The Same Stroke for Different Folks

The Same Stroke for Different Folks

Col. 3:18-21

“Family is a branch of heaven.”

[Introduction]The title of this week’s message, ‘The same stroke for different folks’, gives astraight answer to the question of how a family can become one. Every member of the family must have one color. If a family hasthe spiritual color of Jesus Christ, the family will form oneness. The more all family members have the complete Gospel nature by serving Jesus Christ as their master, the better they form a Gospel family of oneness. I blessall YewonChurch members in the name of the Lord that you would become the best-blessed model family by realistically experiencing such spiritual mystery.

1. Oneness Marriage

Paul conveys the message of ‘the uniqueness of Christ’ and ‘a life guided by Jesus Christ’ through the Book of Colossians. In today’s passage, he emphasizes that the family is the first place in which the sovereignty of Jesus Christ must be actualized. God Himself created the family along with the church. Therefore, families must fulfill His will. Then, what is God’s will? It is to save people, all the lost souls. It is about saving all unbelieving families of Gen. 3 after your family members gain Life and such spiritual influence overflows out of the home. However, Satan always attacks us not to form oneness and tries to produce bleak atmosphere in the family through individualism and selfishness. Do not be deceived by such strategy. Col. 3:18-19 says, “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”More than anything, a family is most greatly influenced by the state of marriage. Marital relationship determines the atmosphere of a family. In today’s passage, Apostle Paul tells wives to submit to their husbands, as it is fitting in the Lord. And to husbands, he tells them to love their wives and not be harsh on wives. If you look at the meaning of ‘being harsh’ in Greek, it means to give verbal scars and hurts against others. We must not interpret this in a legalistic way simply think that this is another “do-this-do-that”idea. What we need to look carefully is the part, ‘in the Lord’. When Jesus Christ becomes the center in a marital relationship, you will become a biblical husband and wife with the eyes and the thoughts of the Gospel. I bless you in the name of the Lord that all YewonChurch members would become models of such husband and wife in oneness.

2. Oneness Family

Col. 3:20-21 says, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Paul goes further on a relationship between parents and children. If a husband and wife become one and parents and children form oneness, that family will naturally exude the fragrance of Jesus.

Paul tells us in the first place that obeying your parents in everything pleases the Lord. The word for submission in Greek in verse 18 is ‘υποτασσεσθε (huipotasseste)’ when Paul speaks about how the wives should be with their husbands; this means the submission in order that must be kept. No matter how incompetent a husband may be, a wife must obey and submit to her husband in the midst of prayers. In the meantime, the Greek word for obedience in Greek for when Paul speaks about children’s obedience towards their parents is ‘υπακουετε(huipokoute)’ which means ‘obedience by hearing’. Do not forget the fact that obeying your parents in the Lord gives joy and delight in your family and that it leads to oneness.

Paul also talks about the responsibility of parents saying, “Do not embitter your children.” This means to encourage your children and strengthen them. Remember! Your children are the greatest God-given inheritance. All parents must nurture and take care of their children because you as parents are the stewards designated by God. That is why you must always be spiritually awake. The unbelieving fields of Gen. 3 will never leave your children alone. To conquer the culture of Gen. 3, the family and the church must form oneness and go together. Here is the reason why we must build the RemnantCulturalCenter. All the remnants who are our future are the generation who will actualize world evangelization. Our commission is to raise them up as workers to save the world by embracing them with the Gospel and helping them to take root in the Gospel. I bless you in the name of the Lord that all Yewon church members would join in this historic commission with prayers and offerings to make this field into a place where our descendants can get along together and enjoy to the full.

[Conclusion]Stealth jet does not get caught on radar since it is coated with special material on a surface. This is why it canfly without getting any attacks from the enemy. We must become spiritual “stealth jets” and we must stop Satan from attacking us by having the complete Gospel-based nature. Satan always attacks us to break up all relationships. However, Satan cannot touch our souls if we have the complete Gospel-based nature. We will definitely become the main figure who makes perfect harmony in the family of the Gospel while enjoying this complete Gospel. I bless all Yewon Church members that you would form a family of commissioned workers as a model of blessings by forming a Gospel-based couple and family.