Roles in Life Col 3:18-25 --- Wife-Husband; Parent-Child; Staff-Boss

We have many roles in life. How do we play them well? Let Paul tell us... 

Lessons:

• # 1. We play many roles in life, let us do our roles well.
  • husband-wife
  • parent-child
  • boss-staff
  • illustrating
    • man-God
• # 2. Marriage
  • - Wife: Supports her husband’s growth.
  • - Husband: Cares for and loves his wife.
• # 3. Family
  • - Children: Obey their parents.
  • - Parents: Encourage their children and set a positive example.
• # 4. Work
  • For Staff:
    • - Work well regardless of whether the boss is watching.
    • - Serve earthly bosses as if working for the Lord.
    • - Expect rewards from the Lord, understanding there is eternal judgment of rewards and punishments.
  • For Bosses:
    • - Treat staff fairly.
    • - Judge and reward or punish justly.
• # 5. Reflection of the Man-God Relationship
  • - Man: Worships and enjoys God.
  • - God: Loves and enjoys man.

Prayer:

• Heavenly Father,
  • Thank You for the guidance and wisdom found in Your Word. Help us to fulfill our roles in life with integrity, love, and respect. May wives support their husbands and husbands care for their wives. Guide children to obey their parents and parents to nurture their children with encouragement and a godly example.
  • In our work, let us serve diligently as if serving You, recognizing that our true reward comes from You. For those in positions of authority, grant them the wisdom to treat their staff justly and fairly.
  • Above all, remind us that our relationship with You is the foundation of all we do. May we worship and enjoy You, just as You love and enjoy us.
• In Jesus' name, we pray.
  • Amen.

Live Out the New Self Col 3:10-17 ---- Love & Building Up One another

The best way to rid oneself of bad behavior is to focus on 'Christ in Us' and be busy knowing Christ, growing up in wisdom, and doing good deeds out of gratitude, leaving no time for sins. The specifics are given in the lessons learned below:

Lessons:

• 1. Growing Up to Be Like Christ
  • - It Takes Time: Spiritual growth is a gradual process that requires patience.
  • - Gaining Knowledge of Christ: We need to learn more about Christ through study and reflection.
  • - Constant Renewal: We must continually reflect and review our lives to align with Christ’s image.
• 2. One Key Attribute of Growth is Love
  • - Harmony with All: Achieving harmony with people of different races, educational backgrounds, social standings, and statuses (enslaved or free) reflects Christ’s love and unity.
• 3. Exercise Love Through Various Virtues
  • - Tenderness: Show compassion and sensitivity.
  • - Kindliness: Act with kindness towards others.
  • - Humility: Maintain a humble attitude.
  • - Gentleness: Approach others with gentleness.
  • - Forbearance: Practice patience and tolerance.
  • - Forgiving: Forgive others as Christ forgave us.
• 4. Focus on Christ
  • - Receiving Peace and Wisdom: Focus on Christ in our minds to receive His peace and wisdom. Avoid making decisions without inner peace.
• 5. Teach and Encourage Others
  • - Help others grow in their faith by teaching and encouraging them.
• 6. Community Worship and Sharing
  • - Engage in communal worship through psalms, hymns, and sacred songs. Sharing in worship strengthens the community.
• 7. Do Everything with Gratitude and for Christ
  • - With gratitude, do everything in the name of Christ. This reflects the teaching in Matthew 5:16 to let our light shine before others so they may see our good deeds and glorify God.

Prayer:

• Dear Heavenly Father,
  • Thank You for Your Word that guides us in our journey to become more like Christ. Help us to grow in knowledge and understanding, continually renewing ourselves in Your image. Teach us to embody love, showing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness to all those around us.
  • 
    
  • Fill our hearts with Your peace and wisdom, guiding our decisions and actions. May we teach and encourage one another, fostering a community that worships You in unity through psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit.
  • 
    
  • With grateful hearts, we commit to doing everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let our good works shine before others, so they may see and glorify You, our Father in heaven.
  • 
    
  • In Jesus’ name, we pray.
    • Amen.