29/4/19 TREASURE BLOG 25 - TREASURE THE FAMILY PART 1 - TO WIVES (COLOSSIANS 3:18-19)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – Men and women in God’s image
• Tuesday – Men and women are different
• Wednesday – Submission that’s fitting in the Lord
• Thursday – Submission to God’s will 
• Friday – Model relationships on Jesus

2. Community Group/Family Study

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to spend at least 20 minutes every day in prayer and worship out of the bible. I hope you find this devotional helpful toward that end. 

MONDAY – MEN AND WOMEN IN GOD’S IMAGE

Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

As Christians, we have a very different vision of what mankind is from those of different faiths or no faith. We derive our lifestyle from the bible, which has been inspired by the Holy Spirit. God teaches us that He created men and women with equal worth. Wayne Grudem has written, 

‘Any discussion of manhood and womanhood in the Bible must start here. Every time we talk to each other as men and women, we should remember that the person we are talking to is a creature of God who is more like God than anything else in the universe, and men and women share that status equally. Therefore we should treat men and women with equal dignity and we should think of men and women as having equal value. We are both in the image of God, and we have been so since the very first day that God created us. “In the image of God he created him; male and female he created them”’ (Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth). 

Each of us need to know the beauty and dignity that we have from God. It’s also important that we learn to treat all other human beings - male, female, young, old… as those created in God’s image, and of great worth. 

RESPONSE 

Do you get your understanding of who we are and how we live from God? Take some time to meditate on the following text which speaks of our equality, no matter what our background, now that we are in Christ.  

Galatians 3:26-28 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

TUESDAY – MEN AND WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT

Colossians 3:18-19 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Yesterday, we saw that men and women are equal in worth before God; and ‘in Christ’ all divisions are broken down (Galatians 3:26-28). Another truth, that has become unpopular in recent decades, is that men and women are different and have different roles, particularly in Christian marriage. 

Submission 

There are many areas of life when submission is important – submission to a referee in sport, to the law, to our boss…and, ultimately, to God. As our text shows, it’s God’s design that the husband is the ‘team-leader' in a Christian household. 

‘Wives submit’ – Hupotassó is to be subject, or obey. It signifies that the wife should voluntarily subject themselves to her husband. 

RESPONSE

The voluntary submission of wives to husbands may be a thought that is new or difficult for you to hear. A helpful book on this is The meaning of marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller, or, a more general book is Countering the claims of evangelical feminism by Wayne Grudem; a quote from this book to finish, 

‘Why should the woman submit at times like these? We must reject the “traditionalist” answer—namely, that “women are not decisive enough.” The fact is that many wives are more decisive than their husbands. So why are women called to this position? As I said, the answer to that question is another question: “Why did Christ become the one to give up the authority to the Father?” We don’t know, but it is a mark of his greatness, not his indecisiveness! Women are called to follow him here. But remember, taking authority properly is just as hard as granting it.’

WEDNESDAY – SUBMISSION THAT’S FITTING IN THE LORD

Colossians 3:18-19 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Over the last two days, we have very briefly touched on the subjects of the equality and difference of wives and husbands. Today we will see that the submission of a wife to her husband does not take priority over her submission to Jesus. In fact, all authority is to be disobeyed that is not ‘fitting in the Lord’. 

Submission that is ‘fitting in the Lord’

Firstly, Submission that is fitting is modelled on Jesus’ submission to the Father. This means that Jesus, not unbiblical thinking, is our pattern of humility and submission. Although Jesus is fully divine, He submits to the Father’s authority. As we read,

‘But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.' (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Like Him, we are to submit to godly authority, and, in particular, wives are to follow the leading of their husbands. 

Secondly, submission that is fitting means that one only obeys when what is being asked of you is in keeping with God’s will. Like Peter, we are to say, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 4:29). 

Submission to authority in marriage, or other relationships, is not outdated baggage that we must throw off because our culture has moved on. In fact, this statement challenged the social norms of the time where a woman was to submit blindly. 

