Drew Boswell

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“What Happened?” Genesis 3:1-24

The Gospel B.C.

“Discovering God’s Redemptive Plan”

“What Happened?”

Genesis 3:1-24

 

Introduction

Prayer

The Same Old Temptations (vv. 1-6)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

I Can Make God’s Word Mean What I Want It To Mean (Temptation #1)

The serpent wants to draw the woman into a conversation, so he begins with a complete distortion of what God had commanded Adam, who then passed on the command to Eve (2:16). He is subtlety suggesting that maybe Adam got it wrong when he passed on the command, or maybe he was telling her something that God really didn’t say at all.

While the serpent intentionally misquotes the Lord God’s command, Eve quotes what she has been given. She is still one with her husband, she says, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees .” Eve responds, and as it turns out, Adam has failed to give Eve the name of the tree, and has also added to the original command, she does not name the tree, but instead calls it “the tree that is in the midst of the garden”

“according to its location instead of its significance. And she says “neither shall you touch it, lest you die,” – God’s original command named the tree, again giving its importance, and they were not to eat it, and if they did they would surely” Both the serpent and Eve get God’s command wrong.

Genesis 2:16 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” We don’t know if Adam added to the original command, or if Eve changed it – but what we see from Eve’s response is a changing of God’s Word. Also, notice that up to this point, God was referred to as Lord God, and Satan drops the word Lord – and Eve follows his example.

When the serpent presents this hidden knowledge of something called “the knowledge of good and evil,” he presents it as something hidden or kept from her. She has not been privy to this tree being called, “the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

Why have a single tree, that produces fruit that gives a person knowledge of good and evil? In the Garden of Eden are three types of trees: the trees they were allowed to eat from daily, then there was the tree of life that gave them potentially “eternal life,” and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The fruit trees fed the birds, animals etc., the tree of life kept them from aging, but what ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil?

 Why was it there? What purpose did it serve? The tree means choice – what is love if you have no choice but are forced to love? Can you dictate loyalty? God really only asked Adam and Eve to do one thing, trust Him. Have faith in that He only wanted good for them, that He was God, and they were the created order, just be what God created them to be, and trust Him.

“They” Are Keeping Something Good From Me (Temptation #2)

(v. 4) “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The serpent claiming to know God better than Eve, makes the bold claim that God is lying, “You will not surely die.”

It is true that if she eats the fruit, she will know good and evil, and it is also true that she doesn’t drop dead instantly. The serpent’s comments go straight to God’s motive – the serpent is insinuating that God is maliciously keeping something from Eve, something He doesn’t want her to have. Something that if she were to have it would put her on the level with God. Hidden knowledge.

The serpent is encouraging her “to move from obedience and faith in God’s Word toward her judging God and his command as though from a neutral position.”[1] Whenever we stand in judgement of God’s Word, we place ourselves at least on the same level as God, or even above Him.[2]

God has placed a restriction, a boundary, that you are not to go past – The serpent wants Eve to ask, “Why can’t I go into that territory?” “Why can’t I experience that?” – The serpent whispers, “Because God is morally corrupt, and is evil, and wants you to be miserable, He wants to keep you at this lower level.”

“He doesn’t want you to have something that you want (you don’t even know what it is, but because you have been told you can’t have it, you feel you deserve it). “The serpent spoke only about what she would gain and avoided mentioning what she would lose in the process.”[3]

Why does the serpent go to Eve, instead of Adam? 1 Timothy 2:13-14 “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” There was an order of creation, Adam was the head, and Eve was the helper, made as a perfect companion and spouse.

Together they each played a role in bringing life into the world, and together had dominion over creation. The serpent strikes at their different roles – deceiving Eve into thinking she is inferior. She, on her own, decides to act. The man needs the woman, and the woman needs the man – they complete each other.

Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

(v. 4) the serpent says, if you have this hidden knowledge, then “you will be like God,” – but they were already “like God,” because they had been created in His image (1:26). God did want them to be like Him, He wasn’t keeping this from them, He created them that way.[4] Our heavenly Father does not keep any good thing from His children – we must trust Him for the timing, and His purpose and plan – it is always good.

