As Pastor Dodd began his sermon, Debbie yawned and began scribbling a note on her bulletin. “Dear Carol,” she wrote. “Sorry I can’t study at your house tomorrow night. My mom and I signed up for an exercise class. I think it will be fun!” Then she added, “Much more fun than sitting here for an hour. What a drag!” Debbie folded the note and turned around to pass it, but when she noticed her mother frowning at her, she stuffed it into her Bible and read her Sunday school paper instead.

The next night, Debbie excitedly went with her mother to the big gym. She was impressed with all the exercise equipment available to them, and she had a great time trying it out during the class. “That sure was cool, Mom,” she said happily as they drove home. “I like using all that stuff. Maybe we can try out the pool next time.”

Mom yawned. “It sure made me tired,” she said.

“I’m tired, too,” agreed Debbie, “but it was fun. My muscles are a little sore, but

I feel good. I know that working out makes me stronger.”

Mom smiled. “I know what you mean,” she said with a nod. “I felt something like that after my workout yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” Debbie frowned. “You didn’t exercise yesterday, Mom. It was Sunday. We just went to church.”

“I got a spiritual workout yesterday,” said Mom. “You missed it, though.”

“But, Mom! It was just a church service, and to tell the truth, I think sermons

are usually boring,” grumbled Debbie.

“They’d seem boring to me, too, if I just sat there and really paid no attention

to what was being said,” replied Mom. “I know it’s hard for little kids to sit still

and listen, but you’re old enough now to follow along and even take few notes.

If you do that, you’ll get more out of the message.”

Debbie shrugged. “Do you think so?” she asked.

“I know so,” said Mom. “You need to exercise your mind, just like your body.

You need the spiritual exercise that you can get by thinking about what God wants

to teach you through Pastor Dodd.”

How many of you received clothing for a Christmas gift this year? Did you know that when Jesus was born He gave us a gift that is similar to clothing? The apostle Paul talks about this in Colossians 3:12-17. We are to put on the garments of Christian grace.

The first garment of Christian grace that we are to put on is tender mercies. Tender mercy suggests the deep feeling of love that has to express itself in action. That action involves compassion. Compassion begins with pity, but it is more. Compassion is that deep remorse we have when we do something about our feelings of pity. We can feel sorry for other people and do nothing about it. Feeling sorry for others may result in our pitying them, but to be moved by others’ pain, to feel their situation so deeply that we seek to act on their behalf, is compassion.

The next garment of Christian grace that we are to put on is kindness. Kindness is tender goodness, goodness that is for the well-being of others. It is defined in Scripture as the virtue of the person whose neighbor’s good is as dear as his own. It can be hard work, and occasionally this may mean that we have to face difficult situations that drain us emotionally and physically, but kindness can’t grow without conflict and strife.

Another garment we are to put on is the garment of humility or lowliness. Humility has nothing to do with self-deprecation, or cowering back, nothing to do with self-disgust at our shabby lives; nor is it a downcast, brow-beaten stance. The humble know who they are in relation to God and other people. They soundly estimate their strengths and weaknesses. They do not flaunt them but take their place in God’s kingdom without fanfare.

We are also to put on the garment of meekness. Society has forgotten the meaning of meekness today. We don’t always admire meek people, but Jesus said that the meek will inherit the earth. The Greek philosopher Aristotle defined meekness as the happy medium between too much anger and too little anger. A meek person is self-controlled because he/she is God-controlled. A meek person knows himself/herself and operates out of the realization of God’s control of his/her life.

We must also put on the garments of forbearing and forgiving. To forbear has the negative meaning of “to refrain or abstain,” or “to control oneself.” It also has the positive meaning of “bearing one,” or carrying. Forbearing and forgiving go together according to Paul. Forgiveness is at the heart of the gospel. At the core of our Christian experience of salvation is our acceptance of God’s forgiveness extravagantly provided through Jesus. Forgiven people must always be forgiving. As God forgave us, we must forgive others. Only forgiving people can be forgiven.

Choosing to forgive does not condone sin, excuse the wrongs done to us, or minimize our hurts. Offering forgiveness simply frees us to enjoy God’s undeserved gift of mercy, as we invite Him to accomplish beautiful works of peace-restoring grace in our lives and our relationships. Part of forgiveness is releasing the person from the debt we think they owe us. Refusing to let go of the hurt and pain someone has caused in our lives will always rob us of our joy,

The final garment we are to put on is the garment of love. Paul puts love at the top of the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. Love is the fruit of the Spirit, and each fruit of the Spirit which follows in the list is another expression of love.

Putting on something such as love has to do with a deep and transforming inner experience which reflects itself outwardly. God’s chosen ones will not simply set aside the old life and its ways. They will display eight new characteristics, culminating in love-the bond of perfection that has the power to change the world. While humility is a grace that grows within a Christian’s heart, it is also a choice that believers make each day.

All of these garments knit us together in a legion of passion and love, of fear and hope, of jealousy and trust, of cynicism and goodwill, of indifference and concern, of distrust and awareness. How are all of these feelings to be arbitrated, to be harmonized? What feelings are to be given reign? What or where or who is the umpire to settle the clashes? The answer is to let Christ be the umpire. In Him, we have the key factor for our getting along together-the peace of Christ. To know about the garments of grace is one thing, to wear them gracefully is another.

Anyone who is joined to Christ is joined to all others who have a share in the new community. This does not mean that uniqueness and distinctiveness are obliterated; the church is not to be a nameless, faceless fellowship. The Spirit makes us one and in Christ we are of equal worth. We can’t grow into maturity in Christ Jesus without the encouragement, help, and even the needs of others.

In all things we are to be thankful. Being thankful is one sign of becoming like Christ. Paul shared four steps to becoming Christ-like:

1. Let the peace of Christ have the final say in our lives.
2. Make God’s Word part of our lives.
3. Be ministry-focused instead of self-focused.
4. Regularly express gratitude to God.

In view of what God has done through Jesus Christ for the believer, Paul described the behaviour and attitude God expects in response. The antidote to sin is to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus and to thank God in every word and deed. Praise and thanksgiving are barometers of spiritual health. Peace is Christ’s gift to His followers today and forever.

Christ doesn’t love us because of our merits. He knows we are sinners. He loves us just because He loves us. He gave Himself for us, unworthy as we are. In the same way, the love of Christ within us seeks to serve, not to be served.

Do you think church is boring–that it’s a waste of time because you don’t get anything out of it? Church is not a place to sit and daydream. It’s a place where true believers in Jesus meet to worship and serve God and to learn how to live for Him. Listen and pay attention. The more you put into it, the more you’ll benefit from it.

(An audio version of this message can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/episode/colossians-3-verses-12-17-the-clothing-christ-gives-us–63486813)

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1675)
2. Dunnam, M.D., & Ogilvie, L.J.,: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.; 1982; pp. 375-384)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Xochitl Dixon, “Should I Forgive?” Retrieved from donotreply@email.rbc.org
6. Mary Southerland, “The Freedom of Forgiveness, Part 1”. Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/girlfriends/
7. Dr. Robert Jeffres, “Count Blessings, Not Sheep.” Retrieved from drrobertjeffres@ptv.org
8. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Laughter Through Tiers.” Retrieved from TurningPoint@davidjeremiah.org
9. “Spiritual Workout”. Retrieved from www.keysforkids.org