• Paul was addressing Godly order in households, which included slaves (servants).
• They were the modern day employees.
• He tells them to serve “as if God Himself gave them the job.”
• 4 times Paul mentions that slaves are working for the Lord.
• Notice Paul left them in their position as slaves, but he changed the way they saw it.
• Paul addressed paradigms - how people “saw” things.
• This was the foundation upon which work could become worship and slavery would become obsolete.
• Colossians 4:1 - Paul outlines the principle of equality.
• He puts slave masters on the same level playing field as slaves - everyone is a slave of God!
• Paul didn’t attack the institution of slavery, he outlined the principle upon which it would be abolished.
• And he couched it in the context of WORK!
Colossians 3:22-25 (10/6/16)
Work
October 6, 2016 • Benham Brothers
Colossians 1:9-14 (10/3/19)
October 3, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Paul saw himself as a father to those he wrote to. * These verses give us a great outline on what to pray for for our kids: * 1) vs 9 - God would fill them with the knowledge of His will - he wanted them to experience it through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. * 2) vs 10a - They would life a life worthy fo the Lord and please Him in every way. * 3) vs 10b - They would please Him in all respects. * 4) vs 10c - They would bear fruit in every good work - to stay connected to the source so they could be nourishment for others. * 5) vs 10d - They would grow in the knowledge of God - experiential knowledge. * 6) vs 11 - They would be strengthened with power so they will endure. * 7) vs 12a - They would live thankfully. * 8) vs 12b - They would know they are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints - they get the same reward as all the heroes of our faith. * 9) vs 13-14 - They would recognize what Christ did for them.
Colossians 1:17 (10/8/20)
October 8, 2020 • Benham Brothers
* An entrepreneur is an intercessor - someone who intervenes on someone’s behalf. * They “stand in the gap” between a person and a problem - they bring a solution. * God calls all of us to stand in the gap and bring connection between God and people. * Jesus was the ultimate gap-stander. * Vs 17 - laminar is a cell adhesion molecule that acts like glue to hold cells together. * Without it we literally fall apart. * It’s like the re-bar inside of concrete. * Google “laminen” and see what shape it’s in. * It’s in the shape of the cross!
Colossians 1:28 (10/5/17)
October 5, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* I’ve heard a lot of people say they want to be known for what they are “for,” not what they are “against.” * Paul obliterates this type of thinking. * Paul says we are to do two things: * 1) Warn - you have to tell people what to stay away from. * 2) Teach - you have to tell people what to move toward. * Warning others is what makes a person fatherly (or motherly). * Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4 that we have many teachers but few fathers. * A father is willing to tell the truth (and so is a good doctor).