Musical Colossians 3:14-17

There are certain lists that I keep and after 22 years of church ministry, I think I can say definitively that the two most divisive issues in the life of the church are the temperature in the sanctuary and musical worship. Depending on who you are talking to, the music is too loud or too quiet, too fast or too slow. It’s poor quality, or there’s too much showmanship. It’s too contemporary or too old-fashioned. It’s irreverent or it’s out of touch. The bottom line is I don’t know the songs and I don’t like it! This is especially sad to me because very few things have the power to unite us in worship like music!

-Music is a tool God uses to unify His Church

5 Instructions for a Unified Church

I. Put on Love v. 14

In our passage this morning, Paul is giving the Colossians a series of instructions that all have a singular focus: the unity of the church

In Paul’s line of reasoning, the people of God are a new creation: they have a new way of living, a new purpose, and a new kind of community

It is critical that the people of God reflect this new way that Christ has made possible for us

First, we see that it is a call to “put on” love

The picture here is pretty powerful; it is something like putting on a coat

It is a conscientious decision to choose attitudes and actions that are consistent with love

You may find it a bit offensive to think of love as something that we choose, but this is always the case

There is nothing virtuous about love when loving is easy

In fact, I would say that there’s nothing fake about choosing to love; perhaps that’s the only authentic sort of love that there is.

This kind of love is critical because it binds us together in a kind of complete harmony; it makes us perfectly mature

Without love, we cannot be what God intends for us to be!

1 Corinthians 13:1–3

[1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. [3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (ESV)

II. Let Christ Rule v. 15a

Second, Paul tells us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts

More simply put, this is another decision. It is a decision to let Christ reign over us

When we do this, we are making a conscientious effort to rest in Christ’s dominion over our lives

We step aside from a sense of control, of emergency, and fear and trust Jesus to be in charge of everything.

It turns out that this is exactly what we are called to as one body in Christ

We must let Jesus be the head of this body

We trust in His care, His direction, and His intention for His body

When we attempt to share life together with an abiding sense of the peace of Christ, we will likely spiral out into factions and dysfunction

I think this is a question we must ask ourselves: Am I pursuing the peace of Christ?

Do I rest in His peace for myself?

Do I pursue it for my church?

The most divisive people I have known in church are not the bad people; they’re the ones who forget who’s in charge of the church: Jesus!

Babe Ruth was the great home run hitter for the New York Yankees baseball team. During one particular at-bat, the umpire, Babe Pinelli, called Ruth out on strikes. There was a stunned silence in the stands. Ruth turned to Pinelli and said, "There are 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball." Pinelli replied, "Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts."

Colossians 1:15–18

[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (ESV)

III. Give Thanks v. 15b

Third, Paul tells us to be thankful.

This is echoed continually in v. 16 and v. 17 as well

Thankfulness is an attribute that governs so much else of what we do as the people of God

Gratitude is powerful because it shapes our perception

Choosing to be grateful is the antidote for so much of what ails us

When I focus on thankfulness, I will resolve my anxiety, fear, and selfishness

As a believer, I always have something to be thankful for and that something is the good news of Jesus, which gives me new and eternal life

IV. Sing the Gospel v. 16

Fourth, Paul tells us to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly

This is such a beautiful image that I think we ought to reflect on it for a moment

It is a picture of the Word of God being so much a part of my thought and disposition that it has taken up residence in me

As the Word dwells in us, we will be able to teach and admonish (warn or advise) each other rightly

This kind of instruction is something that we can all understand, but it is tied to something that we don’t often think of as instructional: music

Paul calls us to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs:

Paul identifies a variety of forms and types of music and does not prescribe any of them in a particular way

However, Paul does give us two senses here:

This musical worship is done corporately, as we teach and encourage each other. It is not primarily about me but about us.

This musical worship is done with a thankful heart, as an overflow of our adoration of the Lord

Musical worship matters:

It has the ability to unite diverse people around a single hope that we share

It reflects that we have a hope in Jesus and reinforces that truth for us

It is a powerful tool for teaching truth

Martin Luther said, "The devil takes flight at the sound of music, just as he does at the words of theology, and for this reason the prophets always combined theology and music, the teaching of truth and the chanting of Psalms and hymns."

"After theology, I give the highest place and greatest honor to music."

V. Do Whatever You Do for Jesus v. 17

Paul gives us one final instruction: Do whatever you do in the name of the Lord Jesus

Not everything that we might do could rightly be done “for” Him!

It should be consistent with His character

It should be for His glory

It should be for the good of His people

Being a part of and worshipping with the people of God, with Christ at our head is one of the most glorious privileges that any of us has:

Let’s be thankful

Let’s participate in it!

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

Romans 15:5–6

[5] May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, [6] that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

How do we need to respond?

-Take our eyes off of ourselves

-Place them on Jesus

-Take thought to each other