FROM STINGING TO SINGING
Col. 3:16
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: Stick to the Word
1. A wino boarded a bus and sat next to a Nun. His hair was mussed up, his clothes were wrinkled, and his breathe wreaked of alcohol. He opened a newspaper and proceeded to read.
2. Presently he turned to the Nun and said, “Sister, what causes arthritis?” The Nun thought, ‘This is a good time to witness’ so she replied “Sin. Pure and simple, sin. Drinking whiskey, smoking big, long, black cigars and carousing. Why do you ask?”
3. The man replied, “Because it says here in the paper that the Pope has arthritis.” This story reminds us that we need to ‘stick to the Word’ when we speak for God. That is our topic tonight.
B. TEXT
“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” Col. 3:16.
C. THESIS
1. There are three positive stages of Bible study:
a. First, the Robitussin stage -- when you take the Word like medicine, because it's good for you.
b. Second, is the shredded wheat stage -- dry, but nourishing.
c. Third, the cookies and cream stage – whew, it's all good! Which stage are you in?
2. Tonight we’re looking at how the Word of God can sting us and how, if we accept it, it will transform us and give us peace and joy.
3. The title of this message is “From Stinging to Singing.”
I. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE WORD STUNG YOU?
A. ILLUS.: GOD’S WORD SHOULD KICK US
1. A Missionary gave African chief a gift of a Bible in his own language. The Chief began reading, but he soon became troubled. He came to see the missionary and said, “What is this book you have given me? It’s not like any other book I have ever read. When I read this book, it kicks me!” WHY IS THAT?
2. The Bible is a unique kind of book. It’s alive. It speaks to us. It convicts us of sin. It confronts us about our wrong motives, thoughts, and actions. It’s God’s Word, given with a purpose – to open our eyes and change our lives.
3. I like what James DeMelo said, “Lift your Bible up. It makes the devil nervous. If you really want to make him nervous, open it up.” The Bible has been compared to spiritual dynamite, but if we don’t open and read it, we take away the fuse to ignite it.
B. BIBLE: POWER TO POKE, CUT, STING
1. When Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, spoke to the Israelites (Acts 2:37), “They were pricked in the heart” Most translations say “pricked, cut, or pierced.” The Amplified Classic, CJB, & MEV interpret it as “stung.”
2. When Peter spoke to the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:33), they were “cut to the heart” (Gr. Dieprionto, “sawn asunder” or ‘cut to the quick’).
3. When Stephen confronted the Jewish leaders (Acts 7:54) they were “cut to the heart” (Gr. “Sawn in two”). It’s obvious in these three examples, that the Word of God has a ‘cutting edge.’
4. Message Version, Heb. 4:12, “His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.”
5. Saul of Tarsus was told he was “kicking against the pricks” (Acts 9:5); when Paul preached to Felix, he “trembled” at the Word spoken (Acts 24:25). God told the Israelites who refused to repent, “Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth,” Hosea 6:5.
C. OUR ACCEPTING THE WORD IS CRUCIAL
1. Josiah responded to the Word by tearing his clothes. 2 Kgs. 22:11, “When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes” (out of sadness & repentance).
2. Compare Josiah’s reaction to Zedekiah’s (Jer. 37:2), “Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.” Are we paying attention to what God’s Word says to us?
3. “Now the Berean[s] were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” Acts 17:11.
II. HOW DOES THE WORD DWELL IN US?
There’s nothing easier than to hear the Word and do nothing about it; and few things more difficult than actually putting it into practice in your life. Satan tries to sidetrack us, get us busy (doing other things), or blind us with a worldly agenda.
A. TO “DWELL” MEANS TO STAY THERE
1. To dwell means to SETTLE someplace and it’s very different that a vagrant life. The mere wanderer holds little in common with the resident. With the Bible it means to give yourself completely to the study of the scriptures and to let the mind of the Spirit be imparted to your own.
2. To “dwell” is to continue in the same place. Jesus said, "If you continue in My Word," etc. How many people just take up lodging for the night, and in the morning they’re gone.
B. LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL “IN YOU”
1. God says, "I will write My law in their inward parts," etc. And unless it‘s so written, it’s quite certain that it won’t have its full effect on us.
2. God’s not referring to a surface or superficial writing, but a deep, indelible imprint on our souls, hearts, & minds. The Word must become the foundation of our thinking and decision making.
C. CHRIST’S WORD SHOULD BE PRECIOUS TO YOU
1. No one's word will be precious to you unless he or she is precious, whose word it is. Peter said, “To you who believe, He is precious” 1 Pet. 2:7. He is someone we love and treasure.
2. ILLUS – A man & woman met and fell in love. She asked him what his job was – he said “I’m an author, I wrote the book ________.” She said, “I’ve read that book!” But in truth, that book never meant much to her, because the author wasn’t precious to her.
3. Afterward, she re-read the book and was profoundly affected by it, because she actually knew the author! The word of a precious friend is precious even before you know what it contains. It’s the same with the Word of Christ – it won’t be precious to you unless the author is precious!
III. IT SHOULD RESIDE IN YOU “RICHLY”
A. IN QUANTITY: IT’S MEASURE IN OUR LIVES
1. Richly: not as a scanty stream, but as a full flowing river. We’re not to be content with partial view of God's truth. The whole written Word is the soul's pasturage. "ALL Scripture... is profitable." "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word," etc.
2. Let the mind and soul be richly stored. Ah! how much there is of the Bible that doesn’t dwell in us because we’ve never comprehended it.
3. Writing to the Colossians, Paul was correcting the teaching of Gnosticism, which claimed it had a vast trove of secrets (the mysteries) and power. Paul countered that by teaching Christ as the Originator of the Universe, Who is really the center of mystery and is pouring out His countless riches upon His chosen people.
4. In Col. 1:27 Paul pointed out the “glorious riches of Christ in you.” In Col. 2:2, Paul said we can have the “full riches” of Christ. Then in Col. 3:16 Paul tells us to “let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.” WE CAN BE ‘POOR IN CHRIST’ OR ‘RICH IN CHRIST:’ WHICH WILL IT BE?
B. THE QUALITY OF THE WORD
1. A rich fertilizer is one that enriches the soil; it alters it from a hard, dry sterility into fruitful earth. So the Word of Christ dwelling in you will enrich your souls.
2. It must be the PURE Word of Christ. Not a watered-down version or a corrupted gospel. It can only transform when it displaces all else. It penetrates like yeast working its way through a large lump of dough. It should reach to every nook of our lives.
3. The world “richly” also indicates it incredible value. The Word of Jesus corresponds to the riches of Him whose Word it is. Riches of goodness, glory, wisdom, knowledge, grace; unsearchable riches of Christ.
4. The Word is to dwell in you, not only as a receiver, but as a dispenser. "Freely you have received, freely give." You are to be richly productive, fruit-bearing, in faith, in good works. The Lord said (Lk. 6:45) that “out...of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” We’re to be receptacles of life. We’re not supposed to be a warehouse crammed with lifeless goods, but a hospital dispensing healing, help, and life.
5. The Word of God should permeate every aspect of our lives. Let the Word come in! “Teaching and admonishing” – warning.
C. THE OUTCOME OF THE INDWELLING
1. Paul says the Word dwelling in us fully will create “songs and hymns and spiritual songs.” When we get the Word right, we'll get the worship right! – we’ll go from stinging to singing!
2. Our hearts will overflow with songs & praise. When we allow the Word to stay, first it “stings,” but after we’ve allowed it to straighten out our lives – then comes the peace and joy that produces singing! Hallelujah!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUS.: THE WORD IN TIME OF FEAR
1. Priscilla Wolfe was in a hospital facing major surgery. Fear gripped her, and she would wake up at night and would cry out to God, “Please don’t let me die.” She knew in her heart that if she died, she would go to hell.
2. The night before her surgery, she remembered seeing a Bible that had been placed on her nightstand. She opened it to Psalm 41 and read verses 1-4.
3. Verse 2 said, “The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto his enemies.”
4. She had found her answer! Convicted in her heart, Priscilla prayed, “Lord, be merciful to me and heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” At that moment she gave her life to God and felt the forgiveness and peace that only He can give when we surrender our all to Jesus.
5. Priscilla went through her surgery just fine, and to this day is so very thankful she was able to find that Bible at her bedside.
B. THE CALL
1. Let’s commit to getting into the Bible in such a way that it begins to “dwell” in us. Don’t get just a little of its riches, but a lot!
2. Next, let’s make ourselves so vulnerable to its teaching that its words sting our souls, if necessary.
3. Last, conform to its teachings so that you go from STINGING TO SINGING! PRAYER.
[This message has some of the thoughts of Tim Dilena, T.A. Watson and R.S. Candlish]
