Outer Banks Community Church

Text: Colossians 3:15-17 (NKJV)

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

Intro: New and improved! There are always new and improved products in the market, some are improved and some aren’t. The man or woman who believes in Jesus Christ is new! Really.

Application: Give your heart fully to Christ!

1. A Heart Ruled by God's Peace: vs. 15

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

- Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.

Only Christ can bring real peace to the human heart, the kind of peace that brings deliverance and the assurance of deliverance to the human soul. The choice is up to the believer: the believer does not automatically experience the peace of Christ. They are supposed to, but they may not. This is a command, which means it demands obedience.

The word "rule” means to be or to act as an umpire. Peace is to be the umpire, the deciding factor in all situations, circumstances, and situations of life. The believer must make a choice - the decision is his whether he lets the peace of Christ rule or not. Scripture commands it, but the believer has to be willing to let the umpire of peace rule. He has to be willing to lay aside all the differences and circumstances - to be willing to give up differences and let Christ handle them through the rule of His peace. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

There is an appeal here to let the umpire of peace and Christ rule in your heart and not an umpire of difference.

2. A Heart Rich with the Word of Christ: vs. 16

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

- Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.

Colossians 3:16 is as vital to the sanctification of a saint as John 3:16 is to the justification of a sinner.

The Word of Christ does not naturally dwell within the believer's heart. The word "dwell" means to be at home or to make a home; to abide or dwell within. The believer must make room within their heart for the Word of Christ. They must let the Word of Christ enter the heart and make a home within. We must let the Word of Christ dwell and abide in the heart. You got to clean out all the old furnishings of the heart and let the Word of Christ settle down as the permanent resident within the heart. You can’t be satisfied with just a meager visit by the Word of Christ. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7

1 Peter 2:2-3 “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

We must be living the Word of Christ. Knowing the Word and not living it is hypocrisy. Our very lives must be the home, the dwelling place for the Word of Christ. When people look at us, they must immediately see that our lives are indwelt by the Word of Christ.

There is a way to tell whether or not the Word of Christ dwells in us: Are we teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord? As we walk throughout the day are we; talking about Christ? Sharing the Word of Christ with each other? Teaching each other? Cautioning and encouraging and warning each other? Singing to ourselves and with others?

3. A Heart that does all in the Name of Christ: vs. 17

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

- Let your life represent Christ.

Do you have a heart that does everything in the name of Christ? You have a choice! We must do nothing that dishonors Christ. Whenever we speak, Christ sprinkles and fills our conversation; and whenever we act, Christ is honored by our behavior. We are to constantly thank Him and praise Him!

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:2