Praise ye the Lord the almighty
Holy. Holy, holy Lord God almighty
All ye that fear God's holy name
O word of God incarnate
More about Jesus would I know
May the grace of Christ our saviour
All praise and thanks to God
Scripture. Colossians 3 :1-17
[5] Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [7] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. [11] Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
[12] Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Colossians 3:1-17 ESV)
Today is the end of the book of Colossians. This text is out of order because it is appropriate for Education Sunday and because it sums up well what Christ is trying to teach in this book.
Paul continually called the Colossians to fulfillment in Christ.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you. Not like the red-letter Christians who only listen to the words of Christ, but the awareness the the whole bible is inspired by God. But also particularly the gospels. Letting those words be in us and living by them.
Focus of the letter is the supremacy of Christ and how he saves us. Letting us die to sin.
So in light of who Jesus is, let that word live in you richly. Let it be the guide for your life. Be brought to new life through him.
Let our attention be directed at Christ. This is what it means to let him dwell in you.
How to do this?
- Attend services at church
- Read the bible and think about it
- Teaching and admonishing each other in all wisdom. This is not just on the pastor. It is meant for all the people of God. We are to be a people who edify each other, who teach each other. We are to do so in all wisdom.....going back to who Christ is.
- Sing songs, hymns, spiritual music, psalms. It is one of the marks of the church. Think of Paul in jail....and he was singing. Everyone was listening to him. Sing with grace. Remember grace in our hearts. Our singing is based on the grace of Christ. As we sing we teach and admonish those around us. We are telling people who we are and who they should be. Calling people back to the Lord. Songs have power to move us emotionally and spiritually. Songs are remembered. They matter. So sing, regardless of your voice quality, just sing.
- Do all things in the name of Christ.