August 21, 2016 - Therefore....

We've been talkin about Colossians chapter 3 for a number of weeks now and we want to look this morning at Colossians chapter 3 verse 5, but in order to understand verse 5 properly if you just read verse 5 and you don't read the first four you're not going to understand it because verse 5 is really understanding it is the conclusion of those first four versus you have to kind of get this running start and say Here's what 1 through 4 says and then say aha now, I understand why it's saying what he saying in verse 5 don't want to look at verses 1 through 4 kind of quickly leading up to verse 5 now the very beginning of Colossians talks about the resurrection. So I want us to pretend it's Easter. Again. This is a, nice to refrain so Christ is risen.

Since I kind of surprise you that I will give you another chance to do it. Are you ready? Christ is risen. Hey, man, that's a common celebration on Easter Sunday and really Colossians 1 Paul starts out celebrating that fact that Christ is risen when he begins those verses in Colossians 1 he says since then you have been raised with Christ. And so for the very beginning of this chapter, he's focused on the resurrection of Christ and what it means for you and I the resurrection of Jesus is God's yes to all that Jesus taught and lived and so everything that Jesus proclaimed about God being loving God being gracious about people being healed and sending forgiven everything that he taught and did during his lifetime. The resurrection was God's yes to everything that Jesus taught and did saying yes, it's true. Yes, he was sent for me. Yes, please my son. All of that is a firm in the resurrection of Jesus teachings life and death really equal the defeat of sin and death. And that's part of the core thing the central think that the resurrection was affirming because Jesus came and talked that we could live forever. Honestly, think about how insane that sounds when you first hear that there's someone starts walking around and teaching. Hey, I've got a way I can tell you how to live forever. I mean most of us just so you know, buddy. I don't need my windshield cleaned. I'm just going to go on a just seems crazy that someone will be teaching that sort of thing. But then he started Gathering crowds and then there be somebody who was lame poor crippled and he would go over and say that in the name of God the Father stand up and walk and that person would walk. And so this guy he's not only saying these things but he's doing these miracles. And then when they crucified him, he's a look it's coming they're going to kill me. But I'm telling you after 3 days. I'm going to come out of the grave. Really? Yes after 3 days. I'm going to come out of the group everything. I've told you about trusting the father and defeating sin and death is truth and it will be proven. And then on Easter Sunday to Resurrection was God's yes to everything that Jesus taught and lived and all of his teachings his life death burial and Resurrection. That's the defeat of sin and death itself. And then the good news the gospel itself.

Is that Jesus victory over sin and death is given to us through our faith in him? That's something we can't accomplish. We cannot provide for our own since we cannot conquer the grave and defeat death our self and go through faith in Christ. He imparts to us what we can't do for ourselves. Steve gives us his righteousness. He gives us his victory over sin and death as this gift. This gracious gets when we place our faith in him and that's the gospel and Paul has all that kind of packed in his thinking and his thoughts when he opens this Version Colossians 3, since you've been raised with Christ Paul says it this way in Galatians Chapter 2. He says I have been crucified with Christ and it's no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me and the life. I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So that's the essence of the Gospel the Christian walk that we believe that Jesus Christ came from God that everything we talked and said and did was true and that the resurrection was the validation of everything that Jesus taught and said and did and that the gospel is that we can partner with God's that we can join that we can receive that gift and Jesus victory over death and sin is given to us through grace through the gospel as we place our faith and trust in that message and that's why Paul says I don't live is Christ who lives in me and my faith. I live my life in him a second big themes that's in these first 4 verses of Colossians is the idea of with from Genesis to Revelation and everywhere in between with plays a key role and what I mean by that is God's Desire with have fellowship with Humanity in Genesis 1 through 3. He created Adam and Eve and then he was in the garden in the cool of the evening walking with them when Abraham is nervous or anxious or Moses is nervous and anxious. Forsyth will be with you when David pins the songs about those moments of connections and intimacy with God. He says you don't want even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death you are with me. Even in Revelation at the end of all scripture in Revelation 21 God is excited and said that last we will be together. You will be my people and I will be your God. I will be with you. And that in-between is where we live right now. We live in that in-between times to Manuel with the beginning of that being with us in a whole new way. That's what Christ was and his birth wasn't God With Us. God's desire to be with us to be close to us. So great that he couldn't hold back good way to Revelation want to make it happen through Jesus Christ and soak rice came and was God With Us and when Jesus left he said look, I'm telling you the counselor will come and be alongside you and even be inside of you Paul explains later in the New Testament that the holy spirit will be in us and in Matthew. Jesus says look go and do these things go and do my will go and do the things that I've asked you to do when you walked in my mission and white my way. I will be with you always. It's a really we could celebrate what we celebrated. About Easter just a moment ago. And so we'll do it again. I'm giving you plenty of warning right Christ is with us.

