Colossians 3
Representing Jesus to a Watching World (Part 1)
by Gary DeLashmutt
Teaching t10570
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Introduction
We saw last week that Christian spirituality is expressed in three “directions”—upward to Jesus by recalling his promises and expressing thanks, inward by receiving and giving Jesus’ love to one another in Christian community, and outward to those who do not yet know Christ. It is this third “direction” that Paul details beginning in 3:17.
Read 3:17a (NLT). The NLT does a good job of catching the meaning of what is literally “in the name of the Lord Jesus?” That phrase means to be a good representative of Jesus around those who don’t know him.
You may be familiar with the term “ugly American.” This term was the title of a late 1950’s book by Eugene Burdick, which tells the story of an American ambassador in a Southeast Asian country deciding between and democracy and communism—and how his arrogance, cultural insensitivity and ostentatious wealth discredited America and thwarted American foreign policy. “Ugly American” has become a code word for traveling Americans who give our country a bad name for the same reasons—too self-absorbed to care about their “ambassadorial” role.
In a similar way, we can be “ugly Christians.” Francis Schaeffer wrote a book entitled The Church before the Watching World. I've always loved that title because it conveys this point. You and I are daily rubbing shoulders with people whom God dearly loves. Many are looking for God and truth, and are aware that Jesus claims to be the way to God. And whether we like it or not, they will form their conclusions about Jesus largely by watching those of us who claim to follow him (just as in Burdick’s book). This is why Paul pays, “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all as good representatives of Christ Jesus.” Paul will give instruction on representing Jesus “in word” in 4:2-6 (NEXT WEEK); he gives instruction on representing Jesus “in deed” in 3:18-4:1 (THIS WEEK).
Before we look at this passage, I want point out how Paul’s emphasis here exposes two serious errors that American Christians (including Xenoids) commonly commit.
“Spirituality is what I do alone with God and at church.” Many of us have created an unbiblical dichotomy between the “spiritual” and “secular” portions of their lives. My “spiritual” life has to do with my quiet time and the worship service at my church (or my Bible studies and classes). The other parts of my life (where I spend the vast majority of my time) have little or nothing to do my spirituality. Paul explicitly and emphatically rejects this mentality in this passage. What could be more “spiritual” than representing Jesus well to those whom he died to reconcile to God? If your spirituality/relationship with God doesn’t change the way you represent Jesus in these arenas, it is seriously defective!
Many Christians acknowledge that we need to be good representatives of Jesus—but water this down to: “Representing Jesus well means being nice and avoiding overtly bad behavior” (e.g., SMILE; NO ROAD RAGE WITH CHRISTIAN BUMPER STICKER; NOT DRAWING NEEDLESS NEGATIVE ATTENTION). Representing Jesus requires something much more (positive and sacrificial) than this. This same emphasis is explicit in other similar passages (read Matt.5:16; 1Pet.2:12; Titus2:8,10). The real issue is: Does your way of life make Jesus attractive to people who don’t know him? Does it adorn what you say about Jesus? Does it overturn what “ugly Christians” have communicated about Christianity? What do you do more than others in love and goodness (Matt.5:47)?
Representing Jesus at home & at work
Re-read 3:17—put a colon at the end of this verse, because the following verses provide a snapshot of what it looks like to represent Jesus in marriage, family and at work. Before we look at what he says, I to emphasize that this is not a recipe guaranteeing a happy Christian marriage and family and business” (as many have made it). God does not guarantee us any of these things in this life. Nor is it an excuse to focus on how others should treat us and thereby excuse us from our responsibility (EXAMPLES). It is rather a glimpse of how we should represent Jesus well in these social roles. Clearly, most of the Christian slaves in Colossae worked for non-Christian masters (and vice-versa). And many of these Christians were married to non-Christian spouses. And many of these Christian parents or children had non-Christian parents or children. This is the way it is for many of us today. Even with the Christian families and businesses, Paul is still emphasizing how they should relate to one another before watching non-Christians.
So to those of you who are our guests this morning—you have the right to judge us in this area! We want you to meet Jesus and follow him because he is your Savior and rightful King. We want this also because he has given us new life and hope—and we want you to experience this with us. We know you are wondering: “Is this Jesus is real and worth following?” And we invite you to look at our lives for a key part of the answer to that question.
MARRIAGE (read 3:18,19). Don’t twist this into a license for Christian husbands to chauvinistically exploit their wives—Paul would go ballistic if you do this!1 Paul is asking Christian spouses: “Do the non-Christians in your (including possibly your own spouse) see that your allegiance to Jesus is making you someone who is easier to be married to?” Are you more loving, respectful, cooperative, easier to please, etc. toward you spouse than you were before you met Christ? Or are you still just as demanding, disengaged, contentious, manipulative, contemptuous, embittered, etc.?
