DRESS FOR THE OCCASSION A Road Map for My Relationships

my position Paul is talking to the Church at Collose, providing instruction for them on how their lives should look now that they have received Jesus Christ.  Paul makes it clear that the old life – the old way that they used to live is no longer useful for this new life to which they have been called. He spends the first two chapters talking about Christ – who Christ is and what Christ has accomplished. He gives us a better understanding of our POSITION.

COLOSSIANS 1:13-14 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

COLOSSIANS 1:21-23 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

COLOSSIANS 2:6-7 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

COLOSSIANS 3:1-3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,  for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

My practice The last two chapters Paul talks about how we should live as a result of who Christ is - OUR PRACTICE

COLOSSIANS 3:9-11 seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!

Colossians 3:12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Colossians 3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.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.

My new position requires new practice! Position and Practice Our scripture today, shines the light on the tension we all face of position and practice. My position with God has changed but my practice is still the same. How I live my life in relationship to myself and to others. My new position requires new practice!

Start with self First, I need to begin with myself. It sounds easy enough. But, typically, when we have drama in our relationships we are more apt to look at the other person and blame that person instead of looking at the man/woman in the mirror. Why? It’s easier to see someone else’s faults than it is to see my own.

Dress for the occasion Dress for the occasion of being chosen. Dress for the occasion of being holy. Dress for the occasion of being beloved. This is my new position.

Dress for the occasion Individual personal qualities Interpersonal qualities Indispensable (all-purpose) quality

Individual qualities Compassion Kindness Humility Meekness Patience

Interpersonal qualities Bearing with one another Forgiving one another

Indispensable quality - Love Holding all 7 of these “pieces” together is love The indispensable, all-purpose, quality