Colossians 3:1-17

 

Today we continue our reflection on the verses in Colossians 3:1-17, a powerful Word and blueprint for living a Christ-like life.

 

Colossians 3:1-11 NLT

 

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 

 

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. 

 

Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 

 

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language. 

 

Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 

 

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. 

 

Colossians 3:12 NLT

 

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

 

Here Paul is guiding us on what it means to have Christ live in us, what it means to live a Christ like life – again this is done through the metaphor of clothing:

 

“You must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

 

This is often translated in other versions of the Bible to being:

 

-        Gentle

-        Kind

-        Humble

-        Meek

-        Patient

 

Metaphorically, these are the 5 garments that Apostle Paul is telling us to wear to live a Christ like life.

 

We've covered the first 3, now let's land this plane with the last 2 - Meekness and Patience.

 

4.      Meekness

 

The word “meek” doesn’t exactly conjure up images of strength and courage.  

 

Today’s use of the word tends to describe a person who is submissive, mild-mannered, quiet and likely to do what other people say. 

 

Yet in Matthew 5:5 KJV Jesus says in the third Beatitude on the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.”

 

Also, by today’s use of the word meek, we would hardly think of Moses as meek.  Moses, who had the special honour of intimately conversing with God on Mount Sinai – meek? No way.  However he is described in Numbers 12:3 as being “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.”

 

However, the reference to meek in the Bible has a different stronger meaning and origin.  The Greek word translated “meek” as praeis and refers to mildness, gentleness of spirit, or humility. Meekness is humility toward God and toward others. It is having the right or the power to do something but refraining for the benefit of someone else.

 

In Numbers 12 we hear that Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam attacked Moses and wanted him demoted. They slandered him before all of Israel and before the Lord. 

 

Moses responded by being quiet. He did not strike back or defend himself.  Instead he let God defend him. 

 

While he could have used his power and authority to defend himself, he instead chose to trust in God. 

 

As we know, God then punished Miriam.  But Moses asked for leniency and mercy. This was a brave move to ask for God to have mercy despite Miriam’s indiscretions. 

 

Like Moses demonstrated, meekness is bold, not shy to call out a wrong and trusting in God.

 

Self-reflection points:

 

-        Think about the authority you have at home and at work. When was the last time you held off using this authority for the benefit of that person?

 

-        Did you leave it to God to work through the issue for you?

 

-        Are you wearing your meek garment today?

 

Prayer Point 5:  Lord, we pray for the courage to think twice before exercising the authority we are given where it could benefit another.  We trust you Lord to defend us as we wear our garment of meekness.

 

5.      Patience

 

One of the most incredible examples of patience is demonstrated by Jesus in his final night of prayer. 

 

In Luke 22:39-46 we hear:

 

'Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” '

 

Jesus was facing imminent betrayal by Judas and his crucifixion.  He was in such agony that his sweat fell like great drops of blood. Yet all He asked of his disciples was that they stay up and pray.  Yet they could not.  When he found them sleeping, He simply asked them why they were asleep and again repeated what He had said before which for them to get up and “pray that you will not give in to temptation”.

 

Juan testimony - was so impatient couldn't line up.  Home build. Delays. Still a work in progress but there’s growth and blessings.

 

Self-reflection points:

 

-        When did I last revert back to the garment of impatience with my spouse?  With my kids?

 

-        What happened when you were last impatient? 

 

-        How did it impact the atmosphere at home?

 

-        Are you wearing your garment of patience today?

 

Prayer Point 6:  Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the true meaning of patience.  We pray for your example to guide us in every moment we feel anxiety or agitation rear its head.  We pray for your patience to flow through us onto our family and loved ones.

 

The final part of this chapter of Colossians to share is:

 

Colossians 3:13-17 NLT

 

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.  Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

 

Each of the 5 garments for living a Christ like life require that we be brave and bold in their application.

 

They may seem passive by current understanding of words such as “meekness” or “humility” but as we saw in the above examples, they require strength to apply.

 

Strength that we find by uniting with God each day as we choose to wear the 5 garments of a Christ like life.

 

What a blessing they are.

 

As the above scripture calls out, whatever we do or say, we do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. 

 

Let’s ensure we wear the 5 garments at all times to be worthy of being called His representatives on earth.