Growing in Christ - Put on Kindness
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro
Intro
Last week we continued in verse 12 of Col. 3 at the first thing that Paul tells believers to put on. Compassionate hearts.
I gave us some challenge questions with that. You don’t have to respond but how did you do?
Did you give any thought to how could put on a compassionate heart throughout the week?
Did you have an opportunity to show compassion to someone in the church?
Did you have an opportunity to show compassion to someone I know that doesn’t know Jesus?
Did you have an opportunity to show compassion to a stranger?
My point in these questions, these challenges, is not to make us feel bad or to become compassionate people, but to point us to Jesus.
The purpose is to become more like Christ. To have the impulse of Him rather than the impulse of the flesh.
We are moving through this verse slowly, so that we can see the importance of intentionally putting these traits on in our lives.
At the same time though, I don’t want us to get the idea that it is putting these things on that makes us righteous.
Or that putting these things on will get us to heaven.
To get to heaven is not our ultimate goal.
Heaven, while the place where Jesus is, is a wonderful place, but not because of its location. It is wonderful because of its proximity to Christ.
He goes before to make a place.
No matter what we do, we will never get there on our own.
Our goal is to be with Christ.
The only way we get there is through faith in His work on the Cross.
That He died for our sins, took the blame for us.
The ultimate act of kindness as we will see.
Having a relationship with our Lord and Savior is what really counts.
Growing in Christ is not for the purpose of becoming a better person.
That is a result for sure, but it is not the purpose.
Growing in Christ is a process.
We will grow in Christ when we put on the kindness that He modeled.
By way of reminder I would like us to read together Colossians 3:1-13
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.
Paul’s charge, put on kindness.
Paul’s charge, put on kindness.
This is the second virtue in the list that Paul is instructing believers to put on.
Put on kindness.
A lot of times we view kindness as something that is unimportant or underrated.
We equate it with being nice or pleasant, as though it’s mainly about smiling, getting along, and not ruffling feathers.
It seems a rather mundane virtue.
This type of kindness though is not the kindness that Paul is telling the Colossians to put on.
It is not like he is talking to a bunch of children.
Did anyone’s mom ever say to them, guys why don’t you just get along, be nice to your brother, be nice to your sister.
Has anyone as a parent said to their children, why can’t you just get along?
We in our finiteness associate kindness with being nice.
To be kind in our minds is often to simply be nice, smiling and being civil with one another.
This is not what Paul is telling his readers to put on.
Paul is telling them to put on true, biblical, Christlike kindness.
Put on the kindness that will transform your life.
So what does this look like?
What is this kindness that Paul is calling for us to put on?
If this virtue is to replace old parts of ourselves, we need to know what it is and what it looks like in order that we might grow in our relationships with Jesus.
To begin with some definitions.
a: of a sympathetic or helpful nature
b: of a forbearing nature: GENTLE
c: arising from or characterized by sympathy or forbearance 〈a kind act〉
uprightness in one’s relations with others, uprightness
the quality of being helpful or beneficial, goodness, kindness, generosity
Kindness has to do with a helpful nature and gracious acts.
If kindness ends there though, we are no more than good people.
A Christian’s kindness is more than just good and gracious acts.
Kindness is in fact a characteristic of God.
We can see examples of this especially in the Psalms.
God’s kindness in the Old Testament.
God’s kindness in the Old Testament.
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Look at the kindness of God, the great shepherd present in this psalm.
The Lord provides, even when we may not like it or think we need it. Look at verses 1-2.
The Lord is kind in His comfort. He is present in times of trouble.
The Lord is the great shepherd.
A second Psalm I would like to look at is Psalm 145
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
Look at the words here used to describe God.
Merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.
Good to all, merciful.
The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.
Verse 14 begins the description of some of those works.
The Lord upholds all who are falling, He provides, He satisfies desires, He is near to those who call on Him in truth.
The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Kindness is part of God.
His kindness is shown throughout scripture.
We see examples of God’s kindness in the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Ruth, and David, the writer of the two Psalms we looked at.
God’s kindness is shown in ways that we would consider both ordinary and extraordinary.
God’s kindness shown in the New Testament.
God’s kindness shown in the New Testament.
Probably the most significant display of God’s kindness is fully fleshed out in the New Testament.
God’s kindness unto salvation.
4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
God’s kindness is intended to lead to repentance, that change of direction, not rejection.
It is believers who can truly celebrate God’s kindness.
His kindness is seen in his deliverance of believers from affliction, fear, and trouble into salvation.
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
God’s kindness is such that we did nothing to bring it about.
It is part of Him.
If you can go home today, and look in the mirror and say, wow, I am saved.
You have certainly experienced God’s kindness.
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
God’s kindness toward us in Jesus is a gift from Him.
God’s kindness doesn’t end with salvation though.
Can you think of another place that kindness is mentioned in the New Testament?
God’s kindness, the attribute that is within Himself, is actually manifested among believers.
Paul teaches in Galatians 5 that kindness is a fruit of the spirit.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Part of the struggle in the Galatian church was a spirit of unkindness towards one another.
This caused disunity and hurt in the church.
