Many people in many churches do have intimate relationships. Several in this church do. Many of you contact one another daily. For some, this is a matter of practicality, because of age and concern for one another. But you would not do it if the concern was not real and the concern is a definitive sign of intimacy. But for all of us, this intimacy can be further developed and must be if our identity is truly in Christ.
Last week, we looked at the letter to the churches in Galatia and the focus was on their understanding of their identity in Christ. Paul wrote that the people were free because of Christ, but they had to realize that freedom and live accordingly. Thus, their freedom was in Christ and they, therefore, need to live for Christ. The book of Colossians has a different theme, but the idea of how we live because we are in Christ is very evident in Colossians as well. In fact, let me read Colossians 3.3-4 here. Verse 3 says “Our life is hidden in Christ” and verse 4 says “Christ is our life.” You cannot get any more intimate than those two sayings.
Again, I offer you this development theory put together by Erik Erikson in the 1950s. This theory regards a person’s development, but specifically considers the development in light of their interaction with others.
Today, I am discussing the sixth step of this particular development theory. Previously we:
- have moved through trust by looking at how different groups opposed one another in 1 Corinthians.
- discussed the idea of autonomy and Paul’s life as he shared his ambition in Philippians.
- we observed that we must take the proper initiative to accomplish what God has for us in 2 Corinthians.
- saw our need to be industrious by imitating God from Ephesians.
- saw our need to understand our identity is in Christ because it is He who made us free.
Each of these phases builds from the previous. At the risk of oversimplification, because we learn to trust, we are able to exert our will and take initiative. As we then learn various skills we discover much about ourselves and forge an identity. Once we know ourselves, we are then ready to make a decision about our relationships with others. That is the step where we are today, and it is a step that has vast implications towards discipleship. Will we be intimate with others and seek to make disciples? Or will we choose isolation and withdraw from the world?
As I just mentioned above, if our life is in Christ, then we should follow His lead. There are no doubts that Jesus isolated Himself on occasion but this was always to seek God through prayer. At other times, Jesus took just a few with Him for certain reasons (e.g. Transfiguration and even healing others). But whether with a few or with the crowds, He was engaged with people for the purpose of sharing God’s message and building the Kingdom. In other words, He was busy making disciples. As His followers, we should do the same.
So why don’t we? Well, again, let me remind us of the (now) four overarching reasons people and churches do not make disciples.
- We don’t understand Jesus (it is our responsibility too, not just 1st Century disciples)
- We don’t believe God (He is greater than the problems we will face)
- We don’t love Jesus (If you love me, you will obey my commandments – make disciples)
- We don’t know how (But it is our responsibility to learn how)
As we look at the letter to the Colossians this week, let me say that our first reason – not understanding Jesus – takes on a new meaning based upon last week’s message and this week’s message. Last week, I said many forget what it means to be free in Christ. This week, we look at the letter to the Colossians who were absorbed with worship – although that worship was often the creation, not the Creator. When we lose our focus of worship, we cannot find intimacy with God or with one another. However, as we worship our Creator we become better identified with Christ which allows us to become more intimate with others.
Before we recite our GPS, let me provide a brief outline of Colossians so we have the context for our passage today.
Ch 1: The Preeminence of Christ; The Ministry of Paul
Ch 2: Because we are identified with Christ, let us hold fast to Him
Ch 3: Be who you (plural) are in Christ
Ch 4: Final commands and concluding remarks
Now, join with me as we recite our Vision, Mission, Strategy, and Steps.
VISION
To be A large church in a small town. (Matthew 5.13-16)
MISSION
Exalt the Savior (John 12.32).
Equip the Saint (Ephesians 4.11-13).
Evangelize the Sinner (Acts 1.8).
STRATEGY
Jesus (Matthew 16.18-19) – The One worth following.
Observe (Colossians 1.28-29) – Following the commands of Jesus.
Unite (1 Corinthians 1.10) – Being one in fellowship with other believers.
Revere (John 12.32) – Worshipping God in all aspects of our lives.
Nurture (Eph 4.12-13) – Building up others for the work of ministry.
Engage (Acts 1.8) – Stirring the hearts of all people with the Gospel.
You (Matt. 15.15-16) – The one who decides to follow.
