Should You Change Your Clothes?

Colossians 3:5-17

Imagine you’re getting ready to attend an important meeting or function.  Perhaps earlier that day you had been working in your yard, or cleaning down in the basement.  No one would consider going to their important meeting dressed in dirty work clothes.  Instead, you would take off the dirty clothes and put on some nice, clean ones.  If you found that the clothes you had planned to wear to the meeting were stained or spotted, again, you would take them off, and put on another clean outfit.  You also make sure your face and hands are clean, along with neatly combed hair.   No one wants to go out into public with dirty, stained clothing on, nor a mussed-up face or hair.  What about how we look spiritually?  Do we need to change our appearance?  In our Scripture today Paul addresses this topic.  Let’s see what God’s Word says.

In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul is writing to believers, not the unsaved.  One thing he speaks about is how after we have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior, we are a new person in Him.  Therefore, he says, we are to make a conscious effort to put an end to remaining sin in our flesh (vs. 5).  All of these sins come from following our own desires, rather than God’s way.  When we always want our own way, we are, in a sense, worshiping ourselves, which is idolatry.  God cannot abide sin in any form, especially in His children.

Before we were saved, we all walked in the ways of sin (vs. 7).  However, when we accept Jesus, we become a new person.  Paul speaks of the “new man” and the “old man”.  The “old man” is all that a person was, prior to salvation, his worldly thinking and sinful acts.  The old man is our old, unregenerate self.  The “new man” is the person one becomes after conversion, with a new nature, new values, aspirations, and new life-style.  The new man is our new, regenerated self in Christ.

At salvation, our “old man” died in Christ, and our “new man” lives in Christ.  We must put off remaining sinful deeds, and be continually renewed into Christ-likeness (vs. 8-10).  Just as we take off those dirty old clothes, we are to put off sinful actions, such as anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness.  These sins are the filthy garments of our old sinful lives.  We are to get rid of the past worldly behavior, putting to death anything and everything that belongs to worldly ways.

Just as we take off dirty clothes, we put on clean clothes.  We put off sinful behavior and put on Christ Jesus, and behaviors the Holy Spirit brings forth (vs 10, 12-14).  We now have a new identity in Jesus.  Our character is like the clothing that we wear.  Most of us would want to look our best with what we wear in public.  The same should be with our spiritual lives.  We need to show the world who we belong to.  We need to act consistently with who Jesus is, and what He wants.  Our conduct should match our faith, and our actions should show that we follow Jesus.

Some of the “good clothes” we are to put on are mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering (vs. 12).  These godly traits aren’t just something to “wear” on special occasions. We are to wear them everywhere, and all of the time, as God works in us to reflect Him.  Another particular “garment” we are to put on is forgiveness (vs. 13).  We are to forgive others as Jesus forgave us.  When God forgives, He remembers wrongs no more (Jeremiah 31:34b).  Jesus set the pattern for forgiveness, and we are to follow His example.

Christians should live in peace with each other (vs. 14-15), working together with each other despite any differences.  God wants Scripture to permeate every aspect of the believer’s life, and control every thought, word, and deed (vs. 16).  We should bring honor to Jesus in every aspect and activity of our daily lives (vs. 17).  We need to remember that we represent Jesus wherever we go, and with whatever we say.

Finally, our “new man”, our “new clothes” should reflect an attitude of gratitude (vs. 15b).  There are often times we don’t feel like giving thanks, and maybe even don’t feel like there is anything to thank God for.  However, if we open our eyes, we will see that there is always something to be thankful to God for.

So what are you wearing today?  Is your “new man” still putting on the old, dirty, filthy garments?  Or do you choose to represent the Lord Jesus well by putting on the good, clean garments that He has given us through the Holy Spirit?

The Futility Of Wealth

Psalm 49

Recently here in the U.S. there was a big lottery held, and the jackpot was an unbelievable amount of money.  All week the TV news was talking about it, and so many people were eager to buy a ticket, and not just one ticket, but dozens and dozens.  The desire to get immensely rich can be a big temptation to many people.   They think that having a lot of money will solve all of their problems.  No more need to worry about anything, as they feel their whole future will now be secure.  Unfortunately they find out that they have a whole new set of problems.  Even more importantly, all the money in the world does not provide any assurance of eternal life or our standing there.  Our psalm for this week, one written by one of the Sons of Korah, speaks to those who put their trust and hope in their wealth and the size of their bank accounts.

