6. THANKFULNESS TO GOD: …and 17b, “…giving thanks to God the Father through (Jesus).”
Paul points out that it is all about God. But for us as Christians, our reconciliation to God, our relationship with God and our responsibility to God as our Creator, all flow through Jesus Christ.
And notice between verses 15 to 17, Paul mentions ‘thankfulness‘ three times–‘be thankful,’ ‘with gratitude,’ and ‘giving thanks.’ If God’s agape love is number 1 on the list of our responses to being saved, then thankfulness, being thankful, and giving thanks are 1b, 2b and 3b.
So, looking at the three commands in this practical section in Colossians, we can put it all together this way:
1. God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ; therefore, be thankful, and forgive one another, just as God has forgiven us.
2. God is holy, Christ died to make us holy and to bring us to God; therefore, we are to give thanks for being redeemed, and strive to be holy, just as He is holy, in our words and deeds.
3. God has loved us with an everlasting love; therefore, be grateful, and love one another, just as God has loved us.
I really can’t say it any better than that.
In conclusion we could say, as our verse this week says, Show thanks in everything you do!
5. GOD’S PEACE: In order to be united in one body, we have to be at peace within ourselves so that we can then live together in a peaceful way.
Peace was very important to the Jews in Jesus’ day, maybe because of the Roman occupation, the Jews felt they didn’t have it. God had prophesied there would be times like that.
Whenever two Israelites of Jesus’ day met, they would say, “Shalom” in greeting to each other, translated in the Bible as, “Peace be with you.” When they parted, they would say it again.
The closest practice in our culture is in Hawaii where they say, “Aloha,” as both hello and goodbye.
Notice that Paul specifies this as the “peace of God.”
Jesus said something similar when He gave a gift of peace to His disciples instead of just wishing them peace. Since it was understood that Jesus was God, Paul is likely referring to this gift of God’s peace through Jesus.
This gift of peace from God was so important to the New Testament writers that it was a frequent part of their opening benedictions, and often a part of the ending benediction of their letters too.
Here’s a nice version of the chorus of a classic hymn about God’s peace done as a Christmas greeting on YouTube.
Christmas wasn’t the only time when we received gifts from God. At the first Christmas, the world received the Savior sent from God.
When in faith we committed ourselves to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we received the gift of eternal life.
And we can receive the incomprehensible peace of God every day. When something happens that causes you to be anxious…, and don’t try to pretend that doesn’t happen, it happens everyday for me! When it happens, we need to take the issue to God in prayer, WITH THANKSGIVING, and we can then do a ‘gift exchange.’ God will give us His peace if we will give Him our anxiety. What a great deal!
Are you anxious about anything coming up in your life right now? Go ahead and give it a try, God is always there, He’s always faithful. Turn your concern over to God in prayer, thank Him for His gracious care, and go on your way. Test Him and see if God’s peace doesn’t replace your worries.
4. GOD’S ‘AGAPE’ LOVE: Godly character and forgiveness are among the top things that should distinguish Christians, but Paul makes it clear that God’s unstinting love heads the list; and so do many others in the Bible.
A What is the Greatest Commandment?
Jesus, Matthew 22:37 and Moses, Deuteronomy 6:5
B. What is the second greatest commandment?
Jesus, Matthew 22:39 and God, Leviticus 19:18
C. What is the Golden Verse?
D. What is the new Commandment of Jesus?
E. Which of the eternal qualities is the greatest?
(Paul)
From the Old Testament to the New, the message is love, love, love, love, love; and here we have one love for each of the five godly characteristics. We could say:
• Do we need to be more compassionate? 💔 We must first love like God does.
• Do we need to be kinder? 🙂 We must first love like God does.
• Do we need to be more humble with others? 😔 We must first love like God does.
• Do we need to be more gentle? 🪶 We must first love like God does.
• Do we need to be more patient? 😌 We must first love like God does.
• Do we need to be more forgiving? 😇 We must first love like God does.
