Kingdom People

Colossians 3: 1-3, 12-15

“1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.”

As Christians,  we live physically in this world.  But, spiritually, we live in the Kingdom of God.  The values of this world often conflict with the values of the Kingdom of God.  The world often tells us to be angry but Paul says we are to offer the compassion and patience of Christ.   The world tells us to be proud and arrogant but Paul says we are to be humble as Christ was humble.  The world tells us to seek revenge but Paul says we are to forgive as we are forgiven by Christ.

Above all, citizens of the Kingdom of God are to offer love and peace in a world where hate and war abound.

We are called to be different; to be examples of the life and love of Christ to the world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier