Preeminent = Prominent (Part 2)

Recap

Last week we started our discussion study of Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

Remember that Paul wrote this letter to his brothers and sister's in Christ that he had never even met before.

His teaching in Ephesus had impacted them through Epaphras, who helped plant their church

He then kept Paul updated on their growth and struggles.

But Epaphras also shared a concern.

False teachers were creeping in

Teaching that diminished who Christ truly is.

These Gnostics claimed secret knowledge and denied the incarnation of Jesus, saying that matter was evil and therefore Christ could not truly be human.

In other words, they were saying Christ alone is not enough.

Paul would not let that stand.

He pointed the Colossians to the supremacy, the preeminence, of Christ. We studied three powerful truths:

Christ is the Image of the Invisible God – the perfect representation of God’s nature and character.

Christ is the Firstborn of All Creation – not as one created, but as first in rank and honor, supreme over all things.

Christ is the Firstborn from the Dead – the foundation and guarantee of our resurrection.

Because of this we know the truth that Christ is Superior of all. He is Preeminent.

I ended last week with a question for you.

If we know He is Preeminent, then is He prominent?

How Do We Make Him Prominent

In the next two Chapters, Paul explains how Christians can live a life that is pleasing to God.

One that displays His prominence in our lives.

It all starts with setting our hearts to “things above.”

Colossians 3:1–3 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

When we give our lives to Christ we are a “New Creation”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

We are no longer who we were before.

Paul uses the word “above” twice to emphasize where we should keep our focus.

He tells us that Christ should now be our focus.

When we make a decision we should be first thinking “Is this pleasing to God or not” “Is this Christlike”

If the answer to either of these questions is No, then we should reconsider our next move carefully.

What We Should Not Do

Paul presents characteristics we should eliminate from our lives.

Colossians 3:5–8 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

Ask how many have been Baptized

When you are baptized we say “buried in baptism and raised to walk a new life”

When we are baptized we are acknowledging what Paul is saying here.

We “Put to Death” our earthly nature.

What are those things?

Sexual Immorality

Impure Thoughts

Lust

Evil desires (Things not from above “Fleshly”)

Greed

Colossians 3:9–11 “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 Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Instead of “put to death” he uses this language “take off your old self”

He is driving home that if you are a new creation in Christ - the old you has gone and passed away

I love verse 11 - If we have surrendered our lives to Christ then there is no difference amongst anyone

“Christ is all, and is in all”

What Should We Then Do

Colossians 3:12–14 “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 one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Paul says we have taken off our old clothes

Now we have to put on new clothes.

Those clothes resemble the character of Christ!

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Paul also calls us to forgive as God forgave us!

Let’s not forget how God forgives fully, undeservedly, and repeatedly.

How many people find this to be one of the hardest things to do as Christians.

I want to clarify that these are things that we are called to do and act like - but it is not easy.

We aren't always going to get it right.

But Paul tells us that Love binds these all in unity.

Could you imagine what the world would be like if all the Christians united together and actually exemplified this traits daily in their lives!

The world I believe would be a different place.

Ghandi once stated something that I think should wake us up as Christians.

He stated “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians.”

Don’t Let Yourself Be a Part of Negative Perception

If We have been changed by Christ.

We believe him to be Preeminent

Then let’s make him prominent in our lives.

Living out a life which is pleasing to God.