RESPONSE

Are you submitting in a way that’s fitting in the Lord? Are you submitting to ungodly thinking and behaviour that dishonour Jesus? Would you be willing to pay the price of disobeying authorities for your greater allegiance to Jesus? To wives - do you see that Christ-like submission to your husband is Christ-like and brings honour to Him? 

THURSDAY – SUBMISSION TO GOD’S WILL

Colossians 3:17-19 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. Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

As we saw yesterday, we are to submit to authority only if that authority is not leading us to disobey what we know to be God’s will. In marriage, or in any other relationship, where there is authority and submission, we are only to do things for which we can ‘give thanks to God the Father’. So, let’s briefly consider how we can know God’s will. If you desire to be a godly leader in any relationship, you must learn to seek God’s will. 

HOW DO WE KNOW GOD’S WILL?

1. LET’S PRAY TO KNOW GOD’S WILL 

• Pray about all decisions and ask God to speak and lead.
• Pray with a friend or leader and ask their advice; do they have any sense of leading from God?
• If married, it’s vital that you pray together about important decisions. 

2. GOD’S WILL S REVEALED IN HIS WORD

• Prayerful study - Is it in line with the clear teaching of scripture? 
• Does God cause any aspect of scripture to stand out that leans you toward a decision?
• As you listen to bible teaching listen for direction from God through what’s being said (1 Peter 4:11). 
• If you are married, it’s important to study the bible about the choices that you are making. 

3. GODS LEADS THROUGH PROPHECY AND PROVIDENCE 

• The prophetic – Dreams, visions and prophetic words – God speaks in these ways. Do you have past prophecies that help?
• Providence - ‘Coincidences’, circumstances, provision, ‘open doors’ 
• All this needs to be weighed thoughtfully and prayerfully.

4. OUR DESIRES CAN POINT TO GOD’S WILL 

• God’s leading can be as simple as an inner compulsion to do a certain thing. When possible, it’s good to get advice before taking action. 
• What do you want to do? – A pointer to God’s will can be a desire that He’s put in you. Compassion is also a good pointer to God’s leading. 

4. WISDOM WILL INFORM US OF GOD’S WILL 

• What will this cost in terms of money and sacrifice?
• Does this opportunity fit with your gifts and capacity?

In seeking to hear God’s voice we are asking is it in line with the revealed will of scripture and are their multiple voices and circumstances that are confirming what’s in your heart? In the end, you will have to take a step of faith – you will have to ‘walk on the water’. 

If one is married and either of the partners believes that God is speaking to them in a specific way, it’s important to seek God together. But, in the end, the husband has to take responsibility before God for the decision that they are making, and the wife should willingly submit ‘as is fitting in the Lord’. 

Example of submission to a husband’s leadership

‘In the late 1980s, our family was comfortably situated in a very livable suburb of Philadelphia where Tim held a full-time position as a professor. Then he got an offer to move to New York City to plant a new church. He was excited by the idea, but I was appalled. Raising our three wild boys in Manhattan was unthinkable! Not only that, but almost no one who knew anything about Manhattan thought that the project would be successful. I also knew that this would not be something that Tim would be able to do as a nine-to-five job. It would absorb the whole family and nearly all of our time. It was clear to me that Tim wanted to take the call, but I had serious doubts that it was the right choice. I expressed my strong doubts to Tim, who responded, “Well, if you don’t want to go, then we won’t go.” However, I replied, “Oh, no, you don’t! You aren’t putting this decision on me. That’s abdication. If you think this is the right thing to do, then exercise your leadership and make the choice. It’s your job to break this log-jam. It’s my job to wrestle with God until I can joyfully support your call.” Tim made the decision to come to New York City and plant Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The whole family, my sons included, consider it one of the most truly “manly” things he ever did, because he was quite scared, but he felt a call from God. At that point, Tim and I were both submitting to roles that we were not perfectly comfortable with, but it is clear that God worked in us and through us when we accepted our gender roles as a gift from the designer of our hearts.’

