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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

Colossians 3:1-11

 

3:1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,

3:3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

3:4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

3:6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.

3:7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.

3:8 But now you must get rid of all such things--anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth.

3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices

3:10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

3:11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

 

Comments:

 

I came upon an interesting perspective in the New Interpreter's Bible. For reasons I won't detail here, Andrew Lincoln assumes that the book of Colossians is deutero-Pauline. Also, there was an earthquake sometime between 60 and 64 C.E., which destroyed nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis, as well as Colossae. The first two cities were rebuilt much more quickly than Colossae, and in fact, Colossae, a smaller city than the others, remained uninhabited for quite some time after the quake.

Lincoln speculates that the letter of Colossians was actually written to the church in Laodicea, during the time after Paul's death.

If Lincoln is correct, then the letter was received by folks who may have still been in the process of cleaning up the rubble and hauling it away, dealing with bodies and grieving families, and trying to rebuild a church in that traumatized population center.

That context would add meaning to some ideas in this week's pericope. How would people respond to the statement that they have died and their life is hidden in Christ (v. 3)? Their very life situation might illustrate that idea. The writer also urges them to "Put to death" that list of things that are "earthly". Such people are starting a new life in more ways than one!

I know it's speculation, but it's interesting, nonetheless, and it may put some of our own life tragedies into context. MTSOfan


I like the comparison Paul makes here to the putting on clothes. I know that when i put on my clothes i don't jump into them all at once its a process of putting one leg of my pants on at a time...etc. And in the right order as well, I can't put my shoes on before i put on my pants (A lesson my 4 year old has yet to master!) Along the same lines I love the phrase "being renewed". It seems that we all too often want there to be a lightning clap and a SHAZAM and we are brand new and changed, or we expect that of others who find their way by one way or another into our church and a relationship with Christ. We forget this lifelong process of sanctification God leads us on we truely become followers of him.

Mark in SW WA


Because of our system for putting together Powerpoint presentations for contemporary worship, I need to write my sermon now. This week, I'm repeating the contemporary presentation to a group of college students. I'm calling the sermon, "What Do You Wear to an Earthquake?" Like you, Mark, I'm using the image of taking off the old clothes and putting on a new robe, as in baptism, but I'll stress that sometimes, people get stuck in the middle. They've seemed to get rid of the malice, impurity, fornication, etc., that are in the list, but spiritually, they haven't gone as far as the inclusiveness and social justice that the text implies. Instead, they're still focused on themselves. They celebrate the day they were "saved", but fail to do the work of God's realm, including the removal of barriers. Those who are stuck halfway between their old clothes and the new robe may even be creating new barriers (labeling, etc.). God calls us to move along in the process that Mark from SW WA wrote about-- and that means reaching out. MTSOfan


I to am using the idea of clothes. What kind of clothes are you wearing? The old clothes of envy, strife, lies etc. or have you put on the new clothes of meekness kindness, humility etc. Just what kind of clothes do we wear anyway?


I see the point about the new clothes and it is good. I think I,ll take a different route though. Dying to self. If we can still have our feelings hurt and we still want the worldly things we haven't died yet. To be alive in Christ is to become like him in character. Just a rambling thought. Harold in Alabama


The clothes idea is definitely a popular one...I like the image of taking off the old clothes of sin and putting on the new clothes of compassion, kindness, etc...It occurs to me that those folks who just take off the old clothes, celebrating their salvation, but not put on the new character of life in Christ are not just stuck, they are standing around naked.

The title of my sermon is "God's Dress Code" and I think I am going to use the illustration of a man I encountered at my last church. 'Larry' was very consumed with the idea that people needed to be dressed properly for church. He was outraged at what the teenagers would wear, he gave fashion advice to the other men in the congregation, and even felt the need to advise me a time or too. Only suits and ties were acceptable, and if you didn't comply you didn't belong. Larry really believed that the way you dressed reflected the kind of Christian you were. The only problem was that he was so concerned with linen and cotton, that he never gave the spiritual clothes folks were wearing. Larry, as piously dressed as he was, was one of the most hateful, angry, bitter people I have ever met. He boasted about how easily lying came to him. He was full of malice, and was driven by a need to have power and control over others. There was no kindness, humility, compassion, peace, meekness in him. He may have been dressed properly as far as GQ was concerned, but his spiritual clothes were stained, worn, and smelly. God cares about the clothes our spirits wear, the true clothes that reflect the state of our hearts and whether or not we have died to the old life and taken on a new life in Christ. Meredith in FL


I have been interested in the contrast between "hidden" and "revealed". "Hidden" seems to be referring to being protected, like something or someone who is precious which we might hide so that it will not be taken by someone else. It could also be synonymous with "salvation". But we do not want to be hidden or protected. We want to discover the earthly things, be part of them, and somehow we think that we can be involved with the earthly stuff and it will not harm us. However, we see the death and destruction that come into our lives because of this earthiness (fornication, malice, lying, greed, etc.)revealing the wrath of God. We are "hidden" under the water of baptism and are revealed with Christ as He rises from death and is victorious. Our sin, our earthiness is hidden with Christ in the grave, and as Christ is revealed in the empty tomb, our sin is forgotten and forgiven. The earthy and the Christ-like are in each of us. We can't change on our own. In Christ we are claimed by God, even with all of our earthliness clinging to us. We are hidden with christ, precious, protected as His own children. As we are very much a part of the world, we are sent to reveal the love of God in Christ, who includes the circumcised and uncircumcised, the slave and the free, the earthy and the Godly. He is the One who turns our lives around so that our minds are set on things that are above, focused on Christ.

