Hey guys, this is Tracy. If at any time you'd
like to connect with HCV, go to hcv .church forward
slash connect. If you feel called to give, go
to hcv .church forward slash give. And if at
any time you feel called to make a change in
your life, text change me to 970 -00. Enjoy the
message. Wow, big crowd. Good job. You just realized
it was white rain, right? Good job. If you're
joining us from home, thank you for welcoming
us into your space. So yesterday, I was at my
son Phoenix's basketball game. And while there,
an alert came through my phone from Isaac. And
Isaac is my 27 -year -old oldest son who is currently
in Kenya. And he sent me a few photos that I
want to share with you. So if you take a look
at the screen, our shoes have been delivered.
And not only were they delivered, but they were
taken by motorcycle to the school where Isaac
works. And now they're using your sneakers to
play basketball. So little be known that... Here
we are in Hagerstown, Maryland, and we're making
a difference all around the world. So a big thank
you to everyone that gave your shoes. Currently,
we've sent 200 pairs to Kenya. You gave us 1
,000, so we can't send that many to Kenya. It's
a little pricey, but we are going to use them
for the backpack giveaway and Souls for Souls,
so your shoes will not go without being used.
Another testimony I want to share, I received
this email this week from Christy, and it shared
this. Just wanted to give you an update from
my yellow post -it note that I placed on the
cross last year. So we have two crosses in the
back with post -it notes on it. If you have a
prayer request or a need that you want someone
to pray for, put a post -it note on that cross.
And you may be thinking, well, Chris, why would
I do that? Well, let me continue. I had my MRI
at Mercy in Baltimore this week for my breast
cancer check. Got results back last night, all
clear, no cancer. So if you've happened to have
been praying for someone to be healed from cancer
or not have cancer, your post -it note that you
are praying for has been answered. And I want
to continue to encourage you. God is moving in
our community of faith. If you have a need, ask
someone to pray for you. Put it on a post -it
note. Whatever works because God wants to set
you free. So let's open in prayer. As we conclude
our February series, check up. Holy Spirit, come.
God, we are just thankful and grateful for what
you're doing in our midst. I just pray, God,
that you would silence distractions. God, you
would unclog our ears, open our minds, open our
hearts to receive your truth this morning, God,
that we would be supernaturally changed, empowered,
and that, God, we would live on purpose to change
our community. In Jesus' name, amen. So we are
concluding our series, Check Up, which has led
us through the book of Colossians for the month
of February. We remember that Paul wrote this
letter while he was in prison to the church in
Colossae with the idea of helping them to navigate
through some difficulties they were having as
a church. You may remember they had begun to
mix some things from the world, ideas from culture,
things from the state or political views into
Their relationship with Jesus. Things like Gnosticism,
legalism, and local superstitious practices.
And as they were mixing that into their faith,
Paul writes them this letter and says, No! Let's
get back to what matters most. Let's get back
to the basics and shift our focus back. on Jesus.
We don't need anything else. We just need him.
Now, I was driving my wife's car yesterday, and
there was a slight right -handed turn in the
road ahead. And as I began to make that turn,
the steering wheel began to shake violently,
and the word brake appeared on the dashboard.
And it kind of freaked me out for a second. And
then I realized, oh, it's the lane warning system
of the car. The car had assumed that I was traveling
out of my lane because of the slight angle in
the road, and another car was coming at me. But
I just thought, wow, how amazing that we now
have vehicles that assist us in remaining in
the center of our lane while we are driving.
Now, I don't know about you, but it used to be
my wife that would tell me, hey, Chris, get in
the lane. Pay attention. And now she just says,
hey, Chris, listen to the car. See, this letter
from Paul is similar to that automotive feature
now in our vehicles. It's a readjustment of our
hearts so that we get back to Jesus at the center,
that we live a Jesus -focused life. Now today
we'll be discussing Colossians chapter 4, and
it's a challenge for the church. I will be specifically
focusing on five verses that are some of the
most challenging verses in the entire Bible on
how we as followers of Jesus are called to live
a Jesus -focused life. So I would like us all,
invite us all to close our eyes. And I want to
read these words over you now. And I'm asking
you to close your eyes simply so that you're
able to focus on hearing the words being spoken.
