Colossians 3:12-17

So, coming off of last week, the first part of Colossians 3, we ended there with a little phrase called,

Christ is all and in all.

And then this week we're looking at, what does that look like?

How does that flesh out?

So we're going to, we've got a couple different things that that looks like, and we're going to look at those.

So we have a new identity in Christ that we saw from last week.

If then you have been raised with Christ, Colossians 3, 1,

seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds, so that's one thing, set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

And when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Then we have a put to death therefore.

There's a couple different phrases that he uses, and there's two sides.

There's a putting to death, and there's taking on life.

There's putting things down, putting off, and there's taking on and putting on.

So I want to look at how Paul uses those phrases in our section as well.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.

And he lists a bunch of those.

But now you must put them all away.

Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices,

and have put on the new self.

So we see a putting off the old self, putting on the new self,

which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

So that's another element of it.

And then we see that Christ is all and in all there at the end there.

So now we come to our verses.

Verse 12,

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

And then skip down to verse 14 of Colossians 3.

It says,

And above all these, all this other stuff, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

So we've got a couple other passages about casting off and putting on.

And the one that sticks out most distinctly to me is from Romans 13.

You can turn there if you'd like.

Romans 13, verses 12 to 14.

Romans 13:12–14

And it kind of gives us the most concrete angle of what it looks like to cast off and put on and what we are putting on.

So the night is far gone.

Romans 13, verse 12.

Romans 13:12

The day is at hand.

So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

And thinking about the armor of God that we're also called to put on.

I was listening to somebody.

And they were pointing out how different parts of the armor can be thought of as putting on Christ.

I'm talking about the breastplate of righteousness and like the Lord our righteousness.

That's Jesus.

And the helmet of salvation.

Like he's the Savior.

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

You know, in the beginning was the word.

Jesus.

The word was with God.

The word was God.

And just all these different pictures of Christ and angles of Christ that we're to be putting on.

And then in Romans 13, the belt of truth.

Jesus Christ is truth.

He's the way, the truth, and the life.

And so all these things that we're to put on, take up, and gird ourselves with.

And protect ourselves with.

So verse 14 here in Romans 13.

But, so we're casting off the works of darkness, putting on the armor of light.

Verse 14.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

And make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

So put on Christ.

Like that's the height and the most distilled and obvious and concrete sense of what we're to put on.

And then our passage has put on then all these good Christ-like qualities that we should do as well.

And then verse 14.

And above all these, put on love.

Like God is love.

And he showed his love in Christ most distinctly and potently for us.

So put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the only secure ground of our right standing with the Godhead.

It's only in Christ.

That's our only hope.

Ephesians 4.22 has another distinction.

Put off your old self.

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.

Verse 23, Ephesians 4.

And to be renewed in the spirit of your minds.

And to put on the new self.

Created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

And so we see more elements of casting off and putting on.

Putting down.

Putting to death.

What do you call when you have to kill a horse?

Say you put it down.

Put to death.

Cast off.

Put down.

And there's taking on.

Taking up.

Clothing.

Girding yourselves.

Put on the new self.

Created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

So there's a daily putting down of your flesh.

Look at Galatians 5.24.

1 Corinthians 15.31.

Putting down.

Putting off the old man.

Putting down the sin nature.

Old man.

Ephesians 4.22.

Sin nature.

Galatians 5.16.17.

And you can't put on the new self.

While the old self is still holding sway.

Like.

You can't put.

A new shoe.

So all of it.

Took the.

We got a book called Theology.

It's kind of theology with a lot of pictures.

And.

At a children's level.

It's really sweet.

But she found one.

She was reading my notes.

But she found one about putting on.

The new self.

And it was.

It had a picture of an old ratty shoe.

And then a new shoe.

And the person was trying to put on the new shoe.

While they still had this old.

Broken.

Ratty.

Broke down shoe on.

It's just that you can't put on.

The new.

The new self.

Without casting off the old self.

Like there's a.

Displacement.

And then a replacement.

And it's.

The sweet picture of what happens in the Christian life.

But we are to.

Put on the new self.

After putting off the old self.

And you can't walk by the spirit.

When you're walking.

According to the flesh.

And its desires.

Like there's.

There's a.

Mutual.

Incompatibility.

Like there's no.