Kindness is grown in believers by the Holy Spirit.
Kindness that is shown in and by God’s children promotes unity, togetherness.
God is growing his children into the image of His son.
Our response then is to put it on as we have put off the old self and put on the Son.
Human imitation of God’s kindness does not come naturally.
Ultimately, no one, except Jesus, was ever or ever will be a truly kind unbiased person.
It is only as the fruit of God’s spirit that kindness can be a consistent part of our lives.
True kindness is Spirit-produced (Galatians 5:22). It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way.
We grow in Christ by putting on this kindness.
We put on kindness by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and responding to His promptings however they may come.
Jesus and kindness.
Jesus and kindness.
To fully round out our picture we must look at the third part of the trinity as well.
We also must look to Jesus to gain a better understanding of kindness.
Jesus both taught and modeled kindness.
Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Jesus takes an abstract theological discussion and turns it to real life issues facing the people in the room.
Jesus picks a Samaritan in the story because this person was certainly not a neighbor in they eyes of the Jews.
There were opportunities for kindness to be shown by two men who would have been considered neighbors in the text. Both from the priest and from the Levite.
The injured man probably thought to himself, surely help has come!
But these two, more than likely out of their business and lack of kindness passed him by.
One reason could be that they did not want to become unclean and leave the man to lay in misery.
The NIV Application Commentary: Luke Original Meaning
Next comes a Samaritan. This is surprising, since one might expect a Jewish layperson to appear here, not this “half-breed.” But the Samaritan has pity on the wounded traveler. Jesus details in a series of verbs just how active this man is in ministering to his newly discovered needy neighbor: he goes to him; bandages him, pours oil and wine on his wounds; puts him on his donkey, carries him to the inn, and takes care of him, even to the point of leaving enough money behind to make sure the man has two weeks lodging to recover. In addition, he tells the innkeeper to keep a running tab, so that when he returns he can pay for any cost overruns. Here is a ministry that underwrites the victim’s recovery from start to finish.
The NIV Application Commentary: Luke Original Meaning
Jesus then asks a simple question: “Which of the three … was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The scribe cannot bring himself to identify the man by his race. The idea of a good Samaritan was an oxymoron to a Jew. So he says, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus tells the man to “go and do likewise.
The NIV Application Commentary: Luke Original Meaning
The point is obvious. The lawyer wants to know if he can be a neighbor to a select, elite few. Jesus tells him through the Samaritan’s example, “Let the neighbor be you.” Rather than worrying if someone else is a neighbor, Jesus’ call is to be a neighbor to those who have need. By reversing the perspective Jesus changes both the question and the answer. He makes the call no longer one of assessing other people, but of being a certain kind of person in one’s activity.
The context of this story of course is set in a tradition that is steeped in hatred and prejudice of outsiders.
Does that not apply though just as much to this day as it did then.
How would we react to a complete stranger off the street, who may not have the nicest clothing on coming in here, today.
Jesus, being the greatest example of God’s kindness we will ever know is the example set before us.
He shows that true kindness has no boundaries.
This is the kindness that we are to put on, in order that we would grow.
What are we known for?
What are we known for?
How can we, as a rural church family, in the community of Drummond, seek to show kindness.
I would guess you have heard the phrase killing with kindness.
Kindness is a powerful force.
If you have the time, I would recommend a book for you to read or listen to, The Gospel Comes With a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield.
In her memoir about the journey from being a committed lesbian to a committed Christian, Rosaria Butterfield says that, as a non-Christian, her impression of evangelical Christians was that they were poor thinkers, judgmental, scornful, and afraid of diversity. After publishing a critique of an evangelical Christian group in her local newspaper, she received an enormous volume of polarized responses. Placing an empty box in each corner of her desk, she sorted hate mail into one and fan mail into the other.
Then she received a two-page response from a local pastor. “It was a kind and inquiring letter,” she says. It had a warmth and civility to it, in addition to its probing questions. She couldn’t figure out which box to put the letter in, so it sat on her desk for seven days. “It was the kindest letter of opposition that I had ever received.” Its tone demonstrated that the writer wasn’t against her.
Eventually, she contacted the pastor and became friends with him and his wife. “They talked with me in a way that didn’t make me feel erased.” Their friendship was an important part of her journey to faith.
It was radical, ordinary, hospitality from a couple who lived out the Gospel daily in their lives that brought her to faith.
Rosaria used this same radical, ordinary, hospitality to bring the Gospel to lost friends and neighbors around her.
Such hospitality, such kindness sees our homes as not our own but as God’s tools for the furtherance of His kingdom.
As we welcome others who may act differently from us into our busy, sometimes messy, everyday lives, we help them to see what true Christian faith looks like.
The NIV Application Commentary: Luke Contemporary Significance
Being a neighbor does not require meeting every need of which I become aware, but of becoming one piece of a large puzzle that helps meaningfully in a specific context.
We must have hearts that pump more than just blood. We must have hearts that see, feel, and serve where we have the opportunity.
We must put on the kindness of Christ. We must seek God, that the Holy Spirit might grow inside of each of us the Kindness that is inside of Him.