A Summary of the message:
Last week we focused on what Christianity was not—legalism and that we are free in Jesus. This week we will learn how freedom in Jesus is be lived out not by more rules but a transformation of our lives and character from the inside out because of the new humanity that we are in Jesus. We have been given a new identity and our new identity is in Jesus. Paul shares this with the Gentiles of Colossae and they come in the form of commands: seek and set; put to death; get rid of; do not lie; and put on. Just as it was imperative that the Colossae church understand their new life in Jesus it is also imperative that we too understand our new life in Jesus. Our new humanity.
5 points to consider
I. Since we are a new people in Jesus seek and set... There is the saying that if one is too heavenly minded they are no earthly good. I understand what they are saying when they say this that a person has their heads in the clouds and that all that matters is the life to come. But where does that leave life for the present? Paul is expressing the fact that unless we focus on the things above, focus on Jesus then and only then can we live life on earth.
The next four commands by Paul flow out of his first two seek and set. These commands are not done by pulling up our morallity bootstraps and giving it our best shot but they are accomplished through the work of his Holy Spirit. It is the spirit's gracious and loving activity in our lives that we would desire to obey such commands and put to death and get rid of such vices.
II. Since you are a new person in Jesus put to death... Put to death what? What is earthly in you: Put to death refers back to the fact that as a believer we have died with Christ and are now alive with Christ through his resurrection so we can now put to death these external vices. Romans 8:13. (sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness)
III. Since you are a new person in Jesus get rid of... Look with me in v.8 “But now you must put them all away:” Get rid of them. Get rid of what? (anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk).
First: Malice. What is malice? It sounds like quite the archaic term, malice. It means to talk of someone in such a hateful way that you wish to harm them. You wish to destroy their reputation and everything they are. Keep in mind Paul is speaking to Gentile believers. This is not simply belivers talking about the unchurched, but those who are professing believers. Ouch that hurts!
Application Questions to ponder on malice:
Do we talk in this way about past churches that have hurt us that have maligned us so that we might hurt their reputations? Hurt their Gospel witness. If they have done something to hurt their Gospel witness that is their problem and between them and God not us. If someone has hurt you then you need to examine your heart before you let your mouth speak.
Do we talk with hate about some past relationship or maybe current relationships?
Second term I want to focus on is slander: If we've ever had a problem with a vice it would be this one. Believers everywhere have this vice. We disguise it though and make it look like a prayer request when we know deep down inside its not. Slander simply put is talking about someone to another person in a way that you would never talk with them to their face. The term litterally means to blaspheme or speak against someone.
Someone has offended you or rubbed you the wrong way so instead of sharing it with that person you share it with a good friend. That's slander. Slander then turns into gossip because the person who is listening then shares it with someone else and then before you know it slander has spread like gangrene eating away at the body of Christ.
Or if you do not share what was said about the person your view of that person is tainted and the slander has been accomplished. Think about this if we are guilty of slander then are we really loving God? For if we were loving God then we would not speak against our neighbor.
Paul says slander is part of our old humanity not the new humanity in Jesus so get rid of it it does not fit.
Third: is this phrase obscene talk: essentially Paul means potty mouth, vulgarity. Again if we were honest we are all guilty of it. It usually begins with sarcasm and then crosses over the line somewhere to the point of dirty talk.
Application questions to ponder on obscene talk:
How is your speech? Are you speaking in such a way that you not only shame others but you shame yourself ?
How do you speak about your children? About your spouse? Again, Paul says this kind of speech is no longer a part of the new humanity in Jesus, so get rid of it.
IV. Since you are a new person in Jesus do not lie... Look with me v.9 (Read) The term for “lie” gives the sense of putting up false appearances with one another.
V. Since you are a new person in Jesus put on...
As God's chosen ones, those who have been made holy and our endearing to the Lord are to put on, to clothe themselves with, to take on the characteristics of Jesus, we are to put on:
1. Virtues
(compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience)
First: Compassion. The root used for this word is the same word that Jesus uses when he looks upon the crowd of four thousand that are hungry. Jesus had compassion on the crowd. It is believed the crowd of four thousand were Gentiles and Jesus had compassion on them. When Paul uses compassion he is using two words that together mean deep affectionate concern over another's misfortune. One that empathizes not just sympathizes.
Points of application for Compassion:
I think of the HOPE ministry what a ministry of compassion. What an opportunity to serve the community to women who have lost their children.
Would you be considered a compassionate person? What would your spouse say? What would your children say? What would your co-workers say? Paul says with our new humanity, we have this same compassion and are to clothe ourselves because it is a perfect fit. Compassion is never a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.
Outcome of these virtues:
1. excepting people of their weaknesses
Paul says with regard to these virtues you are then able to bear with one another. This is recognizing that none of us are perfect and the body of Christ works together in all its diversity therefore we need to be accepting of each others weaknesses and strengths not for our glory but for Jesus'.
2. forgiveness: God has forgiven you.
There is a second outcome and that is forgiveness, practicing forgiveness. When the Spirit helps us to be compassionate, kind, humble, meek, and patient then forgiveness should be free flowing. God's word says we need to forgive each other because the fact of the matter is that the Lord has forgiven us.
If we cannot forgive someone we need to be searching our hearts for the reason why. A lack of forgiveness leads to a life of bondage and bitterness. A lack of forgiveness leads to a life of emptiness and hatred, a life of loneliness. Let go of your unforgiveness.
Remember God has given us a new humanity in Jesus. The Old humanity has gone the new has come. 2Cor. 5:17. The vices that Paul speaks in Col.3:5-8 no longer fit us so get rid of them for we have been made a new creation.
SDG,
Pastor Mark
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