Colossians 3:12–17 (NKJV)
The May 1987 edition of National Geographic included a feature about the arctic wolf. Author L. David Mech described how a seven-member pack had targeted several musk-oxen calves who were guarded by eleven adults. As the wolves approached their quarry, the musk-oxen bunched in an impenetrable semicircle, their deadly rear hooves facing out, and the calves remained safe during a long standoff with the enemy. But then a single ox broke rank, and the herd scattered into nervous little groups. A skirmish ensued, and the adults finally fled in panic, leaving the calves to the mercy of the predators. Not a single calf survived.
Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 that after his departure savage wolves would come, not sparing the flock. Wolves continue to attack the church today but the wolves cannot penetrate and destroy when unity is maintained. When believers break ranks, however, they provide easy prey. (1)
The world is watching every move of the church. Unity in the church is much important now has it has ever been. The world is just waiting for a weak moment, a weak link, a hole in the defense to come in like wolves and decimate the very body of Christ. But unfortunately, the church itself, or rather the members of the church are often their own worst enemy. It is little wonder Jesus spoke often on loving one another. He was not talking so much on how we are to love those in the world as much as He was telling us to love those within the fellowship of believers.
John 13:35 (NKJV) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 15:12 (NKJV) This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
So what does this love for one another look like? Paul describes this in our passage today. In our focal passage, Paul lists three different commands. Look in your Bibles: Verse 12 – Put on (fruit of the Spirit); Verse 15 – Let rule (the peace of God); Verse 16 – Let dwell (the word of Christ)
As we approach the Supper Table of our Lord, we need to do so in unity. I just cannot not imagine Jesus would be pleased seeing squabbling among His people at the His table.
Colossians 3:12 (NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
You know I love that word “Therefore” For what is Paul drawing a conclusion? He told us in verses 8 and 9 to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language. Not to lie to one another.
Colossians 3:9–10 (NKJV) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him
The put off and to put on is the same word used to put on and take off clothes. Therefore:
"as the elect of God, holy and beloved"
As the chosen, the very possession of God, holy, because we belong to Him, and we are beloved by God.
"put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering"
We are to put on the characteristics of the new man. We have seen these words before, Paul tells us that we are to put on and display the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
All Christian, true believers and followers of Christ have these qualities within themselves, and since we do, we need to display them in all areas of our life. These are what set us individually apart from the rest the world.
Colossians 3:13 (NKJV) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
We get the forgiving part. But let we take a minute with the “bearing with one another” part. Bearing one another means to put up with one another. This verse speaks of enduring as the one offended. This not directed to the offender but the one being offended. You see the one offending may have no awareness that an offense had happened. We as a nation become a nation of offended people. We have political correctness because of all the outrageous offenses people perceive against themselves. This offense mentality has also invaded the church. We are offended and we let others know. We get upset and withdrawal. We have our feeling hurt and we want to take our ball and go home. How are we to be a blessing to others in the church, much less those outside the church, if we continually allow ourselves to be offended every time somethings happens that things just do not go our way or someone says something that hurt our feelings?
Paul says we are bear with one another. Put up with one another. We do this all the time in families. Growing up my brother would be mean to me, but I did not build a collision against him, I did not try and leave the family because of him, I did not even threaten to leave. He was and always will be my brother and I will love him because he is my bother. The church is a family. We put up with one another. We put on thick skin and we love another because they are our brother or sister. Lord know, how many have put up with me and still love and bless me despite all my faults.
"and forgiving one another"
“Forgiving” in the Greek has as its root word “grace.” We know about God’s grace, forgiving is something that is freely given, it is not conditional, it is not based if that other person ever changes or not.
"if anyone has a complaint against another"
How many complaints do we have with another? Grudges and animosity held within us has no place in the lives of God’s people. God’s people are not to hold grudges.
Remember, we are taking about those in the church. Again, I know many have had complaints against me, yet they forgive me, let the grudges go, and continue to love me and bless me:
"even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."
