Rev. David Holwick Q
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
June 2, 2002
Colossians 3:1-11
EXECUTE YOUR OLD NATURE
I. ATTITUDES AT AN EXECUTION.
A. Four knights.
Four of King Arthur's knights were guilty of betraying him.
They were sentenced to die on the guillotine.
Somehow, though, as the blade was ready to drop, it jammed.
King Arthur took this as a sign that he should show mercy and
give the knights their freedom.
The reaction of the four knights to this good news tells us a
lot about their personalities.
The knight high in dominance growled, "I told you I was
innocent.
This execution should never have been planned in the first
place!"
The knight who was primarily a people-person shouted, "We're
free! We're free! Let's go party!"
The steady knight was consoling the executioner, "I want you
to know," he said, "that I don't blame you.
You were just doing your job."
Meanwhile, the detail-oriented knight had been staring
thoughtfully at the jammed blade on the guillotine.
"Hmmm," he said aloud, "I think I see how this thing can be
fixed!"
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B. Executing yourself.
1) Some executions should not be stopped. Paul says, execute
your old nature.
2) Unless it dies, you won't really learn how to live.
II. CHANGE YOUR FOCUS. 3:1-4
A. Only union with Christ can break cycle of sin.
1) He is seated at right hand of God.
a) (we don't need an intermediary)
2) He "hides" us - protects us and keeps us safe. 3:3
a) He is also described as our life.
3) Therefore we need an "upward" focus in life.
B. Jesus is coming back, and we will be with him.
1) This should be a great motivation concerning morality.
III. PUT TO DEATH WHAT YOU ONCE WERE. 3:5
A. Controlling your sexuality.
1) Sex is important.
a) We are basically sexual beings.
God created the human race in two sexes, and he
intended it that way.
Sex is a tremendously important part of life.
It is designed by God to add flavor and excitement to
all our relationships.
b) But sex has limits.
Outside those limits it becomes destructive.
2) Four of five, maybe five of five, deal with sexual sin.
a) Paul moves from concrete sin to inner cravings.
b) Sexual immorality.
1> This phrase refers to all forms of sexual
intercourse outside of marriage.
2> It is commonly called "fornication" elsewhere in
Bible.
c) The second word is "impurity."
This refers to what we would call perverted forms of
sex - homosexuality, child abuse, and various other
practices.
d) Along with these, "lust" is also to be put away.
This refers to erotic passions which are aroused
(especially with men), by visual things.
Pornography clearly falls under this classification.
Anything that is sexually arousing: literature, movies,
whatever, is to be denied.
It belongs to the old life.
e) "Evil desires" is closely associated with lust.
It is mental uncleanness, which can go beyond sex.
This is what Jesus had in mind when he said, "If a
man looks after a woman and lusts after her in his
heart he has committed adultery." [1]
B. Greed.
1) The desire for MORE.
2) Equated with idolatry.
3) Some see it as fifth allusion to sexual sin.
a) Example of King David and Bathsheba.
b) Probably it is greed in general.
C. These bring wrath of God. 3:6
1) Does God care about our lifestyle? Absolutely!
2) There must be a contrast. 3:7
a) "Used to walk" ... "but now."
b) Past sin is no hindrance to salvation.
c) Continuing in sin is a hindrance.
IV. CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS. 3:8
A. Emotions.
1) Anger, rage, malice.
2) "Only a fool gives full vent to his anger." - Proverbs 29:11
Steve Tran of Westminster, California, had a cockroach
problem.
A really bad one, and it made him boil.
His solution was to put 25 bug bombs in his house.
He activated them, closed the door, and went outside.
When the spray reached the pilot light of the stove, it
ignited, blasted his screen door across the street,
broke all his windows, and set his furniture on fire.
"I really wanted to kill all of them," he said.
"I thought if I used a lot more, it would last longer."
According to the label, just two canisters of the fumigant
would have solved Tran's roach problem.
The blast caused over $10,000 damage to his apartment
building.
And the cockroaches?
Tran reported, "By Sunday, I saw them walking around."
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B. Tongue.
1) Slander, filthy language, lying.
2) Each has to do with speech.
When we turn them into positive commands instead of
negative prohibitions, we find three laws for
Christian speech.
C. Three laws for Christian speech: (William Barclay)
1) Christian speech must be kind.
a) All slanderous and malicious talking is forbidden.
b) The old advice still stands which says that before we
say anything about anyone we should ask 3 questions:
"Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?"
The N.T. is unsparing in its condemnation of gossip.
2) Christian speech must be pure.
a) There can never have been a time in history when so
much filthy language is used as today.
b) Many people have become so used to unclean talk that
they are unaware that they are using it.
Boy Scout campout - rotten language from boys. Josiah
is scandalized. Then we hear the adult chaperones,
who are worse.
The Christian should never forget that we will give
account for every idle word we speak.
3) Christian speech must be true.
a) It is easy to distort the truth.
b) Christian speech must be kind and pure and honest to
all people and in all places.
D. Put off old self, put on new self.
1) A process more than a once-for-all event.
a) Train yourself to be godly.
b) Develop good habits.
2) Be renewed in knowledge of your Creator.
a) Start with your mind, and your body will follow.
V. PUT OFF OLD PREJUDICES.
A. People divide themselves along many lines.
1) Greeks saw themselves as sophisticated - Jews were uptight.
2) Jews saw Greeks as idolaters.
3) Barbarians and Scythicans were viewed as crass and
repulsive peoples - yahoos.
4) Economic divisions - slaves and masters.
B. There should be unity in Jesus.
1) Inner changes should show up in outward relationships.
2) As a young pastor, Jerry Falwell came under conviction by
God for his racial attitudes. He began to change them.
3) We are different people now. If you reflect the
limitations of society, you insult Jesus.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] Quote from sermon by Rev. Ray C. Stedman, "True Human Potential,"
February 1, 1987, #5454 in Holwick sermon database.
#2958 "Four Knights At An Execution," Dynamic Preaching, May 1992;
http://www.sermons.com.
#3929 "To Illustrate: Anger," Online Leadership Journal through America
Online.
This sermon relies heavily on the Expositor's Commentary on Colossians by
Curtis Vaughan and William Barclay's Commentary on Colossians.
These and 20,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://illust.holwick.com
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