18 - Exploring Faith: An Integrated Life
by Jeff Fry, Darwin Park Community Church, Lichfield, UK
NIV Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.4:1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Thesis: God should be integrated into all of our life.
I. Intro
A. Review
1. Two weeks ago we looked at The Bible, God's word, in Genesis 1 and said that it teaches that God created the heavens and the earth.
2. We also said that this creation of God's was ordered and structured, not random and chaotic.
a) He ordered time into day and night
b) He ordered the year into four seasons
c) He created plants according to their kinds
d) He created animals according to their kinds
e) He created man and woman
f) And it was all good (fit for purpose)
3. And it is because of this God-given order that we can do science. It is because of this beautiful order that that there are absolutes - not to oppress us, but to guide us into right living in God's way which will bring a full and meaningful life that God meant us to have.
4. The last week we said that when God created man and woman He created them in a special way thus distinguishing them from other beings. Does anyone remember what distinguishes or differentiates mankind in Genesis from other living beings?
5. This image of God within man was a pointer to man's created purpose. Whatever is at the origin of a thing gives a clue as to its fundamental principle or purpose.
6. So, what did we say was mankind's created purpose? (To have fellowship with God and glorify Him)
B. This Week
1. We will take this a step further.
2. We will talk about how to do this in our life.
II. God should be integrated into all of our life
A. State
1. I'll never forget in chapel one day when I was in seminary one of my professors preached a sermon entitled "How to eat to the glory of God". What was so amazing to me about this is that usually sermons in our chapel lasted about 1/2 hour. And I just couldn't believe that he had 1/2 hour's worth of material on the topic of how to eat as a Christian.
a) After the sermon I remember being amazed at how God-centered it was and how encouraging a message it was.
b) I must admit though that I was a bit discouraged at how much he had thought-through the issue and how little thought I had ever given it in my life as a Christian.
c) This feeling of discouragement was God's red flag to me that I should have followed up in my life but I didn't until much, much later.
d) It was a red flag from God signalling for me that I had failed to really integrate my Christian faith into many areas of my life - and therefore a red flag that I didn't really understand our main verse in our passage today - i.e. "whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus …" (Colossians 3:17).
2. "whatever" refers to all areas of our life
a) "in word or deed" - re-emphasize the fact that it is all of our life that we are to submit to God, not just when worshipping God or when we are in church (per the context of this verse)
b) these words lift this verse out from the constraints of its literary context
3. "do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus"
a) when we become a Christian it involves recognizing Jesus as our Lord.
(1) Jesus is our benevolent master and we are under his authority
(2) We are the creature and God (Jesus) is the creator. We are not equal.
b) Therefore, when we make the decision to become a Christian we are at that point associated with and connected to Christ as a Christian or Christ follower. We represent Christ at all times and therefore the "do it all" and "whatever you do".
4. But then notice this. Paul continues right on immediately from this verse to speak about:
a) husbands and wives
b) parents and children
c) employers and employees
5. Paul doesn't leave it in the theoretical "in whatever you do" or " do it all" but a very practical one.
a) just in case they haven't caught his drift he spells it out for them
(1) that means husbands with your wives you must apply your faith
(2) wives with your husbands
(3) parents with your children
(4) children with your parents
(5) with your employers , etc..
6. Deuteronomy 6 in the Old Testament also gives us the same picture. It says,
a) "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
(1) Our faith is to be integrated into all of our life - our family life, our work life, our marriage, our sex life, our thought life, our intellectual life, our entertainment and play parts of our life (recreational), etc..
(2) "on our hearts" - what we love the most
(3) "impress … on children" - so of course we want to pass this on to our children - that which is most important and close to our hearts
(a) when is the last time you talked to our child about your faith
(b) when is the last time you worshipped with your child (not counting today in church)?
(4) "sit at home .. walk along the road" - our faith is for all places
(5) "when you lie down .. when you get up" - it is for all times of the day
(6) "tie them on your hands … bind them on your foreheads" - public display of our faith in God. We are not to hide it.
(a) when is the last time you brought up Christ in a casual conversation with a friend?
(b) Illustration
(i) The other day I was coming home from the school run in the morning and talking to another parent who was telling me about her wayward son on cannabis and other drugs. We talked a bit and then at the end I said to her that it sounded to me like he was someone who especially needed God in his life. I said I'd pray for her son.
(ii) She was surprised at this. But finally she replied, "I'll pray too".
(c) Why is it so hard for us to integrate our faith into our life?
(i) the fall - we have lost a big part of our connection with God, we are separated from God by sin and this sin is passed down to all men from Adam. Only Christ can restore the image of God in us. More later.
(ii) our society is mainly secular and does little to really integrate God into our lives on a constant and continual basis. It is mainly left up to us. Consider that in 2000 55% of Brits never entered a place of worship throughout the whole year.
(iii) fear
(a) of change
(i) it will require some changes in my life
(ii) nobody likes change so we think better of it
(iii) change requires time and energy and thought (how does God fit into my family life?)
(b) of relationship - if I start an everyday relationship with God, where will it lead me?
(i) trusting God
(ii) depending on God
(iii) asking God in prayer and "putting Him to the test". What if He doesn't answer or come through?
(c) of what others may think
David Cameron attitude toward the squeamish re: his accounts of son Ivan.
"Such unflinching accounts made some uncomfortable, but Mr Cameron had little time for the squeamish – still less for those who accused him of exploiting his child’s condition. The couple, who were used once to a life of relative privilege and luxury, were simply too immersed in the practicalities of their child to care much what others thought."(i) the enemy's scheme is to get us worried about what others might think of us rather than what God thinks of us (our loving God is pleased when we share our faith)
B. Apply
1. Women / wives
a) 2 weeks ago gave a challenge to the guys - this week you. How are you doing in being a help-mate to your husband (Genesis 2:18 "I will make a helper suitable for him") and submitting to his leadership (Colossians 3:18)?
(1) This is a part of integrating your faith into your life. It is not chauvinism.
(2) Quick note: this submission does not mean a lower status or inferiority but instead is pointing to a different role in general. It means for the wife that she gratefully accepts her husband's care and leadership in the home.
(3) In the Bible men and women have complementary, God-given roles which when taken on make them a stronger team or unit and when not taken on weaken their unity.
(4) This presupposes that the husband is taking on his role of sacrificial leadership in the example of Christ who was the supreme example of a servant leader - giving himself up for others.
b) So, guys are you leading your family spiritually, practically, intellectually, at play, at work, and so on so that your wife has something to submit to and to help with?
(1) How do you worship God as a family?
(2) Our example
III. Conclusion