Did you ever play dress when you were young? Maybe you dressed up as a superhero, or put on your parents’ clothes, pretending you were all grown up. Maybe you put on a costume to act out your part in a school play. Whatever you put on, it gave you an opportunity to be different, a new identity for a short time.
This Sunday, we’ll see how Paul uses clothing as a metaphor in his letter to the Colossians to illustrate the attitudes and actions we are to put on that identify us as Christ-followers.
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Sermon Script
One thing I know to be true about all of us …
no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you do for a living…
I guarantee we all do this…
no one leaves home in the morning without getting dressed
some put more thought into it than others
for some it’s more about fashion, others it’s more about function
When former President Barack Obama would address a working-class crowd, he would speak with no jacket and his sleeves rolled up
silently and instantly communicated to the audience that he too was a hard worker
Some become known for what they wear…
Steve Jobs was known for his wardrobe … same thing every day
black mock turtleneck, blue jeans and New Balance sneakers
part of me is really drawn to that
What we wear and how we wear it communicates to those around us
How we dress tells a story about us
attitudes, beliefs, preferences, prejudices, brand loyalty, self-image
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Paul will use the imagery of clothing, our attire, as we continue in his letter to the Colossian Christ-followers
Last week we saw what we need to put off, or die to
Now it’s what we put on
The transformation of who we were to who we are IN Christ …
was never meant to be only about you
was never meant to be an individual or isolated experience
It’s meant to be lived out in relationship to others
—–
Paul begins with the ATTITUDES of our attire
01
Colossians 3:12
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…
holy
set apart for God
set apart from … Self-centered living
set apart for … Christ-centered living
dearly loved
not simply emotion … an action initiated by a choice of will
the love which led Christ to undergo suffering and death for our salvation
the permanence and enduring nature of God’s love for us, for you
Pause … if you struggle believing you’re loved by God, let this phrase comfort and consume you …
you are DEARLY LOVED
don’t blow that off, don’t discredit it, don’t start listing off the reasons it can’t be true about you
sit with, soak in it, accept it
02
Colossians 3:12
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Clothe yourselves
some translations say “put on”
we’re getting dressed before leaving the house
Lists 5 attitudes that are to be identifiers of Christ IN us in our relationships with others
NOTICE … the list of “die to’s” from last week are all self-serving attitudes
these are all self-sacrificing
Compassion
a feeling of mercy deep in the heart
language used implies a feeling in our bowels
At one time it was believed that emotions originated in the bowels
We get close to it when we say, “I’ve got a feeling in my gut”
literally to “bear with” or “to suffer with”
human nature is to remove itself from suffering … avoid it … maybe look at it from a safe distance but not enter it
compassion engages with the suffering of others
We see often in the life of Jesus that He was moved by compassion which resulted in action
Mark 6 & 8 … Jesus feeds the hungry multitudes after feeling compassion for them
Compassion is demonstrated by stepping into the life of another and walking alongside them
Even when it’s hard … when it’s inconvenient … when it’s costly
Kindness
The German philosopher Nietzsche hated Christianity because it encouraged kindness
He rejected the biblical concept because, he said, it drained strong people by making them kind, driving them to waste their energies on lepers, cripples, and oppressed people
An action that reveals compassion; arises out of a sense of sympathy
kindness reaches out to others
can take many different forms—a smile, kind word, paying it backward at the grocery store, helping a neighbor that can’t get out right now for what they need
Jamie and I were out to eat in SF (remember when we could do that?) during fleet week last year and a Navy service member came in alone to eat. Towards the end of his meal, we asked the waitress to bring us his check so we can pay for him. She told us three other tables has asked also and the check had already been paid for. When the young man was told, you could see the surprise on his face. Simple acts of kindness.
Humility
Muhammed Ali once said, “It’s hard to be humble, when you’re as great as I am.”
Humility is the opposite of pride
neither the Romans nor the Greeks had a word for humility
The very concept was so foreign to their way of thinking they had no term to describe it. During the first several centuries of Christianity, when writers borrowed the term, they always used it negatively, because to them, humility was a weakness
1 Peter 5:5 tells us “…God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
how do you treat those you encounter throughout your day?
meal servers, flight attendants, uber driver, baristas, employees, neighbors
those “beneath” your status financially, socially, professionally
Humility is not putting ourselves down, it’s lifting others up before yourself
Gentleness
other translations say meekness
often perceive as weakness
expresses itself in patience towards offenses
to suffer or endure rather than inflict harm or revenge
controlled strength; power under control
Aristotle defined it as the balance between being too angry and never being angry at all
anger so controlled that we are always angry at the right time and never at the wrong time
the person who is never angry at any personal wrong they may receive, but capable of righteous anger when others are wronged
Patience
literally long-temper; long-suffering, self-restraint
the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate
The emphasis is placed on patience with the difficulties encountered with other people
commonly used in the NT of the attitude of God towards us
if God has been so patient with us, shouldn’t we display the same grace in our relationships with each another?
