Get in the Game

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17

First Baptist Church, Winona – 6/29/08 PM – First Sunday Night

Beginning of Baseball Season one of my favorite times of the year

·      Takes me back to my childhood - Played, watched, studied, collected cards

·      Put my whole self into the game

·      Wasn’t always the most talented, but always was studied and prepared

I knew if I was going to be successful in baseball, I must

·      Understand that I wasn’t just a player, but a part of a greater group of people, a team

o   Began to understand that those who went their own way were not thought of well

·      Study the game – learn from the experts and listen to advice of coaches

o   My studying the game allowed me to be sort of a coach on the field

·      I must maximize my abilities – put my whole self into the game

o   By continuing to grow went from .080 first year to 1st Team all-district

I apply some of these same principles to living the Christian life.

·      Paul tells us in Colossians 3 that there is a change that takes place in the life of a believer

·      This change is not just a one-time occurrence but over the course of a lifetime

·      Paul gives us some counsel, some godly wisdom that will help us “get in the game”

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17

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. 4When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

* * *

12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

V1 – the audience is largely believers “raised up with Christ”

V2 – seek the godly things, seek to please God, seek to trust God, seek to be one in fellowship

V3 – Why? Because you have died – your life hidden with Christ in God – No longer our life

V4 – Christ, who is our life (living for ourselves is living in disobedience)

V4 - The “revealing” will come when  Jesus returns –those who have been raised will be raised

As Paul addresses the believers, he challenges them to wear the uniform well.

• Put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, stick together, bear one another’s burdens, don’t be in conflict, forgive, live in unity in the bond of love –
• it was love that put Jesus on the cross, love that called you to salvation, love that enables us to stay married, love that enables us to get along

In the final 3 verses of this section of scripture, Paul gives us three commands, three life principles to guide our life. These three principles make us contributing members of the team.

1)      V15 – Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. What does that mean?

a.       Christ’s obedience brought peace to conflict that sin had caused

b.      He bridged the gap between God and man

c.       This peace came through Jesus’ obedience and total submission to His father

d.      The peace of Christ:

                                                              i.      Brought regeneration to lost generations

                                                            ii.      Brought harmony to discord

                                                          iii.      Brought unity from rebellion

                                                          iv.      Brought my life from a lost destination a heavenly location

1.      the truth is – none of us can accomplish this outside of Christ

2)      V16 – Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within you

a.       So many of us know some of the Word, we can even quote some of it, but we don’t let it DWELL in our hearts

b.      To dwell doesn’t simply mean to make a visit, it means to inhabit, to infiltrate

c.       The only way to allow that to happen is to take it in regularly, daily

d.      Not talking about reading your Sunday School lesson or devotional book

e.       It Goes on to say – that we should get under good teaching and worship Him with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. We need to let that dwell within us too.

f.       Parrot story – man buys parrot and wants to be sure it talks

                                                              i.      Comes back to store because it won’t talk and is told to

                                                            ii.      . . . get a mirror

                                                          iii.       . . . get a ladder

                                                          iv.       . . . get a swing

                                                            v.       . . . parrot dies – “did he say anything before he died?”

                                                          vi.      . . . “there any food at that store?”

g.      We can come up with activities, programs, but they must involve “food intake”

3)      V17 – Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus

a.       If you are going to do something in life, you need to give it your all

b.      That can be as a husband or father, wife or mother, employee, boss, musical talent, athletic ability, citizen – do it with your all

c.       Be sure before you put your all into something that it is something that would lift up the name of the Lord Jesus

                                                              i.      Don’t put your all into cheating on your taxes

                                                            ii.      Don’t put your all into running someone down even if you are right

                                                          iii.      Don’t put your all into anything that would cause division in the kingdom

Which team member are you?

·      Some team members just look good in the uniform - They never get dirty, never help the team

·      Other team members wear the uniform but complain about the whole time

·      Other team members are only there part of the time and can’t be counted on – but wonder why they never get to play

·      Some team members have all the eagerness in the world but haven’t studied the game – not prepared

·      Some team members are playing for themselves – go to the game looking to have their needs met when in fact they should be meeting the needs of their team mates and following the will of the coach

·      Some team members are too concerned with people recognizing how valuable they are

But . . .

·      Some team members look good in the uniform, do whatever is asked, study the game and are prepared for any situation, are ready to be called on and will do whatever they are called on to do. They don’t care if their talents get recognized, but want to use them for the Lord

The difference between you and the parrot - - your master ALWAYS has food available

Which kind of team member are you?

What kind of church would my church be if every member was just like me?

How many souls would be saved today if it all depended on what I’d say?

How many prayers would my Lord have to answer, if all that He heard came from me?

What kind of church would my church be if every member was just like me?