HCC Sunday Service
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Let’s turn together
in our Bibles
to Colossians 3.
& we’re gonna read
verses 9-14.
Colossians 3:9-14.
When you find that
in your Bible
please stand for
the reading
of God’s Word.
The title
of today’s teaching is:
Putting on
Our Church Clothes
In Colossians 3:9-14
The Scriptures say:
Colossians 3:9–14 (ESV)
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
You may be seated.
Did you Know
The Lord wants
every one of us
to wear
the same clothes?
Whether we’re
men
or women
boys or girls
God wants
everyone
of His ppl
to wear
the same clothes.
Now
Bfr some of you
get up & walk out
thinking you’ve
wandered into
some kind of cult
Let me explain
what I mean.
God wants us
all to wear
the same clothes
by clothing ourselves
w/ the character qualities
of the Lord Jesus.
In today’s passage
Paul shows us
at least 6 things
we must do to keep
Putting on Our
Church Clothes.
PRAYER
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus Christ
Our God
illuminate our hearts
w/ the pure light
of Your divine wisdom.
Open the eyes
of our minds
to understand the teachings
of Your Word.
Give us a love
of your commandments
so that
we can trample dwn
every evil desires
& lead a godly life
both thinking & doing
all things that are
pleasing in Your sight.
In Your name.
We pray.
Amen.
[Transition: ]
Notice in Colossians 3:9.
Paul says:
Colossians 3:9–10 (ESV)
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Here Paul’s talking abt
what happens
in Christian baptism.
God’s grace
is at work in the waters
of baptism
to produce the miracle
of the new birth.
We come out of
the waters of baptism
miraculously changed
by God’s grace
into a new person
w/ a new nature
as part of
the new creation.
We’re transferred
out of the kingdom
of darkness
& into
the kingdom light.
We’re no longer
sons & daughters
of Satan.
We become
children of God.
& we’re no longer
dead in our
transgressions & sins.
Instead
we’re alive to God
in Christ Jesus.
& frm that moment fwd
the Christian life
is all abt living out
our baptism.
Living w/
a new understanding—
w/ a renewed knowledge—
of who we are
in Christ.
One of the biggest areas
where our knowledge
needs to be renewed
is in how we look at
& relate to
the world around us.
As Paul says in
Colossians 3:11 (ESV)
Here [in Christ] there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Race
Social status
Education level
Nationality
those are the things
the world uses
to judge the worth
& worthiness
of others.
But all those things
are meaningless
when we’re connected
to Christ.
Bcs Christ came
to create something
totally new.
& this “something”
is a new creation
that puts everyone
in Christ abv
the categories
& differences
that define
& divide us
in this world.
Since Christ came
there are only
two categories—
two races
of ppl on this earth.
There are those
who belong to
the sinful
fallen race
of the 1st Adam—
those who have not
put off the old self
w/ its practices.
& there are those
who belong to
the renewed
righteous race
of the Last Adam—
Those who have
put on the new self
Who have been
born again
& are becoming
like God
in Christ.
The Last Adam
is the Lord Jesus.
Those who are
united to Jesus
have put off
the Old Adam
w/ His practices.
& have put on
the new Adam
the new humanity
that’s becoming
like God
in true righteousness
& holiness.
Paul says
when we put on
the new self
there’s no longer
Circumcised
& uncircumcised
Jew or Gentile
Barbarian
Scythian
Slave or free.
In Christ
those categories
no longer matter
to us
like they matter
to the world.
Bcs Christ is all
& is in all
who belong
to Him.
Paul teaches
the same truth
in 2 Corinthians 5:13-19.
He says:
2 Corinthians 5:13–19 (NIV)
If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Christ’s coming
changed everything.
In Christ
God killed off
the Old humanity
& created a
new humanity.
& only those
who are connected
w/ Christ
in His death
& resurrection
& His life
in the Church
can be
reconciled to God.
This means:
the Church has
the only answer
to humanities
biggest problems:
Sin
Satan
Demons
& death.
