From Graveclothes to Grace Clothes

Text: Colossians 3:1–17 Theme: In Christ, we put off the old life and put on the new, shaped by His peace and His Word. Key Cross-References: Romans 6:1–11; Philippians 3:12–14; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of new life in Christ Jesus. Once we were dead in trespasses and sins, but by Your grace, You raised us up and gave us life. Now, Lord, as we open Your Word, tune our hearts to things above. Strip away every distraction, every trace of the old life that clings to us. Clothe us today with compassion, kindness, humility, and love. Let Your peace rule in our hearts and Your Word dwell richly within us. And when we leave this place, may the world see Christ living through us. In His mighty name we pray — Amen.

Introduction — The Message and the Moment

We’ve been walking through Paul’s powerful letter to the Colossians — a book that exalts the Lord Jesus Christ in all His majesty, sufficiency, and glory.

Paul wrote this letter from a Roman prison to believers he had never personally met in the small city of Colossae. Word had reached him that false teachers were infiltrating the church, trying to pollute the gospel with human philosophy and man-made religion. They said, “Jesus is good — but He’s not enough.”

But Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, thundered back:

“Christ is all you need!”

He is not just one among many; He is the One and Only.

Up to this point, Paul has shown us Christ as:

The image of the invisible God,

The head of the church,

The fullness of the Godhead bodily,

And the One in whom we are complete.

But now, as we reach chapter 3, Paul turns a corner — from doctrine to duty, from belief to behavior, from truth to transformation.

He’s saying to us: If Christ is Lord over all creation and your salvation, then He must be Lord over your conduct and your conversation. The gospel that saves you is the gospel that changes you.

Christianity is not about adding Christ to your old ways — it’s about exchanging your old life for His new one.

So Paul begins with this bold call: “If you’ve been raised with Christ, stop living like you’re still in the grave!”

That’s why I’ve titled this message: “From Graveclothes to Grace Clothes.”

When Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb in John 11, Lazarus came out alive, but he was still bound in the wrappings of death. Jesus said, “Loose him, and let him go.”

That’s exactly what Paul is saying here. You’ve been raised to new life — now take off the graveclothes and put on the grace clothes.

And Paul gives us three simple steps to living that new life in Christ:

Seek it — Set your heart on things above.

Shed it — Put off the graveclothes of sin.

Show it — Put on the grace clothes of Christ.

Let’s walk through these one by one.

Colossians 3:1–17 NKJV

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be 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 whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

I. Seek It — Set Your Heart on Things Above (Colossians 3:1–4)

Look again at vs. 1: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

Paul begins not with what you do, but with who you are. If you have trusted in Christ, you’ve been raised with Him.

You didn’t just join a religion — you experienced a resurrection! Romans 6:4 says,

Romans 6:4 NKJV

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Your old self was buried — and now your life is hidden with Christ in God.

That’s why Paul says, “Seek those things which are above.” The word seek means to pursue earnestly, to make something your continuous aim.

Then he adds, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

In other words, lift your focus heavenward.

Don’t let the world set your agenda — let the risen Christ shape your perspective.

What you seek, you think about. And what you think about, you become.

If your mind lives in the gutter, your life will follow it there. But if your heart is fixed on heaven, your life will rise with it.

Paul says in verse 4, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Christ doesn’t just give you life — He is your life.

So before you can change your behavior, you must change your focus. Lift your eyes, set your mind, and seek the things above.

Seek it — because what you seek will shape what you show.

II. Shed It — Put Off the Graveclothes of Sin (Colossians 3:5–11)

Look with me again at vs. 5 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth…”

Paul moves from the internal pursuit to the external practice. He’s saying, “If you’ve been raised to new life, it’s time to bury the old one.”

That phrase “put to death” is not gentle. It means to kill off — to declare sin dead and done.

You see, when Lazarus walked out of that tomb, he was alive — but he still looked like a dead man. He was bound in graveclothes until Jesus said, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Some Christians are like Lazarus — raised but still wrapped. Saved but still stuck. Redeemed but still robed in the rags of the old life.

Paul lists those rags: sexual immorality, impurity, greed, anger, filthy talk, lying, pride. He’s saying, “Take off those old garments — they don’t fit anymore.”

The phrase put off means to strip off a filthy garment and throw it away. You don’t wash it and hang it back up. You discard it.

Why? Because verse 9 and 10 says, “You have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

You are not who you used to be. The old man is buried. The new man is being renewed — day by day — into the likeness of Jesus.

And then Paul ends this section with a glorious truth:

Look at the later part of vs. 11: “Christ is all, and in all.”

In the new life, there are no divisions — no Greek or Jew, slave or free, insider or outsider. Christ fills the whole room. He is the center of it all.

So Christian, if you’ve been raised with Christ — shed it. Take off the rags of resentment, the garments of gossip, the robes of rebellion. They belong to the grave, not the grace.

III. Show It — Put On the Garments of Grace (Colossians 3:12–17)

Now that we’ve taken off the old, Paul says, it’s time to put on the new.

Look again at v. 12: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…”

Do you see the flow? You’ve sought the things above. You’ve shed the things below. Now you’re ready to show the life of Christ within you.

These are the garments of grace — compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, and love.

Each piece of this new wardrobe reflects the character of Jesus Himself.

And in verse 14 Paul says,

“Above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”

Love is the belt that holds the whole outfit together. Without love, everything falls apart.

Then he says,

“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”

That word rule means to act as an umpire. Let God’s peace call the plays in your life. If something steals your peace — it’s out of bounds.

And how do you keep that peace? Verse 16 tells us:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

When the Word fills your heart, praise fills your mouth. When Christ fills your thoughts, gratitude fills your life.

Then Paul sums it all up:

v. 17 “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

That’s the essence of Christianity. Not rules, but relationship. Not obligation, but overflow.

Everything we say, everything we do, should carry the fragrance of Jesus.

So, beloved — show it. Show Christ in your home. Show Him in your marriage, your workplace, your community. Let others see the life of the risen Lord shining through you.

Conclusion — From Graveclothes to Grace Clothes

The moment you were saved, Jesus called your name and brought you out of the tomb. But some of us still try to live wrapped up in the rags of the past.

Paul says, “Take them off!” You’ve been raised with Christ — so dress like it!

Seek it — set your heart on things above. Shed it — put off the graveclothes of sin. Show it — put on the grace clothes of Christ.

The graveclothes belong to the tomb. The grace clothes belong to the throne.

Isaiah 61:10 NKJV

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

If you’ve never trusted Christ, you’re still wearing the rags of sin — but Jesus stands ready today to clothe you in His righteousness.

And if you are saved, stop rummaging around in the grave for what Christ already buried.

Walk in newness of life. Live clothed in His grace. And let the world see what resurrection looks like.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, Thank You for calling us out of the grave and into Your glorious life. Thank You for stripping away the garments of guilt and shame, and wrapping us in Your robe of righteousness.

Help us this week to seek the things above, to shed everything that doesn’t look like You, and to show Your love and grace wherever we go.

Let Your peace rule in our hearts. Let Your Word dwell richly within us. And let Your name be glorified in all we say and do.

We give You all the praise, in Your powerful and precious name — Amen.