Christian Meekness - from Colossians 3:12

Just playing with my audio recorder again.

The following are my teaching notes from our Sunday School class on Meekness from Colossians 3:12-13.

Colossians 3:12-13

¹² “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ 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.”

Intro:  Last week we began to introduce the subject of Christian Mercy.  Just as a Christian is to put on a Compassionate Spirit (defined here by tenderness, kindness and humility) so also the Christian must put on a Merciful Spirit (defined here by the words meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another).

We simply introduced the subject last week by pointing out, not that we need much reminding, that we all still carry about numerous short-comings and sins.  And that it is inevitable that within the local church our faults will at times cause injury to others.  And how we respond when we have been in any way wounded by a brother or sister in Christ is Paul’s focus now.  We are calling it a Merciful Spirit, and it is summarized by the 4 words or phrases in our text:  Meekness, Long-suffering, Bearing with one another, Forgiving one another. 

It is worth pointing out that Paul assumes Christians will be in such a close fellowship with one another that we are going to, at times, injure one another.  If there were no such close connection and fellowship, these instructions would seem rather silly.  You don’t tell virtual strangers going into a movie theater that to get the most out of this movie you will need to put on meekness and long-suffering with one another.  No.  They are strangers.  They don’t have to like one another or even know one another.  It is like when a young couple goes from dating to being married.  Now all of a sudden you have to love this man who can manage to put a dirty cup in the sink…but cannot seem to manage to move it ALL the way to the dishwasher.  As though they were miles apart.  And the strange thing is that his clothes seem to have the same problem with respect to the hamper. 

True Christian Compassion Part 2

True Christian Compassion Part II

True Christian Compassion Part 1

Playing with my Sunday School notes. Feel free to ignore.

True Christian Compassion Part I

Daily Encouragement

Daily Encouragement 

“…encourage one another daily” 

Hebrews 3:13

Mark Twain has been credited (or charged) with saying “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”  If I look into my own heart, I have to admit that I too am sometimes bothered by what I do understand.  The simple plain teaching of Scripture so often contradicts my life that I find myself bothered and forced to make irrational excuses to justify my disobedience. 

Take the words at the top of this page for example.  Here the author of Hebrews is giving a command to the people of God.  In light of the challenges and trials associated with living the Christian life faithfully, he issues this order to help us along:  “encourage one another daily.”  It is neither complicated nor unreasonable. 

If we were to break it down, we would see that these 4 words contain:

1.         A clear command:  Encourage.  The word is neither foreign to our ears nor difficult to accomplish.  Almost any kind word would qualify.  He prescribes no set form or pattern to which this encouragement must comply.  Great liberty is apparently allowed as to the manner in which we carry out this duty.  Just encourage.  Lift someone up, cheer them.  Promote the welfare of another through some tangible medium of communication or activity.  Encourage.  Life is hard.  The Christian life, lived well, is even harder.  Therefore encourage.

2.         A clear audience.  The object of this command is very simple:  “one another.”  The author is telling Christians to encourage other Christians.  The assumption is that there are believers whom you have access to in one way or another.  This command was issued before modern communication technology was available.  How much less of an excuse do we have today, when the opportunities to encourage another believer in Christ are almost unlimited due to postal services, telephones, computers and email.  No doubt there is someone in your church who could use encouragement.  Some missionary that could use a letter.  A college student who wouldn’t mind some cookies.  A shut in that would appreciate a visit or a call.  A Pastor who might like to know you were actually listening.  Encourage another Christian.  Any Christian.  Take your pick.

3.         A clear frequency:  Daily.  The word is not complicated or obscure in the original.  First century Christians would not have understood this differently than we do.  It means every day.  Once every 24 hours.  Seven times a week.  The context is not poetical and the language is not figurative.  Encourage one another every single day.  The words that follow this text make the point even more emphatic:  “Encourage one another daily, while it is called Today.”  The command means that every day, from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep, I ought to encourage (at least) one other Christian. 

This command, therefore, really could not be made more clear:

·         Encourage. 

·         Encourage another Christian. 

·         Encourage another Christian every single day. 

Not rocket science.  Pretty simple really.  What’s not so simple is the answer to this question:  Why don’t I do it?  Why do I allow so many days to roll by without lifting my voice or directing my pen into the way of encouragement?  I cannot claim this verse is too hard to understand.  Like Mark Twain, maybe it is the very clarity of the command that bothers me so much.  I squirm under the crushing weight of a clear and reasonable expectation from the Lord.  How about you?  Maybe it is just me. 

I am making a plan to change this.  That is, ultimately, what repentance is all about: changing.  Repentance means making a plan to change some pattern of behavior from disobedience to obedience.    I know a few Christians.  I’m making a list.  Does that seem too artificial?  Too mechanical to qualify as obedience?  Maybe it is somewhat artificial and mechanical.  But I tend to think that mechanical obedience is safer than comfortable sin.  And maybe, just maybe, this is the way we change. 

A LIFE OF VALUE

"And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”"

1 Samuel 26:24

A Life of VALUE

Is there anything worse than feeling worthless?  Have you ever felt as though your life was of no real value to anyone?  Undoubtedly this is one of the most uncomfortable and devastating emotions we can experience.  Maybe you have never struggled with this.  Most, however, have known to some degree the pain, the tears and the crushing effect this feeling of worthlessness can produce.  Industries aimed at alleviating these thoughts are both profuse and profitable.  Everywhere we turn we find advertisements from chemistry to counseling which promise to restore a person’s sense of value and well-being.  These have a place.  I do not wish to undermine the sincere efforts or to minimize the serious suffering endured by those who benefit from them. 

