Welcome to Grace!

Welcome to Grace!Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionLoads of people get in the public view telling you what Christianity says, believes, teaches or whatever and it troubles me to wonder where half of it comes from Weve said all along Paul isnt simply concerned to correct the Colossian Christians theology, but to undo the spiritual harm the doctrinal error had caused and to REBUILD their spiritual lives strong and secure on the basis of a good, right relationship with Jesus.What does that look like?How does a good right relationship with Jesus get fleshed out in an individuals life?Well, heres where Paul now (by the mid-3rd chapter of Colossians) summarises the heart of individual Christian spirituality in the particular situation of the troubled Christians of Colossae and shows us what individual Christian spirituality amounts to.Not all that it leads to, of course, but laying open the nub of the matter for these Colossians as to how it works out.Hes pointed them back to Jesus and to their relationship with Jesus and it is directly from Jesus that the fleshing out of their life with Jesus gets observed here These three fundamental things that flesh out their relationship to Jesus are all highly derived from Jesus Christ Himself His peace, His Word and His deeds 2Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionLet the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let 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.17And 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.Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

4Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peacePeace plays a huge part in Pauls thinking its of great importance to Him.At the beginning of SO many of his letters peace to you At the heart of the lists of things he tell us that he prays for people peaceIn the list of the things the Spirit brings into the lives of the Lords faithful followers love, joy, PEACE.And of course that idea of peace sits right at the heart of Pauls theology of the Cross and atonement peace through His blood, shed on the Cross.So 5Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peace 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19 ff.)This peace is what Jesus both embodies AND brings.So John 14:27 Jesus says6John 14:27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.Peace is something we might have a tendency not to think enough about, then, as a central part of the benefit of Jesus life and ministry to us.It is central and apparently (from John and from the passage were looking at in Colossians 3) we need to do something or other to culture whaat Christ would plant in the garden of our life.Look here in John 14 HE gives this tender plant.But WE are not to let our hearts BE troubled Then back in Colossians 3 7Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peace Let the peace of Christ rule The trouble with our English translation and its a limitation of the language not a fault with the translation is that this sounds like hot tub religion you know?Lie back and let it happen Christianity?That really doesnt form any part of Pauls approach to living the Christian life, it has to be said!That peace with God that lies at the heart of the Gospel is BOUGHT by Christ quite a price was paid. It cost His blood.We cant contribute.Furthermore, that price having been paid by Christ it arises out of His effort and His initiative, it also gets made available to us by His own initiative to which we cannot contribute.The peace comes to us from Christ.BUT man, can we turn away from it?!We need to take ACTION on that.That peace of Christ needs to be turned to for RULE.Now you know how panicky thoughts turn up on the scene and skirmish around the garrison town of your consciousness.You know how they turn up when you roll over in the night, or try to degrade the asset of your trust in Christ and your peace in the early hours of mornings first grey light?Christ needs to be allowed back to rule and reign in our consciousness at these times when the brain is only half turned on.You know how suddenly challenges can arise in life we see the potential for impending ruin rear up before us, or life-changing events that shatter our careful planning and organising and the enemy of souls jumps onto our shoulder to cast doubts about Christs sufficiency even vague interest in our situation.Christ needs to be put back in the big seat.Christ needs to be brought back into our consciousness as the all sufficient Saviour of the ends of the earth and Sovereign Ruler of my heart and the universe.And (remember the donkey and Jerusalem) when He comes as King He brings peace.The Greek word for rule is interesting, but were coming to that in a minute.

8Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peaceIn your heartsThis is not about some private and inward peace of the soul hidden away as some deep, subjective peaceful disposition of spirit.No, heart is being used in its normal OT sense to describe the centre of your personality as the source of will, emotion, thoughts and affections.The peace of Christ is to hold sway over the whole of the readers lives as they relate to one another, but notice that it is to operate from the inside outwards, from the centre of the personality towards the word in which we live.{The value of externalities of little value in restraining sensual indulgenceDiscussion with a thoughtful young leader in a local congregation about this in the context of church membership last week}9Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peaceIn your heartsLet it RULE there That word for rule there is it occurs only here in the NT so we have to work a bit harder to be sure what is being said.In secular Greek from an earlier era (for example in Euripides 5th century BC) this referred to the activity of the umpire who presided over and ultimately awarded the prizes at the games.But language can change a lot across 4 or 5 centuries, and the verb came to be normally used in the more general sense: judge, decide, control or rule.10Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peaceIn your heartsLet it RULE thereThe reason: its your callingsince as members of one body you were called to peace.The big reason for this now comes right into play.This peace at the centre of our personality radiating out through our now properly controlled actions forms an essential part of the eternal plan and purpose of God.It was what Jesus came to bring (as weve seen already) and as He prepares to leave His disciples to the job of restoring the Creation from Chaos to Consummation and return to His Father in Glory hear His words again:All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor,(AN) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,(AO) will teach you all things(AP) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.(AQ) 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.(AR) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled(AS) and do not be afraid.11John 14:27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.Heres the centre of it He comes with peace, and just as He wants His followers to practice His presence He wants them to embody His peace in a world that desperately needs it And the situation at Colossae wasnt like that.And it needed to be.How IMPORTANT was this?12Ephesians 1:10 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillmentto bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.Thats all pretty high, deep, cosmic level stuff isnt it?Your peace and mine letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts as they face the battering of the storms of the practical details of every day life trust me, yours and mine both! is of as great a cosmic significance as that.Wow!HOW do I aspire to managing that?Theres one practical tip just the one that Paul gives us that is the key we must turn in the lock.Have you spotted it?Paul moves from the high cosmic and lofty to the street level grass roots gritty in one easy step just a step, it isnt even a bound.(Its a bit like those boys adventure books of the 50s and 60s but without the ridiculous fantasy And with a bound he was free!)Here it is heres the key we need to habitually turn in the lock 13Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peaceIn your heartsLet it RULE thereThe reason: its your callingsince as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankfulTheres the practical solution.For the peace bought at the Cross.For the individual application of that peace to my life.For the daily application of His peace to my soul as I return to my God with the discipline of thankful praise.Be thankful.14Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15Christs peaceIn your heartsLet it RULE thereThe reason: its your callingConclusionDid you notice, weve spent all this time talking about peace and you havent heard one word about tea lights, aroma therapy, mud packs, goats milk baths or sitting cross legged on the floor saying Om.!Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.Its all about your relationship to God, and whilst they can be very pleasant and very helpful in so many ways, it is not at all about that class of things that Paul tells us are of no value in restraining sensual indulgence.Now, dont misunderstand.I am not at all against the use of those means God has given us for rest and relaxation and so forth.Not at all.But they are means, props., helps.And we make a huge mistake when we look to the gift rather than the Giver substituting the things He has given for the God Who IS our peace.Let me urge you and exhort you and implore you today many of us are facing pains and troubles and trials of many kinds Our need is to take captive the stray chaotic thoughts.Our need is to see Christ back enthroned here as King, bringing the peace that He created and conveys to the core of our personalities rooted there in the thankfulness and praise of His people, fulfilling the eternal plan and purpose of God.Let me tell you, its a BATTLE but those who oppose the eternal plan and purpose of God are powerful and many.Let me tell you its a battle but we walk with an all-powerful, all sufficient Saviour, Who Himself is our peace.So:Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.15Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 1616Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16What is it?17Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16What is it?What should we do with it?House ( warehouse)18Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16What is it?What should we do with it?House ( warehouse)Teach

19Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16What is it?What should we do with it?House ( warehouse)TeachAdmonish

20Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16The deeds of Christ, v. 1721Colossians 3:15-17IntroductionThe peace of Christ, v. 15The Word of Christ, v. 16The deeds of Christ, v. 17Conclusion22