Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

When I was about in the 4th or 5th grade, we lived in northeastern North Carolina.

My grandparents lived in Iredell County and we would make the trip across the state on holidays and as often as we could to be at my grandparents.

On special occasions, we would sometimes venture from Harmony, where my grandparents lived, to the city of Statesville.

There was a men’s store in downtown Statesville that had the cutting edge in men’s clothing.

One year, my parents thought I needed a new suit to wear to church that Easter Sunday.

So we went shopping.

I remember they got me this suit.

It was a green blazer that came with 2 different kinds of pants, a solid green pair and a checkered white and green pair that matched the green.

But wait, there’s more…the jacket was reversible it matched the green and white checkered pants.

I had a different outfit for a month of Sundays, as long as I liked wearing the color green.

This suit and the options that came with it gave me several Sunday best options!

Many of us grew up thinking we needed to have a Sunday best and to come to church dressed up in the best possibly.

Now I am grateful that we have moved from that mentality to the mindset of come as you are.

Our scripture text today shows us a different type of Sunday best.

In fact, this is an every day best!

We have the distinct instruction to clothe ourselves in a unique way.

We are told to put on, put up, put in and put out.

Look carefully at this instruction in .

Put On

Notice first that this passage indicates that Christians are God’s chosen people.

We are holy and dearly loved.

We are chosen and dearly loved because of God’s grace not because of our own merit.

It is not because we are so lovable, but because of His love.

We are to take off the old shabby clothes and put on the new designer robes that are tailored just for us perfectly.

As CHOSEN, we are holy, elect, and beloved.

Those of us that experience God’s love imitate it.

Those who are chosen are holy and those who are holy are chosen.

Romans

Chosen means separated unto God.

In essence this passage is saying that God did not choose you because of your number or anything you have done.

God set His affections on you and I because He loved us.

He has loved us and chosen us before the foundation of the world!

We are not only chosen but set apart.

That is the meaning of the word holy.

We are not our own, we belong completely to Him.

Salvation sets the believer apart exclusively for Jesus Christ.

As a result, we are to put on God’s designer clothes.

The word CLOTHE means to put on, to dress, to sink into a garment.

Let’s look a bit closer to the the these garments.

First we are told to put on compassion.

Compassion is being strengthened from the inside, from the inner parts.

It is tender sympathy and heartfelt compassion.

The KJV used the phrase tender mercies while the ESV uses compassionate hearts.

As this idea is being expressed, Christians are bringing mercy into a merciless world.

Next we must put on KINDNESS.

The Greek word is CHRESTOTES and it means the goodness which is kind.

This is the goodness which Jesus described in the Gospels of the woman annointing His feet.

Are you marked by a goodness that is kindly> This kindness is used by the gospel to not only soften hearts and mins of mankind, but it sweetens them and helps promote friendship as well as reconciliation with God.

Next we must put on HUMILITY.

There is no word in classic Greek for humility.

In fact, it is said that Christianity helped create this virtue.

It comes from a compound of humble and understanding.

Paul is emphasizing a genuine kind of humility as opposed the the wrong type that was listed in where it says

Humility indicates that there is no room for arrogance when we are living among the children of the King!

We all should have a lowly attitude.

Matthew

Next we put on GENTLENESS.

This is meekness.

It is someone that is self-controlled because of being God-controlled.

It consists of strength and the sweetness of true gentleness.

It is the effect of humble kindness to other people.

Next is one that I struggle with, we are to put on PATIENCE.

Patience is self restraint and a steady response in the face of provocation.

I must not be the only one that struggles with this because these last three are listed in the same order in God’s word in three different passages:

here in ,

Galatians 5:22-23

Those are the things we are to put on, but we also are instructed to put up.

Put Up (Colossians 3:13)

Specifically, we are to put up with each other’s grievances.

We are to put up with each other by putting on the attitudes we have already described in verse 12.

We are called to give mutually reciprocal treatment.

We are to restrain from our natural reactions towards odd or difficult people.

We need to let them be themselves.

We are to forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another.

Remember the parable of the unforgiving servant in ?

It is inappropriate for one who knows the joy of being forgiven to refuse to share the joy of being forgiven with another!

By the way, hasn’t Christ ALREADY forgiven them?

Notice this next phrase: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Only the forgiving can be forgiven!

We are to remember this forgiveness and we are to replicate it!

Luke 23:

Michael Bird wrote, “Forgiveness does not mean one ceases to feel the hurt and pain associated with someone’s failing, but it means that one forfeits their right to express anger, to parade their hurt, and demand reparation.”

In fact, Paul goes on in to remind us to put on one more thing, Love.

Putting up with others is the direct result of putting on what Jesus told his followers to do in the SHEMA of and the love command of .

De

Leviticus

Paul indicates that love is the most authentic measure of spirituality.

Study that passage in more.

Paul indicates here that love is the most upper garment we can wear.

It is the mark of our dignity and distinction.

It is what sets us apart.

The foundation is faith and the topstone is love!

Love is the crowning grace that covers a multitude of sins.

Love binds everything together in “perfect unity.”

God’s love is perfected in us.

Romans

1

So we have this idea of putting on these things and putting up with others, now Paul reminds us that we have some things we need to put in.

Put In ()

We are to put in our lives both PEACE and the WORD of God.