There's.

They're exclusive.

You can't have.

The identity of the old self.

And the identity of the new self.

Both at work.

At the same time.

In the same sense.

So.

Romans 8.

13.

Is for.

If you live according to the flesh.

You will die.

But if by the spirit.

You put to death.

The deeds of the body.

You will live.

You can't put on Christ.

While serving faithfully.

In the enemy service.

The old man is always going to be there.

Until we see Jesus face to face.

There's.

We're not talking about sinless perfection.

Or like a.

The end of the.

The battle.

And struggle.

But there's a new identity.

That we enjoy.

And that.

Empowers us.

To put off the old.

Put on the new.

And reckon ourselves.

Dead to sin.

And alive to God.

In Christ.

Let's see.

So we're not talking about sinless perfection.

On this side of eternity.

But growth and holiness.

Makes progress.

When we learn to say no.

To our flesh.

Fruitless deeds.

Of darkness.

There is a putting off.

A putting down.

Casting down.

Putting to death.

And there is a putting on.

Taking up.

Positively.

Reckoning ourselves.

Dead to one master.

And alive to another.

There's one final way of saying it.

That is love.

Romans 6.

Verses 7.

Through 11.

For one has died.

One who has died.

Has been set free from sin.

Now if we have died with Christ.

We believe that we will also live with him.

We know that Christ.

Being raised from the dead.

Will never die again.

Death no longer has dominion over him.

For the death he died.

He died to sin.

Once for all.

But the life he lives.

He lives to God.

So you also.

Must consider yourselves.

Dead to sin.

And alive to God.

In Christ Jesus.

So there's this.

Reckoning yourself.

Identifying yourself.

Thinking of yourself.

As who you really are.

In him.

Put off the old leaven.

As you really are unleavened.

Like there's a.

Considering.

What you've been saved.

From.

And what you've been saved to.

That's really important.

So consider yourselves.

Dead to sin.

And alive to God.

In Christ Jesus.

So if you're in.

In Christ.

That's the reality.

That you get to enjoy.

And that you.

Have to remind yourself of.

Because we forget.

We wake up.

In the flesh.

Every morning.

Still got it.

Still here.

Yeah.

I'm still bound.

To the sin nature.

And.

It's a fight.

But we have.

We have the right man.

On our side.

The man of God's own choosing.

Therefore we have hope.

So this whole passage.

Put on then.

As God's chosen ones.

So what does it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

It looks like humble forgiveness.

As freely as we received.

So freely we give.

So verse 12.

Chapter 3.

Put on then.

As God's chosen ones.

Holy and beloved.

Compassionate hearts.

Kindness.

Humility.

Meekness.

And patience.

Bearing with one another.

Verse 13.

And if one has a complaint.

Against another.

Forgiving each other.

As the Lord has forgiven you.

So also you must forgive.

So we're putting on.

All these new realities.

These new creation.

Christ like character.

Traits.

We're putting them on.

We're clothing ourselves in them.

We're reckoning them to be true of us.

We're praying for them.

We're asking God.

Produce this fruit.

In my heart.

Lord I want.

A compassionate heart.

I don't have a compassionate heart.

That's not.

Natural to Adam.

I don't have a compassionate heart.

You got to do that in me.

It's not going to happen.

If you don't do it.

There's some other translations.

You use bowels of mercy.

Just think about your guts.

Like there was one that said like.

Inners.

You know.

And just this.

This.

In your depths.

When you're moved.

You know.

With compassion.

When you're moved to mercy.

You're moved to.

To help somebody.

It makes a difference.

And that's God.

Doing that.

In you.

There's kindness.

Sophia.

You know a lot about kindness.

Don't you?

All the Sophias.

It feels good to be kind to each other.

Doesn't it?

And that's.

That's something that God wants to work in us.

That's a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

There's kindness.

We're not naturally kind people.

We're naturally pretty bitter.

And rude.

And self-absorbed.

And.

Oriented towards getting what we want.

At anybody else's expense.

Like we can get away with it.

Kindness isn't something.

That we don't need to put on.

We got to put that on.

As God's chosen ones.

Holy and beloved.

Humility.

Not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought.

But thinking with sober judgment.

According to the measure of faith that God has assigned for us.

Receiving it as from his hand.

