The Christian’s Work

Title: The Christian’s Work: Prayer & Proclamation

Text: Colossians 4.2-6; Ephesians 4-6

CPT: Paul’s mission and the Colossians’ evangelism efforts begin and are sustained through prayer.

CPS: Attentive Prayer (talking to God) is foundational to Our Mission (preaching to people) and our ministry (conversing with outsiders).

Introduction: We’re in Colossians 4.2-6; We will also stroll through Ephesians 4-6;

I remember as a kid hearing about the Cowboy’s Philosophy. I’m talking about Randy White, Roger Staubach, Walt Garrison, Bob Hayes, Lee Roy Jordan, Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones, Harvey Martin… I believe it was Harvey Martin who said it: The Cowboys never lost a game, we just ran out of time.

I guess most games are like that. I went to Leighton softball game a couple of weeks ago. I thought the game was timed at an hour. I told Lisa I’d be home by this certain time, because the game was sure to be over. If I had been right, Leighton, your team would have won. But, I was wrong and it lasted an hour and a half. That extra 30 minutes was what the other team needed to come back and win. I guess they were thankful for the extra time.

Time is an interesting commodity we possess. And, we have a limited amount of it. Someday, it will be gone. Someday, time will come to an end, just like it had a beginning.

But, in a very real sense, it runs out on us and we miss finishing what we were supposed to be doing. Like in a game, like when dinner was supposed to be ready, like when the teacher says, “ok, time’s up! Put your pencils down and pass your papers forward.” I can almost hear the groans of the students…

I feel that most mornings Sunday mornings when I preach. I’m not really under time constraints, not really. But in some sense, I am. Lisa, John and Robert are, too – with teaching. I’m sure they feel that pressure. Gaynette, I’m sure does with the children and the time she has with them.

You feel it, too, don’t you? When you’re under the pressure of the time clock. It raises your blood pressure. It’s creates that anxious, panicky feeling inside.

Transition: So, what do we do with the time we’ve been given. Let’s not waste it!

Here’s the Big Idea for the Day: The Work of the Christian is attentive prayer and it is foundational to our Mission and our Ministry. Attentive Prayer (talking to God) is foundational to Missions (Great Commission) and Ministry (conversing with outsiders).

But we only have a limited amount of time to get this done. And, with the way our world is today, I’m thinking this time is shorter than most people imagine.

Two commands in our text: Busy yourselves in prayer (2)and Walk in Wisdom(5).

Let’s look at these two commands as we consider the Work of the Christian:

1. The Command to Pray (How to talk to God)

exp.: rd 4.2; actually, the command isn’t prayer, it’s busy yourself.

How: 1^st, busy yourselves in prayer; illustrated: being watchful; this is really an illustration; these words are the words used to describe a watchman on the tower; the idea is to stay awake and alert;

ill.: did you guys know that Hamas has been launching 1,000’s of rockets into Israel? Israel has an army of watchmen who are keeping an eye in all directions for incoming rockets. They have been for years. What would happen if those at the tower fell asleep? People would die.

What would be your thoughts if the Mexican Cartel decided to wage war on the US? Really, I think we’d be in trouble because I’m not sure our current leadership would do anything to protect us! But, you’d hope we would set up defenses and start an offensive against those who would hope to destroy us!

I wonder how many planes the terrorist could fly into the Government buildings in Jerusalem and succeed? I would wager not a single one!

app.: Israel is acting like any normal country would. I’m not sure we’re normal anymore. When you think of this idea of prayer – think of Israel. You’ve got to be awake and alert like your enemy is out there and wants to destroy you. He wants to create division, He wants to create dissension, he wants to create distractions so that you’ll focus on other concerns and not concern yourself with the task ahead.

Transition: How to pray? Busy yourselves in prayer, and you do this like a watchman on the tower – stay awake & alert;

exp.: What to pray? Rd 4.3a; Pray for your preachers; 1^st, that God would open a door for the Word;

This is really good advice! Pray for doors to be open! I think this takes wisdom and insight on the part of the preachers to discern open doors. Add that to your prayers: Lord, open doors for our preachers to preach your Word and grant them the discernment to know when that door is open.

I love this phrase he uses – to declare the mystery of Christ. Paul is still in the relationships mode.

Do you remember last week how I spent some time on how the Trinity is the perfect example of relationships, demonstrating for us how roles and relationships work? Listen to Paul in Ephesians: 5.28-33; Husbands love your wives; there is a mystery to it all – most people don’t get it. But, it has been revealed and that is what we proclaim – the mystery that has been solved, if you will. This is what Paul declares to the People. This is what we declare to the people – the mystery of Christ.

So, 1^st, pray for an open door for the Word to be proclaimed; and 2^nd, rd the last part of v 3 –  on account of which I am in prison. Perfect Voice – a present state because of a past action; If I said, “I am running” – that is present tense. But, if I said, “I am running from the law” you get the idea that it is something I’m doing because of a past action. One more item concerning this phrase: the literal translation is on account of which I am in chains/bonds. Same idea, but you really see his suffering in the literal.

