Whatever You Do

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.

Colossians 3:17

If you are a Christian, then you are called to live your everyday life conscious of the fact that you represent Jesus. Everything you say and everything you do is to be done in the name of Jesus with thanks to God through Him.

This has tremendous import for our lives. It means, for example, that there is no sacred secular split in God’s eyes.* Some people think the world is divided between the sacred and the secular. They argue that church buildings and Bibles and worship songs and cemeteries are all sacred. They matter to God. But your job, your friends outside of church, your romantic relationships, and your entertainment… these are secular. They are in a separate category. They aren’t really connected to your Christian faith, and they don’t really matter to God. But this verse blows that idea out of the water! This verse says that whatever you do or say, you should do or say it in the name of Jesus.

This has so many applications that it would take an entire book to trace them all, but let me point out just a few... 

This means that your work matters to God. Whether you're a plumber, a farmer, an accountant, or a carpenter what you do and how you do it matters to God. The way you work reflects on Him. It ought to be done for His glory and in a way that would be pleasing to Him. So, whatever your job is, work diligently at it with honesty and integrity, doing your best.

It also applies to parenting. You should parent your kids in the name of Jesus. It applies to your hobbies. If you play golf, or paint, or fish or hunt, then you should do those things in Jesus’ name. You shouldn’t golf with an attitude that you would be embarrassed to attribute to Jesus. You shouldn’t paint things that are unworthy of His name. And you shouldn’t fish or hunt His creatures in ways that He Himself would not.

And what about entertainment? Can you watch the TV shows or movies that you watch in the name of the Lord? Can you listen to the music you listen to in the name of Jesus? If not, then you shouldn't either. 

We can’t forget to consider our words. They are specifically mentioned in the verse above. Whatever you say you ought to say in the name of the Lord. And if you can’t say it in the name of the Lord, then you better not say it.

In other words, Jesus’ name and reputation should guide you in all you do and all you say. Because, whatever you do, you do in the name of Jesus. And whatever you say, you say in the name of Jesus. As a Christian, wherever you go you wear the name of Jesus. So, wear it well. And if you feel uncomfortable saying something or doing something in the name of Jesus, then don’t say it and don’t do it anymore.

* Geisler, Norman L. “Colossians.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Bear With Each Other

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

Within the Christian community we are bound to have conflict, because none of us are perfect yet. We are all still rough around the edges. So, sooner or later your rough edges are going to rub someone the wrong way or their rough edges are going to rub you the wrong way, and someone will get irritated or hurt. In those moments, you are called to bear with or endure one another. That means that you can’t just leave your church or cut off a relationship when you are mad at someone. You’re called to bear with other believers and their failings.

In fact, you are called not only to endure them but also to forgive them. Do you know what forgiveness is? Forgiveness happens when you are right and someone else is wrong. They have wronged you and you have the right to be angry at them. You have the right to hold their behavior against them. But you choose not to. You choose to forgive them instead. You give up the right to hold what they did against them any longer. You lay down your anger and you forgive their debt.

That’s hard to do! But this passage calls you to an even higher standard than that. It says that you are called not only to forgive but to “forgive as the Lord forgave us.” You are called to forgive like that! He forgave you everything… even though you didn’t deserve it. And, if the person you are angry with is a Christian, then He forgave them as well. If He forgave you… and if He forgave them… then who are you to hold a grudge?

There is no place in the Christian community for grudges. There is no place for unforgiveness. We are called bear with one another and forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us.

Is there anyone that you are irritated with or angry at right now? Is there anyone you need to bear with? Maybe you haven’t looked at the situation from their perspective. Maybe you haven’t given them the benefit of the doubt. Or maybe you’re right and they are dead wrong. It doesn’t really matter. You are called to bear with them and forgive them either way. Remember, Jesus is the standard. You are called to bear with and forgive others even as He forgave you.

Right after the Lord’s prayer in the sermon on the mount, Jesus said this.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14–15)

That is the surprising importance of forgiveness. So, forgive one another as the Lord forgave you.

Finding Where You Fit In

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Roman 12:3

Let me be honest with you. Many people waste a lot of time wishing they were something or someone they aren’t. It’s very difficult for us to think of ourselves with sober judgment... to see and accept ourselves for who we really are. So, many of us think ourselves more highly than we ought to.

Now, the world will tell you that just about the worst thing that can happen is for you to have a poor opinion of yourself. For you to think you aren’t beautiful enough or smart enough or capable enough. But the Bible is much more concerned with helping you see yourself as you really are. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want anyone to think poorly of themselves. But I can’t think of a single Scripture that says, "Don’t think more poorly of yourself than you ought to." But Scripture does say “Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” The point isn’t to think poorly of yourself, but to see yourself with sober judgment. The goal is to be able to see and acknowledge who and what you really are.

I’m convinced that our lives are far better when we do this... when we see ourselves as we really are… when we get our egos out of the way and think of ourselves with sober judgment. Because only then are we free to be who God made us to be instead of spending so much energy and time trying to convince ourselves and others that we are something we’re not. Denying reality is exhausting work. And it never really works.

I am very rarely (if ever) the best looking or strongest guy in any room that I'm in. I’m kinda' short. I’m very hairy. And I’m sort of weird. God didn’t make me to be a football player. He didn’t make me to be a model. He didn’t make me to pull people out of burning buildings. That’s not what I was designed for. But God gave me a sharp mind and a big heart and a generally likeable personality. God made me to be a pastor, to love people and preach His word. This is what He made me to be.

Let me explain it this way, when you look at a hammer, you can tell it was made to drive nails. A shovel was made to dig a hole. And a garden hose was made to move water. If you try to drive nails with a garden hose or dig a hole with a hammer or use a shovel to move water… it isn’t going to work very well and it’s going to be a VERY frustrating experience. So, look at yourself honestly. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to. And don’t sell yourself short either. Be honest with yourself. Who are you? And what has God made you to do?

Peter Wept (W.o.W. Rewind)

 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Mark 14:72

Peter had big failures, but he also had big regret. He was not blind to his sin, and he wasn’t too proud to grieve over and repent of it. That is why there was hope for Peter. And that is why I fear there may not be hope for some of our churches. 

You see, we have big failures too. Our churches today are full of big failures, major sins. But there is no weeping. No regret. No repentance like this. When was the last time someone came forward in your church and anointed the altar with holy tears? When was the last time someone wept over their sins? When was the last time you wept over your sin?

It’s not that we don’t sin anymore. It’s not that our failures and our sins aren’t that big. That isn’t it. It’s that we just aren’t that moved by them. We explain them away. We think that sex outside of marriage doesn’t really matter, that divorce doesn’t really matter, that greed and all manner of worldliness doesn’t really matter. And, perhaps worst of all, we think that repentance doesn’t really matter. So, we just move on and expect God to forgive us.

But sin that hasn’t been repented of is a hindrance to your intimacy with God. Many of you aren’t as close to God as you used to be and you can’t figure out why. And it’s because of your sin. Sins that you willingly committed against God and haven’t repented of. It is holding you back in your relationship with the Lord.

So, allow yourself to be broken over your sins. Name them before your God and ask for His forgiveness and see if He won’t restore you to close relationship and usefulness to Him, just as Peter was eventually restored and used in amazing ways.