Like that's where humility is.

Not thinking that it's something that we did.

To recommend ourselves to God.

Or that we warranted.

Or that somehow.

Yeah.

Somehow he saw me.

He saw that I was going to give him a good one.

So.

That was a safe investment.

You know.

Yeah.

Adam's.

Adam's pretty.

Pretty good.

I'll.

I'll give him some mercy.

No.

Anybody that knows me.

Anybody that knew me before I was saved.

Would have.

Told you.

There's no hope.

There's no hope.

Yes.

But humility.

Helps us to.

Helps us to think of ourselves rightly.

And not think of ourselves even more lowly than we ought either.

But to think of ourselves as sober judgment.

And.

The.

That humility.

God.

Um.

God.

Resists the proud.

But he gives grace.

To the humble.

Um.

And so we want.

We want to.

That humility.

To work in us.

Um.

Meekness.

So put on then as God's chosen ones.

Holy and beloved.

Compassionate hearts.

Fowls of mercy.

Kindness.

Humility.

Meekness.

Um.

Meekness.

We.

Often in our minds.

We think of a meek person.

As.

Kind of a scrawny weakling.

Or.

You know.

Just kind of a doormat.

That's.

That's how the world views meekness.

Um.

But.

Meekness is different from weakness.

In that it's.

Actually.

It's strength.

Restraining itself.

For.

A.

Higher purpose.

Meekness.

So meekness.

Is not weakness.

But it's.

Taking on the form of a servant.

Um.

Taking the servant role.

Though you could be.

Ruler of all.

Um.

So it'd be like.

I don't know.

A very strong man.

Um.

Serving his child.

Serving his pregnant wife.

Or whatever.

Um.

And taking the low.

The low away.

And when you could insist on.

Them doing it for him.

Um.

That's a good picture of meekness.

And patience.

Put on patience.

Um.

Other.

Translations say long suffering.

And.

Those two are linked.

Um.

Not necessarily in.

English.

In the way that we usually think of it.

But.

It's the same.

Word that's translated as.

Patience.

And long suffering.

And thinking about how long.

God suffers with us.

And how he doesn't.

Get annoyed with us.

And wipe us out.

And smudge us out.

You know.

When we.

When we mess up.

You know.

When we.

Get.

Caught up in our own.

Flesh.

And.

Fail him again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Um.

He's very long suffering.

Towards us.

And this.

Is a reality.

That it's really good for us.

To feel.

And reckon with.

And.

It should have.

A converse.

Reaction.

When we.

When we.

Are dealing with.

Our brothers.

And sisters.

And our children.

That he's been so long suffering.

That he's so patient with us.

That he's so kind.

And humble.

And meek.

Um.

And.

And.

Full of bowels.

Of mercy.

It allows us to bear with one another.

And we can.

Be by suffering.

With.

Each other.

And when.

One of us.

Fails another.

It happens.

Um.

We can bear with.

A brother.

We can bear with a sister.

We can bear with our children.

Um.

Bearing with one another.

And if one has a complaint against another.

Sounds like a legitimate complaint probably.

You know.

Whether it is or isn't.

If one has a complaint against another.

Forgiving each other.

As the Lord has forgiven you.

So you also.

Must forgive.

So in the English.

We put the you must forgive.

It's not.

As explicit.

In the Greek.

So.

In the Greek.

It kind of reads.

As the Lord has forgiven you.

So you also.

So it's like.

There's a.

There's a converse reality.

Like it's almost just.

Should be automatic.

Like.

As the Lord has forgiven you.

What do you think you're going to do?

You know.

Hold it over their head.

You're going to make them squirm.

You know.

You're going to make them.

You're going to wait until their repentance is.

You know.

Robust enough.

And strong enough.

And long enough.

And loud enough.

And oh.

I want to see them squirm.

You know.

I want to see them.

Oh.

Come on.

Um.

What if God did that with us?

He doesn't do that with us.

He is freely.

Um.

Purchasing.

That right standing.

With the Father.

At the cost of his own blood.

At that fund.

Of.

The blood.

Of God.

God.

Good.

God's own blood.

Spilled for humans.

God shouldn't be bleeding.

It's not for God.

To do.

Like.

It's.

It's an unthinkable.

It's a.

It's a miracle.

It's a miracle.

