I’d like to begin by sharing a story about a church in a small town. It seems that the town had experienced rapid growth and the church congregation had outgrown their building. The members formed a committee to plan and build a new church building. The committee told the pastor to take care of the congregation and they would handle the details of construction. The pastor complied with the request and kept his distance.

As the new building was nearing completion, the committee chairman invited the pastor to view their new house of worship. Entering through the main doors, the pastor noted that only one last row of pews had been installed - way in the back of the church.

The committee chairman said, “Since people always fill the last row of pews first, we had a special feature installed.” He pressed a button on the wall and the pew moved forward and another popped up behind it. The pastor was impressed.

The big day finally arrived for the first service in the new church. The pastor peeked out as the pews filled from the back and then moved forward. He was ecstatic.

When the time came for the sermon, the pastor was so excited that he delivered his prepared message and kept right on going.

At 12 o’clock, he was still preaching when the church bells began to ring...and the pulpit and the pastor slowly descended from view.

Now, I know that no one here has installed an elevator under the pulpit. I know that - because I’ve looked.

We laugh at this because its true. For various reasons people sit in the back and pastors sometimes - not always - talk beyond what they should. Its good to be able to laugh at ourselves and to enjoy this relationship we have in Jesus.

But there are times when the joy and potential of our relationship is threatened - through undue criticism - controversy and conflict. Sometimes our experience together is less than we’d like it to be. Let’s be honest - there are times when we drive away from a Sunday morning and wonder why we came.

This morning we want to focus on guarding and strengthening our relationship together. I invite you to turn with me to Colossians 3:15-17.

The Colossian church had a lot of things going for it - just as we do. But they faced dangers to their relationship together - just as we do. Paul writes to them and gives three specific areas of their relationship that they need to pay particular attention to. While I’m reading - think about what Paul says about these three parts of our life together - The Peace of Christ - the Word of Christ - and the Name of Christ.

Colossians 3:15-17: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

1. THE PEACE OF CHRIST  (verse 15)

Paul says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts....”

The word “rule” means to “act as an umpire” - the man in the black suit standing behind the catcher. No matter what call he makes - someone will object. Fans and players yell at him. Do you remember Billy Martin - screaming and yelling and kicking dirt on the shoes of an umpire? And yet the umpire remains calm - focused on the game - not the immediate turmoil.

Jesus - accused of blasphemy and treason - was brought before a huge crowd of people. The crowd demanded the release of Barabbas - the traitor and murderer - they cried out, “Crucify Jesus!”

He was rejected by the religious leaders of His people - condemned by the government - denied by His disciples - soon He would carry the sins of the world - our sins - to the cross - to die in our place. The innocent for the condemned.

As Pilate stood in judgment over Him there was no cause for peace. But, read the account of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion - and Jesus is the only one who’s at peace - focused on God’s game plan - not swayed by the immediate circumstances - knowing that God is in control.

That peace of Christ is what Paul says can umpire our hearts. And it comes as we’re able to submit our hearts and our circumstances to Jesus - to realize that even in the middle of the most tumultuous - controversial - or disastrous situations - God is still in control.

This control is why Paul writes, in verse 15, that we are to, “be thankful because we have been called into this one body.”

Its been interesting these last few years to see God bring people into this body - this church. Its like God is putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle and each of us are the pieces.

We’ve seen this. When there’s been a need for people to help with the music ministry - God brings in people to help with the music ministry. When there’s been a need with the children’s ministries - God has brought in people to help with the children. And there are other areas where God has been assembling and developing His ministry team.

Each one of us belongs here. Say this to yourself, “I belong here.” Say this to the person next to you, “You belong here.”

And yet, there are times when we are tempted to question why God has brought certain people with their ideas into this church - ideas which may be strange to us - even though they might be Biblically correct. There are times when we have trouble understanding where people are coming from - and why things happen the way they do. We’re even tempted to question where people are spiritually.

But, Paul says - “be thankful - because you’ve been called into this body - let the peace of Christ rule.” And that means that we need to submit ourselves and others - our plans and ideas - to Christ - to realize that He really is in control of all this - and to give Him the freedom to work all this out the way He wants to.

And that brings His peace - knowing that He’s in charge - He’s umpiring - and we’re not.

Second Paul writes about:

2. THE WORD OF CHRIST  (verse 16)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly....”

In the American culture when out of town relatives come to visit they often stay in hotels and visit for only a few days. In the Armenian culture when out of town relatives visit they move in - for months.