STEPS
Learn With Each Other (Acts 17.10-12)
Live For Each Other (Rom 15.1-2)
Love God and All Others (Matt 22.37-39)
Lead One Another (to Follow Jesus) (2 Tim 2.2)
(Leave) When Called by the One True Other (Acts 13.1-3)
To equip others means we need to know who they are and how God has gifted them. This is a part of Nurture which is why our verses for Equip the Saint from the Mission and Nurture from our Strategy both use the reference from Ephesians 4. Reggie takes a closer look at Ephesians 4.11-13 here.) Equipping for the work of ministry is about learning how to fulfill certain responsibilities, but it is also about recognizing the need to merely be compassionate towards others. In our look at Colossians 3 today, we will see that truth quite plainly.
Paul makes an argument in the first half of Colossians that those who have faith in Jesus truly belong to Him (cf. 2.9-13). But we must realize that truth for ourselves. Like last week in Galatians where we saw that being free and living free can be two different truths; Colossians shows us that we must be intentional about focusing our life toward Christ. As we do, we will find that we can become more intimate with others who do the same.
This begins by focusing on heavenly matters, not earthly ones. Colossians 3.1-2 should remind us of Jesus words to seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness. When we do that, we get our needs met too. However, when we focus only on our physical needs, we often miss the person of God. We saw verses
Disciple-making churches become intimate when worldly vices are abolished. (vv. 5-9a)
In these next verses, three times Paul mentions the idea of ridding ourselves of something. In verse 5, we are told to put to death certain vices. In verse 8, we are to put away other negative characteristics. And in verse 9, we are told that we have put off the old self.
The first list is similar to the one we reviewed two weeks ago in Ephesians 5. These items are self-explanatory – sexual immorality, impurity, passion (elsewhere this word is translated as degrading or evil passion), evil desire, covetousness (idolatry). Consider what these vices do in our lives. But in the context of this passage, and in the context of our series, consider what they do for a church! Imagine making disciples where we are teaching others to be sexually immoral, or to degrade others, or to idolize what the world offers. It is no wonder that Paul says these characteristics should be put to death, for these qualities will destroy us individually, and collectively, if we are not careful.
If we remind ourselves of Colossians 3.1-2, we must ask ourselves are these characteristics from above or things of the earth. Of course, these are sinful qualities – and thus of the earth. Therefore, we must not only remove them from our midst, but do so violently so as to ensure they do not return.
But then Paul continues. He includes anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk. Whereas the original list may demoralize others, the ultimate destruction is on ourselves. In this list, these characteristics may make us look bad, but the impact is on others and thus should be put away.
Thus, in two short lists Paul has dealt with several primary vices that will either destroy us or are used by us to destroy others. Neither of these sets of vices is God-honoring and therefore should not be a part of the life of a believer. As they are allowed to continue, people cannot come together out of fear and pain – which is the opposite of what we should experience with intimacy.
Therefore, Paul reminds the reader that their old self is gone – it too has been put off. It is Christ that clothes us now. As we have seen countless times in this series, Paul is talking to a group. This is not about an individual having put off their old self; this is the full church having taken on a new identify – casting off their old and embracing the new.
Fairfax Baptist Church, are we still holding on to ill-feelings towards ourselves or others? Do we hold contempt in our hearts for others – especially other who are part of this church? Do we seek to tear down others for our own benefit? Or do we degrade others and invite evil into our lives which ultimately destroys us? If we are to be a church that makes disciples, we must cast aside and put to death all that holds us back from being intimate with one another. We must abolish all that holds us back from finding our collective identity in Christ and therefore our full intimacy with one another.
Disciple-making churches become intimate when heavenly virtues are apparent. (vv. 9b-14)
Paul immediately contrasts the idea of putting off with the command to put on. Again, Paul’s verb choice is a plural one suggesting it is a collective putting on of this new self. When we do we do not see the differences that we once before us. We might paraphrase verse 11 for our day as follows. There is not American and foreigner, black and white, Democrat, Republican, Baptist, Methodist, old, young, etc – we are all a part of Christ and Christ is found in all.
Paul knows if we do not replace the old, we will return to it. So, here, He provides a list of virtues which show this new self to be seeking things which are above. These virtues include compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. These items are all a part of us but for the benefit of others. We are not compassionate toward ourselves, for instance. Although we might care for ourselves, Paul is saying we show compassion towards others. And humility and kindness, etc.
Why do we do this? Because the Lord has done so for us. Specifically, Paul uses the idea of forgiveness here, but has not the Lord been compassionate towards us? Kind towards us? How about being patient with us? Therefore, just as God has shown these characteristics towards us, we are to show them towards others.
