The Life in Christ

Passage

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.

Observations

Seek those things which are above (1).

Set your minds on things above (2).

What is Paul talking about when he says, ‘things from above’?

What are those things?

Tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with oneanother, forgiving one another, put on love.

‘Let the peace of God rule in your hearts’

Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.’

‘Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.’

Sermon Outline

We have a particular life to live here on earth.

But its not a life lived out of self motivation and empowerment.

It is not a life that allows a culture to manipulate or dictate how one lives in it.

It is a life that focuses on a specific relationship to help best produce the fruit of such a godly life.

It is a life lived with Jesus.

John 15:1–5 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

We can already see that we cannot live any resemblance of a life that we need to live unless we abide in Christ.

We also know that we are called to live a life worthy of the calling by whuch we have been called.

There is clearly a cause and an effect process happening here.

Collins Dictionary defines cause and effect this way: “You use cause and effect to talk about the way in which one thing is caused by another.”

A genuine Christian Life is the product of one’s relationship with Jesus (cause) that then bears abundant fruit in and through that person’s life (effect).

Our walk is a reflection of who is in us and with us.

Ephesians 5:8 NKJV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 5:16 NKJV

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Proverbs 13:20–21 NKJV

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

So how does one consolidate this miraculous work of God in a sinner’s life?

Here are two atainable moves that lead a person from a life of self-indulgence and pride to godliness and humility.

Seek those things above.

to Strive for.

The more time you spend time with Jesus the more you want to be with him.

2. Set your mind on things above.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 30.20 φρονέω; φροντίζω; σκοπέω; μελετάω

to keep on giving serious consideration to something—‘to ponder, to let one’s mind dwell on, to keep thinking about, to fix one’s attention on.’

you must not only seek heaven, you must think it.