The verse at the top of this page got me thinking about what makes a life truly valuable.  The words are those of David who had been fleeing for his life from King Saul.  David had the chance to kill his enemy, but he would not do so.  And when David had retreated to a safe distance he cried out these words to Saul: “...as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”  What David had done for Saul, in sparing him, he now desires the Lord to do for David.  David valued Saul’s life.  He calls upon the Lord to value his life.

From these words I draw this conclusion:  there is such a thing as a life that is valuable to God.  We find this taught elsewhere.  The Lord, speaking of Israel, says “you shall be a special treasure (i.e. valuable) to Me above all people (Exodus 19:5).”  Scripture speaks of a ‘precious’ life.  “Since you were precious in My sight” said the Lord through Isaiah the prophet.  Jeremiah speaks regretfully of a people who were once “valuable as fine gold (Lamentations 4:2).” 

All of this, I suppose, raises the most important question in the world:  Is my life valuable to God? 

This verse from 1 Samuel 26 sheds some light on the subject.  In this text I find some things that help me to understand what we might call: The Valuable Life.

I.       First, the text implies that there is a difference between a life valued by men and a life valued by God.  Notice David’s words.  He did not say:  “Saul, I valued your life.  Now I want YOU to value my life.”   Rather, he said (as it were): “Saul, I valued your life.  Now I want the LORD to value my life.”  There is a difference.  It is one thing to have a life valued by men.  It is another thing to have a life valued by God.  We may be valued by men for many different reasons.  Sometimes people value us simply because we are useful to them.  Sometimes people value us because we provide them with security or pleasure.  But God never values a man because He needs him.  We cannot be “useful” to God in the same way we might be useful to our employer.  Our value in God’s eyes is not based upon what we can do for God, but rather on what God is doing in us.  Maybe we could put it this way:  We become more valuable to God when God becomes more visible in us.  There is, therefore, a vast difference between being “valuable” to men and being “valuable” to God. 

              

II.      Secondly, these words express to me this:  :  It is better to have a life valued by God than a life merely valued by men.  David valued Saul’s life and spared it.  But in return David looks for something more.  David asks for a life that is valued by the Lord: “so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the LORD.”  When is the last time you or I prayed that prayer?  “Lord, more than anything else, grant me to live a life valued by You.  Empty my world of those things that are worthless.  Purge from all my plans what is profitless.  Rid my soul of all that rubbish I too often relish.  Lord, make me useful and valuable to You, regardless of what people may say.  Father, what good is my life if it only charms the eyes of men but does not delight the eyes of my God?”

            I write this as an encouragement to those who, in striving to be worth something to God, have felt they are worth nothing to this world.  Paul knew this feeling.  He writes to the Corinthians “we have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now (I Cor. 4:13).”  Paul knew what it was like to feel “worthless” in the eyes of the world.  But for him, being valuable to God was worth it.  Christ Himself was rejected as worthless by the world.  Peter writes of Christ: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious (1 Peter 2:4).”  Christian – you may feel at times utterly useless to the world – but you are “valued much in the eyes of the Lord.”

III.       Finally, I think this verse tells us, in part, how to live a life that is valuable to God.  Do you want to live such a life?  Are you ready, if necessary, to make changes to the way you have lived so far?  Are we ready to re-evaluate all of our priorities and goals so that right now it might be said of us:  This life “is valued much in the eyes of the Lord?”

The verse concludes with these words, and I think they give some helpful direction:  “and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”

A.        A life valued by God may be a difficult life to live.  David speaks of “tribulation.”  This means trouble.  Maybe that isn’t what you wanted to hear.  But for those trapped in troublesome trials you need to know that a life can be VERY valuable to God that is loaded with troubles on earth.  Let me say that again.  A life can be VERY valuable to God that is loaded with troubles on earth.  David’s was.  And that means you don’t need to wait for your troubles to go away before you become valuable to God. 

B.        A life valued by God looks steadily at the Lord for deliverance and help.  David said “let Him deliver me.”  Note:  God doesn’t value our life by OUR strength, but by our dependence upon HIS strength.  That is the truly valuable life.  More than anything, that means first and foremost looking to Jesus Christ to deliver you from your sin.  Let Him deliver me!  Yes…yes…dear reader…let Him deliver you.  No life is truly “valuable” to God that does not first look to Christ for deliverance.  And then, having done so, a valuable life looks steadily and faithfully to Him for help.  Are we ready to simply wait upon God in the midst of our problems?  Too often our response is anger with God for our troubles, rather than humble submission to His purposes.  A life valuable to God says “not my will but Thine be done.”  What trial is in my life today, for which I need to trust God more for deliverance?  The key to a truly valuable life is not worldly success but submission to God.  When He wants, and not before then, let “Him deliver me.”  That is what a Christian should say when confronted with trials and temptations:  Let Him deliver me.  When confronted with sorrow and loss:  Let Him deliver me.  When overwhelmed by temptations and defeat:  Let Him deliver me.  Christian, is that your cry and mine?  Oh the value of that cry in the ears of the Lord!  Full surrender and submission to the Lord in all things…that is a life “valued much in the eyes of the Lord.”