A Living Sacrifice

Text: Colossians 3:1-17

Colossians 3:1–17 KJV 1900

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.

I. We must seek those things “above” (vs.1)

A. We are called to higher things than what the world has to offer.

1. We are to seek heavenly things, not earthly things.

2. Luke 16:13—“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

3. As Christians, we have died to our old self and we serve a new master—God.

a. Lost people are slaves to Satan, sin, and self.

b. We are servants of the King.

B. Think about this…

1. When Christ appears, we have something to look forward to: an eternity with God.

2. Set your mind to obtaining this, don’t worry about everything else the world has to offer.

3. Matthew 6:33—“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

II. We must put off the Old Man

A. All of the “members which are upon the earth” are sinful.

1. We must “put them to death” because they do not reflect the image of Christ.

2. We can never have a good testimony or witness with these influences still in our lifestyle.

3. God will punish the “children of disobedience”.

4. Do we still sin? Yes. Are we to live in sin? No.

5. 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.”

B. God has given us all a task.

1. We are supposed to be striving to be like Christ.

2. Phillipians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but thisone thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

III. We must put on the New Man (vs. 12).

A. We are a new creation in Jesus Christ and therefore our live should show it.

1. These “Fruits of the spirit” should show the love of God in our lives.

2. Galatians 5:22—“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…”

a. This is how we separate ourselves from the world.

b. Romans 12:1,2

c. Don’t be conformed to this world—It’s not too much to ask!

B. Love is the most important ingredient.

1. Have a heart!

2. If you have love, all the others will follow.

3. Matthew 22:36 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

IV. Conclusion

As Christians, all that we do should be to glorify and honor God. If we live this kind of life, (verse 16) we will have peace. Once we submit our will to God’s will and truly serve him, then, and only then, are we free.

Ecclesiastes 12: 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.