This Week’s Reading
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each otherand forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
—Colossians 3:1-17
Listen to the Podcast
Caleb Clardy, founding pastor at Trinity Grace Church, teaching from Colossians 3:1–17 on the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, the sixth in our "In Christ by the Spirit for the City" series, speaking at Middle School 51 on November 10, 2019.
Themes to Consider
We are united to Christ through his life and death. This is a free gift of grace. We set our mind and heart on that reality.
A reliable pattern of spiritual change, putting off the old life and putting on the new.
We receive a new identity when we come to faith in Christ and there is a new character that grows from that new identity. A primary way that growth takes places through new practices.
We are brought together through our union with Christ and given a pattern for our life together.
Discussion Questions
How would you describe how someone's identity changes when they come to faith in Christ?
Imagine two towns, one where life is defined by the attributes of verses 5-9 and the other defined by the attributes of verses 12-14. It may seem overly simple, but think deeply about how different life would be in those two places. What does this tell us about the heart of God?
What are ways you can put off the old way of life as described in this passage? How can you put on the new?
Virtue is described as habits of character? How would you describe how your character has been formed?
Verses 12-17 describe life in the community of followers of Jesus. Which of these practices are a regular part of your life? Is there one that you could add in the days to come?
This Week’s Practices
We are challenging ourselves to engage two practices throughout the series as a whole and they are listed under Daily Spiritual Practice and Love in Action. Below those, we will also provide a couple other weekly practices that correspond to each passage as we move through the letter.
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1 / DAILY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE — ONGOING
Spend daily time in the Gospels; be with Jesus.
There are many ways that you might select a Gospel reading for the day. You could just pick one of the four Gospels and start making your way through a bit at a time. Or you could use a resource like the Daily Office Lectionary which always has a selection from the Gospels as a part of its daily readings. The main thing is simply to find a passage that is a manageable length for the time you have set aside.
Before you read, offer a short prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you. You might pray that you would like to spend this time with Jesus and ask that the person of Christ would be revealed to you during your time.
Slowly read the passage from the Gospel, asking the Holy Spirit to direct your attention to Jesus. What do you see Jesus doing? What do you hear Jesus saying? What is the situation and circumstance that Jesus is in? Does Jesus act according to your expectations or in a different way? What is challenging? What is encouraging? What is confusing?
Once you have read, perhaps a few times if needed, sit in silence for a moment and see what the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Perhaps you have a question to reflect on later or in community. Perhaps you have an insight. Imagine Jesus being right there present to you.
You may want to end by jotting down something you sensed from the Spirit, or by worshipping Jesus, or by writing or saying a prayer.
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2 / LOVE IN ACTION — ONGOING
In our time and context it may feel challenging or embarrassing to speak openly about faith in Christ, but there are some powerful and important reasons to overcome those difficulties.
Jesus directs us to let the light of our life with God and His Kingdom shine. It is an integral part of how the relational Kingdom of God expands. We tell our story and we tell the story of Jesus. We are not proselytizing to grow the tribe of those who agree with us, but so that many others may experience the tremendous love of God that has changed our lives. It is one of the greatest joys of the Christians life to be involved in someone coming to faith in Christ because we were willing to share the Gospel with them.
We are challenging ourselves and our whole church to share the Gospel this fall. You may begin by opening up to a friend or coworker about your story and faith. You could begin by inviting a friend to Apha. You can make a list of people you would like to pray for and ask God for opportunities to speak with them about faith in a meaningful way.
You may also want to have a conversation with those in your group about the idea or experience of sharing your faith. What thoughts or feelings does it bring up for you? Do you feel like you would know some of what to say? Do you wish you had some specific help in the process. These are all things that are helpful to process in community.
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3 / forgiveness — WEEKLY
Right in the heart of this passage is the command for us to forgive one another as we have been forgiven by Christ.
Pray and ask God to reveal someone to whom you have been slow or unwilling to forgive. What has been standing in the way. Spend some time asking God for the grace to forgive that person. As you are able, by the Spirit, offer that person your forgiveness
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4 / worship and encouragement — WEEKLY
As you participate in singing worship this week, in church or at home, ask God to give you specific encouragement for someone. Pass that encouragement along.
Recommended resources
PDF: Excerpt from Renovation of the Heart
Read Chapter 5 from Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard.
PODCAST: Naming Your Stage of Apprenticeship: Active and Passive Spirituality
Listen to a sermon from John Mark Comer from Bridgetown Church on John 21:18–19 and the reality that we are formed both by what we actively choose and what happens to us in our life.
QUOTE: N.T. Wright’s Paul for Everyone
”Here’s the acid test for whether Paul is talking sense or not. Read again through the list of sexual and speech-related misbehaviour in verses 5–9. Then read through verses 12–17. Ask yourself this: supposing there was a town in which everybody behaved in the way described in verses 5–9. And supposing, a few miles down the road, there was a town where everybody behaved in the way described in verses 12–17. Which town would you rather live in?”
