Sermons on Colossians 3:18-21
The various sermons below interpret Colossians 3:18-21 with a shared emphasis on the concept of submission, but they each bring unique nuances to the discussion. A common thread is the idea of mutual submission, where all believers are called to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, challenging traditional patriarchal interpretations. This is seen in the emphasis on submission as a reflection of Christ's own submission to the Father, highlighting that it is not about servitude but about love and order within relationships. The sermons also stress the importance of sacrificial love, particularly from husbands, drawing parallels to Christ's love for the church. This love is portrayed as a deliberate choice and action, rather than a mere emotion, underscoring the transformative power of living out these principles in family life.
While the sermons share these common themes, they also present distinct perspectives. One sermon focuses on the Lordship of Christ as the guiding principle for family dynamics, suggesting that each family member should seek to please the Lord in their interactions. Another sermon emphasizes love as a choice, highlighting the need for daily, conscious acts of love and sacrifice. In contrast, a different sermon uses the analogy of military rank to explain submission, framing it as a matter of order rather than inequality. Additionally, one sermon uniquely centers on the Trinitarian relationship, likening submission within marriage to Jesus' submission to the Father, and emphasizes the nurturing aspect of a husband's love, using the imagery of a mother warming her child.
Colossians 3:18-21 Interpretation:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) interprets Colossians 3:18-21 by emphasizing the concept of mutual submission within the Christian community. The sermon highlights that the passage is not about enforcing patriarchal norms but about creating a community where everyone submits to one another out of reverence for Christ. The sermon uses the Greek term for "submit" to illustrate that it is not limited to wives but is a call for all believers to live with submitted wills, reflecting Jesus' own submission to the Father.
Embracing Christ's Lordship in Christian Family Life (Parkwood Baptist Church) interprets the passage by focusing on the Lordship of Christ as the guiding principle for family relationships. The sermon stresses that submission is not about servitude but about yielding to one another in love, as part of God's design. It challenges cultural misconceptions about submission and emphasizes that both husbands and wives are called to reflect Christ's love and sacrifice in their relationship.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) interprets Colossians 3:18-21 by emphasizing the concept of love as a choice rather than just an emotion. The sermon highlights the importance of husbands loving their wives sacrificially, akin to Christ's love for the church, and suggests that love is an action that must be consciously put on daily. The sermon also addresses the controversial nature of submission, explaining it as a form of order rather than inequality, and uses the analogy of military rank to describe the concept of submission within marriage.
Centering Relationships Around Prayer and Christ's Love (Graceland Church) interprets Colossians 3:18-21 by focusing on the preeminence of Jesus in relationships. The sermon discusses submission as a willful act of coming under authority, likening it to the submission within the Trinity, where Jesus submits to the Father. It emphasizes that submission is not about worth but about order and function within relationships. The sermon also highlights the importance of husbands loving their wives in a way that is sacrificial and cherishing, using the imagery of a mother warming her child to describe the warmth and care husbands should provide.
Colossians 3:18-21 Theological Themes:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) presents the theme of mutual submission as a revolutionary concept that challenges societal norms. The sermon emphasizes that this mutual submission is rooted in the example of Christ and is a call for believers to live out their faith in a way that transforms relationships and communities.
Embracing Christ's Lordship in Christian Family Life (Parkwood Baptist Church) introduces the theme of the Lordship of Christ as central to understanding family dynamics. The sermon highlights that the Christian household should be a reflection of the gospel, where each member seeks to please the Lord in their interactions, thus demonstrating the transformative power of Christ's Lordship in everyday life.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) presents the theme of love as a deliberate choice and action, rather than a mere feeling. It emphasizes that love involves sacrifice and forgiveness, drawing parallels to Christ's sacrificial love for the church. The sermon also introduces the idea that submission is about order and function, not about inequality or worth.
Centering Relationships Around Prayer and Christ's Love (Graceland Church) introduces the theme of submission as a reflection of the Trinitarian relationship, where Jesus submits to the Father. It emphasizes that submission is not demeaning but is a part of God's order and design. The sermon also highlights the importance of sacrificial love from husbands, which creates an environment for wives to flourish.
Colossians 3:18-21 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) provides historical context by explaining the cultural norms of the ancient world, such as patriarchy and slavery, and how the biblical commands were progressive for their time. The sermon discusses how the Bible's teachings on slavery and gender roles were countercultural and laid the groundwork for eventual societal changes towards equality and justice.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) provides historical context by explaining that in the first century, the Bible elevated the status of women in the Roman world, which was a radical change. This newfound freedom for women led to some being unable to handle it, prompting Paul's admonition for order within the family structure.
Centering Relationships Around Prayer and Christ's Love (Graceland Church) discusses the cultural context of Colossae as a brutal and unmerciful world where power and dominance ruled. The sermon contrasts this with the message of Jesus, which promotes love, submission, humility, and obedience, challenging the prevailing cultural norms of the time.
Colossians 3:18-21 Cross-References in the Bible:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) references Galatians 3:28 to support the idea of equality in Christ, emphasizing that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus. This passage is used to highlight the radical nature of the Christian community as envisioned by Paul.
Embracing Christ's Lordship in Christian Family Life (Parkwood Baptist Church) references Ephesians 5:21 and 1 Peter 3:7 to expand on the concept of submission and mutual respect in marriage. Ephesians 5:21 is used to emphasize that submission is a mutual responsibility among all believers, while 1 Peter 3:7 is cited to stress the importance of understanding and honoring one's spouse.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) references Ephesians 5:25, which instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, to expand on the sacrificial nature of love. It also references Genesis 2:18 to discuss the creation order and the role of women as helpers, using the Hebrew words "ezer kenegdo" to explain the complementary nature of the marital relationship.
Centering Relationships Around Prayer and Christ's Love (Graceland Church) references Ephesians 5 to draw parallels between the instructions given to the church in Ephesus and those in Colossae regarding family dynamics. It also references the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5 to emphasize the qualities that should be present in Christian relationships.
Colossians 3:18-21 Christian References outside the Bible:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) references New Testament scholar William Webb, who provides a framework for understanding the Bible's engagement with social systems. Webb's work is used to illustrate how the Bible, while written in a specific cultural context, points towards God's ultimate justice and love.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) references Matthew Henry, who wrote about the creation of woman from Adam's side, emphasizing equality and protection in the marital relationship. The sermon also mentions Mary Hunt's book "Debt Proof Your Marriage" to illustrate love and forgiveness in the context of financial struggles within marriage.
Colossians 3:18-21 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Radical Love: Transforming Society Through Biblical Wisdom (Forest Hill Church) uses the example of the Slave Bible, an edited version of the Bible used to convert Africans to Christianity while omitting passages that might inspire a desire for freedom. This illustration is used to demonstrate how the Bible, when taken as a whole, is fundamentally anti-slavery and promotes human dignity and equality.
Building Families on the Rock of Christ (Grace Bible Church) uses the television show "Duck Dynasty" as an example of a Christian family living out their faith publicly. It highlights the transformation of Phil Robertson's life through Christ, illustrating the power of faith to change lives and marriages.
Centering Relationships Around Prayer and Christ's Love (Graceland Church) uses a humorous illustration of a husband and wife debating who should check a noise in the basement to discuss the roles and responsibilities within marriage, emphasizing the protective role of the husband.