The Gospel Inspires Worship

Introduction

For the last 4 weeks or so we have been studying the vices and corresponding virtues that are addressed in the first half of Colossians 3.

These are a type of ethical standards to pursue and and actions to avoid as the disciple of Jesus Christ must believe in total life transformation.

Sin must no longer be our way of life. Not to say that we will never falter in our pursuit of holiness. But we are to be renewed and renewing in our thinking and living.

In this new life we do things differently, we live differently. We emerge with a new life filled with compassion, humility, forgiveness, etc.

How does all of this happen and how it is sustained are questions that Paul answers at the beginning of the passage and at the end of the passage by explaining the gospel and elevating the importance of worship in our lives as believers.

Colossians 3:1–4 (LSB)

1 Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:16–17 (LSB)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.

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

The explanation of vices to be killed and virtues to be cultivated are sandwiched between these realities.

The gospel is that Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins and rose again, ascended into heaven and is to come back to gather the redeem unto his own. Faith in this work of Christ so changes a person that they are said to have been raised as well just as Christ was raised.

Romans 6:1–11 (LSB)

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

3 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

7 for he who has died has been justified from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

And so, those of us who have died and are dying to sin and are raised and being raised into righteousness will be also glorified when he returns.

That is what the apostle means when he says,

Colossians 3:4 (LSB)

4 When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

And again when it reads in Philippians

Philippians 3:20 (LSB)

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

So the process of sanctification has taken place and is taking place culminating in our physical transformation from that which is sick and dying to that which lives forever.

1 Corinthians 15:53–55 (LSB)

53 For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our transformation from creatures of wrath to creatures of joy, from creatures of death to creatures of life, from pitiful, rejected, soiled, putrified, destitute corpses to the highest, noblest, cleanest, holiest creation under heaven, the very embodiment of their Creator, the body and bride of Christ our maker and our redeemer.

So the Scripture admonishes us to KEEP SEEKING THE THINGS ABOVE. Above where Christ is seated and where you are headed. Fight to transform your mind.

Philippians 4:8 (NASB95)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Fight tooth and nail to bend your mind towards this in disregard to your former self. Yes I am saying fight and struggle and resist with every fiber of your being while at the same time mysteriously it is not you fighting but the Spirit within you.

Philippians 2:13 (LSB)

13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

So The very fight in you does not come from you though it is willed by you, but it is actually willed in you to do what is God pleasing.

All of this is through His Word, the Word of the Living God abiding in us and we living-out that Word as we learn it and understand it yielding to its wisdom.

Colossians 3:16 (LSB)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.

The Word of Christ refers here to the entirety of the gospel.

His word deeply imbedded in you will have a transformative effect in your life

Proverbs 7:1–4 (LSB)

1 My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you.

2 Keep my commandments and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.

3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend;

Either Christ’s words keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from Christ’s words.

To richly dwell can be also rendered as abundantly or extravagantly rich.

which means that it must live in or be at home in you.

Scripture should permeate every aspect of you life and control your every thought, word, or deed.

And when the words of Christ become part of your very nature, that word springs forth naturally and daily in worship and praise through the singing of psalms (words from the OT psalms put to music); Hymns (other praise songs that exalt Jesus), and spiritual songs (songs of personal testimony expressing the truth of God’s grace).

Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation all my soul praise him for his is thy health and salvation all ye who hear, now to His temple draw near join me in glad adoration.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was lost but now I see.

In other words, all of this is the true meaning, the true root cause of worship. This word/spirit caused transformation naturally results in true praise, true worship.

I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and its all about you, its all about you. I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it when its all about you, Its all about you Jesus.

Last Song

The apostle ends this portion of Scripture by simply saying,

Colossians 3:17 (LSB)

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

This simply means, act consistently with who He is and what He wants

being grateful for all that has been done and is being done on your behalf. Three times Paul has mentioned thankfulness here, be thankful(vs.150) sing with gratitude (v.16). and give thanks to God the father (v.17).

Thank you Jesus you set me free

Christ my Savior, You rescued me