That's a big part of the Gospel. I only the he's resurrected but he is with us now alongside us our companion and our savior. Think about that. Backpack that's part of what Paul is doing in this passage in Colossians 1 to 4. He sang to us. Think about these things set your mind and your heart on these truths. Think about these true story continues. We continue in Colossians 3. So if you've been raised with Christ seek, the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God we talked about that glorious true that that Christ is described as seated at the right hand of God Hebrews 1 says he's seated that's a symbol of his work been completed or finished just like on the cross when he said it is finished. He has accomplished our Redemption our restoration our reconciliation to God the father and so he's seated because that work is finished Romans 8 says one thing he's doing well. I seated at the right hand of the father is he's preying on behalf of you and me. I mean that alone is a mind boggling thoughts and we're sending our minds on that Christ is right now praying on our behalf. Longing that we come to know him more and more longing that our faith grows larger and larger. That we accept the gracious gift that he's provided for us that we walk in that acceptance that we know that there's no condemnation so that we know that were invited to have intimacy with God that we know that we were invited to have our lives and our hearts and our minds renewed and changed because of the truth of the Gospel itself until he's praying that we would more and more walking him and more and more become the vessels. God designed us to be vessels to being inhabited by his Spirit by his presents itself. Set your minds Paul says on things that are above not on things that are on the earth for you have died. And your life is hidden with Christ in God when Christ who is your life is revealed. Then you also will be revealed with him in glory set your mind. We talked about this even just in the past couple of weeks. My life is hidden with Christ. Paul uses the phrase in Christ or Christ in US 89. * that's a lot of times and all of his writing. That's a core teachings of Paul that are identity because of the work of Christ on the cross because of our accepting the gospel and placing our faith in Christ Our identity is that were in Christ and Christ is in US And Paul uses the phrase hidden in Christ that our lives are hidden in Christ at this time. He is our life all says In this passage Christ is my life and I will be revealed with him and Glory one day we talked about this a couple of weeks ago how some science today is discovering that there's a frequency that when it is when it is uttered when it is playing you can actually cause matter to reconfigure. It's a very bizarre thing. You can go to YouTube and watch these videos. It's more than just having like sand on a speaker and sing it vibrate because of the frequency certain frequencies. The sand will organize itself into geometrical patterns. I mean, this is blowing the minds of those who are doing it there. Like what is the deal with this and my son is in college told me about this and he said, you know, I thought about things I've heard you preach and say about how Jesus is the word. That's what Genesis 1 talked about in the beginning God spoke things into existence and then in John chapter 1, we're told that Jesus is the Word from the very beginning. He was that word and then in Colossians once we're told that not only everything was created through Christ, but everything is sustained and held together through Christ. And so Jesus is this word of God. And this very word is our life. Not only our physical life was not only the word that spoke in the beginning let there be light and there was light Let There Be people in our image and there was people In Her Image. He's not only that words that create suskis that word that ever sustains us and he's that word that gives us spiritual and eternal life and Saint Paul says Christ is my life. I'll be revealed with him & Glory one day. So that spiritual life that is given to us because of Christ his righteousness imparted to us his victory over death in part of us even comes not only our physical life, but our spiritual life our eternal life and Paul says when Christ is revealed as good and holy we also will be revealed with him. With his righteousness imparted enough and party to us his goodness given to us. Remember the outcome has already been determined. The victory has already been once when Christ is revealed as Victorious and holy so we will be revealed as also Victorious and holy because of the work of Christ because of his victory and his Holiness imparted to us through the grace of the Gospel itself is worth celebrating in it. That we don't have to dread Judgment day that we don't have to say I better push my sleeves up and figure out how to solve my salvation problem myself. I've got to earn my way to heaven or understand the right things are be smart enough or do enough good instead for God so loved the world. whosoever believes what I just shared if you believe the gospel believes in his son shall not perish but instead would have ever lasting life. Because of the work of Christ on the cross and God in our life now we come to verse 5 in light of everything that Paul is just said he says therefore put to death whatever is worldly in you your sexual sin perversion passion lust and greed which is the same thing as worshiping. Well, you see how that that beginning and verse 5 is absolutely dependent on the first 4 verses And sometimes preachers will just grab this verse out and they'll just lay it on everybody shoulders like something's burden. Hey, you need to behave you need to put away since you need to stop doing bad things. I just becomes this isolated command or this rule affect Christianity. I might suggest in North America in some ways maybe for years and years slipped into being victim to this false image of what Christianity was all about being victims of this idea that Christianity is essentially God saying here are the rules you had better keep them. You think that's a fair criticism that there are people in North America who believed that the message of the Gospel is here are the rules you had better keep them. Is that the gospel given what Paul has just shared in these first four versus The Amazing focus on the Grandeur and the glory and the righteousness and the goodness and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross what I have to proclaim the gospel that does not include Jesus Christ. I mean, hey heresy and there are churches that preach it and publish it and Proclaim it every week and it is not the gospel. A lot of people reject the church and Christians for what they're rejecting is heresy. They're more right with god with some Churches.