(Keller, Timothy. The Meaning of Marriage (pp. 157-158)

FRIDAY – MODEL RELATIONSHIPS ON JESUS

Leadership and compliance are not attributes that have come into existence because of sin. They are eternal features of God Himself. Of course, sin can pervert these good things, just it can in any area of life, as we read in Genesis 3:16, 

‘To the woman he said… Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Kevin DeYoung explains the meaning of this as, ‘she will sinfully desire to master her husband and he will sinfully tend to dominate her.’ 

How do we respond to this? The answer is to seek God’s wisdom and model our relationships according to God’s character and will rather than to reject God’s design. 

The relationship of Jesus to the church is a model

Paul holds up the relationship of the church - as she submits to Jesus - as the great example of how wives are to follow the leadership of their husbands. He writes, 

‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.’ (Ephesians 5:22-24)

In response, one may complain, “well, of course, it’s easy to submit to Jesus because He’s perfect and my husband isn’t!” Yes, that’s true, but do you not see that to reject God’s design of authority and submission is to refuse to submit to Jesus who, as you say, is perfect! 

The relationship of Jesus to the Father is a model

We end this week’s consideration of authority and submission in marriage by looking at the most important example – that within the members of the Trinity. Paul writes of the Father’s authority over Jesus, 

‘But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.' (1 Corinthians 11:3). 

Jesus is not diminished in some way, and neither are we in our relationships of submission. 

In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul teaches us that our relationships are to follow Jesus’ pattern of love, humility and obedience. We read,

‘In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!’ (Philippians 2:5-8) 

Now, this is not specifically about marriage, but, it is about Jesus’, who, although being equal with the Father, He submitted to the authority of the Father in His suffering; wives get to be like Christ as they submit to the authority of their husbands. Kathy Keller writes, after reflecting on this passage, 

'If it was not an assault on the dignity and divinity (but rather led to the greater glory) of the Second Person of the Godhead to submit himself, and assume the role of a servant, then how could it possibly injure me to be asked to play out the “Jesus role” in my marriage?… Let me emphasise that Jesus’ willing acceptance of this role was wholly voluntary, a gift to his Father. I discovered here that my submission in marriage was a gift I offered, not a duty coerced from me.’

RESPONSE

How do you need to respond to this week’s teaching? 

If you are single and want to be married

We may not understand God’s design for a wife submitting to her husband’s authority, but I hope that you see that it is God’s will. 

If you are single and want to marry, it’s important to seek someone who desires to obey Jesus like you do,  so that if you are leading or being led, you have the same objective - to live for Jesus. 

If you are single and don’t want to marry

Let's remember that Jesus was not married! There is a gift of celibacy (Matt. 19:12; 1 Cor. 7:7). Those unmarried have great benefits; there is immense capacity that is released for you to serve God and His people. You are much more flexible to serve God in many ways. But let’s never forget that we are all in the relationship to which all marriages point to - the relationship between Christ and His church. As Paul writes, 

‘This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.’ (Ephesians 5:32)

If you are single, enjoy God’s gift and the love, as a husband to His wife, that He has for you. 

If you are married

I encourage you to think about the contents of this study together. Are you seeking to know and serve God personally and together? God’s plan for marriage only works when Jesus is the Lord of our lives. 

Further study

A helpful book on this is The meaning of marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller, or, a more general book is Countering the claims of evangelical feminism by Wayne Grudem. 

2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

TREASURE THE FAMILY PART 1 

Read Colossians 3:18

Opener - In what teams have you been in where leadership has worked and why? 

Introduction

This week we have been considering, principally, God’s design for how a wife is to relate to her husband - he is the 'team leader' in a marriage. This is a hugely contentious issue that we should all understand even if we are not married. 

Discuss together

• Read Genesis Genesis 1:26-27. The Bible teaches that Men and women are created in God’s image. Why is this important for healthy relationships of any type? 
• Read Ephesians 5:22-24. Men and women have different roles in marriage. How is the relationship of Jesus to His church used to teach the different roles of men and women in marriage? 
• What does Colossians 3:18 teach us about how a wife’s submission is given, but never taken? 
• Paul writes of ‘Submission that is fitting in the Lord’. How does this protect a wife, or any of us in our relationships where we are under authority, from doing things against God’s will? 
• We must only lead or follow in what we know to be God’s will. On Thursday we looked in detail at how one can know God’s will. Why are knowing the bible and praying vital if we are to know God’s will so as to lead or allow ourselves to be led? 
• Read Philippians 2:5-8. Jesus sets us the greatest example of being led by His Father. How does Philippians 2:5-8 teach us that we can be equal whilst submitting to another?
• Read1 Corinthians 11:3. How does the relationship between husband and wife mirror that of God the Father and God the Son? 

