Sermon - August 4, 2013 - Colossians 3:17 - Do It in His Name

As most if not all of you know, I work over at Hubbell or as some call it Chance Co. during the day. I enjoy my job and the challenges and excitement in brings each day, but I can tell you that it can also be very trying. In some ways this has been one of those trying weeks. Simply put, our July has been difficult and we have missed more than a few of our goals this week.

During some scripture reading this week, I was reading in the book of Colossians and came across chapter 3, verse 17.

Colossians 3:17

“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

This was a timely reminder for me during a difficult work week. Each morning one of the last things I do before I get out of my car and walk into work, is to pray asking the Lord to help me be the person He wants me to be while I am at work. When I read this verse it reinforced what I need to be doing as a believer in all aspects of my life. Everything needs to be done in service to Jesus Christ.

How many of us have times during our days where we need that simple reminder to serve Christ in all that we do? Are their times you struggle to do the right thing?

How about when someone cuts you off on the highway? Is your response appropriate?

How about that telemarketer who is calling during your dinner or even your favorite TV show? Do you want to respond in a Christ like manner?

Maybe it is at work and you lose your cool with an argumentative employee or co-worker?

Whatever the circumstance may be, each of us have times during our days that we need to remember that Jesus is first and that we are to do everything in the name of the Lord.

As I dug into this seemingly simple verse, I found there is a lot more to it.

Colossians 3:17 starts out with “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

On the surface this means go to work, do the best that you can, be kind to those you talk to, smile at the cashier at the grocery store, give people compliments, and the list can go on. If we look deeper there are four fundamentals that we need to remember.

If we are doing everything in the name of the Lord, we are to do so according to His commandments. First and foremost this start with the Ten Commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:6-21

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.
⁷ Do not have other gods besides Me.
⁸ Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁹ You must not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ¹⁰ but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands.
¹¹ Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.
¹² Be careful to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you. ¹³ You are to labor six days and do all your work, ¹⁴ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner who lives within your gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do. ¹⁵ Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
¹⁶ Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and so that you may prosper in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
¹⁷ Do not murder.
¹⁸ Do not commit adultery.
¹⁹ Do not steal.
²⁰ Do not give dishonest testimony against your neighbor.
²¹ Do not covet your neighbor’s wife or desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

If we are living our lives doing everything in the name of Jesus, we are to follow His commandments.

These 10 is where it starts. If you are honoring God, you will not let things interfere with or take the place of Him in your life. You will not commit murder, steal, lie, or chase after things that others have. Following these commandments is a great start to honoring God in your life.

Reading through scripture you will find many other commands that we are supposed to follow. For the most part they clarify or expand on these initial ten, but with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we have another commandment that is also critical.

Acts 17:30-31

“Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead”

We need to repent! None of us here today are perfect, each one of us are going to make mistakes and do things we should not do. We are going to break the commands of God. There is no way around it, it is going to happen. Thankfully we are also commanded to repent of our sins. With Jesus’ sacrifice we have that opportunity to have our sins wiped away.

If we are doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, we need to remember who is in charge.

Matthew 28:18

“Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”

This is just one verse that tells us that Jesus Christ has all authority. In Colossians chapter 1 we are told He is the creator, in John 1 we are told that Jesus is the Word and the Word is God. These are but a few of the many places in scripture that where we are shown that Jesus has authority, as either an extension of the Father or as the creator of all things.

Jesus Christ is in charge and ‘doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus’ means submitting to His authority. In one way it is a reminder that we are to follow His commandments, especially the greatest two commandments. To Love God and to Love Others.

The third thing I found as I dug into this verse a little more, is that we are not expected to accomplish all that God has given us to do with our own strength.

I have heard it said, ‘if God has called you to it, He will see you through it’. While that phrase is not found in the Bible its messages is Biblical.

Psalms 28:7a

“The Lord is my strength and my shield;”

Ephesians 6:10

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength”

We are told to that the Lord will give us the strength we need, and we need to depend on Him.

As we go about our day and we find that we are having a hard time doing and saying everything in the name of the Lord, He will give us the strength.

If you are having a hard time forgiving someone who has wronged you, the Lord will give you the strength to forgive.

If you are faced with a medical crisis, I know the Lord will help you through it.

We are given a tall task to do everything in the name of the Lord, but thankfully He will give us the strength to do it.

If we do everything in the name of the Lord, we are following His commands, submitting to His authority, and depending on His strength. We also need to remember to give the Lord all of the Glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory”

In other words, Honor God with whatever we do. If we do something good for someone, do in the name of Jesus Christ. If we help someone out, thank God for the opportunity to be used by Him. Honor God in your words and actions.

Which brings us to the rest of Colossians 3:17.

“giving thanks to God the Father through Him”

This is a reminder that even if we do everything and say everything in the name of Jesus, we still need to thank the Father.  

Ephesians 5:20

“giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Giving thanks to God should be a way of life for us.

My challenge to each of you this week is to remember to do everything and say everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Follow His commands, comply with His authority, depend on His strength, give God the glory, and in all things Give Thanks!

Let’s Pray!

May the Lord Bless You Abundantly!

Thanks for reading!

Robert