Wed 8.3 - Another Name Angle

Today’s Readings: Colossians 3.17-25; Exodus 20.7;  Acts 11.26; Ephesians 3.14-15

So far this week we have noted two angles through which to look at the idea of “in the name” of Jesus, in verse 17 and 23 of Colossians 3. They were:

1) Acting like him, as we believe he would act were he there in the situation.

2) Acting on behalf of him, as his ambassador to the earth during this time of his physical body’s absence, and his spiritual body’s presence.

Today, let’s take a slightly different approach and round off this idea of acting in the NAME of Jesus Christ. I want to first direct your attention to the selected reading for today from Exodus. I would imagine that most people have at least heard this verse of Scripture before, if not read it or memorized it. We typically speak of this verse when talking about the 10 commandments. However, let’s lift it out of that context today and look at it through our idea from Colossians 3.

That verse tells us not to “TAKE the NAME of the Lord” in vain. So what does that mean. Well, let’s focus on those two words capitalized…

TAKE - what could that mean? Well, let me just say it doesn’t mean “say” or “speak” the name like we so often hear. While that would be included in this truth, it in NO WAY stops there. Think of how we would use that same word in other ways. If I walked up to you and offered you a gift, and I said, “go ahead, take it” how would you hear that word then? Would the idea of speaking about the gift ever even pop into your head? Of course not. You would think I meant it as “receive” or “make it your own”.

NAME - now apply that truth to TAKING the NAME of God…how do we TAKE someone’s name still today? Well, in case this scary wedding picture wasn’t enough hint for you, it’s at a marriage. When Sandy Smith married David Brown, she was no longer Smith, but Brown. She TOOK the NAME of Brown. In the same way, when we are saved, we take on the family name of our Father - the Lord. (one more aspect of the fact that we are now the “sons of God”, see John 1.12-14)

So, here’s the meat of what we should walk away with this morning…

- As a child of God, I have TAKEN His name upon myself when I was saved.

- Now, as part of His family, my actions reflect on Him. (have you ever heard of a father saying to one of their children, “You have disgraced the name of _____”?) It’s that same idea. WHAT WE DO REFLECTS ON HIM. It’s just the hard truth of the matter. As much as I hate to admit it and wish it was different sometimes. Our poor representation of Christ is oftentimes why the World around us wants nothing to do with Him. But then again, why would they if this is how His people act!?!?

- So, it is very important that my actions “WORD OR DEED” would live up to the reality of who I AM in Him. As one of His children, is this right by my Father? That should always be the question at the tip of our tongues.

May God help His children today to act according to who they are in Him. May we represent our Father and His Word well as we go throughout our days. And may all our WORDS and DEEDS be done according to His will and way. Amen.

1.2 - Walking Worthy

Yesterday, God established (through Paul) His desire that we be filled with knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Sounds simple enough right? (if only it was)

Today, in Col 1.10, He adds a second degree to the “Christ-identity” that God has predestined we should develop into (Rom 8.29), we are told to WALK WORTHY. Now, that seems to be simple enough doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. There are 2 other portions of scripture I want us to look at this morning and I think this will explain what God is saying simply, clearly, and at the same time challenge us like never before.

Before we get to those passages, let’s remind ourselves of what God says in Col 1.10. Read it in your Bible now.

So, we see the desire and prayer for the believer here is to WALK WORTHY in a way that is PLEASING and FRUITFUL in those GOOD WORKS. Alright, now what we are going to do is simply take the WORD OF GOD and figure out what He means by selecting those words to describe this WALK that is considered WORTHY. (remember, one of the greatest mistakes is to read something like this in scripture and then walk away making up our own conclusions and decisions about what the passage means, defining the terms our own way and therefore miss what God was trying to say to begin with.)

The first thing that He says is for this WALK to be PLEASING. How can I know what pleases God? How can I be sure that something does (or doesn’t) PLEASE Him? Take just a second and look up Heb 11.6 to answer that question, then settle in your head, what it is that allows us to please God. OK, what’s the answer? Now keep that in the front of your mind…
Next question, What is required for salvation? How do we “receive” Jesus Christ? (You can check our Eph 2.8-9 here for a Biblical answer if you do not know already). So, now what we can see is that the one thing that pleases God, and the thing that is necessary for SALVATION and receiving Christ, are the same thing…FAITH! Ok, with that in mind, check out what God says just one chapter later in the book of Colossians in 2.6. How did we get into this walk? Right, FAITH. And how are we to continue this walk? Right again, FAITH. It is that FAITH that is going to allow us to please God. It is that FAITH that comes from God and glorifies Him, so of course it pleases Him.

Ok, now the second passage. Remember that WORTHY WALK is to be one that is PLEASING, and also what? FRUITFUL. It is almost like God knew that we would be prone to stumble at this truth that FAITH is the NECESSARY thing if we want to be PLEASING to Him. So what He does is add the explanation of being FRUITFUL IN EVERY GOOD WORK. I know most of you probably have this verse memorized, but look it up anyway. James 2.17, 18, & 22 clarify this reality for us. God says that FAITH without the presence of WORKS  is what kind of FAITH? DEAD! So, if our FAITH is dead, will it be able to PLEASE God? I doubt it. However, if our FAITH is alive and proving itself by our WORKS, then that is a vibrant faith that will PLEASE God. Check out how He concludes the thoughts in James 2.22! You see, the FAITH and believing was always what mattered, but the simple truth is that true, LIVING FAITH will always be accompanied by WORKS.

