An Exclusive Relationship
Notes
Transcript
Intro; This morning I want to return to some of the devotions that have stuck out to me in this past year in my readings. The Devotion Book is entitled “Pause for Power” by Warren Wiersbe.
Devotion #193 really caught my attention and it comes at an appropriate time as we move into a New Year. It is called “An Exclusive Relationship”
Because we have trusted Christ, we have been “set apart” from the world, unto the Lord. That is the meaning of the word holy. We are not our own; we belong completely to Him. Just as the marriage ceremony sets apart a man and a woman for each other exclusively, so salvation sets believers apart exclusively for Jesus Christ. Would it not be a horrible thing, at the end of a wedding, to see the groom run off with the maid of honor? It is just as horrible to contemplate Christians living for the world and the flesh.
Wiersbe, W. W. (2010). Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures. David C Cook.
Exclusive- sole, undivided, unshared, unique, elect
This morning I want us to look at our “Exclusive Relationship” in Christ and how that relationship is to be lived out in our lives and seen by the world!
Text; Col. 3:12-17
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
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.
At the beginning of chapter 3 Paul reminds the believer at Colossae of their position in Christ. How we are to set our minds on things above and seek the will of God by putting off the old man or emptying our selves of the world and being filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
He then outlines the believers Exclusive Relationship in Christ and how it needs to look.
1. Put On; 12, 14
1. Put On; 12, 14
Put On- clothe yourself
As the “elect of God”, saved and set apart exclusively in a living relationship with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, we are to be appropriately dressed in robes of righteousness!
Everyday we get up and we dress ourselves physically before we leave the house. And we dress according to the weather, our job dress code or wherever we may be going. Paul says we are to do that more-so spiritually everyday!
Every person or circumstance we encounter every day requires a response. And according to what we are wearing spiritually or not wearing will determine how we handle that situation.
[v.8-9] Things we should throw away and never wear as a christian
[v.12] Believers are to “put on” tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering; these are all attitudes and virtues that accurately reflect our Savior and His forgiving character! And we must choose to put them on by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Most are actually fruit of the Spirit!
But these attitudes and virtues have to be administered in “love” to bring about God’s desired results!
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Bond of perfection- love is what binds all the righteous clothing/virtues of the believer in Christ together, just like the “belt of truth” binds all the armor of God together.
Their is a saying that goes something like this; “The clothes don’t make the man, but the man makes the clothes”.
Who we are on the inside determines what clothes people see on the outside!
2. Bear and Forgive; 13
2. Bear and Forgive; 13
The key to success in any marriage relationship is to “Bear and Forgive”. That is also the key to success in our spiritual relationships.
Bearing with one another- means putting up with the “extra grace required” people; endure, be patient with. There are some people that just require a little more grace than others.
Forgive- to pardon one who has wronged us
Take a minute just to think about how God has had to bear with us in our faults, failures, rebellious attitudes, gossiping, scheming, conniving ways as christians in a marriage relationship with Him, and yet He is willing to forgive us when we repent!
[Tony Evans] What makes forgiveness possible is recognizing that the Lord has forgiven you. There is an inseparable link between forgiving and recognizing that you’ve been forgiven. To refuse to forgive, in fact, is to burn a bridge over which you must cross.
Matthew 6:14–15 (NKJV)
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 5:23–24 (NKJV)
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
If we refuse to forgive, we have blocked God from actively blessing/using us by grieving/quenching the Holy Spirit.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
But when we bear with one another and forgive one another, we imitate the One who has forgiven us!
3. Let Peace Rule; 15-16
3. Let Peace Rule; 15-16
Because we have an Exclusive Relationship with the Prince of Peace, peace should “Rule in our Hearts”.
Peace is not the absence of chaos or conflict in one’s life, its the ability to be calm and confident in the midst of them and to make good decisions and direction for your life!
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Rule- an athletic term; preside over, umpire, to distribute the prize
In the Greek games, there were judges who rejected the contestants who were not qualified, and who disqualified those who broke the rules.
The peace of God is the “Umpire” in our believing hearts and our churches. When we obey the will of God, we have His peace within; but when we step out of His will we lose His peace.
So how do we let God’s peace rule our hearts everyday?
[16a] Let the Word of Christ “dwell in you richly”!
Dwell- to live in, take up residence, make at home
Richly- abundantly, wealth
The Christian must take time to make room in his heart for the Word of God to be at home there so it will become the wealth of our soul.
I believe too many christians today are trying to survive on spiritual fast food. They read a devotion and listen to christian radio, but they don’t take time to prepare a home cooked meal in the Word of God and feast upon it!
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
[16b] There should be a connection between our knowledge of the Word and the songs we sing in worship.
You cannot truly worship God in song if you don’t know God in His Word!
How can one sing from his heart the Words of God if God’s Word does not rule that heart?
Singing with grace means we can sing because of God’s grace that saved a wretch like me and my chains [bondage of sin] is gone!
The more intimate our relationship with Christ is, the deeper our knowledge into His Word becomes, the greater His peace rules our heart!
4. P. S. “Be Thankful”; 17
4. P. S. “Be Thankful”; 17
Sometimes at the end of a letter, the writer would put a postscript there.
Postscript- something added, additional remarks, afterthought
Verse 17 is similar to a postscript at the end of this passage of scripture.
Paul is saying whatever we do in this “Exclusive Relationship” that we are in with Christ, whether is speaking with others or the actions we take in life, we need to do them all in the power and character of Christ for the glory of the Father, thanking Him that we have the privilege of being in this “Exclusive Relationship” by faith.
Food for Thought;
What kind of church would the local church that I attend be if everyone lived just like me?
How long would the church be able to pay its bills, support its ministries and missionaries if everyone gives like me?
If everyone reacted to situations as I do, how would the church be perceived in the community?
If everyone won the amount of souls to Christ that I do, would the church be growing or declining?
Suppose that everyone supported the services like I do, would there be a healthy gathering of God’s people at every service or would it be two or three gathered together?
What if everyone studied their Bible and prayed like me, what would the spiritual vitality of the church look like?
And suppose everyone followed my example when it came to visiting others, inviting people to church, getting involved in serving, what kind of church would we have?
I’ll tell you what kind of church that would be. That church will reflect the depth of each individuals “Exclusive Relationship” in Christ.
Are you satisfied with your “exclusive relationship” or is there some work that needs to be done on your part?