It’s truly sad
that so many professing
Christians have
never been taught
this truth.
We’ve been taught
that it’s ok
to think like the world.
That it’s ok
to take sides
based on:
race
nationality
political parties
& other
earthly things.
But the truth is:
When we’re in Christ
those debates
are not for us.
We have no dog
in any
of those fights.
In Christ
we’re literally abv
all that
Bcs we’re
seated w/ Christ
in heavenly places
& we’re citizens
of a heavenly kingdom.
We’ve gotta understand
no matter
what race
religion
nation or political party
ppl belong to
if they’re not in Christ
they’re all
in the same boat.
Whether they’re
Asian
Black
White
or any color
in btwn.
Frm Atheists
to Wiccans
to Zoro astrists
& every religion
in btwn.
Frm Democrats
to Republicans
Frm liberals
to conservatives
Outside of Christ
everyone is in
the same spiritual boat.
It’s a sinking ship.
& everyone
aboard that ship
will one day drown
in the lake of fire.
So we need
to stop wasting time
taking sides
in debates over
worldly things.
Our focus
has gotta be on
the things abv
& the world
to come.
We’ve gotta live like
we truly blv
our kingdom is not
frm here
& our citizenship
is in heaven.
We’ve gotta focus on
& live in this reality:
In Christ—
In the Church—
we’re part of
A new creation
A new race
A new nation.
A nation whose ppl
bear the fruit
of the kingdom
of heaven
as we become like God
in true righteousness
& holiness.
It’s this new nation
Paul has in mind
in Colossians 3:12.
when calls
the saints in Colossae...
Colossians 3:12 (ESV)
...God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved...
The phrase
“God’s chosen ones...
“confuses a lot of ppl.
Some translations
say “God’s elect.”
This word communicates
the concept
of being chosen
by God.
Or being a part of
God’s chosen ppl.
Now
Does this means
God picks
some to be
His ppl
& He does
pick others.
Yes
it does.
Does this also mean
human beings
have no choice
or play no role
in becoming
a part of
God’s chosen ppl?
Let’s look at
some Scriptures
to answer that question.
In the OT
Only Abraham’s
physical descendants—
the Hebrews
who later became
the nation of Israel—
Only they
were God’s
chosen ppl.
As Moses writes
in Deuteronomy 7:6-7
Deuteronomy 7:6–8 (ESV)
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
The Lord chose
only the nation of Israel
& separated them
frm all other nations
of the earth
to be His
treasured possession.
Only the Jews
are a holy ppl
separated out
by God.
The Hebrews are
the chosen race
thru which the Lord
wld have a relationship
w/ humanity
& bring blessings
& salvation
to the world.
So, to be one of
God’s elect
under the Old Covenant
a person had to be
born an Israelite
& keep the commands
of the covenant
God gave
to His ppl.
Now
What abt a person
who was not
born an Israelite;
Cld they become
a part of
God’s elect?
Absolutely!
Non-Jews were always
encouraged to become
one of
God’s chosen ppl.
How?
By committing themselves
to live by
the Lord’s commands
& keep
the Lord’s covenant.
For example
in Exodus 12:43-44
We read this:
Exodus 12:43–44 (ESV)
And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it,
but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him.”
Jumping dwn to
Exodus 12:48...
we read
Exodus 12:48 (ESV)
If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
The Passover
was an annual celebration
that reminded
the Lord’s chosen
covenant ppl
How the Lord saved them
frm slavery
& death
in the land
of Egypt.
Eating that
covenant meal
was reserved only for
those who were
a part of God’s
chosen
covenant ppl.
But we see
that both
foreign slaves
owned by Jews
& any foreigner
who lived in the land
of Israel
cld eat that meal
if they became
a part of
God’s covenant ppl.
How cld they do that?
By being circumcised—
& committing themselves
to live by
the Lord’s commands.
If any one
frm any nation did that
They wld be treated
just like someone
who was born
an Israelite.