And where does that love come from? 🤔 Can we just dredge it up from deeper in our heart? ♥️
Well…, that would be a ‘NO!’ 🚫
God’s love only comes from…GOD! ✨️🤍 ✨️ If we want to be more loving in our words and actions, then we must first experience being loved by God. 💞
🤔 Start by thinking of some of the ways you know that God loves you, and then give thanks to Him in prayer 🙏 for those expressions of His love. 💖
3. GOD’S FORGIVENESS: From the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” and throughout the epistles, as here in Colossians, the message of “God has forgiven us, therefore we should forgive each other,” is repeated over and over again in the New Testament.
Forgiving others may not be the only key characteristic of being a Christian, but it certainly is one of the hardest! I think the key to grow in forgiving others comes from reaching a deeper understanding of just how much God has forgiven us through the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at that a little more closely, and it’s appropriate as we approach Easter.
Some Medieval European royalty had something called a ‘whipping boy.’ You see, a young prince was too privileged to be punished for the usual childhood misdeeds. So, they would find another child the same age and put the two boys together as playmates when they were very young. When the prince reached the age when physical punishment was considered appropriate, instead of whipping the prince, they would whip his playmate. Done properly, this was as effective as if they had whipped the Prince himself.
In the same way, Jesus physically suffered to pay the penalty for our sin. When you become aware that you have spoken or acted in a sinful manner, it’s ‘by His stripes that we are healed.’ Jesus was our ‘whipping boy.’
The healing has to do with sin and our relationship with God. When we act or speak in a manner contrary to God’s nature (sin), our closeness with God is broken. However, it can easily be restored because Jesus has already paid the penalty for it. We just have to confess and repent of what we did or said wrongly in order to claim God’s forgiveness.
WHAP! The penalty for our sin is another painful lash across the unprotected back of Jesus. Maybe that image will help you try a little harder to act and speak as God would like for you to.
Think about Jesus being pierced, crushed and punished as our ‘whipping boy’; and then thank Him for His willingness to take the punishment we deserve so that:
2. GODLY CHARACTER: With the background of our salvation in mind, Paul lists some godly qualities that we are to put on like our ‘uniform.’
A. Compassion, B. Kindness, C. Humility, D. Gentleness and E. Patience.
When we see someone wearing a particular uniform, we have a certain understanding about who they are and certain expectations about what they do.
The same is true for us as Christians. Our ‘uniform’ is the character of Christ, which is the revealed nature of God. We were all made in God’s image, but that image has been corrupted by sin. As Christians, God is in the process of restoring the correct expression of His image within and through us.
The above 5 qualities might also be thought of as the 5 fingers of our Christian ‘work gloves.’ We wear gloves to enable us to handle potentially dangerous things that could harm our hands. The qualities of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience are what people should experience from us when we interact with them.
In their own way, having these qualities deeply ingrained in our behavior can protect us from the effects of sin from those we deal with. Sometimes that sinful person is another Christian who hasn’t grown enough in a particular area of their life.
Sometimes WE are that sinful person. We are all still a work in progress in our Christ-like character.
Think of some times when you realized God had been compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and/or patient with you as He was teaching you to live His character, to BE His image.
Let God know in prayer how much you appreciate Him being like that with you.
March #2. Colossians 3:17: Show thanks in everything you do.
This verse is the last one in Colossians 3:12-17, another one of those sections from Paul where he commands the reader to do a list of godly, Christian things. This week, I’m going to look at one of the commands each day, kind of like a devotional. I hope that you will join me each day and learn more about being thankful in everything you do.
1. GOD’S FOUNDATION: The ‘therefore’ is referring back to Paul talking about what it means to he saved and be a Christian in the previous section. Now he’s going into the practical section of his letter. Before he does that, he lists three things that form the foundation for his commands:
A. We have been chosen by God in Jesus Christ.
B. We have been made holy in God’s sight, and our calling as Christians is to be holy in both word and deed.
C. We are dearly loved by God and Jesus.
How do you feel when you think of these three spiritual truths?
