not mean a wife is a slave for her husband that would go against v.19. This means she lines up under her husband’s God ordained authority and that act of obeying God’s word is notice the phrase “fitting to the Lord.”

Just as Jesus submitted to the authority of God, and the authority of man even when that authority crucified Him, wives submit to their Lord by following the leadership pf their husband.

I could spin this positive or negative today. I could be loving and tell everyone great job or harsh and say many wives today aren’t doing this but the truth is if you’ll listen to the Lord today and listen as you talk to or about your husband how are you in following the Lord in submitting to your husband?

B. Love (v.19-21)

As a husband, pastor and father my home and my life must be an example for all. I live in a fish tank and everything and everybody get to examine me. Quite honestly I wouldn’t have it any other way and just think if you had that same scrutiny? Men we have an awesome task.

David Blankenhorn, from the Institute for American Values said, “The most urgent domestic challenge facing the United States at the close of the 20th century is the re-creation of fatherhood as a social role for men.” “A good father does these basic things: provides for his family, protects his family, and gives spiritual and moral guidance.”— SOURCE: David Blankenhorn, Institute for American Values.