What kind of goals do you have for yourself?
Now I'm going to guess a lot of people in this room,
we have financial goals.
Some people, your goals to get out of debt
maybe this year or as soon as possible.
Some people have goals related to retirement.
And that is, that's good.
It is good to have financial goals.
What would be bad is if that's the only kind of goal you have.
We need to have career goals, educational goals.
We need to have goals as the kind of husband or wife or parent
God wants me to be.
The kind of child living with your parents
that God wants you to be.
It's good to have goals
about a lot of different areas of our lives.
But I want to ask you,
what are your goals specifically as a Christian?
What is it that you want God to do in you?
What is it you are praying and asking God to help you to be,
what are your goals for you to do?
We've been looking now since the first Sunday in January
at God's goals for us.
Really the Bible is filled with God's goals for His people.
Now, we're looking at it,
Colossians chapter 3,
verses 1 through 17.
We're looking at it under a big topic.
You see on the screen,
God's goals for you
are never just for the year,
like a New Year's resolution or a New Year's goal.
God's goals for you this hour,
this day,
this year,
and on and on as long as we live.
This study is really about
developing Christ-like character,
which is God's number one goal for us.
I put it on the screen just about every week.
I'm going to do it again today
because we need to understand
what God is doing in our lives if we're Christians.
For those whom He foreknew,
set His heart on in a favorable way.
Very similar to the word chosen.
For those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of His Son.
This is what God's doing in every Christian's life.
He is working in our lives
through every kind of situation possible,
through the people in our lives.
He's working through the good times and the bad
to shape and mold us into the likeness of His Son.
And I like to think of it in terms of us
developing Christ-like character.
Well, Colossians 3
helps us to see some of the ways
God works in us
to accomplish this.
We've looked at this passage,
verses 1 through 17,
in terms of three goals God has for us.
Number one,
be mindful of who you are in Christ.
I'll remind you one more time.
This whole series is designed
for Christians.
We have to,
for this to make sense,
to work.
We have to be united to Christ
by faith.
We have to be one with Him.
And we need to know
who we are in Christ.
That's what
verses 1 through 4
is all about.
The second goal,
don't be who you are
apart from Christ.
We still have a sinful nature.
We have sinful desires.
We are tempted.
And what we need to understand
is who we are in Christ.
We can resist any temptation.
In fact,
we're told in this passage,
verses 5 through 10,
to put off
sinful habits
and desires.
And then in goal number three,
put on some things.
Look at goal number three.
Become more like Christ
every day.
This is how we put on
Christ-like character qualities
with the grace God gives us
to do that.
We're going to conclude
goal number three
this morning
by looking at how
we can become like Christ
every day.
We've already looked
at the fact
that if we're united
to Christ by faith,
we are
God's special people.
In verse 12,
let me remind you,
God declares
that we are,
or Paul declares
that we are
God's chosen one.
God's chosen people
from the foundation
of the world
we looked at
a few weeks ago.
We are chosen people.
We are holy people.
God has chosen us
as His
and set us aside,
set us apart,
different from everybody
else in the world
who's not a Christian.
And we are beloved.
We are dearly loved
by God
as His people
united to Christ.
Now most of the passage
that we're looking at now,
verses 11 through 17,
most of this passage
encourages us
to actually live
like God's special people.
We can do that.
You and I,
if we're Christians,
we can live
like God's special people
because when God
saved us,
He put His Spirit
in us.
And we've looked at this
over the years,
we've looked at this
a lot of times.
If you're a Christian,
the Spirit of God
indwells you
and He gives you
the desire
and the ability
to live a life
that pleases God.
And some of the things
we're looking at
in Colossians chapter 3
helps us to understand
what it takes
to please God
as His children.
We've already seen
that it begins with love.
Look at this real quickly.
Let the love of Christ
fill you.
That was the heading
we gave to what we see
in verses 11 through 14
that we've already covered.
So let me just hit
the highlights here.
Number one,
love will motivate us
to live in unity
with one another.
in spite of our differences
and just look around,
we're very different.
But if we are children of God,
we're brothers and sisters
in Christ
and we can live like Him.
Love will motivate us
to be gracious
with one another.
Look at Colossians 3, 12 there.
