"Good Expectations: Holiness and Community"

Colossians 3:8-17
"But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Notes taken from Isaac Hunter's sermon (January 18, 2009)...

*"We are all called to exhibit goodness...to the world around us."
*"You have never locked eyes with a person who does not matter to God."
*"The value of something is set by the price someone is willing to pay for it."
*"Value those we come into contact with."
*"Putting on new self is a process."
*"How do we love those people that are hard to love? Remember that they are one of Jesus' favorites. Begin with our understanding of who they are to God. Serve them- embody what Jesus modeled and what He taught. Pray for them...Love your enemies."
*"Change whatever needs to be changed inside me, whatever this relationship highlights."
*"Treat others as if they are chose by God, loved by God, wounded by the world. Recevieve grace and love people well."

Deuteronomy 4:39
"Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other."

Colossians 1:17
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Exodus 15:11
"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?"

Ephesians 4:16
"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."