Sermons
February 18th, 2024 by Pastor Solley021824AM Holy Garments # 6
Sub. The believer in Christ.
Theme: Things we are to put on.
Text: Col 3:15-16
“Holy Garments” #6 Col 3:15-16
Introduction
We continue this morning looking at things God would have us put on as born again believer, at holy garments. – Col 3:12-14 God would have us put off the old and put on the new for several reasons. These holy garments will make us different than the world if we would put them on. Old things will pass away and all things will become new as one puts these things on. These holy garments will equipt is for service for the Lord, they will make us better servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. These holy garments will give us a better life in Christ. Things are always better with Christ and life is always better the closer we draw to our Lord. Just as God provided holy garments for the Old Testament High Priest so does God provide holy garments for all Christians to put on today.
I. We have looked at several of these garments thus far: Col 3:12-14 The things in these verses are not natural to us and we cannot put them on as God wants us to put them on apart from His grace and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
A. Seven things are found in these two verses: Col 3:12-13 These things are given by God, imparted to the believer through Christ, and made possible to put on by the power of the Holy Spirit within.
1. Col 3:12 Here we find (1) Mercies, (2) Kindness, (3) Humbleness, (4) Meekness, (5) Patience. – Col 3:12
2. Col 3:13 Here we find (1) Forbearance, (2) Forgiveness.
3. These things can only be put on and remain on as God desires through the power of the Holy Spirit within:
B. Then we find what makes all these things work together: Col 3:14 Charity, or God’s love. The Bible says charity because this is different from man’s love, we need to put on the love of God. God’s love makes all of the above work together.
II. Last week we began to look at allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts: Col 3:15-16 We make peace with God at the point of salvation and at that same time peace of God is given to us, made available to us. But the two, peace with God and peace of God are different. Peace with God comes with salvation and can be compared to an unbreakable chain. Eternal, everlasting life means just that. Peace with God is an unbreakable chain, but peace of God can be compared to a beautiful and fragile cord. Many things can interrupt our peace with God and today it seems we see fewer and fewer Christians walking in the peace of God.
A. Within these verses we see what we need to do to allow the peace of God to rule in our lives: Col 3:15-16 Last week we noted.
1. We need to believe God: Col 3:16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly. – Col 3:16 – Do you believe God today?
a. Mark 7:37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: Do you believe that today?
b. Ps 84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Do you believe that today?
c. Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Do you believe that today?
2. Believing God makes the second thing easier to practice: Col 3:15 Being thankful all the time for all things. 1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. That is not an isolated verse.
a. Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; , Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. , Heb 13:15
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
b. We are to be thankful for all things all of the time. That is what the Bible commands.
B. To continually have the peace of God ruling in our hearts we need to believe and be thankful: That is what the Bible says.
III. This morning we continue to look at what makes possible the peace of God to rule in our hearts: Col 3:15-16 Two more things found in verse sixteen, fellowship and praise. – Col 3:16 Here we find one teaching and admonishing and then praises being lifted up to God. That is fellowship and praise and both are very important to having the peace of God. Fellowship and praise are two things that go together. – Col 3:16 You can have one without the other but that is not common. Good fellowship leads to praise and thanksgiving, praise and thanksgiving are found in good fellowship. Man needs fellowship.
PROP: If we really want the peace of God to rule in our lives. TS. Then we need understand the importance of fellowship and praise.
Body
I. Man’s need for fellowship cannot be overstated: To have fellowship is to have one that shares your interests and desires. To have fellowship is to have a kinship with another. Fellowship has been defined as two fellows in the same ship working together, going in the same direction. Man needs fellowship.
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A. Even lost people know the importance of fellowship: To that end social clubs have been formed to bring people together, to bind people together. All of these clubs around us today. VFW, American Legion, sportsman clubs, gun clubs, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Jaycees, historical societies, Community Action, cycle clubs, fireman’s clubs, SOI, Eagles club, Boy scouts, Girl scouts, support groups of every type. On college campuses you have the fraternities. In public schools you have the different athletic clubs for all the different sports. Band club, chess club, Spanish club, letterman’s club, booster clubs and so on. Why all the clubs and organizations?