All of that to say, 2^nd, pray for your preachers who are being persecuted. Pray for those guys in Canada who are being imprisoned for allowing their churches to gather. Pray for other pastors/preachers around the world who are persecuted for their preaching. Pray for me. Pray for an open door, pray for the persecuted and 3^rd, pray the preacher would present it in a clear and understandable way. Rd 4.4

app.: consider yourselves sentries or guards who have been situated in the watch tower, keeping watch, staying awake and alert; busy yourselves with prayer for those who preach God’s Word. Think of missionaries, of which Paul was one. Think of pastors and their responsibility to proclaim God’s Word. Pretend that their success is all on you.

Ill.: Lord of the Flies: Jack took his boys hunting and let the fire on the hill go out. A plane came by and they missed being rescued! What’s even sadder is that Jack volunteered his boys!

t.s.: Now, Paul turns the tables and informs the Colossians, that missions isn’t only someone else’s job… which brings us to #2…

2. How to talk to your neighbors about God

exp.: rd 4.5

Paul’s conclusion to his letter to the Ephesians is similar to the letter to the Colossians; read 4.2-6;

I mentioned last week that the Ephesian letter is a twin letter to this one. It’s like Paul wanted to share the same information with both churches. But, here is a major difference: Ephesians is so much more in depth. Let me show you what I mean. Keep your place here in Colossians 4. Ephesians 6.18-20; Look at 5.15f;Turn to Ephesians 4. Walk (παριπατέω) in:

Then, after challenging them to ‘walk’ in these different ways, Paul concludes this challenge with the call to walk in wisdom, redeeming the time (5.15f). The same challenge he has offered to the Colossians. But it is interesting here – Paul has couched his conclusion statement with the Household Code and the Armor of God.

In our text, Paul has been talking to the Colossians about their relationships, too. Now, he tells them why these are all important. This is the message in Ephesians, as well.

Their Mission is the same as his: to reach lost people with the Gospel (and this means using their words which match their walk).

How, you might ask? Rd 4.5b – lit.: by redeeming the time. This word appears 4x’s in the NT. All 4 by Paul. Here, Ephesians and 2x’s in Galatians: 3.13 – ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” and in 4.5, let me begin in v 4: ⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Lit.: In wisdom walk toward those outside, the time redeeming. It is that same feel of the watchman – staying awake and alert – don’t fall asleep and waste the time you’re at your post. Make the best use of your time.

2^nd, rd 5.6a; that is, let your word always be filled with Grace. Let your conversations be grace laced. This sounds like you are gracious in your conversing, but that isn’t it. Grace fills the word you speak. It isn’t your attitude toward your neighbor. Verse 6 doesn’t have a verb – so in English it is an incomplete thought. To make sense, we have to supply the verb. The verb comes from 5.5 – Walk. How do you walk? Redeeming the time, grace fills your word, seasoned with salt; that’s a metaphor – the word you speak is the meat – grace is the salt you spread on it. What a great picture!

And finally, rd 5.6c – so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Just like Paul – it is the same wording here as in v 4; Paul has the same expectations on the Colossians as he does himself, the preacher.

ill.: Do you ever look back and think about a time you wasted? You didn’t do what you were supposed to do?

For me, her name was Michelle. It’s funny that I’ve never forgotten her name. I was traveling each week to Dallas from San Antonio and taking classes all week at Seminary. Each week before I got on the plane to fly to DFW or to return home, I would pray for the person God wanted me to sit by. God never disappointed. I either had presented the Gospel to someone or I was an encouragement to a believer who was down.

Not this particular night: I can’t even remember why I was down or mad or whatever, but I told the Lord in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t talking to anyone. Leave the seat empty! But he didn’t. He put me next to this girl, about my age. Her name was Michele. She was searching. She was hurting. She was inquisitive – all of the components you look for when presenting the Gospel to someone. But no, not me. I would have none of it. I wasn’t mean. We talked for the whole 45 minute flight. But God wasn’t letting me off the hook. I rode the shuttle from the Airport to the Seminary. She lived a couple of blocks from the Seminary. Guess who was on the van and who I ended up sitting next to on the van? That’s right.

