CHRIST ABOVE EVERYTHING
COLOSSIANS 3:18-25
we want Jesus to be Lord over our eternity, but we struggle to let Him be Lord over our everyday lives.
YOU CAN LIFT YOUR HANDS IN WORSHIP ON SUNDAY AND REFUSE TO SURRENDER YOUR ATTITUDE ON MONDAY.
1. A CHRIST CENTERED HOME STARTS WITH SURRENDER
COLOSSIANS 3:18
Marriage is not a competition to determine who gets their way. It is a covenant in which both people must learn to honor Christ.
Am I using Scripture to serve my spouse or to win arguments?
Does my spouse experience the character of Jesus through the way I treat them?
Is Christ truly the center of our relationship, or do our own preferences sit on the throne?
Colossians 3:19
2. CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE CHRISTLIKE LOVE
YOUR FAMILY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RECOVER FROM THE WAY YOU TREAT EVERYBODY ELSE.
Ephesians 5:25
THE STRENGTH OF A CHRISTIAN HUSBAND IS NOT MEASURED BY HOW MUCH CONTROL HE EXERCISES, BUT BY HOW FAITHFULLY HE LOVES, SERVES, AND SACRIFICES.
Does my wife feel loved in the way I speak to her?
Am I quick to apologize when I am wrong?
Is my home receiving the same patience and grace that I ask God to give me?
COLOSSIANS 3:20–21
3. DON'T PROVOKE WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DEVELOP
OBEDIENCE ISN'T JUST ABOUT MAKING YOUR PARENTS HAPPY. IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO HONOR GOD WITH YOUR LIFE.
God didn't give you authority over your children so you could break their spirit. He gave you responsibility to help shape their character.
The goal of parenting isn't simply to raise children who obey you while you're watching. It's to disciple children who learn to honor God when you're not there.
PARENTS:
Am I correcting my children to develop them or simply releasing my frustration?
Do my children hear encouragement as well as correction?
Am I modeling the repentance and forgiveness I expect from them?
Am I teaching them to follow Jesus, or only teaching them to follow my rules?
CHILDREN:
Do I respond to my parents with respect?
Am I willing to listen to wisdom, even when I don't get my way?
Your children may forget some of your instructions, but the way you consistently treat them can shape what they believe love looks like.
COLOSSIANS 3:22–24
4. YOUR WORK IS WORSHIP WHEN YOU DO IT FOR JESUS
INTEGRITY IS DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN THE ONLY PERSON WHO SEES IT IS GOD.
IF YOUR FAITHFULNESS DISAPPEARS WHEN THE APPLAUSE DISAPPEARS, YOU NEED TO ASK WHO YOU WERE REALLY WORKING FOR.
STOP MAKING HUMAN APPLAUSE THE REWARD FOR WORK YOU SAID YOU WERE DOING FOR GOD.
COLOSSIANS 3:25
5. YOU CANNOT SEPARATE YOUR FAITH FROM YOUR CHARACTER
GOD IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER THAN HE IS IMPRESSED WITH YOUR TITLE
In your marriage:
Love with humility. Serve without manipulation. Honor Christ in the way you treat your spouse.
In your family:
Practice obedience, correction, encouragement, and grace. Lead in a way that reflects Jesus.
In your work:
Bring integrity and wholehearted effort to your responsibilities, even when nobody is watching.
In your character:
Live with accountability. Remember that no position places us above God's standards.