Colossians 3:12-14 Put On Your New Self pt 3

Intro:

Pray for Tyler Clark

Pray for Jane DeWees’ son

Pray for our President & Country

Possible Replacements: Harris & Newsom

Read Colossians 3:12-14

Transition:

This is part three of putting on the new self

We looked at putting on the right mindset

We need to set our mind on things above

We also looked at what we need to take off

We need to put to death the earthly things like greed and sexual immorality

We also need to put away things like anger and lying

This week we are looking

Your Are Loved vs. 12a

The best part of putting on your new self is knowing to that you are loved

People are desperately searching for love

Someone that chooses them, accepts them, and gives to them as much as they want to give to someone

People will go to great lengths to be loved by someone and are destroyed when they are rejected

That all changed when we accepted Jesus as our savior

Three ways Paul shows us that God Loves Us

God Chose You

You know you are loved because God chose you, you didn’t choose Him

Chosen: A group of people who are chosen or set apart for a specific task or purpose, or because they are highly favored by God.

You have been chosen by God and are highly favored

1 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

He pursues those he loves

He pursues us because of his purposes, not because we have done something special

2 Timothy 1:9 ESV

who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

Olympic Trials

God Set You Apart

The second reason Paul give us for being loved is that we have been set apart

You are called holy

Holy means “set apart,” or “separate.”

Biblical use of the term “holy” has to do primarily with God’s separating from the world that which He chooses to devote to Himself.

As God’s redemptive plan unfolded through the OT, the “holy” became associated with the character of God’s separated people conforming to His revealed law.

When the time became ripe for the saving work of Jesus Christ, His redeemed people came to be known as saints (literally, “holy ones”)

God chose believers out of the mainstream of mankind and drew them to Himself.

They are different from the world.

When believers fail to act differently from the world, they violate the very purpose of their calling.

God Poured His Love Into You

Believers are beloved of God which means they are objects of His special love.

He showers us with his love

That love has our best interests at heart

He also fills us with his love

Romans 5:5 ESV

and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

We are capable of loving the unlovable because of his love in us

You have to accept his love for you for anything else to work

Put on Gracious Blessings vs. 12b-13a

The first thing that we are to put on is his gracious blessings

Because God loves you, you can put on His Gracious Blessings

These five traits all represent grace that God has extended to you and now we need to show other people

They are fruit of the spirit and fruit it to be enjoyed by others

Compassion

Another term for a compassionate heart is tender mercies

Heart means your inner most parts

It is the seat of emotion

Compassion means pity, mercy, sympathy

Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown towards an enemy or person in one’s power

We are to put on heartfelt compassion

That quality was exhibited by Jesus

Matthew 9:36 ESV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Kindness

The ancient writers defined kindness as the virtue of the man whose neighbor’s good is as dear to him as his own…

It is used of wine which has grown mellow with age and lost its harshness.

It is the word used when Jesus said, ‘My yoke is easy.’

Matthew 11:29–30 ESV

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We need less “niceness” and more kindness

There are tons of people who are described as nice but don’t move the needle on anything… they are just nice

Too nice to tell a friend they are headed down the right path

Too nice to protect someone from predator

Kindness is truth spoken in loving way

Humility

Humility was not considered a virtue among the ancient Greeks

In the Greek language it always has a negative connotation

It took Christianity to elevate humility to a virtue.

It is the antidote for the self-love that poisons relationships.

We can say that humility is the “parent” of both meekness and longsuffering.

Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Meekness

Meekness = is not weakness or spinelessness, but rather the willingness to suffer injury instead of inflicting it

Meekness shows how humility will effect my actions towards others; I will not dominate, manipulate, or coerce for my own ends, even if I have the power and the ability.

The gentle person knows he is a sinner among sinners and is willing to suffer the burdens others’ sin may impose on him.

This gentleness can only be produced by the Holy Spirit

Patience

The patient person does not get angry at others.

Patience is the opposite of resentment and revenge

Longsuffering shows how humility will effect my reaction towards others; I will not become impatient, short, or filled with resentment towards the weaknesses and sins of others.

Endurance

Because God loves you, you can endure

Bearing with one another means “to endure, to hold out in spite of persecution, threats, injury, indifference, or complaints and not retaliate.”

Ephesians 4:2 ESV

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Put on Forgiveness vs. 13b

The second item Paul tells us to put on is Forgiveness

When we consider the staggering debt Jesus forgave for us, and the comparative smallness of the debts others have toward us, it is base ingratitude for us to not forgive them

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.”

Put on Love vs. 14

The final item Paul tells us to put on is love

Earlier I told you how God loves you

He chose you, set you apart, and poured his love into you

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Love is the ultimate glue

You want to know why most people are unhappy?

Can you handle the truth?

The reason most people are unhappy is that they want to be their own person doing their own thing and they want God to bless it

It is as simple as that

Sadly, most of the time we are not far off from what God has for us.

In insisting on having our own way and doing it in our timing we miss what is best for us

If we would’ve trusted God’s leading and waited on his timing we would’ve alleviated so many bad decisions