Speaker: Mitch Forbes
Scripture: Col 3:1-14
Colossians 1:9: Paul’s dreams and hope for
the Colossians: Knowledge of His will… through the Spirit… Know who Jesus is,
and who they are in Him… becoming a new person.
Chapter 3: Talks about what it’s like to
live a life worthy of the Lord.
V1-4: “Since then you have been raised with
Christ. Set your mind not on earthly things. You are the resurrected ones,
living the new life.” Repeating the things from Colossians chapters 1&2.
Reminding us that we are the resurrected ones. We died, just like Jesus, and
were raised, just like Jesus. Everything true of Jesus is true of us now. Your
life is now hidden in Christ with God. The mystery of the gospel will be
revealed. Psalm 27: He will keep you safe… Your life is hidden, it’s safe,
nothing can get at it. Life is hidden in heaven, nothing can change that. It’s
hidden for now but one day it will be revealed. When He returns, you will appear
with Him in glory. Jesus is coming back to make us glorious, to renew all
things! Remember who you are! You are a resurrected one and nothing can change
that.
What do the resurrected ones do? How do
they live? How does their life look like? Their life is orientated by two
things: Putting to death death and putting on life. Some churches only talk
about death and do not talk of hope. Some churches only talk about hope and pay
no attention to evil in the world.
Put to death the things of death: The
things that destroy people. Eg. how many lives and ministries have been
destroyed by sexual immorality? By greed? By bitterness? By anger? By slander?
Jesus didn’t die so that we would stay
dead. Jesus came so that we can have a new life. Not just standing against things,
but standing for things. What are we for?
“And over these virtues put on love, which
binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Everyone can come and be welcomed and
celebrate. If we value people’s humanness. If everything we do is dripping with
kindness, humility, gentleness, patience.
“Bear with each other and forgive one
another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord
forgave you.” Sounds utopian: It is almost impossible.
Why forgive? Because the stuff of death
still creeps in.
Woke up freezing today! Came to the warm Morling library early to search
for some books for Field Education, and the "McDonaldization of the
Church" and "relational leadership" captured my attention. Had a
"Hope Street Coffee" prior to Chapel. It's the last Chapel of the
semester and a magazine featuring the theme of "Unity in Diversity"
was placed on all the chairs... "it is not about cloning"!
今早被凍醒，所以早早來到暖和的 Morling 圖書館尋找一些有關教會實習的書籍。 有幾本書 吸引了我的注意:「麥當勞化的教會」 和 「關係領導」。去神學主日之前剛好有在賣 「希望街咖啡」，所以買了一杯喝。「多元化的合一」是冬季校刊的主題。我們不是在製作「複製人」。