The sons of Korah were descendants of Moses’ cousin, Korah.  Korah led a rebellion against Moses, and God struck him and his co-conspirators down when He had the earth open up and swallow them all alive (Numbers 16:1-35).  However, many of Korah’s descendants continued to serve the Lord, later working in the Temple.  They also wrote about eleven of the psalms.

The writer’s message in his psalm is for everyone, all throughout the world, the rich and the poor, those in important positions, and the more humble (vs. 1-2).  This is an important message, with wisdom from the Lord, and he wants everyone to hear it (vs. 3-4).  What could be so important that he wanted everyone to hear?

This psalm addresses prosperity and the wealthy, and brings a warning to those who trust in their wealth rather than trusting in God (vs. 6).  He spoke of how often the wealthy look down on those who are of more humble position (vs. 6, 13).  They are often praised and honored simply because of their wealth, even having land named after them (vs. 11).

We do not need to either be envious of them, or fear them.  Just like everyone else, they will face eventual judgment.  Their wealth will not be able to stop death from eventually reaching them.  All of their wealth will end up being left to others, and eventually they will be forgotten.  Only a small handful of people are ever remembered 50-60 years after they have died.

The most important thing our psalmist wanted to tell us all is that all of the wealth anyone accumulates will never redeem their soul (vs. 7-9).  No amount of money can buy our way into heaven.  A rich person can give huge amounts to the church and church related organizations, but that will not guarantee an entrance into heaven.  Man cannot be redeemed by silver or gold.  It takes the priceless Blood of Jesus to redeem fallen mankind (I Peter 1:18-20).  After death it is too late to redeem anyone.  No one can redeem themselves, irrespective of their might, majesty, or wealth.  Jesus is the only one who can redeem the soul, and He does so by His precious, shed Blood, which requires our faith and trust in that, and not in anything we do (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Our psalmist urged believers to rise above the ungodly drive for riches.  They cannot redeem us.  Piling up a fortune, or getting the admiration of millions counts for nothing in eternity if one is not saved (Mark 8:36).  The rich, if they are trusting in their money, will have no hope beyond this life,  but the righteous, those who have put their faith and trust in God, will be resurrected to eternal life.  Whether they have money or not will make no difference, only whether they are trusting Jesus will matter.

Because of our salvation and relationship with God, He will redeem us from death, and bring us to heaven.  Death will not have the last word for the saved.  At the moment of death, both rich and poor will be empty-handed before God.  All we will have will be whether we invested in heaven, in eternity, while on earth.  Did we trust in Jesus?  Did we spend our time on earth accumulating riches in heaven, or did we foolishly try to accumulate earthly wealth?  At the time of death, each of us will wish we had invested less on earth.  All that we gathered and hoarded on earth will be left behind.  The only thing that we have will be what we invested in heaven.  Let us ask ourselves, where have we invested the most?

Under The Sun Or Under The Son

Ecclesiastes 1:12-14, 2:1-23

This week’s Old Testament Scripture comes from the Book of Ecclesiastes, a book of philosophical sayings written by King Solomon, probably later in his life.  Much of the book has a rather dark and discouraging feel to it, and as we look into our passage for today we can see why Solomon was feeling depressed and discouraged.

Solomon was a son of King David, and inherited the throne after his father’s death.  Though a believer in Yahweh, Solomon strayed away from Him for many years, as he allowed the worship of his many foreign wives’ pagan gods, and even participated in their idolatrous worship.  Fortunately it seems that Solomon did return to the Lord much later in life.  While king over all Israel Solomon sought to find happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and meaning in life.  However, everywhere he looked he found emptiness, and nothing that would satisfy him.