Don’t twist this passage into focusing on how your spouse treats you—focus on how you are treating your spouse! It doesn’t say “Be sure your wife/husband...”—it says “Be sure you...” Believe me, I am not trivializing how difficult marriage can be, and I’m not saying that if you just be a more godly spouse everything will work out. I’m saying that you have a responsibility to represent Christ well, and that a big part of that has to do with letting him change you into this kind of spouse! Your spouse is watching, your kids are watching, your extended family is watching, your neighbors are watching, etc. Show them that following Jesus is making you a more loving spouse!
FAMILY (read 3:20,21). Coming to Christ should make a difference in the way we relate to your parents and to our children.
This was a huge issue for me as a new Christian in my late teens. I started right in, telling them how mistaken their beliefs were. I’m so grateful that more mature Christians taught me to respect my parents, to thank them for all they had done for me, to forgive them for how they had hurt me and to ask their forgiveness for the things I had done that hurt them. And this is what we teach your children when they come to Christ.
This is an important area even as adults. I’m so glad that my wife learned to do this with her (super-dysfunctional) parents—even as she also learned to stand against their unrighteous manipulation—and to honor and serve her father for 10 years after his debilitating stroke. Believe me, I know it’s not easy to love and honor your parents, and I know it can get complicated and messy. I’m saying that you have a responsibility to represent Christ well, and that an important part of that has to do with letting him change you in this area. Your parents are watching, kids are watching, your non-Christian friends are watching, etc. Show them that following Jesus is making you into someone who loves and honors your parents!
And following Christ should make a difference in the way you relate to your children. This should make us less focused on how our children are making us feel, and more focused on how we can parent them for their good. This should make us less controlling, but more personally engaged. This should make us more emotionally nurturant, but also more wise and firm when we need to discipline. This should make us more committed to our kids, but also more committed to put Christ first instead of revolving our lives around them. I’m not saying this is easy—God knows that parenting has shown me how foolish and selfish I can be. And I’m not saying that if you follow Christ in this area, everything will turn out right with your kids. I’m saying that you have a responsibility to represent Christ well, and that a big part of that has to do with letting him change you into a more godly parent. Your kids are watching, their friends are watching, their friends’ parents are watching, your neighbors are watching, etc. Show them that following Jesus is making you into a better parent!
WORK (read 3:21-4:1). Paul probably spends more time addressing slaves than masters because a far greater percentage of the Colossian church was slaves. But you can catch his drift—following Christ involves representing him well at work.
Are you letting Christ change the way you relate to those who oversee you? Are your non-Christian supervisor’s struck by how hard you work, how cooperative you are, how well you treat people, how honest you are, etc.? I know that I don’t know your boss, and I know that work situations are difficult and complicated and tedious and stressful. (Think about being a slave in the first century!) I’m not saying this is easy. I’m saying that you are working for Jesus, that have a responsibility to represent Christ well, and that a big part of that has to do with letting him change you at work. Your boss is watching, your associates are watching, your clients are watching, etc. Show them that following Jesus is making you someone they’re glad they work with!
Are you letting Christ change the way you relate to those you oversee? Do they respect you because you work harder than they do, because you try hard to be fair in your dealings with them, because you are genuinely interested in them as people, etc.? Would they rather work for you than most people they have worked for? I know you may have unfair people overseeing you and difficult people that you have to oversee. I’m not saying this is easy. I’m saying that you are ultimately being supervised by Jesus—and he wants you to represent him well as a supervisor. Your associates are watching, your overseers are watching, your clients are watching, etc. Show them that following Jesus is making you someone that is easier for them to follow at work!
Conclusion
The standard is high—displaying Jesus’ love and goodness in real-life situations to hard-to-love people. The stakes are high—people are watching us and deciding about Jesus. This is not difficult—this is (humanly) impossible. But what is impossible with man is possible with Jesus. He is ready and willing and waiting to give you all the resources you need to represent him effectively. And here are two ways you can access his resources.
Read 4:2. This is not Paul changing subjects—this is Paul reminding us of the key to being good representatives. Pray regularly, alertly and thankfully to this end. How much do you pray about this area of your life? And what do you pray for—that your spouse, children, parents, employer, employees, etc. will treat you better—or that God will give you the love and wisdom and patience and guidance to represent Jesus well to them? It is amazing what happens when you start to pray regularly along these lines!
Remind of 3:12-16. This is one of the main reasons why living in community with other Christians is so important (HOME GROUP). The friendships we enjoy are a haven for us from the very difficult situations we have in our families and at work. But they are also where we get refreshed and refueled and encouraged and counseled to go back out there and make a difference for Christ. It’s amazing how much more you appreciate Christian community when you are committed to representing him well in the world!
NEXT WEEK: “In word” - talking with people about Jesus
DISCUSSION: Have you been attracted to Jesus because someone represented him well?
1 Look at the next verse! Look at Eph.5:21, which commands mutual submission. Explain the irony that Paul may be correcting an imbalance created because he emphasized Gal.3:28
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