You Are What You Wear

Scripture Reading

Colossians 3:1–17 ESV

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Thank you, Justin.

Announcements

Re|Engage

We will need some help with Childcare for Re|Engage. If you are willing to serve and help either by coordinating or serving yourself for some weeks please let me know.

Additionally, we are starting Re|Engage very soon and have some spots available. If you would like to grow in Christ by growing in your marriage this is the opportunity for you.

Meeting after the service.

Additionally, we are asking our church members to stay after the service for an important meeting.

A step past Sunday

Explains our convictions as a church.

Transition

Would you pray with me?

Pray

Lord,

I praise You for Your Word given to us this morning. Thank You. We can trust everything that You have written for us. Please give us clarity on what we must take off and what we must put on as we seek to change by what we hear this morning. Grow us together, and bind us with love we pray.

Amen/

Introduction

Illustration

Clothes in my closet

Looking through my closet recently caused me to realize that I have no idea who I am. At least, by what my clothes indicate about me. This morning I’m wearing a suit coat in the hopes that you’ll take what I say more seriously. I iron my nicer clothes on Saturdays and tuck in my shirts on Sundays so I seem approachable but not unserious when you see me. I wear eccentric shirts from my favorite bands at home or when I’m out and about so you’ll ask me about them. I wear entirely too much plaid. It’s a Colorado/PNW thing probably. Those of us who wear this much plaid think we’re either loggers or worship pastors. If I wear my black coat on top it makes me look like a car jacker. I don’t often wear shorts because when I do it looks like I’m riding a chicken. Pants serve me just fine thank you. I also have a couple of formal suits for more serious occasions. Weddings, funerals, or important moments that communicate serious changes in life.

It’s good from time to time to look through our closets and see what fits, what doesn’t fit, what communicates how we want to be perceived by others and in what circumstances. In the case of a Christian, there are some garments we “put on” that we have stuffed in the back of the closet for whatever is in vogue. We trade something timeless lasting for faddishly fashionable and expendable. Other times we simply wear the wrong thing for the wrong occasion, or should get rid of some clothes entirely. It would only be too easy if character could be thrown out or worn like our garments.

Context

In our passage this morning, the Apostle Paul is causing the Christians in Colossi to consider their character, what they choose to “put on” in light of their circumstances. We can read about this in Colossians 2:16-23. The Jews are calling the Christians to uphold the old law. This is the very law that Christ has redeemed his people from the wrath of. Christians are no longer under the Old Testament law, but under the law of Christ.

The ascetics are calling Christians to uphold new standards of how they should appear in wisdom, eat, and indulge. These people want to be seen as righteous by practices of strict-denial. Christians today are equally guilty of following new ascetics. For us, they appear as Christian gurus selling you self-help books telling you to avoid certain kids of people that you probably heard about from a close friend. They will tell you how many and what kinds of essential oils you should eat or apply, how if you’re not homeschooling are you even a Christian, and how if you can’t change your own oil are you actually “wild at heart” for God. In many ways it’s legalism disguised as informed opinion or ill-informed opinion depending on the topic.

Transition

Are we solely to concern ourselves with practices, things or rules of this world? Is that all there is for Christians—to blindly make up what we think the best thing is on topics Scripture is less than explicit about? Science is beneficial, but in our age of utter distrust, it’s not a question of science but scientist—which scientist we like more. We end up arbitrating what we believe to be truth without historical reference to the past because we’ve been hurt by it before. We only trust scientists who are nice to us. Only theologians who agree with us. Only pastors who meet our therapeutic demands. But truth in this life is only found in Christ! If something is true, it is only because it aligns with God’s purposes, plans, and character.

We trust God’s Word above all opinions. This morning, we will see how we are exhorted to:

Propositional Statement

seek “things that are above.”

How we put to death “what is earthly in you.”

And really look at what the Christian should be wearing. What they should really look like not because someone said so but because what God’s Word says. We can trust Him.

I recognize that there are so many things we could discuss in this passage. We are going to look over it generally to see the overall application the Apostle Paul is trying to make and apply it to our lives today.

If you find something noteworthy that you have a question about at any point when reading your bible or listening to a sermon, you should always hold onto that question. You may have just found your conversation starter over Sunday dinner.