In other words:
Under the Old Covenant
all ppl cld become
a part of
God’s chosen
holy
& beloved ppl
by becoming
a part of
the Nation of Israel.
Under the New Covenant
we’ve still gotta become
a part of the Nation
of Israel
to be God’s elect.
But the terminology
& the promises
that were once applied
to physical Jews
& national Israel
are now applied
to Christ
& His Church.
In the NT
we learn
this is what
the OT
was pointing to
all along.
Jews & Gentiles
Slave & free
Educated & uneducated.
Ppl frm every
race & tribe—
ppl frm every
language & nation—
All connected as
One holy family
One holy Nation
In one holy body
Under the One Lord
in Christ—
in the Church.
Now:
This is not
the popular view.
But it is
the historic
& I blv correct view:
The NT teaches us
The Church
is the New Israel.
It’s not that
the Church has
replaced Israel.
It’s that the promises
to Israel find
their ultimate fulfillment
in the Church.
This is a
dominant theme in
Romans
Galatians
Ephesians
& Colossians.
In all those letters
Paul emphasizes
this same truth:
In Christ
God created
A New Israel
by creating
a new humanity
in Christ.
& a careful reading
of the OT
shows us
God has always
wanted ppl
frm every nation
tribe & language
to become a part of
His chosen ppl.
& when Christ came
everything the OT
was pointing to—
Every promise
God gave
to national Israel
as God’s chosen ppl—
Those promises
are now being fulfilled
in Christ—
in the Church.
This is what Paul means
when he calls
the saints in Colossae
God’s chosen ppl.
He means:
Thru their connection
w/ Christ
in the Church
whether they’re
jews
or Gentiles
Barbarian
Scythian
Slave or free
In Christ
they are all
a part of
God’s chosen ppl.
& it’s the same
w/ us.
In Christ
We become a part of
this chosen race
of holy humans—
in the 2nd Adam.
Thru our union
w/ Christ in His body
In the Church
we become
a part of God’s chosen
holy
& beloved ppl.
So
I’ll ask this question
again:
Does God pick
& choose
who will
& who will not be
one of His ppl?
The answer to
that question is,
“Yes.”
Does this mean
none of us
has any choice
whether or not
we’ll be a part of
God’s chosen ppl?
Absolutely NOT.
As it was
in the OT
so it is now.
Every person
cld choose
to unite themselves
to God
& become a part of
God’s chosen ppl.
How?
By committing themselves
to keep the Lord’s Covenant
& obeying
the Lord’s commands
& decrees.
& it’s the same now.
Everyone
frm every nation
can choose to
become one of
God’s chosen ppl
by being united
to the New Israel—
the New Jerusalem—
in the Church.
& if that sounds strange
to us—
like some kind of
new gospel—
it’s only bcs
we’ve been taught
to focus on
the wrong things.
We’ve been taught
that the gospel is
primarily abt
forgiveness
of sins
& having
our sins covered.
But the main message
of the gospel is
the good news
that Christ came
not to patch up
or cover up
our old lives.
NO!
His Life
Death
& resurrection
were much more
dramatic than that.
Christ came
to do away w/
the Old humanity
& create
a new humanity
in Himself.
Christ came
to make
sinners
into saints.
The main message
of the Scriptures—
the core
of the gospel is:
Jesus became like us
so that thru
our union & communion
w/ Jesus
in the Church
we can share in
His divine nature
& have the image
of God
restored in us.
Just as Jesus bears
the image of God
So we who are
His brother & sisters
will also bear
the image of God.
So, whoever
puts on Christ
in baptism
becomes chosen
holy
& beloved
by the God & Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
& when the Scriptures say
we’re God’s beloved
It means God has
a great affection
for us.
It’s a familial affection
a special love
God has for us.
A love God does not have
for the rest of
the world.
Yes.
God loves
the world.
God showed that love
by sending His Son
to die for the world.
& God continues
to show His love
for the world
by providing His enemies
w/ everything
they need.
God brings
the blessings of
sunshine & rain
on the just
& the unjust.
