Putting Christ First: Changing Clothes, part 2: Putting on the New. Colossians 3:12-17

Putting Christ First: Changing Clothes, part 2: Putting on the New

Colossian 3:12-17

Putting on New Clothes (v. 12-14)

• Because we are new in Christ
  • Chosen and loved by God
  • Set apart for God
• We should seek to emulate Jesus with:
  • Compassion (lit. ‘guts of pity’): To be moved by what moves Him
  • Kindness/Generosity: To look to the needs of others
  • Humility/Modesty: To think of ourselves rightly
  • Meekness: To not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance
  • Patience: being self-controlled in the face of provocation
  • Tolerance: Putting up with the struggles of others
  • Forgiveness: Letting go of the wrongs that others have done to us
• All of these are just how Jesus treats us
  • And all of which can be summed up in one command: Love each other! (John 13:34-35)

 

Taking Up New Residents (v. 15-16)

• We are called to let Christ’s peace rule in us*
  • This is a call to let Jesus take control of our lives
    • “Heart”: Place of will, decision
    • “Rule”: Umpire, arbiter
  • Peace should always take precedence in the life of a Christian, because of the peace we have with God through Christ
    • Which should lead to gratitude
  • We are to let Christ’s word dwell in us*
    • The truth of the Gospel should transform us
    • And we should encourage each other deeper and deeper into that truth through:
      • Teaching: Show what is right
      • Admonishing: Correcting what is wrong
      • Praising God together

 

 

Living Out a New Mission (v. 17)

• With our new identity in place
  • And our thinking & words being conformed to Christ
• We are called to let everything we do and say reflect Jesus to the world
• This is result of putting Christ first in our lives

 

So What?

• Are we letting Jesus transform our lives?
  • So we are loving each other the way He loves us
  • And so we are reflecting Him to the world

 

Meditation Verse: Col. 3:17