It's not.

It's not a thing.

Um.

Puny gods.

The gods of the nations might bleed.

You know.

Like Athena might.

You know.

Bleed.

Um.

In the.

The Odyssey.

Or the Iliad.

But the God of all creation.

The uncreated one.

He took on flesh.

So that he could bleed.

So that he could purchase.

People.

For himself.

To make us right with him.

Um.

The blood of God.

And we.

Take it for granted.

Sometimes.

The Christ's own fund.

Okay.

Bearing with one another.

And if one has complained against another.

Forgiving each other.

As the Lord has forgiven you.

So you also.

Must forgive.

So what should it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

Here's another answer.

Humble forgiveness.

As received.

So given.

And just think about how much you've been forgiven.

And what the extent of our debt to God is.

And it should really wake us up.

And make us the most forgiving people.

The most patient.

The most kind.

The most humble.

The most meek.

The most long suffering.

Long bearing.

Um.

Full of bowels of mercy.

People.

That have ever existed.

Um.

Christ.

Our own fund.

Christ's own fund.

Purchased in his own blood.

Is freely available.

To all who would receive him.

Anyone can draw on it.

Um.

And you can be free to publish it.

And offer it.

Freely.

To all.

As many as who would receive him.

So question.

How much have you been forgiven?

For what have you been forgiven?

And.

Do we have a notion.

Of the immensity.

Of.

Sin.

Against a holy God.

And how long suffering.

And patient.

He is.

With us.

And what kind of a.

What would that revelation.

Of his forgiveness.

What should that produce.

In our hearts.

Towards.

Our co-workers.

Towards our bosses.

Towards.

Those at work.

Who slight us.

Towards.

Our wives.

Towards our husbands.

Towards our roommates.

Towards.

Our children.

It should make a huge difference.

As freely as we've received.

God's forgiveness.

So also.

Let us be.

Forgiving.

And invite others.

Into that forgiveness.

That we found.

Like there's a.

Outward component.

When somebody's forgiven.

By us.

It can show them something.

Of the father.

And it can be.

A picture that.

They could never have seen.

Or felt.

Like there could be.

Bowels of mercy.

That they.

Are encountering.

That they're never going to find.

Outside of Christ.

That.

Who can be merciful.

Who can.

Who can be long suffering.

Who can be patient.

It's.

It's not a thing.

Outside of Christ.

So he's the first forgiver.

And we want them to find.

That first forgiver.

And that might be.

A mechanism.

That the Lord uses.

In his.

Grace and mercy.

To show.

The transgressor.

Against you.

What it looks like.

To be forgiven of God.

And.

So we have.

A.

Power of forgiveness.

That we can extend to others.

And they still have to get right.

With God.

But it might.

Be the catalyst.

That.

Points them.

To the one.

Who strengthened us.

To be forgiven.

Find forgiveness.

For their ultimate need.

God.

Would you make that.

A reality.

In our hearts.

Would you make us.

A forgiving people.

Would you help us.

You fill us.

With your Holy Spirit.

With Christ like character.

As you're growing us.

Into your likeness.

More and more.

God.

So what should it look like.

For Christ to be.

All in all.

In us.

Should look like.

Humble forgiveness.

That's freely received.

So freely given.

In verse 14.

Um.

And above all these.

Put on love.

Which binds everything together.

In perfect harmony.

So love binds.

Everything together.

What should it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

Should look like.

Love binding everything together.

And the reality that love binds.

Everything together.

Greater love has no one than this.

That he lays down.

With life.

For his friends.

Um.

God is.

Love.

Who upholds the universe.

By the word of his power.

It's the God of love.

Like it's.

There's no love outside of God.

There's only.

The inverse.

And what people look.

What might look like love.

What people might call love.

Um.

And think that they're seeking.

As love.

Is not love.

If it's outside of God.

Like.

Putting on love.

Above all these other things.

All these other things that we were looking at.

Kindness.

Humility.

Um.

Patience.

Long suffering.

Forgiveness.

If it's not.

Tinged.

And shot through.

With love.

As a banner.

Flying over.

All that we do.

Um.

It's nothing.

It's a.

It's a false.

False.

Seeming.

Virtue.

But if it's not.

It's not out of love.

It's nothing.

And it does nothing.

