Getting Dressed

It is truly a blessing to see these five young men willing to serve our Lord with such hard work in a harsh environment.  I am reminded of 2 John and 3rd John which reads basically the same.  "I rejoice to know that my children are walking with the Lord."

Keep Looking Up, He Is Coming Soon,

Joe

Claim - We have ‘spiritually’ died to sin (old life) and now live in Christ (new life) - Christians will live each day striving to slay sin and dress in righteousness and love.

Focus - We live in the hope of Christ, slaying sin and dressing in love towards each other.

Function - To motivate us to live out our new life in Christ day to day by focusing on our hope in Jesus.

PRAY

Well, we are half way through our series in Colossians,

and it’s great to have Ignite in with us today.

In fact, Ignite will be in the service once a month -

it’s a great chance for them to start getting used to sermons as they get older,

and it’s also great for us old people to enjoy learning,

singing and encouraging each other with our young people in as well.

Now, in this week’s sermon, I have 3 P’s for you all.

Here they are - who wants 3 peas..

Throw out some P’s

OK - now those 3 P’s should help you remember todays point, so take them home, put them on your desk or under your pillow.

The 3 P’s are this...

1 - Previously

2 - Presently

3 - Practically

So, our first P

1 - Previously

1 - Previously

SO far in Colossians - in the most simplified sumamry ever!

we have been told to live thankful lives

becasue of the Hope set before us -

that is life eternal with Jesus.

That we can have that life becasue

Jesus died and rose again,

defeating sin for us.

And He could do that becasue he is supreme -

greater - over all of creation and the spiritual realm.

And then last week,

we were reminded how we are totally stuffed full of salvation in Jesus

- which gives us that hope eternal.

There is nothing more we can, should, or need

to add to our new life in Christ - becasue he has done it all!

Our old self has been cut off - died, circumcised, buried!

So, this is what we were ‘PREVIOUSLY’ (our first P)

if we are followers of Jesus now.

Here is our old self - (get a volunteer) - looks very normal to us (well normal enough)

have a look at 3v7

Colossians 3:7 NIV - Anglicised

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

What were those ways? v5

Colossians 3:5 NIV - Anglicised

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

Hand out those words to be stuck on the man

We’ll think about what they all mean a little later - but there are more things that belong to our ‘previous’ nature - our earthy nature, v8-9

Colossians 3:8 NIV - Anglicised

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.

Colossians 3:9 NIV - Anglicised

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

col 3

Stick these things on them

What do we think God would make of a man or woman who’s life looked like this?

await answer

col 3v6

Colossians 3:6 NIV - Anglicised

Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Previously - we deserved the wrath of God.

In fact,

if you haven’t decided to accept the death and resurection of Jesus for yourself,

then your life is still going to look like this before God -

and his wrath - his righteous angre and judgement is coming for you!

But, if we do follow Jesus,

then God’s righteous judgement has, in a sense,

already come for our sin.

But Jesus stood in for us,

so that when Jesus died - the wrath of God was put upon Him, instead of us!

So, before God, our old nature is now dead!

How shall we summaries what we were ‘previously’ then?

We’re going to steal a verse from last weeks passage - which also introduces our next ‘P’ -

col 2vPreviously - we were dead

v7 - we used to walk in the ways of the world. - That life will incur the wrath of God - v6.

It looks like v5, 8,9

2 - Presently -

col 2v13

Colossians 2:13 NIV - Anglicised

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

So, Previously - we were dead!

Get the “Previoulsy person to Die” and sit down.

But now - ‘PRESENTLY’ we are ALIVE!

Verese 1-4 in our chapter talk about what we are ‘Presently’

Colossians 3:1–4 NIV - Anglicised

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, (Your PREVIOUS NATURE IS DEAD) and your life is now (PRESENTLY) hidden (Which means is protected and safe) with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

You see, PRESENTLY - we are rasied - we are NEW, we are free from the death of sin.

We are fully, finnaly and fantastically in Christ, forever. When Christ appears again - returns as he promises to do, we will appear with him!

So - PREVIOULSY we were DEAD in our SIN before GOD.

SO, now, let’s have another volunteer to represent ‘PRESENTLY’

NOW, before God we are alive in CHRIST!

Here is a great verse that summarises what we are now before God from col 1v22

Colossians 1:22 NIV - Anglicised

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

Stick those things on the man.