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15/4/19 TREASURE BLOG 24 - JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING (COLOSSIANS 3:15-17)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – Jesus changes everything… we have peace with God. 
• Tuesday – Jesus changes everything…we are united and thankful. 
• Wednesday – Jesus changes everything…what we teach and learn. 
• Thursday – Jesus changes everything…what we sing about. 
• Friday – Jesus changes everything!

2. Community Group/Family Study

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to spend at least 20 minutes every day in prayer and worship out of the bible. I hope you find this devotional helpful toward that end. 

MONDAY – JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING…WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD (3:15) 

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

Paul urges us, ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…’ Oftentimes, we lack inner peace because we are looking for it in the wrong places, allowing these things to rule in our heart. We say things like, “I’ll have peace when that relationship is right…that situation is fixed…I feel more worthy of God’s love…I have that new…”

Take a moment to think, what is, or often does, rob you of peace? 

What does it mean to ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts’?

To have the peace of Christ ruling in us means to put your faith in Jesus: His great power, his love, and His forgiveness and redemption through the cross (the gospel); It’s to trust Him above all other things that rob one of peace. It’s objective - You have peace with God through Jesus’ death for your sin. God’s wrath and condemnation have gone, you have peace. As Paul says, 

‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Romans 5:1)

How did we get this peace? 

Firstly, we have peace with God because Jesus took our sin upon Himself. Paul writes, 

‘For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.’ (Colossians 1:19-20)

Secondly, We are told that ‘you were called to peace’. You are a Christian because God chose and called you to Himself by grace. You did not earn it and you cannot lose it! 

RESPONSE

Paul ends this verse with, ‘And be thankful.’ Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart by being thankful for it. Let’s be like the Psalmist who sang,

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5)

TUESDAY – JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING…WE ARE UNITED AND THANKFUL (3:15)

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

As we saw earlier in this chapter, peaceful relationships in the church are under threat (See 3:8-9). The only way to build the kind of loving church that honours Jesus is to ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.’ As we remember how we have peace with God through the amazing grace of God, we are enabled to forgive, love and bear with our brothers and sisters (See 3:12-13). 

Furthermore, Paul does not just point to what Jesus did on the cross as the basis of how we are to treat one another, he also reminds us of what Jesus has made us to be as the basis of enduring love and unity - we are ‘members of one body’. 

We are united in Christ

Paul describes every Christian as ‘members of one body’. We are supernaturally joined together in Christ. Paul shows us how our love for Christians is empowered by knowing this unity when he writes, 

‘Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.’ (Colossians 1:24) 

You have been called to peace

Do you see that you have peace with God through Christ, but so too does the whole body – every other Christian whom God has chosen and bought with His precious blood. This peace with God is worked out in loving relationships that understand the spiritual unity that exists among us. This is reflected in Paul’s teaching on the body in 1 Corinthians 12, 

‘There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.’ (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)

RESPONSE

Yesterday we saw that we need to be thankful, personally, for the peace we have with God. Today, let’s be encouraged to thank God together, with your church family, for the peace and unity that we share together. We truly are the family of God. 

WEDNESDAY – JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING…WHAT WE TEACH AND LEARN (3:16)

Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

To be the mature and healthy Christians and church that Jesus wants, we have to teach and learn the right things. What we give our minds to has a massive impact on everything. Too many Christians use their freedom in Christ to indulge in things that fill their minds with unhealthy thinking and then wonder why they are depressed, lethargic and prone to broken relationships. Too many churches teach and act with a view to growing in numbers rather than growing people in true spiritual maturity. 

