Living First Things First
Colossians 3 and 4
May 28, 2006
Some might say that in the third and fourth chapters of Colossians, Paul gets PRACTICAL, because that’s where he sets out to show us how the superiority of Christ over all things ought to be displayed in our daily lives. But I don’t want to call it “getting practical,” because that implies that the first two chapters, where Paul strongly declares and defends the superiority of Christ, are impractical. I do not think that is true. See I believe we cannot live practically at all unless we have a right idea of who God is, so Paul starts there. Nothing makes more of a practical difference in our day to day lives than what we believe about God. People who think that our beliefs about God are impractical are fooling themselves. You show me a person who believes God is just a big Santa Claus in the sky and I’ll show you a person who is mad at God for all the things he doesn’t have – in daily life. You show me a person who believes God is an evil task-master waiting to zap her with lighting, and I’ll show you a person who is paralyzed with fear over every decision and every action – in daily life. You show me a person who believes God sits up in heaven keeping track of every swear word and every smoked cigarette and I’ll show you one of the least loving, most judgmental and guilt-ridden and irritating so-called Christians you ever met – in daily life. You show me a person who believes that God loves us because of his gracious mercy, that they themselves are a sinner, and who believes God wants to have a relationship with us and has laid out guidelines for us to follow for our own well-being and I’ll show you a person who conveys that love to others, and wants them to come to Christ and find peace – in daily life. There simply is nothing more practical than what we believe about God. So Paul does not begin with belief which is impractical and then move on to behavior which is practical. He begins with the practical reality that our behavior is always based on some belief system that lies underneath.
So in chapters three and four, we see that it is not merely what we believe and how vigorously we stick to it that matter, but that this belief MUST have expression in our daily lives. A proper understanding of who God is leads to better understanding of who WE are, which puts in line for us so many things that cannot be meaningfully understood otherwise. This sets in line the course of our thinking, feeling, and behaving – in other words, it has practical, daily effects in our everyday lives. Let’s look at what those effects ought to be today.
In chapters three and four, Paul tells us that the preeminence of Christ ought to be displayed in our daily lives in six areas: personal purity, Christian fellowship, the home, our daily work, our Christian witness to the world, and our daily service. We’ll look briefly at each of these areas and will then wrap up this series. Instead of reading both chapters, I’m going to just begin the message, and I’ll read verses as I refer to them – this I believe is the best way to deal with large chunks of text. Let’s begin with the first two verses.
Colossians 3:1-2 (all NIV)
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.
Probably the best way to think of this is this way: live your earthly life in a way that is worthy of your heavenly position. Live your earthly life in a way that is worthy of your heavenly position.
What does this mean? It means personal purity. Oriental, Roman, and Greek religions did not contain standards for personal purity. A person could go to a temple, make a sacrifice, then go back out and live life in nasty ways and it didn’t make any difference. Not so with Christianity, where, as we read last week in Psalm 51, the sacrifice that God really wants is the sacrifice of a humble heart. If our hearts are humble, our whole lives will be different, beginning with the way we manage our desires and appetites, which are the closest things to us, and the things most deeply imbedded in us. We realize Paul was talking about personal purity when we read on:
Colossians 3: 3-11
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is youra life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
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.
I particularly love vv. 8-10 where Paul basically tells us to take off that old way of living like taking off a dirty shirt – v. 9 - you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Taken off the old self with what? – with its practices – the things you used to do – the way you used to live. Gone. Done for. A defunct way of life. Dead, as Jesus once was. And your new self is alive, as Jesus is today, and able for the first time to embrace the ideal of a life without sin. So the preeminence of Christ should be displayed in our lives in a commitment to personal purity. What would that mean for you? What is impure in your life at this time that needs to go? Your language? Your views of money? Your attitudes toward the opposite sex?
In verses 12-17, Paul moves on to address the way we should treat one another, to show us how the preeminence of Christ should be displayed in our fellowship with each other.
Colossians 3:12-14
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.
