Sermon Tone Analysis

Colossians 3:10-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 1999

Practice Makes Perfect

 

Quarterback Tony Rice led Notre Dame's football team to a national championship in 1988.

Before the season, sportswriters wondered whether Notre Dame could beat the tough teams with a quarterback like Rice, whose passing often was inaccurate.

They didn't know that coach Lou Holtz had bought Rice a dart board and told him to practice throwing darts an hour a day.

Rice didn't see how that would help his passing, but he did as his coach said.

Soon he began to throw passes with more accuracy and confidence--both of which were evidenced in a banner season.

Christians likewise find the practice of sharing a sentence or two of testimony or prayer on a regular basis can sharpen those skills.

Any activity will improve with practice.

Introduction

 

Three weeks ago we observed how we can have heaven on earth.

Paul instructed believers to put into practice what they are in principle.

He commanded Christians to */seek the heavenly/* and to */slay the earthly/*.

Paul started with the heart and mind because our thoughts and affections determine our lifestyle.

Paul then instructed believers to once and for all put off the old clothes.

Tonight's passage instructs us to put on the new clothes of righteousness.

Paul tells believers to  

 

Strengthen The Christly

 

This passage speaks of four things believers must appropriate.

They are found in His Son.

 

1.

The Grace Of Christ

II.

The Peace Of Christ

III.

The Word Of Christ

IV.The Name Of Christ 

 

/Firstly/ The Grace Of Christ

 

*Col 3:12-13* /Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do./

/ /

/a.

We Have Received God's Grace/

/ /

We have received God's grace freely.

The Lord saved us completely on the basis of His grace and not because of anything that we have done.

Through Jesus Christ we have received God's grace in abundance.

/ /

1. God Chose Us/ - /The word elect means chosen.

He chose to save us, we did not choose Him.

2. God Set Us Apart - The word holy means set apart for God's own use.

3. God Loves Us - Why God loves us is a mystery.

As rebellious sinners we don't deserve it.

4. God Forgave Us - God forgave us all of our sins because of Jesus.

We have obtained mercy.

/b.

We Are To Put Grace On/

 

Paul commands believers in the light of all that God has done for us, to put on the graces of Christ.

Since we are new creatures in Jesus Christ and members of the same body we are to show this same grace to one another.

Because God has been so gracious to us we are to be gracious to one another.

In verses 5-9 we looked at the old clothes Paul commanded us to take off once and for all.

But so that we won't be unclothed, Paul lists eight gracious garments that believers are to put on.

He commands us to put these on once and for all like a set of new clothes.

The spiritual graces listed enable us to look past the distinctions of race, religious ritual and social class listed in verse 11.

The graces of Jesus Christ are beautiful garments that suit the new man perfectly.

1.

Tender mercies - This speaks of tender feelings of compassion.

It refers to our hearts.

It is a constant attitude of the heart that makes us easy to live with.

All believers need this grace.

2. Kindness - It is God's kindness that leads us to repentance.

Kindness is love in action.

David showed kindness to Mephibosheth.

He treated him kindly on the basis of grace and love.

3. Humility - This is the attitude that Jesus Christ showed us perfectly.

He knew that He was God yet chose to put others first.

He lived amongst mankind not as a king but a servant.

4.

Meekness - Meekness is not weakness but power under control.

Moses and Christ were both meek yet exercised great authority.

Their lives were under the control of the Holy Spirit.

A meek person has control of his temperament.

5.

Long-suffering - This describes someone with a long fuse.

Long-suffering enables someone to be provoked by people or circumstances and not retaliate.

They patiently endure difficult people.

6. Forbearance - God shows forbearance toward sinners by holding back His judgment.

When someone puts up with another's nonsense they show forbearance.

7.

Forgiveness - This word means to pardon or cancel out a debt.

It is good when Christians don't retaliate when wronged.

But God calls us to do more than this, we must forgive them too.

God forgave us in Christ.

/How can we not forgives our brothers?/

8. Love - Paul says to put love on the top off all the other graces.

Love holds all eight virtues together.

In fact without love the other virtues are impossible.

They are the motivating force behind it all.

* *

*1 Corinthians 13:4-8 a* describes this: /Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

/

/ /

Getting Dressed To Go Out

 

When people go out to an expensive restaurant for dinner they usually get dressed up.

They start by putting on their under garments, then their best dress or shirt and pants and then finally their coat goes on last.

It keeps them warm and is seen by all.

All the garments are needed but the coat is the most important of all.

It goes on the top and holds all the other clothes together underneath.

Love is like this.

It goes on the top and holds all the graces together.

Application

 

Christians are new creations in Christ.

Our lives should be different from others, distinctive.

We have received God's grace and therefore we should share it with others.

Our conduct ought to be different.

/Have you removed the grave clothes of your old life?/ /Have you put on the grace clothes of your new life?/

For Christians to make an impression on the world they must live differently.

Jesus said by this will all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another.

/Do you show Christ's love to others?

Have you put on the grace of Christ?