This is a copy of my talk given at Ayia Kyriaki and a Joint Service at Saint Stephen’s in the Anglican Church of Paphos on Sunday 29 December 2024. The Bible reading was Colossians 3:12-17.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your word.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit,
May You speak to my heart,
And change my life.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.
Introduction
Paula and I lived on the Wirral, Cheshire, for several years and I remember a local news story of how a large metal box was found outside the Territorial Army Barracks in Chester. It was the early 90’s and, fearing a terrorist attack, a bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion, releasing a cascade of scraps of paper into the air. On closer inspection, they were found to be leaflets explaining how to deal with suspicious looking packages! They had destroyed the very things that were designed to help them.
This is exactly what the Colossians were in danger of doing. In his letter, the Apostle Paul wanted them to be free from rules and regulations and human philosophies that both turned them away from, and destroyed, the freedom Jesus had given. If Jesus brings us freedom, then anything he puts in place are there to enable us to live a full and complete life, John 10:10: “I have come that (you) may have life and have it to the full.”
In the opening verses of ch3, Paul writes: “Set your hearts and minds on things above.” He wants us to understand that our lifestyle should mirror that of Jesus. Paul wants us to see that if we move away from Jesus’ standard in our lives our faith will become increasingly fragile. He reminds us that we constantly need to guard our heart and minds.
We are meant to live in a way that is pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). Not because he is a puritanical God glaring down at us, ready to wave his finger at us when we do wrong, but because His glory awaits us vs4: “When we shall appear with Christ in glory.” We are to commit ourselves, both emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, whether to follow the teaching of Jesus or follow the ways of the world. Paul wants us to look forward to something much better. He wants us to adopt a ‘kingdom’ perspective.
Whenever a new year arrives, we often resolve to live the coming year differently to the one just past. Is anyone making any New Year resolutions?
My resolutions for 2025 are to accomplish the resolutions of 2024 which I should have done in 2023 because I made a promise in 2022 based on what I’d planned for 2021 which, because of the pandemic, were put off from 2020.
Research suggests only 8% make it through to the end of January and 1% to the end of December. Here, the Apostle Paul offers four points/resolutions that will enable us to walk more effectively with Jesus in 2025. Hopefully these will last a bit longer than the end of January!
1) Resolve To Know The Grace Of Christ vs 12-14
Grace is God’s favour to undeserving sinners. Do you know the GRACE acronym? Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense. Paul reminded the Colossians of what God’s grace has done for them. Therefore, vs12, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, get dressed! Well, he didn’t actually say that, but he might as well have done. Clothe yourselves with the good things that God gives if you want to live as followers of Christ.
When I was a child, I was sent along to the local Independent Methodist Church Sunday school by my parents. My mother always put me and my brother and sister in our Sunday best: clothes that were only worn for church and special occasions. In fact, up until I joined the CofE in 1990, I always dressed up for church. That is, until I began to feel overdressed because people seemed to dress down – it might have had something to do with folk considering a suit and a tie as work clothes where I grew up in a mining community where dressing up for church was a mark of respect.
Have you ever had, or known someone who had, an article of clothing that was so loud and outlandish it grabbed your attention immediately? Is there anyone dressed like that this morning? Being a child of God is supposed to enable us to stand out – to be distinctively different. In order to be different, Paul writes that we should clothe ourselves with:
Compassion: Means to participate in the sufferings of another person; the ability to see and feel things from another person’s point of view.
Kindness: Means being gentle and showing consideration for others, a virtue sometimes missing in the most zealous of Christians.
Humility: We know that the false teachers were arrogant and guilty of spiritual pride. Yes, we are God’s chosen people, but that fact is a cause for thankfulness and humility, never pride.
Gentleness: Does not imply cowardice, sloppiness or the inability to make decisions. It does mean good manners, reliability and freedom from intensity and sudden changes of mood!
Patience: When we are trying to form a close community embracing people with many different gifts, talents and personalities, it requires a great deal of patience with one another!
Forgiveness: Thinking of patience leads Paul to mention how much we need to put up with one another, vs13: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. When you have a grievance, says Paul, go out of your way to forgive the offender. Forgiveness given grudgingly is no forgiveness at all.
Love: And over all these virtues, Paul says (not for the first time in this letter) put on love. Compassion, Kindness, Gentleness, Patience and Forgiveness are bound together in love. If we don’t have love, then a new lifestyle won’t last for long.
2) Resolve To Know The Peace Of Christ vs 15
Paul says that we should let the peace of Christ dwell in our hearts and, when we have that in place, live it because you were called to peace. This echoes Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount where every Christian, according to The Beatitudes (Matthew 5), is meant to be a peacemaker both in the community / world and in the church. Paul writes in Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men.”
Of course, it’s not always possible to live at peace with everyone, simply because some people are never willing to forgive, are unwilling to forget the wrongs of the past or because you rub them up the wrong way by just being you! A peacemaker is a person who strives hard for peace. Someone who is prepared to pay the price for peace. It involves refusing to start or participate in, even walking away from an unnecessary quarrel. Peace, like the grace of God, is costly.
3) Resolve To Know The Word Of Christ vs 16
God’s Word always magnifies Jesus Christ. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. We’ve heard those words from John 1:1 quite a lot in recent weeks. The false teachers tried to harmonize God’s Word with their teachings and manmade traditions, religious rules, and human philosophies – but they couldn’t succeed. It was not the word of false teachers that brought salvation to the Colossians; it was the Word of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:5).
This same Word gives us life and sustains and strengthens us (1 Peter 1:22-2:3). The Word will transform our lives if we permit it to ‘dwell’ in us richly. The word dwell means ‘to feel at home.’ If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ, then the Word of Christ will feel at home in our hearts.
We will discover how rich the Word is with spiritual treasure that gives value to our lives. It will enable us to grow in faith.
4) Resolve To Know The Name Of Christ vs 17
In modern society, we pay little attention to names. But the ancient world held a man’s name to be of utmost importance. Often, during Old Testament days, God changed a person’s name because of some important experience or some new development.
The word Christian is found only three times in the entire New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). The name was given originally as a term of contempt, but gradually it became a name of honour. But Christ’s name also signifies authority. A name signed to a check authorizes the withdrawal of money from the bank. A PM or President’s name signed to a bill makes it a law.
In the same way, it is in the name of Jesus Christ that we have His authority. Remember how in Mark 13, Jesus sent out the 72 and gave them authority over impure spirits, to preach, to drive out demons, to anoint the sick. Jesus said we also have authority to pray in His name (John 14:13-14; 16:23-26). Because Jesus Christ is God, and He has died for us, we have authority in His name.
Conclusion
As we review these four spiritual resolutions for godly living, we are reminded of the centrality of Jesus Christ. As if we hadn’t escaped that this past week!
Because we have experienced the grace of Christ, we want to live for Him. Because we have enjoyed the peace of Christ, we want to obey Him. Because we have been enriched by the Word of Christ, and ennobled by the name of Christ, we want to honour and glorify Him.
What better resolutions can we make as we enter the Year of our Lord 2025?
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER The text contained in this sermon (except where stated) is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.
Good House Keeping suggest there are 65 Achievable New Year’s Resolutions that you’ll actually keep! https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/wellness/advice/g985/achievable-new-year-resolutions/
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