As one of the richest men in the world, and a very powerful king during a time of peace in his country, Solomon had time to spend on his own personal pursuits and search for meaning, rather than fighting battles as his father did.  As we read in chapter 2, he sought happiness in many things.  He brought in comedians (vs. 2).  He built many houses, and planted many gardens and orchards with watering pools for them (vs. 4-6).   He filled his many houses with servants and all the trappings of wealth (vs. 7).  Solomon increased his wealth many times over, filling his bank accounts, and acquiring whatever money could buy (vs. 8, 10).   He sought meaning through music (vs. 8), and also through his work (vs. 11).  Solomon even sought happiness and meaning in something many people do, through alcohol (vs. 3), and in physical relationships, as he had 700 wives and 300 concubines (I Kings 11:1-3).

Yet in all of these pursuits Solomon found no happiness, satisfaction, or meaning.   As he cried out in despair that it was all vanity, futile, useless, a pursuit of the wind (1:14).  As he repeated many times throughout this book, everything done “under the sun” was useless.  Solomon spent his whole life seeking to find some meaning, some understanding in life, and there is some indication that he might have returned to God by the end of his life (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14).

We don’t need to spend our whole life in pursuit of things that will not satisfy us.  All worldly pursuits, good or bad, will fail to bring lasting satisfaction.  Worldly wisdom and philosophy without God is only folly.  Without God, life can’t help but disappoint.  True wisdom is found in God, and true happiness comes from pleasing Him.

As Solomon knew, the same end will happen to all of us, whether wise or fools, whether rich or poor (vs. 14-16).  All that we so eagerly seek to accumulate in life will only be left to our descendants (vs. 18-19).  As we know, we can’t take it with us when we die, and we all will die.  The only difference is whether we have the Lord Jesus as our Savior.

There are two words in the English language, a pair of homonyms - sun and son. They sound the same in English, but differ in meaning.  Solomon found that everything he sought in life, everything “under the sun” was meaningless.  That is because it was from and of the world.  He needed to look for a life spent under the Son, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The only One who can make life worth living is Jesus Christ.  A life lived for Him, or under the Son, will bring fulfillment, satisfaction and contentment.  Anything done under the sun in this world, other than for God will lead only to despair.

Like the one woman in the crowd following Jesus, just touching the hem of His garment is greater than anything the world has or could ever offer us.  Millions of people around the world do not believe it.  They seek to cure their loneliness, discontent, or fears with material belongings, vain philosophies, education, work, physical pleasures, etc., only to discover, as Solomon did, that those are all meaningless and chasing after the wind.

As a famous preacher once said, “Solomon climbed the world’s ladder of success, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.”  Jesus gave the answer to all of Solomon's frustrated pondering in Matthew 6:19-21.  Don’t lay up treasures on earth.  Instead, be laying them up in heaven.  The only thing that is not “vanity and vexation of spirit” or chasing after the wind, is what we do for God.

The Lord's Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Sometimes, in order to do something the best way possible, we need to follow a pattern.  Patterns are used in making clothes, and blueprints in designing and constructing a building.  In our Gospel reading for this week, we are given a pattern for prayer.  We also read that God wants us to pray, and is eager to provide all we need.

As our Scripture from the Gospel of Luke begins, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him to teach them how to effectively and rightly pray (vs. 1).  They had seen Jesus pray many times, and they knew from His teachings that prayer should not be just the recitation of many words (Matthew 6:7).

Jesus responded with giving His disciples what we now know as the Lord’s Prayer.  Jesus gave this message on two separate occasions.  Once was during the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew, and then here.  In the days when there was no TV or recording, it would have been very reasonable for Jesus to repeat some of His messages so people in different areas could hear what He had to say.  The Lord’s Prayer is a pattern that we should use, and not just the only prayer we say.  There is nothing wrong with reciting the Lord’s Prayer, and many Christians do.  However, we can use this prayer as a pattern for our other prayers, as well.

In verse 2 the Lord’s Prayer begins with naming who we are addressing our prayer - ‘Our Father”.  It speaks of relationship.  He is our Father, and as such, provides for our needs.  “In heaven” tells us our help comes from heaven, not here on earth.  Don’t look to anyone on earth for our help.  “Hallowed be Your Name” - God’s Name is holy, sacred, and is to be treated and spoken with respect and reverence.  “Your kingdom come, Your will be done - we should pray for God’s kingdom to come, and His will, not ours, to be done.  “Our daily bread” - Our provision is daily, not all at once.  God wants our communication with Him to be daily.

