Col 3:9-11 "Do Not Lie to One Another"

Intro:

Paul is jus coming off addressing two types of sin that will ruin a community, sexual and speech.

Illustration: choronological time to the cross, born with the “old self” an old garment, at the moment of salvation we get a new sweatshirt to put on- put off, put on Exchange

Outline:

Character: “Put on/off, Practices and Renewal” (vs. 9-10)

Culture: “Christ is All” (v. 11)

Summary: Christ is all

Prayer:

Character: “Put on/off, Practices and Renewal” (vs. 9-10)

Truth (v. 9)

Do not lie to one another- “pseudesthe” pres, mid, imperative, 2nd, pl, to lie, deceive, pretend with the intent to deceive, “stop lying to one another, never lie to one another”.

lying is not fitting for those who follow the “way, the truth, and the life”

Eph. 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

But why, why is it so important to be truthful with one another? Is not lying merely a moral thing that we should not do because it hinders human flourishing? What is truth? Who determines it? What kind of people align themselves with it?

This is the last one in this list from verses 5 and 8, sexual, speech, and then do not lie. It is wrong to lie about temporary things, numbers. locations, hours, etc. But how much worse about eternal things, your relationship with Jesus, sin, temptation, false teaching and setting your mind on what is above.

Old self (v. 9)

Seeing that you have put off- “apedkdusamenoi” aor, mid, part, nom, mas, pl- disarm, take off; strip off, to lose a state, be undressed

verb used by Paul in

Col 2:15 “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Col. 2:11 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,”

Same basic meaning as “ekdyomai”- take off or strip off of clothes Matt. 27:28 “And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,” While Jesus was being stripped for our sins, He was creating a way for us to be clothes in righteousness.

put off at salvation

the old self- prior

with its practices: actions, deed, functions, activities

Col. 2:20 “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—”

Col. 3:3 “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

This is not just a matter of stop doing what is wrong. It needs to be replaced.

New self (v. 10)

and have put on- “endysamenoi”- aor, mid, part, nom, mas, pl, to be imparted, be clothed, to be or become bestowed or endowed with a quality or condition.

Refers to donning of clothes 14x in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. The changing of cloths has often signified then change in life or situation

the new self- This is it!!! The gospel! The transformation of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration. Now some of you would stop me right there and say Pastor jeremy, that my be theologically true, but why do I continually struggle with the “Old-Self” if it has been put off?

Position of being in Christ

Progressive sanctification of becoming more like Christ

which is being renewed- “anakainoumenon” pres, pass, part, acc, masc, sg to be renewed, to be or become reestablished in a like-new and often improved manner

2 Cor. 4:16 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Rom. 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Eph. 4:23 “and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,”

In knowledge- where do we find knowledge? This is where renewal starts, “in knowledge”

Col 1:9-14 “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

after the image (eikon) of its creator- not anyone or anything else. The mared image of Adam is being renewed to the actual image of God- becoming more like Jesus!

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What verse caught you attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study ore this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

When it comes to character are we willing to tell the truth about where we are at in our relationship with God, temptation, sin, and progressive sanctification?

It is one thing to lie about temporary things, times, dates, objects, money, participation. How much worse to lie about eternal things.

Will you humble yourself to be honest with me in 2023 about where you are spiritually, in your marriage, with your kids, how you invest your time and finances, temptations, struggles, sin, etc.

Are you positionally in Christ

Where are you in progressive sanctification of becoming more like Jesus?

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

If you have put off the old and put on the new, what will it look/sound like for you to become more like Jesus this week?

If you have put off the old and put on the new, what will it look/sound like to be renewed in knowledge after your creator?

Who are you going to be honest with and keep accountable to?

ILLUSTRATION OF THE JACKET

Transitional phrase: God wants us to tell the truth about where we are positionally and in our progressive stanctification. Notice the text said that we are to tell the truth to one another. This is a community thing, a culture thing. Seeking the things above and setting our minds on what Jesus has done for us is meant to shape the community of believers in Colossea as much as us here at Central. It is not merely a confession, community, or church, it is meant to bea culture.

Culture: “Christ is All” (v. 11)

Present culture (v. 11)

Here

The physical location

The theological understanding- both!

Present distinctions (v. 11)

There is not

Greek and Jew (Nation)

Circumcised and uncircumcised (religious)

Barbarian (cultural) (mocking the way non greeks spoke: “Bar bar bar”)

Scythian (cultural)- a person who lives in a region just north of the Black Sea, the “epitome of unrefineement and savagery” uncivilized

Slave (economy, social)

Free

Christ is all (v. 11)

But Christ is all

And in all- new creation

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What verse caught you attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study ore this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Where is the place that you think is the hardest for people to come from and try to fit into the body of Christ? What background, religion, home life, knowledge base, demograph, age, sexual orientation, experience, etc?

What would it look like for Christ to truly be the one thing that brings us all together, no matter where we come from?

Maturity is not identified by ethnicity, age, or social status, it is identified by

Having put off the Old and on the new

Being renewed in knowldege after it creator

contributing to a culture where “Christ is all”

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

What will it look/sound like for you to contribute to this kind of culture this week? One that tells the truth, has put off the old self and put on the new self, is being renewed in knowledge after your creator, that doesn’t hold to common distictions but rather a culture where Christ is everything?

What is one specific area where we need to repent when it comes to who speaking the truth to one another and building a culture of Christ in everything, the preiminence of Jesus in our lives?

Summary

Song: Grace Greater than our sin

Benediction/Looking ahead: We will be heading into our focus on Easter next week before having our Missions’ Conference.

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

1. What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

2. What is commanded in verse 9? What is the reasoning behind it?

3. What presently is to be happening to the “New Self” in verse 10?

4. Instead of all the distinctions listed in verse 11, what is meant to be the unifying subject?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

1. What is one area of your life that you have not been as honest about with other believers? What has kept you from sharing or asking for help?

2. Where is the place that you think is the hardest for people to come from and try to fit into the body of Christ? What background, religion, home life, knowledge base, demograph, age, sexual orientation, experience, ?

3. How would you define someone that is “in Christ”. How is it similar or different based from these verses?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

1. If you have put off the old and put on the new, what will it look/sound like for you to become more like Jesus this week?

2. If you have put off the old and put on the new, what will it look/sound like to be renewed in knowledge after your creator?

3. Who are you going to be honest with and keep accountable to?