3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

There is a quick progression that Eve follows. She looked at the fruit and in her evaluation there was nothing about the fruit that would make it bad for food in fact it was delicious looking. She believed that this forbidden fruit would give her knowledge – but it is a knowledge apart from God. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Then Eve turns to Adam, fruit in hand, and extends it to him. 1 Tim. 2, tells us “Adam was not deceived,” He saw straight through all the craftiness, all the half-truths, all the emotional attempts at division. Why did Adam eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil?

I Can Fix This (Temptation #3)

7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

The serpent’s promise was that “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” And indeed “Then the eyes of both were opened.” But in this new knowledge, there is sudden compulsion to cover their nakedness.

Eve thought she could possess that which God was keeping from her, but now she is not like God. She now has a division between her husband (which comes in a moment), between her and her Creator, and even her own body. Her soul is now fighting against her body – which results in shame. Innocence is lost.

(v. 7) “And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Who are they ashamed of seeing them? Who do they not want to see their nakedness? To hide from God, they go to the trees. But they cover their nakedness with leaves – to hide their shame from each other. That which was made, “very good” now there is division.

(v. 9) God knows what has happened, He even already has a plan to fix their mistake, but guilt has to be assigned first, and He wants them to recognize how their sin has impacted them, so God asks, “Where are you?” – fear and shame has driven them to hide amongst the trees. God asks, “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” But instead of simply saying, “yes, we believed the lie of the serpent” – they try to blame others.

Just Blame Someone Else For Your Behavior (Temptation #4)

12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The man blames God for giving him an inferior woman, “whom you gave to be with me” – She gave him fruit of the tree, and he ate it. Genesis 2:18 “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” And then later on, it says, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” They were very good in their creation. The woman blames the serpent, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” –

The Consequences of Adam & Eve’s Rebellion

The Serpent’s Curse (vv. 14-15)

14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

We are introduced to two races of people – the offspring of Adam and Even, and the offspring of the serpent. These two groups of people will have enmity between them.

(v. 15) “contains a puzzling yet important ambiguity: Who is the “seed” of the woman? It seems obvious that the purpose of the verse has not been to answer that question but rather to raise it. The remainder of the book is the author’s answer.”[5]

Eve’s Curse (v. 16)

16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

The original blessing for Eve was to “be fruitful and multiply,” and in the marriage relationship she would have with her husband as they had dominion over the earth. Now it was in these greatest times of blessing, there would also pain and now that sin has entered into the world, she would still play the same role, but now her husband and herself would have a sin nature,

“Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, (you will no longer be united) but he shall rule over you.” Eve believed that God (her Creator who only gave her good things) was keeping something good from her, and that she deserved more, how much more of this would she show this attitude toward her husband?

But also, in the pain of delivering a child was the promise that eventually, Eve’s offspring would eventually defeat the one that led her into this fallen state.

Adam’s Curse (vv. 17-19)

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Work is given to man in 2:15, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” So it is not working that is the curse, working was his assignment from God originally, so it was good. But now, “cursed is the ground.” Adam and Eve will be forced to leave the garden with its’ many fruit bearing trees, to outside the garden where Adam will have to plow fields and work hard to produce food.

His work will produce “thorns and thistles;” his efforts will result is wasted time and resources. Before the fall everything his hands touched bloomed and produced fruit – now it is painful, and some of his efforts result in nothing but wasted time.

“for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 2:7) – Man’s work and toil is tied to his death. Every loaf of bread he produces, it will cost him the sweat of his brow.

Consequences Remain, But Grace is Given (vv. 20-24)

20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Grace Between Man and Woman

Adam and Eve both are well aware that they will now die, and have been cursed because of their decision to rebel against God – “the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” (literally) Life has to go on, in spite of their mistake. They still have a command from God to follow. So Adam, as an act of faith, calls his wife, Eve.

Grace between Humanity and God.

(v. 21) “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” Originally, no animals were to be killed for food, the animals didn’t even kill eath other. Everything, was a herbivore. But, God kills animals, to cover Adam and Eve with skins. To cover their shame, something had to die. The Lord God himself made them clothes. Genesis 3 shows us that the pain we encounter, why there are all the horrors of this world, and why we act, and others behave the way they do – it’s not God’s fault.

“Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.” – humanity no longer is in obedience with their Creator, he has rebelled and in that fallen state, has become independent and autonomous. He places himself on the same level with God, thinking he can determine right and wrong, good and evil.

