Colossians 3:12-17
What does it mean to be a Christian? What does belonging to Christ actually mean?
Aslaug Marie is being baptised today. What does that mean? She’s saying “I belong to Jesus”, publically. What does that mean for her? Does that mean she’s got to start dressing like an 18th century woman, carrying a big Bible, and start scowling at everyone whenever they break the “rules”. Well, if she does, I think the Apostle Paul might have a few words of correction for her!
Because today’s passage is quite a useful answer to exactly that question. What does it mean to be a Christian? How are we to live as “Christians”? What does it look like?
We’re going to use v12 as our guide: Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
1. Since God chose you
2. To be holy
3. You must clothe yourselves
1. Since God chose you
Remember I told you a few weeks ago to look out for the joining words like “therefore”, “so”, “because”… and “since”. Because these build on ideas already explained. That’s why chapter 3 is chapter 3 and not chapter 1. Otherwise we might think that being a Christian is all about being good!
Paul begins the letter not by saying “behave” but by pointing out the truth: 1:6 they heard the Good News about Jesus, they understood it, they accepted it, and it changed their lives. 1:6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
He then prays that they will have the strength they need to live in the way that honours God. 9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. And 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. See, it’s not something that we generate ourselves. We cannot obey God. We need his power. It is his Spirit who enables us to live as Christian people. Only through Christ and thought his Spirit can we live lives pleasing to God. Everything else is a waste.
And that’s why Paul can say (with a straight face) at the end of v11 May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. Religious people are generally quite unhappy, trying to please God all the time by their own efforts. Feeling either guilty – or superior. But Chrsitians are filled with joy – look what Christ has done! I’m forgiven. I’m set free. Christ loves me. What grace!
We are saved by grace. 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves
It is from God. Not from us. Aslaug Marie is not being baptised today because of her efforts, but because of Christ’s mercy.
Of course, she made the effort to think, to investigate, to get up early and come to church, to listen, to pray – but she would never have done that if the Spirit of Christ was not at work in her. 4 years ago she was as anti-Christian as you could get. It annoyed her that Debby was a Christian. She thought Christianity was rubbish and was actively hostile, and, in her experience, there were good reasons for it. She had met the “church”, but had never met Christ. And, in his mercy, Christ met her and changed her completely, totally, from the inside out. That’s what we celebrate in baptism. God chose her, chose us who belong to Christ, to be holy, the people he loves.
Isn’t that amazing? Wooohoo!
And no matter what happens, nothing can change our status as beloved, holy people of God. Because it is God’s action, God’s initiative. Our sins are covered, past present and future. Paid for on the cross. 1:13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
We live in the Kingdom of Jesus. We have been moved from darkness to light. And because Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, supreme over all creation. Because he holds all of creation together. Because he is the head of the church. Because he defeated the evil spirits, triumphing over the cross, and they now have no authority over us. Because of all this, we are secure. Do not be afraid. His grip is strong. His grip is secure. Trust yourself to him.
So even if we are attacked and thrown out of our homes for our faith. Even if we and our children are beheaded and crucified and mutilated and murdered – we are not afraid, for we belong to Christ. What is this body, what is this life, compared to the glory to come? As Billy Sunday apparently said when confronted by two Mafia hitmen who told him that he’d better stop preaching, otherwise they would kill him – “Sirs, are you really threatening me with Heaven?”
We are secure, no matter what this life may throw at us. Since God chose you. We are secure, even though we are weak and full of sin, because He is strong and full of mercy.
2. …to be holy
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves
We’re not just saved from sins, but saved for godliness. It is a swap. Christ takes our sinful life, and we receive his perfect life, lived in praise of God the Father.
Grace is given to us for a reason. We are to be holy. We are to be like Christ.
12 clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Who does that sound like?
Jesus. Jesus is tender-hearted, full of mercy – he went to the Cross for his enemies, full of kindness, humility – he did not consider this rescue mission beneath him, but went willingly, shrunk himself down to a human being, and suffered death, even death on a cross. That is humility. “He laid aside his majesty, gave up everything – for me? – suffered at the hands of those he had created.”
Jesus is gentle, and endlessly patient. Three years he taught the disciples and yet they were still “so dull” and understood very little. Yet He did not abandon them. He had chosen them, they were his – and, as we’re reading about in Acts, they changed the world.
