Colossians 3:12-17

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must 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. 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.

So far we have seen that we are not only called to live out our new position but we are called to put on Christ’s provision for the new life. After putting on Christ’s clothes of tenderhearted mercy and kindness next we are called to clothe ourselves with

c. Humility

Humility kindles kindness, enabling it to flow freely, 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 does not come naturally to humanity, it comes when we gaze into the greatness of God and see His grace. Pride is put in its place when we realize that we become who we are only by His grace. Humility is the antidote to self-love and the pride that poisons our relationships. Pride leads to power struggles and the need to be right. Pride hurts our relationships and leads to hate, where humility lends a helping hand. Where pride ruins relationship, humility restores and rejuvenates. Today the message that has molded our culture is that we should love self, is it any wonder that we have become a selfish self-serving society instead of a servant driven one? Humility is not putting yourself down it is lifting others up. Next is the garment of:

d. Gentleness

Unfortunately our society sees gentleness as weakness, but gentleness is not weakness, it is 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 their self-defensive armor, wariness, and fearfulness, and can put on trust. Today because we have tossed the garment of gentleness into the garbage can we have gone from a giving society to a guarded one. How do we regain gentleness, by placing ourselves and our situations under God’s will, for when we do we will not need to control others. What happens when a nation gives up on gentleness, they go from being a blessing to being a brat. Instead of serving they become self-absorbed but it doesn’t end there, brats always become bullies. Bullies have one goal to get their way and as a result gentleness is replaced with getting. Next we are called to put on:

e. Patience

Patience means self-restraint, and a steady response in the face of provocation. It is the spirit which doesn’t let mankind’s foolishness and unteachability drive it to cynicism and despair or let the insults and ill treatment drive you to bitterness and anger. Patience is the opposite of resentment and revenge. Patience is putting up with those the flesh wants to put down. Practicing the attributes listed in verse 12 makes the actions listed in verse 13 possible: “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.” It’s here that we are commanded to cloth ourselves with:

f. Forbearance and forgiveness

In relationships there is a lot that needs to be endured and it is the spirit of forgiveness that makes difficult things endurable even erasing them. Love is repeatedly having to say “I’m sorry.” In relationship we are vulnerable to pain and it is forgiveness that brings peace. Studies show that it is not great riches that make people happy, but friends and forgiveness. For many an unforgiving spirit is often the last emotional fortress that we yield to the power of God. We cling to anger and bitterness because we feel that those who have wronged us should suffer. We want justice and what is fair and Paul points out we are the recipients of an over fair God. When we realize how much God has forgiven us, we will be compelled to extend mercy to others. We forgo forgiveness because we have somehow missed the mercy of God. When was the last time you looked into the mirror of His mercy, what reflection did you see as your heart was revealed was it one of revenge or restoration? Revenge is ruining our relationships because it doesn’t just harden our hearts it creates a heart of hate. Hate always harbors the hurts and looks for an opportunity to harm. There is a story told about a man named Joe who was dying. For years he had been at odds with Bill, formerly one of his best friends. Wanting to straighten things out, he sent word for Bill to come and see him. When Bill arrived, Joe told him that he was afraid to go into eternity with such a bad feeling between them. Then, very reluctantly and with great effort, Joe apologized for things he had said and done. He also assured Bill that he forgave him for his offenses. Everything seemed fine until Bill turned to go. As he walked out of the room, Joe called out after him, “But, remember, if I get better, this doesn’t count!” Isn’t that a picture of the way we often treat one another, the forgiveness we offer is superficial, given with a selfish motive. We say that we forgive, but when the least little friction arises, how quick we are to resurrect past grievances. We like to “bury the hatchet” with the handle sticking out. That way we can easily pick it up again and use it to our advantage. When we forgive someone we’re not minimizing the harm they caused nor condoning the sin they’ve committed, we are simply choosing to place the offense into the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. Lastly we are called to put on:

g. Love

Love is the spirit of self-sacrifice that comes from God as we walk with Him. Love lashes all these attributes together with bonds that can’t be broken. Love is the beauty of the believer, dispelling the ugly sins that destroy unity. If compassion is the inner, garment, and if kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness are its active-wear, shirts, pants and socks, then love is the overcoat. “On top of all these things,” Paul says, “put on love.” Love brings warmth to a relationship. Love is not merely an emotion, emotions wear thin and threadbare as feelings ebb. Love as the overcoat is made up of two things, commitment and caring. It’s the solid ground on which relationships rest “I will be there for you.” That’s the commitment but what good is commitment without caring? Caring says, “I commit myself to you and I will be there to care for you.”

