Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Good morning and welcome to Dishman Baptist Church.

Christianity has often gotten been characterized by the misconceived notion that our faith is more about what we are to avoid, what we are not to be rather than what we are.

We are the killjoy religion.

The don’t swear, don’t chew and don’t date girls who do religion.

One of the foundational tenets of our faith - the Ten Commandments is a list that specifically says “do not” or “thou shalt not” in all ten standards of that covenant.

I say that this is a misconceived notion because we recognize that this isn’t true and even if it were it is not a standard that is exclusive to Christianity.

I mean Title 18 which codifies the criminal code in the United States has more than 80 chapters of do nots.

And even the Ten Commandments was only meant to serve as a partial revelation of the ultimate plan of salvation that God had put in motion and thus was (and is) meant to drive us to our knees at the cross.

Why am I talking about all of this?

Well last week we looked at a bunch of do nots as well as characterizations of a nature that stood outside of Christ.

And what we found during this examination is that as unbelievers our desires operated in a broken system that resulted in actions that were not glorifying to God and really sought only to glorify or satisfy our own cravings.

And I think that, if we were honest with ourselves, the items on that list are not qualities or characteristics we would deeply desire to be in our lives to begin with.

And yet when our sinful nature rules those characteristics abound.

This week though Paul is going to give us a list of do’s - characteristics that should abound in the life of a Christian.

What we’re going to see as we look through these verses is that those who have been chosen by God will not only be marked by certain characteristics but also understand their reasons for modeling those characteristics.

Those who have been chosen by God will not only be marked by certain characteristics but also understand their reasons for modeling those characteristics.

Now I’m sure that some of you have your antennae raised at that statement because you hear that theological buzzword election in there - and it is.

And I recognize that this is one of the most contentious and difficult doctrines that there is - but it also has great bearing on our understanding of our lives as Christians.

So let’s look at the text for this morning and then we’ll dig into it together and see what God has for each of us with respect to the Christian life.

The Importance of Focus

Colossians 3:12; 1 John 4:19; 1 John 4:9-10; Romans 5:8; Deuteronomy 7:6-7

Paul starts off with the familiar word therefore - in light of something that he has just said he’s about to tell us the implications for our life.

But therefore - because of what?

Six simple words - Christ is all and in all.

Six words that really carry so much meaning and really are the thematic statement, the summary of everything that Paul has been writing up until this point.

Christ is all and in all.

He is not just another option in the panoply of gods.

He’s not just another angel that worship can be ascribed too.

He is not just another man or good teacher.

The false teachers in Colossae were attacking His nature the same way that people today can attack His nature.

He was not just another good teacher that had really cool hair, nice blue eyes and an affable demeanor.

He is the creator of the universe.

He is the sustainer of mankind.

He is the mediator of salvation.

That is who Christ is - He is all and in all.

And therefore there are certain understandings that are implicit in that understanding.

In all of Christendom I don’t think there is any doctrine that is more difficult or contentious than that of election versus free will.

It really does divide families and churches and denominations.

Oftentimes this is completely based on the mischaracterizations of what the ideal of election really means.

One of those mischaracterizations is the idea that God doesn’t force anyone to love Him.

Actually what that says is that if the idea of election is true then it means that God has already determined who is going to love Him because He forces Himself upon them.

That we as humans are really just some sort of automaton that when God decides it is appropriate He flips a switch and we develop this love for Him that He has forced upon us.

Kind of like the operating system of a phone - He just upgrades our operating system and we love Him.

But this couldn’t be further from the Biblical truth.

Earlier in the same chapter John writes

And in the book of Romans Paul writes

We don’t love God because He forces us too.

We love Him because He has demonstrated His love for us through the death of Christ on our behalf and the Holy Spirit has woken our dead, rebellious hearts up to recognize that our sins deserve from Him nothing but condemnation and in place of that He gives us nothing but grace.

Another objection is the idea that God only chooses some.

Like He’s some sort of cosmic gatekeeper and all these people are piling up outside the gates of Heaven and He’s coldly keeping some out and only letting in certain ones.

This would presuppose that somehow in our dead spiritual state we could decide that what we really needed was God and that we were searching for Him.

Instead of standing at the gate keeping people out instead He is standing at the gates of Heaven and all of humanity is running headlong away from Him and He graciously reaches out and plucks this one and that one away from a destruction that is assured for us from the moment we are born.

But following this misrepresentation the question is asked why do we even evangelize?

Why do we need to share the Gospel with anyone if God is going to save only those He has chosen to begin with?

The answer is that I don’t know who those people are and neither do you - and we have been commanded by our Lord to go and share His message of hope with all people and leave the results up to Him.

