Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the list of virtues that Paul instructs his readers to put on in 3:12.

We have taken our example of these from the only one who could model each one perfectly, Jesus.

We saw Jesus heart of compassion, His kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Jesus is the example we are to look to in each of these.

They are also set in contrast to the things that Paul instructs us to put off, to rid ourselves from.

In the fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes, an unscrupulous con artist, seeking royal favor, promises to provide the emperor with an outfit of clothing that would be very special.

So delicate and rare would be the fabric that the clothes would be undetectable to the touch.

More importantly, they would be invisible to anyone of poor character or inferior ability.

When the emperor received the empty hanger on which his new outfit was supposedly displayed, he could hardly admit not seeing the clothes without impugning his own suitability for royal office.

So he admired the clothes (as did his advisors), put them on, and strutted proudly around his kingdom—stark naked!

We Christians can fall into the same trap.

In the first part of Colossians 3, Paul said to “take off” practices such as fornication, lying, greed, and so forth.

But the point is that we are to “put on” new practices to replace the old ones.

Have we really donned those positive attitudes and actions of compassion, kindness, humility?

Sometimes the answer is “No.”

Instead, we parade around showing off our new clothes of righteousness and refusing to admit the truth: that we are really naked.

And we walk about, blinded to the fact that the world is snickering behind our backs because they don’t want our kind of clothes!

There is a purpose to all of this that I do not want us to miss.

We have looked at each of these traits individually which is not a bad thing, but now we have to tie them all back together.

There is a purpose to all of this that I do not want us to miss.

It is good to look at each of these traits individually but now we have to tie them all back together.

Read

The list of virtues or graces we see here, especially in this combination appear to encourage a sort of weakness in people, calling them to be doormats for others, or at least for those caught up in the rat race always trying to get ahead.

But the truth is, the character required to live out each of these calls for a strength that is rarely seen.

Without this sort of attitude towards others, no group of individuals can become, and more importantly grow as a community.

Paul’s purpose in writing in not simply to make better people, to make nicer Christians.

Paul is instructing his readers to put these on that they might grow in Christ.

That they would grow in their relationships with one another.

That they would grow in their relationships with the Lord.

These traits are put on in order that we might bear with one another.

That we would forgive one another.

That we would see the forgiveness we have in Christ.

We must ask the question, are we forgiving one another?

Each of us must ask the question, am I forgiven?

Bear with one another.

To begin to answer these questions I want to direct us to the text.

Bear with one another.

We have seen from our time looking at each virtue that Christians are called to be more than simply good people.

Christians are not called to simply be good people.

There are many people who have many of the traits Paul lists.

Looking at them on the outside we would consider them to be good people because of their actions.

We know from scripture though that actions do not make us good.

It matters not how good you are, all are stained with the marks of sin.

It matters not how good you are, all are stained with the marks of sin.

With the progression of the verse, Paul is showing these

but he more likely intends to present these actions as the natural outgrowth of the general attitude conveyed by all five virtues together.

The two commands in the verse are, of course, related, but there is also a progression.

The verb “bear with” (anechomai), as the translation suggests, indicates a somewhat grudging willingness to “put up with” difficult circumstances (e.g., persecutions—2 Cor.

4:12; 2 Thess.

1:4) or people (Jesus asks, referring to an “unbelieving and perverse generation,” “how long shall I put up with you?” [Matt.

17:17; par.

Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41]).

In the New Testament, it is only in the closely parallel Ephesians 4:2 that “bearing with each other” is presented, as here, so positively: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Therefore, while not requiring the greatest display of Christian kindness and patience, “bearing with one another” is nevertheless a first and necessary step in establishing community.

The demand acknowledges that every Christian fellowship is made up of all kinds of people and that we will accordingly sometimes find ourselves in close fellowship with people who are very different than we are.

For the sake of maintaining community, we will sometimes have to “put up with” people with whom we would not normally choose to associate.

Paul begins bearing with one another.

To bear with means

to regard w. tolerance, endure, bear with, put up with

It is a grudging willingness to put up with persons to rub us the wrong way.

This does not mean that we are simply cordial towards difficult neighbors in a detached way.

Paul is calling his readers to be vulnerable.

To act in a way that achieves intimacy where hostility once existed.

put up with” persons who rub us the wrong way.

This does not suggest that we are simply cordial towards difficult neighbors in a detached way; rather, Paul calls us to be vulnerable to grace in order to achieve newfound intimacy where hostility once existed.

put up with” persons who rub us the wrong way.

This does not suggest that we are simply cordial towards difficult neighbors in a detached way; rather, Paul calls us to be vulnerable to grace in order to achieve newfound intimacy where hostility once existed.

Indeed, the measure of divine grace is what Wesley called “social holiness.”

To bear with each other means to “put up with” persons who rub us the wrong way.

This does not suggest that we are simply cordial towards difficult neighbors in a detached way; rather, Paul calls us to be vulnerable to grace in order to achieve newfound intimacy where hostility once existed.

Indeed, the measure of divine grace is what Wesley called “social holiness.”

The idea of bearing with one another is spending time with

Those who have grown up in a Methodist background may know this idea as “social holiness”.

Those who have grown up in a Methodist background may know this idea as “social holiness”.

The pattern set by early Methodists in founding medical dispensaries, alms houses, schools, orphanages and other charities has continued through various movements of social responsibility

The term began with John Wesley and his desire for true Christian fellowship.

This is all in relation to the necessity for Christian fellowship.

The original context of his saying this was in relation to the necessity for Christian fellowship.

He was trying to counter the privatized notion of the Christian faith.

The list in 3:12 shows us the personal qualities that are required and now in 13 the focus shifts to how those are used.

Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience must be the characteristics of congregational life.

Robert W. Wall, Colossians & Philemon, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), .

Actual relationships themselves are at the forefront.

This list is very contrary to the notion of a privatized Christian faith.

It is within Christian community that holiness of life is to be realized.

Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience are the very characteristics of the congregation’s life

Our modern tendency is towards individualism.

This stems from our culture and how it has shaped us.

When you picture the American dream what do you see?

A nice home, a well maintained yard, a white picket fence, me on my side and you on yours possibly exchanging a few words but not much.

Is this the type of community we see in scripture?

If we look to the example of the early church.

Acts 2:

Christians were spending time with one another, and not only on the Lords day.

God blessed the work they were doing adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The early church spent time together, they bore with one another and it showed in their relationships.

Last week I spoke a little to how Jesus had patience with his disciples in regards to their bickering and hard hardheadedness.

Do you think this stopped because Jesus died and rose again?

I doubt it, I would guess they may have gotten worse.