“Raised with Christ”

A few years back, a friend of mine told me about a man who had retired after decades in the oilfield. He had spent most of his life pulling on the same coveralls every morning, steel-toe boots, hard hat—the uniform of his identity. But when retirement came, something shifted. He still kept the coveralls hanging in the closet, and one morning, out of habit, he put them on. He stood there in the old uniform, and his wife simply said, “Honey, you don’t belong in those anymore.” That line stuck. His role changed. His identity shifted. The old uniform no longer fit.

Church, as your new pastor in a season of optimism, Colossians 3 asks us the same thing: if we’re raised with Christ, why keep wearing what no longer fits? Take off the old clothes, the old habits, the old ways of living. Put on the new. You’ve been given a new life, a new identity, a new direction. So don’t live in the past—live who you are now. This isn’t moral polish; it’s resurrection living.

But here’s the problem: we’re tempted to keep reaching for the old uniform. We know we belong to Christ, but we sometimes live like we don’t.

For some, it’s old sins—anger, greed, impurity. For others, it’s old scorecards—styles, dress, appearances. For many in Midland, it’s markets, metrics, image. All shadows. Not substance.

They are the “old clothes” Paul warns about. They may have once defined us, but not anymore—not if we’re raised with Christ.

And if we’re not careful, the church can get tangled up in the same tug-of-war. I’ve heard loving feedback—hymns vs. contemporary, coats vs. denim. Let’s say it plainly: preferences aren’t enemies; they just make bad masters. We’ll steward preferences; we won’t sacralize them. We won’t spend our ammo on each other while the enemy blinds our neighbors.

So Paul’s challenge lands with fresh weight: If you’ve been raised with Christ, why keep living like you belong to the old life?

Here’s the question this passage presses on us: If we’re raised with Christ, what does it look like to actually live like it—at home, at work, in worship, in community?

That’s where Paul takes us next. He says it begins here: set your mind where Christ reigns.

Paul opens this section with a bold statement:

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Set Your Mind Where Christ Reigns

Paul is saying: Your life has already changed. You’ve been raised with Christ. That’s not wishful thinking—it’s the reality of salvation. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, if you are in Christ, then your old self is gone and your new self is alive in him.

And if that’s true, then where you set your mind matters. If you’ve been raised with Christ, Paul says, then lift your gaze to him.

A Change in Direction

When Paul says, “seek the things above,” he’s not talking about ignoring earthly responsibilities. He’s not saying, “Quit your job, neglect your family, and stare at the clouds all day.” No—he’s talking about a new center of gravity. A raised life has a raised focus.

Where your eyes go, your life follows. Fix your gaze on Christ—or drift with the feed, the forecast, or the polls.

A Change in Security

Paul adds in Colossians 3:3: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” That word “hidden” is rich. It means your life is secure, protected, untouchable.

We know the value of security. People invest in safes, home alarms, security cameras—not because they’re paranoid, but because they want to keep what matters most safe. Paul says your real life, the truest part of who you are, is not vulnerable to the market, to sickness, or to shifting public opinion. It is locked away with Christ in God. Nothing and no one can touch it.

When oil dips or layoffs hit, income is shaken—but not identity. Your life is anchored at the right hand of God.

A Change in Destiny

Finally, Paul lifts our eyes forward: “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

That means the story isn’t finished. Your life is already raised with Christ, but one day it will be revealed in full. When Christ returns, your new life will be unveiled for what it truly is—glorious, complete, forever with him.

And that changes how we live now. Knowing the end of the story keeps us from panicking in the middle of it. It’s like watching a recorded football game when you already know the final score. The team may fumble, the ref may blow a call, but if you know the win is coming, you don’t lose your mind in the second quarter. And I guess I need to say that unlike the Cowboys’ game last week, there are no ties with the Lord - his victory is secure!

Paul says, because Christ reigns and your destiny is secure with him, you don’t have to live in anxiety, fear, or distraction. You can live with peace, courage, and clarity—because your future is certain.

These changes that come with being raised with Christ do challenge folk like us in Midland. Take, for example parenting pressures, worship preferences, or global headlines—all loud; none Lord. Seek above. Set above. See your life hidden with Christ.

Paul begins by saying: lift your eyes, lift your heart, lift your mind to Christ where he reigns. But he doesn’t stop with mindset. He says if you’ve been raised with Christ, then it’s time to clean out the closet. You’ve got to put off the old clothes of the sinful life and put on the new.

