This Week’s Reading
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
—Colossians 3:18-25
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
—Colossians 4:1-6
Listen to the Podcast
Caleb Clardy, founding pastor at Trinity Grace Church, teaching from Colossians 3:18-25; 4:1-6 on the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, the seventh in our "In Christ by the Spirit for the City" series, speaking at Middle School 51 on November 17, 2019.
Themes to Consider
There is a continuation of the instruction to live our whole lives in the name of Jesus and for the Glory of God, and we must consider how that relates to our most intimate and ongoing relationships.
The household codes were guidelines and expectations for how a 1st century Roman home should operate. Paul both repears aspects of the known household codes and suggest significant differences, namely relating all of them to Christ.
Seeds are being sown of subversive love that will grow to change the world, and how we relate to one another with Christ as our Lord.
Everyone who us united to Christ is called to submission as Christ demonstrated for us no matter what their station in life.
We are invited to be devoted to pray both the engine of a life of love and surrender and as an example of how the Kingdom of God is built in the world.
Discussion Questions
What is your first reaction to this list of instructions for households?
Is there something you find yourself wishing that Paul would have said in these instructions?
Discuss the implications that Christ is the primary authority in the home to whom everyone submits vs. only certain parties in a weaker social position being asked to submit.
Do you feel like you are able to process the challenges and wounds you have from family life with God in prayer?
What do you think is an ideal practice of prayer? How does your current reality line up with or differ from that?
What do you think it means to let your conversation be full of grace and seasoned with salt?
This Week’s Practices
We are challenging ourselves to engage two practices throughout the series as a whole and they are listed under Daily Spiritual Practice and Love in Action. Below those, we will also provide a couple other weekly practices that correspond to each passage as we move through the letter.
—
1 / DAILY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE — ONGOING
Spend daily time in the Gospels; be with Jesus.
There are many ways that you might select a Gospel reading for the day. You could just pick one of the four Gospels and start making your way through a bit at a time. Or you could use a resource like the Daily Office Lectionary which always has a selection from the Gospels as a part of its daily readings. The main thing is simply to find a passage that is a manageable length for the time you have set aside.
Before you read, offer a short prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you. You might pray that you would like to spend this time with Jesus and ask that the person of Christ would be revealed to you during your time.
Slowly read the passage from the Gospel, asking the Holy Spirit to direct your attention to Jesus. What do you see Jesus doing? What do you hear Jesus saying? What is the situation and circumstance that Jesus is in? Does Jesus act according to your expectations or in a different way? What is challenging? What is encouraging? What is confusing?
Once you have read, perhaps a few times if needed, sit in silence for a moment and see what the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Perhaps you have a question to reflect on later or in community. Perhaps you have an insight. Imagine Jesus being right there present to you.
You may want to end by jotting down something you sensed from the Spirit, or by worshipping Jesus, or by writing or saying a prayer.
—
2 / LOVE IN ACTION — ONGOING
In our time and context it may feel challenging or embarrassing to speak openly about faith in Christ, but there are some powerful and important reasons to overcome those difficulties.
Jesus directs us to let the light of our life with God and His Kingdom shine. It is an integral part of how the relational Kingdom of God expands. We tell our story and we tell the story of Jesus. We are not proselytizing to grow the tribe of those who agree with us, but so that many others may experience the tremendous love of God that has changed our lives. It is one of the greatest joys of the Christians life to be involved in someone coming to faith in Christ because we were willing to share the Gospel with them.
We are challenging ourselves and our whole church to share the Gospel this fall. You may begin by opening up to a friend or coworker about your story and faith. You could begin by inviting a friend to Apha. You can make a list of people you would like to pray for and ask God for opportunities to speak with them about faith in a meaningful way.
You may also want to have a conversation with those in your group about the idea or experience of sharing your faith. What thoughts or feelings does it bring up for you? Do you feel like you would know some of what to say? Do you wish you had some specific help in the process. These are all things that are helpful to process in community.
—
3 / build a practice of daily prayer — WEEKLY
The Apostle calls the church to be devoted to prayer.
The implication seems to be clear that such a practice of prayer will be necessary to sustaining a sense of intimacy with God, a loving connection to our fellow human beings, and the mission of God in the world. Prayer is the engine. Make some space in each day to pour out your heart to God and to listen for God to speak to you.
Recommended resources
PDF: Excerpt from The Mystery of Marriage
Read this selection about submission from Chapter 6 of Mike Mason’s book.
Link: Philippians 2:3-11
Read from Paul’s letter to the Philippians describing how Christ lived out surrender.
Link: Aristotle and the Household Codes
Read theologian Ian Paul’s perspective on household codes in the New Testament and beyond.
PDF: Excerpt from Prayer
Read this chapter on Intercessory Prayer from Richard Foster’s Prayer.
