Colossians 3:2-17
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Colossians 3:2-17
Colossians 3:2-17
Good morning church! It is a good morning, and God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth has moved Heaven and Earth to make it so you were here with us this morning…and God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth has moved Heaven and Earth to make it so the others in this room, and those in the nursery, those serving as greeters, in the cafe, in our children’s ministry, security,…and even that person in the room that bugs you the most, God brought them here this morning on the same day that He brought you.
And He did so with a purpose and a plan. He chose you, elected you and me to gather. He desires good things for us, great things for us. If you are able, would you stand with me this morning to Honor God’s Word, as I read a portion of our passage in Colossians chapter 3? Our study this morning will begin with verse two, but let me read to you the latter half, let me read the ending, so we know where we are going…I’ll start with verse 12.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 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.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 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.
17 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.
You may be seated, and lets pray together.
Father God, You are Holy, righteous, and merciful. We acknowledge Your presence in this place, we ask for Your Spirit to move here today and that You would illuminate these words written long ago to bring new life into our heart today. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Is there anyone here this morning that finds themselves feeling busy? You don’t have to raise your hands, or respond in any public way, just think this through…ever feel like you’re too busy? So people do, some don’t. Some over estimate their level of business or productivity, as they are not the same thing.
When we are too busy, things go neglected. Priorities are often shifted from where they should be, because we just don’t have time. We have to place our focus on the balls we are juggling, so they stay in motion… now I was going to juggle for you this morning, but that would have just presented an example of chaos. I’m going to show you an image here, I want you to notice where her focus is...
She is fixed on what she is juggling. But she’s young, so maybe one of these balls is her family, another one her friends, maybe her school work, hopefully God fits in there somewhere, right? Maybe one of these is her relationship with Jesus? But when we are that age, life is relatively simple…what happens when you have a kid of your own, or kids of you own…, a job, a mortgage payment with rising interest rates?
Kids sports, birthday parties, deadlines maybe for work or school, firewood, commitments, jujitsu, Growth group homework, Growth Group meeting, and of course, our personal relationship with Jesus…man that sounds like a lot, but the truth is we are equipped to handle a lot, so our juggling just looks a little bit different from this young lady’s.
See, it can be done. Of course the balls have been replaced with flaming torches, because the stakes are so much higher now if one of them gets dropped. Our focus is no longer on just a few things, but it is now diluted, diluted…hum that’s a good word, our focus is now diluted among many things, and as you can see we are no longer standing on solid ground.
We are still doing it though, all the balls, or flames rather are still up in the air, but man if one thing doesn’t go right. If someone gets sick, if the car breaks down, if my computer crashes, if someone, or something doesn’t meet my expectations… life quickly goes to feeling like this....
We are now on our knees, with all of the balls coming down, crashing all around us. What ones do I try to grab on two, what can I salvage, what an over whelming mess. The truth of it all, is that most people, regardless of their image or presentation, or social media presence, feel a whole lot more like this last photo.
There a bunch of things that can change our perspective. Tragedy is one. A great loss, a great pain, can take our focus off of all the balls and place it on that person or event, it can place our focus on us, or maybe the one be blame for our pain.
Perspective can also change from good things. Nicole and I celebrated 30 years of marriage together this year, and as part of our celebration we planned a trip to Tennessee. For weeks, really months before we went we shifted some of our focus on travel books, videos, we started researching this place that we were going, so we could be fully prepared and have the
best possible experience.
We’ve had several of you guys get married recently. And when you’re doing that, you are juggling a lot of different things, but now you have a wedding coming up, and much of our focus is on the event. And some of the balls get re-examined, the ones that aren’t as important as the other balls get dropped. And that’s a good thing…I don’t think we do that enough, to stop and re-examine all of the things that we are juggling. To give priority to some, and to discard others. Back in chapter one, in speaking about Jesus, Paul wrote these words…Col 1:18
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Preeminence meaning to have first place, or to be supreme. All week, and I shared it with our Growth Group, I’ve been examining that… in light of the verse we left off with last Sunday. We ended last week with verse 1 of chapter 3, and in that verse we read these words... seek those things which are above, where Christ is...
We talked about what it means to seek something, to really pursue it. To give preeminence to Jesus in our lives. God encourages us to seek Him, from Old Testament to the New. Back in the book of Jeremiah the prophet records the Lord as saying… Jer 29:11-14
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
It was Jesus who said Matt 6:33
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The first two chapters of this letter were an instruction manual or doctrine, these last two are application or what it should look like in our lives. If Jesus has preeminence in our lives, they should look much more like this, than one of our jugglers we looked at earlier.
There’s a story in the Gospel of Luke where a woman named Martha invited Jesus into the home of her and her sister Mary…it says., Luke 10:39-42
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
It’s that good Part that Paul is telling us to focus on this morning. Verse 2 in Colossians 3:2
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
There are all kinds of instructions in this chapter and they all have to do with taking action, putting it into practice, even the thinking part, is an instructional directive. We are to set our minds on things above… what have you been setting your mind on? I am not asking the question to condemn, or even to convict. I’m asking to give you first perspective, and then freedom. Paul says to set our minds on the things that are above, not on the things on the earth.
I’ll give you some perspective…this earth is temporary. In fact, someday it will be destroyed and the Bible says there will be a new Heaven and a New Earth…he give us even greater perspective in verse 3. Col 3:3-4
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Paul first brought this up back in chapter 2 when he wrote about baptism. Practically speaking he is thinking of that as a water grave. The old man died, ladies, I’m not talking about your husbands. But our flesh, the old man, the old woman died, we were dead in our sins and then became dead to our sins. Have you ever heard that expression, you are dead to me.
It’s a harsh statement isn’t it. What does that mean? If a father says that to his son, it is the severing of the relationship. He is cut off, no longer a son. Dead, no longer a part of his life. That is how we are to be with our sinful flesh. Verse 4 says When Christ who is our life. How would you identify your life, or even yourself? I’m always interested in that when I talk to people, especially for the first time.
How do they self identify, don’t go there. I’m talking about by their career. I’m a doctor, or lawyer, construction worker, police officer, or maybe a fireman that wishes they were a police officer. I’m a mom, or a dad, my kids are my life, or music is my life.
I am an American, a republican, a democrat, independent. Paul says Christ, who is our life…Paul was all about Jesus…Paul says you died, but now you live, and he is speaking to our identity in Jesus, all of those other labels will one day fade away and what will matter is who Jesus was to you. Now understand Paul is writing to Christians here, that gets more and more important as our chapter goes on…but here he states that we will appear with Him in glory. Matt 24:30
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
and who’s going to be with Him? Us! The church! In glory. Let’s keep going, verse 5 Col 3:5-7
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
Vs. 5 We gone through the meanings of these things several times. But quickly the word translated fornication comes from the Greek word porneia where we get our word pornography, or pictures of porneia. Some describe it as any sexual intercourse outside of the Biblical covenant of marriage, but it is a broader term than that and would include all forms of sexuality or contacted outside of that relationship.
Paul continues with uncleanness, any that isn’t clean, something that is dirty, in the context it can be both sexual or non sexual such as dirty talk, or course jesting. Passion, evil desire, covetousness - wanting or lusting after something or someone that does not belong to you or that you are not in that type of relationship with, and he calls that idolatry.
Vs. 6-7 That is a key term here. Many new Christians get discouraged or question their salvation because they still sin. When we come to God and ask Him to forgive us of our sins, based upon Jesus paying the penalty in our place, He does so. We are no longer charged with our sins. Like we read last week the charges against us have been nailed to the cross and we are without sin, charged to our account.
But sadly, we are not yet sinless, we should however sin less, we should no longer walk in them, or live in them like it says in verse 7. I don’t believe that you really can. If a real transaction has occurred between you and Jesus at the cross you should be unable to continually walk in your sin, and live in your sin, as you once did and not have it grieve you terribly. Paul gives us some more actions to take now as a new man and a new woman in Jesus, look at verse 8 with me. Col 3:8-9
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
You may be pretty familiar with these verses, but let me just draw your attention to a couple of things. The first is that he is talking to Christians…but now you yourselves. But I don’t only say that from the language that is used, I say it from experience. Meaning, it would be useless for Paul to say these things to people that were not Christians. Why? They would be self defeating, impossible to do. In fact, if you are a Christian and you stop walking in the Spirit and try to walk in the flesh, try to do things in your own strength, in your own flesh you will fail miserably at every single one of these.
You may be able to juggle some of them for a season, but without walking in the Spirit, your flesh will fall. So he says, you Christians put off these things, and the literal idea is a putting on and a putting off like a suit or a set of clothing. Some of you got up this morning in flannel jammies and there was a putting off of those, and then a putting on of your church clothes, hopefully with a shower somewhere in between! Or you can think of it as a soldier or maybe a law enforcement officer.
There is a taking off of their street clothes, their worldly clothes, and a putting on of their armor or their uniform and weapons of warfare. When they come home, those things are put off, and something else is put on.