In verse 4  we read “Forgive us our sins” - we all need God’s forgiveness daily.  “We also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” - the Lord forgiving us is predicated on our forgiving others.  There is not the slightest suggestion that we are offered forgiveness on any other terms.  No matter what they did we are to forgive, even if they are our avowed enemy.  Jesus made forgiveness the cornerstone of our relationship with God.  God has forgiven our sins, and we must now forgive those who have wronged us.  To remain unforgiving shows we have not understood that we deeply need to be forgiven.

“Do not lead us into temptation” - temptation is the craving towards the wrong things in life.  Temptation doesn’t come from God.  It comes from Satan (James 1:13).  We need to pray against it, and to choose another way.  Pray that the Lord will help us in our weakness not to be led into temptation.  “Deliver us from the evil one” - there is only one Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Man cannot deliver his fellow man.

First Jesus praised God, then He made His requests.  Praising God first puts us in the right frame of mind to tell Him about our needs.  Too often our prayers are more like shopping lists than a conversation with God.  He, alone, gives both physical and spiritual sustenance.

Jesus then gives a brief parable of a man who has some late night visitors, and goes to his neighbor, requesting some provisions (vs. 5-8).  We, as believers, must give the message of eternal life, the bread of life, to all of mankind.  On our own we have nothing to give.  We need to receive it from God.  Jesus also taught here about persistence in prayer.  We don’t need to wear God down, but being persistent in our prayers helps us realize where and Who our source is.  It helps us recognize God’s work.  If sufficiency for daily need can, by persistence, be obtained from an unwilling source, how much more from a willing Giver, the Lord.

God tells in His Word what His will is for us, but we must ask first (vs. 9-10).  If we come to God in prayer with the right motives, putting first the Kingdom of God, if we live for Him, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).  Jesus told us we are to keep on praying and trusting that God will graciously and generously supply what we need.

Take Out The Rotten Apples

Colossians 2:6-15

If we like to garden, and enjoy many beautiful flowers or fresh vegetables, when we see some weeds, we need to take action and pull those weeds out quickly before they spread and ruin our garden.  When a doctor discovers disease in his patient, he will order surgery to remove the cancer before it spreads.  The bad apple is quickly removed from the barrel before the rottenness spreads.   Whenever we find something bad we need to act quickly before the damage or danger will spread further.  The same is true within the Church. When heretical beliefs and false, damaging philosophical teachings crop up in the Church, they need to be quickly rooted out and removed.  Our Scripture for today continues in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and he addresses some of those false beliefs.

Though Paul had not founded the church in Colossae, and possibly had never visited there, he was very concerned about the spreading heretical philosophies that some people in the church were believing and spreading on to other people.  This church was probably begun by a believer named Epaphras, and Paul knew that these false and heretical philosophies were not what had been taught by his fellow preacher.  When Epaphras came to Colossae witnessing to them, they received his message.  They accepted the truth that Jesus is fully God and fully human, died for their sins, rose the third day, and coming again (vs. 6-7).  Paul urged them, and us today, that after receiving Jesus, we need to continue to live in Him.  To walk in Christ is to live a life patterned after His.  Jesus should establish our values, guide our thinking, and direct our conduct.

After the founding of this church, Satan did not waste any time, and began infiltrating with heretical teachings and philosophies (vs. 8).  We need to be on the alert against these false philosophies which are so popular in our world.  Satan is trying to destroy Christians and the Church with philosophies based on human wisdom that appeals to our human nature, which are self-focused, and not God-focused.  Satan’s promises are always empty, and end in disaster when we follow what he says and seek after these false promises.  However, the Lord is faithful, and His Word is always true.