The Biblical picture of this process is one of adoption. Think of it like when you adopt a newborn child: you choose the mother carrying the child that you want to adopt. Then when the child is born, it is thoroughly washed, wrapped in a new blanket, and placed in your arms. You look at this perfect new being, who is now your child, and your heart is filled with love for them.
That’s what happened from God’s perspective when we were saved. He chose us, He washed and clothed us, He held us in His arms and His heart was filled with love for us, His new, perfect child.
Think about these things and express gratitude to God for His adoption of you as His beloved child.
This is a new month and we have a new theme for March, praise and thanksgiving. Our first verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in everything!
Verse 18 is actually the third in a list of things that Paul is saying we should always be doing as Christians. Here’s the full set:
According to the Greek, the this at the end of the list refers to the “substance of the preceding discourse,” in other words–ALL THREE! So from the Interlinear Bible, it reads,
“For these things are the will of God as regards you.”
What would it look like if these three things really DID characterize our lives as Christians?
REJOICE ALWAYS! What should we be so happy about all the time?
I recently heard a podcast from Doctor David Jeremiah from Ecclesiastes 9. He titled it, “The Subject Nobody Wants to Talk About,” because it was about death.
Solomon didn’t have a problem talking about it. He made the points that • death was inevitable, • death could not be ignored, • nor could death be avoided. So, what was Solomon’s response to these somber truths? David Jeremiah summarized the advice this way.
Treat every meal like it’s a feast! He pointed out that we rarely sit down and eat together anymore. The advent of fast food has somehow short circuited the family meal. But there are many relational advantages to taking the time to eat together. The Israelites knew this.
One of Jesus’ greatest desires, He said, was to eat one last meal with His 12 disciples before He was arrested.
If we add to a sit-down meal the trappings of a feast, it can also add to our enjoyment of life!
Next, David Jeremiah said we should dress up every day like we’re going to a party! I grew up at a time when people dressed up more. I look at old TV shows like Perry Mason and am reminded of this. We even had one suit reserved for going to church and special occasions called our “Sunday best.” Now people just wear a t-shirt and jeans.
I think there’s something to be said for dressing nicely. At work we try to “dress for success.” That is, dress for the job you want rather than the one you have.
In the same way, if we dress nicely, “like we’re going to a party,” maybe we’ll influence our attitude to the one we WANT to have–one of celebration and rejoicing!
One point to remember about Ecclesiastes, it very much has a “the-grave-is-the-end” attitude. For us as Christians, we now know that is not true. In a similar list of commands at the end of Philippians, Paul says,
Our cause for “rejoicing always” is more than just enjoying life while we have it, although that is a VERY GOOD reason to do so. If we center our life on Jesus Christ and the salvation He has bought for us, then we should have TWICE as many reasons to be filled with joy each day.
Start your day with a devotional time, and think about the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Maybe that will help you carry more of a rejoicing attitude throughout the rest of the day?
Pray continually! What does that mean? It sounds a little impractical to me. The Greek word for ‘prayer’ here is the general word that means to direct your thoughts and words toward God. Making God a part of your conversation…that’s prayer!
Our current series at The Summit is on Nehemiah. This week, Pastor J.D. pointed out how much prayer contributed to Nehemiah’s success at rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
When his brother brought him the bad news about the poor condition of the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was very troubled and addressed the issue by prayer and fasting.
When Nehemiah unexpectedly had an opportunity to ask the king for resources, it says he prayed. It was probably one of those quick “breath prayers”.
All during the work in Jerusalem, Nehemiah regularly prayed about the difficulties that arose.
Then at the end, the last thing recorded, both in the book and in the Old Testament, was a prayer by Nehemiah to God.
Nehemiah prayed before he did anything about the problem, he prayed when he was presented with the opportunity to do something about it, and he prayed throughout dealing with the problems until the very end–THAT is praying continually.
