…..knowing that from the Lord you will receive

the reward of the inheritance;

for you serve the Lord Christ.

Christianity is all encompassing of the whole life of the believer.  Regardless of who you are or what you are in your life situation there are always overriding considerations which relate to your being a Christian.  Paul touches upon this with a simple statement from the text for today.  He remarks at the conclusion of his holy advice to the various groups of people in Colossae, “for ye serve the Lord Christ.”  This is one of those overriding considerations of which I was just speaking.  Whoever we are and whatever else we are, we are the servants of the Lord Christ.  We play various roles in life or occupy various positions, if you will.  We are, as Paul refers to in the previous passage “the elect of God”, “wives”, “husbands”, “children”, “fathers”, and “servants”.

You will doubtless occupy more than one of these positions at a given time.  As saved persons, we are always “the elect of God.”  As of this moment you have been a “child,” may now be either “husband” or “wife,” as well as being a “servant” in the sense of being an employee.  However, whatever else we are, we are Christ’s servants.  I am a servant of Christ as one of the elect of God.  I am a servant of Christ as a husband and a father.  I am a servant of Christ as an employee.  If we bear this in mind it will affect everything else we do, as Paul points out.

Whether we “seek those things which are above,” or “mortify (our) members which are upon the earth,” or  “put on . . . humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering,” or “submit . . . unto your own husband,” or “love your wife,” or “obey your parents, ” or in all things obey your master,” we do so as the servants of the Lord Christ.   This elevates the most menial task and removes the sting from the most unpleasant but necessary deed.