And once we begin to do so, we bind all of these characteristics with love. Paul uses the imagery of a belt here which keeps all of the other clothes in place. I have recently learned the value of a belt. I almost always wear one, but more for looks than anything. But over the past couple of years I have lost so much weight, I now realize the value of a belt. In fact, last week at camp, I forgot my belt and had to go to Walmart to buy one or it would have been a very challenging week.
That is what Paul is saying here. We can be compassionate and kind and humble, but to do so without love is very difficult. When we cover these virtues with the greatest virtue – love – then we are more naturally meek and patient and kind, etc. More importantly, we are becoming like Christ and modeling for others what they should do as His disciples as well?
Fairfax Baptist Church, are we a church that is known for these heavenly virtues? Do others know us to be compassionate or combative? Are we kind toward others or as self-seeking? Are we humble or do we humiliate others? Are we a church that is known for love or for loathing? More important than how others view us, how do we rate on God’s scorecard? We cannot be intimate if we are combative, self-seeking, etc. Are His virtues present within us? Are we becoming more like Him? If so, we should find ourselves more intimate with Him, with each other, and learning to include others as well.
Disciple-making churches become intimate when the living Word becomes our all. (vv. 15-17)
The last three verses we will look at today are probably familiar to many of you. Paul continues his theme of what it means to live with a heavenly perspective, and with the idea of being intimate with one another.
First, he wrote, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. The world rule is in the sense of an umpire. A decision must be made (often quickly) and Paul says we should let our decision be for peace. If we contrast the lists from earlier in this chapter, we have evil desires, coveting, anger, malice, and lying (for instance) compared to compassion, kindness, meekness, patience, and forgiveness. The former lists reflect the work of the devil, the latter lists reflects the peace of Christ. Paul says we should choose Christ because we are all one – and malice towards another is actually malice towards oneself (for instance).
Then, Paul says to let the very word of Christ dwell within us. Not just a little bit, but richly. So, let the peace of Christ rule you and the word of Christ guide you. We are enriched with the Word, by the Lord, for the benefit of others. God’s Word will teach us to be right, admonish (or correct) us when wrong. As we learn, we then teach and correct others with the Word of God as well. In addition, our songs, hymns, and spiritual songs can be used to teach one another as we praise God and give Him thanks.
Finally, Paul says that everything – EVERYTHING! – we do should be done for Jesus. We may pray “in Jesus name” but do we live that way? We may consider what Jesus might do, but do we follow? Paul shares this idea last in this particular passage because without Christ’s peace ruling us, and without His Word dwelling within us to guide us, we can never be successful at being fully devoted to, and living fully for, the Lord. Such learning and living is definitely a process, but one to which we must aspire if we are to become intimate with our Lord and thus, intimate with one another as well.
Fairfax Baptist Church, who rules our heart? Is it the peace of Christ or something else? Does the Word of Christ dwell richly within us or are we more focused on seeking the world’s riches? Do we do what we do – in both word and deed – for the Lord? Or do we talk the talk without walking the walk – doing in word, not deed? If we are to be the people and the church God wants us to be, we must, as a church, allow God to have more of us than He does at present.
CONCLUSION
Most of you are familiar with the phrase, “He’s so heavenly minded, he’s of no earthly good.” Colossians 3 teaches otherwise. Paul provides many earthly traits and contrasts them with heavenly ones. I would argue that only because Christ was so perfectly heavenly-minded was He able to be of any earthly good. If we are made in the image of God, and we are (Gen. 1.26-27), and if we believe that Christ has redeemed us, then shouldn’t we seek after the things above (Col 3.1) and set our thoughts on things above as well? Being heavenly-minded is not to forsake the world, it is to properly understand the world and to then have the focus to do what God wants you to do about it.
JOURNEY: N – Nurture
This is where the idea of Nurture comes into play. As we know what we should do, the question then becomes do we know how to do it? Nurture certainly involves those heavenly virtues in Colossians 3.12-14, but it also requires an equipping of any necessary skills to accomplish certain ministry tasks. The more we know about each other (i.e. the more intimate we become) the better suited we will be to help one another and accomplish the goals God wants us to accomplish.
So, for this week, we must consider our Next Step to be that of LOVE.
NEXT STEP(S): Love: Paul said to “put on love” in order to bind all of the other positive traits. This week, focus on doing everything you do with a measure of love. You may not like the actual task you are doing in the moment, but consider the greater possibilities of what, and why, you are doing what you are doing. As you think of the greater impact, it can help you to better understand what it means to do everything – EVERYTHING – for the Lord!
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