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This is the fallen state of humanity, they will no longer look to God to provide “the good,” but will always be bent toward what they think is good and evil. (making ourselves god).

Humanity can no longer eat of the tree of life and now will eventually die. To live a life that runs counter to how you were created is a miserable life, so God in His grace allows them to die. Man’s nature is bent toward rebellion against His Creator.

They have obtained being “like God” but they are no longer with God. The fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil is for God alone to eat from. The tree in midst of the garden guides us to ask the question, “Do you want to be God, or do you want God to be God?” For you to be God is for you to be separated from the One true God. For you to trust Him, as God, is to have eternal life.

_____________________

[1] Gerhard Von Rad, The Old Testament Library, Genesis (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Westminster Press, 1961) 86.

[2] “Whenever man attacks the concrete Word of God with the weapon of a principle or an idea of God, there he has become the lord of God.” (Bonhoeffer, Creation and Fall, 68).

[3] Kenneth Matthews, The New American Commentary, Genesis 1-11:26 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishing, 1995) 237.

[4] John H. Sailhamer, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1990) 51.

[5] Sailhamer, 56.

“Praying For Salty Conversations” Colossians 4:2-6

“The Supreme Life”

A Sermon Series in Colossians

“Praying For Salty Conversations”

Colossians 4:2-6

Introduction

The opening of Colossians spells out how Christ is preeminent over all things, especially over the work of salvation. He lays a foundation that Jesus was God and His work on the cross is sufficient for salvation. Then he turns to how the church should relate to each other, and how believers should put off sinful behavior, and put on godly behavior. Then Paul addresses the family and how it was to function specifically dealing with the issue of authority. All of these things have been inward focused; in today’s text and in his closing of the book Paul points the church outward.

Paul is addressing the church and a major drive of the book has been to avoid false teachers, but we don’t avoid false teachers by distancing ourselves from the non-Christians or the world. They need to resist the false teaching, while at the same time share the gospel with their neighbors. But before we get into today’s text, I want us look quickly at an OT passage, 2 Kings 13:14-19,

 Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” 18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. 19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

Joash the king did what Elisha the prophet told him – take a bow and arrows, shot an arrow out the window, strike the ground with the arrows – why was Elisha the prophet angry? He said, “You should have struck five or six times, . .” Joash did what he was told but he had no zeal, no enthusiasm – just doing enough to get by. Today we will discuss basic Christian things (moral living, praying, sharing the gospel, thinking about time, etc.) but in all these things we must be zealous for the Lord.

The Christian Must Pray Continually (v. 2)

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Paul’s pointing the church outward begins by encouraging them to pray, “Continue steadfastly in prayer.” The word used here means prayer that is habitual and with perseverance. Jesus told parables about how believers should pray, Luke 18:1 “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (from the parable of the persistent widow).

Paul then adds the manner of the consistent prayer is, “watchful in it with thanksgiving.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:6 believers are to be alert and watching for the return of Christ. But this is not what Paul is referencing here, instead they are to be prayerful and watchful – and they are “to be “awake” to the nature of the times they live in – and to orient their lives accordingly.”[1] You are not watching to see something (as in a passing falling star), instead one is to watch so they can take an action. I am watching and alert to things going on around me, then I seek counsel and petition the Lord in prayer, and all the while I do it all thanksgiving.

With regards to prayer “Christians have always interpreted the splitting of the temple veil during the crucifixion as symbolic of their liberation from the mediated presence of God. Henceforth they were “free” to approach him directly – which is almost like telling someone he is “free” to stick his head in the lion’s jaws. For once you start praying there is no guarantee that you won’t find yourself before Pharaoh, shipwrecked on a desert island, or in a lion’s den.”[2]

In Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with God, and he never walked the same for the rest of his life. To approach the throne of God and to wrestle with him in prayer, you are in a dangerous place in that you may be called to do the difficult – but there is also no safer place to be than in the will of God. Prayer will often not lead to an easier life, but a more difficult one filled with purpose and adventure.

The Christian Must Use His Words and Time Wisely (vv. 3-6)

3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Paul now moves from encouraging them to consistently pray, but to pray for him and his team specifically. “The prayer is not for the personal benefit of the apostle and his companions, but for the promotion of their work.”[3] Paul asks the church to pray, “that God may open to us a door for the word,” The emphasis is on the Word of God getting out to the world. “Paul does not pray that he or some other minister might have an open door to walk through, but that there might be ‘an open door for our message’.”[4]

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” The Word of God needs entrance because it is the word that has the power to transform human beings.