Colossians chapter 4 verses 2 through 6. Devote
yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a
thankful heart. Pray for us too that God will
give us many opportunities to speak about his
mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why
I'm here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim
this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely
among those who are not believers and make the
most of every opportunity. Let your conversation
be gracious and attractive so that you will have
the right response for everyone. Five verses
that I believe can be summarized into one phrase
and it's simply this. How to live like Jesus.
How to live like Jesus. In our world today. We
need a group of people that are willing to live
like Jesus. And I get it. Well, Chris, that's
setting the bar real high for us to follow. When
the author of our faith, who was absolutely perfect,
lived a life for us to pattern our lives after.
I get it. Many times we're not going to reach
the goal. We're going to fall short. However,
it's important for us to read this passage and
motivate ourselves to be a better person. to
pattern our life after the one that changed the
world for all eternity. It's hard to live in
this world that's fallen and full of broken people
that suddenly are riding your bumper while you're
driving on the interstate, only to move quickly
into the right -hand lane past you and then squeeze
into the space that you are allowing for safe
traveling distance between the car in front of
you. I don't know about you, but when that happens
to me, I don't want to live like Jesus. I want
to live like Chris. But let me challenge you.
Our world needs representative Jesus more than
ever before. The world is hungry for truth. They're
hungry for Jesus. And if you look around, Jesus
is actually very popular in our culture today.
And people need to see a group of followers that
will say, you can follow my life as I follow
Jesus. I might not be perfect, which we all aren't.
But I'm going to live a life that honors Jesus
in what I say, what I do, and how I live. Hear
me out. This is very significant for our lives.
The greatest threat to God's kingdom isn't those
who openly oppose Jesus. The greatest threat
to God's kingdom... is for those who are following
Jesus or say they're following Jesus, but don't
live like that. And that is what is happening
in our world today. See, the enemy isn't worried
about those who openly oppose Jesus. He's already
got them. His focus is on those that say they
follow Jesus, but actually don't live like him
in their actions, in their attitudes, and how
they respond to others. And we are called to
represent Jesus well. And I want to tell you
right now, the world is hungry for truth. They're
hungry for authenticity. They're hungry for community.
They're hungry for purpose. And let us not miss
out on this moment that God has given us to show
Jesus to a lost and dying world. But unfortunately,
over many years, the church has complicated this
relationship with Jesus. So I want to present
to you today a few simple truths on how to live
a life that honors God with our lives that leads
us to our first thought this morning. See, hypocrisy
deceives others and ourselves. Jesus was very
clear that he opposed people who were hypocrites
when we read in Matthew 23. What sorrow awaits
you, teachers of religious laws and you Pharisees?
Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs,
beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside
with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity.
Outwardly you look like righteous people, but
inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy
and lawlessness. See, that word hypocrisy there
comes from the Greek term meaning actor or someone
that wears a mask. Kind of like this bowl of
fruit. When we look at this basket of fruit,
we may receive one during the holidays, it looks
beautiful until I say, hey Bill, give a bite
of that to me. Oh my gosh, the second person
this morning that can't catch an orange. No wonder
I'm a baseball coach. Bill, how's that orange
taste? Oh, it's plastic. Oh, that's right. That's
not a real orange. That's a fake fruit. See,
hypocrisy, hypocrisy looks spiritual but has
no nourishment. It has nothing to offer. Luke
chapter 11, verse 39. Then the Lord said to him,
you Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside
of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy,
full of greed. and wickedness. Jesus would go
on to say to the same people you honor me with
your lips but your hearts are far from me. See
hypocrisy is pretending to be spiritually alive
while inwardly you're disconnected from God.
And when followers of Jesus say one thing and
live another you know what happens? Well the
results are people begin to question the good
news. Well if Jesus is so good then why do you
live a life of compromise? Hypocrisy causes God's
name to be dishonored because it misrepresents
who he is. When people claim to belong to God
but live in contradiction to his character, others
then associate that contradiction with God himself.
