A Scriptural-Spiritual Lens for Resolve in 2022 - Part Twelve
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Introduction
Introduction
“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” Martin Luther
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” John Wesley
PRAY
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Our resolve is to live all of life with eternal significance
Our resolve is to live all of life with eternal significance
And whatever you do - There is no sacred-secular divide in God’s eyes; He is Sovereign over all. These thoughts and those like them do not reflect biblical thinking and worldview. This phrase teaches us that all of life has eternal significance. In the new man, all participants and their activities are meaningful and thus sacred.
30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.
Under the old covenant, there was a division between those that could approach God in the tabernacle and the temple through sacrifices and offerings. However in the new covenant, we are taught that we are all part of the priesthood. We can all approach God in sacrifice and offering.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
As a result, our entire existence as believers have eternal value. Therefore, there is significance in cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, raising children, being a husband or wife, working as a firefighter, carpenter, sales person, being a pastor and many other things.
Our resolve is to realize the importance of life’s details
Our resolve is to realize the importance of life’s details
Paul gets specific about “whatever”. Whatever is the details of life. The moments and fragments of the day that make up the life. As a result, we should be on guard about the seemingly unimportant decisions that we make in the details, words and deeds.
In word – in our speech, in how we communicate to others
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
What we say matters more than we think. However, our words are not the only thing that matters.
Or deed - work, action
Illustration:I have played basketball consistently since I was in fourth or fifth grade and one thing that is prevalent in basketball is people that talk. Even before trash talking was really popular, you always had people saying they were better than so and so in basketball. However, it is what happens on the court that matters. Many times the one that talked the most was not all that good or the one they were talking about was simply better than they thought. The same principle is true in the Christian life. It does include what you say, but much depends on what you do.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
How do we change our words and deeds? We have to have our hearts changed. They need to be changed and continually transformed so that they are governed by who Christ is and what he has done for us and who we are in him and by him.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Our resolve is to honor Christ Jesus in all of life
Our resolve is to honor Christ Jesus in all of life
Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus - This portion of the verse assumes activity. The Apostle knows that we will be doing something. The constitution of the human being is one of movement and action. Therefore, Paul tells the Colossians and us that all of our actions should be done in a certain way. Each of our actions should have a particular quality. What is that quality?
In the name of the Lord Jesus - All of what we do in life should be done in the name of Jesus
What does it mean to do things in the name of Jesus? Is it simply saying “in the name of Jesus” all day as you do stuff? Is it the life that is lived in the power of Jesus’ name? Is it acting in ways that will bring Jesus glory? What exactly is it?
Name - the result of distinguishing a person or thing by giving a designation, reputation, the name is a representation of the person. We tend to associate names with specific people and personalities.
Illustration: In Hebrew, the name Judah means “Let Yah Be Praised” or “Let the Lord be praise” or “praise the Lord”. The Greek equivalent is Judas. However, nobody really goes for the name Judas anymore, because of the person who most think of when they hear it. The same goes for Adolf Hitler or John Wilkes. Names carry some level of association.
Warren Wiersbe writes, In modern society, we pay little attention to names. But the ancient world held a man’s name to be of utmost importance. Often, during Old Testament days, God changed a person’s name because of some important experience or some new development. As Christians, we bear the name of Christ. The name of Christ means identification: we belong to Jesus Christ. But His name also means authority. A man’s name signed to a check authorizes the withdrawal of money from the bank. The President’s name signed to a bill makes it a law. In the same way, it is in the name of Jesus Christ that we have the authority to pray (John 14:13–14; 16:23–26). Because Jesus Christ is God, and He has died for us, we have authority in His name. We are to live in accord with the name (character and authority) of Jesus.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
They were to do nothing apart from his direction, approval, and purposes. Living in accord with his name means “in harmony with his revealed will, in subjection to his authority, in dependence on his power
Giving thanks to God the Father through him - All is to be done in the spirit of gratitude.
Practical Application
Practical Application
Know that all things done well for his glory is Christian work
Ask God to reveal to you things that are not in line with his will.
Repent of not thinking about life in Jesus name
Forsake all activities that you can not o unto the Lord
Be more diligent in seeing the God has you in the place he has you for a purpose.
Speak more specifically about Christ at home, work, school or wherever you go
Get accountability in the areas in which you struggle
Attempt something in your life that can only be done through God’s power.
Move closer in fellowship to encourage others and to be encouraged to live for the sake of the name