She asked me all kinds of questions – leading questions that were underhanded pitches for me to hit. But I wasn’t swinging. I was showing God who was boss. I never told her the one thing she wanted to hear. I never told her about Jesus.

app.: That was almost 30 years ago and I still relive that night in my mind from time to time. And I still have the deepest regret for not redeeming that time. I always end with a prayer that God would send someone who was obedient to Michele – to share the Gospel with her. I pray that she has come to faith in spite of me. And I repent – again, in shame.

t.s.: people, Walk in Wisdom by redeeming the time God gives you with outsiders. And let your word be smothered in the grace of God. And you know that grace, because it is what you’ve experienced it yourself…

Conclusion: So, what are our take-a-ways for the day…

1. Pray – prayer is the foundation for all we do. Will you commit to pray like a watchman on the tower, protecting this body.
2. Pray – like the success of our mission is all on you! Even though you know nothing good will happen without the hand of God at work. Pray like it is all on you!
3. Pray – to walk in wisdom (redeeming the time; conversations that are grace laced; and knowledgeable responses)
4. Pray specifically…

Let’s pray… We’ll have a time of invitation… Come pray, commit, surrender – let the Lord have his way in your life today.

The Christian’s Relationships

Title: Lord, even over the household.

Text: Colossians 3.18-4.1

CPT: Colossians, when you confess Jesus as Lord, that confession must be manifested in and through the relationships with the people closest to you as you are serving the Lord in your marriage, with your children, and in the relationships you share with your master and servants.

CPS: As those who confess belief in Jesus as Lord, that Lordship extends over every aspect of our lives, including the relationships with the people who are closest to us: in ours marriage, with our children, and in the relationships we have with those with whom we work and serve.

Introduction: Let me begin by openly talking about Dysfunctional Families – I shared my story last week, not to summon sympathy, but just to share my experience. I find two areas at work in my life: The Word of God and my experience. When I was younger, I would find these two appeared to clash. As I get older, I find the Word of God validates my experience.

Let me ‘splain… What I preach and proclaim from God’s Word isn’t about how I feel or what I think. As I open God’s Word and share, it comes from faith that what God says is true – even if I don’t understand. And, I find experientially, this has played itself out in my life.

Many of you could feel what I spoke about last week, because it is your story, too. And, as you’ve watched these same scenarios work themselves out in your lives, the lives of your parents, the lives of your children, the lives of your friends and their families, you concur.

I wish there were more stories like the girl I spoke about who was adopted in her family and I mean truly adopted. Not just on paper, but experientially. Not just by the courts but into the family.

What we’ll look at today is the perfect home – the perfect family. I know ‘that’ family doesn’t exist in real life. I believe there are some families who come close. I know there are some families who try real hard. But, the fact is that we’re all sinners and when sinners get involved, well, things just don’t go perfectly.

———————————————-

Next, let me offer a caveat here, as well? Now listen carefully, because what I have to tell you relates to how you receive this message. I’m going to make a statement that you know to be true and I worry you’ll just gloss over it. Oh, yeah, I know that. You have no control over other people. Let that sink in, because I’m sure most all of you said, “Yeah, I know.” I’m not sure you really do. I say that because the responses I see in people is just the opposite – you want to control other people and their decisions. I’m going to say it again: You have no control over other people. I can only control me. Say it with me: I can only control me. And that’s a hard enough task as it is!

When we look at this text, we see that Paul doesn’t say to anyone here – here is what you make other people do. Can I re-read this with the take some folks get here? Bear with me…

¹⁸ Wives, make your husbands love you, as is fitting in the Lord. ¹⁹ Husbands, force your wives submit to you, and do not be harsh with them. ²⁰ Fathers, make your children obey you in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Try not to provoke them in the process, lest they become discouraged. ²² Masters, make your Bondservants obey you in everything…

You get the idea. Right now, as we begin, do me a favor, do yourself a favor. Don’t think of anyone one else – focus in on you and your role as it applies in your life. Maybe you’re younger, you’re not yet married or don’t have children. Think and apply these to your life as you prepare for those things. Pray and ask God to lead you as you surrender and submit to His Will for your life.

Let me give you a focal point: take your pencil, pen, highlighter and note the following phrases. This actually begins in 3.17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24; 4.1

Jesus is Lord of the House…

We see this in three different relationships within the home:

1. The Marital Relationship of Man and Woman
2. The Parental Relationship of Parents and Children
3. The Working Relationship of Slaves and Masters

A word about these relationships. 1) I find it interesting that one man might be in all three groups. Indeed, that might even be Paul’s thinking here. That man can be husband, father, and master. He has great responsibilities in relations to his wife, his children, his slave. 2) Each of the others, the wife, the child, the slave, are subservient, they are submissive not just to their husband, parents, master, but their actual service and submission is to the Lord Jesus.

This is hard, I know, but note what God is doing in each relationship.

t.s.: This last section will need some work because today, we no longer have slaves and masters. We’ll talk about that when we get there. 1^st, what is God doing in the marital relationship?