Wow, there is a lot right there. We must continually remind ourselves who we are pattering our lives after. Just how much did Christ forgive you and me? Does Jesus hold a grudge against you and me for what we have done in the past or even continue to do? No He does not. So we must do likewise with others.
Colossians 3:14 (NKJV) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is what? Love.
1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Are we really loving one another? Or do we just say the words? Now the next command:
Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Let the peace of God rule. We talk about the peace of God. We know that as a child of God we can experience the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). But this verse is talking more than personal peace This verse is dealing with the peace of God that brings harmony to the body of Christ.
Peace is to rule in the body of Christ. It is our umpire to our decision making. Will what I do bring peace? Peace, the very peace of God should guide all our activities, whether individual decision or actions, or in church programs and projects. Over the years I’ve been at Rosemont, you may have noticed how I shut down decisions in business meeting of which we have some notable dissention. Even though we may have a majority to pass a motion, it is not worth the loss of peace in the fellowship to pursue that matter further at that point in time. Keeping peace is different from compromise. What did Jesus say about peace?
Matthew 5:9 (NKJV) Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Are you and I a peace maker in the body, for:
"you were called in one body"
We are one with one another. Do all we do, not only honor Jesus, but bring peace to whole body?
"and be thankful"
Thankfulness is the end result of peace. Without peace, people become self-centered, self-seeking, and dissatisfied with the body, and there is not any thankfulness. How thankful we are is an indicator how the peace of God rules within the heart of our fellowship. So the question might not be, “is there peace?”, but rather “are we thankful?” And the third command:
Colossians 3:16 (NKJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Let dwell the word of Christ. “Let dwell” is one word in the Greek and it is a command. The word “dwell” carries the idea of inhabitation, being and feeling at home. A hard question for some us is whether the Word of Christ, the words of Scripture, the words of the Bible are at home in you? Or are they a stranger? Are they totally unfamiliar? Or are the words of Christ just an occasional visitor? The word of Christ ought to be indwelling, to be added to and refreshed each and every day. The question ought to be, “Do you feel empty when the Word has been neglected?” If the word is alive and well in you then it lives richly in all wisdom
It becomes the part, an integral, irreplaceable part of who we are. And with the indwelling word, which is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:14), we can be teaching and admonishing one another. We need to be scriptural in all we do. If we correct someone, it must be done in love and on the bases of scripture. Remember also how we are to put up with one another. And as we teach and admonish, a vehicle we use is . . .
"in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
We look to our praise and worship. It is what we do together as the one body of Christ. We sing with grace in our hearts with one another to the Lord. With a little better understanding of the Word, I now clearly see that when I was growing up, the error of those men in the church who would not come into worship until the time of the sermon. The sermon, or proclamation of the Word, is not worship by itself. Without psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, the stand alone sermon is just a bible study time. Yet by themselves, the psalms and hymns and spiritual songs can be and is worship. We are not to neglect psalms and hymns and spiritual songs sung to the Lord and to one another.
Colossians 3:17 (NKJV) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
It all comes back to Jesus. Can you and I truly say that all we do, from when we get up in the morning, to the TV shows we watch, to the conversations we have during the day, that we can do it all in the name of Jesus? How we treat one another in the fellowship, can we really say we do all in the name of Jesus?
Would Jesus like to have His name on everything we do? If so, then giving thanks to God through Jesus, is a bygone conclusion. Giving thanks will be a natural reaction of doing all in the name of Jesus.
As we prepare to come together at the Lord ’s Table, can we truly come as one? Will there be unity at the Table?
This invitation time will always be open for those who need to come to Christ, whether to come for the first or to come back. This invitation time is for getting ourselves right before the Lord. But this invitation time is not only to come down the aisle, for some this invitation time may be to go across the aisle,
to reconciled with one another, to forgive one another, to show love one another.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
We come to this table as one, one body of Christ, one family of believers, one in the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 10:16–17 (NKJV) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 12:12–13 (NKJV) For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
This table is for all who publically professed a saving commitment to Jesus. All who belong to the one body of Christ.
(1) Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 596.
