Changing Your Clothes
The World is Watching • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
This morning were are finishing this sermon series titled the World is Watching. And for the last four weeks we have focused on the importance of the world seeing who we are. Who we really are. More than words, they will see who we are. Words are important is showing the world what we believe, but sometimes, more truth is spoken by our actions. And what we show the world through our lives will speak louder that any words we can say.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING....what do our lives say about what we believe about Jesus, about God, and about a future hope beyond this world?
*******CBC CREED******
When you get new clothes, you like to where them. Yes? If you have been wearing some of the same clothes for a while, then you put on the new clothes, you look fine, and you want everyone to see you. This morning we are going too talk about Changing our Clothes. And the Apostle Paul says that as a believer we are to take off the old and put on the new.
Open your Bibles to the book of Colossians.
This is a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Colossae. Remember last week, I told you that teh Apostle John wrote 1 John, 2 John, and 3rd John to a group of Christians in Asia Minor, which is what we know of Turkey today, Colossae was also in Asia Minor, or in modern day Turkey. Like I mentioned last week, when the apostles began to spread the gospel from Jerusalem, into Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth, it moved first towards Greece. As as it moved, it came to Asia Minor. Paul wrote this letter to the church there to help them stay focused on the gospel that was preached to them from the Apostles....which was the gospel of Jesus Christ.
These letters that make of the New Testament from Paul wrote, Peter, John, James, and Jude are reminders for Christians to continue in the gospel they have recieved. To continue to focus their lives on the true hope that saved them and waits for them. These letters remind them of how they should live as a child of God.
Today, we have these same letters to remind us, and we get to come into church and hear the Word of God preached to remind us as well. When we come before the Lord in reading his Word or hearing it preached, we are like these men and women in Colossae, in Asia Minor, in Corinth… continuing to be encouraged and reminded of our salvation and hope that we have in Jesus Christ, and that should help us in SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE to a WORLD THAT IS WATCHING.
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
1. Consider who you are. (Colossians 3:1)
1. Consider who you are. (Colossians 3:1)
Colossians 3:1 (ESV)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Paul doesn’t start chapter 3 by saying do this. He doesn’t begin by saying don’t do this. He will get to that, but first look how he begins....
IF THEN…
He wants to help them see, before he says how they should live their lives, why they should live their lives showing a difference in who they are.
He says....IF THEN you have been raised with Christ. If then you are a follower of Christ, if then you have placed your hope, and trust in Jesus Christ…then this, this, and this.
Paul is asking them to look into their own lives, into their own hearts and ask themselves, have I been raised with Christ. Does my life point towards more of him and less of me? Is he truly the Lord of my life?
Can you say that about yourself? Can you say, he is my Savior. He is the one I have given my life to.
Just like Paul is asking those to consider who they are, we must consider who we are.
Are our minds set on things above? HIS THINGS NOT ON THE THINGS ON EARTH…Our things, the things that do not bring us eternal hope.
BEFORE YOU CAN SHOW A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN JESUS CHRIST
2. Consider the things we should not show. (Colossians 3:5-11)
2. Consider the things we should not show. (Colossians 3:5-11)
Colossians 3:5–11 (ESV)
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
10 things he says we are to put to death. And this is how he describes the…earthly. They are the things of this earth. Not the things of heaven.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
What is this saying....THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD ARE ME, ME, ME. Desire of the flesh, the pride of life…that is not who we are in Christ.
What are these earthly things which Paul points to?
Sexual Immorality- anything that we do with our bodies that is outside a relationship between a husband and wife.
Impurity- this can be our thoughts, maybe sexual or even doing things that are sexual outside of marriage
Passion and evil desire- passion is when we give into our desire physically, and evil desire is when we give in mentally.
Covetousness/Idolatry - wanting something that is not yours
5. Anger- a deep bitterness
6. Wrath- sinful anger, when we really want to hurt someone with our words
7. Malice- again, being evil with our words with intent to hurt
8. Slander- to speak untruth about someone with the intent to hurt
9. Obscene talk from your mouth- Words that are not positive, can tear down another person
10. Lie: speaking something that is not true about someone
These are the things, a Christian should not show. These are the things we should take off. Paul tells them, that this is what makes us different from A WORLD THAT IS WATCHING.
Look at verse 11
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
No matter who you are…Igbo, Hausa, Youraba, American, English.... it doesn’t matter… As a believer in Jesus Christ, our lives do not need to includes these 10 things.
3. Consider the things you should show. (Colossians 3:12-16)
3. Consider the things you should show. (Colossians 3:12-16)
But what I want you to see here is that Paul just doesn't give them a list of what they should not do, he encourages those believers in Colossae by helping them understand the things which their life need to be reflecting. He tells them what to put on.
Look at verse 12...
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
When we take our eyes off of ourselves, and focus on how God wants us to live....we take off those old cloths of sexual immorality, lying, malice, wrath, anger…and we put on new, fresh clothes What are these clothes? Look how Paul says it...
What does Paul encourage us to “put on?”
Compassionate hearts- this is a Godly emotion within us that looks at others with concern for their eternity and wellness.
Kindness- a goodness towards others wanting good things for them
Humilty- putting others before yourself. Wanting good for others more than yourself.
4. Meekness- willing to be be put down, so other will not feel hurt
5. Patience- the opposite of quick anger, resentment, and revenge. The ficus is on the future, not the present.
As we strive to want to Show the Difference to world, in our lives we are to put on these things....
In seeing these things that we should take off and the things we should put on, I am reminded of a letter from Paul to another church. Teh church of Galatia. This is what he wrote:
Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Just like he is telling those in Colossae, these are the things you should take off. We don’t want to show things things while the WORLD IS WATCHING.
Instead he says, these are the things you should show…the things you should put on...
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
These are our new clothes. We are to put these on, and wear them because the WORLD IS WATCHING.
Look at how Paul explains this....
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Another translation, says it this way:
New Living Translation Chapter 5
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
They have taken off the old clothes and put on the new. How? Because the Holy Spirit has come into us at salvation, and as he leads, we walk away from these things. And we replace them with others...
4. Wear Your Clothes Well (Colossians 3:17)
4. Wear Your Clothes Well (Colossians 3:17)
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
In writing this letter to those Christians in Colossae, eve though he may never have seen them face to face, he had heard of their struggle. So Paul wanted to encourage them by showing them what they should not do as they lived their lives in front of the unbelievers, but he also showed them the things they should do.
Paul concludes his thoughts to those Christians in Colossae by saying this...
If you claim to know Christ as yoru Savior, everything that you say, think, do, should point others to him...
it says whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus
If you have received salvation from Jesus Christ, you should be wearing new clothes. You look different, you speak different, your thoughts are different, and the way you carry yourself should be different. Why? Because of your new life, you are different.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The old clothes are gone. You should be wearing your new clothes. And when we wear them we will look very fine before a World That Is Watching.
Which clothes are you wearing? Do your clothes reflect your old life before Christ? Do they reflect the things of the world. Do your clothes look the same as those who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ? If they do, You can’t say you are wearing clean clothes when they smell like the world or look like the world who needs Jesus.
Just like everyone will see when you wear new clothes (outward) they will be able to see the new spiritual clothes you wear, and that will be a witness to a world that is watching.