13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
That’s Jesus. Be like Jesus. I am amazed at how good this church has been so far at this. Forgiving each other. Oh, we’ve offended each other many times, but each time forgiveness is freely offered. It’s brilliant. So I thank you for making allowance for my faults, for freely forgiving, as we have been forgiven. Let us hold short accounts with each other, being open and honest with each other, being quick to forgive, and stressing that we love each other14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
This church is getting a reputation for harmony. We are being known for how we look after each other. And that is a good thing. Because our focus isn’t on “how do we look the best to outsiders” – because that never works. But as we focus on Christ. As we are consumed by his goodness and mercy to us. As we are stunned by our own sinfulness – and then overawed by his grace in forgiving us – what joy it is to forgive others. What joy to serve each other. What joy to genuinely love each other.
I am so excited today with Aslaug Marie and with Sara. What joy we have. This is our family! It’s brilliant!
So, since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, we clothe ourselves with Christ.
3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
3. You must clothe yourselves
So, how do you become like Christ? Put on your new nature, v10 says. Clothe yourselves, v12 says. V13 says make allowance. V14 clothe yourselves. V15 let peace rule. Be thankful. V16 teach and counsel each other. These are all action words.
But I thought Christianity was all about grace? Let go and let God, and all that?
It is. But grace is not dead, but living. Faith is active and is seen. The gospel “changes lives” we read in chapter 1. And someone who says they are a Christian but has no changed life… probably isn’t.
So, what’s the difference then between living faith and dead religion? Aren’t they the same? Isn’t it just a bunch of rules to follow? Don’t lie, be nice, don’t argue with each other.
Well, what does the Bible say? What does Colossians say? This was dealt with in chapter 2, remember? Col 2:23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Religion leads away from God.
Why? Why would a very decent person, highly disciplined – a good person not be acceptable to God. I know plenty of “good” people who aren’t Christian. Why aren’t their good deeds acceptable to God? Why does Colossians say that they, basically, belong to the devil?
Why does God say that?
Because he cares. As long as we think that we are good enough without God, we cannot be saved. As long as we trust in our own righteousness, our own goodness – we will not accept the righteousness of Christ. Your goodness might come through being a decent person, or following the rules of your religion – maybe Islam, or Hinduism, or New Age, or even churchianity (that’s Christianity without Christ- when you go to church and behave like a Christian without knowing Christ and accepting HIS righteousness).
You see, our goodness is not good enough. God’s goal with us is to prepare us for the glories of Heaven, to be shining like stars with the very goodness of God – NOT to be in an eternal “Polite Society Tea Party”, or the “Slightly Better than Everyone Else” group, wearing uncomfortable clothes with starchy collars and pretending that we all want to be there and plastering a false smile on our face and pretending to be interested in everyone else – but actually really thinking “when can I leave and do what I want”. That’s how many people in the West, here in Norway, do “Christianity”. A big show of good behaviour – but it is all for nothing. Because you know what you can’t fake? Love. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Genuine love – being willing to sacrifice yourself, your own interests and desires and time and energy for other people with no reward – that’s love. And that you can’t fake. That has to be given to you. That has to bubble out of you. And that’s why liberal churches grow smaller and smaller and angrier and angrier, and why churches that have lost their grip on the gospel and are filled with unrepentant sinners pretending to be good people and are full of bitter arguments and fighting that has gone on for decades and are split right down the middle.
By this will all men know that you are my disciples: that you love one another. Said Jesus
It is the mark of a Christian. Love. Particularly love for our brothers and sisters. Which is why v12-17 has such a feeling of community, of family about it. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
We’re meant to live well together. We’re meant to look after each other, to love each other. We’re meant to teach each other the gospel. We’ll be reminded of that today during the baptism and dedication. Together we take responsibility for Sara and for Aslaug Marie. They are our sisters in Christ.
We are to live in such a way that the message about Christ lives in us – we are display windows for the gospel. We are the shop windows for the gospel – people look at us, look at the way we treat each other. Christianity is not just a Sunday event. Look at v17: 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Everything we do. Everything we say. We do and say bearing the name of Jesus. We represent him. If the ambassador from South Africa says “Boo, Norway sucks!”, what happens? It’s a diplomatic issue between South Africa and Norway because the ambassador represents his country, South Africa. It’s not just about him. He represents his country.
We represent Christ. We have been given the job as his ambassadors. And he has given us his Spirit so that we can do the job.
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with Christ.
In summary, Since God chose you – salvation is God’s business, God’s action. So if you do not belong to Christ, you must pray to God and ask Him to work in your heart and to change you. Only he can save you.
And if you do belong to Christ, then know that you are secure. That nothing can separate you from Christ’s love. Not ever.
…to be the holy people he loves – we are chosen to be HOLY. That is, to be like Christ. Again, this is not something we can do, but is a gift from God. His Spirit changes us from the inside out.
…you must clothe yourselves with [Christ] Faith is active. So if we say we believe something, then we act like it. His love overflows out of us. And so we love our Christian family, like Christ loved us.
We are chosen, to be holy, like Christ.
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar