New Drip for a New Life

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony

- Colossians 3:12-14

Rock the right fit

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

- Colossians 3:8-10 12 

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…

- Colossians 3:12 

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

- Matthew 11:29 

Forgive the fashion fails of others

13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

- Romans 3:25b 

Let love be your statement piece

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony…

- Colossians 3:12-14

Lead On

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

- Judges 17:6; 21:25

“Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘Āina I ka Pono” “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” - King Kalakaua III

The significance of Judges is found in this cycle:

• Rest

• Rebellion

• Retribution

• Repentance

• Rescue

Leadership Lessons from Two Judges

Deborah

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:“That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

- Judges 5:1-2

God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.

- Romans 12:8 (NLT)

Gideon

And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.  17  And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.  18  When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

- Judges 7:16-18

A New Thing, a New Direction, a New Season

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

- Isaiah 43:18-19

Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning the dew of your youth will be yours.

- Psalm 110:3

An Impossible Prayer

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

- Colossians 1:15-20

Believing in the supremacy of Christ changes the way we pray.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way:

- Colossians 1:9-10

Is it actually possible to live a life worthy of the Lord and to please Him in every way?

10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way:

- Colossians 1:10

We live a life worthy of the Lord when we grow.

We can grow in:

Good fruit

…bearing fruit in every good work…

- Colossians 1:10

The knowledge of God

…growing in the knowledge of God… 

- Colossians 1:10

Endurance and patience (with joy)

11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful…

- Colossians 1:11-12, NIV

11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…

- Colossians 1:11, ESV

Gratitude (with joy)

12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

- Colossians 1:12

Growth is possible because Jesus gave us new life.

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

- Colossians 1:13-14

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

- Colossians 1:21-23

The Incomparable Christ

The supremacy of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. - Colossians 1:15-18

Redemption through Christ

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Colossians 1:19-20

The resonance of Christ in our lives

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. - Colossians 1:21-22

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2