And our passage today,

goes on to describe the characteristics of what we ‘PRESENTLY’ look like before God.

And the clothes we should now wear!

3v12

Colossians 3:12–15 NIV - Anglicised

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

col 3

stick all those things on

Now, the obvious question we should all be asking is this:

E - It looks like v12-15.

If we have - past tense/PREVIOUSLY - died to our old earthly nature

And now we are - present tense/PRESNETLY - Holy and blameless before God

WHY, or EVEN how is it that we still

have what appears to be sin in our lives

- and why is Paul -

who has told us we are DEAD to SIN and NOW HOLY,

is he telling the Collossians - and us today to

v5 ‘Put to death, whatever belonged to your earthly nature’

v8 ‘rid yourselves of such things’

v9 ‘Do not lie, since you have taken off your old self’

and then the positive

v12 ‘cloth yoursleves with...’

v14 ‘put on love’

v15 ‘let the peace of Christ rule’

How can we put to death what is already dead, or put on what is already on!

Has Paul gone a bit bonkers?!

No, you see there is one final aspect for us to think about - and it’s our final ‘P’

3 - Practically

Ask PRESENTLY to sit down

You see, before God, we were all PREVIOUSLY dead.

In Christ, we now stand before God PRESENTLY alive.

Holy, Blameless and loved.

But - until Jesus returns -

we have not yet physically

been removed from the PRACTICAL reality of the earth and it’s temptations.

v4

Colossians 3:4 NIV - Anglicised

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

Then we will have glory - when Jesus returns -

perfect not just spiritually before God, but practically as well.

We will fully be what we already are spiritually!

So - we are free from sin - in that it has no control over us - we have died to that in Christ.

- it cannot harm our relationship with God

- for we are PRESENTLY blameless and holy in His sight becasue of all Jesus has done.

BUT - we are not free in a PRACTICAL way from our earthly desires and nature.

And so now, we are free from sin in Jesus, but still sin

To put it another way

- We are not dead to the practice of sin - just the power of sin over us. We are spiritually sinless in God’s eyes, but not experientially/practically sinless yet. But v4 we will be - and so we now must/will live to please Jesus in our new nature - So why would we live in sin? That is to look to our earthly nature - that has died in christ.

We are not dead to the practice of sin - just the power of sin over us.

And that is why Paul, the NT instructs us to strive to live in a way that please Jesus.

Not, so that we can be saved - but becasue we are saved -

Not becasue we are still dead - but because we are already alive -

but we have not yet fully entered into Glory yet.

(Even thought that is where we belong)

Get PREVIOUSLY BACK UP

All these things are still a PRACTICAL reality for us!

Even though we are now dead to their power - becasue we are now eternally alive in JESUS.

Get PRESENTLY BACK UP

And all these things are still a PRACTICAL challenge for us!

Even though we are now blameless in God’s sight

- becasue we have not yet been removed from this earth into glory.

SIT DOWN THE VOLUNTEERS

Now - all that has taken some time to explain - and we haven’t even really explored what the things are that we should put off, and put on!

But it’s important to understand the bible’s reasoning,

so that when we get to the striving to do, or not do certain things we do it for the right reasons.

And Paul is very clear what the right reasons are.

We are to ‘put off our earthly nature’

becasue Jesus died for that,

and we are now also dead to it - so why would we want to live like that any more.

We are no longer the same person.

We are no longer under God’s wrath.

We no longer live for earthly desires.

They are the things that God is angry about - and Jesus died for!

But now, we are to put on godly characteristics,

becasue we now belong to and represent Jesus.

We live for Him - alive in Him.

So now we dress appropriately for who we are.

You don’t wear a nappy once you’re an adult.

It makes no sense in your life anymore!

The same with sin - it makes no sense to live by our old habits,

We have been given a new life to serve Jesus, not ourselves.

And that is wonderful news.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THIS, it changes how to live the Christian life.

We are not PRESENTLY by nature dead - striving after life.

We are not PRESENTLY, by nature dead, - and in PRACTICE striving after life in CHRIST.

No

We are all presently ALIVE and HOLY in Christ - and in PRACTICE striving to enjoy fully what we already are!

So then, Holy, dearly loved, blameless, ALIVE Christians in Christ...

Put to death v5

whatever belongs to your earthly nature:

sexual immorality, Impurity, - Keep sex for marriage between one man and one woman,

not before marriage, and not with anyone other than your spouse.

