- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
Suited for Every Situation
Colossians 3:1-17
Illus. What to wear.
As we turn to Colossians 3, we must do so with the understanding that Paul wrote to the church at Colossae to encourage them to live and keep on living according to the new life they had been given in Christ. It was a timely encouragement for their church, from what we know, there were false teachers and many voices pointing them to other ways to live out their days rather than staying centered in and on Christ. Paul gives the encouragement for them to live according to the call of Christ, regardless of what others say or they face in their lives. Since they had been raised up with Christ, they needed to rise up and live for Him. If they were going to live for Him, they would need to stop living in accordance with the things not of Him, and understand that He had given them the keys to being well suited for whatever season or situation they would come up against. They just needed to put away what was not of Him and put on what He provided.
Colossians 3:1(a), Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ…
Whenever we see therefore in Scripture, we should ask a question…What is it there for? Through chapters 1 and 2 we read some powerful truths. In chapter 1 we are told, “For He rescued us from darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and in Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14) Then we are told that, by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church. (Colossians 1:16-18)
In chapter two we read that those who have received Christ as Lord are to walk in Him, be rooted in Him, built up in Him and established in faith (Colossians 2:6-7). Then we are told that we are to see to it that there is no one who can take us captive through the elementary principles of our world, or through philosophy, or human traditions. (Colossians 2:8) In verse 20 he asks a question, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if of the world, do you submit the elementary principles of the world?”
We aren’t just left lost in question without direction, however, that is where chapter 3 continues and we are given specific instruction so that we can remain properly suited for every situation. From Colossians 3 I want to center the rest of our time on four areas surrounding our spiritual attire that we must stick to if we are going to be well suited for every situation. Specifically, where to set your mind, what to surrender, how we are to stay suited, and the life that followers of Christ must settle in on.
- Set Your Mind on The Things That Are Above
Colossians 3:1-3, Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
- What is given in verse 1 is an if-then statement. If this, then that.
- “If” is part of a conditional statement. What is the if? If you are in Christ, if you have denied yourself, taken up your cross and you are a follower of Christ, if you have been raised with Him into new life… Then there is a place to set your focus; keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is seated.
- “Keep seeking” (zeteo), carries the meaning of seeking in order to find. To seek by thinking, meditating, reasoning, and inquiry.
- To “set your mind,” means to direct your mind to a thing.
- Paul is saying to live in such a way that you keep seeking, thinking about, meditating on the things above. And live in such a way that your mind is directed toward heaven, where Christ is.
- And the reason to do so, is so that we will be continually mindful of the coming reality, that we are headed to where Jesus is, glory is the end of the story for those in Christ.
Isaiah 26:3, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
- Jesus directed our minds there…
Matthew 6:33, But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
John 14:1-3, Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
- Heaven is the place those of you in Christ are headed, if it were not so, Jesus would have told you otherwise.
- By setting your hearts and minds on heaven, you are setting them in the place where the promises are sure and secure.
Philippians 3:20, For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:3, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
- When Paul tells the church at Colossae to set their minds on things above, he is telling them to place their value in Christ, to make Him what really matters.
- When we realize that the joy of the Lord far outweighs the things of this earth, when our minds and hearts are set on things above, it becomes easier to let God take control.
- And this is not a “set it and forget it” type of attitude, it’s a continual setting, we can’t forget where our mind is to be set. Since we have been raised up with Christ, we set our minds there.
- That is challenging to do when there is so much here below that pulls on our lives and bends our minds…But when we set our minds on Christ, and on the things above, we have a different, greater perspective.
Illus. Set amongst the distractions.
Illus. Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
- Surrender What the Old Self Was Wrapped Up In
Colossians 3:4-10, When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it.
- Paul looks to the future in verse 4, the second coming and revealing of Christ, those in Christ will be revealed in glory…Then another therefore…
- With their minds set on heaven, and because they are in Christ, Paul implored the church at Colossae to put to death what belonged to their earthly nature.
- In verse 7 we read, “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived…But now, rid yourselves of these things.”
- In other words, there was a previous way of life, things we into ways we lived prior to life in Christ…But now in Christ, lay them down, put them off, rid ourselves of them because they are because they are incongruent with life in Christ…
Colossians 3:8-9, Put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.
Colossians 3:9-11, Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all.
- Ridding ourselves of the old and keeping on the new is a process, however, and as we read these verses in Colossians, it would be easy to think that the process is simple. “Just remove the old clothes and put on the new clothes from God and be done with it.”
- But it’s not that simple always, it’s a process, often a daily process.
- There is a continual commitment and process whereby one must put off and keep surrendering the old ways of thinking, old habits, old feelings and emotions.
- When you came to faith in Jesus, you brought all of you, there are many things that once were that Jesus wants to continue to make new. It is easy to fall back into the old ways, or into what is familiar, but God has better for you.
Illus. Set free after 400 years of slavery and oppression in Egypt, but thinking the same.
Numbers 11:5-6, “We remember the fish we use to eat in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leaks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”
Isaiah 43:18-19, Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert
- If we don’t commit to the new life, we will call to mind what defined the old life and not be aware of what God has for our future.
So we surrender the sin that we were once wrapped up in…
Illus. Dream Team.
- After writing about the those who overcame great obstacles through faith, the writer of Hebrews encouraged us in how to run our own race.
Hebrews 12:1-2, Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Let us rid ourselves of every obstacle, and the sin that entangles, so we can run the race set before us with eyes on Jesus!
Romans 13:12-14, Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
We put off the old…and next we look at what to suit up in…
III. Stay Suited in the New Self
- Just like he named the things we should avoid, he also names what we need to put on. What we need to wear since Christ is the Lord of our lives.
- A “putting on” of the characteristics of Christ. Why? Because we are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved (vs. 12).
Colossians 3:12-14, Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
- Paul says to put these characteristics on, this is the phrase used for changing a set of clothes.
- The old clothes, associated with the old ways are put off and the new put on. The new clothes, match the new you.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Illus. Suited for any situation.
- “Put on the new,” Paul says, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love…In other words, “clothe yourselves in Christ.”
And live in such a way whereby you…
Lastly, to be suited well for every situations…
- Settle in On Life Attached to Jesus
Colossians 3:15-17, Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
- The peace of Christ referred to is the peace that comes from the prince of peace. The word there is Eirene, it refers to the peace that is exempt from rage and havoc, and centers on rest, peace, harmony and tranquility.
- Let the peace from the prince of peace rule in your heart. The word there for “rule” is a Greek word that refers to an umpire, or decision maker deciding what is in or out.
- Let the peace of Christ rule. In other words if you have the peace of Christ, it’s in, you’re going a good way, if you do not, it is out!
- Next, let the Word richly dwell, richly live and be alive within you!
- Then verse 17, whatever you do, whether it is in:
Word – What you say and how it’s said.
Deed – What you do and how it’s done.
- Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. In other words, do those things that are consistent, and in agreement, with the name of Jesus.
- Your faith should have a bearing on everything you do and say, it should have a bearing on your every way, every day.
Illus. Your stamp.
- In scripture, we read about the seal God has placed on His people.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22, “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
- In the ancient world, a seal was used to identify and to protect. If something was sealed, everyone knew who it belonged to, and the seal prevented anyone else from tampering with the item.
- The Holy Spirit is upon us to identify us and protect us. Our life is stamped, marked, and sealed by God through grace.
Colossians 3:1-17