Colossians 3:5-10 / Committed to Change
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Call to Arms.
Read Story from Wall Builders book about The minister in Virginia who called his church to get in the fight.
The fight is among us. Now is the time for battle.
Transition
There is a battle that is going on around us as well. Today I’d like to show you how the church has become largely unprepared for it. Here is why I believe that is.
Before I went to basic training, my dad told me that the real reason for it was to strip me of my old identity and remake me into a solder. It required a complete change in me. Some were not willing to change. They wanted the benefits of the military but wasn’t willing to commit to personal change it required. They struggle and sometimes failed.
I believe we have a similar problem in the church. Many Christian either are unaware of the life change that is required or are unwilling to commit to it. They want the benefits os salvation, but they really don’t want the commitment that it requires. Let me give you an example.
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.
Many Christians are being led astray
We don’t appreciate the severity of sin
And therefore….
They think being Christian is:
Believing who Christ is.
Working on behavioral modifications.
Keep growing more Christlike
This is “partly true” but way more involved!
Really need to start in verse 4
Sets context to properly understand verses 5-10
4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
“When Christ appears…”
Paul employs END TIME language here …. Why
Well lets also read:
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
There is a sense of completeness when you think about the END TIMES
Not only will we be different,
we will be permanently different.
That is what we are headed for.
Paul leads us into the admonition by first reminding us...
We are destined for an ETERNAL LIFE with Jesus or Savior.
Then Paul delivers the admonition …. Christian need to change and
The change is absolute
The change is absolute
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Put to death
We are to completely and with absolute finality
Get rid of their sin that is in our life.
Therefore
ties this back to the reminder of our eternity.
The complete and final change that will take place in us at Christ’s return set the bar for the depth of change that is to take place in us now!
Things that are earthly
We agree these are the “BIG SINS”
This also helps us to better understand sins of verse 8-9
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
This may seem like a list of “LESSER SINS”
All sin is not equal but all sin is serious
Our commitment to change means all aspects of our lives.
Big and small.
Our salvation triggered a drastic change
“BUT NOW”
“PUT THEM ALL AWAY”
The change is personal
The change is personal
6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
“Because of these things Wrath of God is coming”
“We once walked in these things”
Walked – that our lifestyle
Wrath of God is/was coming because of US
Paul is courteous in suggesting our involvement in past tense
Some of us know that we are still guilty of bring God’s wrath.
We haven’t fully committed to laving that life behind.
This is not about being perfect this is about being committed.
The change is continual
The change is continual
We have put off the old self
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
We have the command
“Put in your NEW SELF”
We have the action
“Which IS BEING renewed in knowledge…”
PRESENT PASSIVE verb – is being acted upon now
PRESENT PERFECT – would mean is was completed
We have the object
“… After the image of its creator”
Review Objectives and Close
There is is no uniform under my clothes. However, there is a part of me that you cannot see. I am talking about the real me, my spiritual being. And in my spirit I can see and I am fully aware that the enemy has been approaching on the church for a long time. He has already build strongholds with the church, but he is not content with simply weakening our resolve.
Brothers and sisters I am pleading with you to look around and you will see that the enemy (the devil) is at our doorstep. His intentions are so much worse than what we have been preparing for. He knows he will not “prevail” against it, but he intend to destroy as much of it (meaning as many of us – we are the church) as he can.
I am ready to join the fight. I am asking you right now, who is with me. Who is willing to commit their lives to purpose that is far greater than anything we know or will known.
When I enlisted in the military I swore an oath that I completely committed myself to, regardless of the personal cost it would require. When you devoted yourself to Christ, you spoke words of commitment to Him … should they mean any less? It is time for you to put your old nature to death and put on your new new self, and get in the fight. \
Let’s pray.