Text:
Colossians 3:12-25:
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
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.
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.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Theme:
Just Do Your Best
Introduction:
- The Epistle to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul shortly after his similar writing was done to the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote seemingly in reaction to information that he had heard concerning the church and false teaching. As he often does in love for the people of the churches, Paul admonishes them to beware of false teachers. The unique quality of the Epistle of Colossians is its focus on the people and how they need to carry themselves to avoid the snares of the false teachers.
- The Epistle to the Colossians is, as most of Paul’s letters, written in two primary components: the Doctrinal and the Practical.
- The Doctrinal (first two chapters) outlines the need of the believer to beware of being drawn away from Christ. He reminds the readers that all power was placed in the hand of Jesus; so, there is no need for another.
- The Practical (rest of the epistle) brings the Doctrinal component to the reality of our lives by giving direct, explicit instructions to the readers for the purpose of guidance in the reader’s life.
- Where the Doctrinal opens the eyes, the Practical gives sight
- Where the Doctrinal gives the power to walk, the Practical gives the application of walking.
- Our text finds us in the 3rd Chapter of the Epistle where Paul is focusing on Christian Living.
- So many people speak that salvation is easy. It is true that salvation is easy, but Christian Living is hard.
- It is primarily because salvation requires Believing and Confession.
- Romans 10:8-9 which says, “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
- Whereas, Christian Living requires sacrifice.
- Mark 8:34 says, “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
- Oftentimes, when confronted with the daunting task of sacrificing in the name of God and submitting to God, we have heard and said and abided by the words “Just Do Your Best”
- It is primarily because salvation requires Believing and Confession.
- So many people speak that salvation is easy. It is true that salvation is easy, but Christian Living is hard.
- Christian Living is a commonly worrisome issue for the Christian Community as well as the Worldly community. Both want to contrive their own convenient, limited definition of what Christian Living entails and imposes.
- Romans 10:3 explains, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
- Oftentimes, when confronted with the daunting task of handling and digesting the perfect Truth of God’s Word with our faulty and limited understanding and mental capacity, we have heard and said and abided by the words “Just Do Your Best”
- So, what is our BEST?
- Webster defines one’s best as being “the greatest degree of good or excellence”
- We don’t even know what our best is:
- John 14:12 shows, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
- Who better to define our best than our own Creator!
- Psalm 100:3, “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
Body:
- However, Living a Christian life is requires ALL à Our BEST is ALL:
- Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
- Luke 10:27, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
- Matthew 19:21, “Jesus said unto him (the Rich Young Ruler), If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
- Deuteronomy 10:12-13 summarizes, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”
- It is through giving ALL that we attain PERFECTEDNESS through Christ!
- We are supposed to be perfect!
- Matthew 5:48 explains, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
- Through Christ, by perfect submission, we can be perfect!
- Deuteronomy 18:13 confirms, “Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.”
- We are supposed to be perfect!
- Our BEST is ALL
- The result of giving all is doing all!!
- Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
- Oftentimes, when confronted with the daunting task of satisfying God’s expectations of us, we have heard and said and abided by the words “Just Do Your Best” à Since you know what your best is now, JUST DO IT!!
- The result of giving all is doing all!!
Our text addresses the issue of individuals having different “BESTS” à Your BEST may not be my BEST
- In verses 17 and 23, Paul uses the phrase, “And whatsoever ye do”
- “YE” à God is no respect of persons. He can use all kinds of different folk.
- Romans 10:12 states, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
- “DO” à God has different BESTS for different folks. We all aren’t supposed to accomplish the same.
- Ephesians 4:11-12 explain, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
- “YE” à God is no respect of persons. He can use all kinds of different folk.
Conclusion:
- Our text also addressed the fact that we are UNIFIED, not by our actions, but BY OUR PURPOSE!
- Verse 17 states à “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”
- There’s power in the name of Jesus!
- Ephesians 2:9-11 explains, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- We are COMMANDED to give thanks to God!
- Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
- 1Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
- There’s power in the name of Jesus!
- Verse 23 states à “do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”
- We are to work HEARTILY! à GIVE ALL à Do it from the heart!
- “As to the Lord, and not unto men”
- What ever we do, it should be done with the mindset of doing it for God…not for man or the world!!
- Don’t worry about who benefits
- Don’t worry about what you are or are not getting out of it
- Don’t worry about how you are being used, misused or abused
- Don’t worry about the impression that you make on people
- GIVE GOD ALL!!!
- What ever we do, it should be done with the mindset of doing it for God…not for man or the world!!
- Verse 24 states à “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ”
- Verse 17 states à “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”
- Who’s the boss here??
- God is the Righteous Judge who has to be answered to!!!!
- 2Timothy 4:1, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
- There’s a reward to be inherited!!
- 1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
- Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not..”
- So, HANG ON IN THERE!!!
- There is a reward to those who hang on in there!!
- If you are wondering what you have to do à Just Do Your Best!!!
- God wants your BEST!!!!
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