He says, “Take off the old self” in verse 9” and here in verse 12, he tells us what to put on. “Clothe yourselves” with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Out with the old, in with the new. Notice it’s something you DO. It’s intentional. It’s a choice you make. You decide what to wear and when to get dressed. In the same way, you need to decide to take off your old self – anger, rage, malice, filthy language – and put on a new self – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. These things have to do with relationships, because when you are angry, you are angry WITH someone. When you are malicious, you have malice TOWARD someone. When you use filthy language, you use it to someone, or about someone. In the same way, you are compassionate TOWARD someone, kind TO someone, patient WITH someone. Paul’s telling us how to relate to one another, and that as followers of Christ, we need to make the choice daily to trade in our old way of being and embrace a new way of being.
Colossians 3:15-17
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.
The thrust of what Paul is saying here is that there is nothing like Christian community. In the church, our standards for relating to one another must be different. We are no longer to be ruled by our own self-interest, but by the understanding that we have the same Father, which makes us brothers and sisters. And you know what that means, of course. You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. Like it or not, you make the best of it because family is family. Our standards for relating to one another, then, are to be standards that are used in close families, not in acquaintances or even in friendships.
A few years ago I had a split happen between myself and another Christian that was so deep and painful that it took me more than a year to seek reconciliation. But when I finally sat down to write a letter to him, I became aware of something incredible. It was not simple apologies we owed one another. God was not looking for “I’m sorry’s.” I realized that what God expects of his children is not just formal apology, or mere willingness to tolerate one another. The Bible does not say, “For God tolerated the world so much that He gave His Son Jesus.” It says, “For God LOVED the world so much. . .” See, the very best this world has to offer is tolerance. Tolerance is the foremost value in Western societies today, but it falls pitifully short of what God has in mind for us. Because tolerance is all that can be achieved in a world that does not know true love. True love comes from God. And when we become followers of Jesus, we enter into the “Divine Conspiracy” of love that God is carrying out in our world, and we must do more than tolerate.
What God desires for his children is total emotional and spiritual reconciliation – that there be no bad blood, that there be genuine love. So I wrote and told him that. “It is not enough that we exchange apologies or formally declare a cease-fire. Somehow we must find a way around the pain to come together emotionally and spiritually and reclaim our status as brothers in the body of Christ. God’s standard for us is higher, purer, and better.”
I was terrified about what he might write in return. But I was relieved when he wrote back and said, “Thank you for freeing me to be who God has called me to be. Thank you for helping me let go of bitterness and pain that I, like you, have carried around for all this time.”
Next time I saw that man was two months later at a funeral home. We embraced, and we both knew that something supernatural had happened in our hearts. To this day I cannot say I agree with him, and we both have clear memories of the pain we caused one another. But I can say I love him in my heart, that I desire the best for him, and that I have forgiven him and received forgiveness. And the healing of that relationship stands out to me today as one of the most miraculous things that has ever happened in my heart.
My friends, love is the only acceptable standard for us. You have not been called to a life of apology-making. Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the apology-makers,” he said, “Blessed are the peace-makers,” for they will be called sons and daughters of God. And of course this does not mean that we get to skirt the apologies. Being called to a higher standard simply means that I’m sorry isn’t enough. Repentance, change of heart, humility – those are the things we must bring to the table in our relationships with one another. So Christ’s supremacy must be displayed in our commitment to personal purity, and in our relationships with one another. Is there a relationship where you need to move past apology-making and pursue genuine spiritual reconciliation?
Paul then moves on to show how it should be displayed in our homes (3:18-21).
Colossians 3:18-21
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
It is clear from the writings of the New Testament that God will hold men accountable for their faithfulness to their families. Research is abundant that shows that something devastating happens when a man cannot bring himself to commit faithfully to his wife and children. 90% of all violent offenders grew up without fathers involved in their lives. When fathers abandon families, something unravels in the fabric of the way we were designed, and we are left broken, struggling to make the best of what is left. Many women are out there right now, living as heroes and sole-providers for their children. Remember, I said 90% of all violent male offenders grew up without fathers in their lives, not that 90% of all boys without fathers in their lives will become violent offenders! Important difference!
But ladies, if you are going it alone with your children, God bless you. I extend to you my thanks for being willing to do what your husbands would not do. I want to affirm to you today that that’s not the way God planned it to be. God created men to love their wives and children, to provide for them, to put their needs first. We speak of women submitting to their husbands, but what I’m speaking of here is the particular way in which men are called to submit to their wives and children.
