Reading: Colossians chapter 3 verses 1-25.
• In the final two chapters of Colossians,
• Paul moved into the practical application of the doctrines he had been teaching.
• After all, it does little good if Christians declare and defend the truth,
• But fail to demonstrate it in their lives.
(1). Put off (verses 1-7)
• The pagan religions of Paul’s day;
• Said very little or nothing at all about personal morality.
Ill:
• A worshiper could bow before an idol, put his offering on the altar,
• And go back to live the same old life of sin.
Ill:
• Comedian Frank Skinner a modern example.
• His stage act is course, crude full of innuendo and bad language.
• Yet he goes to mass each morning.
• What he believes does not affect his behaviour.
This was also true in New Testament times among the pagans:
• Religion was in one compartment and everyday living in another.
• What a person believed had no direct relationship with how he behaved,
When the Christian faith burst onto a pagan society:
• It brought a whole new concept into being.
• What a Christian believed, had a very definite connection with how we behave!
• After all, faith in Christ means being united to Christ;
• And if we share His life, we must follow His example.
(1). 3 Positive or Heavenly truths (verses 1-4):
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
(a). We are raised with Christ (Verse 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”.
• We are raised with Christ
• It is possible to be alive and still live in the grave.
Ill:
• During World War II, several Jewish refugees hid in a cemetery,
• And a baby was actually born in one of the graves.
• It is possible to be alive and still live in the grave.
• Each Christian should not only alive but also raised with Christ.
Note: In the New International Version the chapter begins with the word “Since”:
• It is a confident statement of our Christian status.
• Some translations begin with the word “If”,
• Which may cause confusion;
• It could be taken to imply some doubt about our relationship to Christ.
• But the verse is teaching, and teaching with confidence.
• That what happened to Jesus will happen to us!
Three ways we are raised with Christ:
(1). Symbolically:
• At our baptism,
• Coming out of the water is a picture of resurrection life.
(2). Theologically:
• The Bible teaches in this and other passages that we are raised with Christ.
• That is our position as far as God is concerned.
(3). Practically:
• We are to live lives as those who are raised and seated in glory;
• Or as verse 2 puts it: we are to ‘set our hearts on things above’.
The expression:
• “Things above” means things controlled by God.
• “Things that are on earth” mean things pursued without reference to God.
• Christians might be living on earth,
• But they don’t follow earthly values, attitudes or behaviour.
• Christians are to desire and live in such a way, that they please God.
• And this can only be achieved when we look at life from God’s perspective.
Ill:
• Manager often sits in the stand for all or part of the game,
• That higher perspective helps him to take aboard things he can’t see at ground level.
• In our daily living we are to sit ‘in the stands’ or ‘in the heaven’.
• This will help us achieve what we cannot achieve at ground level.
(b). We are hidden in Christ (verse 3).
Verse 3-4:
3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
• Paul speaks of Christians having died with Christ,
• This refers to their experience of baptism.
• He speaks of their life now being ‘hidden’ in Jesus,
• He uses a Greek idiom, a Greek expression used for death;
• To show that just as in death the body is hidden in the earth,
• So now, through baptism, the old ‘earthly’ person is dead and buried in Jesus.
There is a contrast in these verses:
• The Christian is described as both dead and alive at the same time;
• Dead to sin and alive in Christ.
• The emphasis in these verses,
• Is on the believer’s relationship with Christ.
Verse 4:
• We live, we have new life only because of Jesus Christ,
• “Christ is our life”.
Quote:
Someone has said, “Life is what you are alive to.”
Ill:
• We have all met people or relatives who are shy or quiet on the fringe of a conversation,
• But then come alive when you talk about a football game; or mention music or cars etc.
• Christ was Paul’s life and he was alive to anything that related to Christ.
• So should it be with every believer.
Yet this expression means far more:
• “And your life is now hidden with Christ in God”.
• I think this sentence is referring to our security.
Quote: The eminent Greek scholar, Dr. A.T. Robertson, comments on this:
“So here we are in Christ who is in God, and no burglar, not even Satan himself,
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus”
ill:
Sunday School teacher and the little girl.
• They had just finished a lesson on our security in Christ;
• The teacher asked the little girl; “What if you slipped away?”
• The little girl replied “I can’t slip away for he has me in my hand”.
• The teacher teasing her said, “But what if his fingers should let go?”
• Suddenly remembering another lesson they had been taught, she replied;
• “They can’t for I am one of those fingers!”
(c). We are glorified in Christ (verse 4).
4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
• Christ is in glory, he is NOW seated at the Father’s right hand,
• Remember Paul has been teaching what happened to Jesus, happens to the believer!
• The second coming when Christ returns in glory,
• Will not be a Christ only event.
