Set Your Mind on Things That Are Above

C Lectionary 18 – August 4, 2013

Text: Colossians 3:1-11 (+ 12-17)

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, Texas

+ INJ +

So, in today’s portion of Colossians, what we’re served up feels an awful lot like a big, fat ethics lesson. “Be sure not to do this!” “But also, be sure to do that!” Is it any wonder that many people – including many Christians – feel that following Jesus is basically following a bunch of rules?

“[G]et rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth,” and also lying to each other, says this letter. Later on, in the verses right after where we finished reading today, we find: “[C]lothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 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. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 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.”

It seems like a big task, doesn’t it – “Be sure not to do this!” “But also, be sure to do that!”

Rather than simply thinking of the Christian life as a matter of ethics – or rule-following - though, I invite us to think about the Christian life from a standpoint of community. Remember that Colossians was written for a community – as such, it addresses community needs and community life. And so, since we also live and work in and belong to communities of one kind or another (just like the Colossians did), I invite to think about these instructions in terms of what is most helpful to us and to others in our communities?

We should “…get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth,” and also lying to each other. Get rid of them. Take them out to the dumpster, open the lid, and throw them in, closing the lid afterwards. From a standpoint of caring for one another in our communities, what place do these things really have, anyway?

Instead, Colossians says, this is how we care for each other: we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love. Bear with one another; forgive each other; let Christ’s peace take control of us; teach each other; be grateful to God; and say and do everything in the name of Jesus. In our communities, the expectation is that we will be the loving ones and the patient ones.

The image given in Colossians is one of taking off all of the unhelpful things – removing them, like a dirty, smelly shirt, and then putting on clean clothing. Indeed, this is what took place at baptisms in early Christian communities. The baptismal candidate would remove their old clothes before the baptism, putting on fresh, new clothes following the baptism. And so – while this is an unfamiliar image for us in terms of how we do baptisms – for the Colossians, this taking off of the old before a baptism and putting on the new afterwards – this was familiar territory for them.

When I was in high school, I went into my mom’s room once to get something. She had this note taped to her mirror: “SIFT,” it said.

Knowing my mom, the note wasn’t about baking. It wasn’t about taking that sifter in one hand and putting the flour and other ingredients through it, getting everything mixed together and pulling out any random clumps or clods. And so, later on, I asked her. She explained that she had been working on sifting out some thoughts that were unhelpful. The note, then, was a visual reminder to herself – to keep on sifting.

So it is with our Christian lives – we sift out the unhelpful – we sift out those things that really should go into the trash, and we are left instead with only that which is helpful – that which truly builds our communities, rather than tearing them down. We won’t always sift perfectly. We’re going to lose our tempers and say things we shouldn’t. We’re going to sin from time to time. Thank God at those times that we have those around us who bear with us and forgive us! And thank God that we can be the patient and forgiving ones to those around us when they sin!

The sifting takes some time – it takes some intentionality. But if we look at all of this from a standpoint of what is helpful to our communities and what builds others up, we see that is the heavenly view of things. That’s really what it means to set our minds on things that are above – not that we see things through rose-colored glasses, but rather, we look at everything through a lens of grace. Seeing everything through a lens of grace, we begin to see where the needs are, and to respond with love, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Recently, a pastor friend found out that a young woman in his community – a relative of a church member – had been seriously injured in an accident. The young woman was life-flighted to a specialty hospital so her wounds could be properly treated. My friend, with the family’s permission, of course, shared the young woman’s story with others online, as well as providing love, prayers, and support to the young woman and her family.

Now, I’ll be honest: lots of times, I see or hear these prayer requests and that’s the last I hear about them. I’ll offer up prayers as requested, but I often don’t get to hear the rest of the story – what happens after I offer my prayers on behalf of that stranger in need?

My friend continued to post updates about the young woman, continuing to ask for prayers for her. Another friend, who serves as a pastor in another state, decided to ask his folks to make cards for the young woman. And so, they did – much like we have here at ORLC before – a bunch of Floridians sat around tables and made cards for a young woman lying in a hospital bed in Texas. And many, many prayers have been said for her, too, by people she doesn’t even know.

Both of my friends looked at this tragic situation through a lens of grace. One friend saw the deep need for prayer for the young woman and her family. The other friend saw the deep need for expressions of love, given by brothers and sisters in Christ. Both friends clothed themselves with love, “which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

May we too choose to put on love. May we choose that which is helpful. May we choose that which builds up. May we choose to put on love.

Amen.