Introduction:
A. Today, I want us to start by considering the concepts of ruling and dwelling.
1. Let’s ask ourselves: Who or what is ruling in my heart and life?
a. In other words, who or what is sitting on the throne of my life and heart?
2. Let’s also ask ourselves: Who or what is dwelling in our hearts and lives?
a. In other words, who or what are we allowing to fill our hearts and minds.
B. Consider how different is the direction of a person’s life and the outcome of their life based on what is dwelling in them or what is ruling them.
1. What if pride or self-centeredness are dwelling in them or ruling them?
2. What if fear or insecurity are dwelling in them or ruling them?
3. What if bitterness or envy are dwelling in them or ruling them?
4. What if pleasure or materialism are dwelling in them or ruling them?
5. People driven by or filled with those kinds of things are going to be very weak or worldly or dark.
6. But in contrast to all of that, consider how different the direction and the outcome of a person’s life that is ruled by the peace of Christ and filled with the word of God.
C. Recently, in our sermon series from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we have been working our way through Colossians 3.
1. We have been learning about focusing on things above and not on earthly things.
2. We have been learning about the kinds of things we need to put to death or to put off.
3. And we have been learning about the kinds of things we need to put on and add to our lives and the most important of those virtues is love which binds them all together in perfect unity.
D. The verses that follow those verses about the things to put off and the things to put on are these: 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:15-17)
1. As you might remember, the title I chose for this sermon series on Colossians is “Complete in Christ and Worthy in Walk,” because the goal of each disciple of Jesus ought to be to grow to completeness in Christ and to live a life that is worthy of Christ.
2. Accomplishing that goal includes the putting off and putting on of certain things, but even more fundamental to the putting off and on is the allowing certain things to rule and dwell in our lives.
3. So, the things I want us to focus on today are so important to being able to move toward completeness and faithfulness in Christ.
I. Ruled by the Peace of Christ
A. Let’s start by talking about peace.
1. We live in a turbulent world – a world of conflict, both within and without.
2. So much of this lack of peace comes from the fact that so many people are not at peace with God, at peace with themselves, or at peace with others.
3. Only God can offer true peace, but Satan tries to manufacture a counterfeit peace and many pursue Satan’s offer of peace.
4. Many people are looking for a way to have peace or find a refuge or an oasis.
a. Some turn to alcohol or other kinds of drugs, both legal and illegal to produce peace.
b. Some people turn to aromatherapy, potpourri, candles and music to arrive at peace.
c. Others turn to a good hot bath, yoga or other kinds of physical exercise – the proverbial runner’s high.
d. Others resort to materialism or what’s called “shopping therapy.”
5. The peace that any of these counterfeits produce is shallow and temporary.
a. None of them can bring the real deep and lasting peace that we need.
B. But the good news is that God can give us the peace we need.
1. Jesus is the true “peace-giver.”
2. He is called the “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:7)
3. Jesus promised: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” (Jn. 14:27)
4. Jesus promised: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (Jn. 16:33)
5. Paul wrote: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1)
6. Paul wrote that when we pray the result can be: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)
7. Because of our relationship with Jesus, our sins are forgiven which brings peace between us and God, and that leads to a removal of guilt, inner confusion and turmoil that comes from sin.
8. Then once we are at peace with God and can have inner peace, we can then work towards having peace with others, as far as it depends on us.
C. But let’s notice one more thing.
1. We must allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts.
2. It is important to note that Paul didn’t just say, “Be filled with the peace of Christ,” rather he said to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”
a. Why did he say it that way?
3. The verb “rule” is a term from the athletic arena.
a. In the Greek games, there were judges (umpires) who rejected contestants who were not qualified and disqualified those who broke the rules.
4. So, what Paul was suggesting is that the peace of Christ must be given permission to be the umpire in our hearts.
a. The peace of Christ is to make the calls and decisions.
b. When we obey God’s will, the peace of Christ rules positively, and when we disobey God’s will, the peace of Christ rules negatively.
c. Our goal should be to do nothing that would violate the peace of Christ within us.
5. I heard about a time when two painters were tasked with trying to illustrate the concept of the peace of Christ.
a. The first painter painted a beautiful picture of a quiet, calm lake in the mountains.
b. The second painter painted a picture of a thundering waterfall with a tree growing on a protruding cliff.