I look at this list and think “I’ve got some work to do”
There’s a few of these that aren’t reflected in attitudes I can find myself having
For many of us there’s been a lot of stress and anxiety that last couple months
Maybe we haven’t been our best selves in attitude
Here’s what you can do…
start with one, focus on it for a month, then another
ask God to work with you and in you
make yourself accountable to someone or to your small group
The transformation of Christ IN us is a transformation of attitude
In other words, THINK DIFFERENT BE DIFFERENT
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That difference is also reflected in the ACTIONS of our attire
Now, Paul is really going to get right into our personal space…
03
Colossians 3:13
13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
In essence Paul says…
there will be difficult, challenging people life
yeah, no kidding Paul
don’t look at those you’re with right now
those difficult people, you’re to forgive them
come again Paul?
those difficult people, you’re to forgive them, the person you have a grievance against, an issue with, have been holding a grudge towards, the one who hurt you
wait, you have no idea what they’ve done
this is where we begin to list the wrongs, pains, the destructive and abusive actions, the betrayal and loss
and it’s all real
you’re to forgive the person you have the grievance against with the same forgiveness God has forgiven you
I don’t know if I can do that
Author C. S. Lewis said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”
It can be easy to say we forgive. The problem is we sometimes we can’t forget
We struggle day after day to put pain and trauma behind us
it lingers in our minds and hearts
We can’t seem to forget, or we don’t want to forget
Forgiveness can be one of the most challenging, difficult, at times seemingly impossible actions
There are hurts that go deep
Pains that don’t diminish with time
There’s betrayal by those who were supposed to protect
Loss of what can never be replaced
The armor of our resentment, bitterness, rage, hurt feelings, loss and suffering can keep us locked in unforgiveness
I’m not the first to wrestle with this, you’re not the first to struggle with it
Peter once asked Jesus how much forgiveness was required
Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
The rabbis taught that forgiving up to three times was sufficient
Peter was thinking he was being “more than generous” with seven
maybe he was thinking there has to be a limit to forgiveness
Matthew 18:22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
70×7 is not meant to be literal
It’s hyperbole to make the point that forgiveness is to be given as often as it is needed
There is no limit on the forgiveness we are to show others because there is no limit on the forgiveness God has shown us!
Why? Why is forgiveness so important?
04
Forgiveness frees my future from my past
Forgiveness is more about you than the person you’re forgiving
Forgiveness frees you to move into your future rather than anchoring you in the past
Forgiving does not mean whitewashing the past
Forgiving doesn’t mean exposing yourself to unsafe people or situations
Forgiveness does not mean the person who wronged you has to remain in your life
Forgiveness is not saying what happened was ok
Forgiveness is not about fairness
Forgiveness is about letting go
of the offense we’ve held on to
the wrong that’s been done
the debt we are owed
the resentment we carry
the wounds we wear
the identity we’ve taken on or created
Forgiveness frees my future from my past
Forgiveness is to release another from the obligation of what is owed you
an apology, restitution, years of life, your plans
We need to forgive even when the offender doesn’t make an effort to make things right
Here’s a little forgiveness “self-assessment”
Think of a person who has hurt you with words or actions, someone who has sinned against you
If they’re with you, don’t point them out right now
When you think of that person, are you still angry or resentful?
Do you have a subtle desire to see that person “pay” for what they did to you?
Do you have a secret longing for revenge, which sounds something like “I wouldn’t mind if ___________ happened to them.”
Do you find yourself telling and re-telling others how that person hurt you?
If you have some yeses in there, there’s still unforgiveness
Jamie and I were talking about this recently…
It takes strength to forgive
To suggest that forgiveness equals weakness is actually false
Forgiveness is powerful
It’s more powerful than what was done to you
Forgive as the Lord forgave you
Pauls echoing his own words in Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
—–
Play video
https://www.rightnowmedia.org/content/illustration/99857
Song: Forgiveness Rushed In
—–
Paul continues…
05
Colossians 3:14
14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
over all of these; some translations say above all of these
Listen to these verses from The Message translation …
06
Colossians 3:12-15 (MSG) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense.
07
Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
This is the inescapable quality of a Christ-follower … to love
If you think that love is a warm, fuzzy feeling or that it means always being nice, you’re missing the heart of biblical love
agapē … is more a “doing” than a “feeling”
We weren’t shown agapē in order to keep it to ourselves
It’s not just about knowing I’m loved by God, but showing the love of God
Love doesn’t say I’ll love you if or when
Love says I love you because
you’re worth it
you were worth it to God
you’re worth it to me
John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Love is a choice of action; it’s an identifier
There are at least 55 direct commandments in the NT telling us to love others
To love is a demonstration of God in us living thru us
—–
So … Ask yourself this…
08
Who is the who I’m to demonstrate Christ to?
sounds very Dr Seuss-ish
Make it personal … put a face with it …
Who is the who I’m to show …
compassion
kindness
humility
gentleness
patience
Who is the who I’m to…
bear with
forgive
that who can even be you
love
What better time than now to live this out to those around you, those in your circle of influence
Let’s not leave home without the attire of Christ-centered Attitudes and Actions
Let’s pray…
Blue Oaks Church
Pleasanton, CA