• Christians will not just be spectators, looking on;
• But we will also be partakers, we will be involved and share in his glory.
Quote Philippians chapter 3 verse 21-22:
”But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere”.
Now because we are:
• Raised with Christ (verse 1)
• Hidden in Christ (verse 3).
• Glorified in Christ (verse 4)
• Our attitudes and behaviour should reflect these truths.
Ill:
• Would not find Prince Charles or Princes Anne drunk in the middle of London.
• You would not find them using foul & abusive language in public.
• They are royalty and therefore they are expected to conduct themselves appropriately.
• To behave like royalty.
Each Christian is in Christ:
• And therefore expected to live like Christ, that’s why in verse 2 we are told to:
• “Habitually set our minds—our attention—on things above, not on things on the earth”
• To align our will with God’s,
• And THEN we experience the victorious resurrection power of Christ in our lives.
(b). The negative (verses 5-7):
• We turn now from the positive to the negative.
• To be balanced people we need both the positive and the negative commands.
Ill:
• No amount of positive talk about health will cure a ruptured appendix.
• The doctor will have to “get negative” and take out the appendix.
• No amount of watching gardening programmes on TV will produce a beautiful garden.
• The gardener has to go out and “be negative” turn the soil or pull the weeds!
• The positive and the negative go together,
• And one without the other leads to imbalance.
(1). Sexual sins (Verse 5):
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry”.
The sins in this list are mainly to do with the wrong use of our sexuality.
(a). Sexual immorality (or ‘fornication’)
• Refers to voluntary sexual intercourse between people who are not married
• (Or not married to each other).
(b). Impurity:
• This refers to moral uncleanness, or obscenity.
• That which is offensive and indecent.
(c). Lust:
• Is the over emphasis on what God has given to us.
• Ill: Food……..greed or gluttony, ill: Drink………….drunkenness.
(d). Evil desires and greed (or covetousness)
• Like lust this may apply to sexuality;
• Or it may apply to material possessions.
• Evil desires is yearning for things that are wrong,
• Greed is craving for things we cannot have.
Verses 5-6: tell us to put them off. Two reasons are given:
(1). They are not the clothes of the Christian:
• These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ.
• Verse 5: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature”
Ill:
• Les Hardwick gave a tramp a new coat,
• The tramp put it straight on top of his old flea bitten one!
• Paul says the Christian cannot have both,
• He or she puts off the old to wear the new.
(2).
• God’s judgment falls on those who practice these sins;
• Verse 6: “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming”.
• One day God will judge the world regarding these issues,
• And one day each Christian will also “Give an account for the deeds done in the body”.
(2). Put off (verses 8-9)
. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices“
Paul now moves from sexual sins:
• And goes on to point out the dangers of the social sins.
• Quote: Dr. G. Campbell Morgan called these “the sins in good standing.”
5 things are mentioned:
• (a). Anger and rage are violent fits of bad temper.
• (b). Malice is evil speaking, or active ill-will.
• (c). Slander means to degrade or debase another by what you say about him or her.
• (d). Filthy language is indecent talk or vulgar humour.
• (e). Lying is any attempt to deceive.
Quote: Someone has said:
• We would be shocked to see a church member commit some sensual sin (verse 5),
• But too often we stand by and watch him or her commit social sins
• e.g. lose their temper or gossip (verse 8).
Paul’s advice to the Christians at Colossae:
• Verse 9: “Rid yourselves of them”.
• “Put off”.
Ill:
• The word picture here is that of a person changing clothes:
• “Putting off” (vs 9) and verse 10: “Putting on”.
Ill:
• The idea of changing garments to express spiritual truth is not new,
• Zechariah chapter 3 refers to the high priests filthy clothes.
• Luke chapter 15 the prodigal son received a change of clothes.
Paul now uses this metaphor, this picture to the Christians at Colosae:
• God has given you a new wardrobe of clothes to wear.
• So cast off the old clothing.
Ill:
This clothing metaphor relates back to verse 1:
• To the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
• When He arose from the dead, he left the grave-clothes behind (John 20:1-10).
Ill:
• Likewise, when Lazarus was raised from the dead, J
• Jesus instructed the people to “loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44).
• The grave-clothes represent the old life with its sinful deeds.
• But now that we have new life in Christ, we must walk “in the clothes of new life”.
(3). Put on (verses 10-17).
Verse 10:
“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
Paul is never just negative:
• With “Put off” that is making sure that their old nature (old self) is dead,
• He adds “Put on” God has something far better for you to wear.
Quote Warren Wiersbe:
“God wants you to wear the grace-clothes, not the grave-clothes!”
ill:
• No one would play football in their best suit of dress.
