Thy Strong Word – Colossians 3:12-4:1:Serving as God’s chosen ones.

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Rev. Lucas Witt, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Baltimore, MD joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Colossians 3:12-4:1.

You are God’s chosen one, holy and beloved.  As you have been chosen, He has called us to live in accordance with His gracious will.  Paul gives us important instructions on how to live as the body of Christ (kindness, compassion, meekness, forgiving), in the home (submission, love, & obedience), and in our working relationships (service and justice).  The words of Paul lead us to ask the questions, “How can I serve as one washed, redeemed, and made holy in Christ?”  “How can I serve my family?”  “How can I serve in my area of work?”  “Lord God, as Your chosen and holy ones by the blood of Christ, help us to be compassionate, forgiving, loving, subservient, obedient, and servants to those You have brought before us.  Lord have mercy, In Christ, Amen”

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

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Colossians 3:12-4:1

¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Rules for Christian Households

¹⁸ Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. ²² Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters,^[a] 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.

4 Masters, treat your bondservants^[b] justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org