So, God loves
the world.
But God has
a special
affection for all
who become a part of
this Royal Race
of Holy Humans—
His sons & daughters
in Christ.
God loves us
in a special way.
In Christ
we are God’s
treasured possession.
In Christ we are
God’s chosen
holy
& beloved ppl.
& as I said earlier
God wants
all of His holy ppl
to dress the same.
Paul tells us
how God wants us
all to dress
in Colossians 3:12.
He says...
Colossians 3:12 (ESV)
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience...
We’ve gotta learn
to think of
the Christian life
in at least two stages:
The 1st stage is
our entrance into
this new life.
The 2nd stage is
how we live out
the new life.
We enter this
new life
thru water
& the Spirit.
When we’re baptized
into Christ
we’re born again.
We take off
the old Adam—
the old person we were
outside of Christ.
We put on
the the new Adam
when we
put on Christ
& we burst out of
the watery womb
into a new life.
The 2nd stage
of the Christian life is
where we learn to
dress properly
by putting on
Church clothes.
Clothing ourselves w/
the character
qualities of Christ.
The first stage
happens only once.
We take off
the old man
& put on the new man
only once
in our baptism.
The 2nd stage—
is something we must do
every single day.
Just like we
take up our cross daily
to follow Jesus.
Just like we
put on the full armor
of God daily
to follow Jesus.
We must also
put on
the character qualities
of the new humanity daily
to follow Jesus.
[Transition: Paul tells us
there are
at least 5 layers
of Church clothing
we must put on
every day.
& pls don’t panic.
Five points sounds like
a lot
but we’re gonna go
rapid fire
thru these
So I’ll have you outta here
bfr lunch.
The 1st layer
of Church clothing
we must put on is...]
We must put on COMPASSION.
When we put on compassion
it makes us
others-focused.
It causes us
to yearn
to meet the needs
of others.
As Paul says in
Philippians 2:4
It causes each of us to
Philippians 2:4 (ESV)
...look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Compassionate ppl
enter into the lives
& especially the suffering
of others
& share their burdens.
A compassionate heart
causes us
to put the needs
of others ahead of
our own—
Just like
Jesus did.
The 2nd layer
of Church clothing
we must put on is:
We must put on KINDNESS.
The Greek word
behind the word “kindness”
carries all kinds
of meanings.
It means we’re
warmhearted
considerate
gentle
& benevolant.
We will be happy
friendly
& morally good.
We will be
a pleasure to be around
& a blessing to others.
When we
clothe ourselves
w/ kindness
We will do good to
& make ourselves
useful to others.
[Transition: the 3rd layer
of Church clothing
we must put on is…]
We must put on HUMILITY.
Many Christians
seem to think
humility is abt
talking bad abt ourselves
& beating
ourselves up.
Many walk around
looking & acting
like Eeyore.
You know
the donkey frm
Winnie the Pooh.
We walk around like:
“Woe is me.
“I’ve never done
“anything good.
“I will never do
“anything good.
“I’m just an old sinner
“saved by grace.”
That is NOT
humility.
That is depression.
& it’s depressing
to be around
ppl like that.
Remember
the layer of clothing
we put on bfr
humility is kindness.
That’s a character
quality that makes us
a pleasure
to be around.
True Humility is
having a right opinion
of ourselves.
Not thinking of
or portraying ourselves
as better than
we truly are.
Not being proud
or arrogant.
When we clothe
ourselves w/ humility
we will never
think or act as if
we’re better
than others.
[Transition: The 4th
layer of Christian clothing
we must put on is…]
We must put on MEEKNESS.
Meekness is gentleness.
It’s being moderate
in the way we
act & react to others.
It’s being modest—
Never flashy—
& not trying
to draw any attention
to ourselves
or insist on
our own way.
When we
put on meekness
we’ll be
mild-mannered;
even-tempered;
& have our emotions
& impulses
under control.
[Transition:
The 5th piece of
Christian clothing
we must put on is…]
We must put on PATIENCE.