And you gain nothing.

And.

Even if you give your body to be burned.

You know.

Even if you give away all that you have.

Love.

And have not love.

It's nothing.

It's actually worse than nothing.

Because.

You're tarnishing.

What love.

Is supposed to look like.

You're misrepresenting.

The God of love.

That's.

Not a good place to be.

But love.

Above all these.

Put on love.

So that's another putting on.

Which.

Love.

Binds.

Everything together.

In perfect harmony.

So.

I.

Can.

Go some places in my brain.

In my heart.

I can't even.

It'd be confusing.

About.

Binding everything together.

In perfect harmony.

But there's a way in which.

Love.

Is the animating.

Force.

The God of love.

The animating force.

And there's something about God.

That so identifies.

With love.

That all of his.

Activities.

What is that?

There's a saying.

In theology.

All of God.

Does all that God does.

Is that right?

Scratch that.

There's certain qualities.

In the Godhead.

That.

That are.

Applicable to everything.

That he does.

And so like.

Even his wrath.

Against ungodliness.

Is because of his.

Passion.

For godliness.

And.

There's.

You can't love.

Unborn babies.

Unless you hate.

Abortion.

Like.

You can't love.

Fidelity.

In marriage.

If you don't hate.

Adultery.

You can't love.

Anything.

Without hating.

That which.

Would destroy it.

That which would.

Steal from it.

Or invert it.

And change it.

And.

Bastardize it.

Like there's.

Love.

Binds everything together.

In perfect harmony.

And so.

When things are ordered.

As they're supposed to be.

Love is there.

And love is behind it.

And love is.

Underneath it.

And it's in.

With.

And under.

And through.

And behind.

And love is there.

Doing it.

It's God's own.

Activity.

In a human heart.

Acting.

Through us.

We love.

Because.

He first loved.

It's his love.

He's doing it.

He's the prime mover.

He's the prime.

Love giver.

And he.

He is love.

He gets to define.

What love is.

And then we see.

A rainbow flag.

That says love is love.

They're communicating something.

That is not love.

And they're using.

Good.

Holy.

True.

Using good.

Holy words.

And they're changing it.

And they're twisting it.

They're tarnishing it.

And trying to subvert it.

And.

Above all these.

Put on love.

Binds everything together.

In perfect harmony.

I mean.

You could literally.

Write that.

On your skin.

And.

And.

Think about it.

Every day.

Like there's.

There's no end.

To how deep that is.

Above all these.

Put on love.

Which binds everything together.

In perfect harmony.

You could apply it.

Everything.

Anywhere.

Who is it.

That upholds the universe.

By the word of his power.

The God of love.

How will the reality.

Of our Christianity.

Be on display.

To an onlooking world.

They will know.

We are Christians.

By.

The love.

We have the one another.

Through the love.

Of God.

That we traffic in.

With another.

With one another.

Through the love of God.

That has been shed abroad.

In our hearts.

And issues from our hearts.

From our hands.

From our mouths.

When we put on.

Love.

Over everything.

We get to see.

Harmony.

Perfect harmony.

Grow.

In our lives.

And.

Christ looks really.

Beautiful.

When we're doing that.

And we're giving him credit.

And that's.

Something about us.

Let's see.

Yeah.

Why did God send.

His only begotten son?

Any.

Any of the kids?

No.

John 3.16.

Why did God send.

His only begotten son?

For.

For.

For.

Yes.

For God so loved.

The world.

That he gave his only son.

The incarnation.

The whole project of creation.

To bring many sons to glory.

Was a loving.

Loving plan.

Was.

All.

About.

Love.

Good.

Everything.

From first to last.

Is all.

About.

Love.

Unless.

Love.

Flies as a banner.

Over all that we do.

All of our doing.

Is nothing.

When we gain nothing.

Better not do anything.

Than to tarnish that.

And to.

Be a.

Be a.

False witness.

Against.

That.

So what does it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

Looks like a people who put on love.

Seeing everything united.

Perfect.

On me.

All right.

What should it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

It should look like.

A body of.

Peace ruled hearts.

Let's look at verse 15.

A body of peace ruled hearts.

And let the peace of Christ.

Rule in your heart.

To which indeed you were called.

In one body.

And.

Be thankful.

Okay.

The peace of Christ.