Be a community rich in the gospel

When you walk into a restaurant there is the aroma of what they are cooking. The menus tell us what they are cooking. The surroundings, cutlery, waiters, are all designed to help us to enjoy what they cook. Likewise, the church is to be saturated with the gospel. 

Paul says that we are to ‘Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.’ This ‘message…’ is the gospel which is good news about the death and resurrection of Christ for our salvation and restoration. In all that we do as a church, the gospel is to be the constant, overarching theme; it is, or we could say, Jesus, is to shape all of our teaching, learning and singing. As the gospel dwells richly among us we are to, 

Teach – To impart knowledge through careful instruction that is shaped by the gospel

Admonish – To warn, council and urge those who are straying using gospel truths.  

RESPONSE

Are you a person who allows the message of Christ to dwell richly’ in you? Do you give quality time every day to thanking God for your salvation through Jesus? If we all did this, we would be the kind of community that has the message of Christ dwelling richly among us. Let’s humble ourselves so as to listen and learn. Let’s also be loving enough to teach and admonish. Let’s make Paul’s ambition our ambition, 

‘He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.’ (Colossians 1:28)

THURSDAY – JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING…WHAT WE SING ABOUT (3:16)

Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

What do you sing about? What music do you listen to? Some people say, “I can’t sing!” okay, you may not be as good as… (you fill in the blank), but God has given you a voice to sing and the more you use it, the better you will get at it! Not to sing is to miss one of the gifts God gives us to enjoy Him and His truth. Reading or hearing truth is like studying the cookbook but singing is like enjoying the aroma of the food. 

Yesterday we saw that we are to be a community that is rich in the gospel, which, in turn, shapes what we teach, learn and admonish. Today we will see that one powerful vehicle for this teaching, learning and correcting is through our corporate singing – ‘through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.’

Jesus dwells richly among us through our singing

To be a community that is rich in the gospel, that celebrates and lives in the good of God’s grace, we must become great at singing great songs. 

David Pao writes,

‘As has often been stated, more theology is engrained into our hearts through singing than through the printed page or even through preaching.’

RESPONSE

Are you singing every day and through the day. Do you have a hymn of praise in your heart? I have made it a practice to memorise old hymns and I sing them to myself through the day. What songs have you memorised? In your worship, or if you lead worship, are your songs rich in the gospel? Paul says we are to sing with ‘gratitude in our hearts’. Gratitude means ‘grace’ - let’s fill our minds, hearts, and songs with the grace of God, and so allow ‘the message of Christ dwell among you richly among you.’ 

FRIDAY – JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING (3:17)

Colossians 3:17 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.

I wonder how many different things one does in a day? The thoughts and actions are surely beyond counting. What’s amazing is that in all that He did, Jesus, did everything perfectly – he never sinned! In all things, He was loving God with all His ‘heart, mind, soul and strength’. 

Whatever you do

Knowing Jesus affects everything. This week we have seen that He transforms our relationship with God (3:15), our relationships with one another (3:15), how we give thanks (3:15), what we teach and learn (3:16), and what we sing about (3:16). Today, Paul sums this all up by saying that in, ‘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.’ – Jesus changes everything! 

‘Whatever you do, whether in word or deed’; it’s not enough to say or sing the right things, we also have to do the right things. 

RESPONSE

Paul gives us two ways to respond, 

Firstly, we are to do everything 'In the name of the Lord Jesus’ –  everything we do is to be worthy of His name; We are to ask, Could we do this or that thing whilst wearing an ‘I love Jesus’ T-shirt? It is said of us that ‘We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors’ (2 Cor. 5:20); This means that we are Jesus’ representatives as individuals and as a church. 

Secondly, we are to live a life of thankfulness – ’Giving thanks to God the Father through him.’ This is to constantly recall and be grateful for the gospel of our salvation; but, more broadly, it also means that we are to endeavour to only do things for which we can give thanks to God. 

This is a profound challenge to us. We are to do nothing that is unworthy of the Lord Jesus and for which we cannot give thanks.

2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Read Colossians 3:15-17

Opener – What is your favourite song and why? 

