“The Nazarene Knight”
August 7, 2011
Colossians 3: 1-17:
“1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 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.”
Matthew 2:23: “He (Jesus) would be called a Nazarene.”
Romans 8:29: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
A Christian Church has started in Colossi. Probably Epaphras planted it. Scholars believe he was one of Paul’s converts and when he went back to his hometown he started a church there. But something was happening. They were getting off the beam. They were getting off track. Some educated religious people had come in and were teaching them something different than the Gospel. They were teaching the Christian faith was incomplete; that they were to worship angels and to follow special rules and ceremonies.
They were not giving the person and work of Christ proper interpretation or emphasis. They were distorting and minimizing these doctrines. This false teaching also contained a philosophic appeal and an emphasis on higher knowledge of the cosmic order. There were also elements of Judaistic ritualism and traditionalism present. Contrary to orthodox Judaism, the false teachers were encouraging the Worship of angels, whom they believed controlled the operations of nature to some degree (2:18-19). There was an emphasis on ascetic self-denial (2:20-23) and apparently the idea that only those with full knowledge of the truth, as taught by these false teachers, could understand and experience spiritual maturity (1:20, 28; 3:11). To make a long story short – this Christian church was being infected by false teaching, in particular – paganism and Gnosticism mixed with legalistic Judaism. Paul warns them,
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
Colossians 2:8
The Church today has been infected by hollow and deceptive philosophy also. 80 percent of America claims to be Christian. The evidence of that is lacking. The word “Christian” at one time meant “Christ-like”. Today people claim it even though they are opposed to the very teachings of the Bible and are anything BUT Christ-like. People who believe they can live in rebellion to Christ and His Word even call themselves Christian.
This morning I want us to take a look at a true Nazarene Knight; a true follower of Christ – as Paul defines him.
First of all, the Nazarene Knight has died to self. The Nazarene’s Knight has died to the world Colossians 2:20 reveals to us. So first of all – we need to die to our old sinful way of life. Some false teachers claim this isn’t important. You can just believe. Jesus said,
“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3
We are no longer our own. We were bought with a price. The price of our salvation was Jesus’ blood and death. We now belong to Him. Paul says,
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17
How can you be born again unless you die first? We need to first die to self and the world – then we can be born again. Baptism illustrates that truth. When we go under the water we are being buried. We die to the old self. When we come up out of the water – we come up a new person in Christ. We are born again. Paul tells the Colossians.
“having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God...” Colossians 2:12
So we, believe the gospel, are baptized – and then began to learn what it means to be a Christian. Jesus said,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ... then teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 29:19-20
The process is 1. Hear the Gospel, 2. Believe it, 3. Be baptized, 4. Learn to obey. When you have died to self and the world, then you rise with Christ. You are His. He is yours.
So what is it we are to do when we rise with Christ? We are to get our hearts and heads right. 2. The Nazarene Knight has his heart and mind on heavenly things.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3
Our hearts and minds have been on the wrong things. It has been all about US. What WE want. What we think. What WE feel. All that has to change – and it’s not easy Paul says, “I die daily”. He says,
“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:17
Keith A. Cunningham, soldier and author said, “Train the mind and the body will follow.” Paul knew that 2000 years ago. Anthony Robbins, in Unlimited Power, said,
It is not about power over other people; it is about power over yourself. If you do not have power over yourself, then other people will have power over you.”
These writers were not talking about spiritual things – but the principle is true. There is a struggle between the mind and the flesh. There is a struggle between the spirit and the flesh. Paul G. Thomas, a politician said,
“The one thing over which you have absolute control is your own thoughts. It is this that puts you in a position to control your own destiny.”
Paul writes to the Colossians and tells them to “set your minds on things above.” That is why last week I spoke to you about heaven. We need to know about heaven. It needs to inspire us. It needs to motivate us. We need to live for it. If our hearts and minds are on heavenly things, it will make it a whole lot easier to live for God in the short time we have in this earthly battlefield. The Nazarene Knight has his heart and mind set on heaven.
When we come to Christ, we die to self and the world, we set our heart and minds of things above and 3. We Put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature. Paul writes,
“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 used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: 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.”
Colossians 3;5-9
I have some friends and relatives who are debating whether homosexuals can be Christians or not. They are missing the whole point. The Christian is to “put to death” – “eliminate” - “destroy” – “eradicate” or whatever you want to call it – but we are to ‘do away’ with everything that belongs to the earthly nature. The Bible makes a list. “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed” Not enough to work on? It adds a few more: “anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lies.”
The Christian is to learn to obey Jesus in these areas. Now, remember, the old Roman empire was a very wicked and sexually depraved nation. Homosexuality was rampant. Sexual promiscuity was normal. Living out your fleshly desires and imaginations was acceptable to this society. Seems like a Utopia to some people. Sleep with whoever you want. Deny yourself nothing. No restraints whatsoever. But with all sin, it didn’t satisfy. It left a desire for more – something different. That is why the degenerate continues to spiral out of control until he destroys himself – or someone else destroys him. Now comes a new teaching from Christ that says “put those things to death!”
Paul says, “You USED to walk in these ways.” That means we stopped! We have to get rid of the old before we can get the new. The old stuff has to be tossed out – replaced with other things. Thank God for forgiveness. Thank God for mercy. Thank God for grace. Thank God that He can love a poor, wicked sinner like we once were. But we need to stop. We need to take off those old practices and we need to 4, Put on the new self.
What is the new self, the Nazarene Knight suppose to look like? Paul says we are being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. How do we renew our knowledge? By studying God’s Word. We need to consume God’s word like a starving man eats his food - often and in great quantities. Paul writes the Roman Christians,
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 12:2
We need to RENEW our minds. We need to break out of the old mold.
To the young Christian Paul writes:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3: 16-17
What is the purpose of getting into the Scriptures? The answer is “So we may become Christian. So we may become Christ-like. The Bible says,
Romans 8:29: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…
2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all… are being transformed into his image.”
If you aren’t sure what that image is – Paul tells us. He says,
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another.” Colossians 3:12
Still need more? He says “Over ALL these virtues – put on love.” Love is the glue that holds all these things together. Love is what makes perfect unity.
This is what a Nazarene Knight looks like. Above that – we are to be “thankful” (v.15). We are to consciously nurture a thankful attitude. The selfish person; the self-centered person is focused on themselves and what they don’t have. That’s why a selfish person is bitter and angry and not much fun to be around. They can have a billion dollars in the bank and deny themselves nothing – yet they are unhappy and ungrateful. We need to be thankful. In fact, we are to be a singing people. We are to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs WITH gratitude (v.16) in our hearts.
The Christian way is a HAPPY way! The Christian way is a joyful way. I am so thankful I am a Christian. I am so glad I am a Nazarene Knight. It is a privilege to give our lives to Him who gave His life for us. We may not have to die for Jesus – but we can give out lives to Him as we live for Him in a spiritual battleground where we are in the minority and we are under attack daily. Sometimes it is harder to ‘live’ for Jesus than it is to ‘die’ for Him.
Are you with me? Will you give your life for Jesus? Resist the flesh! Resist the world! Resist Satan. Fight the fight of faith and live daily for Jesus.
Jesus,
I will live for you. Please forgive me for giving into the flesh and going my own way. From this moment on, with Your help, I will live for you. I will take off my old self and put on a new self – that looks like you. Live though me. Work through me. Accomplish Your purpose through me. I surrender my all to You.