Commenting on this doctrine Charles Spurgeon said it this way “Our Savior has bidden us to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

He has not said, “Preach it only to the elect,” and though that might seem to be the most logical thing for us to do, yet since he has not been pleased to stamp the elect in their foreheads or put any distinctive mark upon them, it would be an impossible task for us to perform.

When we preach the gospel to every creature, the gospel makes its own division, and Christ’s sheep hear his voice, and follow him.”

Our own Baptist Faith and Message - the governing doctrinal statement of the the Southern Baptist Convention - writes it this way

“Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.

It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end.

It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy and unchangeable.

It excludes boasting and promotes humility.”

On our particular verse this morning Dr. John MacArthur writes these words

The doctrine of election crushes human pride, exalts God, produces joy and gratitude to the Lord, grants eternal privileges and assurance, promotes holiness, and makes one bold and courageous, for one who has been chosen by God for eternal life has no need to fear anything or anyone.

It is those last words that carry so much weight for us this morning.

For one who has been chosen by God for eternal life has no need to fear anything or anyone…and is free to have an outward focus rather than an inward focus because we can rest secure that our future is assured through Christ.

Through Christ we have become a part of something bigger than just ourselves - we’ve become members of the greater Kingdom of God.

The words Paul uses here in this verse - chosen ones, holy and dearly loved - are all words that were applied to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament to designate them as God’s possession and to set them apart from the nations that surround them.

When we repent and put our faith in Christ we are brought into a family that is deeper and greater than we could ever imagine and we are secure there because as I’ve said we can rest secure that our future is assured through Christ.

And ultimately that is the difference between the list of don’ts and the do’s of this week.

Not only are we chosen but we are holy - hagios - set apart for the good purposes of God to bring Him glory and our good and loved - unconditionally loved by God not because of something inherently good in us but because that is His nature and is the basis of His choosing and setting apart of His people.

Paul is making it clear here that the Colossians are now a part of the community of believers and included in the covenant that Christ had instituted through His death on the cross - and that we are included in that same community and covenant today.

It is a matter of focus then.

Sexual immorality, lust, anger, wrath - all of these actions are bred out of an inward focus and an insecurity that says I have to get what’s mine or to protect what’s mine.

Last week we got two lists that focused our eyes on the motives behind our actions and in each there were five characteristics.

This week we get one list of character traits that demonstrate the new life brought about by Christ in those who believe.

Paul returns to the metaphor of clothing in his description of the traits we should be “putting on”.

Just as last week we were told to remove the old, “pigpen” clothes of our sinful, inwardly focused nature here we are told what we should be putting on.

This is in the present tense meaning that this isn’t something that we just put on once and get rid of or think that we are good.

Having had four kids up until a few weeks ago and now with five my time is limited to what I can accomplish for myself.

And one of the things that has always suffered - more due to poor taste rather than time - has been my wardrobe.

So in order to remedy that and to make sure I’m not up here preaching in shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops I joined a service called StitchFix that sends me a set of clothing every month.

The temptation with this is that I know there’s going to be new clothes showing up every month and so even if I like an item I can put it on and then recycle that out of my wardrobe the next month when new clothes show up.

But that is not an option for us with these character traits that Paul is exposing us to today.

These are to be consistent, daily representations of the new nature within us.

The NASB translates compassion in our translation as a heart of compassion.

Literally this is to have bowels of mercy.

As you explore Scripture you find that often the seat of our deepest emotions is found in our stomach or our heart and this is true because that is how the ancient world characterized emotions.

We still find this today when we have a “gut feeling” - you don’t really have a feeling in your stomach about that person or situation but that is how we characterize the deep seated emotions that are engendered by our interactions with someone.

The same is true of how we should be demonstrating compassion.

We should seek to identify with and to share with another person when there is no apparent benefit to ourselves because we have a heartfelt care and concern for them.

In my pastoral prayer this morning I lifted up the family of Rachel Held Evans who passed away on Saturday.

Even though her theological convictions were not what I would agree with or recommend to any of you, we can still have compassion on her family and desire their comfort during this tragically difficult time.

She was 37 and leaves behind a husband who now has two kids that he has to comfort as well as cope himself with the unexpected passing of his wife.

It is the emotion that causes us to not only rejoice with those who rejoice but, and what seems more frequently, to weep with those who weep.

Kindness is an attribute listed by Paul in the fruit of the Spirit passage in Galatians 5:22.

It is also best demonstrated for us by God - which really what isn’t best demonstrated by God.

Romans 2:4 tells us that it is God’s kindness that brings us to repentance.