Encourage Christians to shed their old, sinful selves and embrace a new self, embodying Christ-like attributes such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness.
Good morning, church family! Our scripture today is Colossians 3:9-10. It reads: "Do not lie to each other, since 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."
This passage is all about shedding our old, sinful selves and donning a new self, patterned after our Creator.
Today, I’d like to take a few minutes to focus on some specific attributes the Bible encourages us to "put on": compassion and kindness, humility and gentleness, and patience and forgiveness. These aren't just good manners; they're the very fabric of our new selves in Christ.
Let's pray. Father, open our hearts and minds today to receive your Word. Help us to understand what it means to put on these Christ-like attributes and live them out. We know that without you, we can do nothing, but with you, all things are possible. Guide us, Lord, and mold us into your likeness. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Compassion and kindness are two qualities we all want in our lives. But, they’re not just virtues to aspire to. Rather, they’re core characteristics of our new selves in Christ. It's important to remember that these attributes are gifts from God. They’re born out of a relationship with Him, and they are meant to be shared with others.
Compassion, in its simplest form, is a deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. It's more than just feeling sorry for someone; it's being moved to action on their behalf.
This is the kind of compassion that Jesus demonstrated throughout His ministry. He saw the needs of the people around Him - their hunger, their sickness, their sin - and He was moved to meet those needs. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and forgave the sinners. His compassion was active and transformative.
Kindness, on the other hand, is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. It's the act of extending goodness to others, even when they may not deserve it. Kindness is a reflection of God's grace, which is His unmerited favor towards us. Despite our sin and rebellion, God extends His kindness to us through the gift of salvation. This is the sort of kindness we are called to show to others - a kindness that reflects God's grace and points people to Him.
As we strive to put on compassion and kindness, it's important to remember that these qualities are not just about our actions, but also about our attitudes. They are about how we view and treat others, especially those who are different from us or those who have wronged us. Putting on compassion and kindness means seeing others through God's eyes - as people created in His image, deeply loved and valued by Him. It means treating others with the same grace and mercy that God has shown us.
But how do we cultivate these qualities in our lives?
It starts with spending time with God, allowing His Word to shape our hearts and minds. As we draw near to God, we begin to reflect His character more and more. His compassion and kindness become a part of us, and we can't help but share them with others.
It's also about being intentional in our interactions with others. It's about choosing to show kindness even when it's hard, choosing to be compassionate even when it's inconvenient. It's about making the conscious decision to put others before ourselves, to love others as Christ has loved us.
Now, let’s talk about humility and gentleness and how we can put these on as well ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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