CHRISTIANS ARE BEING TRANSFORMED
COLOSSIANS 3:1-4
SERMON SERIES: A CHRISTIAN IS...
Turn your Bibles to Colossians 3:1-4 as we look at God’s word on change. One of the reasons the apostle Paul wrote this letter was to address the issue of change. Can a person truly change? Can a person whose favorite song is “MY WAY” truly change into someone who now joyfully sings “HIS WAY?” Can a doubter truly turn into a person of strong, steadfast faith? Can hard-hearted, unkind, proud, rude, impatient, self-centered, unforgiving people change into compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, bearing others, forgiving people? Can someone truly change? Have you seen a changed man or woman?
Some will say NO NEED. If ever they want to be more hard-hearted, self-loving, take care of themselves and their own interest. For them, this is the only way to cope up with life in this world. The object of life is securing myself, promoting myself, indulging myself. They want more of this life, more of this world.
Some people will say, NO. They have tried to change. Others prayed to be changed. Some thought they were changing. A few have tried all they can. But are disappointed. They have given up their hope of ever changing.
Others will actually say YES WE CAN. The false teachers in Colosse which this apostolic letter sought to correct were actually claiming that they can. They thought of their way as a way of wisdom as it was based on some type of Greek dualism which look at the body and its appetites as something to be denied. These was a combination of asceticism and mysticism. They had angels for support, but mostly, it was a religion which depended on self-control, and self-discipline.
Today the same claim is being made. Your road to peace is some form of YOGA. Your way to happiness is MONEY. Your fulfillment is HELPING THE POOR – BENEVOLENCE. I even read an interesting article in Times Magazine a few months ago about a part of our brain where decisions are made. They are saying that there is something in the brain that causes people to lie, to cheat on spouse, to steal, to kill, to be selfish. Their dream is to one day remove that capacity.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians is God’s word concerning change. Listen, God turns to those who do not see the need to change: “You will lose your life. You will wake up one day realizing you have missed the opportunity to be truly alive. You will be regret but it will be too late.” And then He turns to those who tried, and who want to change but are disappointed and say, “Stop. Return to the basics. Go back to Step 1.”
Now he turns to those who confidently claim that they can through self-creativity and effort can change themselves and says, NO, YOU CAN’T.
And now He turns to us and declare – BUT WE CAN! Together we can!
I. First, we CELEBRATE God’s VISION FOR OUR TRANSFORMATION.
COL 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
This prayer states God’s will. His vision which we have embraced as our individual vision: A LIFE WORTHY OF THE LORD AND A LIFE THAT PLEASES THE LORD IN EVERY WAY. (Worthy – fitting of the Lord.)
You might say, my life is not worthy of the Lord, and I am so ruined – so wounded – so deeply affected by sin. So don’t give up. Let the HS cleans up your sight again today.
And what about the vision that moved Paul to preach the gospel of Christ:
COL 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Here’s another insight into what God wants us to be:
COL 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
My Heart, the centre of my being, ruled by the PEACE OF CHRIST – loving and living like our Lord.
My Mind, so indwelt by the word of Christ that I think like Christ – I see like Christ. What a great honor.
Francis of Assissi teaching on perfect joy
“Perfect joy he taught one of the brothers does not come when their groups succeeds in giving a great example of holiness and edification to all lands. Nor would a great ministry of healing and raising of the dead. Nor would possession of all languages and all science, nor all understanding of prophecy and Scripture, and insight into the secrets of every soul. Nor would even the conversion of all unbelievers to faith in Christ.
But of when we come to our quarters – dirty, wet, and exhausted from hunger – we are rejected, repeatedly rebuffed, and finally driven away by force, then “if we accept such injustice, such cruelty, and such contempt with patience, without being ruffled and without murmuring, and if we bear all these injuries with patience and joy, thinking of the sufferings of our Blessed Lord, which we would share out of love for Him, that my brother, finally is PERFECT JOY!” (Willard, Renovation, p 69).
That vision includes WHO WE ARE TO GOD AND WHO ARE BECOMING!
COL 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
May I add the picture of the LIFE OF THE TRANSFORMED PERSON:
Wives who have learned graceful SUBMISSION – fitting to the LORD.
Husbands who love their wives, treating them with gentleness – like Christ.
Children, pleasing God by obeying their godly parents in everything.
Fathers who do not embitter their children
Slaves who serve their earthly masters like they were serving the LORD.
Masters who reflect their REAL MASTER in heaven.
Here’s one more:
1:3-8 – TRIAD OF CHANGE
COL 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
II. Second, WE CELEBRATE THE GRACE OF GOD THAT CHANGED OUR CONDITION.
How did this happen? And why can’t anyone replicate these changes? We live in a world of duplications? Why can’t anyone change on their own? The answer is simple: WE ARE SO RUINED? OUR INNER SELVES ARE SO RUINED! WE ARE BEYOND REPAIR, THAT WE NEED NO LESS THAN A REPLACEMENT!
1:13 – Rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
1:21-23 – Once alienated from God and were enemies in your minds to God because of evil behavior. But NOW, he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
COL 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
So we ask what are you doing at the cross Jesus? His answer is, “I’m taking your place. I’m paying the price of your sin – eternal separation from God; damnation in the eternal lake of fire. Why are you there Jesus? I am here to receive the wrath of God against your sin? Why is the cross necessary? Why did you have to die for my place, Jesus? He will answer back, “Because I am laying a claim on you! I want you to be mine.”
Illustration: I heard of a story this week that really moved me deep. It’s a story of a black girl who had cleft palate (bungi). He was the butt of jokes, and was very unhappy. They called her names – ugly names that just drove her deeper into despair. Most people made no attention to her except for this one school teacher who showed great interest in her. She was always for her. She talked to her. One day the pupils were being tested with how good they could hear. The teacher would whisper something into their ear, and the pupil would say it back. This girl says that was the turning point of her life. She will become a very successful person after that – serving the Lord. The teacher whispered, “I wish you were my daughter.”
I am telling you today, God is saying the same thing to us today. God is saying, “I sent my Son for you, He died on the cross because I want you to be mine. Put your entire life in Jesus.”
III. THIRD, CELEBRATE THE EMPOWERMENT THE CROSS BRINGS (3:1-17)
COL 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
COL 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
COL 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
COL 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Challenge:
Some of you are genuinely thankful today because you have seen how God changed you. There is reason to celebrate. Move on. Keep on growing into Christlikeness. The standard is perfection and this means there’s more. We move on. We yield ourselves to the Lord. We trust Him completely. We know He is transforming us. So we follow Him no matter what because His peace rules our hearts. We also continue to replace our old, worldly, self-centered, self-securing, self-indulging beliefs and receive the word of Christ. We want His word to enrich us.
“That is completely not me. Let me tell you now that God loves you. He died for you. He tells you today, you are…. Start living as you are… not as you were.
“Others may be here and you need to take the first step towards God. Remember he has already taken that step towards you. He is drawing you to Himself now. Will you turn your life over to the Lord now.” Wherever you are, say to the Lord, yes Lord I’m turning my life over to you NOW.
