A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE

Sermon Notes, December 30, 2018

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

Pastor Garry’s sermon, titled “A New Year’s Message,” was based on Colossians 3:12-17.  This time of the year, thinking about the candles in the Advent Wreath, we realize that everything Jesus did led to Hope, Joy, Peace and Love.  Now that the New Year is upon us, we begin to think about New Year’s Resolutions.  We re-evaluate what we’ve done the past year, and resolve to do something to fix it, or change it.  His resolution this year is to Live Life to the Fullest, to be the best he can be.

Paul wrote letters.  He pointed out things new believers needed to understand about Christ, and what they needed to do, to resolve, or change what they’d been doing.  He gives three different lists to the Colossians within Chapter 3.  The first list is in verse 5.   “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”  These are actions in the primitive mind.  Paul writes in another place, that we need to take captive every thought.  Our minds ought to be so fixed on Christ that when the impure thoughts come through, the policemen of our mind kind of stops them.  Our minds need to be set up that way, so that when the impure thought comes into our mind, it’s captured.  We need to find the line between the kind of sex God celebrates, to be fulfilled within the parameters of heterosexual monogamous marriage, and sexual perversion.  In other words, we need to do it God’s way, not our way.  Sexual sin leads to nothing good, and we need to avoid it.

Next subject.  In verses 8, 9 & 10, Paul gives us another list.  He says “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”  This list is not the physical action, but the emotional, and at times they are inter-related.  Here Paul urges the Colossians to stand firm in their confession of faith.  They are to rid ourselves of the old life, and put on a new nature of Christ.  It’s not a matter of becoming a new creature instantly.  A butterfly spends a lot of time as a caterpillar.  It stays in its cocoon for a while.  And THEN it becomes a butterfly.  We need to remember to give new believers time to make that change.  We need to encourage them to seek God in all things.  And then we will see that change.  When we accept Christ we are made new, made holy in Christ, sanctified in Christ,  but we are BEING sanctified as well.  He’s wiped the old sins away, but He is making all things new. 

Paul’s advice is not only for the Colossian church.  It’s for us too.  Are we remaining true to that commitment we once made?  It’s hard to remain true, especially when it seems like we’re the only ones doing so.  Telling the truth is hard.  We don’t want to hurt feelings.  Maybe we think they don’t need to hear this now, so we omit it.  That’s a lie.  The Bible says “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.”  Lying disrupts unity in the Body of Christ.  It tears down relationships and gives the devil a foothold.  We are to become relationship BUILDERS not relationship WRECKERS.  Check yourself against these two lists.

Paul doesn’t just point out our wrongs and walk away.  He gives us some ways to go forward, a plan for improvement.  His plan is given in verses 12-17.  First, in verses 12 & 13, we are to imitate Christ.  He tells us how to act: with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  We are to bear with each other and forgive one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  In verse 14 we are to allow love to be the guiding force in our life; to bind us all together.  And in verse 15 we are to let peace rule, and to give thanks always.  God is the referee or umpire in our hearts. 

Verse 16 says we need to allow the Holy Scriptures to dwell inside us.   We must not forget to turn to the scriptures in all circumstances.  All our answers are there, but nobody looks!  We must remember that we are ambassadors, called to represent the Kingdom of God, where our true citizenship is.  Let’s resolve to be the best that we can be, as a church and individually.  Let’s be relationship builders, not relationship wreckers.  Let’s live life to the fullest!