Earlier in Colossians 1:5-6 Paul says, “Of this (the hope laid up for you in heaven) you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing. . .” When the gospel is released in a community it begins to exert its’ power there. Everywhere there is an open door for the gospel to be proclaimed, its’ power is the same – lives are transformed. The gospel itself is powerful and life changing (nothing needs to be added to it or taken from it, just proclaim it).

There is power in the proclamation of the gospel, but that does not mean it will always be well received by all. Paul was “declar(ing) the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison.” Paul is in chains because he was proclaiming the gospel to a lost world. God’s word will always have power to expose sin, and discern the true thoughts of the heart – but people will respond differently to that power of the truth. Some people may kneel before the Lord, repent of their sin, and follow Christ, others will pick up stones to throw at the messenger.

Some Bible scholars believe that Acts chapters 22-24 describes this same imprisonment. In Acts 24:5-6 the Jewish elders have beaten Paul and the Romans authorities have him in prison more to protect him from the mob, “For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.” Paul does not change the gospel based on how he thinks the audience will respond. He speaks the truth. Sometimes churches are brought into existence, other times he is punished.

So then we jump to Paul’s prayer request is that when he presents the gospel, “that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Paul is in prison, probably chained to a guard – yet his mind is on his next opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Paul is asking for prayer that he may be set free again to preach.[5] For Paul, there were no devastating circumstances, only unique opportunities.

Nothing is so far gone that the prayer of the saints,

and the proclamation of the gospel can’t change. Don’t give up.

(v. 5) “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time,” – “As believers immerse themselves in the life of Christ, having put on the “new man” (Col. 3:10-11), their minds are renewed by God’s Spirit (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23). Wisdom will enable us to determine just how, in given situations, our new way of thinking, our new set of biblical values, should be put into effect.”[6] “It takes wise walking to win them to Christ.”[7] And Paul’s words of instruction “imply that believers are to be cautious and tactful so as to avoid needlessly antagonizing or alienating their pagan neighbors.”[8]

Earlier in Colossians Paul was praying for the church that they would be 1:9-10 “asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, . . .” Here in 4:6 Paul picks back up with this same idea, but now he is focusing them (and us) on the outside community. He has warned the church to distance themselves from false teachers, and from worldly influence in their lives – but the Colossian Christians must also stay engaged with their fellow citizens and seek to lead them to Jesus.

Christians are to walk the narrow path of being

“in the world but not of the world.”

 (v. 6) “making the best use of the time.”[9] – Greek uses a couple of words to indicate time; one is Kairos (used in v. 6) as in a duration of time, a season like harvest season, an opportunity. And Chronos refers to a specific measurement of time like days or hours.

In the context of Christians using wisdom to reach the lost community, and the original language has the idea of “buying up” time, as in “I need to purchase this segment of time, and make it my own.” There are ways that we spend our time that is wasteful, buy that time back and put it to godly use.

Also, Paul has been asking for prayer for “open doors” to share the gospel. Our wisdom that we need is that there will be moments presented to us, and we have an opportunity to share the gospel, so we need to seize that time – make the best use of that opportunity and not let it pass us by. Don’t waste time.

But we also can prayerfully plan out our days (Chronos), consider what is of greater value and make sure that gets accomplished. Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” So, we can plan out our days with wisdom, and there are unplanned things that happen (Kairos), and we seize the opportunity. Both require wisdom from God.

And in that moment, (v. 6) “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” – in our sharing the gospel with others, our way of talking and over all attitude should convey grace. It carries the idea of “pleasantness,” “attractiveness,” “charm,” and “winsomeness.”[10]

What we say preserves the relationship and draws a person closer; we should not use speech that decays the relationship and drives a person away. Speak the truth plainly, but without judgment and condemnation.

 1 Peter 3:15b gives a similar teaching, “. . . always being prepared to make a defense (to give an answer) to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, . . .”