After telling us to set our minds on Christ above, Paul brings it down to earth. He says if you’re raised with Christ, then it’s time to deal with what belongs to your old life. Listen to what the Holy Spirit gave inspiration to:

Colossians 3:5–11 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put Off the Old Life

This is a strong passage. Paul doesn’t say “manage” these sins, or “try harder to avoid” them. He says, put them to death. The language is ruthless because sin is ruthless. We don’t kill sin to earn love; we kill sin because we’re already loved.

Kill What Kills You

Sin is not a pet you keep on a leash. It’s a predator that, if left alive, will take you down. Paul says: don’t coddle sin—kill it.

We Texans know rattlesnakes aren’t house pets. If you find one coiled in your garage, you don’t put a ribbon around its neck and pat the thing on the head, you remove it! Paul says that’s how we should treat sexual immorality, greed, anger, and deceit. If you play with them, they will bite.

Notice how Paul makes two lists:

Sins of desire: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness. These are sins that displace God.

Sins of division: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lying. These tear apart relationships and dismantle community.

Both categories matter. Name your sin. Nail it. Tell a brother/sister. Make a plan.

Remember Who You Were

Paul reminds them: “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.”

This is humbling. None of us can look at this list and feel self-righteous. We all have a past. Some of us still wrestle with patterns of sin that feel hard to break. But Paul says the key is remembering—you once walked in these things. Past tense. They no longer define you, because Christ has raised you to new life.

This should keep us both humble and hopeful. Humble, because we can’t act superior to others still caught in sin. Hopeful, because if Christ rescued us, he can rescue them too.

Put Off the Old Clothes

Paul pictures sin like old clothes that don’t fit anymore. He says, “You have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self.”

This glorious jersey was worn by yours truly when I was a proud senior of Natalia High School. My coach called me one of his “30-point men.” Anyone know what that means? If you’re thinking it’s a statement about my basketball potential, you’re wrong. It means I saw the floor only if we were up 30-points or down 30-points. This jersey did once fit. Once carried meaning. Once represented my team. But maybe you’ll agree that if you’re in your 40s and still trying to wear your high school jersey around town, it’s not a good look. It doesn’t fit anymore.

That’s what sin is for the believer—clothes that no longer fit.

In Midland, I bet we’ve got closets full of old work boots, coveralls, or uniforms that once fit a season of life. Paul says don’t try to wear the wardrobe of your old life. Christ has given you a new identity—why keep dressing in the past?

See the New Reality

Paul ends this section with a radical vision of community: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

In other words: the old divisions are gone. The walls that used to separate people—ethnicity, status, culture—have come down in Christ.

This speaks directly to us in Midland. Our church family includes people from different backgrounds, ages, and preferences. Some grew up with hymns and suits, others with contemporary songs and jeans. Some are in oil and gas, others in education, healthcare, or trades. Paul says those differences don’t define us anymore. Christ does.

We don’t put on old categories—we put on Christ. And if Christ is all and in all, then the person next to you isn’t first your cultural opposite—they’re your brother or sister in Christ.

We’ve seen that Paul has told us to set our minds on Christ above and to put to death the old life. But Christianity isn’t just about what you leave behind—it’s about what you put on. That’s where Paul takes us next: if you’ve been raised with Christ, then put on the new life that looks like him. Listen to his words:

Colossians 3:12–17 ESV

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Put On the New Life

1. Remember Who You Are

Paul begins with identity: “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” He doesn’t say, “Put on these virtues so God will love you.” He says, “Because you are already loved, already chosen, already holy in Christ—now live like it.”

That’s the gospel order: grace first, transformation second. You don’t earn God’s affection by putting on compassion and kindness; you put them on because you already have his affection.

Here’s the picture: your uniform says who you play for. If you suit up in purple and gold, you’re a Midland High Bulldog. If you put on maroon and white, you’re a Midland Lee Rebel. The uniform doesn’t make you an athlete—it shows who you already belong to. Paul says the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience are the uniform of God’s people.

2. Wear the Clothes of Christ

Paul names five virtues that mirror Christ:

Compassionate hearts—seeing others’ pain and entering in.

Kindness—acting for others’ good, even when it costs you.

Humility—not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Meekness—gentle strength, not weakness.

Patience—longsuffering with others’ faults.

These are not natural to us—they’re supernatural. They’re the fruit of being raised with Christ.

Think about parenting. Every parent here knows what it means to repeat the same correction again and again. Compassion, patience, and kindness don’t come naturally in those moments. But when you put on Christ, you parent differently—not just correcting behavior but shepherding hearts.

