Counting the Cost - Let Stuff Go

Introduction: I am notoriously an over-packer. It drives Amanda crazy. Anyone else pack a week’s worth of clothes for an overnight trip? A full bottle of shampoo? I mean you never know what might happen right?

But of course I never need it all. It takes up room in the car and wherever we end up. Throw on top of that all the stuff you have to bring for the baby and you know why I drive a suburban.

I’m slowly learning to only bring what I’ll need. I’m becoming more open to the idea that if I need anything, there is a Walmart in nearly every city in the US.

Following Jesus is a lot like this. Many of us are overburdened with the baggage that we are carrying. Stuff that we’ve accumulated over the years of our lives. And it’s not always possessions. Now if you can’t bear to part with your satanic Bible, I think that this would be a good place to start. The stuff I’m talking about are largely in your mind and in the past.

And in order for us to follow Jesus without distraction, we have to let some stuff go.

Turn in your Bible’s to Colossians 3:5-14

Scripture Introduction: So much of what we know about the early church is from the letters of Paul. We know who they were largely from what they struggled with. We know they faced incredible persecution.

Colossians was written to a church that Paul didn’t start and that he had never visited. Paul writes from prison after a visit from the founder of the church, Epaphras. Largely the church is thriving, but there is overwhelming cultural pressure.

Pressure in that pagan world wasn’t so much to abandon Jesus, but to soften the message. It’s ok to follow Jesus, just maintain some of the other cultural customs as well. Follow Jesus but still be a pagan when the cultural customs dictate it. But following Jesus means that we leave the pagan sinful lifestyle behind and not walk in it any longer. This is what brings persecution. Christians must have an overwhelming resolve to not compromise.

Paul writes to encourage them to stand firm and that in so doing, their reward will be worth it.

In Chapter 3 of Colossians, Paul makes a clear comparison between what we were and what we are becoming. And to show that our conduct serves as example and a testimony of the goodness of God.

Let’s read.

Colossians 3:5–14 ESV

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.

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.

Big Idea: Following Jesus will cost you stuff that’s holding you back.

Big Idea: Following Jesus will cost you what you are holding tightly to.

So...

1. Let go of an earthly mindset. (1-11)

Explanation: Paul is writing to help people understand that your life should be different after following Jesus than it was before. But the truth is it’s not automatic. We don’t wake up as fully devoted followers of Jesus. We wake up pretty much the same person we were before with a few caveats, we have hope, purpose and we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. We are like a newborn baby that needs to grow. That growth is the process of sanctification whereas we are made to become more like Jesus each and every day.

But it takes work and effort and letting some things go:

Let go of Sin:

Paul lists sins: Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

The temptation throughout history has always been to compromise on what is sin and what isn’t sin. And there it is the call the compromise.

Now here’s the thing about sin. It’s not just the sin that we need to let go of, but also the guilt and shame the memory brings.

Illustration: This affects me so often. I’m walking along having a great day and then my day is ruined by the memory of something dump I did in high school. As a forgiven and saved people, when we have admitted our sin, confessed it to God, apologized to the relevant parties, we are free to let it go…even if others withhold forgiveness, God hasn’t.

But how many of us are stuck in the past bondage of our sin.

2. Let Go of Earthly Labels:

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

Illustration: Now Paul’s metaphor here is the idea of changing our mindset like we change clothes. Take off immorality, put on morality. Take off impurity, put on purity.

Now when it comes to clothes, we will often change our clothes and then store the ones we don’t wear in a closet somewhere. I have 40 t-shirts. I wear 5 consistently but I’m willing to get rid of exactly zero. But this just leads to a cluttered house.

So it’s possible that we can put off sin without letting it go.

Marie Kondo has kinda taken the world by storm with her book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” She even has a netflix original series. And people are loving it. We have cluttered lives and people are realizing that when you declutter your home, it actually makes you feel better.

We need a tidying up of our mind. We need to keep those things that make us more like Jesus and get rid of those things that keep us from being more like Jesus.

3. Let go of our right to withhold forgiveness.

If one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other

This is perhaps the hardest thing to do. Following Jesus will cost us our right to hold grudges and withhold forgiveness. Paul tells us that “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” There are no loopholes here.

Application: What do you need to let go of? A sin to confess? An identity label (on yourself or someone else) that you need to do away with? Forgiveness to offer?

The truth is we probably have a lot of lingering things from our lives before Jesus. And it will be a daily battle to let go of those things that get in the way of who God wants us to be. But is there one thing you can identify right now that you can begin letting go right now. I know that it will be hard, but it will be worth it.

Now it’s not just enough to put off an earthly mindset. We need to replace it with something.

2. Embrace the Mind of Christ. (12-17)

We know that

Explanation: Again Paul gives us this picture of change in our lives. We put off something, we put something on to replace it. One thing I think is important to notice is that Paul isn’t just talking about nonbelievers becoming Christians. He says they are Christians and they still need to put off the old and put on the new. This is a daily battle in the life of believers in the journey of becoming more like Jesus.

So what does Paul tell us to Put on?

A new self:

“Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” This is consistent with Paul’s understanding that the old self has been crucified with Christ. We should move forward with the new self. And Paul already is acknowledging that they are doing this. He’s encouraging them to keep going.

10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

2. A new attitude:

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another

Illustration: Every year, styles change. People purchase clothes that help define their identity. Even around this year, there is this idea of a “New Year, New Me.” Hopefully you are learning to let things go if you are buying new things.

Now in the world of fashion, styles change. In following Jesus, new fads come and go. Someone is always trying to sell us something new.

Following Jesus never goes out of style, because the truth is, it never was in style.

A heavenly mindset runs so counter to the culture, that it’s usual not popular. Sure people like parts of it, but a heavenly mindset is focused on eternity.

Application:

Application: When we fail to put on those things Paul talks about, it leave us open to grab the things of the old life. Those things that we should have let go of a long time ago. In your journey of becoming more like Jesus, what do you need to put on? What part of the Christian walk have not failed to put on? Is it an attitude of compassion? Kindness to those who are different from you? Humility in the face of pride?

Patience? There’s one I know I can learn.

Do you need to bear with someone? Do you need to add someone to your spiritual family that you have been neglecting? The truth is it’s sometimes difficult to put on that heavenly mindset. But we must keep moving forward…by letting stuff go.

Challenge: Let go of what is holding you back from following Jesus.

Now this never stops. WE never get to the point where we need to stop letting things go. Every time we let something go, another thing is creeping around the corner waiting. It is a constant struggle vying for our attention.

Like a lion stalks its prey, the enemy will never stop pursuing us. Waiting for the moment to destroy us.

So let’s not get weighed down by the past. Let’s move forward all the more quickly towards Jesus.

To the unbeliever. May you shed the baggage of your old life and embrace the newness of following Jesus.