Introduction

This week we have been considering how a relationship with Jesus changes everything about our identity and, following on from this, our lifestyle, even down to our singing. 

Discuss together

• 3:15. How does Jesus transform our relationship with God?
• 3:15. What kind of relationships should we now have?
• 3:15. Why should knowing Christ transform us into thankful people?

Response: Over the next week, could you begin each day by giving thanks for the gospel and a number of things that God has blessed you with? 

• 3:16. How does Jesus revolutionise what we teach and learn? 
• 3:16. Why should knowing Christ make us into a singing people, and why is singing helpful for us? 
• 3:16. What kinds of songs does Paul encourage us to sing? 

Response: Over the next week, could you begin each day by singing a song of worship? 

• Paul sums this all up by saying that in, ‘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.’ – Jesus changes everything! Take some time to pray for one another out of this text. 

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8/4/19 TREASURE BLOG 23 - PUT ON THE ROYAL ROBES (COLOSSIANS 3:10-14)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – You are dressed in royal robes (3:10)
• Tuesday – We are all royalty in Christ (3:11) 
• Wednesday – Therefore get dressed (3:12) 
• Thursday – Dress in Jesus’ forgiveness (3:13)
• Friday – Dress in Jesus’ love (3:14) 

2. Community Group/Family Study

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to spend at least 20 minutes every day in prayer and worship out of the bible. I hope you find this devotional helpful toward that end. 

MONDAY – YOU ARE DRESSED IN ROYAL ROBES (3:10)

Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 

If you’ve been following along in our Colossians series, you will know that one of the great themes is that Christians have died and been raised to new life in Christ. This is the backdrop to all teaching on improved behaviour – we are to behave in a new godly way because we are actually renewed in Christ. Here, Paul puts this theme in the language of clothing: you have ‘taken off the old self… and have put on the new self.’ The old, sinful ‘fashions’ have died when you died, and the new Christ-like fashions have been put on you (and increasingly put on you) when you received new life in Christ. 

You have put on the new self

A Christian is a ‘new creation’ (2 Cor. 5:17). They are not partially renewed, they have completely ‘taken off the old self’ and have completely ‘put on the new’. 

You are being renewed 

Although we are ‘raised’ with Christ to new life, we are told that ‘the new self… is being renewed…’ 

This could be likened to the process of a child growing into an adult. This child is fully human but still needs to grow and mature. Likewise, we are a ‘new self’ whilst needing to grow and develop. 

As Paul writes, 

‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

As thinking is changed, we are changed. As we ‘set our minds on things above…’ (3:2) the effects of the ‘Fall’ are increasingly undone, and we are restored to the ‘image of God’ (Genesis 1:27). This is both natural and supernatural: knowledge of God’s truth brings the sanctifying power of the Spirit into our lives. As Jesus says, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17) 

RESPONSE

How are you doing at giving your mind to the study, meditation, prayer and worship out of what you read in the bible? Through the truth, we realise our identity as those forgiven and renewed in Christ, and there is so much more to learn, enjoy and be transformed by. 

TUESDAY – WE ARE ALL ROYALTY IN CHRIST (3:11)

Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Paul says, ‘here there is no…’ Where is ‘here’? This is among the people of God – ‘here’ there are no divisions based upon status. We all, equally, have Christ dwelling in us. 

Our world is full of divisions based upon every conceivable attribute. The world of the Colossian church had its opponents whom he calls: 

Gentile or Jew - The Jews looked down on the Gentiles as ‘dogs’ and those outside of God’s people. This division could still be carried over into their Christian life, bringing division. 

Circumcised or uncircumcised – Those who were circumcised could feel superior to those who weren’t. Again this could cause factions to form in the church, and a pressure to undergo this rite. 

Barbarian, Scythian – ‘Barbarian’ was a term used for those who were outside the Greek culture. Scythians were a people group considered particularly uneducated and uncivilised. Unfortunately, this racial, cultural and educational snobbery could come into the church. 

Slave or free – Slaves were considered property before being people. Aristotle could define a slave as “a living tool, as a tool is an inanimate slave.” In the church, both slaves and free were in the same community and prejudice could creep in. 

