Living a Resurrected Life.
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A Resurrected life
A Resurrected life
We have come to our sixth message in Paul’s letter to the Colossians (3:1-17). Up to this point, the letter has been dense and deeply theological. However, at the beginning of this third chapter, Paul pivots and the remainder of the letter is very practical in nature. We will now try to put theology into practice— In these last two chapters of the letter, Paul paints a picture for the Colossians of what it looks like to live as new creations in their everyday lives. What it looks like to live a “resurrected life”.
Did you catch that— if you are a believer— if you have faith and a relationship with Jesus. You desire him to be the deepest part of your well… You are actually living a “resurrected” life. How does that sit with you? If you’re like me, I haven’t always thought of it that way. My salvation was a decision I made a long time ago— but it really isn’t just a decision or an event that happen to me when I was 7. This new life is in reality a daily presence, a daily walk— it’s not just about the “event”— it’s about the “process” of living. We together, as the church have the opportunity to show the world, those all around us, what the Gospel looks like “lived” out.
“A church can offer living and palpable proof that the gospel makes a real difference for real people living in the real world.” - Author: Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.
In this passage, Paul instructs the Colossian church to live into their identity as those who participate in the resurrection of Christ (3:1-4) and urges them to leave behind their old ways of thinking and living and instead live as their new selves, who are being continually renewed to become more like Jesus. (3:5-11).
The Big ideas in Col 3:1-17
Paul teaches the Colossians:
Who they are. (v. 1-4)
What they do. (v. 5-11)
How they do it. (v. 12-17)
Are you excited? Let’s dive in!
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Paul challenges the Colossians to live according to their new identity as those who have been raised with Christ.
The first thing that Paul addresses is the HEART and THE MIND— the desires of our lives and their thought-life, for we are shaped by what we seek and molded by what we think about. I’ve heard it said that what we think, affects what we see, and what we see affects how we feel, and how we feel affects what we do.
Who we are:
Who we are:
A resurrected person sets their heart and mind on heaven:
Thinking----> Seeing----> Feeling----> Doing
Paul wrote to the Romans very similarly— You may remember this verse:
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
How can I “set” my heart and my mind on heavenly things?
Read and learn more about it- (Study)
Think about it- (Meditate)
Ask God about it- (Pray)
Talk to others about it- (Fellowship)
Practice seeing all your circumstances with heaven in mind. (Community)
Richard Baxter was an English Puritan leader. He was a theologian who wrote a book called the “Saints Everlasting Rest”. He lived from 1615-1691
“While suffering from a critical illness, Richard Baxter set his thoughts on heaven: Who is it for? What is it like? How can we prepare for it? Baxter defines eternal heavenly rest as the happiest state a Christian can experience. By living a heavenly life on earth, Christians can better prepare themselves for the kingdom to come. Baxter retains a humble attitude in his descriptions, admitting that he is incapable of fully understanding the wonders of heaven. But despite his imperfect knowledge of the true nature of heaven, his meditations can help guide Christians as they think about the afterlife. Saints' Everlasting Rest provides readers with a beautiful glimpse of what heaven will be like.” Baxter survived that illness, and his life and ministry were changed by that period of deep reflection and contemplating Heaven.
There are many other resources also— but that one is going to be on my list.
I don’t know if Baxter would actually agree that we could be so Heavenly minded that we are no earthly good? Perhaps he would contend, as would Paul, that if we are more heavenly minded, we might just become MORE affective here on earth!
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Paul wants the Colossians to focus on things above rather than earthly things because they have been crucified to the world and are awaiting a glorious life, which will be theirs when Christ returns and transforms their bodies to be like his resurrected body.
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Setting our minds and deepest desires on the glories of the Age to come not only gives us hope for the future but also enables us to live as resurrected people right now. This affects how we pray, how we worship, how we live, it affects EVERYTHING.
It’s as if we all need to be reminded of who we are— which affects our Thinking, Seeing, Feeling, and Doing!
In the verses that follow, Paul is going to give some very practical examples to the Colossians that show them what it looks like to die to their old sinful natures (3:5-11) and live as people of the resurrection (3:12-17).
He’s going to begin to show them, and us, What we do— when we live this new life in Christ. We actually put off some things— and we put ON some things. We have a wardrobe change!
What we do:
What we do:
Put off some things (v. 5-11)
Put off some things (v. 5-11)
Put on some things (v. 12-16)
Put on some things (v. 12-16)
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
This first list of vices focuses on sins that are an out-of-bounds version of something good. That’s the way our enemy the devil works— he isn’t a creative being— he only distorts and corrupts the good things that God made.
He also lures us into putting something in the place of God, instead of God. Paul uses very strong language, urging the Colossians to put to death the things of their old nature.
A resurrected life puts off anything that takes the place of God.
He wrote it this way in another letter to the Ephesians:
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
It reminds me of a story of a Cherokee Indian parable:
ONE EVENING, AN ELDERLY
CHEROKEE MAN TOLD HIS
GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT
GOES ON INSIDE ALL PEOPLE.
HE SAID "MY SON, THE BATTLE IS
BETWEEN TWO 'WOLVES' INSIDE US ALL.
ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER,
ENVY, JEALOUSY, SORROW,
REGRET, GREED, ARROGANCE,
SELF-PITY, GUILT, RESENTMENT,
INFERIORITY, LIES, FALSE PRIDE,
SUPERIORITY, AND EGO.
