2006-07-09 - Christ First - Col 3 1-13
Message: Christ First Scr: Col 3:1-17 Date: 2005-05-15
Newport Baptist Church
Intro: A priest and a rabbi from local parishes were standing by the side of the road holding up signs. The rabbi’s read, "The End is Near!" The priest, on the other side of the road, held up a sign which read, "Turn before it’s too late!" They planned to hold up their signs to each passing car. "Get a job." The first driver yelled. The second, immediately behind the first, yelled, "Leave us alone you religious freaks"! Shortly, from around the curve, they heard screeching tires and a splash followed by more screeching tires and another splash. The rabbi looked over at his companion and said, "Do you think we should try a different sign"? The other man responded, "Perhaps, ’Bridge Out’ might be better"?
Explanation – If we are not clear on where we are going, we may miss the point of why we are going anywhere in the first place. The Bible says, that without vision, the people perish. So what is our vision? Where are we going? What is important to us?
TS – The Newport Baptist Church has existed for more than 200 years of faithful service. My question for you this morning is this; after all this time, what is our purpose? Why are we here? Who are we here for? What is God calling each of us to do? The challenge we face is to relate the unchanging messages of God and his word to a world that is not just changing, but doing so faster than ever before in history.
What is our mission? What is our vision? What are the things we value? Over the next four weeks I want to explore with you four areas that I believe to be key for any church if we are to determine the answers to these questions.
· The Pre-Eminence of Christ
· The Authority of the Bible
· The Great Commission
· The Importance of the Church
· I’m sure that some of us have no idea what pre-eminence even means, so we will begin at the beginning.
The Pre-eminence of Christ means that Jesus is the most important person in our lives. Before family or friends, Jesus. Those around you love you, but only Jesus died for you, and salvation comes by believing that he died on the cross and declaring that he is Lord. If Jesus is Lord of our lives, he will change how we live and what we live for. But most of all, he will change why we do what we do.
Colossians 3:1-13 contains God’s words from Paul that have been entitled, rules for Holy Living. We find very quickly that these rules explain to us where our focus should be, what we should leave behind, what true equality is, and what we should work to become.
1) where our focus should be – Vs 1-4
a) ILL – My Mom – used to talk about people being so heavenly minded they were no earthly good
b) Impossible! J The more we focus on things of God, the more earthly good we can and will do
i) Vs 1 – what things above?
(1) Jesus Christ and God the Father!
(2) Life – comes from above
(3) Reward – Jesus is coming back – we will receive glory – reward, even as he did
c) Ill – Monkey hunters - Monkey and hollow coconut – orange inside – hole just big enough for hand – grab orange… hand stuck. Can’t have both the orange and freedom.
d) World does the same – traps us with bait, but Jesus wants us to focus on his father, even as he did. The world wants to capture us… Jesus came to save us… focus on him.
2) what we should leave behind – Vs 5-10
a) ILL – trip - I’ll never understand the mystery of men and women. I’m going overnight and I can pack all that i need in one little shoulder bag. My son would take even less. My wife and daughter ask me if I can take the back seats out of the van in order to fit more suitcases in ;)
b) Jesus didn’t just die on the cross so that we would be free from sins punishment, he died so that we could be free from sin’s power!
c) Earthly Nature – Paul doesn’t just say try and stop… he says in vs 5 – “PUT TO DEATH!”
i) Sexual immorality
ii) Impurity
iii) Lust
iv) Evil desires
v) Greed (idolatry)
d) Rid yourself of!
i) Anger, Rage, malice, slander and filthy language, do not lie to each other!
ii) Because you are not what you once were (vs 9)
e) Vs 10 – ‘renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator
i) We were created in God’s image, when Jesus saves you you regain the image of God in you.
3) what true equality is – Vs 11
a) Ill – equality – reality check! Since the early 1900’s – vote for women, blacks. Protection for children, human rights acts and other attempts to balance things… but! Prejudice still exists – against other peoples and religions. Women still make less than men doing the same job and working harder… children still abused, human rights still ignored.
b) In Christ we find something radically different from the world!
c) there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, male or female
d) but Christ is all, and is in all
4) what we should work to become. – Vs 12-14
a) We are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved!
b) Clothe yourselves – is this our skin? NO!!! (Why I wear a tie this morning)
i) Something we put on, we wear, that eventually becomes who we are
ii) Some styles make us look one way or another (Oprah - funny makeovers - mom looked Goth)
iii) Put this on and you look like Jesus
c) Clothe yourselves with:
i) Compassion
ii) Kindness
iii) Humility
iv) Gentleness
v) Patience
vi) Bear with each other
vii) Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another
d) Forgive as the Lord forgave you!
e) PUT ON LOVE! Still wearing something… may not feel like it fits at first, but the more you wear it, the more it becomes you!
Conclusion –
Paul concludes by returning to where he started, reminding us of where our focus should be. Vs 15-17
We are called to peace!
Be Thankful! Know God’s word!
Do it all in Jesus name, thanking God for making it possible!
Christ put us first… so he went to the cross. He wants us to put him first, so that we might receive God’s forgiveness and love in our lives. We put him first, that others might see God’s truth, his grace and gospel through and in us.
Invitation: I want to pray for you this morning.
If your focus has been wrong, raise your hand.
If you have something to leave behind; anger, rage, malice, slander, bad language, lying… raise your hand
If you have let yourself feel or think that you were inferior or superior to other people, Christians or not… raise your hand.
If you want to live as God’s chosen people this morning… raise your hand.
If you feel the need to forgive yourself or someone else this morning… raise your hand.
Prayer –