RESPONSE

Although we have a new identity, we can still fall into defining ourselves and others in worldly, and sometimes, demeaning ways. Do you realise that ‘Christ is in all’ of your brothers and sisters. Modern divisions might be male and female, young and old, rich and poor, black or white, left or right, professional and non-professional, leaver or remainer…

The church, however, is to represent that future glorious state when Christ Comes again, when every nation, tribe and tongue will worship Him. Let John’s vision become our vision for our church, 

“And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)

He loves you and them equally. Jesus’ people are united! This future has begun by uniting us in Christ.

WEDNESDAY – THEREFORE GET DRESSED (3:12) 

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Paul, again, highlights our new identity before he talks about behaviour improvement. We are 

God’s chosen people – Christians are Christians because they have been chosen by God. Everyone one of our brothers and sisters, from whatever background, were chosen, by God’s love. As Paul writes elsewhere, 

‘For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—  to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.’ (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Holy and dearly loved – Holy means to be chosen and set apart by God for His purposes. Holy and dearly loved tells every Christian that their sins have been washed away and are God’s special possession. 

Therefore get dressed

It’s on the basis of our new identity that we are to ‘put on the new self’. We are to dress in Christlikeness. Let’s think about the Christian’s appropriate Jesus-like dress. We are to put on:

Compassion – This is to feel deeply for others’ suffering. It says of Jesus, ‘When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ (Matt 9:36) A big reason why the church is so prayer-less and fruitless is that she is not dressed in Jesus’ compassion. 

Kindness – This refers to acts of kindness in light of God’s kindness to us in Christ. This kindness is best expressed in the gospel as Paul writes,

‘And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.’ (Ephesians 2:6-7) 

Humility – This is to not think too highly of oneself. Someone with humility does not always have to have his or her way. They are more aware of their own failures than those of others. The opposite is pride, which is revealed when we are easily offended. It says of Jesus, ‘And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!’ (Philippians 2:8)

Gentleness/meekness – We are to dress in the meekness of Christ. Jesus tells us, 

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). 

To dress or be ‘yoked’ with meekness is to have strength but to have it under control- Jesus is terribly powerful (omnipotent), yet He treats us with gentleness; likewise, we are to exert the appropriate amount of force in our relationships. 

Patience – This is ‘long-suffering’. this is to put up with people who annoy us for whatever reason. Too many people leave their local church or area because they are not prepared to have patience. Jesus is patient with us! Let’s dress in patience. 

RESPONSE

So let’s dress like Jesus. Why would you want to wear the old fashions of your old life? Many people give much of their time to researching and buying fashionable clothing. Are we devoted to considering and dressing in the new wardrobe given to us by God? 

THURSDAY – DRESS IN JESUS’ FORGIVENESS (3:13)

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

Can you imagine going to the local golf club with a view to join and they say, “you will have to bear a with each other and forgive one another…”? You might respond by wondering what kind of people become members here! Well, the church are those kind of members - imperfect people just like you! 

Christian relationships will face challenges, that’s why the Bible talks so much about forgiveness! Without forgiveness, a local church remains small (people leaving because they’ve been hurt); it shatters (everyone leaves because they feel hurt); it becomes a community of quiet and simmering, even polite, discord; or, it becomes relationally formal and distant, each living very separate lives.  Only through Jesus-like love and forgiveness will we reflect the beautiful grace of God in our community. 

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

Again, Jesus-like behaviour is predicated upon what He has already done for us. Remembering the gospel is the key to healthy relationships of humility and forgiveness. One who is amazed at God’s forgiveness for them will not find it too hard to overlook offences and forgive others. Behind all unforgiveness is pride; and the cross levels all of us to sinners who are saved by His grace. 

What is forgiveness

We get our definition from looking at Jesus: Paul says we are to ‘Forgive as the Lord forgave you’. Forgiveness is to release someone from their debt to you, and to pay the price for that debt yourself. 

It’s to release people from the prison that you have made for them in your heart. It’s to say, “you are no longer guilty before me”. I hand judgement over to God.” To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. 

