Moments in the life of a Pastor

Colossians 3:10-17

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 Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.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 one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 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 message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 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.

• PUT ON GOD’S PROVISION for the new life (Apparel) Vs 12-14

The call is to take Action to Put On – This is not a passive activity and it does not happen automatically. Paul gives us the analogy of putting on clothes but this is more than just apparel its Christ like attributes attitudes and actions.  PROBLEM – So often as we look at the list of attributes: tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, we see them as weakness. You can’t live that way and get ahead in this world, if we really lived these out we will get run over and become a door mat. Our world tells us to dress for success for recognition but God calls us to dress for relationship. We are to put of the things that destroy relationship lust, greed, anger, slander and put on those that build relationship and the clothes Paul invites us to put on are not made of natural fibers. They must be woven of spiritual stuff because human nature says, “I’ll do my fair share but no more.” 

1. Tenderhearted mercy – Compassion 

Literally, compassion means “a heart of pity” but pity does not mean pathetic. Compassion is an inner attitude expressed in outward action. A fullness of tender caring for and about the other’s vulnerability and strengths which will overflow into how you treat others both publically and privately. As Christians we should not be indifferent to suffering. We should care about others needs and be willing to live in another’s skin, feel what they are going through. Compassion was certainly characteristic of Jesus. He was so moved with compassion for people that He wept for them (Luke 19:41). He was so concerned about the poor that He fed them. He was so concerned about the sick that He healed them. Living in the roughness of this world can make us callouses, compassion is the ointment to callouses and keeps us tender. 

• Kindness

Kindness is closely related to compassion, it is meeting the needs of people on whom we have compassion. Kindness is action that reveals compassion, benvolence in action, grace that seeks to touch others and take the edge off their harsh reality. Jesus used the word when he said, “My yoke is easy” (Mt. 11:30), not harsh or hard to bear. Kindness is focused on serving not selfishness, it is pained for us in the picture of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), who bound the wounds of an enemy, took him to an inn, and spent a good amount of money so that the man could be cared for properly. Sympathy is sorry for pain, empathy feels your pain, kindness helps stop the pain it is a garment with healing woven into its fabric.

• Humility

Humility enables kindness to flow because it allows us to accept people as they are. We are all made in the same mold, only some are moldier than others. Humility is not naturally human and comes when we gaze into the greatness of God and see His grace. When we realize that we become who we are only by His grace. Humility is the antidote for the self-love and the pride that poisons relationships.  Pride leads to power struggles and the need to be right hurting others where humility lends a helping hand.   Humility is not putting yourself down it is lifting others up.

• Gentleness

 Gentleness is not weakness but power under control. It is the picture of a horse that has been trained and can be ridden. It is real strength, but it does not have to display itself or show off how strong it is. Gentleness is the garment of the God-controlled person. When you put on gentleness others can take off self-defensive armor, wariness, fearfulness, and can put on trust. Gentleness results from place yourself and your situations under God’s will, when we do so we do not need to control others.

Colossians 3:10-17

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 Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.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 one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 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 message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 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.

Paul has taught us about praise, prayer, the preeminence of Christ, God’s purpose and plan, proactively pursing Jesus, poisonous practices of piety, in chapter 3 Paul talks about living with Power through putting on. Paul moves from putting off to putting on. Today most Christians tend to get focused on the removal and forget about the replacing.  We are not called to strip of the old and do life naked but to replace the past with God’s power and presence. Paul calls us to put on the new nature, and be renewed as we learn to know our Creator and become like Him. The focus is not on rules or results but a relationship. Transformation involves trusting God, spending time with Him in a relationship. Paul’s proposal is to live for the Lord and as he talks about the new nature he starts with our:

1. POSITION Of the new life– Vs 12

It all starts with position.

ILLUSTRATION:

One day the commander of a great armies had his prize steed run away from him. An alert private immediately jumped on a horse and chased after the steed. When the private returned the horse the commander smiled at the private and said, “Thank you,…Captain!” The overjoyed private immediately took his old uniform to the quartermaster and exchanged it for that of a captain. He then ran back to the barracks, packed his bags, and moved into the officers’ quarters. In an instant, the commander-in-chief had changed his status from that of a lowly private to that of a commissioned officer. He never once doubted the commander’s words, instead, he believed what the general had said and acted accordingly. 

The commander Jesus Christ has, by a single act, forever changed your status before God, by His death and resurrection, He has transformed us from chaos to chosen children. Our responsibility is to act in a way that is consistent with our new status and that is what Colossians 3 is all about. Paul is urging us to exchange the old desires, attitudes, and actions that were characteristic of our former lives for those that are indicative of our new rank and standing. Today many Christians are trying to live up to a position instead of living out their position. 

1. Chosen of God

Special we don’t have to strive to arrive. So often we look at this passage and think if I we be a better Christian Christ would accept me. He already has.

• Holy – set apart from a sinful world and dedicated to God

God is the one who accomplished this true of us positionally now Paul calls us to live it practically to be different from the world. Just as the marriage ceremony sets apart a man and woman for each other exclusively, so salvation sets the believer apart exclusively for Jesus Christ. It would be a horrible thing if at the end of a wedding the bride ran off with another man. It is just as horrible if the Christian runs from God to love the world and the flesh

• Loved – objects of God’s matchless agape love

God’s love involves Him doing what is eternally best for us though not necessarily what we desire or what is easiest. This is His commitment to remain true to us, in all the circumstances of our life. God loves each of us just as we are and as we respond to His love we become who He has called us be. Because of our position as chosen, holy, loved children of God He calls us to put on our new uniform.