Sermon Tone Analysis

ss=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1) 3-6-08…AM…SBC“House Rules”

Colossians 3:18-4:1

 

Introduction:               Case Study      (Case # 53 – Christian Counselor’s Casebook)

 

1- What is their greatest need at this point?

*Hope*

 

2- How would a secular perspective attempt to meet this need?

3- How would you meet this need?

*Give them hope form God’s Word*

* *

Ø     The role of hope in the process of sanctification cannot be underestimated.

Consider what Scripture says about its many contributions to that process:

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Hope produces joy that remains even through the most difficult trials (Prov.

10:28; Rom.

5:2–3; 12:12; 1 Thess.

4:13).

Hope produces perseverance (Rom.

8:24–25).

Hope produces confidence (2 Cor.

3:12; Phil.

1:20).

Hope produces effective ministry (2 Cor.

4:8–18).

Hope produces greater faith and love (Col.

1:4–5).

Hope produces consistency (1 Thess.

1:3).

Hope produces increased energy and enthusiasm (1 Tim.

4:10).

Hope produces stability (Heb.

6:19).

Hope produces a more intimate relationship with God (Heb.

7:19).

Hope produces personal purity (1 John 3:3).

[1]

 

How do we inspire Hope?

 

#.

By helping each other to Think Biblically

 

#.

*Think biblically about the specific situation*

#. *Think biblically about God’s character*

#. *Think biblically about the possibilities for good.

– *see the good in it all (glass ½ full)

#. *Think biblically about the divine resources.*

#. *Think biblically about the nature and cause of the problem.*

#. *Think biblically about what they say and do*

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Ø     Paul is giving instruction on how to manifest the Supremacy of Christ in the Home

 

1.

connection to the theological portions of Colossians 1 & 2

2.      change in focus from knowing to doing in Colossians 3 & 4

*3.

**the theological position of the Supremacy of Christ is not a bare theological fact but instead it is a life-changing principle that must affect the hearts that occupy our homes.*

Ø      To pursue the “things that are above” is done specifically in this text by a wholehearted commitment to the daily duties of this world and doing them for the Lord’s glory.

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*Proposition:*  The Supremacy of Christ must lead us to shape the hearts that occupy our homes.

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Ø      Paul addresses the different “stations” within the home and gives a distinct pattern for his exhortation

 

1.      he first of all lists the party being addressed (wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, masters)

2.      then he states the command (all in imperative mood)

 

*Imperative Mood*:

 

·         there is no more forceful way to give a command than the way Paul does here

·         it is the difference between “someone needs to shovel the church” and “you go shovel the church”

·         there is also a continuous aspect to these commands (present imperatives)

·         *Paul is saying literally saying, “I command you (w, h, c, f, s, m) to have specific patterns of behavior not just once but continually going forward from now on”*

 

3.

Paul then addresses the heart that occupy the home by giving the motivating factor in all of this

 

Transition:  With that pattern in mind let’s look first of all at…

 

1)      The Behavior of the Wives                 *v18*

 

A-    Command:      Submit to your husbands

 

1-      Submit  (ὑποτάσσεσθε)

 

a-      2nd person present imperative – strongest way to give a command in Gk

 

b-      “to subject oneself, place oneself in submission” (WSNTDICT – Logos)

 

c-      Although there is an ontological spiritual equality between men and women, there remain physical, positional and functional differences.

There are designated functions for a husband and a wife which man cannot change because God has ordained them.[2]

d-     Many argue that Paul’s teaching here reflects his chauvinistic, rabbinic attitude toward women.

Such people seek to usurp the role of God and decide for themselves which parts of Scripture are inspired.[3]

e-      Efforts to reverse or confuse the duties of wife and husband destroy the blessing each is to be to the other.[4]

*Application:  *How can a married acknowledge the Supremacy of Christ in her life?

What does Submission look like?

How would you describe it specifically to your girls?

B- Motivation:                        as is fitting in the Lord

 

 

1-      Submission is to be done because it is proper according to the will of God revealed in Scripture

2-      If he may be thought of as the “president,” she is the “vice-president.”[5]

Transition:  For the next command and motivation we will have to employ some help from *Ephesians 5:25*

2) The Behavior of the Husbands       *v19; Ephesians 5:25*

* *

*            *A- Command:             1) love your wives                   2)  Do not be bitter toward them

 

1-      2nd person present imperative – strongest way to give a command in Gk

 

2-      In his description of the husband’s love in Eph 5:22ff., he clearly stated that the husband was to love his wife sacrificially.[6] - *The model is Christ’s love for the church.*

3-      In light of this discussion, the husband’s love or lack of it does not relieve the woman of her responsibility toward him.

Nor does the wife’s lack of submission relieve the husband of his responsibility toward her.[7]

 

4-      The second command is a negative command challenging the husband not to embitter his wife

 

a-                          *πικραίνεσθε* - literally /make bitter/; of waters /cause to be undrinkable/; passive /become bitter/ (RV 8.11); of the stomach /sour/ (RV 10.9, 10); figuratively and passive /become angry, become resentful, become bitter/ (CO 3.19)[8]

 

b-                          They must not display harshness of temper or resentment toward their wives.

They are not to irritate or exasperate them, but rather to provide loving leadership in the home.[9]

5-      The verb itself seems best understood in the New Testament to express a willing love, not the love of passion or emotion, but the love of choice—a covenant kind of love.[10]

B- Motivation:                        as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her       *Ephesians 5:25*

 

1-      The willing, covenant love in view here is the activity of self-sacrifice.[11]

* *

*Application:   *What two things can a married man do to acknowledge the Supremacy of Christ in his life?

What does self-sacrifice look like?

How would you describe it to your boys?

Transition:  the next station in the home that is addressed by Paul is…

 

3) The Behavior of the Children         *v20*

* *

Ø      *this teaching to children and slaves is more forceful in nature that the command to the wives*

 

            A- Command:             obey your parents in everything

 

                        1- The present tense of the imperative ὑπακούετε (*be obedient*) demands a continuous obedience.[12]

(This admonition is completely in line with such passages as Ex.

20:12; 21:15–17; Lev.

20:9; Deut.

5:16; 21:18; Prov.

1:8; 6:20; 30:17; Mal.

1:6; Matt.

15:4–6; 19:19; Mark 7:10–13; 10:19; 18:20; Eph.

6:1–3.[13])

2-      Obedience is expected from the children of the house

 

3-      Obedience is expected in all things

 

 *Application:              *What does the Supremacy of Jesus Christ mean (*Colossians 1:15-20*)?

How can children acknowledge the Supremacy of Christ in their lives?

What excuses are sometimes used for not obeying?

When might it be biblically appropriate to not obey your parents?

Ø      the children are exhorted to obey their parents “in all things,” always subject to the limitation of Acts 5:29.[14]