As believers, we need to be on guard, our eyes always on the mark.  Even some popular religious sayings are not Biblically true, such as “God helps those who help themselves”, and “There are many paths which lead to God”.  These are said quite often, and many people believe them as truth, yet they are Biblically false.  It is very important to check out all teachings, making sure they are accurate.  Don’t be taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies (vs. 8).  There are false teachers who want to entrap us in ways of thinking and living that are opposed to the Gospel.  Their philosophy sounds enticing, but is based on human reasoning, and empowered by dark spiritual forces.  False teachers who are successful in getting people to believe lies, rob them of truth, salvation, and blessings.

Over the centuries, false beliefs have spread that Jesus was only man, or only God or spirit.  The latter was more common in the past.  The former is much more common today.  Some people in the Colossian church were ones that got caught up in these false beliefs (vs. 9).  We may not understand how Jesus could be both fully human and fully divine at the same time, but that is what Scripture clearly teaches (John 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:5-8).  Everything that exists was created by and for Jesus.  It is all under His authority, whether we want to acknowledge it or not (vs. 10).  His Headship extends not only over the Church, but over all forces that are opposed to Him, as well.  One day all must acknowledge Him as God (Philippians 2:10-11).

As Paul closes our Scripture for today, he declares the truth that Satan and his minions were defeated at the cross by Jesus (vs. 15).  Sin was the legal right that Satan had to hold man in captivity.  With sin atoned for, he has no more legal right to hold in bondage anymore anyone who accepts Jesus as their Savior.  When Rome conquered an enemy, their soldiers would return home in a victory parade.  In the parade the defeated leaders, the generals and kings, would be led in chains, shamed and mocked.  This is what Jesus did to the hostile spiritual forces on the cross.  Satan is a defeated enemy!

God's Great Name

Psalm 138

Most sensible people want to maintain a good name.  Nobody likes to have bad talk about themselves being passed along, especially if it is false.  This is why in many countries there are laws against libel and slander.  Parents sometimes tell their children to not do anything that would bring shame to the family name.  Connected to a good name, especially for a person of integrity, is being true to one’s word.  If one’s word is tarnished, then their name will be, as well.  In our psalm for this week, God speaks about the honor of both His Name and His Word.  Let’s look into this Scripture.

As our psalm begins, David opened by whole-heartedly declaring praise to the Lord (vs. 1).  Throughout his life, David was all-in for the Lord, so naturally his praise was with his whole heart.  Never once was he tempted to stray into the worship of any pagan gods, and instead, openly showed those who worship the false idols that his worship and praise went only to Yahweh.  Yahweh is the highest in the whole earth.  He is above all pagan gods, which are non-existent, anyway.  He is above all kings and rulers of the pagan nations, as well.

As David continued, he recounted how the Lord magnified His Word above His Name (vs. 2).  His Word is to be venerated and extolled above everything.  As I mentioned earlier, a person’s word and name are connected.  A person’s name is reflected by their reputation and character.  If one is known to speak falsely, to be a liar, or they are known not to keep their promises or their word, then their name is not likely to be held in any great esteem.  We have God’s Word here in the Bible.  The Bible is not like any other book.  It is God’s Word, His holy revelation to humanity.  There is nothing else like His Word.  God’s Word contains His revelation of Himself to us, and carries His promises to us.  It is so precious and holy, that God has magnified and exalted it even above His Name, which is also so very holy, exalted, and precious.

Continuing on in our psalm, David spoke of a day coming, when all the rulers of this world will be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 4-6).  The kings and rulers will give their praise, not to themselves, but to the Lord.  Right now the overwhelming majority of political and business leaders have no regard for the Lord God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  They think of themselves as almighty, omnipotent, invincible, and themselves worthy of people’s honor and esteem.  When Jesus returns, He will not come as the humble preacher of Nazareth, but will come as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  On that day when the Lord Jesus returns every knee will bow to Him, including all of the rulers, business leaders, and billionaires who felt that they were supreme (Philippians 2:10-11).  They will confess on that day that Jesus, alone, is Lord.

Though Jesus is the King and Lord above all, He still has care and regard for His children (vs. 6).  Usually the higher the politician is, the less likely he or she is to be bothered with any individual’s problems.  That is not the case with Jesus.  We don’t need to fear that because He is so exalted that He is either too busy or can’t be bothered to give any regard to us.  He cares about everything, whether big or little, in our life.  Though we walk in the middle of trouble, God’s right hand will reach out and save us from our enemies (vs. 7).  He is mighty to save us (Zephaniah 3:17).  No matter what our circumstances are, or how high the odds are stacked against us, God promises to save us.

Our dependence should be on the Lord God alone, grounded in the Rock of Ages.  We can trust in Him.  It is He which has begun the good work within us (vs. 8).  He has carried it on, and will finish it (Philippians 1:6).  The Lord begins, and He completes.  God has a purpose and unique plan for our life, and He promises to fulfill that.  If we have entrusted our life to Him, we can rest in His promise to take care of us.  He will never forsake us, the work of His hands.

Shall Not The Judge Of All The Earth Do Right?

Genesis 18:20-33

“I trust you to do the right thing.”  A boss may say this to his assistant when he turns over control of the company, either temporarily or permanently.  A father may say that to his young adult child as they set off to begin life on their own.  Do the right thing.  As we face the day each morning we hope that whoever we encounter through the day will be practicing that, but all too often we don’t see this in the world today.  We find that too often we can’t trust our fellow man to be doing the right thing.  Even in our courts of law, and in our churches, there are times that those we believed and trusted to do the right thing just don’t.  There is One who we can rely on to do the right thing, and in today’s Old Testament reading for this week, from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, we read of His conversation with Abraham, as the Patriarch sought that the right thing be done.

Last week we read of when God visited Abraham, and renewed His promise to him that he would have a son.  Then the Lord left to see if the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were as wicked as He knew them to be, and Abraham accompanied Him part of the way.  The Lord shared with Abraham that He planned on destroying the two cities (vs. 20-21).  The sin of those cities had reached the point of no return before God.  Their sin was so great that the Lord had to destroy them before they contaminated all of that area.  If we don’t throw out the one bad apple in the bag, very soon the whole bag has gone bad.  One reprobate in a group can very quickly have the whole group following his bad thinking and behavior.  If God didn’t remove the sin, the whole area would fall into their sin.

Abraham knew, though, that his nephew Lot and his family had chosen to live in that cesspool, and he sought to rescue him from the coming destruction.  So Abraham pleaded with God for the lives of those who might not be sinful like he knew the city to be.  He knew that Lot had lived there for many years.  Surely in all that time he might have led some people to salvation in the Lord!  (As we know, though, in all that time he never brought one person to the Lord!  He and his family’s own behavior and morality began to stink from contamination!)

Would God destroy the cities if there were some people there who were not wicked like the rest of them were?  Abraham knew that Yahweh would do the right thing.  He even, when pleading for the lives of the righteous, told Him, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (vs. 25).  Abraham knew of God’s mercy towards the righteous, and the distinction between the good and the bad.  He also understood God’s character, being able only to do what is good and totally above reproach.

Abraham interceded for their lives, saying if there were fifty, would not God spare the city?  God assured him that He would not destroy the cities if there were fifty (vs. 25-26).  Abraham’s heart was burdened, and he interceded again for the city.  What if there are only forty-five?  God promises again that He would not destroy them (vs. 28).  What about forty?  Thirty?  Twenty?  Abraham continued to intercede for any righteous who may live there (vs. 29-31).  The Lord God, the Judge of all the earth, must do right!  When Abraham reached the number of ten, the Lord agreed that He would not destroy the city if He found even just ten people who believed and put their trust in Him (vs. 32).  Abraham was not trying to be manipulative, but instead was humble and compassionately concerned for others.  He was interceding, not only for his nephew, but also for anyone else whose heart was turned to the Lord.

We know as we read further in the Book of Genesis, God could not even find ten righteous or saved people in Sodom and Gomorrah, so the cities were destroyed.  He did not let Lot perish, though, but He rescued him and his family (Genesis 19:1-29).  But for the cities and their residents nothing more could be done.  Judgment was inevitable.

God is just and He punishes sin.  He is also kind and fair.  We can be assured that God will always do exactly what is right.  He will never make a mistake or suffer a lapse in judgment.  Abraham asked the rhetorical question, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  The answer, as we know it to be, is always yes!