What that means.
We'll show compassion.
We'll show kindness.
We'll show patience.
We'll do things like that.
Love will compel us
to treat one another this way.
Love will motivate us
to bear with one another.
Put up with one another.
Some people in here
are hard to deal with,
hard to live with.
Some of us,
more of us than we think
are hard to deal with.
Now, number four,
love will motivate us
to forgive one another
in the same way
that God forgives us.
That's what we looked at
in detail last week.
What I want us to see
at the outset
is loving one another
is the number one way
we live like God's special people.
Jesus said we are to be known
by the love that we have
for one another.
But,
this is not all Paul says
in this passage
when he talks about
living like God's special people.
Let's move on now.
Let the peace of Christ
rule you.
Look at verse 15.
And let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts
to which indeed
you were called
in one body,
one church,
one family,
and be thankful.
What is the peace of Christ?
Oh, obviously it has
something to do with him.
It's the kind of peace
that he experienced
and gives to us
his people
as noted
in John chapter 14.
Look at this.
Jesus said,
Peace
I leave with you.
My peace
I give to you.
Not as the world gives
do I give to you.
Let not your hearts
be troubled.
Neither let them
be afraid.
Now I want you to understand
this is John 14.
This is the night
that Jesus was arrested.
This is the night
before Jesus
was going to be
crucified
and he knew it
but he told his disciples
let not your hearts
be troubled.
Let them be afraid.
This shows us
that the peace of Christ
is not dependent
on having peaceful circumstances.
It's not dependent
on everybody
loving us
and treating us
well.
The peace of Christ
that he talks about
that he gave
to his disciples
he was about
to about go through
the
the worst
that the devil
could throw at him.
He knew
he was about
to bear
the full wrath
of God
against sin
as he hung
on the cross.
So this peace
is not dependent
on our circumstances.
The peace of Christ
look at this
it is an inward sense
of quiet confidence
that comes from
knowing you are
right with God
through faith
in Jesus.
Look at what Paul
says in Romans 5
1
therefore
as we have been
justified by faith
as we have been
declared right
with God
by faith.
we have peace
with God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
It's the peace
that we have
in our soul.
Peace is hard
to describe.
Paul says
it is beyond
description
in Philippians 4.
It's the peace
that God
gives us
deep within
that we really
are
God's
chosen
person.
His set
apart person.
His dearly
loved person.
No matter
what else
is going on
it's the peace
that God
puts in our
heart
because we
are one
with him.
Now
we can
experience
that kind
of peace
by living
as Paul
calls us
to live
throughout
Colossians
chapter 3.
We can
experience
this kind
of peace
within our
soul
and within
the family
Christian
family
if we
put off
sin
say no
to it
resist
temptation
and put
on as
we've been
seeing
these
Christ-like
character
qualities.
Now
that's not all
he says
he doesn't
just say
the peace
of Christ
he says
he talks
about the
peace
of Christ
ruling
in your
heart
how does
that
happen?
Well the
word rule
here refers
to the
activity
of a
referee
or umpire
in a
game.
The role
of a
referee
or umpire
is to
maintain
control
keep
order
allow the
game to
be played
as it
is intended
to be
played.
The idea
that he's
talking about
here is
let the
peace
of Christ
rule
your life
were to
live in
such a
way
that we
maintain
the peace
of Christ
within
in everything
that we
do.
He's
talking about
how we
go about
making
decisions
and interact
with people
in such
a way
that we
stay close
to the
Lord
that we
experience
his peace
and as far
as we're
concerned
we experience
peace with
other people.
Let's think
about how
this might
work
in some
situations.
Let's
begin with
something
sort of
light
even
fluffy.
Most
churches
in our
area
have both
Carolina
and Clemson
fans.
Both
fans
like to
tease
and insult
the team
that is
not yours.
I love
to insult
you
Gamecock
guys.
And
there's
some of
you
love
to
insult
me.
You
don't
like
winners
you know.
Calm
down
now.
If we
let the
peace
of Christ
rule
in these
kind of
situations
we won't
take our
teasing
too far.
You
have no
idea
how much
restraint
I show.
Especially
throughout
football
season.
And
we
won't
take
offense
when
others
take
their
teasing
us
too
far.