I. The Marital Relationship (18f)

exp.: rd 3.18f; Wives and husbands; lit.: men, women; typically there is a pronoun with these words, showing possession. You belong to each other. And, you serve each other.

ill.: The marriage relationship is foundational to our society and as God has designed, it is a picture of the Gospel. Have you heard me say this before? Let me demonstrate with a graph, an image of The Trinity.

exp.: turn with me to Ephesians 5.21; the parallel letter to this one; read through 5.33; The Church is a Picture of the Gospel.

app.: Married Couple – you are a picture of the Gospel to the rest of the world.

t.s.: next, we have the parents…

II. The Parental Relationship (20f)

exp.: rd 3.20f; The trinitarian function is the same in this relationship; That further reflects the church; The Roles of the Elder and Deacons; why there is dysfunction in the church; Example is Saddleback, who ordained 3 women to the pastoral ministry this past week; Society forces its way into the church and wields its power over her – just as the society forces itself into the family and wields its power of it. Then you have dysfunction. And, you no longer present a picture of the Gospel.

ill.: I want to take a moment to address something, I didn’t handle right last week. I mentioned something about Mother’s Day, but I didn’t do anything special. I don’t want to say I never will, because I’m sure I probably will; however, I don’t use the calendar to plan my preaching schedule. I use the Bible and I preach through books. With that being said, after Mother’s Day, I came across a movement by a certain party in our political system to remove the term ‘Mother,’ and instead use the term “birthing person”.

Ben Shapiro sent out a tweet to show how ridiculous this has all become. He tweeted: “Happy Birthing Persons’ Day to all the egg-producing homo sapiens of unspecified gender who made the decision to bring to term a meaningless cluster of cells!”

Had I known about this, I would have said something and expressed my gratitude toward Moms. Whereas, you’re probably going to see “Happy Birthing Persons Day” instead of Happy Mother’s Day, we will recognize Mothers on Mother’s Day!

app.: Moms, you are loved and appreciated. Thank you for your sacrifices to make us who we are. Can I say a word on this to Husbands, Dads, Wives and Mom? Your relationship with each other is a picture of the Gospel, but so is your relationship to your children. Let me demonstrate once again with an image. Your relationships mirror the church and her relationships.

t.s.: Finally, a word about this last grouping…

III. The Working Relationship (3.22-4.1)

exp.: read 3.22-4.1; Two points:

1. This is in no way an affirmation of slavery by Paul, or by the Word of God. When one reads the book of Philemon, it becomes apparent that Paul isn’t for slavery at all. But it didn’t matter how he felt because… and this is my 2^nd point:
2. Christianity was birthed into a world where slavery was the law of the land. Historians estimate that there were some 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire at the time of this letter. This was a situation that existed and the Church had to deal with it.

Slavery was one of the ways the economy functioned. A person had the right to sell themselves into slavery for a period of time. Think of military service. A person could become a slave for a period of time – usually a pretty long time – and money would be then given to the family. I know not all of the slaves were this way, but there were a good many who were.

So, don’t think that Paul is approving of or condoning slavery. His relationship with Philemon and Onesimus (4.9) confirm his distaste for slavery. But, it was the law of the land and many new Christians needed to know how to deal with that situation.

Slavery is no longer the law of the land. In a situation where slavery does exist, it is abhorrent and wicked. That is a topic that should be addressed, but I’m not prepared to deal with it this morning. For time’s sake, let’s focus in on how we might apply this to our situation today.

ill.:

app.: for sure, we can do our work without just giving eye-service or being people pleasers, but instead to perform our tasks with sincerity. We would do well to perform our work as to the Lord. In all of our work, we should work heartily, because it is indeed the Lord we’re serving. And, your life, your response, your actions with your employer and employees will communicate the Gospel to those who are watching.

Conclusion: But the context of the text is household relationships. These relationships have a purpose and a function.

I’m guessing most of us don’t even think one bit about how our family life communicates the Gospel to a lost and dying world. We probably don’t consider how our marriages and our families give credibility to the Gospel story.

For sure, we miss out on how much damage is done when the home doesn’t communicate the gospel.

The following is from Dr. James Dobson, Hide or Seek

He began his life with all the classic handicaps and disadvantages. His mother was a powerfully built, dominating woman who found it difficult to love anyone. She had been married three times, and her second husband divorced her because she beat him up regularly. The father of the child was with her third husband; he died of a heart attack a few months before the child’s birth. As a consequence the mother had to work long hours from his earliest childhood.

She gave him no affection, no love, no discipline, and no training during those early years. She even forbade him to call her at work. Other children had little to do with him, so he was alone most of the time. He was absolutely rejected from his earliest childhood. When he was thirteen years old a school psychologist commented that he probably didn’t even know the meaning of the word love. During adolescence, the girls would have nothing to do with him and he fought with the boys.

Despite a high IQ, he failed academically, and finally dropped out during his third year of high school. He thought he might find acceptance in the Marine Corps; they reportedly built men, and he wanted to be one. But his problems went with him. The other Marines laughed at him and ridiculed him. He fought back, resisted authority, and was court-martialed and thrown out of the Marines with an undesirable discharge. So there he was—a young man in his early twenties, absolutely friendless. He was small and scrawny in stature. He had an adolescent squeak in his voice. He was balding. He had no talent, no skill, no sense of worthiness.