3. Forgive Like Christ Forgave You

Paul then goes straight to forgiveness: “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

This hits home for church life. In every congregation—whether in Midland or anywhere else—people will hurt each other. Different worship preferences, different personalities, different backgrounds collide. And if we don’t forgive, bitterness spreads like wildfire.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean excusing sin. It means releasing your right to revenge because Christ released you. He nailed your record of debt to the cross—how can you hold someone else’s record against them?

4. Put On Love Above All

Paul then says: “Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

Love is the belt that holds the uniform together. Without love, compassion becomes pity, humility becomes prideful, patience becomes grudging. But with love, all the virtues work in harmony.

Here’s where it connects with us in Midland: some of the “culture clashes” in this or any church are really opportunities to practice love. Instead of saying, “My preference first,” we say, “Love first.” When love is supreme, style doesn’t divide substance.

5. Let Christ’s Peace and Word Rule

Paul then says two powerful things: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” and “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Peace rules when Christ, not pride, calls the shots. His peace is like an umpire deciding what’s fair. When disagreements rise, you can ask, “Am I letting Christ’s peace rule, or am I letting my pride rule?”

And his Word must dwell richly. That means more than a quick glance at Scripture. It means letting the Bible soak into you so deeply that it overflows—in teaching, in correction, in worship. Paul even says it should shape how we sing—psalms, hymns, spiritual songs—variety that reflects Christ’s richness, not our personal playlist.

6. Whatever You Do, Do It in Jesus’ Name

Finally, Paul sums it all up: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

That means no division between sacred and secular. Whether you’re teaching school, changing diapers, closing an oil deal, or serving on a rig, do it in the name of Jesus. Every moment can become worship when done for his glory.

For us here, that means Christ is Lord not just of Sunday morning but Lord of Monday on the jobsite, Tuesday in the boardroom, and Friday night at the football stadium.

Paul has shown us the full wardrobe change: set your mind on Christ above, put off the old clothes of sin, and put on the new clothes of Christ. Now the question is—will we actually live dressed in Christ this week?

Paul has painted a clear picture of what it means to be raised with Christ: set your mind on him, put off the old life, and put on the new. But here’s where the rubber meets the road—what does that look like for us, right here in Midland?

Three Shifts this Week

New Perspective: Measure life by “What does Christ see in me?” not market, metrics, or mentions.

New Way with Conflict: When style rubs, reach for love before critique.

New Power for Change: Rules restrain; only Christ renews. Let his peace rule; let his Word dwell; do it all in his name.

So let me ask: What “old clothes” come off this week—anger, slander, dishonesty? What “new” goes on—compassion, forgiveness, love? Where are you clinging to shadows instead of Christ?

Loved ones, picture your closet. You’ve been handed a new wardrobe in Christ—compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, love. They’re yours—put them on.

This is the gospel: not self-improvement, resurrection. Jesus didn’t just cancel your debt; he clothes you in his righteousness. He didn’t just erase the past; he gives you his life. You don’t move yourself in—Christ moves you in when you surrender to him.

That’s why Paul says, “Christ is your life.” Not accessory. Life.

So how do we respond? Paul doesn’t write Colossians 3 for nods of agreement—he writes it for obedience.

If you’ve never trusted Christ: This is your moment. Without Christ we wear guilt and death; Jesus lived for you, died for you, rose for you. Turn from self-rule; trust him. Pray: “Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and rose again. Forgive me. Take my life. Make me yours. You are my Savior and Lord.” Tell someone today; take your next step in baptism—your public old off / new on.

If you belong to Christ but drifted: Lay down what you picked up. Confess. Ask for help. Christ’s mercy is ready, not reluctant.

If you’re in conflict: Trade preference for love. Pray with someone different from you. Show Midland Christ is stronger than division.

Practical Challenge

Personally: Each morning this week, name one “old piece” to take off and one “new piece” to put on. Live it out.

Relationally: Forgive one person who has wronged you. Don’t wait—extend grace like Christ extended it to you.

Missionally: Share with one coworker or neighbor what it means to be “raised with Christ.” Invite them to church.

Don’t live in the old clothes—live dressed in Christ.

That’s the life Midland needs to see—not Christians clinging to shadows, but Christians clothed in Christ. That’s the life Paul calls us to. That’s the life Christ offers you today.

So, church family, let’s not walk out wearing what belongs to the past. Let’s walk out clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love. Let’s walk out clothed in Christ.

Say it with me: Don’t live in the old clothes—live dressed in Christ.