But are you Thankful?

But are you Thankful?  2020 10 11

Colossians 3:12 – 17

What a year 2020 has turned out to be! Who would have imagined before December 2019 that we would be living as we are today. Who, born in the last 100 years, would consider that we would be told to live in bubbles that included only a small handful of people, due to a pandemic? Who could have believed that we who live in such a free, constitutional democracy would have been told to stay home, wear a mask everywhere we go, and to avoid international travel? Who could have imagined having their place of work shut down and losing their job anywhere in North America because of a virus?

But are you thankful?

Colossians 3:12 – 17

Notice how our passage begins. This is not an exhortation to be encouraged, to keep a stiff upper lip, to be thankful every time God showers you with blessings. The verses we are focusing on today begin with a command! “Put on.”

I Put On Therefore

  1. As always it’s important to ask, “What is the therefore there for?”

    1. In most cases, we would need to look at the previous verses to get that answer, which is always a good idea, anyway.

    2. But in this case, the answer is right in the verse: “as the elect of God.” Verse 1 to 11 describe what it means to be elect. Now, in verses 12 to 17, we are told how we all ought to conduct ourselves.

II Put These On

  1. When you take a tour of an industrial site, you will often hear these words: “Put these on.” You will probably be handed hearing and eye protection, a hard hat and maybe special clothing, all of which is fitting for an active industrial area.

    1. What you wear is one of the first things most people notice about you. Remember, first impressions are very important!

  2. If you’ve put your faith in Jesus Christ to save you from the penalty due for your sins, you’re now the elect of God, born again by the will of God, a Christ follower, or Christian.

    1. You have everlasting life. You have been “renewed in knowledge after the image” of God who created you (verse 10)

  3. Being a Christian means all your sins have been washed away and you have everlasting life.

    1. You are holy and beloved, not by your own power and will, but by the power of God.

    2. But it’s also like entering into a massive, intergalactic spiritual industrial zone.

    3. Therefore, put these on…

III Bowels of Mercies

      1. This is a term we don’t use in our speech, today, but it means to be filled with mercy or compassion.

        1. Clothe yourself with compassion

IV Kindness

      1. We’ve been hearing this term used a lot during this pandemic. How have we been responding to what is going on?

        1. Many Christians, unfortunately, have been actively, angrily and openly advocating for their “rights” they say are being taken away by governments forcing them to social distance or wear masks.

        2. But as Christians, we should put on kindness, especially in times such as these

V Humbleness of Mind

  1. Can I say this? Christian, stop putting so much importance on your personal rights and how important you are!

    1. Recognize that while you were a wretched sinner, God placed so much value on you that He paid the penalty for your sins.

    2. Jesus Christ did not die for you because you are worthy, but because He loves you. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3

VI Meekness

  1. And again, how can you be meek, while rebelliously shouting that your rights are being trampled on?

    1. Meekness has often been described as “strength under pressure.” Our Saviour was meek. He has the right to the entire universe and the worship of every creature, yet “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

    2. Our Saviour was the very epitome of meekness, yet He is the creator of all.

VII Longsuffering

  1. This word is often modernized as “patience,” but it has a greater meaning than that. In addition, it speaks of a slowness to avenge wrongs. Don’t try to get even!

    1. Longsuffering is more than just waiting a long time for someone to get ready to go; it is about patiently, continually, waiting for someone who keeps wronging you to repent. “For the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

VIII Forebearing and Forgiving

  1. This expounds on the longsuffering. Suffer and endure the wrongs of others with patience; then forgive them. That might mean having to back down in an argument, even when you’re certain the other person is wrong!

    1. Forgive those who stand against you, even as Christ forgave you.

      1. We were sinners when Christ died for us! Romans 5:8

      2. We were His enemies when He died for us! Romans 5:10

    2. How much more should we forgive others just like us.

IX Put on Love

  1. Charity, as it is called in our King James Bible, is the highest form of love. It is the bond of perfectness, because it comes from God, who is love. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8

    1. Above all other things, we must put on this agape love, which is the hallmark of Christianity.

    2. Only those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ can have this love, because it comes only from a relationship with Him. It is supernatural, spiritual love. Without it, you cannot put on any of the others. Unless you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, making you one of the elect of God, you cannot put on this love. It’s not something that is in the natural man.

X But are you Thankful?

  1. God has told you to do something hard. Love others, no matter how they treat you. Even when you are treated terribly, love and forgive with kindness, gentleness, meekness, humility and mercy. “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” Luke 6:27,28

  2. But are you thankful? Are you truly thankful at all times, as we are commanded in this passage? Or do you find yourself only able to be thankful when you’re seeing the showers of blessing?

    1. The answer to how is right there, in verses 15,16 & 17: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” and “Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in y our hearts to the Lord,” “doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Conclusion

  1. Once again, the Bible brings us to the inescapable conclusion: We must spend time with our Lord and with one another.

    1. We can only gain peace in our hearts by trusting God.

    2. The word of Christ only dwells in us richly when we read it.

    3. We can only teach and encourage one another when we gather together.

  2. If you don’t find yourself very thankful, today, it may be that one or more of these things has been allowed to slide in your life. No matter what this world may throw at us, including Covid-19, we need to believe God, to trust Him and to do what He says. All other things are man’s wisdom, and will fail.