Just a reminder that next Wednesday, Aug 26th, we won’t be having a meeting that night. Pass the word to anyone who might need to know, and who doesn’t always read this stuff or get announcements.
Also, I read an interesting blog post about how Christians interface with new technologies like Facebook. It’s really worth the read. For any of you Facebook users out there…we started an Eastgate group…go join it!
This Sunday, we’ll be looking at Colossians 3:12-17. Read it here in the Message.
Paul began this discussion by telling us what attitudes and motives we shouldn’t be guided by. In the next few verses, he describes the kind of life we should wear. In v12, Paul again hearkens back to the “because of this, then this should happen” premise. Because we are included, safe and loved by God, he describes how we should handle our “self-life”…that is, the kind of attitudes we want to cultivate as individuals. All of the things Paul mentions are only possible to operate from when we feel secure about ourselves.
If we don’t feel secure about ourselves when it comes to our outer appearance…it effects the way we dress, doesn’t it? If we feel overweight, we don’t usually like to wear tight clothes. But if we feel good about how we look, we are more bold in our clothing choices…even willing to show off more of who we are.
That’s what Paul is getting at…when it comes to our inner person, we are in GOOD shape. We are loved, accepted, set aside like a favorite by God. If we could really come to grips with that, how would it effect the way we pursue life?
In v13-14, Paul extends beyond the individual, and describes how we want to interact with other people in general. Obviously, he repeats Jesus’ command to be forgiving…and then he talks about love. To quote Tina Turner, “What’s love got to do with it?”. What is Paul saying about love in connection with human interfacing?
Finally, he gets specific in terms of community, and addresses how the church should dress…not in clothing styles…but in LIFEstyles. What attitudes should we wear, according to v15-16, when we gather as a church community? What seems to be the most important thing in this description? Does it fit your experience with church?
Wrapping it up, Paul sweeps his hands and encompasses all of life in v17. Everything…everything we do, he says should be done in the “name of Jesus”. What does this mean? Does this mean when I go to the bank, and ask for a deposit slip I should say “I need to deposit funds, in the name of Jee-yah-zus!” Seriously…what is it to do life in Jesus’ name?
Stuff to ponder-fy.
See ya’ Sundee.