Seek the things that are above (1-4)

Colossians 3:1–2 ESV

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Christ is not presently on earth, though the Holy Spirit is! Christ ascended to the Father at the beginning of Acts, but sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will always point to Christ as the reference of belief, faith, and foundation of our lives. Since we are in Christ, and Christ is at the right hand of God in the heavens that is where our minds should be.

Colossians 3:3 ESV

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This is the death of the old man—the man who lived according to the world and considered earthly things above heavenly things. This is the new life hidden with Christ—the life that is promised upon Christ’s return.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

What kind of transformation for people in this world really matters? Is it only reputation and status? Is it the kind of transformation “shines through” gym influencers and spiritual grifters who will promote any popular workout or spiritual idea for a piece of the golden calf? We are who or what we unite to.

Christians are united to Christ. The only transformation that matters is the one that occurs when you appear with Christ in glory. You will not always be the way that you are. Broken, sinful, weak. You will be like Christ in that you will be transformed. If you are raised with Christ, that is, if you have placed your faith and belief in Him, then you must seek the things that Christ seeks. You must set your minds on things that are above—the will of God, obedience to Christ, Christ who is your very life.

Application

In a sense, this is what our Christian character wardrobe should look like. We should look like we spend our time and our minds focusing on things that are above best expressed through God’s Word revealed through the Holy Spirit. Christians are to be people who are united to Christ and reflect, like a mirror, deeply on that fact. Our character should be timeless and should always picture the richness and heavenliness of Jesus.

Transition

But we must make room in our minds and lives to pursue christlikeness this way.

Put to death what is earthly in you (5-11)

You can’t just fill a closet with clothes over years and years and expect space to magically make itself known. I have to stuff music stands and weird drums in mine, even with the clothes in there just because the size of our home demands using every corner for storage. You must remove clothes, or whatever, to make room for what you really want. Brother, your wife probably throws your old clothes away without you even realizing it.Guys hearing this are like, “what? I just thought I lost those shirts or the walls absorbed them or something. I really miss my lucky shirt.” It’s happened to me too. Probably for the better.

Similarly, we are finite people with limited space. We can’t live to both the world and to Christ even though we act like it. We must put off the old self to make room for the new self. Like our completely full closets with clothes that no longer fit, or no longer represent, us, we must rid ourselves of earthly ways of thinking to make room for seeking the things that are above. We can’t simply stuff new character into ourselves if we aren’t regularly purging our old selves.

Colossians 3:5 ESV

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Won’t God just do the emptying for me?

No. And yes. As the Holy Spirit works through you, you will put to death what is earthly in you. But the text here indicates an imperative. “YOU MUST PUT TO DEATH” what is earthly in you. You are responsible to do this and you must do it.

Colossians 3:6 ESV

6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

This is God’s judgment. If you think God won’t send sinners to hell you are wrong. If you think that God will merely overlook sin in your life you are wrong. Sin is the exact reason that God will pour out His wrath! Every act in Scripture where you see salvation is only because of impending judgment. If you live earthly minded, if you wear garments that emphasize your love for this world, if your character is earthly then you will be buried into the deepest depths of the earth only to be resurrected to eternal fire. If you live heavenly minded then you will be buried only to be resurrected to eternal light—beholding Jesus as your redeemer. Your character indicates your love. Your pursuits indicate your love. If you love this earth and its distractions and opinions and false assurances so much that you are unwilling to change for Christ’s sake don’t be surprised if God forsakes you to your earthliness.

Let’s be clear, God sent His Son Jesus to take the wrath that you justly deserve—eternal conscious torment in hell—for those who have placed their faith, their belief, their trust, their dependence on Him because they know they can’t be right with God without Jesus! We can’t do it! We deserve God’s wrath, but we can’t get ourselves out of this mess without Christ! Humility is heavenly minded enough to say “I need help Jesus, save me!” Not only that, you must believe that He will do it! Then you must believe that He has done it. Then you must walk in your old ways no more because you no longer walk as one who is earthly minded, but heavenly minded.

Colossians 3:7–10 ESV

7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

The greatest motivation to continue living like Christ and pursuing things that are above while killing your sin is realizing what God has done in your life.