Lust and evil desires - We have died to satisfying our desires by lusting after others.

Whether that’s on the street,

at school,

at work,

on TV or on the internet.

The temptation of lust and desires is EVERYWHERE in the world.

But we, we who live -

we desire things above,

we desire Jesus and our eternal glory with him now. We are to practice desiring Jesus above,

nor earthly lust.

Greed is similar - but more materialistic than sexual.

We have died to living for

great careers,

money,

possessions,

popularity,

or any greed at all that we exult above Jesus.

Now we are only for Jesus!

We also must rid ourselves of v8

angre - angre (unless it is for the glory of Jesus) is a habit of our old nature.

Take it off says Paul - you don’t need it now.

It does your new self no good - so don’t waste your time with it.

rage - is similar.

Do we please Jesus with Rage?

So take it off. It is not you anymore - it’s just an old habit that has no power over you now.

malice - speaking maliciously of others

slander - speaking to discredit or shame others

filthy language.

If ever these characteristics were an oppertunity for Jesus followers to be different, this is the time in 2018.

Schools are full of these things,

our work places are full of these things,

the shops,

advertising,

TV is all full of these things!

But we must slay them - Put them to death.

They have no power, so put them off.

Becasue now we must…3v1-3

The Holy Bible: New International Version—Anglicised (1984) Rules for Holy Living

you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

And here are the clothes we are to put on instead!

Compassion - wouldn’t it be great to use our thankfulness for Christ and things above

to grow our compassion for each other.

Not to slander or malice -

but genuine, sacrificial, loving compassion as our clothing!

Kindness - don’t we want to be known as a people of kindness

- for we don’t worry any longer about being first in this world

- for we are already FULL in Christ!

So we can be unusually kind towards each other.

Humility - Now there is a rare quality we can cultivate by looking at Jesus!

I wonder if you think you’re a better Christian than the person sat in front or behind you?

Well, ironically, thinking you are means you’re probably not! (Think about it)

Gentleness -and patience - That person in front or behind of you,

who you think is a pretty poor Christian -

well are we being patient and gentle as they slowly walk towards a PRACTICAL holiness.

We are all holy and blameless before God -

We are not PRESENTLY by nature dead - striving after life.

No

We are all presently ALIVE and HOLY in Christ - striving to enjoy fully what we already are!

col 3v13

Colossians 3:13 NIV - Anglicised

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

There is our target level of forgiveness towards each other in this life!

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

That is who we are now, presently - forgiving people,

And then v14 sums up the characteristic that sums up all that we are now to be in Christ:

Colossians 3:14 NIV - Anglicised

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Love one another.

Not a cheesy romantic film love...

A love that is

compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient with each other.

How are we going to acheive all of this?

We need to keep our minds on glory with Christ, and be empowered by the Word of Christ and the support of the church.

-

sexual immorality, - Keep sex for marriage, not before.y

So why would we live in sin? That is to look to our earthly nature - that has died in christ.

So now we look up to our ‘present state’ in Christ - and live rejoicing in that.

SO we PUT TO DEATH v5, 8 and 9 - even though they are dead to us spritually, we must desire to slay them practially now!

And we - even though we are alive to v12-15 spiritually, we must strive to gain them practially now.

How do we do that? We need to keep our minds on glory with Christ, and be empowered by the Word of Christ and the support of the church.

v1-4 - Set your minds on things above - where you belong - where you will one day live with christ in glory, at the right hand side of God. Christ who is your life?

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 44: Colossians, Philemon Explanation

In Colossians, as we have already noted, there is an emphasis on realized eschatology. Within the “already—not yet” tension the stress falls upon the former, called forth by the circumstances of the letter. The basis for seeking or setting the mind on the heavenly realm, at the center of which is the exalted Christ, is God’s mighty action in uniting the readers with Christ in his death and resurrection. The “already” of salvation needed to be asserted repeatedly over against those who were interested in the heavenly realm but who had false notions about it, believing it could be reached by legalistic observances, knowledge, visionary experiences and the like. Ultimately the doctrine of grace was at stake.

v5-11 - put to death .......

Enjoy the peace of knowing we are Full in Christ - eternally - be thankful that one day we will PRACTICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY be Blameless.

v5-11 - put to death .......