Let me
be serious
for a
moment.
What we're
talking about
is we
will so
value
staying
close
to the
Lord.
Experiencing
his peace.
Demonstrating
Christ-like
character.
That we
will overlook
silly
insults
more than
winning an
argument
about
something
when all
is said
and done
doesn't
really matter.
here.
You see
what I'm
talking
about?
Now,
change the
idea of
the
conflict,
the potential
for conflict
over being a
Carolina or
Clemson fan.
Think about
something serious.
when questions
arise over
something that
the Bible
says clearly
is right
or wrong,
we must,
as God's
people,
take a
stand for
the truth
of God's
Word.
And allowing
the peace of
Christ to
rule in those
situations will
sometimes mean we
have conflict with
somebody who is
opposed to the
truth of God's
Word.
But our
point,
our purpose,
we're more
concerned to
please God,
to stay close
to Him,
to remain in
fellowship with
Him than we
are to please
someone who is
opposed to God's
way, to His
will, to His
Word.
What do you
value most?
Being close
to God or
close to
whoever you're
around at the
time?
Bottom line,
who do you
really and
truly want to
please the
most?
God, by
being faithful
to Him and
His revealed
Word?
Or other
people?
No one should
enjoy conflict.
Seriously.
We should not
seek out
conflict.
We shouldn't
thrive on
conflict.
But as God's
people, when the
truth of God is
at stake, we
must not fear
conflict, and we
must not avoid
conflict.
As long as we're
seeking to please
God, be right
with Him,
experience the
peace of God,
the peace with
God for being
faithful to Him,
we ought to be
able to sleep
well at night,
even if other
people have
something against
us over a
matter of truth.
But let me say
this before we
move on.
We need to be
committed to
speaking the
truth in love.
We need to
defend the
faith in the
right way.
We can't
experience peace
with God in our
heart and be
arrogant, be
rude, be
mean-spirited.
I know some
Christians who
believe right,
but they're
just doggone
mean about it.
That's not what
God calls us to
be, and that's
certainly not going
to help us to
continue on
experiencing the
peace of Christ
within or in the
body of Christ when
we're mean-spirited
about defending the
truth.
When we live like
God's people, we
will make decisions
that will enable us
to preserve the
peace of Christ
within and among
the family.
Let's move on.
Living like God's
people also means
let the word of
Christ dwell in
you.
Verse 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.
Let's look at that.
The word of Christ
refers to the gospel
of Christ or the
teachings of Christ.
Either way, it's
referring to the
authoritative message
about Christ which is
found in scripture.
Now, if we're going to
let the word of Christ
dwell in us richly, we've
got to read it, don't
we?
We've got to know what
the Bible says.
But as important as
that is, reading the
Bible is not enough.
I read things all the
time and just in a
short time, I don't
really remember what it
was.
There's a lot of
mornings I get up and I
look at the weather, see
what it's going to be
that day.
And before Lisa leaves
home, it hadn't been
that long, she'll ask
me, what's the
temperature going to be
today?
Well, I forgot.
I read it, I looked at
it, but I forgot.
We can do that when we
read the Bible.
You know, it is a
commendable goal if you
were reading through
the Bible this year.
It's a commendable goal
to have to read the
Bible every day.
But don't just read it
and check off on your
list that you've read
it.
Just putting content in
your mind is not
enough.
Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly.
Read it.
Think about it.
Think seriously.
Think deeply about it.
Meditate on it.
Memorize it.
That's what he's
talking about.
And the key to know if
this is happening is
simple.
Do we obey it?
If we're really taking
in the word, dwelling on
the word, letting it
dwell in us richly, we'll
not only believe it, we
will live it.
And notice what else it
says about what we should
be doing with the word.
teaching and admonishing
one another.
Now, for you Carolina
fans, the word admonish
means to warn.
That just sort of got over
your head, I do believe.
Clemson people, they
understand admonish means
to warn.
So I was trying to help
out these game cops.
Now see, that was a test to
see if you're going to let
the peace of Christ dwell
in your heart.
See, I set you up.
Admonish does mean to
warn.
We are to teach and warn
each other based on the
truth of God's word.
You know, most of the
things that we're to do in
the church, it's not from
church leaders to church
members.