Tom from MO


As we all know, there is more than one way to die. I've been reflecting on what Jesus taught in the parablem of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21 and what Paul wrote in Colossians. It seems to me that both are about our external and internal life, and whether or not CHRIST is the focus of those realms.

This business of dying to Christ is not a once and for all thing. Every moment holds the possiblity of dying to Christ or building up our "barns" with more and more and more.

One other thing....we can become quite legalistic to the point of excluding others. On the outside we do all the proper, expected religious duties, but on the inside we are like a big, empty barn.

From my perspective, it's a constant struggle not to set my mind on earthly things. I like new clothes pay raises, etc. like anyone else.

JRB..Ks.


I get the feeling that not too many will be preaching from this text. It's a bit too "close-minded", a bit too "judgemental", far too "right wingish" and "extreme".

And yet I cannot help but wonder how one reconciles "Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)" with the attempts by so many in the Church (shepherds and lay people) who are sanctioning and affirming those very earthly behaviors.

How does one reconcile "On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient" with leaders who embrace without rebuke those engaging in the very behaviors that Paul warns will bring God's coming wrath.

"But now you must get rid of all such things--anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices..." I tremble to know that I occasionally delve into anger, wrath, and the like but rejoice in the knowledge that God is merciful and forgiving of those who repent and seek Him. (Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!)

Isn't the world literally dying to find those who "...have clothed themselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator."

How many will preach this text? I'm seriously curious...

Rick in Va.


Well, actually, Rick, I think that I will be preaching on this passage, partly because it stands in wonderful compliment to the Gospel, and partly because of a term which I have found coming forth at the Lambeth Conference.

Here's a bit of what Bishop Simon Chiwanga of Tanzania said at the Opening of Lambeth, about "interpretative charity":

"Interpretive charity can be defined as the ability to apply the most loving interpretation to actions and opinions of others. Interpretive charity means listening to one another in love. It demands that we restrain our impulse to start formulating our response before the other has finished what they are saying. It is difficult. It is a lot easier and more attractive to evaluate the first few words of the speaker and then plug that statement into a pre-constructed mental model.

Interpretive charity calls us to persevere with the discomfort of thoughtful silence and to use that time to prepare a loving response to what we have heard. Interpretive charity challenges us to avoid demeaning labels that we are so eager to apply to our opponents."

I think the good Bishop speaks in the tradition of the author of Colossians, and I think he's got it about right.

Keeping our "minds on things that are above", rather than storing things from here, may be hard to accomplish, but that seems to be the direction in which these lessons are pointing.

Jim


Jim,

As a fellow Epsicopalian (assumption on my part), I too had read the words of the good Bishop from Africa. Interpretive charity has a ring of decency to it. A true Christ-like attitude. However for some in the Church, the same old song is constantly sung. I tire of those whose agenda is not unity but affirmation of behaviors, agendas and doctrines contrary to the Word of God. I seek God's assistance in being charitable but can't help but wonder at what point we who uphold the authority of Scripture are to shake the dust off of our feet and move on to saving souls in the name of Jesus.

I'm looking forward to the conclusion of Lambeth as I believe that the direction of the Episcopal Church USA, as members of the Anglican communion, will become clearer.

It's clear that Paul, in the text, is calling us to, as a matter of choice and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, leave behind our 'old' self (oblivious or apathetic to the nature and consequence of sin) and move toward being made in the image of Him who made us. The prevalent theology of many is not to leave anything behind but instead to construct a theology that makes us 'comfortable' in the midst of behaviors and attitudes that the Scriptures teach grieve God's heart and separate us from Him.

I'm trusting that as I come to understand how I'm separated (by my actions not God's) from Him, that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can 'strip off the old self' and put on the new. My struggle is to recognize those areas where I'm still the 'old' me in need of a 'new' me. The Scriptures, the Historic teachings of the Church, fellowship with other believers and my own devotional time with Him are what I believe to be those things that will aid me in that recognition. What I don't want to do is follow those who'd rather I dwell in the old self.

Sandy,

I think I appreciate your words although I'm intrigued by the idea that I've engaged in blasphemy. Help me understand your point. I do know that I'm to balance justice with mercy, the Law with Grace. If that's what you mean, then I'm with you. If something else, please let me know.

Rick in Va.