How is your walk? Is it WORTHY? Are you still living the Christian life based upon the same FAITH that brought you into it (Col 2.6)? What areas of your life are lacking in FAITH and therefore not PLEASING to the Father? Are there any areas where your FAITH and your WORKS do not seem to match up? Let today be the day that God’s children recognize their WALK before Him by FAITH and become fruitful in every GOOD WORK in Jesus name!

1.1 - God’s Desire for the Christian’s Life

We will be taking much of our study in the DIRECTIONS series from the book of Colossians. This letter to the church serves as a sort of “Christian’s field guide” if you will. It is almost as if God is laying out the pattern for the Christian life He desires in this short epistle.

Notice the first point he makes once the 8 verse introduction is over. In Col 1.9-12, God describes a mature/developed believer. After describing what they heard about these believers, Pauls says they had not stopped praying for and desiring that these folks would have certain characteristics. So, what are the qualities of a mature believer? Take a minute to look through these verses and see how God described a mature Christian.

Now, the question we all knew was coming. Take that list and look in the mirror. Do you see your reflection? I hate to say that I do not see a great picture of myself there. I wish it would be more of one, and I know it is more than it used to be, but it is still nowhere near where it should be.

Today, let’s just look at the first thing He mentions, “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all widsom and spiritual understanding.” How do we do that??? Okay, maybe I can understand that I need to be filled with the knowledge of His will. That seems to make sense, right? I mean, of course God wants me to know His will. What I am having trouble wrapping my little brain around is how I am supposed to do that in “all wisdom” and ”spiritual understanding”? Maybe we could look at the Proverbs writer and see that Wisdom and Understanding are chiefly valuable (Prov 3.13-14, 4.7). Also, perhaps in our search of the WORD for GOD’S DEFINITION of the words He used (instead of trying to make up our own), we would find Job 28.28 where He reveals what Wisdom and Understanding are. So then, I am left to look for God’s will and do so with all wisdom (fear of Him) and spiritual understanding (fleeing evil).

Let’s take that jumble of verses and connect some of the dots. I think we all understand where we can go to learn the will of God…HIS WORD. Nobody in their right mind will argue with that. The trick comes when we try to do so with (#1) ALL WISDOM. Going to His word and with wisdom (FEARFULLY) searching for His will. When we begin to realize that God is a God of Truth, that He is a God that will NOT be mocked, and that He will ensure that all things about His Word come to pass, it takes on a new light. Maybe one of the reasons that we seem to be so distant from being able to “FIND THE WILL OF GOD” in our day is because so many of us search for it without FEARING God in the process. Now, of course I am not talking about fearing Him like you would bed-bugs when you were 6, but respectfully realizing the awesomeness of His power and nature. If we understand that about Him, how much more will we be likely to desire His WILL and persue it??? It has been said that knowledge is simply retaining facts and information, but wisdom is acting upon that and applying it to your lives. That’s the difference in knowing aboug God, and fearing Him. Sounds like wisdom to me.

The second thing that He says is to do so with (#2) SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. Now, the book of proverbs explains understanding as getting away from evil. However, that doesn’t sound extra spiritual, does it - it is almost just logical. Where does SPIRITUAL wisdom come into play? It has a lot to do with being able to look past the shallow surface of things. There may be things in our lives that seem to be fine, nothing evil on the surface, but underneath lies the stinky odor of sin. We learn in I Cor 3 to compare SPIRITUAL things with SPIRITUAL things to find SPIRITUAL truth. If something seems to be right, that doesn’t mean it is. Having sex with someone you love may SEEM right, or FEEL right, and sometimes is. However, sex takes place outside the boundaries of marriage, it is not - no matter how it seems or feels.  God very clearly says that is SIN. So, feeling right is not enough. do you see what I mean? PHYSICALLY something may seem right, but SPIRITUALLY it may stink. So, how do we know what is SPIRITUALLY truth? How do we gain spiritual understanding? We keep our mind in spiritual things. The Word of God, the Person of God, the Church of God, the Praise of God, the People of God, the Place of God, the Plan of God, the Kingdom of God, etc…and as we do that, we compare spiritual things with OTHER SPIRITUAL THINGS. In other words, when a question arises about truth, we do not look to others, to ourselves, or to anyting else to figure out what is SIN and what is not, except for the WORD OF GOD. You have heard it said around here plenty of times, “compare scripture with scripture.” That’s the key. Do you want to know the will of God? Do you want to have it in all wisdom? Then you are going to need to exercise some SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING!

(for further study, you could look through the scripture and find things God describes as “spiritual”,  “wisdom”, “knowledge”, and “understanding” and then look to those things to find the ever so hard to spot - “Will of God”)