Most of what we're called
to do in Scripture is for,
with, to one another like
this.
If you have any doubts,
when you go home today, do
a Google search.
Don't do it here.
And write in there.
Type in there.
The one another's of the
Bible.
And there will be a long
list of things we are called
by God as Christians to do
for, to one another like
this.
How do you advise your
friends, people that come
to you about important,
serious life issues?
We've talked about this
before.
You are probably some people
maybe in your family or
where you work or your
classmates, you are probably
somebody's main Christian
counselor.
You are probably someone in
one of your circles, you're
the go-to person if they have
a real problem and they want
some spiritual, biblical,
Christian guidance.
Well, how do you advise them?
Do you go just by, you know,
your gut feeling?
Do you tell them what you think
they want to hear?
That's not being a friend.
Or do you speak the truth
of God's word?
Years ago, Lisa worked with a
lady.
And she was, she had separated
from her husband contemplating
divorce.
But she knew Lisa was a
Christian and so she talked to
Lisa about it.
Lisa was her counselor.
And they, as friends,
talked.
Lisa said some things about
what the Bible teaches.
This lady really was
interested.
She listened to Lisa.
She actually read the Bible.
She initiated with her husband
Christian counseling.
And in time, they were
reconciled.
God used, Lisa is what I'm
saying.
God will use you
in life-changing ways
in other people's lives
as their counselor,
as their teacher,
as their warner,
admonisher,
if you will be that.
God calls us to teach and warn
one another according to the
wisdom of his word.
Now we also, look in this
passage, we also see that
when we allow the word of
God to dwell in us, it'll
not only produce information
but also emotion
specifically.
It will promote praise,
praise and worship to God
in the forms of music.
Look at this phrase.
Singing psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs with
thanksgiving, thankfulness in
your hearts to God.
Stuart Briscoe comments on
these phrases here like
this.
The fellowship of believers
is a praising community
where people who can sing
beautifully, sing beautifully.
And those who just sing,
just sing.
And those who have voices
like crows with laryngitis
croak to the glory of God.
But nobody just sits there
like an old sourpuss
looking as if they had lost
their last friend having had
their breakfast of onions.
Listen to what he says.
Singing, it really is an
important part of Christian
worship.
And I'm saying that as
someone who really can't
sing.
It is important that we do,
that we worship and praise the
Lord.
But it is important that we
worship and praise the Lord
in a biblically sound way.
According, as the word of God
richly dwells in us.
I want you to know Paul uses
three different words here.
Psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs.
There's a lot of debate among
New Testament scholars as to
what the differences are.
Are they major or minor?
Let me just say this.
There are some differences.
Psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs.
That means we should use
different kinds of music in
our worship.
And we do.
Good example this morning.
We sang, this is amazing
grace.
A more contemporary type
song.
We sang an old hymn, amazing
grace.
And I want you to know, God
enjoyed both if they were sung
as an act of worship and praise
to him.
He didn't like one better than
the other.
You may have liked one better
than another.
And that's fine.
I liked one better than
another.
But you know something?
I'm not going to talk about
which one I liked the best,
which one I didn't like as
well.
It's really not about me.
And I got news for you.
When we come here to worship
on Sunday morning, it ain't
about you.
Never is it about you.
When we come here for worship,
it is about worshiping and
praising and honoring and
glorifying God and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And we're going to do it in as
many different ways as we
possibly can because it's
biblically, as long as it's
biblically sound and it is
because that's what God wants us
to do.
We're different and we have
different ways of expressing our
worship and praise.
But you know, I can really
praise God in different kinds
of ways, even ways that's not
my favorite.
And if it's about praising God,
you can do the same.
You will do the same.
You know, I've been pastor here
a long time.
And I don't think there's anyone
in this room other than maybe
Brian.
I've never said much to him in
all these years.
There's very few people in this
room who knows what my favorite
form of music and worship is.
And I don't care what yours is.
Because we try to do a little
bit of all that is biblically
sound and God focused, God
honoring, praising and worshiping
him, talking about him.
That's what worship really is.
And that's what Paul tells us to
do.
It's got to be biblically sound,
but it needs to be done in a
variety of ways.
