Adult Uniform Sunday School Lesson for August 26, 2018

                       Practicing Justice

Adult Uniform Sunday School Lesson for August 26, 2018

Purpose

To exemplify the love and life of Christ in our daily lives

Bible Lesson

Background: Ephesians 4:25–5:2; Colossians 3:1-17

Colossians 3:5-17 (CEB)

5 So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 The wrath of God is coming upon disobedient people because of these things. 7 You used to live this way, when you were alive to these things. 8 But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language. 9 Don’t lie to each other. Take off the old human nature with its practices 10 and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. 11 In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people.

12 Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. 14 And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people. 16 The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.

Key Verse

Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Some Thoughts

By

Burgess Walter

First I would like to apologize for not posting last week, On Sunday the 12th of September, a large tree in our yard was struck by lightning and we lost a lot of electronics and our internet for several days. We are fortunate that the damage was not more severe, it blew the top out of the tree and it fell on our patio and screened in porch, but could have been much worse.

Now for this week’s thoughts. Our text is from Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae. Paul was never able to visit this church and the letter is one of Paul’s prison letters he wrote while in prison in Rome. Other letters Paul wrote while in prison include possibly  Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians.

In chapter 1 Paul explains the reason for the letter “7 You learned it from Epaphras, who is the fellow slave we love and Christ’s faithful minister for your sake. 8 He informed us of your love in the Spirit. 9 Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

Paul is trying to take those in Colossae to a better place where the old is gone and they take on a new life.  Being a Christian brings a new birth, the things we used to do we do no more. Also our hearts are changed and we seek peace instead of anger, we seek holiness instead of abiding in sin, Our life is expected to reflect the life of Christ

Being a Christian means we all are one in Christ, no more Greek and Jew, black or white, educated and uneducated we are all one in Christ. The confusion comes when we incorporate that into a bigger picture of those that have not chosen Christ. Being in Christ does not mean you are not welcoming the world into your circle of friends. We need to be inclusive with other believers, but not necessarily with those that choose not to believe in Christ. 5 So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)........ 8 But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language.

There are those that teach we must be inclusive in our teachings and our beliefs, that is not what I see. There is the world’s followers and there are Christ followers. We must not preach and teach that unity is more importa nt than holiness. Sin is still sin, and Christ offers the only remedy for that, a new life in HIm. Heaven and hell are real, heaven is for the redeemed and hell is for those that choose the way of the world. When we candy coat it and try to let everybody in, we defeat the  purpose of the cross, Christ died for all of those that believe, and His will is that all will believe.

My hymn for this week is “Redeemed”.