Do for the lord (Colossians 3:23)

Sermon on 2 November 2025 by Pastor Paul

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

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Background of the letter on Colossians

- Letter ( 4 Chaps ) from Paul and Timothy to the christians in Colosse while Paul was imprisoned in Rome

- Letter focused on who Jesus is ( deity of faith ) combating pagan ideas creeping into the church

- Paul affirmed their faith in christ and their love for one another

- Paul encouraged them to know the powerful nature of christ, walk worthy of him and in him, to be perfect in him, rooted and built up in him

- Paul warned not to be influenced by philosophy, traditions of men, legalism, by doctrines of men, by carnality, but christ

- As elect of GOD, holy and beloved, put on the nature of christ ( tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, forbearance, forgiveness, love )

- Let GOD’s peace and his word to rule in us

- Wives, husbands, children, parents, bondservants to submit, love, obey, treat fairly

- Whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to GOD through christ. Whatever we do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men

- Continue earnestly in prayer with thanksgiving, walk in wisdom, speak with grace

Lord = Master

1. Who is the LORD ?

2. Is JESUS really your LORD ?

Lord GOD  

- There could be Christians who acknowledge Jesus is GOD, and do not accept him as Lord.

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

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John 20:28

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

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- It is not by default that Jesus is my Lord even though I am in a christian family.

Genesis 28:20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

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3. Where do you place Jesus in your life ?

Jesus…

> Loves me ( John 3:16 )

> Gives me life ( John 1:3 )

> Died for me ( Romans 5:8 )

> Forgives me ( 1 John 1:9 )

> Saves me ( Ephesians 2:8 )

> Give me peace ( John 14:27 )

> Has chosen me ( 1 Peter 2:9 )

#1 - Are we having Jesus as the Lord of our life ?

Galatians 1:10

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

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Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

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#2 - Who is our focus when we are serving ?

GOD examines and searches our heart. He knows our thoughts

1 Chronicles 28:9

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

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Galatians 6:9-10

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

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#3 - What is the attitude of our heart when serving and doing ?

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

SHEEP

> Give Him food when hungry

> Give Him drink when thirsty

> Take Him in despite a stranger

> Clothe Him when naked

> Visit Him when sick

> Come to Him when in prison

Come, inherit God’s kingdom, into eternal life

GOATS

> Did not give Him food when hungry

> Did not give Him drink when thirsty

> Did not take Him in despite a stranger

> Did not clothe Him when naked

> Did not visit Him when sick

> Did not come to Him when in prison

Depart from God, into everlasting fire

Matthew 25:40

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Colossians 3:12-17,23-25

[ 12 ] Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

[ 23 ] And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

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