 “know how you ought to answer each person,” – In Acts 16 Paul is going to a Gentile city where there are not enough Jews to even have a synagogue. Paul’s method of evangelism was to enter a town, figure out where the Jewish synagogue was and show them how Jesus fulfilled Scripture and share the gospel, but when he gets there –where he had heard there were Jews gathered to pray, there were only women who had gathered,

“And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.” What Paul had planned to do, now had to change. So in Colossians Paul asks for prayer, “which is how I ought to speak.” How you share changes, not the message, but the method. The seasoned-with-salt conversation must be appropriate for each person we speak to.

 If you were to evaporate a ton of water from the Pacific Ocean, you would get approximately seventy-nine pounds of salt. A ton of Atlantic water would yield eighty-one pounds. And from the Dead Sea you would get almost five hundred pounds. As these statistics demonstrate, the earth’s bodies of water vary greatly in their degree of saltiness. So do Christians. Jesus said that we are “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). But we all have different levels of “salt content.”

A few Scripture verses tell what it means to be “salty.” Salt enhances flavor (Job 6:6). Salt indicates purity in speech (Colossians 4:6). Salt symbolizes keeping a promise (Numbers 18:19). Salt speaks of goodness (Mark 9:50). Now, check your salt content. re you the kind of person who enhances the lives of those around you? Is your conversation pure? Do you keep promises? Are you characterized by goodness? An unbelieving world is watching and listening to you. What do they see and hear? Perhaps your life needs more salt.[11]

____________________________

[1] Douglas J. Moo, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008) 320.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Colossians & Philemon (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Bible Institute, 1992) 180.

[3] T.K. Abbott, The International Critical Commentary, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians (Edinburgh, Scotland; T&T Clark, 1946) 297.

[4] Moo, 322.

[5] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 4 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 509.

[6] Moo. 327.

[7] Robertson, 510.

[8] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 11 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1978) 222.

[9] See also Ephesians 5:15-15 and he adds, “because the days are evil.”

[10] Gaebelein, 222.

[11] https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_illustrations_4#colossians%204

“6 Relationships to Power” Colossians 3:18-25, 4:1

“The Supreme Life”

A Sermon Series in Colossians

“6 Relationships to Power”

Colossians 3:18-25, 4:1

Introduction

In the previous chapters of Colossians Paul has instructed the church to avoid false teaching, and the letter itself is a response to these false ideas making their way into the church. Then Paul discusses how the church is to relate with one another as a result of them “Setting your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

And at the end of chapter 3 he moves from the church community to the family. Just like the church needs to get along, so we put off certain sinful behavior (slander, obscene talk, etc.) and put on godly behavior (like forgiveness, bearing with one another, etc.) In the family there are also things we can do to get along.

In the Roman culture there was a “household table,” or cultural expectation of how the home was to be, where the father exercised “patria potestas” or ‘paternal power.’ In Roman culture the father held the power of life and death over his household. When a child was born, it was presented to the father, the leader of the home, who then said whether they were to keep it, or expose it (abandon it in a remote area). That was a worldly and godless family – God is not present in that home, but what happens to the family and what power is present when Jesus comes in and sits down at the family table?

Paul has taught on equality, and there is a parallel passage in Ephesians where he said, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, (neither male nor female),” there is only the one body in Christ. In response to this liberation teaching of Paul there seems to be false teachers who then teach that in Christ all earthly roles and responsibilities go away.

In today’s text Paul reminds the church that even though they are free in Christ, their role in their family (which is the foundation of all society) does not change. While the Romans view of the family may have way too far in one direction, Paul seeks to bring the church back to a view of the family that may have swerved too far in the other direction.

Men are still responsible to carry out the role of being men; women were to continue to carry out the responsibilities of being women, and children were still to be children, etc. Also, marriage does not go away – setting one’s mind on the things above, doesn’t mean you cease to be dad. Paul is reminding “Christians that certain institutions continued to exist in the new age (the church age) and that believers needed to relate appropriately to one another within these institutions.”[1]

God has called Christians to think about the things above,

while holding true to their relationships & responsibilities down below.[2]

Prayer

A Wife’s Relationship With her Husband (v. 18)

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

To submit, a person “voluntarily ‘put oneself under’ the authority or direction of someone or something else” Christians place themselves under the authority of the church (Eph. 5:24), humans to governing authorities (Rom. 13:1,5; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:18) Christians to their leaders (1 Cor. 16:16); young men to older men (1 Pet. 5:5), etc.

