Christ-Centered Posture
Colossians 3:22–4:1 (ESV)
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. 1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Have you ever doubted your place?
I think just about everyone can remember being the odd man out at some point in life. Who hasn’t experienced the ugh of being the last kid picked on the playground? Sadly, even as adults, nobody likes feeling like they are on the outside looking in. Nobody likes to be put off, shut out, or marginalized. Regardless of how bad our experience of societal rejection, there is little chance that it can compare to the feeling a bondservant (slave) must have felt in the first century. When we read the above verses, it’s hard to really get our heads around the caste system of the day. Sadly, accounts show that they were regarded as less than humankind and treated as property by most people.
Let me ask you again, have you ever doubted your place? Now imagine being a Christian slave in the first century. It blows my mind to think about it. They were accepted. They were loved. They were given a place in the family and regarded as brothers and sisters in the church. To say it simply, they had a place. They belonged. Before the cross of Christ, they were equal with their master. That’s why Paul says in Galatians 3:28 that in Christ “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This is one of those odd and difficult texts in the Bible, but I really believe that the Lord has some rich truths to teach us through it. This Sunday, we are going to find our security in a Christ-Centered Posture. In Christ, we have our worth and our purpose. Take some time to read through the verses again and think about the dignity that is being extended to the servant. And then consider that in Romans 6:22 we are regarded as slaves to God. Wow! I cannot wait to unpack this text.
Here are the songs we’ll be singing to help you prepare for worship.
Love you, Church!
Jerry Lingenfelter
Senior Pastor
SUNDAY PLAN
9:00 AM – Worship Service
10:15 AM – Meet in Small Groups on Zoom
10:15 AM – Guest Connection
10:15 AM – Student Prayer (Grades 6-12)
SUNDAY RESOURCES
Everything below and more is available both on our mobile app and on our website.
- Mission Church App – mission-church.com/app
- Mission Church Website – mission-church.com
Mission Kids Resources – Click Here
Sunday Worship Service at 9:00 AM
For the most engaging experience, we recommending using this link:
Mission Church Website – live.mission-church.com
Other ways to join the online service:
- Mission Church App for Apple TV or Roku – search from your Smart TV App Store
- Mobile App for Apple, Android, or Amazon tablets and phones – mission-church.com/app
- Facebook – facebook.com/missionchurchpa
- YouTube – youtube.com/c/missionchurchpa
Online Giving – mission-church.com/give-now
Friendship Register – https://mission-church.com/fr
Bulletin & Notes – https://mission-church.com/bulletin
Digital Sermon Notes – mission-church.com/sermonnotes
Zoom App for any device– Click Here (to prepare to connect to Small Group, Student Ministry, and Prayer Online Gatherings – individual links will sent each week by small group and student ministry leaders)
Need a Small Group? If you are not connected with a Small Group, please click here to email Lisa Self, our Director of Hospitality & Connection. She will connect you with a group for Sunday morning.
Small Group Questions
- Can you think of a time when someone went out of their way to include you or when you included someone else when it wasn’t popular? Tell about how that experience played out and how it made you feel.
- What does it look like to live your life and work hard for the honor of Christ alone? How do we avoid getting caught up in people-pleasing for the sake of praise?
- It’s hard to keep working hard and doing the right thing when it’s not noticed or appreciated. How will knowing that the Lord sees and rewards motivate you this coming week? Is there anything you need to look to the Lord to be motivated to work harder at this week?
- Our value and worth is found completely in Christ, whether we are rich or poor or, in this context, master or servant. What does it do for you to know that everyone will one day ultimately answer to Christ for their actions?