The word patience
is not a
strong enough word.
The idea is
forbearing or
bearing w/ one another.
Someone does something
wrong to us—
they harm us
in some way—
& we patiently endure
or suffer-long
w/ their ill treatment
of us
w/o retaliation.
Paul makes this clear
as he defines what
he means by patience
in Colossians 3:13.
He says
put on patience by
Colossians 3:13 (ESV)
...bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
When we put on patience
We will be eager
to overlook
& forgive any offense
we may suffer
frm others.
This is a reminder
that although
we’re all being perfected
in Christ
we’re all
still a work
in progress.
We understand
that others—
like us—
have room to grow
in the grace
& knowledge
of God.
So, we bear w/
one another.
We cut each other
some slack.
We give one another
room to grow.
This is
after all
what the Lord Jesus
does for us.
The Lord is
our ultimate example
of what it looks like
to be patient.
He suffers-long
w/ our stubbornness
stupidity
& slowness of spiritual
understanding.
The Lord puts up w/
a lot of
our nonsense.
& He cuts us
some slack.
& to be like Him
we must
do the same
for one another.
Now:
We do need
to balance this
w/ other Scriptures.
This does not mean
we don’t correct
one another in love.
Being patient w/
the shortcomings
of others
Does not mean
we allow our brothers
& sisters in Christ
who are engaged in
soul destroying sins
to continue in those sins
& just hope they
grow out of it.
The same Lord
who commands us
to patiently
bear w/ one another
also commands us to
gently confront
& correct our brothers
& sisters in Christ.
So, on the big sins—
the sins that will
keep ppl
out of Christ’s kingdom—
we’re to confront
& correct
one another.
& on the smaller sins
We’re to bear w/
one another
just as the Lord
bears w/ us.
& w/ any
& every sin
if any of us
has a complaint
against another
follower of Christ
We’re to forgive
one another
just as God
forgives us.
How does God
forgive us?
John tells us in
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we confess our sins—
which also implies
we want to
turn away frm
those sins—
God will forgive us.
& God expects us
to do the same
for one another.
Paul says
we must forgive
as the Lord
forgives us.
& Jesus gives us
one reason we must
forgive others
as the Lord forgives us
In Matthew 6:14-15.
Jesus says
Matthew 6:14–15 (ESV)
...if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
& in Mark 11:25.
Jesus says:
Mark 11:25 (ESV)
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
If we want the Lord
to forgive our sins
then we must
forgive those
who sin
against us.
& when we put on
the godly garment
of patience
we will forgive
as God does.
[Transition: We come now
to the 6th & final layer
we must put on
to complete our
Church clothes ensemble…]
We must put on LOVE.
In Colossians 3:14
Paul concludes...
Colossians 3:14 (ESV)
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
The word “above”
can also be translated
“over”
or “on top of.”
Paul’s saying:
Love is like
an overcoat
we put on top of
all the other layers
he’s mentioned.
Love binds together
all the other pieces
of our Church Clothes.
Paul describes
this garment of love
in more detail
in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
He says:
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
When we put on
the garment of love
we’ll have
a heart of compassion
for others.
We’ll live in humility.
We’ll never boast
or be arrogant.
We’ll be meek
kind
& patient
w/ others.
We’ll endure
all things
for the sake
of others.
& we’ll always be eager
to forgive
as the Lord forgives us.
CONCLUSION
So, as we close
Let’s all make sure
We keep
Putting on
our Church Clothes.
Let’s put on
& over all these
let’s put on love
which binds these
& us together
in perfect unity
& harmony
in the one body
of our Lord Jesus.
Today
& every day
Let’s Keep
Putting On
Our Church Clothes.
PRAYER
Let’s all stand
for prayer.
Holy Father
We thank You
for giving us
Your Word
so that by hearing
& obeying Your Word
we may live lives
that are worthy
of You
& pls you
in every way.
Give us the grace
to continually put on
our Church clothes.
So that
the world
may see You
in us.
In Jesus name.
Amen.