Once again he thought he could run from his problems, so he went to live in a foreign country. But he was rejected there also. While there he married a girl who had been an illegitimate child and brought her back to America with him. Soon she began to develop the same contempt for him that everyone else displayed. She bore him two children, but he never enjoyed the status and respect a father should have. His marriage continued to crumble. His wife demanded more and more things that he could not provide. Instead of being his ally against the bitter world, as he hoped, she became his most vicious opponent. She could outfight him, and she learned to bully him. On one occasion she locked him in the bathroom as punishment. Finally she forced him to leave.

He tried to make it on his own, but he was terribly lonely. After days of solitude, he went home and literally begged her to take him back. He surrendered all pride. Despite his meager salary, he brought her $78 as a gift, asking her to take it and spend it any way she wished. But she belittled his feeble attempts to supply the family’s needs. She ridiculed his failure. At one point he fell on his knees and wept bitterly as the darkness of his private nightmare enveloped him.

Finally, in silence he pleaded no more. No one wanted him. No one had ever wanted him.

The next day he was a strangely different man. He arose, went to the garage, and took down a rifle he had hidden there. He carried it with him to his newly acquired job at a book storage building. And from a window on the third floor of that building, shortly after noon, November 22, 1963, he sent two shells crashing into the head of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Lee Harvey Oswald, the rejected, unlovable failure, killed the man who, more than any other man on earth, embodied all the success, beauty, wealth, and family affection which he lacked. In firing that rifle, he utilized the one skill he had learned in his entire, miserable lifetime. [James Dobson, Hide or Seek (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, 1974), pp. 9, 11. As told by R. Kent Hughes]

This is why we, as Christians, have been called into relationships – to demonstrate and communicate the Gospel with our lives. It validates what we say when we preach that Christ is the Messiah of the World!

Take-a-ways:

1. You cannot control others. Stop trying!
2. You can only control yourself – so what are you going to do with this information? How will you respond to this?
3. When you ‘control’ you, and apply the teachings and principles of God’s Word to your life, then you are living out the Gospel before others.
4. Finally, It’s not too late for you and me! No matter what has happened in the past, God is gracious in forgiveness and compassionate in your circumstance. What a great opportunity for all of us to surrender every area of our lives to Him. Is there any area you haven’t surrendered? Is there something new you need to learn about? Give that to Him. Do you need to extend forgiveness to someone – a parent, a spouse, a child? Do you need forgiveness – from a parent, a spouse, a child?

I said last week, we are never more like Christ then when we forgive. I’d say that also goes well with the humility we display when we humble ourselves and seek forgiveness where we have failed. Humility – so Christ like. Those actions are the gospel on display before others.

Let’s pray…

The Christian’s Responsibility (Part 2)

Title: The Christian’s Responsibility: A Picture of the Church

Text: Colossians 3.10-17

Introduction:

The Big Idea for today: Believers, you are to take off the old self, lay it aside and dress yourselves with new virtues, which demonstrate toward others that same forgiveness, peace and love you experienced through Christ.

The Christians’ Responsibility is to follow a simple command: strip off and lay aside the old self and its practices, and to put on the virtues which represent the new self. Easily said. Hard work to accomplish! Easy to say, hard to do. I guess that’s the difference between those who talk the Christian life (because it is easier) and those who walk the Christian life (which is much harder).

I’m sure you’ve heard that before: don’t just talk the talk – walk the walk! I think that is where Paul is going here. This new life in Christ isn’t a word game. It’s a demonstration. We demonstrate the change in our lives through our actions. It’s what we do and how we respond.

I love the metaphor. It’s pretty common to Christian thought. Paul used it to describe dressing for war – putting on the full armor of God.

It’s an OT metaphor as well. The Lord found Israel, filthy and abused. He cleaned her up and put new garments on her. Listen to Ezekiel as he quotes from the Lord in 16.8ff: ⁸ “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine. ⁹ Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. ¹⁰ I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. ¹¹ And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck. ¹² And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. ¹³ Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.

What we’re seeing is nothing new to us, but a beautiful reminder! Undress, strip away, lay aside the old garments – they don’t represent the royalty you now are; you are sons and daughters of the King!

t.s.: let’s begin with the first step in this process Paul is taking us through:

I. The rationale behind this command is that y’all are a new people in a new family with a new name.

exp.: we finished up last week’s message with this point; rd v 10-11; you used to be identified by some other nomenclature. Now, you have a new title, new family, new friends. Rd v 12a; you’ve been chosen of God (KJV: elect); you are now ‘holy’; unconditionally loved.

ill.: I remember walking on the railroad tracks between two towns. They butted up to each other, and they were the same town on a map, but they represented two different people. There were names for each ‘town’ – names I can’t repeat this day. To soften it up, to not offend, but just to communicate, we were one of two white families that lived in colored town. It was the poor side of town and it was the only place my grandmother could afford. I’m sure it is that way in some places still, but it represented the south many decades ago.