Give thanks in all things. Note that it says to give thanks in all circumstances, not necessarily for all circumstances.
Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” can benefit our Christian walk in many ways. Most especially, remembering to thank God in the middle of difficult situations helps to shift our focus from the problem to God’s goodness and sovereignty, and that can help reduce our worry and anxiety.
Here’s a song that might inspire you as you seek to give thanks ro God:
CONCLUSION:
God commands us to REJOICE ALWAYS, because He knows it will help us enjoy life.
God commands us to PRAY CONTINUALLY, because He has what we need to deal with the problems of life, but we need to ASK Him.
God commands us to GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, because He knows it will help us maintain a positive attitude and remind us of the good gifts He gives us.
Our theme for February is Remember God’s Blessings.
For week 3, the verse is Psalm 68:19 – Remember how He has borne our burdens!
It seems there are a couple of elements to this verse that we can do a deeper dive on.
I. “God our Savior.” This is a verse in the Old Testament. As a New Testament believer, I’ve always thought of my Savior as Jesus Christ. He’s the One who came from God, to suffer and die to pay the penalty for my sins so that I will be saved from the Judgment and eternal condemnation. So, what did the Jews think when they said, “God our Savior“?
“Stand firm and you will see the salvation of the LORD!” (Exodus 14:13).
Salvation in the Pentateuch:
In Exodus, God’s salvation of the Israelites from Egypt, especially the parting of the Red Sea, forms the foundation of the Jewish faith.
Later books of the Old Testament frequently reflect on that event so that Israel’s later generations remember God’s salvation of their ancestors as the foundation of their national identity. (See Pastor J.D. Greear’s series on Exodus.)
Salvation in the Historical Books:
During the conquest and settlement of Canaan, salvation was experienced repeatedly through God-raised deliverers. Joshua’s victories, the judges’ rescues, and the military triumphs under Saul and David, all portray God’s salvation as tangible victory over enemies.
Salvation in the Wisdom Literature:
In Psalms, salvation moves from the battlefield to the prayer closet. Personal problems replace national problems, but the action remains unchanged: crying out to the living God for salvation in the middle of sickness, slander, or sin.
Salvation in the Prophets:
The Prophets broaden the concept of God’s salvation. Isaiah links salvation with the revealing of God’s righteousness at some future time.
Isaiah’s Servant Songs climax in the proclamation that God’s salvation will reach “to the ends of the earth”. Jeremiah and Ezekiel speak of future salvation following God’s judgment.
Habakkuk shows that even when circumstances worsened for Israel, the covenantal relationship between God and His chosen people guarantees ultimate salvation by God their Savior.
Messianic Foreshadowing:
Because the name “Jesus,” or “Yeshua” in Hebrew, is from this same word for salvation, it becomes a connection from the Old Testament’s promised Messiah to the New Testament’s revealed Christ.
We see another connection between the two Testaments when Isaiah’s declaration that, “God is mysalvation”, is echoed in Simeon’s declaration recorded in Luke. When he sees the infant Jesus, he declares, “My eyes have seen Yoursalvation.” So, the concept of ‘God our Savior,‘ and “Jesus Christ,our Savior,” are closely related in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
II. The second concept in our verse for the week I thought might be worth a closer look is the concept of “daily,” or literally in Hebrew, “day by day,” also translated ‘day after day.’ We would just say, ‘every day.‘ Let’s look at some of the things in Psalms about our relating with God and He with us on a daily basis.
What we need to do:
DAILY WORSHIP GOD – Psalm 145:2DAILY PRAY TO GOD – Psalm 88:9DAILY OBEY GOD – Psalm 61:8
What can we expect from God?
DAILY REVELATION OF GOD – Psalm 19:1-2DAILY RENEWAL FROM GOD – Psalm 90:14
And from our verse this week…
DAILY HELP FROM GOD – Psalm 68:19
So, let’s take time this week to remember how God has helped bear your burdens.
