The Life of the Living – Part 2 | Colossians 3:12–17

Colossians 3:1–4 NIV

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:12–17 NIV

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Introduction

Our Identity in Christ is the Basis of Our Holiness

Colossians 3:3 (NIV)

3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

In a world where we tell everyone they’re special, we must recognize that our “specialness” is grounded in someone else not in ourselves.

Because we are

Chosen

Holy

Dearly loved

Because we are his, our life looks different

Our New Identity Demands New Life

4 Imperatives

Command 1: Put on Love

Colossians 3:12–14 NIV

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Over all these put on love

We begin at the end. The overall characteristic of God’s beloved people is that they love.

Love is a hard word because it’s a word our culture uses wrongly.

World – Love is acceptance

Christ – Love is work for the good of another

Love’s Clothes

Colossians 3:12 NIV

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Compassion

Heartfelt affection (bowels of mercy) reflective of the mercy of God

Do you hurt for others?

Kindness

Humility

Philippians 2:3 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Gentleness

Having the ability to harm but restraining it

A child who lacks power wrestling a dad who has power

Patience

Romans 9:22–23 NIV

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—

Personal rather than circumstantial

Love’s Response to Being Sinned Against

Colossians 3:13 NIV

13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Paul’s instructions on life in community assume that we will be wronged in community!

Two responses to being wronged

Bear with

Forgive as the Lord forgives

The heart of forgiveness – Should always be present in the believer

Isaiah 55:1 “1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”

Being sinned against is never a justification for my sin

The transaction of forgiveness – Is only possible with repentance

Col 2:13-14 “13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

Restoration as a result of forgiveness – May not be possible

Examples: Moses striking the rock, the loss of David’s son with Bathsheba

Command 2: Be Ruled By Peace

Colossians 3:15 NIV

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

We have peace with God through Christ (1:20), and Christ’s kingdom is one of peace. Therefore, our lives should be ruled (governed, umpired) by peace.

People at peace will be people of peace.

War is almost always produced by fear. We have nothing to be afraid of because Christ has dealt with our greatest enemy.

The particular place where that peace is most clearly demonstrated is in the body of our peacemaker – Christ.

Where love is so will be peace.

Command 3: Be Thankful

Colossians 3:15 NIV

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Very little is said here about thankfulness, but it is an imperative that stands alone.

Thankfulness enables peace and love because it recognizes I’ve already gotten more than I deserve.

Command 4: Be Gospel Filled

Colossians 3:16–17 NIV

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The message of Christ is the center of the Christian community

Dwell among you (all)

We must always be preaching the gospel to one another

The message of Christ is proclaimed through music

There is a dual purpose to our music at church

To God

Instructing and admonishing one another

Qualities of a Worship Song

Worshipful – God focused (“Gratitude”)

Biblical

Not just aligned with biblical ideas but expressing biblical ideas

Meaningful/Substantial

Gospel-centered

Congregational

This is the one component of the worship service that we all do

The message of Christ demands absolute loyalty

Colossians 3:17 NIV

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To make sure he’s covered everything, Paul concludes with a sweeping statement

Absolutely everything we do ought to be done for Christ

Conclusion

What part of your life is not done for the sake of Christ?

Is love the defining characteristic of your interaction within the body of Christ?

If your loyalty is to yourself instead of Christ and your love is directed at yourself instead of others, turn your gaze to the cross where Christ makes peace for you and consider how offensive it is when your way of life does not align with his work for you.

Benediction

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.