And they say, well, if you're living that way,
why can't I? Religious hypocrisy causes the church's
credibility to suffer. It creates stumbling blocks
for others to enter the kingdom. It hardens an
already unbelieving heart. And he gives skeptics
justification to reject Jesus and challenge his
truths. See, many people don't reject Jesus.
They reject inconsistent followers. And they
say, I want nothing to do with church. And it's
not just our witness to others. Please hear me
out. James 1 .22 reminds us, don't just listen
to God's word. Do what it says. Otherwise, you're
only fooling yourself. And see, this is the most
dangerous part of hypocrisy. We begin to believe
our own act. We begin to believe that we're in
this relationship with Jesus on Sunday. We play
the part. We listen to the sermon. We quote scripture.
We attend church. We worship with our arms raised,
but we don't live it out. And this leads to self
-deception that we slowly become spiritually
numb to the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
And listen, followers of Jesus aren't perfect.
We're just in the right pursuit. We're pursuing
God. We're in the pursuit of living a life that
honors God in everything that I say and do. And
see, I want to live like Jesus with my family,
in my marriage, in my workplace. That we would
be representatives of Jesus everywhere we go
and we would represent him well. And that is
my challenge to you this morning, which leads
us to our action steps. How to live like Jesus.
Four simple steps that will be applied to our
lives. We will be supernaturally changed. And
the first is this. We are devoted to prayer.
Colossians chapter 4 verse 2, devote yourselves
to prayer, being watchful and thankful. See,
if the church should be known for one thing,
it should be known for prayer. That we get to
actively talk to God. Now think about that truth
just for a second. We have access to the God
of the universe that we can communicate with
on a daily basis. Not just on Sundays, not just
when we choose to, any time, any day of the week.
Does anyone remember the show, Who Wants to Be
a Millionaire? Does anyone remember that show?
It's a little old, it's a little dated, but in
that show, there was a lifeline where the contestants
could phone a friend. They could phone a friend
if they became stuck on a question. Now, I would
always think when I watched that show, who would
I call? And back then, years ago, I didn't have
anyone to call because I didn't really have that
many smart friends. Fast forward to today, dude,
if I was going to phone a friend and ask a question,
I'm calling Jeff France. Okay, Jeff France is
a part of our community of faith here. Shout
out to him. He leads our... HHC, our Hagerstown
Healthcare Ministry team. He's actually there
right now leading, teaching, and sharing with
the residents at Hagerstown Healthcare. And let
me just tell you, if you have a question, Jeff
is the man. He is smart. He is intelligent. He
gets it done. But here's the good news if you're
in a relationship with Jesus. Whenever you're
in crisis, whenever you're struggling, you don't
know what to do, you don't know which path to
take, you have the ultimate lifeline. You can
go to God who hears us, responds to us, and guides
us in guidance. Right? He leads us through life.
Prayer is the lifeline to the Jesus follower.
Are you using it daily? Reflect on that. Do you
daily? Use and implement prayer. Paul says it
this way in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. Rejoice
always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all
circumstances for this is God's will for you
in Christ Jesus. So Paul tells us what to do
in your difficult situations. Paul tells us what
to do when you're celebrating life. Right? Whether
difficult or not, you pray. You give thanks.
You live a life of prayer. Our prayer life demonstrates
our level of dependence on God. Those who pray
a lot demonstrate a dependence on God. Those
who pray a little, they demonstrate a great dependence
on their self. They care for their self and they
focus on their self. And in your current situation
this morning, you may be worried about it. You
may be wondering about it. My question is, are
you praying about it? Have you given it to God?
See, prayer is the difference between the best
we can do and the best that God can do. And it's
in the everyday things. It's not just, hey, God,
who should I marry? It's now that you're married,
are you praying for your spouse? It's not just
what college should I go to or do I want to go
to? It's now that I am college, am I living a
life that honors God? Do people see Jesus in
my life while I'm in school? It's not just the
career you want to pursue. It's am I representing
God on the job? See, we are called to pray without
ceasing because we are constantly depending on
God. And he is available to us in the good times,
the bad times, and the ordinary times. And church,
if we want to live like Jesus, we have to pray
more than we're praying right now, and I firmly
believe that. Because Jesus set the example for
us, Luke chapter 5, verse 16. But Jesus, notice,
Often. Everyone say often. He often withdrew
to lonely places and prayed. And if Jesus, who
was all God, demonstrated for us the significance
of getting away and depending on God in prayer,
then we should follow his example. We need to
live a life where before you make a decision,
you pray about it. Let me give you a little advice.
