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3/4/11 8 a.m. Mothering Sunday Colossians 3:12-17

John 19:25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Today is Mothering Sunday when we may remember the love of our mother, and, perhaps, the love of the mother of our children and even grandchildren. In today's epistle Paul refers to the centrality of love in the life of the believer.

Becoming, and continuing to be a Christian involves putting to death our earthly, human nature and living a new life for God, putting on the a new nature. That nature is the nature of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Immediately before today's reading Paul had told the Colossian Christians that they must put off their old, earthly, sinful nature with all of the deeds this entailed. In today's passage he talks of putting on this new nature.

In the first half of verse 12 Paul reminds them of the root of their salvation. They are chosen by God, holy or set apart for him, and dearly loved by God. This root should enable them to grow into being more like Jesus. As we read this list of virtues we can relate them to Jesus. We are to be clothed with these virtues. To put them on to replace the way we used to behave.

We once bought Joshua a new coat. He was nearly six, but the sizing of coats go from 5-6, then 7-8. The coat we bought was a size 7-8. And it was quite a bit bigger than he was with the sleeves turned up and it coming to his knees ! But he grew into it.

It is like this with the clothes we are to wear. It may take some time before we fit them well !

Verse 12, Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

We are to put other people before ourselves. That is the motivation behind the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And it isn't easy. I find it difficult to be patient, sometimes when I am driving. Yet this is very selfish. It is saying that our concerns have to come first.

So when we and other people fail how should we react. Verse 13, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. The motivation behind our forgiving is that we have been forgiven so much by God. The type of forgiving should be like God's. Undeserved and unconditional.

Our forgiveness of others shows that we have understood the true nature of our own forgiveness by God. That is what the Lord's prayer is referring to in the line "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us". It is not that we earn God's forgiveness by being forgiving. That would be salvation by works. It is that our forgiving shows that we have been forgiven and responded accordingly.

We have been thinking about putting on Christian virtues. Like different items of clothing. Paul now gets to the final item. Verse 14, And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. It is as if love is like a large, full length overcoat. Holding in place and joining together all the clothing underneath.

We have been considering what we should do, or put on. Paul now outlines how we can do these things. The motivation, if you like.

1) Verse 15, Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

With the list of spoken sins that the Colossians are to put off it appears that there were divisions in the church. Christ has made peace with God for each one of us through his body on the cross. When this happens we join his body on earth the church and so are united with one another. I cannot imagine a body attacking itself without bringing harm and ridicule on itself. So we should concentrate on what unites us, rather than what divides us. There can be divisions and tensions between people in a fellowship. So if anyone here has a problem with a Christian brother or sister we are to forgive them and perhaps go to them and be reconciled with them.

We have peace with God through Christ. We should have peace with one another in Christ.

2) And be thankful. We are to be thankful to God for what he has done for us, verse 15b.

Praise and thanksgiving puts things in a right perspective. It can free us from the earthly ties that can entangle us. It enables us to set our minds on things above, as mentioned in verse 2.

This is linked to the singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God, verse 16b. A good way to start off our quiet time can be to sing a hymn or song of praise to God. The context here though is primarily a congregational one. It is encouraging to come together regularly to worship God. It is also important to come together and

3) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, verse 16.

The word of Christ is his teaching found in the Bible. This should be used to teach and admonish. So the teaching should be applied to correct us in how we should live.

In my previous parish someone showed me a book of pithy sayings based upon Bible verses. I read this one which fitted in with this verse : "In order to receive the direction of God, you must be able to receive the correction of God."

We do this so we can live lives that are more holy, and this will bring glory to God. Paul goes on to outline some practical ways that Christians should relate to others in their home life in verses 18-22.

4) Verse 17, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Our words and deeds should be 'in the name of Jesus'. This is not a magic formulae to add to things like abracadabra. It refers to us living and acting as those who bear the name of Christ. Acting for him. Relying upon him. Like an ambassador representing his King. Relying upon his King for orders on how he should conduct himself.

Therefore our foundation of holiness should be our relationship with Christ. We should be putting off the old life with its sinful actions and desires. And putting on the new life that makes us more like Jesus. This should be inspired by the worship of God, and his word, taught and applied to our lives.

Henry Drummond a preacher and author started an address at a club in London this way. 'Ladies and gentlemen, the entrance fee into heaven is nothing: the annual subscription is everything."

PRAY

Colossians 3:12-17.

3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

In the first half of verse 12 Paul reminds the Colossian Christians of the root of their salvation. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

They are chosen/elected by God, holy or set apart for him, and beloved by God. This foundation should enable them to grow into being more like Jesus. As we read this list of virtues we can relate them to Jesus. We are to be clothed with these virtues. To put them on to replace the way we used to behave.

Talk of familiar clothes. e.g. shoes, comfortable, long while before I wore my second pair bought in sale ! It is like this with the clothes we are to wear for God. It may take some time before we fit them well !

verse 12b. We are to put other people before ourselves. That is the motivation behind the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And it isn't easy. I find it difficult to be patient, sometimes when I am driving. Yet this is very selfish. It is saying that our concerns have to come first.

So when we and other people fail how should we react ? 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

The motivation behind our forgiving is that we have been forgiven so much by God. The type of forgiving should be like God's. Undeserved and unconditional.

We have been thinking about putting on Christian virtues. Like different items of clothing. Paul now gets to the final item. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. It is as if love is like a large, full length overcoat. Holding in place and joining together all the clothing underneath.

We have been considering what we should do, or put on. Paul now outlines how we can do these things.

1) 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Christ has made peace with God for each one of us through his body on the cross. When this happens we join his body on earth the church and so are united with one another. I cannot imagine a body attacking itself without bringing harm and ridicule on itself. So we should concentrate on what unites us, rather than what divides us. Something that we declared on Radio Stoke with our Methodist and Baptists brothers and sisters recently.

But we shouldn't be smug about this because I know that there are divisions and tensions between people in our fellowship here and that this is one of the things that is stopping us from growing. So if anyone here has a problem with a Christian brother or sister we are to forgive them and perhaps go to them and be reconciled with them.

We have peace with God through Christ. We should have peace with one another in Christ.

2) We are to be thankful to God for what he has done for us, verse 15b,and be ye thankful.

Praise and thanksgiving puts things in a right perspective. It can free us from the earthly ties that can entangle us. It enables us to set our minds on things above ( as mentioned in verse 2).

This is linked to the singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God, verse 16b singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

FILL THOU MY LIFE, O Lord my God,

In every part with praise,

That my whole being may proclaim

Thy being and Thy ways.

A good way to start off our quiet time can be to sing a hymn or song of praise to God. The context here, though, is primarily a congregational one. It is encouraging to come together regularly to worship God. It is also important to come together and

3) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, verse 16.

The word of Christ is his teaching found in the Bible. This should be used to teach and admonish. So the teaching should be applied to correct us in how we should live.

John Mottram showed me a book of pithy sayings based upon Bible verses. I read this one which fitted in with this verse : "In order to receive the direction of God, you must be able to receive the correction of God."

We do this so we can live lives that are more holy, and this will bring glory to God.

4) 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

To summarise, our foundation of holiness should be our relationship with Christ. We should be putting off the old life with its sinful actions and desires. And putting on the new life that makes us more like Jesus. This should be inspired by the worship of God, and his word, taught and applied to our lives.

Henry Drummond a preacher and author started an address at a club in London this way. 'Ladies and gentlemen, the entrance fee into heaven is nothing: the annual subscription is everything."

PRAY