the gospel is what the scriptures teach and the gospel centers on Jesus Christ. Not on us and not on Church life, but on what Christ has done. Football starts with that powerful words there for whenever you see therefore. You asked the question. What's the therefore therefore? And it's there to point back to say in light of what God has done through Jesus Christ because of the things he's done for us. Then we have a whole new perspective a whole new attitude towards sin and struggle and good and evil, we turn away from it because of what Christ has done for us and through us and then us. We asked the question. Why not? Send most people as I said kind of get this understanding wealth because you'll get in trouble. That's kind of a dominant cultural understanding. Why not send you better not do that. If you do that. I mean you'll get in trouble. He might be immediate trouble, you know, your wife you're not going to get you now or your business partner. Nope, that's not good that you're going to get in trouble. And that's the dominant motivation that we kind of put out there in the world. That's all we certainly have a world where people say, well what if I can figure out a way to do wrong and not get caught. Would that perhaps be an epidemic in our society right now? Are there many throughout the Known World whose lives are eaten up by selfish motives and thin? I mean we're talking. Just Hollywood in politics were talking about you and I and our neighbors and their in-laws. And ourselves, right? You see how that is a heresy how Satan loves that victory of the Gospel twisted and contorted where becomes not about Christ and his divinity and his power and his grace but instead it becomes about us. Because that as well not getting caught see so maybe find a way to manipulate it. We said well why not in trouble, but that's the reason not to send then if I can figure out a way to get away with it then why not? Send And now we're seeing the fruit of so much send that our world in our culture thought they were getting away with. Time to bear in our culture and our families in our homes. Paul says, however Paul writes therefore meaning like I said Colossians 3:1 through for is the reason for caution 3-5-2. This is why not send this is why I turn our back on send turn in a New Direction Just what we've said, he says since you've been raised with Christ who is seated at God's right hand praying for you and whom your life is hidden to be revealed with Christ without blemish and free of accusation Colossians 1:22. That's the language that Paul uses when he says this is what Christ has accomplished through his cross. He's accomplished this day that will be revealed with him and will be revealed with him without blemish and free of accusation. Again, I don't know how often the gospel has been preached falsely from the pulpit by preachers. Who act as if the grand worldview is that God is angry and you better behave because one day you're going to stand before him and he's going to be ready to whip out that video tape or that DVD or streaming video of Everything simple in your life and safe. Look at this. That's not the gospel again. Guess whose fault guess who is the focus of that? Heresy? We are. It's all about us. The gospel is all about God. And what he has done through Christ, it's all about his glory and his goodness having Center Stage. So that Paul says in Philippians 2 when that day comes here's what's going to be happening. There's not going to be streaming video so that everyone send could be pointed out to their shame. Paul says instead every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. His glory is what's going to dominate everything. Until he appeals to us now understand this truth and place your faith in Christ. place your faith in him confess him. Now as your lord about your knee now confess with your tongue now that he is Lord so that when that day comes it's not this day of her and said, it's this day of Celebration.