If you're single, before you go on a date, Pray
about it, because it will help you through a
lot of problems. Before you respond to that email,
that text, or that post you're about to make,
pray about it. Before you go into that meeting,
into that test, into that presentation tomorrow,
pray about it. Before you worry about the doctor's
report that you're about to receive next week,
pray about it. We have a lifeline to the God
of the universe, and he is waiting to hear from
you. And we need to become a people of prayer.
And notice Paul even takes it a step further.
He challenges us, hey church, be watchful and
thankful when you pray. And what did he mean
by that? Well see, when we are watchful in prayer,
that means we are aware and alert to what God
is doing all around us. To what God is doing
in our sphere of influence as we move through
the everyday life. We are asking God, hey God,
what are you doing in my life? In this situation,
what can I learn from it? Who do you want me
to reach today? But also, we have to be aware
of what the enemy is trying to do in my life.
And you know what the enemy is trying to do in
your life? He's trying to distract you. He's
trying to make you divided from your spouse in
the church. He's trying to tempt you and lead
you away from God's best in making a bad decision.
We need to be watchful when we pray. Watchful
and listening. But not just that, Paul says be
thankful. And when we're thankful in prayer,
it means that I'm content no matter what the
outcome. See, that's where the rubber meets the
road. I am grateful for who God is and what he's
already done in my life, even if he doesn't do
anything else in my life. What he did on the
cross allows me to connect with a living God.
And that is sufficient for my life. Are you willing
to practice gratitude in prayer? Because that's
a step in pursuing and living like Jesus, which
leads us to our next step, number two. We're
focused on mission. Paul continues in chapter
four, verses three through four. Pray for us,
too, that God will give us many opportunities
to speak about his mysterious plan concerning
Christ. That is why I'm here in chains. Pray
that I will proclaim this message as clearly
as I should. So notice, Paul says you start in
prayer, but we aren't going to just remain inside
of our houses, sheltered from the world, praying
from the world. No, we're going to be sent out
on mission. And we have a clear mission from
God on our lives if you're in a relationship
with Jesus. There is an assignment from God on
your life. And my question to you today is, are
you living on mission? What is the mission for
your life? And some of you may be thinking, well,
I don't really understand this term, mission
for my life. In other words, how about this?
If your life was a movie, would it be worth watching?
Now, let's have some fun this morning. Is it
okay to have fun in church? Let's have some fun
this morning and discuss a few possibilities
of your life as a movie. Some of you, you're
living Groundhog Day. It's just the same day
over and over and over again. Nothing ever changes.
Some of you, just being honest, you're the Titanic.
You're a disaster and a lot of people are freezing
all around you. It may be time to pay attention
to what God's doing in your life. Some of you
who are parents raising little children, you're
living in Jurassic Park. I mean, you're feeding
and raising these little six -year -old creatures
that are eventually going to destroy you. I'm
in it with you, baby. Some of you, you're living
in inception. You're dreaming. You're dreaming
some more. You're going deeper in your dreams,
but you're never doing anything with your life.
Some of you, just being honest here, you're living
how to lose a guy in 10 days. I mean, you can't
keep a meaningful relationship for the life of
you, and it only takes about a week and a half,
and you're moving on to someone else. Some of
you in this difficult season of our country,
you think you're Braveheart, right? I'm going
to change the United States. Watch out. While
others of you, you're living the hangover. You're
35 going on 40, and you needed several Advil
to get into these doors this morning. God is
welcoming you to change. The point is, we need
to live on mission. And Paul describes for us
what that mission is in 1 Corinthians chapter
15. I passed on to you what was most important
and what had also been passed on to me. Christ
died for our sins, just as the scripture said.
