Healthy Growth

I don’t know if you have every tried to garden, it is something that I had to do when I was in Jr. High and High School in our family garden. I have also tried on at least three different occasions to do so as an adult, to varying degrees of failure. One of the reasons that I have not had a lot of success as a gardener is weeds. I have not come to the garden at the right time to keep the weeds from overtaking the shoots of the plants I want to grow. Without the constant vigilant necessary to catch the weeds when they are little they turn into an unruly mess that sap the nutrients and water from the plants I want to grow. My problem, the weeds are the natural state of the area where I have tried to garden and they are present there in abundance because the situation is prime for their growth.

In the book of Isaiah we read “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!” (Isaiah 5:20–23, NASB95) Things did not change much it would seem in the 7 centuries following Isaiah’s prophetic ministry for Paul writes to his young protégé Timothy “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5, NASB95) I would say that in these two passages we read about the spiritual weeds growing and even choking out what is supposed to be true. We see the same in Colossians 3, but in this passage we read about how things are supposed to be.

I. As They Always Have Been

(Read Col 3:1 – 11)

Colossians 3:1–11 NASB95

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

I. As They Always Have Been

A. Nothing New

1. Actions

2. Attitudes

3. Utterances

B. New Packaging

1. New Names

a. Temple prostitutes

b. Brothels and sex workers

2. New ways of delivery

a. Gymnasiums

b. Bath houses

c. Cable television

d. Printed media

e. Internet

Trans – In a day in age when what is evil is celebrated as good, it is important that we learn about things …

II. As They Should be

(Read Col 3:12 – 17)

Colossians 3:12–17 NASB95

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let 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. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

II. As They Should be

A. Everything New

1. New demeanor

2. New relational standard (love)

3. New Vocabulary

B. The Great Way

1. 10 Commandments

2. Love God – Get #1 Right all will be right

3. Love Others – Get # 10 right and you will treat others with a love that is different from what we see in the world today.

4. Encouraging one another

Conclusion: While we will never perfectly match up to the way that Paul says we should live, that should never keep us from striving for that goal. While we live in this present world we should strive to live in such a way that our lives are markedly different than the world around us, in the things we do, the way we talk, the love we give and the truth we proclaim. When we learn to weed out the sinful and damaging weeds of this present age, we give room for the fruit of our relationship with Christ to grow. That is what we are called to do, that is who we are called to be, that is the King we are called to represent, let us go and do that more faithfully each day.