"BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER!"

COLOSSIANS 3:1-25

November is our "month of appreciation!" To truly appreciate one another, we must learn to displace the negative, critical, carping, faultfinding, belittling, and demeaning attitudes that captivate us so easily. Today I want to talk about "bearing with one another" and our text is Colossians 3:1-25. Follow along as I read just this portion of it: "and so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." Bear with one another. Not "Be a bear with one another!" Put up with one another's shortcomings. Endure with Christlike tolerance the vexations, the irritations, the exasperation others bring to us. Patiently deal with the failures, the lapses, the deficiencies of the other person. Let me illustrate what I have in mind. On one of his assignments a young army officer was sent to the 48th Infantry near Frankfurt, Germany. In those days the prize weapon was a huge 280-mm atomic cannon. Guarded by infantry platoons, these guns were hauled around the forests on trucks to keep the Soviets from guessing their location. One day Captain Tom Miller assigned his platoon to guard one of the 280's. The young officer alerted his men, loaded his .45 caliber pistol and jumped into his jeep. He had not gone far when he realized that his .45 was gone. He was petrified. In the army, losing a weapon is serious business. He had blown it big time! He was in deep trouble. Now, there are a few lessons for us in this story which will resume in a little bit. We all stand in the place of that young army officer so to speak. Let's see how:

• WE OUGHT TO BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE'VE ALL SINNED: 5- 7:
• Paul points out some specifics: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
• Let's just pause to contemplate this issue: we have not likely done any of the sort of things that make the headlines, but still we cannot escape the indictment that all have sinned.
• We've compromised our convictions to go along with someone, or because we were intimidated or embarrassed to take a stand.
• We've sinned in word (gossip, lies, slander, impure speech), in thought (lust and covetousness), and in deeds we have done.
• We've sinned by leaving undone the right things we knew we ought to have done. Maybe we were more worried about our own personal comfort or convenience or desires or safety, but we didn't do what we ought to have done. That's a sin of omission.
• Since we have all sinned, to piously point out the peccadillos of others in a self-righteous manner is like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it? It's like the swindler calling the pick-pocket a crook, or the fox calling the weasel a chicken thief you see. We may not have done the same wrong, but wrong we have done!
• That ill equips us to be finger pointers! Any correction of known sin must be done in a humble, compassionate and redemptive manner, not in a harsh, judgmental and crushing way.

We have all sinned in many ways. Similarly, the young infantry officer had erred greatly in the careless loss of his weapon. He had no choice but to radio Captain Miller and tell him of the loss. "You what?" Captain Miller asked in disbelief. He paused a few seconds, then added, "all right, continue the mission." Later, when the young officer returned, uneasily contemplating his fate, Captain Miller summoned him. Now, that young officer was really on the carpet. He could just imagine the trouble he was in: would it be time in the guard house? Would it be a court martial? Would it be a dishonorable discharge? What would happen? Whatever his fate, he knew the time of reckoning had come. As reckoning came for the officer, it will surely come to us, too.

• WE OUGHT TO BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE ACCOUNTING DAY IS COMING: 23-25:
• Paul said that there is an impartial penalty imposed on all wrong doers.
• The Bible is clear on this matter:
• Ecclesiastes 12:14 "For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."
• Matthew 7:1-5 "Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
• Romans 14:10 "But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God."
• 1 Corinthians 4:5 "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God."
• The point is simply this: while we do have a certain obligation one to another to exhort, to admonish, to even rebuke in love, the bottom line is we have our own ledger to keep straight! It ill behooves any of us to forget our own culpability and responsibility while focusing on the wrongs of others!
• Since I know that I am to be held accountable for my own life, and since I know that to a degree what I have imposed upon others will be imposed upon me, I am motivated to be more forbearing with others.

The young officer told Captain Miller about his carelessness. Looking sternly at the nervous fellow, Captain Miller spoke: "I've got something for you," he said, handing him the pistol. "Some kids in the village found it where it fell out of your holster." "Kids found it?" gulped the young officer almost in disbelief. He felt a cold chill. "Yeah," miller said. "Luckily they only got off one round before we heard the shot and took the gun away." The disastrous possibilities left the young officer limp. Then miller said, "for God's sake, son, don't let that happen again." He drove off. The young officer checked the magazine and found it was full. The gun had not been fired. Later he learned that he had dropped it in his tent before he ever got started. Miller had fabricated the scene about the kids to give him a good scare. Today the army might hold an investigation, call in lawyers and likely enter a bad mark on his record. Miller gave the young officer the chance to learn from his mistake.

• WE OUGHT TO BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE JESUS KINDLY PUTS UP WITH US: 12-13:
• Paul comments on how we ought to be kindly disposed to one another just as the Lord has been, and is, toward us.
• When I read the gospels, one thing really blesses me: it is how often the disciples muffed it, fell short, let Jesus down, showed little faith and lots of the flesh and Jesus still included them in His mission. Sometimes He felt, as a human, human exasperation:
• When the disciples feared the storm at sea, "he said to them, 'why are you timid, you men of little faith?' Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and it became perfectly calm. Matthew 8:26.
• When his disciples could not cast a demon out of a boy, "Jesus answered and said, 'o unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to me.'" Matthew 17:17.
• His kindness ought to be a catalyst, a motivation, an example for us in treating others with kindness:
• Luke 6:35 "but love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the most high; for he Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men."
• In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus told the parable of a man who was forgiven a debt to his master amounting to millions of dollars and then going out to prosecute a man who owed him a few cents. He applied the parable having the master say, "you wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?" Matthew 18:32, 33.
• Ephesians 4:32 "and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
• 2 Timothy 2:24 "and the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."
• It takes a real turkey to treat someone unkindly if he truly realizes how kindly Jesus Christ has treated him.

Captain Miller's example of intelligent and kind leadership was not lost on the young officer, who we came to know through the Gulf War as General Colin Powel. He has this to say, "Nobody ever got to the top without slipping up. When someone stumbles, I don't believe in stomping on him. My philosophy is 'pick 'em up, dust 'em off and get 'em moving again.'" That's Christ's philosophy, too -- and it ought to be ours as well. If you want to let the other person know you appreciate him or her, show a little kindness when they fail. You know, it isn't when a person does all we expect, and never lets us down, and never makes a mistake that he needs to be loved most. It isn't when she lives up to our ideal and matches up to our standard that she needs our love. Do you know when others really need us to bear with them? It's when they lose their .45. And when we can love them then, it's like saying, "You are more important than the error. I value you. I appreciate you. Your failing hasn't tarnished you in my estimation." Aren't you glad that's how Jesus treats us? Aren't you glad that's how He met you when you realized your sin and came to him for grace, mercy, reconciliation and forgiveness? Aren't you glad He didn't send you away to your doom with no light of compassion in his eyes? And aren't you glad that right now, today, this moment He stands ready to bear with all your past failures, sins, and rebellions? And do you know that He calls you to come to Him as you are for forgiveness and life? We are going to sing a hymn that invites you to come to Jesus, as you are, for all He waits to do to make you what you ought to be.

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