Risen with Christ

Colossians 3:1–17

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

INTRO: This Scripture speaks about a spiritual resurrection.

To have a resurrection in this life.

There must be a death and burial before a resurrection.

Verse 3 states, “Ye are dead …”

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

” Rom. 6:3: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”

Romans 6:6

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Ephesians 2:1 (KJV 1900)

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

I. THE RISEN LIFE IS A LIFE OF PUTTING OFF.

A. Col.3:8

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

V. 9 “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.”

See Eph. 4:22–24

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

start thinking right Like Christ

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

B. Like a snake shedding his skin, these must go when the old man goes. He takes his deeds with him to the grave.

C. ” Heb. 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Corinthians 7:1

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

II. IT IS Also a LIFE OF PUTTING ON.

A. Colossians 3:10–12

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

B. We cannot put on the “new man” and still retain the “deeds of the old man.”

They are incompatible. Both can not live in the same house.

One must die!

C. And above all put on charity. (V. 14).

D. Rom.6:4

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

E. Rom.6:5

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

III. IT IS Also LIFE OF SEEKING (V. 1)

A. We are not to seek earthly things, but heavenly. Seek those things which are above. V. 2.

B. Seeking God’s approval not earthly applause.

C. Things above should always be attractive and appealing.

We should be like Abraham,

Hebrews 11:10 “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

IV. IT IS A LIFE OF PEACE (V. 15)

A. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”

Where there is peace there will be no sin to haunt you or trouble you.

B. When Jesus appeared to His disciples He said, “… Peace be unto you.”

C. We have peace because the risen Christ is with us.

1. He is the “Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9:6.

2. He wills us peace. John 14:27.

3. It is a “peace … which passeth all understanding.” Phil. 4:7.

V. IT IS A LIFE OF JOY AND SINGING.

A. V 16 “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

B. Eph. 5:18,19

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody In your heart to the lord.

D. The risen life is not a down in the mouth, sad, melancholy life, but a singing, shouting, rejoicing life.

E. We can sing and rejoice even in the darkest hour.

Acts 16:25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Because He is no longer in the tomb. He sits in the heavenlies.

How do we know hes in heaven?

Mark 16:19

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Acts 7:55,56

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Hebrews 8:1,2

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

VI. IT IS A LIFE OF POWER.

A. After the resurrection Jesus appears to his disciples and said,

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

B. The world thought He was helpless, but by submitting to death He received life and power.

C. By following Christ and submitting to Him, we can receive the power of a resurrected life.

Acts 1:8

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

D. The disciples returned to Jerusalem after the resurrection and went to the upper room with joy and more power. This spineless, cringing, backward, humiliated group became an aggressive, and powerful group, who would turn the world upside down.

the spineless“Peter, standing up with the eleven.…” Acts 2:14. He was standing up unafraid of the people and not denying his Lord. But challenging those who were disparaging.

VII. IT IS A LIFE OF VICTORY.

A. He was captured by death. He was put in the tomb. The Roman seal was on it. It was guarded, but on the third day, He came out victorious!

B. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev. 1:18.

C. “… thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:57

“… this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

“… we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Rom. 8:37

CONCLUSION: This spiritual resurrection gives real life, abundant life. It is a life the average person never experiences, but the Christian enjoys the peace and satisfaction of it every day.

What will you do with the gift God has given you?