Stewards of Eden
This past Sunday we concluded our sermon series on Paul's letter to the Colossians. We reviewed Colossians 3:1-17 and looked at what it means to "Put on the New Self." Paul exhorts believers to "take off" or "strip off" our old way of living like the stripping off of old clothing and to put on our new way of living in Christ like the "putting on" of new clothing.
Paul lists 5 graces or 5 virtues that we are to put on and wear like new clothes – like new baptismal robes. We have been chosen, redeemed, and set apart by God to live this new life as new people in Christ and therefore we are to put on:
-Compassion – having empathy and concern for the sufferings of others
-Kindness – quality of being friendly, considerate, and generous with others
-Humility – the ability to count others as better than oneself
-Gentleness – being courteous, willingness to waive your rights for others
Patience – Ability not to become frustrated but to make allowances for another's shortcomings and tolerate their exasperating behavior.
Paul says we're to bear with each other and forgive one another as we have been forgiven. Bearing with others involves fully accepting them for who they are – just as they are – with all their faults and weaknesses and allowing them the space and the grace to be who they are as God is in process of renewing and remaking them just as God is in the process of renewing and remaking you.
Above all, we are to love one another as love holds everything together and we live with peace in our being because God has made peace with the world through Christ, and we have been called to live into this peace, and we do it all with hearts filled with gratitude for God's amazing grace.
This coming Sunday we will begin a new sermon series entitled "Stewards of Eden" and we'll start with Genesis 1 and look at what Scripture says about caring for our environment.