1. People need and crave fellowship: Even lost people understand the importance of fellowship.
2. And then they have those in those clubs and organizations give testimonials as to why they should be joined: That is praise.
B. God states the importance of fellowship: Gen 2:18 As you study the account of creation you find that all God was created was good or very good. But then God says this about man, about Adam. – Gen 2:18 – It was not good for Adam, for man to be alone.
1. Do you realize that Adam was not alone here? Adam had the Lord God to be with, Adam had the Lord God to fellowship with.
2. But there was none like Adam that Adam could fellowship with: Adam although in a sinless and perfect state was not like the Lord God. Adam although in a sinless and perfect state was not like the angels. Adam was not like the animals that surrounded him. Adam was not alone but Adam did not have one like himself to fellowship with. It was not good for Adam to be alone. – Gen 2:18
3. So God made from Adam one like unto himself: Gen 2:18-22 This of course the first marriage, one man and one woman and that has always been and always will be marriage in God’s eyes. Anything other than one man and one woman is Satanic perversion.
a. Adam and Eve becoming man and wife were to populate the earth.
b. There is that picture of what God intended and still intends marriage to be. – Gen 2:23-24
4. But God also gave Eve to Adam for fellowship: It was not good for man to be alone. Adam had the Lord God, Adam had the animals, Adam had the stars of the heavens to look at, but Adam did not have one like unto himself and that was not good.
5. I don’t think for a moment that Adam did not praise the Lord for giving Eve to him: I would think that Adam praised God for giving him one like unto himself. Fellowship and praise go together.
C. There is no individual here this morning, young or old, man or woman, boy or girl who does not need fellowship: You do not stand after a little more than six thousand years as the exception. – Gen 2:18 – It is still not good for man to be alone.
1. You may consider yourself to be a loner: I am a loner and like to spend time alone. But I am never really alone.
2. You and I need fellowship: Gen 2:18
D. Man’s need for fellowship cannot be overstated:
II. Part of the reason Christ established the church was to meet the need for fellowship: Not a social club or organization, but a place to meet the need of true fellowship among God’s people.
A. Fellowship is not the primary reason Christ established His church: The New Testament church is built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the corner stone of the New Testament church. The Bible tells us in Eph 2:19-20 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
1. Christ established the New Testament church to spread the gospel message: Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. That is the primary purpose of the New Testament church, to preach the gospel.
2. Christ established the New Testament church to teach us how to live in this world: 1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
That does not mean inside a church building, it means being a part of the body of Christ, learning how to live as a Christian. This is a secondary reason Christ established the new Testament church.
3. Christ established the New Testament church so we could be grounded and settled on strong doctrine: Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; This is a secondary reason Christ established the New Testament church.
4. Fellowship is not the primary purpose of the New Testament church: Fellowship is a secondary purpose of the church.
B. But the local, independent, fundamental, New Testament church will meet the need of fellowship in our lives: Acts 2:41-47 In these verses we see the primary purpose of the New Testament church being fulfilled, the gospel was being preached and people saved. There also arose the immediate need for fellowship for those new converts. Think of those ones getting saved for a moment.
1. Now they are Christians although that term was not yet adopted, but they were now believers in Christ: Spiritually speaking they were no longer Jews. The unbelieving Jews would have nothing to do with them. No longer Jews, what were they?