THE OTHER IS GOOD.
IT IS JOY, PEACE LOVE, HOPE SERENITY,
HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE,
EMPATHY, GENEROSITY,
TRUTH, COMPASSION AND FAITH."
THE GRANDSON THOUGH ABOUT
IT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN ASKED
HIS GRANDFATHER:
"WHICH WOLF WINS GRANDPA?..."
THE OLD CHEROKEE SIMPLY REPLIED,
"THE ONE THAT YOU FEED"
Which self do we feed? The old self, or the new self? Take a look at your life. What are you cultivating?
Jesus taught that the two central commands of the Hebrew Scriptures are to love God with your entire being and to love your neighbor as yourself. The problem with these sins (and all other sin) is not that it breaks arbitrary rules but that it is a result of not loving God and others wholeheartedly; of attempting to turn good things into ultimate things and seating them upon the thrones of our hearts, where God alone should dwell; of not properly valuing others as God’s image-bearing human beings, but as objects that exist for our pleasure.
8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
In this second list of sins, Paul addresses sin that comes from an angry and enraged heart. Jesus taught that these sins of anger or rage are just like murder. Again, these sins are the result of not loving God and others as we ought to. God is the judge, not us.
A resurrected life puts off anger and falsehood.
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
The Greek words translated here as have taken off and have put on are words used to describe a person changing their clothes. The word-picture is clear: Those of us in Christ are called to discard our old earthly nature as if it were outworn, dirty clothes and instead clothe ourselves in our new nature, which as we grow in our knowledge of God, is continually being transformed to look more like Jesus.
This is why we should always tell the truth, for we represent One who never lies and is the embodiment of truth itself. (remember he said “I am the truth”) We lie so that we can manage others’ perceptions of us. But as those who cling to the mercies of God, there is no need to be scared of the truth, for we know that knowledge of the truth is what sets us free. Mark Twain once said “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything”. In essence, if I tell the truth, I won’t need to try to remember what my story was!
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
This idea was shocking in the first century and is still a challenge to us in the twenty-first century: in God’s new creation, the ethnic and cultural barriers that divide humanity have no bearing on our status with God or each other. Take a look at that verse again— “Here”? Where is “here”? It’s the place where we have put off all these facets of our old self… In THAT place there are no factors to separate people. As a bit of commentary, I want you to know that we can still celebrate our differences— this month is set aside to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and the experiences of Black people in our world. These are wonderful differences, but they are all “superseded” by the the fact that CHRIST IS ALL, and is IN ALL. You may have heard it said: “We are all equals at the foot of the cross”. I happen to believe living this very concept (Christ is all and in all) is the only way to find true unity and reconcile people back to God and each other.
What we do (continued):
Put on some things (v. 12-16)
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
It is important to keep in mind that Paul is not writing this letter to an individual. Rather, the apostle is writing to a church community seeking to follow Jesus together. While it is true that Christian faith is very personal, I don’t believe it is private.
For those of us living in the modern world today, this can be difficult to understand; we live in individualistic, self-focused self-reliable culture. Regardless of the cultures we find ourselves in, the church is called by God to live as a community. The different parts of Christ’s body need each other. It is in the context of a loving, Christ-centered community that we grow in Christ and learn to live as people of His resurrection.
The virtues listed here are things God has already shown us in Christ; we are simply called to deal with others as God has dealt with us.
A resurrected life puts on the attributes of Christ.
While it is true that we grow in Christ in the context of a community, we should not romanticize the church as if it were free of challenges. This side of glory, relationships will always be messy and difficult. The goal of the Christian community is not to be perfect; our goal is to reflect Christ to one another. In a healthy church community, we can expect to find forgiveness from our brothers and sisters when we make mistakes, which points us to the radical forgiveness of God that is ours in Christ.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Earlier in the letter (2:2), Paul prayed that the Colossians would be knit together in love, which makes this the second time in the letter the apostle has connected love with unity.
It is important that we understand that Paul is using the word love in a very different way than we use the word in our modern English. As Paul means it here, Love --“Agape” is primarily a commitment, not a feeling. Imagine a church community made up of people more concerned about the interests of others than their own. 4 How could this community ever not be unified? How could they be ruled by anything other than the peace of Christ?
It is important to Paul that the Colossians cultivate a heart-posture of thankfulness toward God, for he always thanks God (1:9) and instructs them to do the same four other times in this letter, mentioning it in each chapter! (1:27; 2:7; 3:17; 4:2).
How we do it:
How we do it:
16 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. 17 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.
A resurrected life teaches and admonishes others.
A resurrected life is thankful!
A resurrected life represents Jesus!
Here the apostle gives the Colossians instructions for when they gather together. They ought to teach each other and warn of the dangers of sin, keeping the teachings and story of Jesus at the center of their fellowship. Paul calls the church to sing songs of thankful praise and worship to God, and to do all things as people who represent Jesus. This is a spectacular vision and a mighty calling. We must make every effort to live in a manner worthy of the calling God has given us.
~Father, we want our lives to be a demonstration of the power of the resurrection. Please help us as we abandon everything that keeps us from wholeheartedly loving you and our neighbors; we want to live as new creations. Break down any artificial barriers that separate your Church and help us stand united so that we can give the watching world a foretaste of the Age to come. Amen.