WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.800 We take what might be a hat and bring it to our waist 2 00:00:03.800 --> 00:00:06.280 and say, look, now it's a belt buckle. 3 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:09.600 Or we might say, I'm not slandering them, 4 00:00:09.600 --> 00:00:11.280 I'm just trying to vent. 5 00:00:11.280 --> 00:00:13.480 Or I'm not being lustful, 6 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.440 I'm just trying to figure out what my future wife looks like. 7 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:19.520 But we need to be willing to not just 8 00:00:19.520 --> 00:00:21.440 wear our old selves differently, 9 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:23.320 but to put them off altogether. 10 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:32.520 Colossians 3, 5-17 says, 11 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:34.840 put to death therefore what is earthly in you, 12 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:38.560 sexual immorality, impurity, passion, 13 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.000 evil desire, and covetousness, 14 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:42.700 which is idolatry. 15 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:44.040 On account of these, 16 00:00:44.040 --> 00:00:45.880 the wrath of God is coming. 17 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.040 And these you too once 18 00:00:48.040 --> 00:00:50.120 walked when you were living in them. 19 00:00:50.120 --> 00:00:53.000 But now you must put them all away, 20 00:00:53.080 --> 00:00:56.480 anger, wrath, slander, malice, 21 00:00:56.480 --> 00:00:58.840 and obscene talk from your mouth. 22 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:00.320 Do not lie to one another, 23 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.600 seeing that you have put off the old self 24 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:05.680 with its practices and have put on the new self, 25 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.360 which is being renewed in the knowledge 26 00:01:08.360 --> 00:01:10.600 after the image of its creator. 27 00:01:10.600 --> 00:01:13.320 Here, there is not Greek and Jew, 28 00:01:13.320 --> 00:01:15.560 circumcised and uncircumcised, 29 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:19.520 barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, 30 00:01:19.520 --> 00:01:22.240 but Christ is all and in all. 31 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:24.640 Put on then as God's chosen ones, 32 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:27.600 holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, 33 00:01:27.600 --> 00:01:31.240 kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 34 00:01:31.240 --> 00:01:32.720 bearing with one another. 35 00:01:32.720 --> 00:01:35.920 And if one of you has a complaint against one another, 36 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:39.480 forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, 37 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:41.920 so also you must forgive. 38 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:44.660 And above all these, put on love, 39 00:01:44.660 --> 00:01:48.280 which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 40 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:51.180 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 41 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:54.220 to which indeed you are called in one body. 42 00:01:54.220 --> 00:01:55.780 And be thankful. 43 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:59.140 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 44 00:01:59.140 --> 00:02:02.100 teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, 45 00:02:02.100 --> 00:02:05.560 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 46 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:07.900 with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 47 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:11.060 And whatever you do in word or deed, 48 00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:14.980 do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, 49 00:02:14.980 --> 00:02:17.740 giving thanks to God the Father through him. 50 00:02:17.740 --> 00:02:22.180 There are two main ideas presented here in Colossians 3. 51 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:24.940 The first is the idea that if we are truly 52 00:02:24.940 --> 00:02:27.500 to take on our new identity in Christ, 53 00:02:27.500 --> 00:02:31.340 there are things that we have on from our previous living 54 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:33.140 that we need to put off. 55 00:02:33.140 --> 00:02:35.100 And there are attributes that come 56 00:02:35.100 --> 00:02:37.020 with having our identity in Jesus 57 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:40.340 that we need to put on to fully represent 58 00:02:40.340 --> 00:02:42.740 the new life that we have in Christ. 59 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:46.380 The latter idea is that if we put off the wrong things 60 00:02:46.380 --> 00:02:48.940 and that if we put on the right things, 61 00:02:48.940 --> 00:02:52.020 along with becoming acquainted with Jesus, 62 00:02:52.020 --> 00:02:55.740 we can bless God in everything that we do. 63 00:02:55.740 --> 00:02:58.260 I love the language that Paul uses. 64 00:02:58.260 --> 00:03:00.220 That out of our new identity, 65 00:03:00.220 --> 00:03:02.940 there are things that we get to put off 66 00:03:02.940 --> 00:03:05.500 and put on like we would with clothing. 67 00:03:05.500 --> 00:03:08.220 One common idea or tip that you'll hear 68 00:03:08.220 --> 00:03:09.980 if you're ever going in for a job interview 69 00:03:09.980 --> 00:03:12.620 is that you wanna dress for the job 70 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:14.220 that you're interviewing for. 71 00:03:14.220 --> 00:03:17.660 And the idea behind that advice 72 00:03:17.660 --> 00:03:22.100 is that if you want to be hired for a specific position 73 00:03:22.100 --> 00:03:23.700 or a specific career, 74 00:03:23.700 --> 00:03:27.460 you should already look like what that career is. 75 00:03:27.460 --> 00:03:30.300 You should look like the thing that you want to be. 76 00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:32.900 Or in other words, you want to be ready 77 00:03:32.900 --> 00:03:34.780 so that you don't have to get ready 78 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:37.220 when it might already be too late. 79 00:03:37.220 --> 00:03:39.100 A parable that Jesus tells 80 00:03:39.100 --> 00:03:41.620 that perfectly displays this idea 81 00:03:41.660 --> 00:03:45.220 is in Matthew 25 and it goes like this. 82 00:03:45.220 --> 00:03:48.820 Then the kingdom of heaven be like 10 virgins 83 00:03:48.820 --> 00:03:52.260 who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 84 00:03:52.260 --> 00:03:56.060 Five of them were foolish and five of them were wise. 85 00:03:56.060 --> 00:03:57.980 For when the foolish took their lamps, 86 00:03:57.980 --> 00:03:59.980 they took no oil with them. 87 00:03:59.980 --> 00:04:04.900 But the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 88 00:04:04.900 --> 00:04:06.940 As the bridegroom was delayed, 89 00:04:06.940 --> 00:04:09.940 they all became drowsy and slept. 