The Divine Tailor: Clothed in Christ's Love
I've got a question for you, and I want you to really chew on it: Do you sometimes feel like a slave to worldly possessions, to your job, or to life's ever-mounting anxieties? Well, you're not alone. And here's the exciting bit – the Gospel message that we're about to explore promises freedom from all such forms of slavery.
Picture this: You're in Colosse, a bustling city in Asia Minor, home to a small but vibrant community of Christians. Around you, towering reminders of pagan worship, like the great temple of Diana, loom. Yet, amidst the idolatry, you gather with fellow believers in the privacy of a home. This was the reality for the first readers of the Epistle to the Colossians. Makes your local church feel a tad quaint, doesn't it?
It's no accident that we're here, in this place of spiritual tension, where old meets new, where freedom battles slavery. You see, the message from the Apostle Paul to the Colossians is equally applicable to us today. Our own forms of idolatry may not be as grand as the temple of Diana, but they can be just as enslaving.
Let's take a moment to look at Colossians Chapter 3, verse 5. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry." Now, this isn't merely about rejecting the 'bad' things, it's about understanding that these can shackle us, restrict us, hold us back from living the life God intended for us.
I remember a time when I was utterly shackled by my job. A relentless 9 to 5, with little space for rest or reflection, much less God. It felt as though my career owned me. Can you relate? Well, one day, quite out of the blue, I was let go. At first, I was devastated, but then I realised something powerful – it was my golden opportunity for release. From that moment, I began to put God first and allowed my job to serve His purpose, not the other way around.
And there's our hook! As it turns out, my little job misadventure wasn't a coincidence. As believers, we understand that God guides our lives, putting us in situations or meeting people that may seem random, but are anything but. Do you remember the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus? It was no chance encounter. Saul, a persecutor of Christians, was transformed into Paul, the greatest evangelist in the history of Christianity. He was set free from his spiritual blindness to become a slave to God and his Son.
The notion of being a slave to God may seem contradictory, but here's the thing – God’s yoke is light, His burdens are easy, and He offers true freedom. In Colossians 3:22-24, Paul’s words about earthly masters and servants echo this truth. It isn't about oppression; it's about willingly serving God, out of love. Isn’t that refreshing?
Now, if we serve God and Christ, how does that reflect in our lives? In Colossians 3:12, Paul invites us to "clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." These virtues are our spiritual garments. We've taken off our old clothes, represented by our past sinful lives, and have put on Christ.
This reminds me of a humorous story from my childhood. My mother, bless her, used to insist on us kids dressing up for church. One Sunday, I turned up wearing the most dazzling pair of trousers you could imagine - bright red with bold, white polka dots. My older sister nearly choked on her cornflakes when she saw them! "You can't wear those to church!" she gasped. "Why not?" I replied, "God likes a bit of colour!" The church certainly got a bit of colour that day, and I got a fair bit of teasing. But hey, we all have our own ways of putting on new clothes, don't we?
When we put on these spiritual garments, we're not just sprucing up for Sunday service; we're dressing for daily life. And the result? We reflect the love and mercy of Christ in our lives. Love becomes the "bond of perfectness" (Colossians 3:14). Our lives become testimonies of the transforming power of Jesus.
Do you remember Isaiah 61, where it says, "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness..." (Isaiah 61:10)? This is our hope and joy! Through Christ, we've been given a dazzling set of spiritual clothes, far brighter and more meaningful than any polka-dot trousers.
Now, how does this transformation look in practice? It's about kindness, about considering your words before speaking, about thinking of your own sins and challenges before highlighting those of others. It's about forgiveness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.
Sounds a bit challenging, doesn't it? But here's the good news - you're not on your own in this. The God of peace, who resurrected our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, promises to make you perfect in every good work (Hebrews 13:20).
And when we stumble, as we sometimes will (who hasn't had a moment of foot-in-mouth syndrome?), remember, the grace of God is always available to help us get back on track. Just like my sister offered me a pair of her less, um, 'expressive' trousers after the polka dot incident!
In conclusion, the journey from slavery to freedom, from the old man to the new, is one of transformation. It's about breaking free from worldly shackles and serving God willingly. It's about clothing ourselves in spiritual virtues, reflecting Christ in our lives. As we embark on this journey, we can be confident that our loving God, who sees all our efforts, will work in us and through us to fulfil His will. Now, doesn't that give you a real sense of freedom and purpose?
And so, my friend, let's march forward on this journey, remembering that we serve a God who not only wants us to be free but also empowers us to live in freedom. We are defined not by the chains we've broken but by the love and transformation we've embraced. May your journey be filled with the joy and peace that comes from serving God and living in the freedom He offers. And who knows? Perhaps along the way, we might even add a bit more colour to the world!