And we welcome them. We serve them with the best we have. They sleep in the best bed. They get the best food. We become tour directors and take them to all the sites. We treat them like royalty.

The word of God is to “dwell” - to take permanent residence - in our hearts. We’re to give it the best place - the first place in our lives - the priority to dictate how we live our lives.

Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom....”

One major emphasis in our life together is the teaching of God’s word - formally - like on a Sunday morning - and informally. To “admonish” means encouraging each other in less formal settings - in our homes - with our families and friends - whenever we share time together - to admonish each other to live out the teaching of the Bible in our daily lives.

Paul gives a very positive example of how we can do this. He writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly....as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Music is powerful - it sticks in our minds - it changes us - our attitudes - physically. I enjoy walking through Nordstroms. I don’t shop there. I just wander around listening to the piano. In stores - all that background music is suppose to put us in a happy - buying - mood.

Music is a great gift of God to help teach us His word - to deepen our relationship with Him and each other.

Paul says that God has given us “psalms” - which is the Book of Psalms - which was the first hymnbook. It recent years there’s been a movement to put the Psalms to music - and that’s great. We’re rediscovering our roots.

As Armenians we have a rich tradition of hymnology - the Sharagans - and the “Hokevor Yerker” - the Elmajian Hymnals - and our red AEUNA Hymnal. Sometimes I hear people say they don’t like hymns. And that’s sad. Hymns express and teach great truths about God and our Christian life. The style may be less contemporary for some but the message and the declaration about God is unequaled.

And then Paul says that God has given us “hymns” - which were the contemporary songs of the New Testament church. Today we have styles of singing that are more contemporary than our traditional hymns - often using instruments in worship that are a new experience for us. That can create a struggle in our relationship together.

Ira Sankey lived a little over 100 years ago. He was like the Cliff Barrows of his day. He and the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody traveled all over the United States and England. Moody - like Billy Graham would preach the Gospel - and Sankey would lead the music.

These hymns: “Hiding in Thee,” “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “Faith is the Victory” - Ira Sankey wrote the music for them. Traditional music. But, when Sankey wrote the music the major controversy of the day was whether it was appropriate to sing these hymns using an organ. Can you imagine that?

The struggles we face are nothing new - just a different context. There are congregations even today that refuse to use instruments because they believe that God only gave us our voices to be used in praise of Him. And yet, God has enabled us with the ability to create a variety of instruments. When we read the Bible - all kinds of instruments are used - and a variety of styles of music - contemporary to the situation of the people.

Then Paul says that God has given us “spiritual songs.” And these are more personal. Sometimes we sing songs while we’re driving or taking a shower. We hum familiar melodies and improvise our own. “Spiritual songs” are those songs that come from our hearts - often spontaneous - they’re our own personal worship of God. Sometimes these are shared with others. Sometimes they become the hymns of the church.

In verse 16, Paul writes, “Be thankful in your hearts” - because God has given us His word. Give thanks because God has given us music as a tool to help us encourage each other as we live life together in obedience to His word.

Third, Paul writes about:

3. THE NAME OF CHRIST  (verse 17)

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

I recently read the comments of a pastor who had spent time visiting people who had visited their church. He wrote this: “I often visit newcomers in town and find them to be church shopping. They want to know what they can get out of church. Churches are one more consumer commodity. Worship services are not a place for us to serve God and neighbor but a place where people expect to purchase the best: inspiring worship, good music, moving sermons, quality child care. As if we buy God and not vice versa.”

Paul reminds us that as the church of Jesus Christ - as those who are called by the name of Jesus - “Christians” - who act under the authority of Jesus Christ - the focus of what we do must be on God - it must meet His approval - be pleasing to Him - be to His praise and honor and glory.

I hope you filled out your tax forms with that in mind! The routine tasks of life - work - school - wherever and whatever - everything comes under the Lordship of Jesus over our lives - and we are do them in a way that pleases and honors Him.

Even here - when we worship Him. The focus must be on Him and what pleases Him and not us. If we come to worship with the focus on us we’ll be disappointed - division is to be expected as each person tries to influence our worship according to our own individual needs.

Praise God that we can bring every situation and person in our lives to Christ and know that He is in complete control. We can know His peace. Praise God that He has given us His word - and the privilege of teaching and encouraging each other in our Christian life. Praise God for the relationship that He has given to us - together as Christians - and with Him - through Jesus Christ.

We serve the great God - and He loves us and desires for us to grow deep in our relationship with each other and with Him.