Christ's own peace with the father.

We get invited into that.

What could be better.

Than peace with God.

Like.

We know.

As those who've enjoyed it.

But.

That's not even a category.

For most people.

Like they.

Like.

Peace with God.

What are you talking about?

Like.

I don't feel any disquiet.

You know.

With God.

I don't even think about it.

You know.

Like.

What do you mean I'm proud against God?

I don't even think about it.

Yeah.

So.

It said the creation.

About the creator.

What could be better.

And more powerful.

And what could be more impossible.

For a sinner.

Than peace with God.

Nothing.

And.

We can have that.

And we can enjoy that.

But he threw.

A couple other words in here.

So let the peace of Christ.

Rule in your hearts.

To which indeed.

You were called.

In one body.

Like.

There's a body element.

That he wants to.

Incarnate.

In us.

He wants this.

To be on display.

In one body.

And we are that body.

There's a universal church.

That you never get to see.

That you might.

You know.

Enjoy.

You know.

In slivers.

Here and there.

Wherever you go.

You can enjoy that.

And have sweet fellowship.

In the spirit.

With the body.

At times.

In part.

But there's also.

A local.

Localized.

Particular body.

That he wants to see.

The peace of Christ.

Ruling in.

To which we were.

Indeed called.

In one body.

And so he wants.

That unity.

Of the spirit.

And the bond of peace.

In a people.

And he wants to see it.

Grown.

In different localities.

So that people can see.

What it looks like.

For Christ.

To be.

Formed.

In a human.

It's a glorious thing.

When he does that.

It's.

It's a miracle.

And it's a glory.

That we get.

To be part of.

And that the world.

Gets to see.

So there's that verse.

About.

Filling up.

What was lacking.

In the sufferings of Christ.

And the best explanation.

I've heard of that.

Was.

John Piper.

Was saying.

It's not that.

He's lacking.

His suffering.

Was lacking.

But it's that.

Your neighbor.

Didn't see that suffering.

They weren't.

You know.

At Golgotha.

33 AD.

Like they.

Didn't get to see him suffer.

But they might get to see you suffer.

And suffer.

Christianly.

And it.

It might.

Might fill up.

Fill up something there.

And might.

Witness.

To something.

That.

They might not.

Get to witness.

When you forgive them.

When they've sinned against you.

When you've suffered.

On account of them.

It might fill up.

Something that was lacking.

In their experience.

Of.

Oh.

Oh.

How come I can't.

How come I can't do that.

How come I can't do that.

When my wife sins against me.

How come.

My wife can't.

Do that.

When I sin against her.

Like.

Hmm.

There's something here.

There's.

Something bigger.

At stake.

And.

God can be on display.

In particular.

Sweet.

Powerful ways.

When the peace of Christ.

Rules in our hearts.

To which indeed.

We're called.

In one body.

He loves doing it.

He loves.

Putting on display.

In the body.

Um.

And so.

It's not only an individualistic thing.

It's a body life thing.

Um.

Perfect peace.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Perfect peace comes from trusting the one.

Who hung the stars.

And set the planets and galaxies in motion.

And.

It's the same one.

Who.

Knit baby Francesca together.

In her mother's womb.

And.

And.

The same one.

Who is.

Growing her.

Into a big sister.

With his.

Present.

Knitting project.

That's very exciting.

Um.

Girls knitting right now.

Fun.

Um.

God is the only one.

Who could be trusted.

With anything as big as the universe.

And anything.

As glorious and powerful.

As.

A womb.

A fruitful womb.

And he does.

What only he can do.

And we.

Are thankful.

We share in his peace.

We share in that same peace.

If we're in.

The prince of peace.

In Jesus.

So.

That.

That kind of struck me this week too.

Just the prince of peace.

As you read through history.

Like.

Robert the Bruce.

Or you know.

Um.

Vladimir the Impaler.

Like people get these.

Get these.

Names.

And you're like.

How do they get that?

At the prince of darkness.

You know.

Uh.

You know.

Um.

And we have.

The prince of peace.

Like.

I never really thought of that.

As like a.

An earned descriptor.

Like.

He's the prince of peace.

Like.

How awesome is that?

What does that say about him?

And.

That's awesome.

I just.

It just.

It just warmed my heart.