It is to pay the price for their debt. ‘bearing’ with people is to pay the cost of having an ongoing relationship with that person. Choosing not to be bitter and gossip is a sacrifice for you. It is to bear the cost of deciding to want and pray for the best for that person. 

RESPONSE

You need to ‘Forgive as the Lord forgave you’ - no exceptions! Jesus says in His model prayer, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Jesus is very serious about this.  

We read in Matthew 18,  ‘Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”’ Jesus’ response was to tell him the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. He begins,  “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants….He then tells of the doom of an indebted servant who is forgiven much but refuses to forgive another. The Parable ends, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

So let’s dress like Jesus, let’s forgive and we have been forgiven. 

I’ve included some more information on forgiveness on the next page. 

A forgiveness process:

• Redeemer – Thank God that although you are a sinner just like them, he has shown you grace. Meditate on scriptures, such as Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13 etc. to aid in this. 
• Express – Express Your hurt and sense of debt; express your need of the Spirit’s help to forgive. 
• Decide – Forgiveness is not a feeling it is a ‘legal’ choice to act in mercy over judgment. 
• Erase – Erase the debt list- be specific. Write it down and physically destroy it if that helps. We do this remembering how Jesus has erased and list of sins (See Colossians 2:14) 
• Entrust – Entrust them to God’s perfect justice. He, not you, is the only judge and He deals with people perfectly. 
• Mercy – Pray for their salvation; that they would receive the Redeemer, having their debts paid for. 
• Embrace – Take initiative to restore any broken relationships if possible. 
• Remember – You will remember the past and be tempted to return to bitterness; we must remember to keep choosing to forgive. 

FRIDAY – DRESS IN JESUS’ LOVE (3:14) 

Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

So far we have looked at dressing like Jesus: dressing in, 'compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… bearing with others…and forgiveness’. Now we are told to, ‘over all these’, like an overcoat, ‘put on love’. 

How do we know what love is?

Love is to be patterned after Christ. Love is to lay one’s life down for the good of another. It’s this gospel-shaped pattern that is to shape all of the other elements that we are to ‘put on’. We are to put on ‘compassion’ that is designed on Jesus’ love; we are to put on ‘kindness’ that is conformed to Jesus’ love etc. 

If we don’t ‘over all these virtues put on love’ we will design our ‘gentleness’ and ‘patience’ etc. after modern psychology, celebrity teachers, self-help gurus, heroes in history etc. 

Let’s receive and then put on Jesus’ love. As John writes, 

‘This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.’ (1 John 4:9-10)

RESPONSE

How well are you doing at putting on love? To make this more concrete, how often is your life severely inconvenienced for the good of others? In your use of time, talents and treasure are you sacrificing for the good others? If not, are you failing to ‘put on’ the love of Christ for you? Those who ‘dress in' His love for them, will ‘dress in’ His love for others. 2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

PUT ON THE ROYAL ROBES

Opener – What was your most memorable experience of dressing in fancy-dress and why? 

Read Colossians 3:10-14

Introduction

Last week we considered what we are to stop now that we are raised with Christ. This week we are considering what we are to start doing now that they have been raised with Christ. Paul uses the metaphor of dressing to speak of our changed behaviour. 

Discuss together

• Alternative study: if you feel it’s appropriate, you might want to go through the ‘forgiveness process’ outlined In Thursday's study. Each person dealing with one person that they are struggling to forgive. 
• 3:10. Christians are described as a ‘new self’. Into whose ‘image’ is this new self being made (see 1:16 also) 
• 3:11. Paul gives examples of groups that were hostile to one another. What prejudices can we bring into the church from our old life? 
• 3:11. How does knowing that ‘Christ is all and is in all’ remove divisions in the people of God?
• 3:12. What does Paul remind them of before asking them to ‘clothe yourselves’ in Improved behaviour? Why is this important?
• 3:12-14. Paul tells us to put on, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, Bearing with each other…forgiveness and love. How does each help to build church community? Perhaps you would like to pray for one another regarding attributes that you find hard to ‘put on’. 

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