One evening, me, my older brother and a few of the kids from that side of town were walking home. It was very late. …when we came across what you would call a gang. They surrounded us and I was so naïve, so green, I had no idea the trouble we were in. I was 11 years old and out at o dark thirty! Someone from that gang recognized my older brother and asked if he was the younger brother of Ricci – my oldest sibling. Ricci was a name those boys knew. And they wanted no part of him.

Suddenly, the demeanor of these guys changed. Jerry and their leader did the handshake for that day and bumped chests. We all laughed and went our separate ways.

app.: All because of someone’s name and reputation. Someone who was well known. He just happened to be my brother. In a very different way, but you now have a new name and you’re known by your brother’s reputation.

t.s.: And, you’re expected to act like him. That’s Point #2

II. Therefore, we are to dress ourselves with these virtues which characterize his nature.

exp.: you see those 5 listed in our text; rd 3.12b;

• Compassionate Hearts: he could have just said compassion. But really, these two words are used because they describe our Messiah’s compassion toward others. More lit.: mercy from the gut. You will read that his heart went out to them or that he had compassion on them. My favorite example is when he is entering Nain, and he encounters a funeral procession. The people are carrying the body of a man, the only son of a widow. And his heart went out to her. Luke 7 describes his compassion and his action toward her: a (as we would describe it) heartfelt compassion.
• Kindness: goodness, uprightness, excellence
• Humility – Phil 2.1-11
• Meekness – not weakness (bridled power); there is this picture of a mighty stallion which is led by its bridal. The Stallion is not weak, to say the least. It is not wild! It is tame and bridled.
• Patience

ill.:

app.: Patience, notice that patience is the first trait mentioned in the next verse

t.s.: which leads us to our next point concerning our responsibilities…

III. Furthermore, the actions we now take toward each other are to be the same actions he took toward us: patience, forgiveness and unconditional love.

exp.: whereas, these other virtues in 3.12 are exhibited in our lives, this short list in 3.13f is a list which describes the actions we take toward each other.

• Patience – listed again, and yes, these are two different words in the original language. The previous word found in 3.12 is longsuffering. A compound word meaning to endure suffering of some sort for a long period of time. This word in 3.13 describes putting up with each other. It’s how you are toward others.

ill.: After he finished smoking his cigarette, he moved toward the fellowship line to get his plate and sit with his family. He stood in line behind a family he knew and loved. And they loved him, too. So, they struck up a conversation. The Mrs., wanting to chide him about his smoking habit, gently nudged him with, “I noticed you put your cigarette out and joined us.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Came the deacon’s reply.

“And just where will you put out your cigarette in heaven?”

Without missing a beat, the deacon replied, “in your coffee cup!” As if to say: Hey, I’ve got my hang-ups, but you’ve got your own set of problems!

app.: bearing with one another, forgiving each other – and what is the standard of forgiveness? Just as Christ has forgiven each of us. The actions we now take toward each other are the same actions he took toward us: patience, forgiveness and unconditional love.

I don’t know about you, but when I take a moment at introspection – I’m amazed that God put up with me for so many years. His patience – in bearing with me! His Forgiveness! I haven’t just committed one sin. I haven’t just sinned once a day! It’s truly overwhelming! And His unconditional love…

Ill.: song by Big Daddy Weave: Overwhelmed! I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by you!

t.s.: And our brothers and sisters in Christ should be overwhelmed at our patience, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Finally, we see in this passage a picture…

IV. Here is a Picture of life in the body, this new family of God.

exp.: rd v 15f; Peace rule (2.18), Let Peace umpire; Gratitude, & the Word of God; w/ teaching, admonishing, singing; Summary: let everything you do glorify Him!

ill.: Some years ago I came across a picture of me with my family as a teenager and feelings of not fitting in flooded through me. I hadn’t noticed it before, but this time, it was bigger than Dallas to me. There was my dad and stepmom with my little sister, clumped together as one happy little family. I was off to the side, not fitting into their little family. I’m sure they didn’t really want to make me feel that way – that wasn’t their intention. But there it was none the less.

I saw the same thing with my brother Fred. He was showing me pictures and we came across one of him as a teen. There was his mom, with her arms wrapped around one child, and his stepdad, with his arms wrapped around the other child, all four closely formed together for a family photo. Fred was invited in, but he was further away and trying to reach in with his body. But, he was visibly distanced.

app.: I think it is just a thing that happens with step-families. Man meets woman and one of them brings a child in from their previous marriage. Man and woman begin a new family and the child is somehow isolated. Now, I’m sure there will be those who will debate this with me. But, I’m just telling you how it appears – to me and in the photos I’ve seen.