Right if we've already been confessing with their tongue that Jesus is Lord and violin with Arnie a life that follows him in obedience when that day comes and he's revealed as Lord. We won't be the ones running and hiding calling for the rocks to fall on us as Revelation says those who've never concern themselves with God or Christ will do in that day instead. We'll be the ones celebrating the arrival of the good and righteous King whom we've already been walking with. Until Paul says because of what Christ has done there for. Therefore put to death whatever is worldly in new your sexual sin for Virgin passion lust and greed which is the same thing as worshipping. Well, he continues to the Restless chapter talking about getting rid of gossip and slander and anger get rid of these things. He says and clothe yourself instead with love because of what Christ has made available to us as done for us. I think of a verse in Corinthians where he says haven't you learned faucets? Haven't you learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave God gave you and that he lives within you your own body does not belong to you. You forgot has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give Glory back to God because he owns it. The reason we strive to live holy and righteous life is to bring glory and honor to God the Father who has been so gracious and providing our Salvation through Jesus Christ. We don't live holy and righteous life because we're better than other people who are living. Holy and righteous. I somehow we've got a secret. They don't have or we were just born with self-discipline that no one else has that somehow we're walking the walking. They're not for people who have been touched and moved by the greatness of God displayed on the cross. In the Life of Christ and because of what Christ has done we've responded striving to use our very bodies.

to honor God because really our bodies aren't hours anymore. Our lives are hidden. With Christ in God our lives are declared righteous, and holy. They're prepared under the blood of Christ to be considered spotless on Judgment Day for no accusation to be upon us on that day. And so because of that we have the freedom and the joy and the motivation to say, how do I honor this God who is so good and loving and gracious because he has called me and declared me to be his child. I think of Romans 12:1 and to Paul says the same thing have to review and God's mercies in his great love in Romans 1 through 12 pieces. Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as a Living Sacrifice. Holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind and Colossians 3 set your mind on these things, then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is his good and pleasing and perfect will therefore As those who are in Christ Saints not Sinners Center sending is abnormal and self-destructive for us. I still struggle to embrace this truth because it is so ingrained or engrained of me to think of myself as a sinner. That's very common language in the Life Church. I'm a sinner saved by grace. But if you look at the New Testament, how does Paul address all the Christians that he writes doing the letters? Can you find an example of him addressing them beer centers in Ephesus? You can't find it. It's not in the Bible. Therefore. It's not biblical. I don't care how many wonderfully well intended preachers pounded that into our head scripture is our Authority and our guide and when you go by scripture work All Saints, there's an important truth in that reality there if I think of myself as a sinner than sin is normal behavior for me. If I think of myself as a sooner than I put myself in this predicament that says well the truth is what I am identity is I'm a sinner but I'm trying really hard not to send and so I live this life where I'm trying really hard to be something. I'm not anybody relate to that. Is it ever feel like your Christian walk? That you're just on your own effort of your own strength. Trying to say well, this is why I'm sorry, but I'm going to try hard not to be sooner this week Lord. But Paul says no, you don't understand Christ has accomplished your salvation. You have been moved from that category of Sinner to Saint. And if I'm not a sinner. Then that explains why send is really not normal for me. It might be a strong Temptation for me, but it's not the norm for me. It's not good for me. It's not healthy for me. It's self-destructive and painful to me and others in my life. Right? Can I get a testimony? I mean any of us to stand up and say yes, I can tell you from personal experience that Santa is not good that is hurtful and harmful to me and to others. And so were invited to the gospel to have a whole new understanding that your mind on these things. Since you have been raised with Christ and your life is hidden with Christ and one day it'll be revealed with Christ since those things are true. Then turn away from sin rejected turn your back on it. Set your mind live your life from this truth. That I'm a saint that I struggle. I want to say that I'm a saint Redeemed by Christ cherish what Christ has done for you and is still doing I think that's part of the key to cherish what Christ has done for us? The reason Paul challenges us to turn our back on sin and move away from sin is not because you better not send cuz you'll get in trouble.