Today our relationships are running aground and being wrecked against the rocks of recklessness because we are dressing for success instead of for service. We have bought into the world’s wardrobe instead of the Words. In an attempt to be hip we have crammed our closets full of current culture and cast aside Christ’s. What is the price that we have paid for this worldly wear? That which is dearest and most desirable, the richness of relationship. The truth is we are not hip we are hypocrites; while we parade around in our political correctness we are poisoning and putting to death that which makes us human. We are not tolerant we are tyrannical; we are destroying that which is dearest. Today dads are deserting their families, people are targeting police, the peace keepers of our society, while politicians promise to fix it all with more policies. Our worldly wardrobe has left us naked but sadly not ashamed. What we need isn’t more laws its more love, if we want to become a successful society then we need to start dressing for service not self. We need to start dressing from Christs closet not the cultures. What about you, what wardrobe are you wearing?

Colossians 3:12-17

12 “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must 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. 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.”

Our position not only determines our perspective but also what we

a. Pursue

In verse 1 when Paul says to “Set your sights” he is talking here about what we pursue, our searching and seeking. This is about what our heart seeks and a need for a change in desires. Instead of pursuing results Paul calls us to purse a relationship with Jesus. The focus isn’t on the place of heaven but on the person in heaven. Paul is not calling us to love and meditate on the things in heaven, but rather on the King of heaven, the qualities that characterize the life and rule of Christ.  If you want to hit the target you have to focus on what you’re shooting for. When we focus on something right in front of us we end up with a short range focus. Not only does it strain our eyes, but it blurs our view of anything beyond the end of our nose. But if we adjust our focus we get a bigger picture. We can shift our sight from near to far at will, the choice is ours.  We can succumb to selfish, earthbound thoughts, which blur our view of anything beyond the end of our noses, or we can gaze through this sinful scene and fix our attention on things above. Then, and only then, are we in a position to see what’s most important in life. Paul says to set our sights on the realities of heaven, what is the reality, Jesus is seated on the throne. We need to focus on the finished work of Jesus not on the frustrations of this world. Jesus is seated because the work is done, when we set our sights on the Savior we can stop striving. Not only does our position determine our perspective and what we pursue but also how we

b. Process

The power of the Resurrection puts heaven in our hearts but it needs to be transmitted to our minds. We can have eternal or earthly thinking. The Colossians had accepted Christ but it lay dormant because they were engrossed with earthly things. Their earthly priorities were controlling their perspective and directing their lives. We can identify with them, our thoughts, energy, talents and time can be focused on our agenda of personal success and prosperity. This duality of direction, this split personality is what debilitates so many of us. St. Augustine said, “Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all.” When it comes to eternal thinking and earthly thinking, one is everything the other is empty, one is promise focused the other problem focused. If you are honest you will probably find that like me your desires revealed by your thoughts are more focused on the things of this world than on the things of God’s Word. If you want to discover the full force of your focus when it comes to earthly verses eternal things then go study your bank statement, because it records both your priorities and preferences. Revolutionizing your relationships starts first with your relationship with God. Are you living out your position as a child of the King? Are you letting your position in Christ determine not only your perspective and what you pursue but also how you process? Not only are we called to live out our new position but we are also called to put on Christ’s

2. Provision for the new life.

The call is to take action and put on God’s apparel. 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. Instead of seeing these as God’s provision we often look at them as a problem. Because we look at the list of attributes: tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, and see them as weakness. We dismiss His provision because we don’t believe that we can live life that way and get ahead in this world. What we really believe is that if we really lived these out we would get run over and become somebodies door mat. Our world tells us to dress for success and recognition, but God calls us to dress for relationship. We are to put off the things that ruin relationship: lust, greed, anger, slander and put on those that build relationship. 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.” The first Godly garment that Paul presents us with is:

a. Tenderhearted mercy.

This is commonly called compassion, it’s “a heart of pity” but pity does not mean pathetic. Compassion is an inner attitude expressed in outward action. It’s a fullness of tender caring for and about 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 Christ. In Luke 19:41 we find Jesus so moved with compassion for people that He wept for them. 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 calloused, but compassion is the ointment that keeps us tender.

b. 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, benevolence in action, grace that seeks to touch others and take the edge off their harsh reality. Jesus used the word in Matthew 11:20 when he said, “My yoke is easy”, not harsh or hard to bear. Kindness is focused on serving not selfishness, it is painted for us in the picture of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). This is the one who used both his time and his treasure to bind up the wounds of an enemy. Sympathy is sorry for pain, empathy feels your pain, kindness helps stop the pain, it is a garment with healing woven into its fabric. Living the Christian life is not just about removing it’s about replacing. Paul doesn’t stop with putting off he also talks about 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 provision. Many of us are striving to live a good life instead of a Godly life. As a result we have reduced the righteous life to one of removing bad attitudes and actions instead of replacing them with Godly apparel. What about you, are you living out your position and putting on Christ’s provision for the new life?