Sermon Cloud

Christ in Charge: My Church

Colossians 3:12-17

Intro: First week of October something seemingly miraculous happened in Marino, Italy.  Wine started coming out of all the faucets instead of water.  People in town began to shout, “miracolo!”

One local named Anna said: "I was in the kitchen ready to do the housework and filled up a bucket with water.  I was going to mop the floor with it but I immediately noticed a sweet smell from the tap and it was also slightly yellow - I recognized instantly it was wine.  I called my neighbors and they turned on their taps and it was the same - the word quickly spread and everyone filled up bottles and plastic containers with the wine.  Everyone thought it was a miracle.”

Was it a miracle?  Water to wine!

No.  The Marino Grape Festival was going on - and as part of the event free wine flows from the fountain in the square.

However, due to a technical error the pipes from the local vineyard which supply the marble fountain were switched to the domestic supply feeding homes at Marino, so the folks at the festival just got water in their plastic cups.

Proposition: People think a great church will just happen by accident – or it will be a sudden miracle.  No, we are called to do some things if we are going to be a part of a great church. 

“Trust in God and keep your powder dry.” – Oliver Cromwell

We must do things to place Christ in charge.

12 Step Program to having a church where Christ is boss:

1. Show compassion. (12)

Some translations say “mercy”.  It is a mercy and compassion that only comes from God.  It’s a compassionate heart that He shows you – and that He gives you to show to other people.  It’s showing grace and mercy to people who don’t deserve it.  And it’s what every Christian is called to do.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Do I love mercy?  Do I love to find ways to show compassion?  Or do I look for ways to get my way?  Do I get mad when people don’t do things my way?

Ex. Speros family – praying for my mom.

Start being compassionate by asking people: “How can I be praying for you?”.  And then if it is possible ask, “Mind if I pray for you right now?”.  There are a lot of people hurting around you – be compassionate.

2. Be kind. (12)

Show kindness.  To who?  Everybody!

“Well kindness is like respect – it comes on a 2 way street.”

Jesus responds best to that way of thinking:

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  Luke 6:27-36

We must learn to not respond in kind – but to respond in kindness.

3. Show humility. (12)

Humility is vital.  God simply will not work with the prideful.  In fact He resists the prideful.  The only way we can be a church with Christ in charge is for each and every one of us to seek to humble ourselves before the Lord on a daily basis.

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  James 4:6

Humility is not thinking less of yourself.  It is thinking of yourself less.

Always seek to put others first.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Philippians 2:3

If you are always seeking your way in this church then we simply won’t grow.  God will resist us.  At business meetings, in services, in the hallways, and beyond these doors we should be known as humble people who put others first.

“What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God” – Monica Baldwin

4. Be gentle. (12)

Gentleness is tied closely to humility.  Some of your translations may use the word meekness. 

Do people see you as meek and gentle?  Are you someone who is easy to approach?  Or are they afraid if they come to close they will get burned?

Ex. After surgery had to warn Abigail to be gentle.  She could hurt me without trying to. 

Churches are filled with broken and hurting people.  Must be gentle or we could hurt people without trying to.

A Christian’s goal is to be like Christ.  He was gentle.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

5. Have patience. (12)

The word means long-suffering or forbearance.

Ex. Forbearance on student loan.

Some people aren’t going to be where you want them to be.  We have to be patient with people.

St. Augustine: “Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

Are you part of this church for the long haul?  Is this your family?  If so, then you can make it through anything.  If you want us all to hurry up and be perfect like you – then you need to either change or go find another church.  But good luck, you’ll never find what your looking for.

6. Forgive. (13)

Churches are often pulled apart by hurt feelings, bitterness for being wronged, and unforgiveness.  You probably know dozens who used to come here and have left because they were unforgiving.

“Why should I forgive?  I was wronged!  They should pay for what they did to me!”

Paul says you should forgive, because Christ forgave you!

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

Ex. Jesus tells story of man forgiven great debt but would not forgive small debt. (Mt. 18)  Ungrateful guy gets thrown in prison and tortured till he can pay off the debt.

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."  Matthew 18:35

Big Point: It is a sin to not forgive!  You can not be in right relationship with God with a sin wall between you.

If you want forgiveness – you MUST forgive!

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."  Mark 11:25

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” –Lewis B. Smedes

7. Love and seek unity. (14)

Above all else – just be loving.  If we would be loving it would solve all the problems churches have.  Love bonds us together in unity.  Jesus said all the law can be summed up in loving God and loving others.

Ask – am I being loving?  Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13.  And love is defined in the idea of self-sacrifice.  There is another John 3:16 that we should all know:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16

8. Be at peace. (15)

How do you let the peace of Christ rule in your heart?  One word – trust.  If you trust God no matter what happens – you will have peace.

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

9. Be thankful. (15)

If you are thankful it’s hard to get too angry.  If you are thankful it’s hard to get too impatient.  If you are thankful it’s hard to get selfish.  Thankfulness is a defense against sin and hurting others.

Ex. Christmas parking lot.  Everyone is looking for a spot.  Give thankfulness a permanent parking spot.  Because bitterness, anger, jealousy, unforgiveness, negativity cars are looking for a spot to pull into.

Ex. Listened to Travis when others complain.  Hard to argue thankfulness.

10. Teach and Admonish one another. (16)

I love how Paul puts this admonition to read the word.  He doesn’t just say read it.  He says make sure the Word of God dwells in you richly. When it dwells in you richly than you can be about teaching and admonishing others.

Many of you have run from teaching but the Bible says we should teach one another.  For some they could lead a class.  For others it is teaching in the home or just sharing the word with a friend or co-worker.

We are also called to admonish one another.  Admonish means to caution or reprove gently.  All of us are one step away from stupid – and we sure could help each other not take that step.

Ex. Told Jimmy, if you ever see me wanting to go back to that girl you hit me.

A true friend will fight with you against the foe, against your enemies he will be your shield-bearer. Sirach 37:5

We got to protect each other.

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,  but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.  Proverbs 27:6

11. Sing! (16)

We should be known for our singing.  “Well I sing.”

But do you do it with thankfulness in your heart?  Are you passionate or just going through the motions?

Paul lists different styles of singing and songs.  It’s not the style –it’s your heart.

Did you know the Bible talks about singing praise to God over 100 times?  We should be people who are passionate to sing praises to God.

Ex. Go to chapel because you need the reminder there is something greater our there.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  Psalm 46:10

I hope you come here to praise.  Healthy churches and growing churches are filled with people who love to praise God!

Ex. Jimmy Kendall singing: I love to praise Him!

12. Do it all with the right motives. (12,17)

Doing the right thing doesn’t matter if we do it with the wrong motive.  So what should our motives be for doing these things?

1. Do them because Christ has done so much for us. (12)

You are chosen, Holy, and loved.

2. Do them for His glory. (17)

Conclusion: In Greece recently planes were flying in circles for 40 minutes wanting to land.  Air Traffic controller fell asleep.  Blessings are flying over and we are missing out on them, because we are asleep as a church and individuals.