Luke 2:22-40
December 29, 2024
Does it appear to you that people are becoming more and more aggressive, angry, or even vindictive these days? I’ve come to this conclusion based on social media postings, people’s driving habits, attitudes people have in stores, and the behavior of our state and national government leaders. With social media, it seems like people are quick to express their anger or put people down when others disagree with them or when things do not work out the way they want them. I read a lot of stories about road rage this year and how people seem to be driving more aggressively. Plus, people don’t seem very patient if they have to stand in line to return Christmas gifts. Suddenly that Christmas spirit of kindness and good will towards others disappears and people revert back to their old ways. Even our state and national government leaders seem to be constantly arguing with each other and putting each other down every chance they get.
Therefore, I think our second lesson for today from Colossians 3 is very appropriate for this time of the year. On Wednesday we will celebrate a new year, and people will be making New Year’s resolutions. What are yours going to be? Many people make resolutions relating to their health or fitness, or to their jobs or hobbies. What kind of person do you want to be in 2025? Today we have a list of 7 New Year’s resolutions in our second lesson from Colossians, 7 things we can strive to be in 2025 as people of God.
In this text these resolutions are described as items of clothing, things you can put on, which is certainly fitting since many of us received new clothes for Christmas and we usually like to start off the new year by showing off our new clothes. In a sense, God may be saying to each of us today, “I want you to make some changes in 2025 by putting on some new things for everyone to see.”
Paul, the writer of our second lesson, says in verse 12, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” These are 5 attitudes we don’t want to leave behind in 2024. The first one is compassion. This is a call for all of us to have a deep feeling of affection and care for others that is rooted in the love of Jesus that fills our hearts. The opposite of this would be someone who is cold and heartless, who is only concerned about himself. Ebenezer Scrooge was a character who lacked compassion as he was concerned only about his money and never paid attention to the needs of others. A compassionate person is someone who wants to help others. We certainly saw this in Woody Faircloth last Sunday as he told us about the different ways he was giving Emergency RVs to people in need. Ask yourself, “Are you aware of the needs of the people in your family, your church, or at work? What about your friends and neighbors? Are there ways you can help them?” Put on compassion, God tells us.
God also tells us to put on kindness, which includes not only saying nice things, but doing nice things. Kindness involves giving above and beyond the call to help another person. Fortunately, we had the chance to see several acts of kindness over the past few months as many of you brought shoeboxes filled with gifts for Operation Christmas Child, you provided supplies and financial assistance for those in need in the western part of our state after the hurricane, and some of you took those supplies and gifts to operation centers in the area or volunteered your time to work with needy families who lost their homes from Hurricane Helene.
Third, God tells us to put on humility. This is the virtue that leads us to strive to put others above ourselves and to put the welfare of others before our own. Do you know who is described in the Bible as the most humble person on the face of the earth? Moses. Numbers 12:3 says, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” I’m sure he recognized his weaknesses very quickly as he tried to lead 2 million people through the desert when God freed them from slavery and they complained all along the way.
Fourth, God says to put on gentleness. Gentleness is the opposite of road rage. It is the opposite of the person who is arguing with the sales clerk at the store. Every time I have the privilege of baptizing a child and then bringing the child down the center isle for all of you to see, I hold that child, that gift of God, very carefully in my arms. I am probably more gentle during those moments than at any other time as I do not want anything to happen to a child in my arms. I think that’s how God wants us to treat all people around us. A gentle person will not be easily provoked to fits of anger, and a gentle person would rather suffer injury than inflict it.
Fifth, God says to put on patience. When your children or parents make a mistake, when it’s the restaurant server’s first day on the job and they forget something, or when cars ride your bumper in traffic, even though you are going the speed limit, as Christians we are to be patient. Gentleness and patience are rare characteristics among people, but they ought to be distinguishing marks of the chosen, holy, and beloved children of God.
The sixth item that we are to put on like clothing is set apart from the others so that we can spend a little more time looking at it. Verse 13 says, “Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Despite all the efforts we make to follow these first 5 resolutions, we will have moments when we are not compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, or patient. There will be occasions when we hurt each other and make complaints against each other. But day after day we are to bear with each other and help each other, lovingly overlooking the slights and mistakes. We are to build one another up and strengthen each other rather than cruelly tearing each other down. And we are to forgive one another just as Jesus has forgiven us.
Now, what exactly does that look like? What does that mean? Just think of all the things Jesus wants us to do and we don’t do them; and all of the things Jesus doesn’t want us to do and we do them. But Jesus forgives whatever complaints He has against us, and He holds no grudges. Jesus does not say to us, “I forgive you for what you said to your spouse the other day, but I will never forget what you did.” No, Jesus forgives and forgets. In Jesus’ mind, in His eyes, it’s as though it never happened. No grudges, and that’s how Jesus wants us to forgive each other. Sure, you may have legitimate reasons to be upset with people sometimes; but forgive, Jesus says, forgive the way I have forgiven you. In 2025 let us forgive in the way that Christ has forgiven us.
And finally, the seventh resolution that God wants us to put on is found in verse 14, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” After we have put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness; over all of these virtues we are to put on love. The Greek word for “love” here is pronounced “agape,” which is a one-way love, meaning I will love you no matter what, even if you don’t love me back. This is the kind of love that God has shown to the world. Even though the world did not love God, God loved the world and sent His Son on Christmas. Even though we did not ask for it, Jesus loved us and died on a cross for our sins. God loves us, even though, there isn’t anything good about us to love. That’s the kind of love that God is talking about here – a one way kind of love that doesn’t expect anything in return. Love someone even though he/she may be unlovable. Even though there may be a million reasons to not love someone, you love them anyway.
So where are we going to get the strength to carry out these 7 New Year’s resolutions, especially if you are easily angered or vindictive, or if you usually hold grudges and find it hard to forgive? The answer, very simply, is Jesus. He will change you. Spend time with Him in 2025 and He will change you. Spend time learning about His humility in the manger, His compassion on the cross, and how far He was willing to go to save you. His one-way love for you will turn you into someone who shows one-way love to others. Resolve to spend more time with Jesus in 2025 and I guarantee He will change you to be more like Him.