2. They are not gentiles: Gentiles would receive the gospel but not at this point. Not Jews or gentiles, what were they?
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3. These were people alone and they needed to be brought together: Acts 2:45-47 Now they had fellowship. – Acts 2:46 – They were of one accord. – Acts 2:46 – They were one in heart, mind and spirit. They were of one accord.
a. They had a singleness. – Acts 2:46 – That word means they fit smoothly together.
b. They had a gladness. – Acts 2:46 – They were filled with the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. These ones found fellowship and I believe without that fellowship the church would have faltered:
C. Part of the reason Christ established the church was to meet the need for fellowship:
III. What does fellowship provide for the child of God? We meet together at services time, we sing, we give an offering, we listen to sound preaching, and we depart. Those things are part of coming together as a church but they are not fellowship. To have fellowship we come early, we stay for a time after being around God’s people. To have fellowship we take part in more than just services. We come to events, special meetings, prayer breakfast, ladies meetings, all day services, we come together for things not necessarily just for preaching. We join in projects that need to be done. Fellowship goes beyond taking in the preaching of the Word of God. What does fellowship provide?
A. Fellowship provides strength for the child of God: Eccl 4:7-12 As Solomon looked around he saw an emptiness, he saw vanity and part of that emptiness, part of that vanity was one being alone. – Eccl 4:7-8 – Here was one with none to help him, none to help him stand, here was one alone and without strength.
1. Solomon concludes that two would be better: Eccl 4:9
2. Solomon concludes it would be better if one was there to help in time of need: Eccl 4:10
3. Solomon concludes that if two were good three would be better: Eccl 4:11-12
4. Solomon concludes there would be strength in fellowship: Here are your New Testament counterparts. – Gal 6:1-2 ; Rom 15:1 And one of the things we are commanded to put on is forbearance, bearing one another’s burdens.
5. When I allow others to get to know me and I get to know them we can strengthen each other as we share our mutual cares: Blest be the tie that binds my friends. As we get to know one another we draw strength one from another. Eccl 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
6. Fellowship provides strength for the child of God:
B. Fellowship forms a partnership in prayer: Acts 12:1-5 We can be sure that Peter was praying here. When we have a personal need, when we have an urgent need we pray and we do pray for ourselves as we should. We can be sure that Peter was praying here but Peter was not the only one praying. – Acts 12:5 – Others were praying for Peter as well.
1. There is power in individual prayer: There would be power in Peter’s prayers. There is power in individual prayer.
2. But God promises special power in corporate prayer: Matt 18:19-20 As people get to know one another and the needs of one another they are better able to join in prayer for the specific needs of brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. The prayers of his brothers and sisters in Christ were answered and Peter was delivered: Acts 12:5-7 I cannot say this morning that Peter would not have been delivered if he were praying alone but God makes it known the church was praying. – Acts 12:5
4. We need to have people praying for us: Others bringing our needs before the Lord in prayer.
5. Fellowship forms a partnership in prayer:
C. Fellowship provides sympathizing hearts: Acts 20:36-38 Those ones loved Paul, cared for Paul and had hearts broken for Paul.
1. Paul had just told them he was on his way to Jerusalem and he did not know what would happen to him there: Acts 20:22-23 But somehow Paul knew it was not going to be good. – Acts 20:23
2. Paul had just told them they most likely would never see him again: Acts 20:24-25 That because of what was awaiting him at Jerusalem, the loss of his life.
3. And hearts are broken for Paul: Acts 20:37-38
4. We need to have people who can sympathize with us: For hearts that are heavy when ours are broken.
5. Fellowship provides sympathizing hearts:
D. Fellowship knits us together in Christ providing joy for the child of God: 1 John 1:1-4 The joy found here is a result of fellowship.
1. Fellowship with Jesus Christ: 1 John 1:3
2. But fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ as well: 1 John 1:3
3. We do need this joy today:
4. Fellowship knits us together in Christ providing joy for the child of God:
E. Fellowship provides many things for the child of God: Strength, prayer partners, sympathizing hearts and joy that knits us together.
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IV. What are the results of a lack of true Christian fellowship: We can say based on the Word of God that there is a need for fellowship and part of the purpose of the New Testament church is to provide that fellowship. We can also say that not all of God’s children want fellowship. God will not force fellowship on any of us and the church cannot force fellowship on any of us. But what are the dangers of a lack of fellowship?
A. A lack of fellowship can mean a lack intercessors or prayer partners: Isa 59:16 This was part of our daily devotions in the Feature Saturday and it fit so well in the context of the message this morning.