1. On one of the tree branches was a nest with a bird brooding on her eggs.
2. There she was safe from her predatory enemies, shielded and protected by the roaring waterfall.
c. The peace of Christ isn’t just a peace in the midst of calm, rather it is peace in the midst of conflict and trial.
d. It is like the way Jesus was at peace and asleep with his head on a cushion in that boat in the midst of that storm.
6. When the peace of Christ is ruling and is in charge of our hearts then it gives us a sense of peace and calm even in the midst of conflict, turbulence and trial.
7. What a gift from God! Amen!
8. Isn’t that something that all of us want to learn to have and learn to allow to rule over us?
II. Indwelt by the Word of Christ
A. In addition to letting the peace of Christ rule in us, Paul added that we need to allow the Word of Christ to dwell in us.
1. The Word of Christ includes the Gospel of Jesus and all of the teachings of Jesus, specifically, but because Jesus is the Word of God, then the Word of Christ includes all of the Word of God.
2. Notice that Paul doesn’t just say that we should know God’s Word, rather he says that the Word of God should be allowed to dwell in us.
3. To dwell means to be at home or to have ample space to live.
4. To dwell “richly” means “abundantly, fully, and completely.”
5. When the Word of God is dwelling in us then the Spirit of God is able to use it as a tool for our transformation, as a tool to guide our steps, and as a tool to build His kingdom.
B. As we have discussed in this sermon series, the false teachers came to Colossae with their man- made traditions, rules and philosophies, rather than the Word of God.
1. The danger in Paul’s day, as well as in our day, is that churches and Christians minimize the Word of God.
2. God’s Word must be read and studied, preached and taught, and most importantly obeyed.
3. When a church or a Christian has more interest in or gives more time to human ideas, philosophies, and opinions, rather than the Word of God, then they are in danger.
4. A person cannot say that the Word is dwelling in them if they are not somehow feeding upon the Word of God.
5. The Word of God richly dwells in us when we take the time to read and study it, memorize and meditate on it.
C. Paul says that Christians who have the Word of God dwelling in them are to do two things with the Word – teach and admonish.
1. Teaching means to educate through instruction.
2. Admonishing denotes guidance or counsel or warning about improper conduct.
3. This teaching and admonishing can be done in a group setting like worship or Bible class, or it can be done privately person to person.
D. But interestingly enough, Paul’s primary focus here is how we can teach and admonish each other through singing.
1. Singing songs that are rich in the truths of God’s Word are very helpful for teaching and admonishing.
2. Paul mentions three types of songs: psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
3. Commentators generally agree that trying to make a sharp distinction between these three types of songs is difficult.
a. We have a book called “psalms” in the Old Testament and many of them were written by David and were sung in Jewish worship.
b. We have many hymns and spiritual songs that have been written with words from the psalms and from other parts of the Bible.
c. I enjoy singing songs whose only words are directly from the Bible.
d. The second song we sung this morning is that kind of song – the words come right out of Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ...
4. Many great psalms, hymns and spiritual songs have been written throughout history and new ones are being written all time.
a. Learning new songs is always hard, but it is helpful for bringing a freshness and the engagement of our minds in worship.
b. Some new songs are more helpful and will stand the test of time, and others won’t and that’s okay.
c. But, we must always evaluate the value of a song based on more than the tune or the emotions it prompts, but must be sure that it expresses the truth of God’s Word.
4. Paul points out that as we sing these songs to each other, we should sing with gratitude in our hearts – as we sing about God’s truths it is easy for the result to be thanksgiving – we have so much for which to be thankful.
E. Allow me to share two important general principles about our singing.
1. First of all, singing is an important aspect of our worship and it doesn’t have anything to do with how well we sing or how good we sound.
a. We shouldn’t be trying to impress God or others by the beauty of our singing in worship.
b. What we should be doing is expressing our hearts and minds in the truths we sing.
c. We should be expressing our minds and hearts to God and about God.
d. We should be reminding ourselves and others about God’s truths.
e. And as we do so, faith is built, consciences are pricked, and hearts are encouraged.
f. Someone has said that a successful Christian life involves attention to three books: God’s book (the Bible), the pocketbook (stewardship of our finances), and the hymnbook.