When I thought about.

The prince of peace.

Is our prince.

And.

Like our elder brother.

Like we get.

We get the prince of peace on our side.

And.

Not the.

Prince of darkness.

Or the.

The liar.

Yeah.

The accuser.

Um.

And then.

Chrysostom.

Who's one of the church fathers.

Lived in Turkey.

Died in 407.

He was the archbishop of Constantinople.

He said of this passage.

Going into the next passage.

Um.

Having exhorted them to be thankful.

He now.

Shoes them the way.

Yeah.

S-H-E-W.

Instead of shows them the way.

I was going to ask one of the kids.

If they could figure out what that meant.

Too late.

Yeah.

Um.

So what could it look like?

What should it look like for Christ to be all in all?

It looks like a body.

Of peace ruled hearts.

And then we go to our next passage.

Verse 16.

What should it look like for Christ to be all in all?

It should look like a people who are filled with God's word.

To the point of singing.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Verse 16.

Teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.

Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

With thankfulness in your hearts to God.

So a couple of translations put that in all wisdom.

Like we most naturally think about it.

The teaching and admonishing one another in wisdom.

So that's what makes most sense to us.

But a lot of the more wooden translations put it with.

In all wisdom.

Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

Like it's wise.

To sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

It's not just for the weirdos.

It's not just for the thespians.

It's not just for the ladies.

It's not just for the Mark Powers.

It's for.

It's for Christians.

It's for Christians to sing psalms.

Hymns and spiritual songs to each other.

Make melodies in our hearts to God with thankfulness.

And yes.

That wisdom was linked with that in the text.

I was like.

Interesting.

You know.

Because easy to think about wisdom being linked with teaching and admonishing one another.

That obviously requires wisdom too.

But the wisdom of singing.

Of having an overflow of the word of Christ dwelling richly in our hearts.

To the point that it would produce teaching and admonishing one another.

Not only that.

But in all wisdom.

Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

Like.

That's not something I would have thought of.

Oh.

That's pretty sweet.

So let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

And how awesome is it that our creator revealed himself to us.

Not only in the person of his son.

But also in a written medium.

That we can have access to anytime we want.

We can freely commune with the inspired flawless word of God.

At will.

But often I'll elect to check out eBay.

Or YouTube.

And those don't produce singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs in my heart.

Making my heart to God.

Like it doesn't produce the same fruit when I go and feed at that trough.

The knowledge of God is there for the treasuring.

It's ours to enjoy and grow in.

And somehow we find ourselves choosing rather to reach for the fleeting immediate pleasures.

Of scrolling.

Doom scrolling.

That don't even follow us after we've left the trough.

But there is a feeding on God's word.

There's a living on God's word.

There's a letting it dwell in us richly.

Letting it take up residence.

Take inhabitants.

In our hearts.

That will do something else.

And that I was convicted to pursue more heartily.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

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.

Yeah.

Yeah.

In contrast.

See what follows after feeding on the word.

Beautiful.

There's a quote about Tertullian.

Or it was from Tertullian.

Another one of the church fathers.

Early church.

About the singing at the agape feast.

He said.

He said.

After water for the hands and lights have been brought.

As each is able from the holy scriptures or his own genius.

He is encouraged to sing publicly to God.

Genius.

I think meant his own creativity.

You know.

This is the dawn.

But he was encouraged to sing publicly to God.

I think they did this in the early church.

And we have a lot of portions of scripture that we read as passages.

And they're kind of set off.

Kind of funny.

And they have different formatting.

And a lot of those were actually hymns that they would sing in the early church.

And they wrote them down for us.

And there's something about the heart that resonates when you sing a truth to God.

Or about God.

Like.

It's different.

It lands differently.

It resides differently.

It dwells differently.

When you're relishing it.

When you're luxuriating in it.

And it's on your tongue.

And it's on your heart.

And there's a melody.

And you're doing it together.

And there's unity.

And harmony.

And it's a banner of love over all.

Binding all things together in love.

In perfect harmony.

Something sweet about that.

That I'd love to capture.

As a body.

And as a family.

And as a Christian.

And I think of Mark Powers.

Seth's dad.

He just sings.

He's always singing.

And Seth too.

Seth.

And Gideon too.

Like these guys.

These Powers boys.

They sing.