1. I need people praying for me: The more people know me the more they are given to pray for me. I need people to be interceding for me before God often. There are times I can almost feel prayers being offered up for me and I need that.
a. As people get to know us they also begin to pray for us.
b. The more they know us the more specific those prayers can be.
2. How many of us need others to be praying for us? Peter needed the church praying for him.
3. A lack of fellowship can mean a lack of prayer partners:
B. A lack of fellowship can lead to a lack of strength to stand and to finish well: 2 Tim 4:10 We know this man Demas worked with Paul, was on the mission field with Paul and so was in fellowship with Paul.
1. Somehow Demas was turned away from Paul: I surmise that his fellowship was less and less with Paul and more and more with the world and then Demas became weaker and weaker in the faith.
2. Then Demas turned back to the world lacking the strength to continue in the work of the Lord: A lack of fellowship.
3. A lack of fellowship will weaken the believer in Christ: A lack of fellowship will weaken us spiritually.
4. A lack of fellowship will lead to a lack of strength to stand and finish well for our wonderful Lord:
C. A lack of fellowship will lead to a crushing loneliness: 2 Tim 4:16 Is this man the greatest of the apostles? Is this man the strongest of the apostles? The answer to both could be yes and at that moment he was being overtaken by a crushing loneliness. Paul expected to draw strength from others and it was not found.
1. This type of loneliness is never a good thing: Jesus knew this type of loneliness. David knew this type of loneliness. And now Paul knew it as well.
2. But others did come to Paul: 2 Tim 4:10-11 Mark and Timothy did come and did stand with Paul.
3. Until Mark and Timothy came Christ held up the apostle: 2 Tim 4:17
4. It is not good for man to be alone:
5. A lack of fellowship will lead to a crushing loneliness:
D. The results of a lack of fellowship are never good for the child of God:
V. Brothers and sisters in Christ we need fellowship: That is not this preachers opinion as the Bible clearly points out that we do need fellowship. We all need to take advantage of the opportunities we have to fellowship with the people of God.
A. Church services do provide opportunity for fellowship:
B. Events and special service services provide opportunities for fellowship:
C. Serving the Lord provides opportunities for fellowship:
D. We do need fellowship:
Conclusion
I. Man’s need for fellowship cannot be overstated:
A. Even lost people know the importance of fellowship:
B. God states the importance of fellowship: Gen 2:18 As you study the account of creation you find that all that God was created was good or very good. But then God says this about man, about Adam. – Gen 2:18 – It was not good for Adam, for man to be alone.
II. Part of the reason Christ established the church was to meet the need for fellowship: Not a social club or organization, but a place to meet the need of true fellowship among God’s people.
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III. What does fellowship provide for the child of God?
A. Fellowship provides strength for the child of God: Eccl 4:7-12
B. Fellowship forms a partnership in prayer: Acts 12:1-5
C. Fellowship provides sympathizing hearts: Acts 20:36-38
D. Fellowship knits us together in Christ providing joy for the child of God: 1 John 1:1-4
IV. What are the results of a lack of true Christian fellowship: We can say based on the Word of God that there is a need for fellowship and part of the purpose of the New Testament church is to provide that fellowship. We can also say that not all of God’s children want fellowship. God will not force fellowship on any of us and the church cannot force fellowship on any of us. But what are the dangers of a lack of fellowship?
A. A lack of fellowship can mean a lack intercessors or prayer partners: Isa 59:16
B. A lack of fellowship can lead to a lack of strength to stand and to finish well: 2 Tim 4:10
C. A lack of fellowship will lead to a crushing loneliness: 2 Tim 4:16
V. Brothers and sisters in Christ we need fellowship: That is not this preachers opinion as the Bible clearly points out that we do need fellowship. We all need to take advantage of the opportunities we have to fellowship with the people of God.
A. Church services do provide opportunity for fellowship:
B. Events and special service services provide opportunities for fellowship:
C. Serving the Lord provides opportunities for fellowship:
D. We do need fellowship: