5/18/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE
Some Practical Applications of the Christian Life
How do you actually do it? We live in a marvelous technological age. We have computers, tablets, smart phones, digital cameras, DVR recorders for TV, remote control start for our cars. You can use your phone to start your car remotely, turn on the lights and heat at home, and see the security cameras around your house. You can sit at your computer and have a video conference with people around the world. You can watch life news events around the world.
In 2010, when thirty three miners where trapped in a cave-in 2,300 feet under the ground in Chile for sixty nine days, I watched live on my computer as they were pulled up in a specially made metal tube. It was amazing.
Now, questions for you as we talk about this technology.
What percentage of your computer’s capacity do you actually know how to use?
Can you use every feature of your cell phone?
Are you confused by your TV remote?
Do you know everything your car radio does?
For most of us, we learn the basics of how to use the things we own and then muddle through the rest. Somehow, we make it.
Now, that’s OK for technological things, but, how about your walk with Jesus? Do you muddle through the Christian life? Do you struggle and wonder how to live it? The Bible is filled with information and directions. Yes, it will take our whole lifetimes to study and continue to grow. But, we can learn and apply the Bible so that we live a growing and spiritually mature life with Jesus. Today we are going to look at some practical applications of the Bible for daily life.
Colossians 3:1-17 NLT
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Where is your focus in life? What fills your mind? What is your identity? Christians need to focus on our relationship with Jesus. Set your mind on spiritual matters and let your attitudes be influenced by eternity.
Think of your priorities and affections. Will they store up treasures in heaven? This chapter gives us a practical outline for our Christian lives.
Seek spiritual things, 1-4
Resist sin, 5-11
Develop Christ’s character, 12-17
God will help us accomplish our spiritual goals. Keep asking, seeking and knocking for God’s help. He will help you stay true in your commitment to Jesus. You will have confidence in your eternal home.
We have died to this life and sin. The Bible clearly teaches that believers have died to sin and should have no connection with active participation in it. Yes, we are tempted. Yes, we can yield. But, Yes, we have victory over it through Jesus.
Sin, wickedness, transgressions against God – this is all NOT a part of the daily and victorious Christian life. The essence of sin is selfishness, rejecting God’s commands or the welfare of others. Sinners become cruel in their rebellion against God. It often leads to moral corruption.
What are we told to do? Bury the old sinful nature through the power of God in our lives. Resist sin, 5-11
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
Resisting sin. That is something we must continually do and develop our skills in. A couple of verses for us to ponder:
Romans 6:12-14 NLT
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
James 4:7 NLT
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
This last section from Colossians 3.
Develop Christ’s character, 12-17
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Let God’s word live in you. Read, study, reflect on the Bible. It will influence you in a good way. This will help you to do everything for God and His glory.
Where did we start today? With some interesting questions.
What percentage of your computer’s capacity do you actually know how to use? Can you use every feature of your cell phone? Are you confused by your TV remote? Do you know everything your car radio does?
We have talked about some practical applications of the Christian life. These are important so we can live a holy life. God gives us His guidelines.
We have talked about:
Seeking spiritual things
Resisting sin
Developing Christ’s character
How do we do each one of these? Discussion time.
Ask yourself the question: Which of these do you need to work on first?
How will you go about it?
Let me leave you with a quick true story.
A man brought a violin to a pawn shop and asked for an appraisal. According to the man’s story, he had purchased a piece of property that included a house and a barn. Shortly after his purchase, he opened an old chest in the barm and discovered the violin safely tucked inside. As he dusted off the near-perfect instrument, he found the word “Stradivarius” clearly inscribed on the violin. The man was hoping the “Stradivarius” was worth millions of dollars.
However, after the pawn store owners examined the violin and then also had it appraised by an expert, they told the man it wasn’t a genuine Stradivarius. Instead, it was a cheap imitation produced in the early part of the 1900s, worth around five or six hundred dollars. The appraiser concluded by telling the crestfallen violin owner, “Just because something has a label doesn’t mean it’s real.”
Pawn Stars, History Channel (2-7-07)
That’s an awesome insight. God wants to help us not only wear the label, but be the genuine article.
PRAYER for us to identify areas of growth and apply what God shows us.
