Let it Be with Kevin Harvey

ALL TO WORSHIP  (congregation reads words in bold)
Come and worship!
Be still and aware of God’s presence
within and around you.
 
(Pause)
 
Come and worship!
Be still and aware of Jesus’ presence
within and around you.
 
(Pause)
 
Come and worship!
Be still and aware of the Spirit’s presence
within and around you.
 
(Pause)
 
Be still and know the presence of the Triune God,
the Father to whom we come,
the Son through whom we come,
the Spirit by whom we come.
 
(Pause)
 
Hear his word:
Be STILL and know that I am God.
 
Message:  Let it Be   Colossians chapter 3 
 
 Introduction 
 This morning I would like to see ourselves as “God seekers“  I am going on the assumption that we are here this morning wanting to know more  of the God we serve.  Wanting to know more of who he is and what he wants from us. 
 
 Question one. Where do you see yourselves and you’re  seeking? 
 In other  words, how’s your life going how was your Christian journey? 
 Perhaps it would help if we could Magine the Lord Jesus himself asking you. How are things? 
 
 Going further on this premise of us being “seekers/followers of Christ, who want and desire  to live victorious and have success.
 
 If heaven is ultimately what we seek. How are we achieving it? Do we have a plan? 
 It’s a fair question.  Most people plan for their future. Job, housing, family, where to go to school, where to live etc. And we should. But what about our eternal state? 
 
 Some feel it’s out of their control the eternal question. Oh well do your best. When asked the deep questions  if anybody should have the answers it should be us! We have the word of God with all his promises.
 All too often we hear expressions like “just do your best“ God knows my heart.  These are all truths, but incomplete truths that can lead us down the wrong path. 
 How many times have we heard people say “I’m a good person“ what they really mean is I’m better than so-and-so.
 Remember we’re talking about eternity. Let’s not take it lightly! 
 
 Then again  some field as long as we are religious or we are well disciplined. That’s the key...
 
 On and on I can go with countless ideas, religions, philosophies that propose to be the method, the way. So I’m going even further and teach well, all roads lead to heaven or to God. 
 But that’s not what the Scriptures teach. 
 
 My point today is not to judge but to see what the Scriptures say what they declare. What Jesus taught. In this case what the apostle Paul taught by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and his letter to the Colossian church and  to us this morning. 
 
 The epistle of Colossians can be outlined this way. Who Christ is. What he is done  for us. How we ought to be. 
 Chapter 1 verse 9 ff  The preeminence of Christ 
 Verse 13. Delivered, conveyed redeemed 
 
 Verse 15. He is the image of the invisible God. 16 creator of all things. 17 sustainer. 20 reconciler 
—————-
 Chapter 2 vs 1ff not philosophy but Christ.
 Verse 11 and following. Not legalism but Christ 
 Chapter 3 verse 1. not carnality but Christ 
 So what then? 
 
 The answer  to the problems in our life and our Christian walk is that we have to put on the new man. We have to let it be. 
 When you can see Christ for who he is.  When you realize deep in your soul what he is done. When you know what he can do. Then you will have victory 
 Here is the key verse. Set your mind 
 Chapter 3 verse 12 to 17 
 Then it’s the picture  of something we do every day. Dressing and undressing. Putting off the old man. Putting on the new Man.
 Let it be, let it be. Let the love of Christ. Notice how love is the glue that holds all these things together.