Ten Motives to Serve

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Ten Motives to Serve

• Col 317, And whatever you do, whether in word
  or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
  giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• Word (logos)
• In John logos is Gods message to man
• Here logos is mans message to man
• Deed (ergon)
• Act, labor, work- How we act to each other.

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• Next several verses give us and example of what
  Paul is talking about.
• Some have called these Rules for a Christian
  Household
• I believe these are more than just rules of
  behavior
• They are goals to recondition our hearts

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• Hearts that understood these motives, changed the
  world and how the world looked at all people.
  Men, women, children and slaves.
• Roman outlook on people
• Paul stresses Ten Motives to serve the Lord and
  to serve each other.

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1 Submit

• Col 318, Wives, submit to your husbands, as is
  fitting in the Lord.
• Hupotasso- to subordinate reflexively, to obey
• Submit- choose to serve

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• If just property, why would anyone choose to
  serve?
• Because Jesus chose to serve.
• Matt 2026-28, Not so with you. Instead,
  whoever wants to become great among you must be
  your servant, and whoever wants to be first must
  be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not
  come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
  life as a ransom for many.

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Submit to the Lord

• Allow ourselves to be subjects
• Humility
• Nothing to do with our value
• In Pauls time women, children and slaves had no
  rights. If you were disobedient the penalty was
  death.
• Choose to serve.

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2 Love

• Col 319, Husbands, love your wives
• Agapao- to seek the highest good for someone
• This is how God loves us.
• II Th 216-17, May our Lord Jesus Christ himself
  and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace
  gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
  encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every
  good deed and word.

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3 Dont Be Harsh

• Col 319, Husbands, love your wives and do not
  be harsh with them.
• Pikraino- to embitter,be (make) bitter.
• Be kind and gentle
• Be patient even with faults
• Love me warts and all
• Why?
• Rom 58, But God demonstrates his own love for
  us in this While we were still sinners, Christ
  died for us.

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4 Obey

• Col 320, Children, obey your parents in
  everything, for this pleases the Lord.
• Hupakouo- to hear under (as a subordinate), to
  listen attentively hearken, be obedient to, obey
• Men and instructions
• We can achieve much when we follow instructions.
• There is joy in success.
• For me there was difference between 19 and 21

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Jesus Demonstrated Obedience

• Matt 313-17, Then Jesus came from Galilee to
  the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried
  to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by
  you, and do you come to me?"
• Jesus replied, "Let it be so now it is proper
  for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
  Then John consented.
• As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of
  the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and
  he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
  and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven
  said, "This is my Son, whom I love with him I am
  well pleased."

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5 Dont Provoke

• Col 321, Fathers, do not embitter your
  children, or they will become discouraged.
• Erethizo- provoke to stimulate (especially to
  anger)
• Teasing, pestering, joking can go to far
• Gal 524-26, Those who belong to Christ Jesus
  have crucified the sinful nature with its
  passions and desires. Since we live by the
  Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let
  us not become conceited, provoking and envying
  each other.

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6 Dont Discourage

• Col 321, Fathers, do not embitter your
  children, or they will become discouraged.
• Athumeo- to be spiritless, disheartened
• God wants us to be spirit-filled
• Acts 429-31, Now, Lord, consider their threats
  and enable your servants to speak your word with
  great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and
  perform miraculous signs and wonders through the
  name of your holy servant Jesus. After they
  prayed, the place where they were meeting was
  shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy
  Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

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7 Sincere Heart

• Col 322, Slaves, obey your earthly masters in
  everything and do it, not only when their eye is
  on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity
  of heart and reverence for the Lord.
• Haplotes- singleness, sincerity (without
  dissimulation or self-seeking)
• Singleness of heart- one heart that respects God.
• Not eye-service or men-pleasers
• Rom 155-7, May the God who gives endurance and
  encouragement give you a spirit of unity among
  yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that
  with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God
  and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one
  another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in
  order to bring praise to God.

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8 Work With All Your Heart

• Col 323, Whatever you do, work at it with all
  your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
  men,
• Ergazomai- commit, do, labor for, minister about,
  trade (by), work.
• Work is good
• Advice to interns, Work with all your heart

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8 Work With All Your Heart

• Why work so hard?
• Working for the Lord and not for ourselves.
• 1Thes 12-3, We always thank God for all of you,
  mentioning you in our prayers. We continually
  remember before our God and Father your work
  produced by faith, your labor prompted by love,
  and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord
  Jesus Christ.

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Inheritance Reward

• Col 324-25, 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 his wrong, and
  there is no favoritism.
• Saved by faith not works.
• Remember we are to serve Christ
• Receive an inheritance as a reward

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9 Provide for Each Other

• Col 41, Masters, provide your slaves with what
  is right and fair, because you know that you also
  have a Master in heaven.
• Parecho- bring, do, give, keep, minister, offer,
  provide.
• 1 Tim 617, Command those who are rich in this
  present world not to be arrogant nor to put their
  hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put
  their hope in God, who richly provides us with
  everything for our enjoyment.

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10 Pray with Devotion

• Col 42, Devote yourselves to prayer, being
  watchful and thankful.
• Proskartereo- to be earnest towards, to
  persevere, be constantly diligent, to adhere
  closely to
• Luke 181, Then Jesus told his disciples a
  parable to show them that they should always pray
  and not give up.

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Ten Motives to Serve

• Dont Discourage
• Serve with a sincere heart
• Work at it with all your heart
• Provide- take care of each other
• Pray with devotion

• Submit- Choose to serve
• Love- Seek the highest good
• Dont Be Harsh- Be patient with faults
• Obey- Listen attentively
• Dont Provoke

Jesus is our example!