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 44: Colossians, Philemon 2. Characteristics of Paul’s Ethical Lists

Obedience to the apostolic injunctions to reject sin and be clothed with the graces of Christ is necessary for men and women who are in a new relationship with God through Christ and have become part of God’s new creation (Wibbing, Lasterkataloge, 123–27).

1 - Look up - Keep our minds fixed on eternity with JESUS - WHO WE ARE IN HIM - that is the peace we enjoy together in v15

IMPORTANT BELOW

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Discard Vices (3:5–11)

It is a spiritual reality, but the experiential and psychological aspects of the believers’ position in Christ must be worked out. Although the believers died with Christ, they seemed to be unaware of the specific implications of salvation and, therefore, unable to live the consecrated life so desired. That is the burden of Rom 6, the clearest parallel to Paul’s thought here.

the next 2 are from v16

GOOD EXPLANATION OF PERSONAL RESPOSIBILITY IN LIGHT OF REAL DEATH IN CHRIST

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Discard Vices (3:5–11)

Paul explained the way Christians overcome sin in their lives. For Paul, being dead to sin did not mean that persons did not sin. Three aspects of this truth speak to a life lived as dead to this world. They are logically identified in Rom 6. The first aspect is knowledge. Paul laid the foundation for Christian experience in knowledge. In regard to sin, the foundation is the knowledge of what Christ’s death means regarding sin. When a believer accepts Christ, a death takes place. In the spiritual reality, the believer “went to the cross” with Christ, was buried with Christ, and arose a new person. That ended any obligation to sin and its demands. The first aspect of victory over sin is to know the reality of the Christian experience. Death with Christ is the foundation.

Paul used experiential terms to explain the believer’s death with Christ in Rom 6:5ff. The old self was crucified in order that sin might be rendered ineffective in the believer’s life (Rom 6:6). Thus, the experiential aspects do not necessarily flow from knowledge of the truth. Paul continued the discussion by stating that a believer must present his members to Christ. The fact is, persons serve whom they obey (Rom 6:16). Naturally, Christians will be urged by the Holy Spirit to follow their conversion experience with such consecration, and for Paul and others in the New Testament, Christian growth verified the claim to be in Christ. Nevertheless, the steps of such commitment need explanation. The second aspect of Christians’ death with Christ, therefore, is the experiential one. It is a stage of volition and commitment. The knowledge foundation calls for an action of the will. Christians must choose to live consistently with their spiritual experience.

The third aspect of experientially understanding the Christian’s death with Christ is ability. Paul’s theology moved to one more dimension of this subject. In addition to knowledge and will, there must be power. Committed, knowledgeable Christians need divine help to live differently. In Romans Paul spoke of the Holy Spirit who provides divine help for believers (8:1–11). The Holy Spirit is not discussed directly in Colossians. The power comes from the church ministering effectively to itself: members serving and encouraging other members (3:15–17).

This brief overview of Paul’s view of the doctrine “dead with Christ” clarifies the first question related to the command to “put to death.” Why was the command necessary? The command was given because, though believers had died with Christ, the death of unchristian behavior was not necessarily an experiential reality. The theological aspects of the doctrine of dying with Christ were presented earlier (2:9–3:4). The practical aspects had to be explored.

Colossians 3:16 NIV - Anglicised

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Sexual vices

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Completely Kill Your Sinful Actions (3:5–7)

A passion is uncontrolled and habitual lust. When lust goes unchecked, a passion for what is forbidden arises. Habits are formed which feed each other. Lust encourages passion, and passion produces more perverted lust.

v12-14 -cloth yourself - love

2 - Read up - Encourage and correct each other from the Word of Christ - in other words, teaching about Jesus - which is our bible. Being kind sometimes means challenging someone’s behaviour from the bible. That is why church is so important.

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Freedom of the Word of God (3:16–17)

The entire context points to the freedom of the word to determine the actions, motivations, and decisions of the group. It, like the peace of God, becomes a measure of church life. Before every activity, the church should answer two questions: Is the peace of Christ present in the congregation at this point? and Is this consistent with, and will it promote knowledge of, the word of Christ?

3 - Sing up - Singing God’s praises in thankfulness is really important!

4 - GIve up - not give up as in don’t do anything -

give up everything we do to Jesus

v15 - For we are to be peolpe of peace - be thankful!?

col 3

Colossians 3:17 NIV - Anglicised

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

v16 - what is love - sharing in Christ, teaching and abmonishing, sings, in all things - for Jesus.

PRAY