90 00:04:09.940 --> 00:04:12.540 But at midnight, there was a cry saying, 91 00:04:12.540 --> 00:04:16.339 here is the bridegroom, come out to meet him. 92 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:19.860 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 93 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:21.940 And the foolish said to the wise, 94 00:04:21.940 --> 00:04:25.260 give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out. 95 00:04:25.260 --> 00:04:27.180 But the wise answered saying, 96 00:04:27.180 --> 00:04:30.900 since there will not be enough for us and for you, 97 00:04:30.900 --> 00:04:34.940 go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. 98 00:04:34.940 --> 00:04:36.980 And while they were going out to buy, 99 00:04:36.980 --> 00:04:39.780 the bridegroom came and those who were ready 100 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:44.140 went with him to the marriage feast and the door was shut. 101 00:04:44.140 --> 00:04:47.620 After the other virgins came also saying, 102 00:04:47.620 --> 00:04:50.980 Lord, Lord, open to us, he answered, 103 00:04:50.980 --> 00:04:55.060 truly I say to you, I do not know you. 104 00:04:55.060 --> 00:05:00.060 Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour. 105 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:08.000 I think that parable connects to Colossians 3 so powerfully because the thing that Paul is seeking to guard us against 106 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:14.000 is running the risk of not being ready for the occasion that God calls on us. 107 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:23.000 If we put to death and put off all the worldly things in us and put on the things that come with an identity change in Christ, 108 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.500 we won't be scrambling in the moments that God calls us. 109 00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:33.000 Whether he convicts you to speak to someone or to help someone you don't know unexpectedly, 110 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:40.500 or if you find yourself in a moment where you're being tempted to compromise with sin and God is calling you back, 111 00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:45.000 if you know that you have already put on the right things and put off the wrong things, 112 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:52.500 you're not going to find yourself scrambling for what you need to confront the situation. 113 00:05:52.500 --> 00:05:59.000 I had an experience while I was working at Panera Bread as a delivery driver where I was coming to the end of my shift 114 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:05.500 and I remember the Holy Spirit piquing my interest at this lady that I saw at the front of the store. 115 00:06:05.500 --> 00:06:09.500 She was with a three-year-old and she went into the store. 116 00:06:09.500 --> 00:06:13.500 All of my co-workers were tending to her. 117 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:16.500 She was crying and I remember God just saying, 118 00:06:17.500 --> 00:06:25.500 So I went to her and I gave her whatever tips I had from the day and told her that I felt like she needed to know God sees her, 119 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:29.500 that God cares for her, and she just started bawling. 120 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:33.500 So I walk away and I hear the Holy Spirit say to me, 121 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:37.500 And I go to my manager and I ask him, 122 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:45.500 And he says to me that she's running away from an abusive relationship. 123 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:53.500 And that she left with nothing but her son, a stroller, and whatever she could escape with quickly. 124 00:06:53.500 --> 00:07:02.500 So I tell my manager, because they were looking for a shelter that she could stay at overnight while her mom came to pick her up from out of state, 125 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:08.500 that whenever they find it, let me take her to the shelter after I do my last delivery. 126 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:18.500 So I get back from my last delivery and I take her to the Walgreens across the street so we could buy whatever she needs for her son. 127 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:21.500 And we go to the shelter. 128 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:28.500 She's able to stay and I'm able to take her to her mom who was meeting with us so that she could take her back to New Mexico. 129 00:07:29.500 --> 00:07:43.500 And I just remember thinking that if I had met that lady any earlier when I was feeling despondent or hadn't put on the things that resonate with my identity with Christ, 130 00:07:43.500 --> 00:07:52.500 I wouldn't have been able to answer that call that the Holy Spirit placed on me to bless this woman who was running away from an abusive relationship. 131 00:07:52.500 --> 00:08:07.500 And the idea that comes with putting off those things that are worldly in us and putting on the things that are of Christ in us is that we need to be able to represent Christ here on earth well. 132 00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:11.500 So going back to Colossians 3, it says, 133 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:20.500 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you, sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry. 134 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:24.500 On account of these things the wrath of God is coming. 