December 11 - Colossians 3:15

Just last year, 2024, major league baseball catcher, Danny Jensen, was traded in the middle of a rain delay from the Blue Jays to the Red Sox, who were their opponents in that same game? Literally overnight in the same game, he took off his blue jersey, switched teams, and put on a new red jersey, and continued to play the game for the other team. This week at Northland. We are talking about peace. And I encourage you to read Colossians 3, where Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, talks about peace, and take note of every time he talks about putting things on and taking them off like their clothes. Paul encourages the believers in Colossi, and by extension, us to take off our old teen jerseys, those worldly clothes, which are full of immorality, anger, lies, and much more. He says to instead, put on the jersey of the other team, his team, the clothes that come from Christ that brings us comfort and peace. Specifically in verse 13, it says, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And then the earlier verses, he's referring to taking off the old clothes and putting on the new by living in harmony with all followers of Jesus, no matter where they come from. But even more than that, we are called to be active members of the community and encouraging and admonishing one another, forgiving one another, and reading God's word together, and even to do everything we do for the glory of God and do it together. This is the peace... that Paul is referring to, the peace that comes from being on his team. and being with the people on his team. Peace comes from being an active part in Team Jesus.