In this sense the wife “puts herself under” her husband in recognizing and living out an “order” established by God himself within the marriage relationship (and by extension, in the family of God, the church). Paul also puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “the head of the wife is her husband.” – the husband as the “dominant” and “prominent” member of the family relationship, is to take lead in the marriage relationship.”[3]

There are three relationships mentioned; wives are to submit to their husbands, but children are to obey their parents, and slaves are to obey their master. Paul could have used the word obey with the marriage relationship, but he chose submit Submission is to recognize an order of relationships – it’s not about commands given and then followed (with no give and take, discussion, etc.).

The word Lord is mentioned several times before today’s text, but Lord is mentioned six times in these few verses at the end of chapter three. All of these relationships (wife, husband, child, parent, bondservant, and master) all deal with a response to Jesus being Lord of a Christian’s life – all of the relationships deal with authority and how we deal with it.

Then Paul adds, “as is fitting in the Lord,” – God has established the created order, where Christ is the head, the preeminent one, then in the family, husbands are the leader, then the wife – so when we follow this order of creation, then this order fits what the Lord created.

If you feel there is a stigma of inferiority attached to the idea of submission, Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:15 “Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” Bringing children into the world is something only women can do. Men and women stand on equal footing before the Lord (see Galatians 3:28), yet they each play a different role, and have different responsibilities. Our world, especially today, tries to blur and join gender into some amalgamous being that God never intended.

A Husband’s Relationship With His Wife (v. 19)

19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

The word for love here is agapao and it means a sacrificial, self-giving love that is modeled after the love that Jesus showed. The Ephesian parallel verse says, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” Ephesians 5:25.[4]

It’s a covenant kind of love, continue to love (not a love of passion or emotion), but one of choice. “Paul commands the husband to see his wife as the weaker sex to be cared for while at the same time seeing her a fellow-heir of Christ (1 Pet. 3:7).”[5] The submission of the wife happens within the context of the husband’s love.

Paul is addressing the two issues that will cause problems in the marriage relationship. Women will tend to resist and fight against being under the “headship” of their husbands, and men will be prone to abuse their leadership role by not showing a Christlike love and being harsh with their wives.

2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?” So, if a Christian woman marries a non-believer she is still expected to follow the order of creation, she is still expected to submit to her husband. But the non-believing husband cannot love his wife as Christ loved the church, nor can he lead them toward righteousness.

And if a Christian man marries a non-believer, she will not understand this order of creation and resist his leadership. The husband is still expected to love her with a Christ-like love, but she won’t understand his desire to lead the family toward Jesus – she will resist it.

So Paul tells the husband, “do not be harsh,” – the word for harsh here can be translated “to make bitter.” In the passage below a Father can do things that will cause a child to be provoked and disheartened. The same is true of a husband toward his wife. It’s hard to have trust (and therefore give up control to another person) if there is record of forceful control. People respond to love not overbearing dominance.

A Child’s Relationship to Their Parents (v. 20)

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

All people are to “honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12).” Proverbs 30:17 gives a graphic picture of when children dishonor and rebel against their parents, “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”

God warns that when children don’t obey their parents there are consequences; not even so much God punishing them, but the natural consequences of children who don’t respect authority will encounter authority and it won’t go well for them. This understanding of authority begins in the home, and with children obeying their parents. Then when they go out into the world, they are to obey the authority over them.

“for this pleases the Lord,” – This pleases the Lord because the home is the place where God has established for children to learn how to navigate life. They are being prepared to live a life that will cause less pain for the child, but it also helps them understand ultimately God’s authority over them. A child’s understanding of “Jesus is Lord” begins with the parental relationship (submitting and loving).

Be Careful How You Use Your Authority (v. 21)

21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

In the Roman culture, fathers held the power of “patria potestas” or ‘paternal power.’ So it makes sense to say Fathers. But the context of the text is referring to the parent (or whichever adult) who has ultimate authority over the child.[6] Parents have a power of influence over their kids. Kids want their parents to be proud of them and they want to be trusted.

“provoke,” “To cause someone to react in a way that suggests acceptance of a challenge.” Paul is saying that children should not be disciplined to such an extent that they “lose heart.” Fathers can use their authority and power over a child to such an extent that it crushes the child’s spirit. Eventually, they just give up trying to please their parents and listen to their instructions because no matter what they do, it is never right, or never enough. They become discouraged.