It's because of the greatness of what Christ has done for us on the cross. And he says in light of this. Cherish cherish what Christ has done for you? Cherish the fact that he's imparted his righteousness to you cherish the fact that he's giving his victory you that he's suffered for your sake. Cherish that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. He says in the verse. I read a few moments ago cherish that that Spirit dwells in you that your body doesn't wrong you anymore that it's been purchased at a price that it's been declared Saint and righteous because of Christ cherish that truth and live out of that. I mean the same way we cherish in value many different things 19th century Orthodox priest John kronstadt. I would say to those that he literally lifted from the gutters. This is beneath your dignity You Were Meant to house the fullness of God? in that beautiful When he saw that person see again if I get the gospel wrong and it's just a matter of people behaving because God said so then when I see somebody who's not behaving I will feel very comfortable being judgmental up on them. I'll feel very kind of thing. What is the what are you doing? You just need to straighten up and fly right buddy, and I would just cast all that cuz I figured out how to do it. And so why aren't you pulling your own? It's a process of the Gospel. But when you understand the gospel correctly, then you have this or response to the first person who was defeated by send their life who's weighed down. Like I've got an anvil on there just stuck in that gutter. You look at them with compassion you look at him as a brother or sister in Christ who were designed not to lie on that gutter not to be a dick that's not to be corrupted by sense not to have marriages that are broken and falling Parts not to beat up with a love for money in career that destroys their very Hearts, but instead they were created the house the very formas of God. Would that change the way we treated sinners?

Think I hope you use that language precincts.

Would that change our perspective if we understood the gospel fully and accurately? It's a we were just one beggar right telling another beggar.

There's a place that gives out food and Grace. That place is called Jesus. And you were made to know him. the end well by him to live a life of righteousness. We were made to live life like the life that Christ lived in the gospels. We were made to preach glorious rooster. We were made to be the people who come alongside somebody who is distraught and cast out and say to them I'll be your friend and the devil has gained a victory in that the church has almost. No, that's the opposite when you better not stand in front of a Christian. You better not stumbling from the church. They'll be the first one to come alongside and say why are you doing that? You shouldn't do that to you better stop doing that and instead we were made and created this good work that Paul talks about infusion suits that God made for us before the foundations of the world that we would walk in. These good works are to be like Christ. We were made to be like him. To be the one who offers Grace when someone called an adulteress this thrown at her feet were supposed to be the one who liberates them. It says haven't we all send? Who has the right to condemn this person?

Send no more going fine. People who are in trouble who are in a bind who are sending out to be excited when they see a Christian come they're so good and compassionate and gracious. They'll be like that story of the Good Samaritan when I find me beating up and in need of help, they won't walk around and say well I don't go to that section of town. I don't eat lunch at that restaurant. It's got a bar and said they'll be the one who goes out of their way to reach out to that person. We were made to live life that resemble the Life of Christ in the gospel and we're giving the freedom to do that the Redemption the righteousness the presence of God's spirit in US walking along side us as we live our life striving to be who you wanted us to be Those are sweet people aren't they? You had this on Facebook. So I assumed I had permission to put it up. Best jean and Bill who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary yesterday.