He was buried, he was raised from the dead on
the third day, just as the scriptures said. See,
Paul's prayer is that he proclaims this truth
clearly and that others understand what great
lengths God took to be in relationship with you
and me. And for those of us in relationship with
Jesus, the message of Jesus is the mission for
our lives. It's about letting people know the
good news is for everyone. It changed me and
it can change them. It's not good news we keep
to ourselves. It's good news to be shared with
clarity to a world that desperately needs its
truth. It's good news for our homes. It's good
news for our children. It's good news in our
workplace, in our schools. Dare I say it's good
news at the golf course and the baseball fields.
Everywhere we go, we should be watchful for opportunities
to share this good news. And listen, I'm going
to tell you right now. This good news will cost
us something. Paul is writing this letter from
prison, yet he is still looking for opportunities
to share the good news while in prison. And we
have to be willing to step out and be used by
God. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 reminds us, for
we speak as messengers approved by God to be
entrusted with the good news. Our purpose, church,
is to please God, not people. He alone examines
the motives of our hearts. Our faith will cost
us something. You may lose friends. You may have
to change your opinions. You might lose influence.
You may not make as much money. But not everyone
is going to be happy with us when we're living
on mission. If everyone loves you, if everyone
wants to be around you, Chances are you're not
doing everything right. Because this good news,
it can challenge people. And they may not necessarily
want to be our best friend. Think about it practically
this morning. Who is impacted because of your
life? Who is getting drawn closer to Jesus because
of your example? Is this world a better place?
Because of the way you're living? Or are you
just actively passing through it? So church,
we're devoted to prayer. We live on mission,
which leads us to our third step. We're wise
in action. Paul continues in verses five through
six, live wisely among those who are not believers
and make the most of every opportunity. Let your
conversation be gracious and attractive so that
you will have the right response for everyone.
See, our actions are wise. Meaning, we don't
respond the way the world responds. We don't
post the way the world posts. We don't react
the way the world reacts. We live with wisdom.
And we're living in a world that has an abundance
of knowledge, but a scarcity of wisdom. See,
knowledge is knowing information. Wisdom is applying
that information to our lives. Knowledge is knowing
what diet to follow. Wisdom is not going to Krispy
Kreme. Knowledge is setting a budget. Wisdom
is brewing coffee at home. Knowledge built the
Titanic. Wisdom is avoiding the iceberg. And
see, in our world today, there's an abundance
of knowledge available to us at the tip of our
fingers. In fact, we're in information overload.
But we do not have a lot of wise people walking
around. Proverbs chapter 4 verse 7 tells us,
getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do.
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
See, in every situation, God gives us wisdom
to live and understand his will for our life.
It should be our daily prayer. God, give me wisdom.
Give me understanding. And some of you are like,
well, Chris, I'm not sure. I'm living with wisdom.
James 1 .5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous
God and he will give it to you. We don't have
to go very far. Because we already learned in
step one that we have the attention of God and
we can talk to him at any point. Now by show
of hands, how many of us lack wisdom? I'm first,
right? Should be every hand, dude. All of us
lack wisdom. We all make bad choices. We all
don't listen to God. It's part of living in a
fallen world. But we need to change that idea.
Because the world is watching us. And we need
to live in such a way that we are clear in mission
and wise in action. Think about this. Our lives
may be the only sermon a person hears. Our lives
may be the only gospel that a person reads. Our
lives may be the only church a person attends.
I want to challenge you, if you're in a relationship
with Jesus, live like him. Which leads us to
our final step. You have to make it personal.
Now, if you read through the book of Colossians,
you will notice at the very end, there's all
these names that Paul is writing to and referencing
to. And some of you think, why are all these
names in this letter? And what does it mean to
me? Well, those names are in this letter because
it's a letter. Paul is writing this letter from
prison, and he's acknowledging all the people
and friendships that he has in these people that
he loves. And as he's writing this, you can see
he's writing it to them, but he's also writing
it to us. It's a letter. It's not a bunch of
rules to follow. It's a love letter to us that
we then can apply to our lives, Colossians 4,
7. Tychicus will give you a full report about
how I am getting along. Notice what he writes
about him. He is a beloved brother and a faithful
helper who serves with me in the Lord's work.
See, Paul is making it personal. He's referencing
these people that are helping him, that are praying
for him, that are encouraging him. And he mentions
these names because he wants to encourage them
and love on them. Are you doing it in your own
life? See, God works and moves in the personal.