And they make melodies in their hearts to God.

And it flows out of them.

And it's beautiful.

And it's powerful.

And it's a weapon.

And I think God loves it.

And sometimes it might look weird.

It might look funny.

It might sound a different note.

You know, than the context that we're used to expecting.

Whatever.

But it's really beautiful.

And it's precious.

And there's scriptural precedent for it.

And a scriptural command.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Singing psalms.

Hymns.

Spiritual songs.

It's one of the commands.

It's in that list.

When I was looking for a wife.

One of my requirements.

Wasn't that she had to be a good singer.

But she had to be willing to sing to my kids.

Like there.

I wanted there to be a heart.

That could sing.

Whether she was great at it or not.

She is.

I love her voice.

But she had to be willing to sing.

And there's something about a heart.

That expresses itself in song.

That the Lord actually requires.

And that we don't require of other people.

But the Lord.

In his word.

Requires it.

And it doesn't say to make a beautiful sound to the Lord.

It's make a joyful sound to the Lord.

Make joyful noises to the Lord.

It doesn't have to be.

You know.

Melodic or harmonic.

But he's.

It's a picture of him binding all things together.

Perfect harmony.

There's harmonies and melodies.

And.

Good thoughts.

And truths.

That should be on our tongues.

And on our lips.

That we should be singing back to him.

Yeah.

And just this picture of the early church.

After water for the hands.

And lights.

Have been brought.

As each is able.

From the holy scriptures.

Or his own genius.

He is encouraged to sing publicly to God.

So.

The question.

Is Christ's word dwelling.

In us.

Is it living in us.

Residing in us.

Making its home.

Making its abode.

Its dwelling place.

In us.

And is his word rich.

In you.

Is it.

Doing that richly.

Is there.

More riches.

That we can be getting out of him.

Obviously.

None of us has maxed this out yet.

Let's do it.

Let's.

Let's.

Let's shoot for it.

Let's.

Let's.

Let's.

Let it dwell more richly in our hearts.

This next week.

Than we did last week.

And.

We can do it.

It's the word of God.

It's the word of God.

It's his own word.

It's something of himself.

It's.

Something of his ways.

And his character.

And his.

His wisdom.

That we get to feed on.

That we get to.

Have dwell in us.

It's not dull.

If we think it's dull.

We're dull.

And.

We need that kindling.

To be put on the fires of our own heart.

So what should it look like.

For Christ to be all in all.

Should look like a people.

Who are filled with God's word.

To the point of singing.

And whatever you do.

Verse 17.

In word or deed.

Do everything.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

Giving thanks to God the Father.

Through him.

So.

In conclusion.

We should have.

Such a Christ like quality.

About us.

About all that we do.

About all that we say.

Whatever you do.

In word or deed.

Do everything.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

We should have such a Christ like quality.

About all that we do or say.

Such that.

What we do.

And what we say.

We can say it in his name.

And not be lying.

Not be misrepresenting him.

To the world.

Or to our children.

To those around us.

To our co-workers.

Or to the principalities.

And powers of the air.

Or to God himself.

No matter where you are.

You can be.

Doing.

Whatever you're doing.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

That's.

There's no.

In the Christian life.

You'll never find yourself.

In a no-win situation.

There's always something right.

To do.

You never get.

Cornered.

Into.

Oh.

I got all these bad.

Options.

I don't have.

Any good options.

There's always something.

Right for you to do.

There's always something.

That you can do.

And say.

Do everything.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

That you can say.

Say it.

And do it.

In the name of the Lord Jesus.

And not feel like you're.

Misrepresenting him.

There's no.

Such thing as a no-win situation.

As a Christian.

There's always.

A right step to take.

So.

Christchurch.

Let us put on Christ.

As we forgive.

As we're forgiving others.

And showing Christ's forgiveness.

To others.

Out of a forgiven heart.

Let us put on Christ.

As we love.

Let us have the peace of Christ.

Ruling in our hearts.

And let us have the word of Christ.

Dwelling in us richly.

To the point of singing.

To the point of overflow.

To the point of making melodies in our hearts.

To God.

And if we do.

People will see.

What it looks like.

For Christ to be our all.

And to be in us all.

Thank you Lord.

Do it.

Would you seal all this.

Jesus name.

Amen.