Geoff Hohneck
LIVING THE CHANGED LIFE
A Changed Life in the Home
Colossians 3:20-21
13 April 2014
It is in the setting of the business of our daily lives at home that God uses as yet another arena for our sanctification. After all, it is here that our sinful imperfections are magnified. And if these imperfections aren't dealt with first in our homes then we will forever be ineffective in living for Christ. It is in the home where we learn submission and mercy and love and joy. And it is this that characterises the difference between a household that is saved and a household that isn't. After all, if children don't learn to obey their parents whom they can see, how can they ever hope to obey god whom they cannot see.
So here Paul continues his idea of reflecting the reality of our salvation first in our marriages, and then in our homes. The call here is for children to obey. This word can often have negative connotations in our culture. But in the context of today’s passage, obedience is a sign of love.
Sermon Outline
• A WORD TO THE CHILDREN (VS 20)
Children need to learn that their love for God is directly related to their obedience of their parents. After all, God has placed their parents in a role of guardianship over them. So rebellion and disobedience against parents is rebellion and disobedience against God.
• A WORD TO THE PARENTS (VS 21)
This is a God-given ministry for our sanctification. Therefore we need to rely on God’s word to understand how we are to reflect His glory in our role as parents. While Paul mentions Fathers specifically, the exhortation is to mothers as well. The word ‘provoke’ refers to over-correction and exasperation that not only causes embitterment, but also causes children to become dispirited. Of course, Paul is not counselling against discipline. Rather he is directing the discipline against the behaviour of the child, not against their personhood.