Three Ways For Christians To Be Thankful
Colossians Series #12
Three Ways For Christians To Be Thankful
By Bill Denton
Introduction
A. At this point in our series from the book of Colossians, the best thing I can do is to urge you
to re-read chapters 2 and 3
1. Paul challenged the Colossians to understand the implications of faith in Jesus
2. Christian faith begins with recognizing who Jesus is
a. Colossians 1:15 -- 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation. NASB95
b. Colossians 1:19 -- 19For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness
[of deity] to dwell in Him, NASB95
3. Therefore Jesus Christ is preached as the only one we need to make us complete
a. Colossians 1:28 -- 28We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching
every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in
Christ. NASB95
b. Colossians 2:3 -- 3in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. NASB95
4. Do not be tricked into following something that is an empty claim
a. Colossians 2:8 -- 8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy
and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the
elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. NASB95
b. the whole point is that Jesus provides us with everything we need to deal with
the problem of sin, grant us salvation and eternal life, and overcome every
problem of humanity - everything else fails
B. The follow-on to all that is that the life of the Christian ought to reflect Christ's complete
answer - our lives must conform to what Jesus makes possible
1. Colossians 2:13-14 -- 13When you were dead in your transgressions and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven
us all our transgressions, 14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of
decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way,
having nailed it to the cross. NASB95
2. Colossians 3:1-3 -- 1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking
the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on
the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life
is hidden with Christ in God. NASB95
C. It matters how we live, how we behave, how we act -- however you'd like to say it
1. The past few Sundays we've focused on the positive content of the Christian's life
2. Following Jesus is supposed to mean that something happens to the way we live
D. Right in the middle of this long section dealing with the practical implications for life, Paul
suddenly interjects three verses that demand our attention as they focus on giving thanks
1. I suspect giving thanks lack our attention - we give it only lip service
2. Giving thanks is only possible when we realize there is something to give thanks for
E. Today's text: Col 3:15-17
I. Give Thanks By Letting The Peace Of Christ Rule Your Heart
A. Jesus came to bring us a peace that the world cannot produce
1. John 14:27 -- 27“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
2. John 16:33 -- 33“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have
peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the
world.” NASB95
3. Philippians 4:6-7 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the
peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus. NASB95
B. The peace Jesus offers can only work as we allow it, and participate or cooperate with it
1. Illustration
You've been to a baseball game or watched on on TV - a batter hits one of those slow rollers to the shortstop, he rushes the ball and scoops it up, firing it to first base. Meanwhile the batter is hustling with all his might down the baseline. The ball and the runner both seem to reach first base at exactly the same time. It doesn't really matter what the call is, you can bet that everybody insists that the call go their way. Coaches come out of the dugout, players argue, fans yell or jeer, but only one man can make the call - the umpire, and like it or not what the umpire says is the way it is.
2. Here's how that little story help us understand the verse:
a. Col 3:15 says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. . . ."
b. the word "rule" is a verb and comes from a Greek word that means to umpire
c. the man who umpires is the man who controls the game, he makes the call,
and thus determines the direction of the game
C. Would you like to show your thanks to God for all that he's done for you?
1. Then let he peace of Christ make the calls in your life
2. The wording of 3:15 implies unity in the body of Christ that all Christians belong to
a. unity is not something that happens because you get to insist on your way,
just as the direction of the ball game isn't up to the pleasures of any particular
player
b. the peace of Christ ought to call the game of life
c. are you thankful for the church which is the body of Christ, or only when it
suits you?
3. I know one thing - ball players can wreck a game with good fight and Christians can
wreck the church with the same thing
4. Give thanks by living peacefully with your brothers and sisters in Christ
II. Give Thanks By Letting The Word Of Christ Dwell In You
A. Our hearts must be rich with the word
1. The word "dwell" means to be at home; to make a home; to abide or live within
2. This same thought is found in different forms throughout the Bible
a. Deuteronomy 6:6 -- 6“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall
be on your heart. NASB95
b. John 14:23 23Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will
keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
make Our abode with him. NASB95
3. We are often satisfied with only a meager portion of God's word
a. Psalm 1:2 -- 2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he
meditates day and night. NASB95
b. we must allow the word to "richly" live in us, not "scarcely" live in us
B. The word living in us produces a wisdom that allow us to teach and admonish one another
1. The only way this makes sense is to understand that we can't teach and admonish one
another according to anything but the word of God
a. remember all the useless things Paul has warned about - things of the world,
philosophies, rules and regulation, etc.?
b. none of those things can provide what we need to understand God's will and
it applies to our lives
2. What we really need is an emphasis on God's word
C. Paul even identifies a very interesting form of teaching and admonishing
1. Singing!
2. He specifically mentions psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
a. without getting into all the details of meaning behind these categories, suffice
it to say that Paul knew something of the power of music
1) singing songs is a powerful communicator of truth
2) singing songs helps us embed truth in our minds
3) singing songs helps refresh information learned at earlier times
b. it is a shame that some people don't think that singing is all that important,
for Paul specifically included it as a way we teach and admonish one another
D. Don't miss the giving of thanks - singing is one of the best ways to do two things at one
time - teach and admonish one another and express thanks to God
1. Last Sunday night I shared a couple of important points
a. John Ellas
1) ". . . one mood characterizes the worship of growing congregations
- joy."
2) "The number one reason people visit a church is because one of the
members gave a personal invitation, but the number one reason they
join is the quality of the worship assembly."
b. one of the ways we accomplish both of these things is through singing
2. People who are filled with God's word have a much better and clearer understanding
of God and greater reasons to be thankful, and they express it in song
a. that not only teaches and admonishes one another, but it expresses their thanks
to God
b. we do not need less emphasis on singing, we need more!
III. Give Thanks With Your Whole Life
A. What better way to give thanks to God than to have every word we speak and every action
of our lives be done in the name of Jesus Christ
1. Acts 4:12 -- 12“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under
heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” NASB95
2. Christians should know that a life lived under the authority of, and by the rule of
Jesus Christ is the only way to please God
3. No simple "thank you" is as powerful as the thanks witnessed by our words and our
actions that are consistent with the Lord's will
B. Think about the implications of what Paul wrote
1. When every word you speak shows your thanks to God through Jesus, then every
word you say will, in some way, glorify God and give him praise
2. When the actions of your life show your thanks to God through Jesus, then every act
will, in some way, glorify God and give him praise
3. There will be no more "compartmentalizing" Christianity into one slice of your life's
pie chart - your faith will shine through in every area
Conclusion
A. Let's determine to give thanks to God
1. By letting the peace of Christ umpire our lives while we obey the call
2. By letting the word of Christ richly live in us so that our songs burst with joy
3. By putting every word and every act of our lives before God as an expression of
our thanks to him
B. Invitation