Father is typically the one who encourages their children to take risks, do new things, face danger. Cut the log, ride the bike, start the business, etc. Mom typically embraces, gives comfort, and puts on the bicycle helmet.

So, Dads in your zealousness to push your children to do great things, don’t frustrate them with your drive or your discipline. Celebrate the little victories, tell them that you are proud of them. There needs to be discipline with poor choices but not so extreme that they quit trying. “The wayward branch must be bent with caution, not broken in the efforts of a rude and hasty zeal.”[7]

A Bondservant’s Relationship to Their Masters (vv. 22-25)

22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

So, if the family will last until eternity (wives, husbands, children and fathers), is slavery as an institution also endorsed and assumed to continue throughout time? Why is there no mandate from Paul against slavery? It seems like this is a perfect opportunity to forbid slavery and outlaw it in the church. Paul could have said, “slave owners, free your slaves.” “The apostles were not social reformers; they were first and foremost heralds of the good news of salvation in Christ.”[8]

Paul commands bondservants to work and do what they are told, “not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart” Don’t just work hard when they are around and watching you, but be sincere in your work. The word used for eye here is to be “single-eyed” – it is an eye focused and concentrated on one thing. When you are working, you are focused on sincerely accomplished the task you have been asked to accomplish. And heart captures our idea of heart and soul – put your heart and soul into the work.

We find that Lord is mentioned again, “fearing the Lord” – if you believe that Jesus is Lord (which the whole book is teaching us) then you have ended up a slave as a result of His command of everything – He is preeminent over all of creation. So while you have a heavenly master, you also are still a slave on earth – you still have an earthly master.

You may have your mind of heavenly things,

and you may be saved and a new creation,

but you still must navigate the harsh reality of this world.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Genesis 37:27 “Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Joseph moved from slave to second only to the pharaoh; and when his brothers came to Egypt trying not to starve, he reveals himself to his brothers.

Genesis 45:4-5 “So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” You intended it for evil but God used it for the good. Joseph understands that his life as a slave, and all the hardships he endured was for a purpose. God used Joseph to save millions of lives from starvation and the salvation of his brothers (physically and spiritually).[9]

If you find yourself in a difficult situation, have a single-minded focus to do whatever you with a sincere and dedicated heart, “Fearing the Lord” because there is a purpose and plan for you being there. The point of the text is not whether slavery is wrong or should be abolished (Paul would say of course it should be) but when you find yourself in a position where you don’t have any power in your life, don’t let that be an excuse for not giving your all. Being a witness for Christ through your work.

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” ― Martin Luther.

So in your work, we are to work “unto the Lord” and “You are serving the Lord Christ” because it is ultimately His plan that you are wanting to see succeed.

A Master’s Relationship to Their Bondservants (v. 4:1)

4 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

The last family relationship is masters to bondservants – Slaves would have lived with their masters in the same family unit. Paul commands them to treat them “justly and fairly.” Or giving them what is due them. Because they hold all the power over another person’s life there would be a tendency to abuse that position. So, Paul reminds the slave owners that they have a master also – who shows no favorites.

 So if you are in a position where you hold power over people, treat them justly and fairly, and remember you have a master over you.

Conclusion

There once was a battleship that had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. The captain of the battleship was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.

Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.”

“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.

The lookout replied, “Steady, Captain,” which meant they were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.

The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: ‘We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'”

Back came the signal, “Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees.”

The captain said, “Send: “I’m a captain, change course twenty degrees.'”

“I’m a seaman second-class,” came the reply. “You had better change course twenty degrees.”

By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, “Send: ‘I’m a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.'”

Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse. It’s your call.”

They changed course.

The captain holds the power;

what he does with that authority affects the lives of many people.

________________

[1] Douglas Moo, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008) 296.

[2] Not exactly the same as “too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good.”

[3] Moo, 300.

[4] While Ephesians and Colossians have similar subject matter, they were written to address different situations, so “Despite the close relationship of Ephesians and Colossians, we have to be careful not to read what is said in Ephesians into the Colossians text.” Moo, 304.

[5] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Colossians & Philemon (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Press, 1992) 169.

[6] Moo, 306.

[7] Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 11 (Grand Rapids. Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1978) 219.

[8] Gaebelien, 219.

[9] For more on this topic see this sermon series, https://drewboswell.com/category/wilderness-the-life-of-joseph/

 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith." Ephesians 2:8

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