New
Ways for a New Year
December 30, 2000
Colossians 3:12-17
1.
The way of virtue.
I avoid speaking of values because such language infers there are no
moral absolutes – only what one individually values.
Rather, I prefer the biblical language of virtues.
The Holy Spirit living in our lives gives us the ability to lead, if we
choose to obey the Spirit, the virtuous life.
The Christians life is a CHANGED life.
The
virtues listed here are all virtues of how we deal with each other.
Relational virtues: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience. Why is that?
Because the Christian life is experienced within the community of the
Church. In order to sustain
community certain virtues are necessary.
Compassion
= to
put one’s self in another’s place so that you can extend mercy.
Kindness,
= not dealing harshly with others. Treating
them tenderly.
Humility,
= a lack of arrogance towards others, the attitude that others deserve the first
place more than we ourselves.
Gentleness
= strength under the control of God. The
same word used of domesticated animals.
Patience
= means that we do not give
up on one another in the body. Never grows bitter or cynical.
Forbearance
= putting up with each
other. An attitude of toleration of
one another’s differences and failings because we know that we are all on the
same journey of faith.
Forgiveness
= treating
others in the body with the same forgiveness God treats us.
We are going to have to develop an attitude of forgiveness because we
will continually be hurt, disappointed, betrayed by those closest to us in the
Body of Christ. Forgiveness does
not excuse this behavior but seeks reconciliation so that lives are changed and
mended.
But
all of this is too much for us to remember sometimes.
So we bind it all up with LOVE.
Agape love is not a feeling of warm tenderness or affection. Rather it is
an act of the will to put the good of the other before our own good.
A
4-year-old boy was waiting with his mother in the doctor's office. They
were discussing all kinds of great issues such as "What am I doing
here?" and "Where's the
doctor?" and "Why isn't God married?" -- things like that.
Finally,
the little boy asked the ultimate question: "Why doesn't God ever just get
tired and stop?"
His
mother thought a long time before she answered. Then she said, "God is
love, and love never gets tired."
That’s
why we have to bind all the virtues together with love because LOVE NEVER GIVES
UP. IT NEVER STOPS.
IT NEVER QUITS.
2.
The way of the peace of Christ.
The peace of Christ is the UMPIRE
of our hearts. When we cannot
determine how to react to a situation in the body the Peace of Christ is to
guide us. Put Jesus as the arbiter
over the conflicting emotions in our hearts.
3.
The way of WORSHIP.
Gratitude toward God, thankfulness.
Remind ourselves over and over of all that has been done for us by God.
On Christmas eve in the services we attended the overwhelming sense in my
heart was one of gratitude for God’s incarnation.
Being
saturated with the Word. Know the
Scriptures.
Singing
psalms (Actually singing the Scriptures of the psalms).
Singing hymns (Songs of CELEBRATION).
Spiritual songs (Songs that tell of God’s mighty deeds and thank him)
All
this singing was from the heart.
4.
The way of Christ-centered living.
At every moment of our lives we are to ask ourselves, can I do this
action in the name of Jesus Christ? Can
I say that I am doing this consistently with the Character and Person of Jesus
Christ?
Are my words consistent with the Character and Person of Jesus Christ?
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