Emotion is important.
Let's look at one more way we're
to live like God's people.
Verse 17, let the name of Christ
guide you.
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.
Paul is describing, obviously, every
aspect of our lives when he says,
and whatever you do, in word or
deed.
Whatever you do, what you say, what
you do, everything we should do
should be done in the name of Jesus.
Now, what is he talking about?
We're to think of ourselves as always
being the Lord's representative.
I think that's the best way to think
of it here in this context.
Or as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5,
we are his ambassadors.
Now, this is a real sobering thought.
Let it sink in.
As Christians, what he's telling us
here, we are to represent Christ in
everything we say and do in our lives.
Let the name of Christ guide us.
That means at home, at work, at
school, wherever we are, with our
friends, with our enemies.
Think about it.
What kind of representative are you
on a typical day?
On some days, we're all poor, poor.
We're all poor, poor.
But on a typical day, do you represent
Christ in a way that is honoring of him?
Or do you represent him, misrepresent
him?
Think about it another way.
The way you represent Christ, are you
attracting people to him?
Or are you turning people away from him
on our typical day?
You know, the Bible does not provide a
verse or even a passage that applies to
every kind of problem we encounter in
life.
But this verse provides one of the best
guidelines for helping us to make wise
decisions about the things the Bible is
not specific about.
For example, whenever you face a situation
and you don't really know how to respond, the
Bible doesn't really address your question.
Well, think to yourself, as a representative of
Jesus Christ, what would be my best response?
How should I respond to most honorably represent the Lord in
this conversation, in this action?
This is one of the ways that God guides us to make wise
decisions when there's no passage that actually addresses the
issue.
Well, let's think about this now.
How well are you living like a child of God?
How well are you living like one of God's special people?
Think.
Look at yourself.
Ask God to help you to see.
Is the love of Christ filling you?
Is the peace of Christ ruling you?
Is the word of Christ dwelling in you?
Is the name of Christ guiding you?
None of this can be true if you don't know Christ as your Lord
and Savior.
I want you to understand.
If you don't know Christ as your Lord and Savior, the only
thing you can do right now is to admit that to the Lord,
humble yourself before Him, turn from your sin, repent,
change your mind, and put your faith in Jesus.
Call upon Him to save you.
But you know, none of this can be true until you do what we've
been looking at throughout this chapter.
Put off sin.
Say no to temptation.
Put on Christ-like character.
And remember, it's only by the power of the indwelling Spirit that
we can do that, but we can do that with His help.
But if that's not how you're living right now, if this is not a good
description, what you see on the screen, go to God right now and just
confess your sin specifically.
Turn from it.
Come back to the Lord and renew your faith, your commitment to Him as the real king of your life.
And keep in mind that repentance and faith is not just a one-time commitment.
As Christians, our lives are just a process of being convicted of our sin, turning from it,
turning to Christ in renewed faith and commitment and love and service.
The Christian life is a life of saying no to sin and temptation.
And saying yes to the Holy Spirit's prompting us and helping us to truly develop Christ-like character.
There's one final thought.
In each of these verses we've looked at this morning, Paul tells us to be thankful.
Every one of those verses, 15, 16, and 17, he says in some way, be thankful.
We need to leave here this morning thankful for the grace that God has shown us,
for the work that He is doing in us every day.
Thankfulness is a sure sign of people who know they belong to God.
If you know you are chosen by Him, that He has truly set you apart as His child,
if you truly know that you are a dearly loved child of God,
you will be thankful and you will express it to Him in word and in deed.
Let's pray together.
Father, help us to see right now how we should respond.
Convict us.
Encourage us.
Affirm us.
Whatever we need.
Call people in this room who are not Christians to real faith in Jesus.
Call Christians who are being unfaithful right now.
Back to you.
Encourage Christians, Father, who are seeking to be sensitive to your spirit and obedient and faithful to your word.
Encourage those who are struggling.
Use those who are truly seeking to walk faithfully with you to help others and be an example and a counselor to others.
Father, show us all how we should respond and help us to do it right now.
Let's just all do that in attitude of prayer.
If I could pray with you during this time, I'd be happy to do that.
But as always, the important thing is that you listen to God and obey Him in these next few minutes.