1 Chronicles 4-6
John 6:1-21
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Since we are alive in Christ, Paul exhorts us, “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 must also rid yourselves of…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” (Colossians 3:5-10).
May we take a moment and imagine a world where Paul’s words were lived out. A world where there was purity and women did not need to worry about being objectified. A world where abuse did not exist and trafficking was not a concern. A world where people were content with what they have with no greed or evil desires. A world where there was no anger or rage, filthy language or slander, or hurtful words that make us feel marginalized. A world where nobody lied, no fraud or deception. A world where there was no racism or mistreatment of one another, no division by gender, class or cultural categories. A world where there was peace and harmony among nations. A world where there was no vengeance, no bitterness, no escalation of conflict. A world where people, instead of hurting one another or fighting with one another, met together and were able to extend and receive forgiveness from one another. A world where people clothed themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Imagine what kind of world that would be.
Doesn’t this world sound a lot like heaven? As believers in Jesus Christ, we bring heaven down to earth in how we behave towards one another. But the reality is that we live in a world that is divided by hurt and pain and bears the obvious scars of sin and death. We see a world that is driven by pleasure, pursuing it in a way that leaves it more broken than it was in the first place. We see a world that is wrestling with anger, hatred and division that are increasingly hostile and fueled by frustration. We see socioeconomic divisions in our world, bubbling up to the surface through the global refugee reality that is pervasive throughout a multitude of nations warring.
Yet, Paul’s exhortation calls the Church to what she was meant to be in the world: being brought from death to life and raised with Christ, we are set apart and sent into the world to be holy and to be in healthy community.
Precious Jesus, thank You for bringing me from death to life. Help me to live in holiness and be in healthy community with others. Thank You, Jesus.
John 6:1-21
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Since we are alive in Christ, Paul exhorts us, “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 must also rid yourselves of…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” (Colossians 3:5-10).
May we take a moment and imagine a world where Paul’s words were lived out. A world where there was purity and women did not need to worry about being objectified. A world where abuse did not exist and trafficking was not a concern. A world where people were content with what they have with no greed or evil desires. A world where there was no anger or rage, filthy language or slander, or hurtful words that make us feel marginalized. A world where nobody lied, no fraud or deception. A world where there was no racism or mistreatment of one another, no division by gender, class or cultural categories. A world where there was peace and harmony among nations. A world where there was no vengeance, no bitterness, no escalation of conflict. A world where people, instead of hurting one another or fighting with one another, met together and were able to extend and receive forgiveness from one another. A world where people clothed themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Imagine what kind of world that would be.
Doesn’t this world sound a lot like heaven? As believers in Jesus Christ, we bring heaven down to earth in how we behave towards one another. But the reality is that we live in a world that is divided by hurt and pain and bears the obvious scars of sin and death. We see a world that is driven by pleasure, pursuing it in a way that leaves it more broken than it was in the first place. We see a world that is wrestling with anger, hatred and division that are increasingly hostile and fueled by frustration. We see socioeconomic divisions in our world, bubbling up to the surface through the global refugee reality that is pervasive throughout a multitude of nations warring.
Yet, Paul’s exhortation calls the Church to what she was meant to be in the world: being brought from death to life and raised with Christ, we are set apart and sent into the world to be holy and to be in healthy community.
Precious Jesus, thank You for bringing me from death to life. Help me to live in holiness and be in healthy community with others. Thank You, Jesus.
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