January 29 Transformation- Our Lives

January 29, 2023

Colossians 3:1-17

Transformation: Our Lives

Over the past few weeks we have been focusing in the theme of transformation. We spoke first on the transformation of our mind, then moved to the transformation of our hears. This week we will be looking at the Transformation of our lives.

Colossians 3:1-17

If you have been raised with Christ….for you have died (to your old self)

a destructive relationship has been brought to an end through death, and that death has brought freedom from that which once held the believer captive.

Transformation occurs because a change occurs from what used to be to what currently is. In Christ we have crossed over from death to life! That is one heck of a transformation.

Transformation however is not the flip of a switch, it is a process of change. Today we will take a first glance at this process in Colossians 3.

Transformation requires

Let go of what used to be

How do we experience the change that God desires to see in us? We are able to confess, point out, and take action against the things in our life that oppose him and his will.

What is going to be highlighted here is a hunger for the gratification this world has to offer.

To put something to death you must cut off its lines of supply:

The Old law required the people to atone for their sins and boxed up the behaviors that they were supposed to avoid, Paul here is saying now we are not supposed to box them up and set them aside, rather we should destroy them.

Why is it dangerous? How can something small make such a big impact? Once upon a time I had a cast iron skillet. It was cheap, I didn’t pay much for it, it wasn’t pre-seasoned and I didn’t know anything about seasoning it at that time. Somehow after its first use it was put in the dishwasher… audible gasp. It sat over night and what I was left with was a large orange rust covered mess.

Rather, every Christian has the responsibility, before God, to investigate the lifelines of whatever sins are defeating him personally, and to cut them off without pity. Better that than have them eventually destroy him

Why is it so important that we put these sins to death? Because it was indeed these sins that had condemned us to death in the first place.

Part of the horror of hell, it appears, is that those who consciously and continually choose sin instead of God.

Those who choose to live without God will one day find that they have forfeited their likeness to him.

S

You too ONCE walked

This is a former statement of habit, yet a present command to put to death.

Take hold of what we are called to be

We see everything move from a fog into a bright light, from negative into the positive.

The desire for the things of this world has been replaced with the desire for the things above.

Philippians 1:24-26 share this truth

“But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again.

What we see here in this voice is a love that this world expects given to those the world would not expect. What I see here is the love of a parent to a child. These are Paul’s spiritual family, his love for those who belong to God has now exceeded the love a parent has for a child, it has crossed the boundaries spoken of verse 11 and his love has become like Christ. So we are called also. Lets look at a few ways we are to be transformed.

Compassionate hearts – a tenderness of heart

We should be compassionate in our hearts because it was in God’s compassion for us that he chose to save us and call us his own

Kindness – it does not come naturally

George Bernard Shaw once wrote a letter to Winston Churchill: "Enclosed are two tickets to the opening night of my first play ... bring a friend (if you have one)." Churchill replied: "Dear Mr. Shaw, unfortunately I'll be unable to attend the opening night of your play due to a prior engagement. Please send me tickets for a second night (if you have one)."

Although there is playfulness in the banter, the point is still made clear, kindness does not come naturally.

This is an area where we make excuses for ourselves and others… that’s just how I was raised, I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just being sarcastic, its just a joke. Unfortunately, it is also these behaviors that will cause those around us to discredit our faith because of a lack of kindness, even in jest.

Humility

Philippians 2:5-8 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

We were given the supreme example of humility in Christ as well as an example in Paul. Paul speaks of his past life and its accomplishments and counts them all as rubbish because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ as Lord. Phil. 3:8

Meekness – is not weakness

This is the idea of being in complete control

Moses was this person, humble in spirit, but mighty to be used in the hands of God. The idea of meekness is the willingness to trust in God to use you for his purposes.

Patience

If meekness is the ability to be used by God, but not demanding it at all times, patience is the willingness to be used when God calls your name. It does not mean jumping in to speak when you see an opportunity to get a word in. It does not mean taking action just because you can every time a door opens, instead it is the idea of realizing that although many doors may open they are not all for you!

These are talking about ways that we are transformed, not to keep us from focusing on ourselves, Paul moves to show us how this relates to one another.

Bearing with one another

To live above with the saints we love,

Oh, that will be glory.

But to live below with the saints we know,

Well, that's another story.

Ephesians 2:10 – we are Christ’s workmanship, we are not a finished product and will not be this side of heaven. If the rough edges of someone else is scraping up against you, we would be well to know that our rough edges make the same impact.

Forgiveness – let it go

It is said that we are only capable of forgive to the extent that we have been forgiven. If this is true, we as believers have no excuse, or we in turn have much searching in our own hearts to do.

Put on love

I was having a conversation before the service on this topic. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made, sometimes difficult conversations have to happen, and it is the end result of that allows the acceptance of the message, rather the love in which has preceded it.

Let the word of Christ Dwell in you richly

That which is not in you cannot dwell in you.

I cannot call myself a vegetarian if all I do is go around eating meat. At the same time I cannot call my self a lover of God’s word if all I do is spend my time being influenced by the wisdom of this world

However dwelling does not mean reading, but being led by the holy spirit, meditating on it day and night

Do everything in the name of Christ

`Verse 17

Its all about the Gospel

Why is this so important, because when we fall short, and we will those seeking to see us fall will take notice.

However, if we pursue Christ with all that we have seeking to do all for his glory, even falling short in pursuit of his glory is greater than accomplishing all that this world has to offer.

I mentioned the CAST IRON earlier. I now have a large cast iron skillet grill. Before I use it I spend time preparing it, after I use it, I clean it off before I eat, then after I eat I go back out to clean it further, heat it up to remove what is not supposed to be there and season it for its next use. If not, I will wind up with a pile of rust.

That grill like our lives corrodes without care. This work of putting off the old self and putting on the new is not a one time event, but a daily activity. Reminding ourselves of where we have come from and preparing ourselves for where we are, and where we are going.