A TALE OF TWO COMMUNITIES

Walsgrave Baptist Church

5th July 2009

Community?

Two definitions “a group of people living

together in one place” “a unified body of

individuals” Colossians 3

Fallen community of darkness

Risen community of light

Colossians 3:1-5

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

Colossians 3:6-11

Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Colossians 3:12-15

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:16-17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

The Community of Darkness

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other……there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

sexual immorality, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil impurity, lust, evil desires, greed,desires, greed, anger, anger, rage, malice, slander, rage, malice, slander, filthy language from your filthy language from your lipslips, , lie to each otherlie to each other…………prejudiceprejudice

……““a group of people living together in one place”a group of people living together in one place”

The Community of Light

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

open to all, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Bear with each other, forgive whatever grievances you may have, forgive as the Lord forgave you, love, perfect unity, peace of Christ

…“a unified body of individuals”

What about the church?

Light or dark? Romans 7:18-19 “I know that

nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing!”

Wolverhampton?

E tenebris lux….. ….out of darkness

cometh light But how?

Human effort!

New year resolutions! Man made religion

Colossians 2:21-23 ““Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?…Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom….. but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”

Christ the only way!

Creator: “For by him all things were created…all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col 1:16)

Redeemer: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things…..by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col 1:19-20)

Deliverer: “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Col 2:15)

Out of darkness:new life in Christ

Our state: Col 2:12 “buried with him in baptism and

raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Our responsibility: Col 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever

belongs to your earthly nature” Freedom in Christ is available to us

Into the light – the imitation of Christ

“God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Col 3:12)

“the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”. (Romans 8:16)

Worship him….gratefully, and the virtues follow

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Col 3:16)

Imitating Christ, we enter the community of light

Out of darkness cometh light

Transformed lives in Christ!

Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your

unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.