By Mike Dawson
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia
Focal Passage: Colossians 3:1-17
Johnny Mercer wrote a song in 1944 that became very popular while Americans struggled under the burden of World War II.
Mercer’s novelty song lifted our country’s sagging spirits. The refrain actually came from a sermon — and was delivered like a sermon: “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, Eliminate the negative, Latch on to the affirmative, Don’t mess with mister in-between.” I hope it won’t seem irreverent to use those phrases to form the outline of today’s text, Colossians 3:1-17.
You’ve got to…
Accentuate the Positive, verses 1-4.
Mike Dawson
The Apostle Paul was in jail for preaching the Gospel. He could have been whining and complaining about such an injustice; instead he was writing four of the most positive verses ever written. He tells his friends in the Colossian church to look UP — seek those things which are above. Look BACK — you died; Paul was telling them (and us) that when Christ died on the cross, we believers died with Him. And look AHEAD — when Christ, who is our LIFE, appears, you will also appear with Him in glory.
Many years ago two young single women boarded a ship for a dark pagan nation where they were committed to serve as Christian missionaries. A skeptical passenger found out what they were doing and where they were heading. “You’ll die over there!” he sneered. They answered, “We died before we left.” We are called to die with Christ AND one day to reign with Him. Let’s ‘accentuate’ these positives!
Eliminate the negative, verses 5-9.
Paul tells us in these verses to put to death the sins of our life before we met Christ; read the five such sins in verse 5, and agree with Paul that these sins are bringing God’s judgment on today’s lost society. Then the Apostle tells us to put off the sins (like putting off dirty clothes) that believers commit; read the six such sins in verses 6-9, and pray for us in the church to repent! The list bears repeating: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, and lying. If you don’t think any of these apply to church members today, you might drop in on a congregational business meeting. Listen to adults or youth outside the church. On the phone. At the mall. Online. In school. Or at home. May God help us believers despise our sins enough to put them away!
Latch on to the Affirmative, verses 10-16.
Now look at the list of new ‘clothes,’ as it were, that we are to put on; there are at least ten items that we who are new men and women in Christ need to have in our ‘clothes closets;’ read this list and ask yourself if these are indeed the qualities you have ’latched on to’ as a Christian. Each of these characteristics will mark us as true believers. Put them on and live out the Gospel!
Don’t mess with mister in-between, verse 17.
May we not waffle back and forth in our life; may we do EVERYTHING — yes, do ALL — in the name of the Lord Jesus, and ALWAYS with thanksgiving. As Paul had indicated in verse 11, nothing in our ‘background’ really matters, only CHRIST, who is ALL … and IN all. Keep focused on HIM. B&R — Dawson is pastor emeritus at First Baptist Church, Columbia, and also serves as transitional interim around the state.