We experience the love and power of God in community
with others as we're loved, as we're challenged
to grow and change, to live like Jesus. I want
to challenge you young people, 20 to 30s, young
adults. We now have a Friday night group in the
A -frame. Get in there. Pray for one another.
Encourage one another. Right? You need it. I
get it. Well, then get out there and show up
and make it. personal. But Paul even takes it
a step further. He closes the letter with these
words, Colossians 4 .18. Here's my greeting in
my own handwriting, Paul. Remember my chains.
May God's grace be with you. Remember, Paul is
writing from prison, and he's telling the church,
remember what I went through to give you this
message. Paul's life was not easy. He didn't
have it made. Many would not even consider Paul
successful. After all, we learn in 2 Corinthians,
he worked harder, was put in prison more often,
whipped times without number, faced death again
and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders
gave me 39 lashings. That's the same thing that
Jesus went through, except Paul went through
it five times. Three times I was beaten with
rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked.
Once I spent a whole night. In a day adrift at
sea, I've traveled on many long journeys. I've
faced danger from rivers and from robbers. And
isn't it crazy in the American church, we get
upset with God because of a hangnail. Paul went
through all these negative, heart -wrenching
struggles in his life. Then a year and a half
after writing these letters, he would be executed
for his faith. This man did not have an easy
life still at the end of his life. His challenge
to the church was this, remember my chains. You
know what he was saying to us? He's saying, you're
going to have difficulties in this life. Jesus
told us, you will have trouble. But Paul is reminding
us that in those seasons, our faith will get
us through. Walking through our struggles with
Jesus is living like Jesus. Because it's in those
seasons. That we're not going to be perfect.
And then Paul says, church, may God's grace be
with you. It's not a way of him saying goodbye.
It's a way of Paul reminding us that we need
the grace of God on our lives. As we walk through
these difficult seasons. The grace of God is
not a freedom for us to live however we want.
The grace of God is the ability for us to go
beyond our current situation. Our current struggles.
And gives us the abilities to walk in the purpose
that God has for us. We don't live like Jesus
in our own strength. We live like Jesus in our
weakness. Because then he gives us supernatural
strength. 2 Corinthians 12. Each time he said,
my grace is all you need. My power works best
in weakness. So now I'm glad to boast about my
weakness. Notice, so the power of Christ can
work through me. See, Paul mentions the word
grace more than 110 times in the letters he wrote
to us. Paul knows that life can be hard. And
living like Jesus doesn't happen in our own strength.
It happens by being full of the Holy Spirit.
Will you stand with me? We're going to close
by praying a simple prayer, then singing a bold
song. Many of you know that every single Sunday,
every single gathering, we pray a simple prayer
because I believe that people distant, far from
God, or have walked away from God are here in
these seats. We're all going to pray this prayer
together because I believe someone's going to
come home today. Let's pray. Jesus, I'm broken.
I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, sin. Change
me. Forgive me. I believe you're God's son. I
believe you died for me. I believe you're alive
today. Make me new. Set me free. Fill me with
your spirit, God. Help me to serve others. In
Jesus' name, amen. If you prayed that prayer,
see me, hug me, text me, do something now. Listen,
before we sing. There were several words of knowledge.
Our prayer team will be on my left and my right.
As we sing, you can come up and receive prayer
for these. Painful right wrist. Pain in the deltoid
of the left shoulder. Multiple people with heart
conditions. Sensitive fingertips. Painful outer
side of the left knee. Pain in the lower back
that extends into the buttocks. If any of those
are you, we want to pray for you. Our prayer
team will believe that you will be set free and
healed. Now listen. Everyone look at me. As I
was praying for you this week, I felt challenged
to challenge you that some of you have never
even spoken the name of Jesus other than just
quietly under your breath in prayer. I'm specifically
speaking to you men. This is your opportunity
as we sing. To declare Jesus over your families.
Over the city. Over your workplace. That God
would move and change. And for those of you that
haven't spoken this name. I want to challenge
you. Sing it boldly. Because God will fill you
with his plan and his purpose. And set you free.
Amen. Let's sing.