When Peace is Referee Adam Metropolis
What is this?
Umpire What is an umpire? What does an umpire do?
Umpire: “someone whose job is to make sure that players obey the rules in some sports, for example tennis and baseball. Someone who does this in other games, such as football and basketball, is called a referee.” (macmillan)
Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let 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. 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.
Let the peace of Christ “rule” in your hearts “rule” Βραβε ύ ω brabeuō Sounds like: brrah – boo – oh Definition 1. to be an umpire
“Let the peace of Christ be the umpire in your hearts continually.” “Let the peace of Christ be the referee in your hearts continually.” [The peace > > > of Christ] < You
What is this?
How would you describe this?
“rich”: Containing a large amount of choice ingredients, such as butter, sugar, or eggs, and therefore unusually heavy or sweet: a rich dessert. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let 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. 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.
What is the Word of Christ? (hint: The answer is not that complicated)
The Word of Christ: The Bible
John MacArthur talks about what it is like to let the Word dwell in you richly. He says that as Christians, we must be so saturated with the Scriptures that “if someone were to cut us we would bleed Bible Verses.”
Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let 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. 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.
Is it easy to sin if everything you do, in word or deed, is done in the name of Jesus while giving thanks to him? I can think of many things that are very difficult to do under those conditions.
So what happens if you do sin? What happens if your sin is so heinous, and there is so much of it, that you know God must punish it in order to be just? What happens when you know that you deserve hell?
For the wages of sin is [eternal] death (from Romans 6:23)
The Great Exchange When all I expect is the wrath of God for my sinful choices, out of nowhere He blesses me beyond my wildest imaginings. It is in these times that I know my blessings are not based on my own moral performance, but solely on the moral accomplishment of Jesus Christ alone. His righteousness is metaphysically substituted as a replacement for my own. When it comes time for God to punish me, He instead looks at Jesus' goodness, and blesses me for it, even though I am a wicked man. But the sin must still be punished. He looks upon my wickedness, my choice to rebel against him, and He curses the perfect Son of God on that Roman crucifix. He curses, and He kills. My sin is put to death with Jesus' body, and my righteousness ignites as Jesus rises from the grave. This is what Luther called the Great Exchange.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
Let's pray.