135 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:28.500 And in these you too once walked when you were living in them. 136 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:35.500 But now you must put them all away, anger, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth. 137 00:08:35.500 --> 00:08:40.500 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices. 138 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:45.500 Now you might be saying to me, I don't even know what it means to put off these things. 139 00:08:45.500 --> 00:08:47.500 I didn't even know that they were on me. 140 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:56.500 And the difficulty that we tend to have with putting off sin and what is earthly in us is that we try to do it in our own terms. 141 00:08:56.500 --> 00:09:00.500 We don't put these things off, we just try to wear them differently. 142 00:09:00.500 --> 00:09:07.500 We take what might be a hat and bring it to our waist and say, look, now it's a belt buckle. 143 00:09:08.500 --> 00:09:13.500 Or we might say, I'm not slandering them, I'm just trying to vent. 144 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:18.500 Or, I'm not being lustful, I'm just trying to figure out what my future wife looks like. 145 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:25.500 But we need to be willing to not just wear our old selves differently, but to put them off altogether. 146 00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:32.500 We need to say, I've made a covenant with my eyes that I shall not look upon a woman with lust. 147 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:41.500 So when you're being tempted, you can say, it's not even an option that's immediately available to me because I've put it off. 148 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:47.500 I'd have to go digging in the closet or in the hamper to be able to find that thing and put it back on me. 149 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:53.500 We should make sin uncomfortable, inconvenient, and unfamiliar. 150 00:09:53.500 --> 00:09:59.500 The Bible says that returning to sin is like a dog returning to its vomit, or a pig returning to its vomit. 151 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:06.480 turning to the mud. Because we find our identity in Christ, we shouldn't just put off our sin, 152 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:14.720 but we should be off put by it. It should be gross for us to return to what we've already put off. 153 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:22.640 It should gross us out. Not to say that we won't get dirty ever, but we should feel grossed out by 154 00:10:22.640 --> 00:10:28.960 our sin and want to be clean again. As for the things that we should put on, it says, 155 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:34.880 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, 156 00:10:34.880 --> 00:10:41.040 humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another. And if one has a complaint against 157 00:10:41.040 --> 00:10:47.360 one another, forgiving each other. As the Lord has forgiven you, you must also forgive. And above 158 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:54.240 all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace 159 00:10:54.240 --> 00:11:00.640 of Christ rule in your hearts. To put these things on is to wear them. And I don't know 160 00:11:00.640 --> 00:11:06.560 about you, but I don't just wake up with my outfit for the day already on. I have to make 161 00:11:06.560 --> 00:11:12.720 it a part of my day to intentionally look at my closet and say, I want this on me today. 162 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:18.800 I want this to be what I wear today. And in the same way, I should wake up and be able to say, 163 00:11:18.880 --> 00:11:25.120 what does it look like for me to put on and wear a compassionate heart? I might need to ask God to 164 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:31.200 give me compassion and a care for people that I might overlook without his spirit reminding me. 165 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:38.960 What does it look like for me to put on kindness? I might need to be intentional to consider what I 166 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:44.880 could do or who I could be for the people that I might see throughout my day. What does it look 167 00:11:44.880 --> 00:11:51.280 like for me to put on humility? I would need to sit down and intentionally set my sights on God, 168 00:11:51.280 --> 00:11:57.760 who is above me, in order to keep a true perspective on how valuable others are because 169 00:11:57.760 --> 00:12:04.240 he says they are. What does it look like for me to put on meekness? I should declare and dedicate 170 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:10.240 myself to being self-controlled in how I talk and how I live. What does it look like for me to put 171 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:17.680 on patience and forgiveness? I should remind myself every day of the grace God has given me 172 00:12:17.680 --> 00:12:23.840 so that I can extend it to others. And what does it look like for me to put on love? I should put 173 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:30.960 on God's love in the same way that he has shared it for me. And the purpose of putting on all of 174 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:38.880 these things are found in verses like John 17, where he says, Father, I desire also that they whom 175 00:12:38.880 --> 00:12:45.200 you have given to me may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you 176 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:51.920 have loved me from the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not 177 00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:59.920 know you, I know you and these know that you have sent me. Or like Psalm 103, which says, 178 00:12:59.920 --> 00:13:08.560 Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his holy name. The goal of being like Jesus 179 00:13:08.560 --> 00:13:17.520 and putting on the things of Jesus is to be with and to bless God. My final point is a simple one, 180 00:13:17.520 --> 00:13:25.520 and it's what Colossians 3.17 says. It says, Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything 181 00:13:25.520 --> 00:13:32.240 in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. So we should make it 182 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:44.400 our aim and our practice to give back to God what he's already given to us.