Notice how most of these things he mentions here have to do with our words. and then he tells us not to lie to one another, since we have put off the old man, and that is lying directly and indirectly. Right we can lie with omissions as much as we can with direct lies. Not telling the truth can be by misleading one another, or deceiving one another, Paul says don’t do it. It can be done by not doing what we say we are going to do, not following through with our commitments made to one another.
Not only are we to put things off, but he tells us to take action here and put some things on, verse 10 Col 3:10-11
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Vs. 10 we are renewed in knowledge, the Bible has much to say about this. In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge…1 Corinthians chapter 2 talks about about man’s knowledge vs. spiritual discernment and describes to us that there are things that not only are not understood apart from God, but cannot be understood or figured out because those things are spiritually discerned and only revealed to us that are born again in Jesus.
I love verse 11 and I want us all to understand this. We are not just raised in glory, but we are changed according to the image of God, and in Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, when we hear that we think of an outsider, uncivilized, unruly. A Scythian would just be moreso of all those things. It is as if Paul is saying, in Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew, Circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, or even greater barbarian, slave nor free but Christ is all and in all.
All of those titles we talked about in the beginning of the message, there’s non of those either. There is neither black nor white, nor brown, short or tall. No prejudiced, no discrimination, no implicit racial bias, there are just sons and daughters of the King. That have been adopted and grafted in. The bible and this chapter tells us that this is our identity today, even if not yet fully realized yet.
I’m not really into the whole monarchy thing, but consider if King Charles and Queen…Consort Camilla were to adopt a son, a baby boy. One that had come from poverty, one that didn’t look like them, or talk like them, but he was elected, chosen, and adopted in. Even though he didn’t yet fully understand, couldn’t yet possibly understand, it does not change the fact that he now is of Royal heritage. He is wealthy, has an inheritance coming to him, he has power and authority now because of his new identity, and greater power and authority as he learns to walk in them. That is a picture of us, the church, co-heirs with Jesus. Verse 12 begins with a therefore, think of it as since these things are true! Col 3:12-15
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 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.
Why in the world would Paul have to say these things to Christians? To the elect of God? Why would he have to tell us to be longsuffering, to bear with one another, to forgive one another? Because he knew sometimes I might say or do things that would bug you, and you would say things or do things that would bug me. So Paul tells us here to be like Jesus and forgive one another. I’ve heard all kinds of conditions and qualifications to Christian forgiveness based on these words…even as Christ forgave me.
Like well, I had to admit I was a sinner, and I had to come to Him and ask for forgiveness. Yeah, Ok. I really don’t think there is ever any danger of us crossing a line and being more forgiving than Jesus. Especially, when we consider that we we forgiven a debt that we could never, ever pay. And with that forgiveness we were reconciled with God. Now that’s an interesting word in light of forgiveness, reconciliation. Is it possible to forgive someone and not be reconciled? I think so. When Jesus was being abused and put on the cross, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus extended forgiveness there, or at least the willingness to without those men asking for it, but the verse actually says even as Christ forgave you.
So, lets consider that. Again, Paul is writing to Christians here, because if you’re not a Christian, you haven’t yet been forgiven and remain dead in your trespasses and sin. But for us, or for you rather. When did Jesus pay the cost for your sins, when did he pay the price to redeem you? Did He go to the cross before or after you asked? Before right. SO likewise with us. We are to be willing to endure the cost of an offense against us. We are to forgive as Christ forgave us, but perhaps reconciliation may not be had until there is repentance and acknowledgement, or we can bear with one another and choose to not charge a brother or sister with an offense and let it be covered under grace, tender mercies, kindness, humility…love, vs. 14 Col 3:14
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Check out verse 15 Col 3:15
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
If you noticed in your bulletins, or on the opening slide, the title of today’s message was Let the…because we see it in this verse and in the next. Why do you think Paul says that? Do you think we can hinder the peace of God ruling in our hearts? I do. I have. Paul says allow it to happen, let the peace of God rule. The word rule is an athletic term that means something to the effect of referee or umpire.
What does an umpire do? He calls the play right. This could go either way, let’s look to the umpire, he says safe. That’s the idea when you have opportunity to either let the peace of God rule or to not let the peace of God rule, let God’s peace call the play, go with that, and be thankful. Verse 16 Col 3:16-17
16 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.
17 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.
This whole idea of Let the peace, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly is a great reminder to all of us to be yielded to what He wants to do in our lives, to not walk in the flesh, but to walk in the Spirit, and let Him umpire or to call the plays in our lives. As I was preparing for this morning I was reminded of this from an obedient brother, who did this that we see in verse 16, the teaching, admonishing, one another is psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
He sent it to me last Sunday after the service, but look how it ties into letting God do what He wants to do in our lives...
Grace and Peace