• No one would go to a wedding in their old clothes (keep for gardening or decorating etc)
• You wear appropriate clothes, which suit the activity.
• In the activity of life Paul says you are wearing grace-clothes. So live accordingly!
Verse 12-15: Tells us what those grace-clothes are:
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful
A number of things are mentioned:
(a). Compassion:
• Is a deeply felt sympathy for those in need:
• Not a passing emotion, but a way of thinking that results in action.
(b). Kindness is a generous interest in and regard for others.
(c). Humility is not to be self-deprecating:
• But to have a proper view of your value in God’s sight,
• Which enables you to look at people in the same way.
(d). Gentleness:
• Is the opposite of being stormy, harsh, or rude,
• It is not to be confused with weakness, strength under control.
(e). Patience, or long-suffering:
• Is the ability to endure another’s wrong conduct;
• Without resorting to resentment, or the desire for revenge or uncontrolled anger.
(f). Forbearance and forgiveness complement patience.
• They are the gifts of withholding judgement;
• And being ready to set free those who have done wrong.
(g).Love:
• Love is a selfless emotion, often triggered by an act of will,
• Which puts the well-being of others first.
The original Greek speaks of love as ‘the bond of perfection’:
• Some translations take this to mean;
• That love is the bond which unites the church;
Others, like the New International Version,
• Take it to mean that it is love which binds all the other virtues together;
• And brings them to perfection.
• Elsewhere in the New Testament love is seen as the one virtue which sums up all others.
• E.g. 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
(h). Peace –
• Here peace is not so much the inner peace Christ gives,
• But the peace he brings between Christians.
Ill:
• Tennis the umpire rules, he is in charge;
• His or her job is to settle conflicts and bring peace to a situation.
• In the same way among Christians peace should be the umpire,
• The desire to maintain peace must be the determining factor in Christian relationships;
(4). 4 Essential truths to stay smartly dressed:
(1). Desire the word (Verse 16):
16Let 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.
• The Word of Christ,
• This means, of course, the Word of God, the Bible.
• The false teachers came to Colossae with another word;
• They came with man-made traditions, religious rules, and human philosophies.
• They tried to harmonize God’s Word with their teachings,
• But they could not succeed because God’s Word always magnifies Jesus Christ.
So Paul reminds the Christians at Colosae:
• That it was not the word of false teachers;
• It was not their secret knowledge that brought salvation to the Colossians;
• It was the word of Christ,
• It was the Word of the truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (ill: Col. 1:5).
• This Word had transformed their lives
• And would continue to transform them IF they will permit it to “dwell” in them richly.
The word dwell means “to feel at home”:
• If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ,
• Then the Word of Christ will feel at home in our hearts.
• It becomes a friend whose company we like to keep,
• And someone we enjoy spending time with.
(2). Examine and learn (Verse 16b):
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom”
• Teaching has to do with doctrine, what we believe.
• Admonishing has to do with duty, how we behave.
• God is not after smart sinners,
• Those who know the truth.
• He wants saints that are changed,
• Those who hear the word and put it into practice.
Note: Whether teaching or admonishing we need to do it with “Wisdom”.
• Wisdom is more than knowledge,
• Knowledge is having something to say, information.
• Wisdom is so much more,
• It is having information but knowing how best to say it and WHEN to say it.
(3). Look up and worship (Verse 16c):
“As you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual song”.
• A Christian who has ‘Set their our hearts on things above’.
• That is has a right attitude.
• And a Christian who is desiring and allowing the word of God to change them,
• Will automatically be a praising and worshiping person.
There would seem to be (according to this verse):
• A definite relationship,
• Between our knowledge of the Bible and our expression of worship in song.
3 types of songs are mentioned:
(a).Psalms
• Were, of course, the songs taken from the Old Testament.
• Which were and are chanted or set to music.
(b). Hymns:
• Were songs of praise to God,
• Written by believers but not taken from the Psalms.
Ill;
“Jesus is king, and I will extol him,
give him the glory and honour his name”.
(c). Spiritual songs
Quote Warren Wiersbe:
“When we sing a hymn, we address the Lord;
when we sing a spiritual song, we address each other”.
Ill:
“O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry,
Everything to God in prayer”.
Note: Verse 16 & 17 teaches me:
“As you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And 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”.
• That the key to our singing is not a particular hymn book or style of song,
• It does not matter weather it is sung unaccompanied or by a full orchestra!
• The essential element to have is a right attitude!
• Our singing must be from our hearts full of gratitude and thanksgiving.
So remember:
• To look up – a right mind set,
• To look into God’s word – a right desire.
• To apply God’s word – a right lifestyle,
• That should produce the right response - a thankful and grateful people!