That's my to Foster daughters. You're just as beautiful as Jane and Bill, aren't they?

At the class of international pastors over to Asbury that I taught one week from Korea and Kenya and the u.s. And all over the globe.

At 3 college students are helping build a home in Mexico couple years ago when the church went down and did Mission work. It's one of our students from right here in the life of the church. When I think about that big variety of pictures, I think about something I sometimes say to the girls out of the Foster girls when I'm buckling them in their seats to be honest. They don't like getting in their seats. I mean, they scream sometimes bloody murder. So when I walk out of the cockpit of them in public, I'm a little bit embarrassed because I start to put them in their seat and they start to kick and scream and twists and now they can't fully understand since they are sky are older one whose two years old can understand better and better each day. Our one-year-old probably can't fully understand. But what I say to them often is we've got to do this sweetie. You've got to be safe. I've got to buckle you in here. I'm not willing to let her push and cry and say this is no good. I don't like it one bit. I'm never going to say what that's okay. You can just roll around the car while we drive down the road. Every time I'm going to buckle her in and some of the language I use is I say because your precious cargo you are precious cargo. We're to make you safe. We're going to make you safe. I listen all those folks not just my two little Foster daughters Bill and Jean and everybody in between everybody in this room and everybody you'll encounter today their Precious Cargo.

Created by God Loved by God loved so much that he went to the cross for them. You know that Jesus didn't just go to the cross for some people right? He went to the cross for everyone. Absolutely everyone. People who are his very enemies the ones who are putting him on the cross. He look down and said father. What do you say forgive them? forgive them Everyone we encounter Precious Cargo you agree with me. I understand. There's another part of that true if you've already lived and you've agreed with me if what you if what I just said was true and you agreed with it. Guess what? your precious cargo

right

you've been redeemed. by the Precious Blood of the Lamb

until Paul says therefore. Since this is true. Turn your back on her plate things. Turn your back on Sand that so easily entangles turn your back on the things that are unsafe. Don't roll around in the van while the vehicle is moving. Trust your heavenly father who says you know, what? These these boundaries that I do give you about turning your back on sin. Pulling away. Those are things that protect you because your precious cargo. Because your precious cargo.

I'm going to buy the worship team to come forward. If you've never made a decision to accept Christ as your lord and savior, I invite you to do it to that during the service. I'll be in the back will have folks in the front and the back door available for prayer. You can come to me for that decision or if you have a question just want to pray I'm available or if you're not sure what you think about doing it in front of a crowd then you can pull me or any of our leaders decide about the service and we love to answer questions or pray with you. Talk with you in any way. But take this opportunity to thank God. But he's made you Precious Cargo. Not doing it for the wrong. It's visas to says we've been saved by grace not through works, but we have been saved we place our faith in Christ.

If you need to. Make that decision to turn your back on what you need to turn your back on. On the sins that so easily entangles. on the things that make Precious Cargo unsafe but take that wonderful gift that Christ has given us of his righteousness in his grace and and do the opposite of cherish it. Instead use it you need to repent of sin in your life. Do that. And God graciously awaits. How long would I linger if my daughter fought me for a moment while I was putting the buckle on and then she said oh, I'm sorry and let me put it on. How quickly would that moment pass in my mind? You understand? If you say Lord, I'm I'm sorry. I was fighting against you. Then I got tangled up a nice fighting against you. I'm sorry. It's okay. His grace is sufficient. He forgives us and it really does says now let's just focus on getting you safe cuz your precious cargo. The repenting of sand is not a bad thing. It's a good thing. It's a wonderful thing to turn it back to the father and thing. I trust you more. I trust you more. I'm standing sing.