You know what you once lived like. You know that now you must put these sins away. You can’t just lie your sins away, they must be cast off. You must put on the new self which is renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Paul is still using this metaphor of clothing. “Putting on and putting off” are terms used for one’s wardrobe and Paul uses them to differentiate our old nature according to the world and our new nature in Christ.

Excursus: Over-Realized Soteriology

A quick aside: Paul is not saying that we are to be entirely without sin for we cannot be in our current state! That’s why Christ’s resurrection is so important. When we place our faith in Christ, and His resurrection, He promises that we will receive that same resurrection. It’s not a resurrection to the same sinful body and nature we were born into—its completely new. It’s glorified, meaning, it has weight and value. It’s a body free from sin and free to worship God and live rightly without hinderance. Until that day, we must still live with the constraints and taints of our character by the marring of sin.

Renewing of knowledge

The essence of “being renewed in knowledge” is that our new nature as Christians doesn’t decay or grow old, but as we constantly renew it, as we tend to it and cultivate it our nature takes on more and more of the image of Christ. It’s a continual process. The knowledge we use in this is true knowledge of God’s will. Paul described this knowledge a couple of chapters earlier.

Colossians 1:9 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Transition

Paul does not call all believers to be the same.

Colossians 3:11 ESV

11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

He wants the church to see that being one in Christ—being united in Christ—must take precedence over all differences. How then should the Christian dress himself?

The Christian’s Garments (12-16)

Colossians 3:12–13 ESV

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

When you wake up in the morning and you’re preparing for the day are these the kinds of things you seek out to wear? Which one would you say you wear most often? What brother or sister in Christ has come to you and told you, “my you really put on __insert Christian trait here___today. How long did it take for you to put that on?” Can you forgive them if they complain against you?

What I love about this is that Paul assumes you’re putting effort into this. You don’t just “assume” that you’ll be compassionate, kind and humble. We never assume patience. Paul tells us to “put on” these traits. We plan it out. We wear these traits as if we were in the presence of Christ Himself. They are traits that are from “above.”

Speaking of above, Paul continues:

Colossians 3:14 ESV

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

All of these traits are important, but love is what ties your character together. You must want to be compassionate, kind, humble, meek and patient! If you don’t love God and if you don’t love God, that is if you don’t find favor from or give favor to God or others, then you aren’t putting on these traits because you are a Christian, but because you are a Chameleon. You want to be among Christians, but you don’t love what we love. You are seeking that which is earthly, not what is from above.

You must love God. You must love people. You display what is in your heart through these virtues. If one aspect is missing, it is utterly incomplete.

Application

How do you know that you love God? You love His people. How do you know that you love His people? You love God. Often times, when talking with couples that are struggling in their marriage, I find that the reason they struggle to give favor to the other person, to love the other person is that they don’t prioritize their personal love for God. Often the reason they don’t love God in their marriage is because they don’t love their spouse. It’s true. When a couple in the church goes through divorce I’ve seen it where most often one of them leaves the faith as well, at least they say they left it if they ever believed it in the first place. To love God you must love His image. To love His image you must love God.

How do you love God? How do you display your love of God through loving His people? Your spouse? Your kids? What about the family sitting behind, in front, or next to you right now? Do you love God enough to get to know their names? What about the opposite. How do you love people? Do you know God’s Word to understand how He views His creation? What does it mean to bear God’s image? How does loving God and knowing His Word inform your love for people? Table talk for later.

Colossians 3:15 ESV

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

This is an instruction to all believers. “Hearts.” This expression, letting the peace of Christ rule is another way of saying “Let Christ, who brings peace, rule.” As the one body of Christ, we must let Christ rule.

We tend to associate Peace with Comfort and Joy, especially around our Christmas seasons. THat’s what so many of the songs seem to be about anyway so they must all be the same thing right?

Peace, comfort, and joy, are different and work differently with each other.

