PRAYER FOR THAT WHICH WE ARE HERE FOR

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A TALE OF TWO COMMUNITIES

• Walsgrave Baptist Church
• 5th July 2009

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Community?

• Two definitions
• a group of people living together in one place
• a unified body of individuals
• Colossians 3
• Fallen community of darkness
• Risen community of light

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Colossians 31-5

• Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
  set your hearts on things above, where Christ is
  seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds
  on things above, not on earthly things. For you
  died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in
  God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then
  you also will appear with him in glory. Put to
  death, therefore, whatever belongs to your
  earthly nature sexual immorality, impurity,
  lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

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Colossians 36-11

• Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you
  once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of
  all such things as these anger, rage, malice,
  slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do
  not lie to each other, since you have taken off
  your old self with its practices and have put on
  the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
  in the image of its Creator. Here there is no
  Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,
  barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is
  all, and is in all.

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Colossians 312-15

• Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and
  dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
  kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear
  with each other and forgive whatever grievances
  you may have against one another. Forgive as the
  Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put
  on love, which binds them all together in perfect
  unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your
  hearts, since as members of one body you were
  called to peace. And be thankful.

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Colossians 316-17

• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you
  teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,
  and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
  with gratitude in your hearts to God. And
  whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it
  all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
  to God the Father through him.

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The Community of Darkness

• Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your
  earthly nature sexual immorality, impurity,
  lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You
  used to walk in these ways, in the life you once
  lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all
  such things as these anger, rage, malice,
  slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do
  not lie to each otherthere is no Greek or Jew,
  circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian,
  Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and
  is in all.

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• sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires,
  greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy
  language from your lips, lie to each
  otherprejudice
• a group of people living together in one place

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The Community of Light

• clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
  humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each
  other and forgive whatever grievances you may
  have against one another. Forgive as the Lord
  forgave you. And over all these virtues put on
  love, which binds them all together in perfect
  unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your
  hearts, since as members of one body you were
  called to peace.

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• open to all, compassion, kindness, humility,
  gentleness, patience. Bear with each other,
  forgive whatever grievances you may have, forgive
  as the Lord forgave you, love, perfect unity,
  peace of Christ
• a unified body of individuals

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What about the church?

• Light or dark?
• Romans 718-19 I know that nothing good lives in
  me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the
  desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it
  out. For what I do is not the good I want to do
  no, the evil I do not want to dothis I keep on
  doing!

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Wolverhampton?

• E tenebris lux..
• .out of darkness cometh light
• But how?

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Human effort!

• New year resolutions!
• Man made religion
• Colossians 221-23 Do not handle! Do not taste!
  Do not touch!?Such regulations indeed have an
  appearance of wisdom.. but they lack any value
  in restraining sensual indulgence.

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Christ the only way!

• Creator For by him all things were
  createdall things were created by him
  and for him. He is before all things, and in him
  all things hold together. (Col 116)
• Redeemer For God was pleased to have all his
  fullness dwell in him, and through him to
  reconcile to himself all things..by making peace
  through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col
  119-20)
• Deliverer having disarmed the powers and
  authorities, he made a public spectacle of them,
  triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 215)

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Out of darknessnew life in Christ

• Our state
• Col 212 buried with him in baptism and raised
  with him through your faith in the power of God,
  who raised him from the dead.
• Our responsibility
• Col 35 Put to death, therefore, whatever
  belongs to your earthly nature
• Freedom in Christ is available to us

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Into the light the imitation of Christ

• Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved
  (Col 312)
• the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit
  that we are Gods children. (Romans 816)

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Worship him.gratefully, and the virtues follow

• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as
  you teach and admonish one another with all
  wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and
  spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to
  God. (Col 316)
• Imitating Christ, we enter the community of light

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Out of darkness cometh light

• Transformed lives in Christ!

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Psalm 51

• Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
  unfailing love according to your great
  compassion blot out my transgressions.
• Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my
  sin.
• For I know my transgressions, and my sin is
  always before me.
• Against you, you only, have I sinned and done
  what is evil in your sight, so that you are
  proved right when you speak and justified when
  you judge.
• Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the
  time my mother conceived me.

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• Surely you desire truth in the inner parts you
  teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
• Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean wash
  me, and I will be whiter than snow.
• Let me hear joy and gladness let the bones you
  have crushed rejoice.
• Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my
  iniquity.
• Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a
  steadfast spirit within me.
• Do not cast me from your presence or take your
  Holy Spirit from me.
• Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant
  me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

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• Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and
  sinners will turn back to you.
• Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves
  me, and my tongue will sing of your
  righteousness.
• O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare
  your praise.
• You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring
  it you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
• The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a
  broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not
  despise.