A side note – I visited with one young woman who never fit into either of her stepfamilies. Her dad and his new bride had a couple of children. They bought a home and started a life together. Had a couple of kids – a girl and a boy. Her mom did the same thing. I think her new family had two boys. This young lady, through her early childhood and teen years spent equal time with both families. During my time of counseling, it was made apparent that she never had a bedroom. Both families put her on the couch – the foldout! And, for all those years! Her pictures show the same. Her family photos show the same – from both families.

t.s.: But this is what a family photo is supposed to look like:

Conclusion: y’all, it ain’t that way with this family. While it is true that we all come from outside the family, when you join this family, you belong! This family photo displays all of the key elements: Peace, Thanksgiving & the Word of God dwells through teaching, admonishing and singing. Finally, brothers and sisters: 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.

The Christian’s Responsibility: Part 1

Title: The Christian’s Responsibility

Text: Colossians 3.1-11

CPT: Paul has moved from teaching doctrine to the practice of their faith; Believers should set their focus on Christ alone, and live out their lives no longer controlled by the earthly passions and desires, but rather to participate in a common community that finds its foundation, not in race, religion or social status, but in but Christ alone.

CPS: Since you have been raised with Christ, strip away the old person and dress in righteousness and holiness, and no longer behave in a manner which reflects your former, lost state.

Introduction: We’ve come to a transition point in Colossians. We’ve moved from a focus on the pastor and his teaching – as portrayed by Paul, here, to the Believer and his actions. It was the Pastor’s Prayer, Gratitude, Plea, Struggle, etc., as he wrote of his desires for the church. Now, we’ll take a look at the Christian’s Life: His Responsibility, His Relationships, and His Work as it relates to his new life in Christ.

Paul does here in Colossians, what he does in some of his other letters – he teaches first and then, he challenges the reader to live out that teaching; There are Principles of the Christian faith and there is the Practice of the Christian faith.

• Ephesians 1-3; 4.1 – ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called
• Romans 1-11; 12.1 – ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 12 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.

Likewise, we find in 3.1, a transition from the didactic to the practical. Therefore…; NASB; don’t see it in the ESV, but there is a push in the transition, that leads us from the teaching portion of the letter, to the application.

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, and Paul issues two commands for the Christian in fulfilling his responsibility: Seek and Set; So, what is the Christian’s Responsibility?

I’ve listed them here as:

I. Focus on Christ (1-4)

exp.: if; a good thing for every person to do, but, the command is directed at believers; I’ve heard of stories of people who are not Christians or Jewish, but like the principles set forth Scripture and follow them because they make good economic sense. These folks like the moral compass of Scripture or the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. But this is for the believer: Command 1: seek – the things above; Command 2: Set your minds (Think or Understand) again, on things above; as opposed to the shadows (2.17), these things below on the earth;

ill.: You’re commanded to do these both because it isn’t in your nature, as a human; Paul quotes the OT in Romans 3 and says, “No one understands; no one seeks out God.”

“None is righteous, no, not one; ¹¹no one understands; no one seeks for God. ¹²All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

It isn’t in your nature; but you have a new nature now! Rd v 3a; for (because) you died, and you have been hidden in Christ; rd v 4; but when he appears, you will no longer be hidden in him, you’ll appear with him in glory;

app.: your place isn’t here! You don’t belong on this earth.

ill.: C.S. Lewis said: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

app.: Stop focusing on the shadows, he says, but rather, Fix your eyes upon Jesus! Yes, you live among the shadows, but they are not reality!

t.s.: So, in v5-9, Paul informs the readers about…

II. The Reality of the Old Life (5-9)

exp.: rd 3.5a; put to death is lit.: make dead! Well, how do you make something alive, die? You kill it! If it is a tomato plant, you give it to me! I’ll kill it for you! I’m like Lenny Small in Of Mice and Men, who loved his pet mouse so much he pet it to death. I just love my tomato plants to death. Back to our text, this is what I call:

• The Harsh Reality of the Old Life – Kill it; That’s the thing about living in the shadowlands – our minds are focused on the shadows. Paul gives a list of what to kill in yourself; rd 3.5b; he’ll continue the list after v6-7 – where he gives grounds for their change; rd 3.6f; Then, he continues the list – and this is what I call…
• The Practical Reality of the Old Life – Set it aside –

This first list, Paul identifies as connected with idolatry: consider the 10 commandments – idolatry, covetousness, wanting your neighbor’s possessions and people.

This 2^nd list deals more with speech – anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another…

In reality, they all deal with relationships. This is how you used to be! But you’re not that way anymore – so deal with your relationships in a Christlike manner. Even though, some people are hard to live with!

ill.: R. Kent Hughes tells the story of a young man who fell in love with Jonathan Edwards’ Daughter. The young man sought out Edwards, 3rd president of Princeton, and asked for her hand. Edwards knew his daughter better than the outside world. Hughes writes: Edwards had a daughter with an ungovernable temper. As is often the case, the problem was not known to the outside world.