There is a give and take here, Paul is explaining. Women, submit to your husbands by acknowledging and appreciating the important role they play in your family. Men, honor and love and support your wives by being gentle with them and fulfilling your duties responsibly. Kids, obey your parents. Parents, don’t use your position of authority to frustrate your kids. In all directions, Paul speaks of love and respect. Perfect love IS submission. There’s no way around it. Jesus showed us that when he submitted to the Cross. We need to display the preeminence of Christ by the way we treat those in our family. Do you love your family with God’s love, or is family the place where you feel free to be nasty, because they’re family?
Paul then goes on to explain how slaves and masters are to treat one another.
Colossians 3:22-25
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Colossians 4:1
1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
We read about slavery today in the Bible and are shocked and horrified, but the Bible is not a book on social change. Jesus was expected by many to mount a revolution and overthrow the Roman empire who controlled his country, and many would have followed him into battle, but Jesus did not come to make a better world. He came to make better human beings. He knew ultimately that that is the only way to a better world.
The most important thing in this passage is that believers are to do all earthly work as though they were working for God himself. This is a great challenge to us and one that is very difficult to put into practice. Again, God’s standard is more than “Work forty hours,” more than “Work hard.” It is, “Work for God in everything you do.” There is no sphere of life where the believer is not serving God, and no sphere where he/she gets to shrug off their impact on others – therefore we must be diligent to display the preeminence of Christ in our work. Do you accept your work as a part of your life where you are serving God, or have you separated your work from the rest of your life? Are you working for God, or working for the man?
So Paul moves from this idea that we are always being watched by others, to address our Christian witness more directly in 4:2-6.
Colossians 4:2-6
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Prayer is not enough, we must be WATCHING, looking for opportunities to impact the lives of others.
We must be wise, understanding that many non-believers are always looking at believers, looking for things to use in criticizing us and tearing us down. Not all do this, but often if you are resisting belief in something, you will look for every possible reason to not believe it. We must be careful and realize this and be wise about the way we live, so as to not cast a shadow on Christ.
And we must speak wisely. As James covered so eloquently in chapter three of his letter, words are the most powerful thing on earth. We will be called to account for every careless word. One word of misplaced criticism, one word spoken in anger, could tear apart the good things you and other believers have tried to build into a person’s life. Are we going to fail at this sometimes? Yeah, just like we won’t always forgive and love perfectly, and won’t always treat our family perfectly, and won’t always work as hard as we should. But Paul is clear in setting the standard. Words are powerful. The preeminence of Christ must be displayed in our witness to the world. Can people who know you see that something in you is different?
To close his letter to the Colossians, Paul gives a list of all the people who have helped him in his ministry. I’m not going to read all of that today, but the point is that he has not done this alone, he has had a lot of help – so we see that the preeminence of Christ is and must be displayed in Christian service. When we realize Christ is above all things, we understand that the work we do for him is the most important work of our lives. And we will work diligently to serve him and his church. Are you working diligently in God’s church?
And that question concludes our study in the book of Colossians. In summary, Paul writes Colossians to combat the Gnostic teaching that was spreading throughout the church that Jesus was not really God in the flesh. He declares, defends, and displays the preeminence – the firstness – the supremacy – of Christ over all gods, all belief systems, all religions, everything.
So where does that leave you? Do you believe what I said at the beginning of this message? Do you see how your beliefs about God make a practical difference in your daily life? Do your daily actions and attitudes reveal a belief in a God who is above all things and guiding your life moment by moment? Or does your life seem random and disjointed to you? Will you pray with me?
Jesus, you are above all. There is no God but you. If there are those who did not believe that, but have really come to believe it because of these sermons and what your spirit has been whispering to them, I pray in the next few moments you would hear as they ask you to forgive their sins and lead their lives and change their hearts. For those who believed it already but are struggling to live it out at work or in their families or in their relationships at church or wherever, God I pray you would help us to take off the old self and put on the new one, and that you would show us how to live like Jesus did.
