God's Uniform

Pastor Chang Kim

Colossians 3:12-17

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.

Introduction

I.          A New Apparel vv12-14

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. 

1 Peter 2:23

23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

C. S. Lewis said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers said "If you’re going to play together as a team, you’ve got to love each other.” He added, “The difference between mediocrity and greatness is the feeling these guys have for one another." 

II.        A New Mindset vv15-16

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. 

What rules in your heart? What determines what you do in life and in church?

III.      A New Pattern v17

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.

1 Corinthians 10:31

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. The world applauds success, God applauds faithfulness.

Brother Lawrence in the 17th century. His book “The Practice of the Presence of God”

Conclusion