“You can’t have her,” was the abrupt answer of Jonathan Edwards.

“But I love her,” the young man replied.

“You can’t have her,” said Edwards.

“But she loves me,” replied the young man.

Again Edwards said, “You can’t have her.”

“Why?” asked the young man.

“Because she is not worthy of you.”

“But,” he asked, “she is a Christian, is she not?”

“Yes, she is a Christian, but the grace of God can live with some people with whom no one else could ever live.”

R. Kent Hughes, “Preaching the Word: Colossians and Philemon”

Ouch! Of his own daughter!

app.: The Reality of the Old Life is that it must be put to death. It has no place in this new life.

t.s.: which is our last point this morning, we’ll expand on it next week…

III. The Reality of this New Life (10-11)

exp.: rd 3.9a-11; simply put – because you’re a part of a new family; you’re not classified in one of these former groups! Your new group is “Christian”!

ill.: Acts 9, the story of Paul’s conversion: – new friends – new family; the guys who traveled with to Damascus – those guys went back to Jerusalem without Paul.

Years later, when Paul is brought before his old family – the Sanhedrin – he doesn’t even know their leadership. Acts 23;

app.: Paul’s life was new – as it is with us, when we come to Christ: we get new friends and new passions; and yes, there are those who will doubt the experience, but then we see a faithfulness to the Gospel that demonstrates this new change. As you kill the passions and vices you once walked in – as you put away the old behaviors and are transformed into the image of your creator, it will become more and more evident.

t.s.: we’ll pick up here next week, in 12-17;

Conclusion:

We have brothers & sisters in Christ who are called Methodist. Every denomination is having the same struggle they’re having, it’s just their struggle is very public right now.

The conservative wing of the UMC has detached themselves from the liberal wing of the UMC and has formed a new denomination: The Global Methodist Church.

From what I understand (and I’ll admit, I don’t understand their denominational form and structure), there is a group of conservatives who have recognized for decades a liberal movement from within their denomination. They’ve fought for their denomination for decades, but have come to a point where they don’t want to continue the battle. Every 4 years, when their General Conference meets to discuss theology and practice, to make changes and challenges, the liberal movement rises up and pushes to remove traditional evangelicalism and embrace a Christless gospel that doesn’t offend. There are many on the left (Ecclesiological not political) who would contend that the Traditionalists’ battle is against the LGBTQPIA+, but I don’t think that is so. Not really.

Dr. Timothy Tennet, President of Asbury Theological Seminary wrote on this matter of separation. This is the time for the Traditionalists to remember afresh what this whole struggle has been about over the last fifty years. It has not been about human sexuality. It has not been about the terms of separation. It has not been about the Trust Clause. These have served as some of the presenting issues. The struggle has been about nothing less than the recovery of biblical, apostolic Christianity. It is about a profound and fresh encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is the Lord of the church, and who has promised us that he will build his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

For them, their battle is the same as ours – it is for the inerrancy, infallibility, and wholly inspired Word of God. Either this is God’s Word, or it isn’t. Either God is powerful enough to communicate to us His commands, or He is not. He is strong enough to preserve it for 1000’s of years, or He is not. And He means what He says, or he does not.

I think of our text today. Paul said, “Kill whatever is earthly in you.” And he lists πορνεία first, trans.: sexual immorality. Πορνεία is the word from which we get our word pornography. Πορνεία is a word which describes any sexually explicit activity outside of the covenant marriage as designed by God. There are other words which are used to describe specific activity, but this one is a general term used to describe any activity not sanctioned in Scripture.

That’s pretty simple and pretty clear. I can’t say I understand everything there is in Scripture about every topic under the sun. But the truth is, I don’t have to. I have enough trouble abiding by the instructions that are clear. This one is clear! Husband, if you’re watching pornography, you’re breaking the 7^th and the 10^th commandments.

We’re not Methodist (although, some of you are). We are Christians. But their struggle is ourn; it is ours, too! As believers, something happens to us when we come to Christ. When anyone comes to Christ, the old has passed away. The New has come! And, The Word of God is our Standard for determining this new life in Christ.

Challenge:

1. Kill whatever is earthly in you. Rise up and kill it! Get radical! Remove your TV’s; change from a smart phone to a flip phone; get accountability;
2. Watch your mouth! Put a guard over it! Get accountability; if you want to stop lying, ask those who love you to hold you accountable. Then, don’t get mad, repent. If you’re a gossip – stop! Get accountability. Ask your spouse, your friends to hold you accountable. Then, don’t get mad, repent!
3. Begin to treat the Word of God as it actually is. Not a comic book to picked up and read sometimes, but, a letter from the Creator of this Universe to you.