"How To Live As God Wants Us To Live” Series

There was a time when the most popular type of books were the “how to” books. Now, in this video age, we find that practically anything you want to know how to do can be found on Facebook or YouTube. You name it, from the most popular of topics to the most obscure of topics, there is somebody somewhere who will be glad to tell you how to do it. This is paralleled in the spiritual realm, too.

“Many voices in this world want us to listen to what they say, but only God’s Word is what we must hear and obey.”

Here in God’s Word, in our passage for today, Paul gives us a brief tutorial on how we, a Christians, can live as God wants us to live. If we are going to live as God wants us to live, then we must . . .

1. Walk where God wants us to walk - v. 15

That is, we must walk in God’s will. But how can we know God’s will for our daily life? Paul tells us the answer here. God speaks by His Spirit through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and wise council to reveal His will for our lives. But Paul would have us understand how we know it is the Holy Spirit speaking. We know this by the peace the Holy Spirit gives us.

“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” - Colossians 3:15 (Amplified, Classic Edition)

This translation brings out the role of God’s peace (which is produced by the Holy Spirit) in letting us know if I am in God’s will or not.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

In making decisions, we should seek wise council, and we should consider circumstances, and we should look to God’s Word and we should pray. But what are we looking for to know God’s answer? Peace. And notice: His peace will show us how to feel about things - “guard your hearts,” show us how to think about things - “guard your minds,” and how to move forward with things - “as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Like an umpire, God’s peace lets us know if we are “safe” within God’s will or “out” of God’s will. Notice that Paul uses the word “let.” This indicates that whether or not I know if I’m in God’s will is up to me. God is always speaking. But am I always seeking?

2. Worship as God wants us to worship - v. 16

A. The purpose of worship - “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly”

The purpose of worship is that we might grow in our knowledge of God through His Word dwelling in us. In other words, when we gather to worship (and Paul is obviously talking about corporate worship here as he mentions “one another”) we should do so with a desire to hear a personal Word from God, to find how He wants to speak to us personally through His Word. This speaks to the attitude with which we should approach worship together. This is captured well in the chorus of the old song: “Speak to my heart, Oh speak to my heart, Speak to my heart I pray, Yielded and still seeking Thy will, Oh speak to my heart today.”

Notice again that Paul uses the word “let.” This indicates that whether or not I get something out of the experience of worship is up to me. God is always speaking. But am I always seeking?

B. The practice of worship -

1) Teaching - “as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom”

Teaching and preaching of God’s Word must always be center stage in our corporate worship experience. We’re told three things about it:

A) It must be biblical. Obviously, if the objective of worship is to help us have the Word of God dwell in us richly, then the instruction given as part of worship must have to do with God’s Word. Besides, there is no power in man’s opinion, even the preacher’s. The power to change lives comes from the Word of God.

B) It must be passionate. I heard a preacher say once that when Sunday came around, he wanted to have something to say, not just to have to say something. The greatest sin committed Sunday after Sunday is for preachers and teachers to take the most exciting book ever compiled and bore people with it.