Sermon Tone Analysis

Family Business

Family business, being a part of Christ’s family should directly impact how we are to be in our physical family and our relations with others.

Paul has already shown us the all sufficiency of Christ and that He is our preeminent Savior.

(Col1:16-18, 2:3)

By Him, through Him, for Him, holder of all things, in which all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found.

He in our passage today will show us some guidelines that we should live by, in our family.

So how to conduct, handle family matters and that impacts even secular matters too.

(Col3:18-4:1)

There are a few little things I want to point out before getting to our study passage.

Paul, contrary to what some believe was not a woman hater.

He elevated women and children from the ways of perception at the time as possessions to persons in the family care center.

This was very against the culture of the time.

A care center is for people and the parallel passage for our passage today is found in Eph5:25-30)

This is to be a care center for Christian people who have a New Life, who operate under New Management, with a New Understanding of reality, of truth and now under the authority of Christ, following the example of Christ.

In our passage we see the care for people, the value of people.

The family is a place for person’s not just a physical place, it is a spiritual place in which we live.

Paul methodically will work through the members , wives, husbands, children, fathers, then addresses slaves and masters.

He shows mutual submission throughout the passage.

First submissive to Christ then to each other.

Submission is one of the marks of a Christian not only within the care center but within the world too to set an example of Christ to others.

The family care center should be a place we can all go when all the other doors around us are shut, because we care, because we care enough to listen, because we can enough to be honest and share our hearts with one another , to help each other to grow.

To help each other so sustain a submissive relationship with Christ and with each other.

Now that brings us to our passage today, we will read it all, then go back and break it down.

I.Women in the care center

In the care center called a family the wife is to be submissive (or subject) to the husband.

In looking at the Greek definition of submit, submission means

arrange under, to subordinate; to be put in subjection to; obey

To submit to one’s control, to yield to on’es admonition or advice

Wives are to be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord (Eph5:22; 21; Col3:17)

Now before getting carried away with that, look back one verse

It starts in being subject, in submission to one another in the fear of Christ first.

And remember where we had just come from

Wives are to understand the husbands role as head of the family, as Christ is the head of the church.

This is saying we are to respect his authority but not in any way implying inferiority at all.

Submission is a quality of love shown both ways, from husband to wife, from wife to husband in our care center called family.

Now I want to expand on submission, and being fitting unto the Lord just a bit more before moving on.

Submission is in line with Jesus teaching (Mt20:25-28)

Not only within the family are we to submit but to one another (Eph5:21)

Submit to those who rule over us in faith (Heb13:17)

Submit to the rule of government (1Pt2:13-15)

Younger to older (1Pt5:5-7)

Let me touch on just a couple of these passages.

then there is the Hebrew passage

and the Peter passage

Something to think about, if a wife is not submissive to the husband, they may not win over an unbelieving husband to the Lord (1Pt3:1-2; 5:5)

Nor the Lord be gracious to them

II.

Husbands in the care center

Husbands as the head of the family, need direction too.

Sometimes they need it spelled out more than the wives do (Col3:19; Eph5:25-29)

Role model is Christ and His church (Eph5:25-27)

Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

It is to be a sacrificial love.

Men may not always read instructions, but they love good examples and Paul gives another in (Eph5:28-29)

love as you love your own body.

Which is another good example of how Christ loved the Church and a husband is to love his wife.

Husbands love is not to have bitterness toward them.

A bitter taste in the stomach; to embitter; to exasperate, to render angry or indignant

To visit with bitterness, to grieve all from the Greek word (pikraino)

Reasons not to be bitter (1Pt3:7)

Weaker vessel does not mean less than, it means a more delicate partner.

This is the person who is to provide the motherly tenderness to the children and bitterness will make a wife, mother, coarse and resentful, helping to contribute to a dysfunctional family vs a family care center.

The wife is worthy of love, worthy of honor, a fellow recipient of God’s grace.

Treatment from husband to wife can directly impact prayers!

Now a little logic to it, if the husband sets an example of love, of mutual submission to the wife as the leader of the family, then the wife would be more likely to be submissive to the leadership, the authority of the husband too.

Summing this up: It is commanded, it is possible, it is beneficial in the care center called the family!

III.

Children in the care center

We know the old adage “children are to be seen and not heard.”

But children in the care center follow what they see and what they hear.

Children have a place in the care center called a family.

Let’s look at their role.

In our Christian lifestyle we are to live to please the Lord so it is not asking to much for the children to know their position within the care center called a family.

Notice I said position not possession.

Value of children being obedient (Lk2:51-52)

We see Jesus example and the value of obedience, he grew in favor with God and men.

Promise from being obedient (Eph6:1-3)

The promise is that you may live long.

The seriousness if children are rebellious (1Sam15:22-3; Deu21:18-21)

disobedience is in the same class as divination (you know witchcraft).

And if we looked at Deu21:18-21 in some cases the punishment for rebellion was death.

Don’t take rebellion lightly.

it is not just a stage they go through

It is a serious problem that needs to be addressed and handled

It is a problem that needs to be covered with much prayer for wisdom on how to handle it and bring the child out of it.

rebellion needs to be handled and addressed properly normally by the father, who is the head of the family.

IV.

Fathers in the care center

Wives, husbands, children, fathers all members of the care center, and whatever happens in the care center will directly reflect what happens in the church (the body of believers).

So fathers need to handle fatherhood properly.

(Col3:21; Jos24:14-15; 1Sam3:11-14; Eph6:4; Deu6:6-7)

Do not exasperate

Do not exasperate so they do not lose heart

Exasperate, irritate intensely, infuriate, to irate, to enrage, to antagonize, or to provoke (oh the list could go on)

The father has an awesome responsibility to raise his children.

(Jos24:14-15) is a good example

Then there is a bad example too (1Sam3:11-14)

Eli did not lead, restrain or control his sons, as a father you will be accountable to God for the way you raise your children.

Fathers are to spiritually train their children (Eph6:4; Pro22:6)

If instruction is vital for the saint to grow in maturity, think about the child to raise up, or as it says in Pro22:6 to train up.