Peace, Comfort, and Joy

INSERT WILLIAM BRIDGE DISTINCTION HERE

Application

Wearing the peace of Christ is to wear a crown. It is a symbol of Christ’s rule and reign over our lives. When we are at peace, it is only because Christ has secured it by taking the wrath of God upon Himself so we can become Christ’s brothers and sisters. We become children of God. We must learn to rightly identify peace, joy, and comfort if we are to know the Lord. When true peace rules our hearts we can only be assured that Christ rules our hearts.

Thankfulness comes from this rule of Christ.

Colossians 3:16 ESV

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

When Christ’s Word is within you, the right response is to teach and admonish one another His truths. This is similar to what Moses writes in Deuteronomy 6:7-9.

Deuteronomy 6:7–9 ESV

7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

But Paul’s words don’t just stop there. He says to teach and admonish through singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. What we sing corporately matters to God. It cultivates our hearts to align with His. It is a learning tool, it’s didactic. But it appeals to the heart so truth can reach our minds. I fully expect you to forget this sermon, but the songs you regularly sing stick in your heads for a reason. Music can bypass the intellect and the critic and appeal to the heart. Adorn your hearts with songs that praise Jesus.

We must be thankful with in our singing—finding favor in God and in the work of Christ. This is the second time in this chapter we read of thankfulness but it is all over this letter.

Conclusion (17)

How do you put on thankfulness?

Colossians 3:17 ESV

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

You put on thankfulness like you put on everything else. Before you get to work being a Christian, before you do or say anything you remind yourself that you are doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus. Anything.

Question yourself. Are you giving thanks to the Father with what you are doing? When you reach for your phone to avoid talking to your wife and children are you giving thanks to the Father? When you are sucked into a pornographic black hole are you giving thanks to the Father? When you complain about your husband to your friends? Are you thankful to God the Father? When you disobey your parents are you thankful to God?

I’m willing to guess you’re not. I’m not when I sin. We should be. When we sin, we should be thankful that God doesn’t make us face the consequences of our sin right then and there. Don’t be mistaken—consequences will come. God’s righteousness demands justice. But we should be thankful to Christ that He took the wrath we deserve.

I’m also willing to guess that you’re not putting on the virtues of “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” In everything we do we are called to do in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Hoarders

I’m convinced that we need a major restructuring of our lives. Sure. Make a resolution.

We are hoarders. We keep every photo on our phones. We track every message we’ve been sent. We hoard grudges against people and grudges against us. We hoard our finances, our time, and our comforts. Thinking of the clothes we wear, I still have two sweatshirts that have my highschool’s name and a musical from high school on them. Is that who I am now? We are what we hold onto.

If we are going to focus on the things that are from above and put on the virtues of Christ we have to clean out the junk, filth, sin, distractions that keep us from being obvious Christians. If we can’t be differentiated from the world, maybe that’s because we are more part of it than a part of Christ. If we are without peace in our hearts, perhaps we need to run to Christ as King and beg Him to be the ruler of our hearts. If we are unthankful or thankful for the wrong things, we need to remember Christ before we take any action.

We don’t walk out of our homes without our clothes on. We should never walk out of our rooms without putting on the virtues of Christ and appealing to Him as our Lord.

To-Dos

Here’s what you should do:

Take an inventory of what needs to go.

If you want to change, you need to determine what is worth losing to replace with something worth keeping. Examine your habits and the things that take up most of your time. Start there and work your way to what isolates you from other people and the Lord.

Take inventory of what needs to change or be added.

God is gracious. Don’t overwhelm yourself here. Don’t overwhelm your spouse either. We all wish we could be different.

Examine what you want to be like. Start praying that God would change you. Imitate people who can do what you can’t. Most of life is imitation, but be sure to imitate God’s Word above any mere person. When a person you imitate fails, don’t assume that they are irredeemable.

Set a goal.

Determine that you don’t want to keep those things in your life. You want to be different because you love God and want to obey His commands.

Get some accountability here. Let people ask about the changes you want to make and don’t be upset when they call you out. You don’t meet goals alone.

Do it.

We don’t all live in spiritual hotels where God is going to provide room service to clean our messes each day. You must be dilligent to take care of what you set out to do. God is faithful, but to spare you from real honest growth is not in His interest. He wants you to grow. Do the work to change.

Colossians 3:12–14 ESV

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Pray

Benediction

Jude 24–25 ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.