2. Second, there is an important reason that our singing in worship is done without the accompaniment of instruments.
a. Many people wonder why we sing acapella – in other words – without instrumental accompaniment when so many other churches use instruments.
b. The simplest answer is because the only NT command we have is to sing and that’s all that the church did for centuries.
c. The few verses in the New Testament that talk about singing in worship only talk about vocal singing and none of them command or authorize the use of musical instruments in Christian worship.
d. The word “acapella” is an Italian term that means “in the style of the chapel” – in other words, in the manner of the church.
e. Virtually all Christians sang acapella and most were against the use of instruments in worship for about the first 700 years of Christianity.
f. The earliest extra-biblical citation about Christian worship comes from a Roman historian named Pliny the Younger who wrote to the Emperor Trajan around 110 AD, saying, Christians are “in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god…”
g. After the first pope allowed an instrument in worship in 666 AD, there were several hundred years of protest against the use of instruments in the catholic church before the use became widespread in the 10th and 12th centuries although still not universally.
h. The widespread use of instruments is part of what led to the breaking away of the orthodox church in 1054 AD.
i. After the reformation, many of the main protestant denominations were opposed to instruments in worship including the Presbyterians, Methodists, and later the Baptists, and those denominations continued to sing without instruments until the later half of the 19th century.
j. We know that singing is something that God has commanded in the New Testament and so that is what we do.
k. We can speculate about why God might have left out instruments in the worship of the church, but speculation is just that – speculation.
l. When we get to heaven, we can ask God why He didn’t authorize the use of instruments in worship in the New Testament, but after getting there, it may not be an important question anymore.
3. Ultimately, what we do in singing is very important to our spiritual lives and to our relationship with God and to our relationship with our brothers and sisters as we allow the word to dwell in us as we teach and admonish through our singing.
III. Do Everything in the Name of Jesus
A. Paul concludes this section of his letter by giving a great principle for Christian living.
1. Paul says that everything we do should be done and said in the name of Jesus.
2. When we do something in Jesus’ name, then we are doing so either because we are acting by His authority, or because we are honoring and glorifying Him.
3. We notice that Paul says that whatever you do in word or deed – this includes all our words and deeds not just the ones we want to do in His name.
4. Because we have given our lives to the Lord, then His name should guide our every deed and word.
5. So, this is a good measuring device for us as we think about doing or saying something – we can ask ourselves if it can be or should be done in Jesus’ name?
a. Is this thing I am about to say something that honors the name of Jesus or can be said in the name of Jesus?
b. Is this thing I am about to do something that honors the name of Jesus or can be done in the name of Jesus?
c. Is this something Jesus would be willing to help me say or do?
6. So, let’s bring every thought, word and deed to the test of the name and presence of Jesus.
7. Our every concern should be to live so that Christ’s name may be glorified and so that no reproach will be associated with His name.
B. Let’s notice one final thing…Paul ended with “giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
1. Notice that at the end of verses 15, 16 and 17, Paul ended each with thanksgiving.
a. Verse 15, “And be thankful.”
b. Verse 16, “with gratitude in your hearts.”
c. Verse 17, “giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
2. What does that say about the importance and place of gratitude?
3. Being thankful is the right thing to make sure we are doing and being.
4. Focusing on thanksgiving blesses us as we are reminded of the many reasons for our gratitude.
5. That’s why I am thankful that we have a national day of Thanksgiving this Thursday.
Conclusion:
A. In summary, growing towards completeness and faithfulness in Christ includes:
1. Allowing the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.
2. Allowing the word of Christ to dwell in us.
3. Doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
4. When we do these things, then God is pleased and we are blessed and are more effective in living a life worthy of our calling.
B. What is God’s Word and God’s Spirit calling you to do today?
1. Is God calling you to come to Him and become a child of God?
2. Is God pointing out your need to let the peace of Christ rule in you?
3. Is God pointing out your need to let the word of Christ richly dwell in you?
4. Is God pointing out your need to be more conscious of doing everything in the name of Jesus?
5. I hope that when God is calling us, nudging us, or pulling us to change or to respond, that we will answer the call and appropriately respond to the Lord.
C. The way we respond or don’t respond has eternal consequences.
1. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus (Rom. 6:23).
2. The good news is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ and for those who remain in Christ (Rom. 8:1).
3. The bad news is that those who do not believe and do not obey the gospel will experience eternal destruction and will be shut out from the presence of God (2 Thess. 1:8-9).
4. There are only two eternal destinations and outcomes – one is with God in heaven and the other is without God in hell.
5. I hope all of us will choose well.
Resources:
Colossians, by Warren Wiersbe, in The Bible Exposition Commentary, Victory Books, 1989
Colossians, by David E. Garland, in the NIV Application Commentary, Zondervan, 1998
Colossians, by Owen D. Olbricht, in the Truth for Today Commentary, Resource Publications, 2005
