A New Wardrobe
Introduction:
Most of us are concerned about how we
look. Our appearance is important to us. We want our clothes to match, to
be coordinated. However, there is something far more important to God.
He’s concerned about how we adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior. (Titus
2:10) “not pilfering; but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the
doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” NKJV
Text:
Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy
and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you
also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of
perfection.” NKJV
Body:
I. Put On
- Christians are very special:
“God’s chosen ones”. They are “holy”, set apart for God’s service.
They are “beloved”, objects of God’s love.
- “Put on”, clothe yourself, envelope
yourself with the following characteristics. There is urgency – do it
now! A new wardrobe is moral attire. Listen to the words of Psalms
132:9. “Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your
saints shout for joy.” NKJV
There it is called “sacred vestments of our daily priesthood.”
- The new man demonstrates his new
life by his new garments. (Romans 6:4) “Therefore we were buried with
Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) “that you put off, concerning your former
conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on
the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness
and holiness.” NKJV
- Get rid of filthy garments of
worldliness. (Romans 13:12-14) “The night is far spent, the day is at
hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put
on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in
revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and
envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” NKJV
- Since Christians are holy, we are
not to follow the ways and values of the world. (James 4:4)
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God.” NKJV
II. The New Wardrobe
- “Heart of compassion” – This
denotes one that is sensitive to the needs of others and has a deep
caring for the problems and sufferings of others. It means getting
involved. (I John 3:17-18) “But whoever has this world’s goods, and
sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the
love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word
or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” NKJV
This person has a desire to help in whatever way he can.
- “Kindness” – One who has a
sweet disposition shown in one’s attitudes and actions toward others.
There is an example of David in II Samuel 9:1, 12-13. “Now David said,
‘Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show
him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ 12 Mephibosheth
had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of
Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in
Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame
in both his feet.” NKJV
This person is friendly and helpful; one who has a smile, a kind word,
an offer to help others. A kind person possesses the ability to put
himself in other’s shoes.
- “Humility” – This is the
opposite of arrogance, unpretentious. The wise man, Solomon, had this
to say in Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with
the humble is wisdom.” and Proverbs 16:18-19. “Pride goes before
destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a
humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
NKJV The humble person
has the attitude of a servant; one desiring to lift others up.
(Philippians 2:3-4) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or
conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but
also for the interests of others.” NKJV
- “Meekness” – or gentleness
This is the opposite of rough and rude. The meek person is considerate
of others’ feelings and also possesses self-control. (I Peter 3:3-4)
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair,
wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden
person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
NKJV Aristotle said this about meekness, “The right
point between always angry and never angry.”
- “Patience” – This one is
calm in the face of provocation; long tempered. (James 5:10-11) “My
brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an
example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who
endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end
intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and
merciful.” NKJV The
patient person endures with others; has a controlled strength. As Paul
put it, “bearing with one another.” One who has the ability to put up
with things; tolerant of the faults of others. (Ephesians 4:2) “with
all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love,” NKJV
- “Forgiveness” – Be ready and
willing to forgive. (Matthew 18:21-22) “Then Peter came to Him and
said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive
him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up
to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ ”
NKJV He’s not advocating for people to condone
sin, but to have the ability to overlook offenses. (Proverbs 19:11)
“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger And his glory is to
overlook a transgression.” NKJV
- “Love” – This holds all the
other garments (attributes) together. It unites all these virtues; ties
them together like a belt. (I Corinthians 13:2, 7) “And though I have
the gift f prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. 7 bears all things, endures all things.”
NKJV
These are the garments we are to wear
every day, the new wardrobe of the new man.
Invitation:
One day the faithful will be dressed in
glorious redeemed bodies. (I Corinthians 15:53-54) “For this corruptible
must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when
this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” NKJV
But we must first put on Christ in baptism. (Galatians 3:27) “For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” NKJV
Bobby Stafford
February 19, 2017 Colossians:
Lesson: 10 Colossians 3:12-14
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