You are what you eat (you worship how you believe)

Colossians 3:12-17

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ds

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You are loved. You are chosen. God chose you. And you were chosen to be on this ministry team, at this time, for a reason known to him, and maybe known to you.

1)    How have you been loved on this team?

a.     How have you shown love on this team?

2)    On a scorecard rate this time in terms of: having compassion, kindness, humility meekness, and patience?

a.     Now rate yourself?

Many of you have heard the phrase, “you are what you eat.” Well there was a similar phrase you might know, “Lex orandi lex credendi” it means, “how you worship is how you believe” (Prosper of Aquitaine). Worship is a pretty huge thing. God designed us to worship him with our bodies, and not just on Sundays, but every moment of our lives. God tells us in Romans 12:1-2, to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, this is worship. Don’t be conformed to this world any longer, but be transformed by God.

3)    How have you been at worshiping God in your daily life?

a.     How has this team done in encouraging you to worship God in your daily life?

b.     On that scorecard write some things that you and this team could do better.

If we put this text in context, Paul just went through a huge list of all sorts of things that we are not to be, and are to rid of our lives. This is so hard to do, to break old habits, to break old relationships that may be detrimental to our Christian faith and our spiritual formation. Life is a struggle.

4)    Read verses 12 and 13 again. What are you called in this verse, and what Jesus has done for you?  (chosen, holy, loved; forgiven)

Now in verse 13 it also says we are to be forgiving others, as the Lord forgave you. Take time right now with a partner and share how you rated yourself on your scorecard with those characteristics, and on how you have been at worshipping God in your daily life. Confess and repent of whatever you may need to. Then forgive each other.

These verses (12-17) all speak of being a part of a team, Christ’s body. He has forgiven and called you. God chose you to be on his team. And God’s love, Christ, and the peace that we now have between us and God and each other can rule in our hearts. Christ, his love and peace is now in our hearts allows us to be members of his body: to worship together, to worship daily, and to receive forgiveness when we screw-up. We have been reconciled and we can reconcile others. Give thanks to God for the mercy he shows us and for the grace he loves us with.

5)    What are some ways that you can “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”?

a.     How can this team help teach or admonish you better?

b.     How can you help this team teach or admonish others?

c.     What is something you can give thanks for today?

Close in Prayer (With your partner): Praise and thank God for his choosing you, loving you, Ask God for strength and humility to bear one another in your troubles. Give thanks to the Father for Christ for his peace, and this team and his body, which you get to be a part of. Share with your partner something you need prayer for you this week. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen.

 

And just for something funny:

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