I posted yesterday about forgiving those who wrong us. It was a call to forgive as we’ve been forgiven. And while that call applies equally to those outside the church and to those inside the church, there’s a further, very powerful dynamic in play when it comes to forgiving fellow believers. Continue reading “Forgiving in light of eternity”
Forgiving as we’ve been forgiven
Some people have hurt us so badly that we can hardly think of them without thinking of the wrong they did us–though a long time ago, and feeling like it was just yesterday. We say we’ve forgiven them, but our being unable to think of them without recalling the injury and without having the heat of anger, bitterness, or resentment arise in our hearts all over again, reveals that we’ve not yet forgiven them as we’ve been forgiven, Eph 4.32. We’ve not yet forgiven them as a Christian should and can. Continue reading “Forgiving as we’ve been forgiven”
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Walking with wisdom towards outsiders, Col 4.5
Paul calls us to walk with wisdom towards outsiders (Col 4.5). So what does this look like? I would suggest it means three things. Continue reading “Walking with wisdom towards outsiders, Col 4.5”
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The blessings of true friendship
We’ve been looking at friendships the last few days. Things to look for in a friend. Things to avoid in looking for a friend. Pitfalls to avoid in friendships. I have a final word for you this morning: the blessings enjoyed in friendship. When you find a true friend, someone you can let close to you and with whom you feel comfortable opening your heart, someone you can trust with yourself and whose wisdom, input, and opinion you trust, there are some real blessings in such a friendship. Continue reading “The blessings of true friendship”
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The pitfalls to avoid in friendships
Real friendship has fallen on the rocks in these days of cheap, easy friends through social media. We can have thousands of Facebook friends and yet not so much as one real friend. Or, we could be connected with several true friends through social media but because of the nature of the relationship (through posts, pics, and likes) we lose sight of what a real friend is supposed to be and do. I hope these posts on friendship help you think through the kind of friend you are and the kind of friends you have. Having good, close friends is a real treasure and blessing in life that should never be taken for granted. And now that we’ve covered the things to look for and avoid in choosing friends, I’d like to give you some advice about relationships. Continue reading “The pitfalls to avoid in friendships”
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The Duties of Slaves and Masters, Col 3.22-4.1
We are grateful to God that the gospel has brought about the abolition of slavery. Yet, as Paul wrote in a day when slavery was a reality it’s important to understand what God expected of slaves and masters whom He was pleased to convert. If you have any questions about this passage I would encourage you to listen to the sermon here. This is an excerpt from the application section of my sermon.
How do we apply Col 3.22-4.1 to our lives today? Let me suggest three things:
One, this passage teaches us how to respond to difficult circumstances. Similar to those in slavery, we sometimes find ourselves in hard circumstances which it’s beyond our control to change. This text teaches us that when God has us in adverse situations that we can’t change and that, for whatever reason, He’s not changing, we’re to respond in a way that recognizes and submits to His Lordship over the situation. This means we’re to respond with faith and trust in His wisdom, with obedience to what He expects of us in that place, and with a happy resolve to make the most and best spiritual good of where we are for as long as we’re there.
Because, let there be no doubt in your mind, until God delivers you, He expects you, like the slaves to whom Paul wrote, to honor Him right where you are, to work as one enlisted in His service, and to put both your back and your heart into your work. Because neither the injustice of the person over you, nor the difficulty of the work required of you absolve you of your calling to honor God where He’s put you. **Are you serving God, right where you are, with all your heart, or are you childishly pouting over God’s hard providence?
Two, this passage teaches us something about our work. It teaches us that whatever our station is, it’s a stewardship from God; and regardless whether it profits us any in a temporal sense, if it brings honor to God then He’ll see that our needs are provided and that we get more than our wages in heaven. Because this passage teaches us that when we welcome our station as a stewardship from God, not a single duty goes unnoticed by Him and not a single act of obedience will be unrewarded on that Day. Since every one of us is ultimately in God’s service, He’ll see that we receive our inheritance in full (1Cor 15.58). **Can you expect a reward from God for your work? Which is to say, is your work pleasing and honoring to God, or will it be weighed in the balance on that Day and found wanting?
Three, the principles governing slavery have an obvious application to our services of free contract and voluntary employment. Both the one who works and the one who hires are as free as can be before the contract is signed; but once it’s signed, it becomes a bond of engagement with demands and expectations, and rights and duties, similar to what was expected of slaves and masters.
The one who hired himself out and promised to perform a job or render a service is expected by God to work with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord, heartily, as unto the Lord and not for men. He’s not to be a people-pleaser who only works when the one who hired him is watching. He’s to be a God-fearer, who does his work to be seen by God, out of love for God, and renders it as an offering to God.
And the one who hired him is expected by God to treat his worker with justice and fairness out of obedience to the Lord. He’s not to be harsh in the way he treats him, unfair in what he pays him, or unreasonable in what he expects. He’s to treat him as he would be treated, mindful that ultimately they both work under the Lordship of the same supreme Master in heaven. And the result of this will be, not a confusion of who works and who hires, but rather a generous and friendly mutual respect for the services which each renders to the other: the one rendering the labor due, and the other rendering the wages due. **Are you a godly employee to your employer? or a godly employer to your employees? Does your work ethic prove you to be a God-fearing Christian, or does your weekly work ethic call your Sunday faith into question?
**I ended the sermon with a summary look at the picture of a Christian home as Paul presents it in Col 3.18-4.1. I can’t include that summary here and recommend listening to the sermon for that encouragement.
For now, may the Lord remind you that wherever you are, you’re in His service, and therefore may He enable you to serve Him fully, faithfully, and cheerfully, with all your heart.
Ever your soul’s well-wisher in Christ,
Dr. J
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The Duties of Parents and Children, Col 3.20-21
This is an excerpt from the close of my sermon yesterday on Col 3.20-21. Paul says parents are not to provoke their children and children are to obey their parents in everything. I pray it blesses your own life and the life of your family. Continue reading “The Duties of Parents and Children, Col 3.20-21”
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Husbands, love your wives
I preached on Col 3.19 yesterday. This is an excerpt from the close of the sermon. May it bless you, challenging you as husbands to love your wives, and challenging you as wives to pray for your husbands and to do everything in your power to make it easy for them to love you and treat you as a queen. Continue reading “Husbands, love your wives”