POSTLOGUE:
There is a beautiful song from Godspell in the 70’s that we used to sing in contemporary worship services. It also summarizes how we as disciples should relate to Jesus “Day by Day.”
Lyrics Day by day, Day by day, Oh, Dear Lord Three things I pray; To see Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly, Day by day, Day by day…
2. Psalm 34:17-18 – How He has answered your prayers:
There are many ways we can better understand and apply Scriptures. Here are some of those ways using this week’s verses.
I. Original Language. Sometimes we can understand a verse of Scripture better if we look at the original text. Translators add small words, sometimes, to help the English flow better. The added words in the following direct translations from the Interlinear Bible are in parentheses. Compare these minimalistic interpretations to how your favorite translation states these verses in Psalm 34:
CRY OUT! YAHWEH hears (and) delivers out of trouble. YAHWEH (is) near to broken-heartededness, and saves (a/the) contrite spirit.
II. Amplified. In contrast to the minimalist approach from direct translations, we can go the other direction and look at all of the different ways a particular word in the original lamguage is translated into English. Many of the Hebrew words are translated into more than one English word within the same translation, usually based on context, and dometimes translated as different English words between different translations of the Bible.
Every word in any language has an original, literal meaning (denotation), then a broader figurative meaning according to usage (connotation). Following are the expanded meaning and translation of key words from our verses:
A. Call with a loud voice. Literally ‘shriek.’ Figuratively appeal to, call together, cry out, gather together, shout, summon.
B. He will deliver. Literally to ‘snatch away’ or ‘pluck from.’ (Same as ‘rapture’!) Figuratively to defend, escape, preserve, recover, rescue, save, take from.
C. Out of all troubles. Literally a ‘tight spot.’ Figuratively = adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation.
D. God is near–in place (literal), kindred or time (figurative). • Place–near at hand, a neighbor, next to, standing by. • Kindred–close kin, kinsman redeemer, next of kin. • Time–about to, ready, shortly, soon.
E. Broken. Literatly means to ‘burst into pieces’, also translated to break down, break off, break up, destroyed, shattered, smashed, or a modern simile–torn up into itty, bitty pieces. Used figuratively for when you feel that way mentally, emotionally, and/or physically. In other words, it is used to mean a complete and total breakdown.
F. Heart. Literally the center of anything i.e. ‘the core’. Used figuratively for the feelings, the will and even the intellect. In other words, our inner person.
G. Saves. Literally to be open, wide or free. –by implication (noun) to be safe, preserved, victorious. –causatively (verb) to deliver, free, help, rescue.
H. Contrite. Literally ‘crushed to powder,’ or completely destroyed. Figuratively means “feeling and showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions, etc.” (Websters) Biblically that would be for a sin, transgression, trespass, etc.
I. Spirit. Literally moving air like breath or wind. Figuratively the spirit–personal as well as God’s. That is, something we cannot see, but gives or shows life (breath), or shows God is acting (see John 3 for Jesus comparing the movement of God’s Spirit to the wind).
III. Paraphrasing. Sometimes it’s helpful when trying to get a mental grasp of what a verse means to cycle through all of the alternate translations of each key word, and find what makes the most sense to you, and then state the verse in your own words.
The first English paraphrase I saw was The Living Bible in the 70’s. It made what the Bible was saying much clearer than the King James version I had grown up with. A more recently popular paraphrase has been The Message. Here is verse 18 as those authors paraphrased it:
Try paraphrasing the verses to reflect your own feelings and understanding.
IV. Personalization. Another way to make a verse part of your life is to personalize it. Here is an examples from this week’s verses that’s been personalized. Use your preferred translation and write your own personal version of Psalm 34:17,18:
When I cried out in my distress to God in prayer, He heard and rescued me. When my heart was breaking and I poured my pain out to God in prayer, He felt so close to me.God freed my heart from pain when I had been crushed by life and I took it to Him in prayer.
V. Conclusion. Whichever way helps you to get a better grasp on a Bible verse, use it to remind yourself how this verse tells us God answers our prayers!
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