Colossians 3:1-17 (Graduate Recognition) // 5-17-26 (9:00 Service)

Paul tells the church that union with Christ changes everything. If they have been raised with Christ, the text calls them to seek the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and to set their minds there, not on earth. Baptismal language names the reality under their feet: buried with Christ, raised to walk in newness of life. The identity line shifts from “sinner saved by grace” to “were a sinner, now a new creation.” The question lands simply and directly: has the hearer been raised with Christ. Today is the day of salvation because Christ lives and the Spirit indwells those who confess and believe.

The new creation then takes up a new fight. Paul does not say manage sin, but “put to death” what belongs to the earthly nature. Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, greed, and then anger, wrath, malice, slander, filthy talk, lying. The enemy means to steal, kill, and destroy; the devil prowls like a lion to devour. A mosquito on the arm gets slapped, a spider in the house gets crushed, a snake in the shed gets a shovel. Sin deserves no gentler treatment. Hebrews says the struggle should run to blood, and God promises a way of escape. That way out may feel extreme, even embarrassing, but freedom beats entanglement every time.

Paul then turns the mind toward renewal. The new self is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the Creator. In Christ the old boundary lines fade, and the mind is transformed as the surpassing value of knowing Christ relativizes every former gain. To know him, the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings, becomes the North Star of a believer’s growth.

Christ himself supplies the growth. God gives the growth as believers put on what fits the new life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. They bear with and forgive just as the Lord forgave. Above all, love binds it all into unity. The peace of Christ rules the heart, thankfulness becomes the tone, and the word of Christ dwells richly through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. No longer infants on milk, believers feast on the word. The veil is torn, the Spirit dwells, and whatever is done in word or deed is done in the name of the Lord Jesus. The expulsive power of a new affection does the heavy lifting here. The beauty and excellence of Christ make the world’s crumbs look hollow beside the feast.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Through Christ, a new creation New identity is not a slogan but a lived reality. Burial with Christ and resurrection with him reframe the whole self, from desires to destiny. The Spirit indwells, and the believer’s mind takes its cues from the throne room, not the old neighborhood. The question that matters most is simple: has this raising happened. [31:06]
• 2. Set minds on things above Attention is allegiance. Where the mind dwells, the heart follows and the hands obey. Fixing thought on the risen Christ loosens the grip of lesser glories and lowers the volume of anxieties that used to rule. The new creation thinks from heaven toward earth, not the other way around. [35:50]
• 3. Kill sin or it kills you “Put it to death” allows no safe pet sins. The enemy will gladly devour a life through one tolerated appetite, one secret box in the closet. God always provides a way out, though it may feel extreme, and wisdom takes that door even when pride winces. Mercy often looks like a decisive no. [42:18]
• 4. Renewal comes through knowing Jesus The mind is remade as Christ is known, not as boxes are checked. Gains become loss next to the surpassing value of knowing him, and the soul learns resurrection power by sharing his sufferings. Holiness grows where beholding deepens. [52:49]
• 5. Christ alone gives real growth Planters and waterers matter, but God gives the growth. The life that puts on compassion, forgiveness, love, peace, and thankfulness is drawing from Christ as the source. When the word dwells richly, worship and obedience become the natural climate of the heart. [60:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:55] - Call to worship
• [30:26] - Open to Colossians 3
• [31:06] - Through Christ, a new creation
• [35:50] - Set minds on things above
• [42:18] - Kill sin or it kills you
• [49:19] - God provides a way out
• [52:49] - Renewed in the knowledge of Jesus
• [58:14] - Put on compassion and forgiveness
• [60:59] - God alone gives the growth
• [62:14] - Let the word dwell richly
• [63:35] - The veil torn and indwelling Spirit
• [65:38] - The expulsive power of new affection
• [70:53] - Prayer and sending

1. According to Colossians 3:5-9, what specific behaviors and attitudes are believers called to “put to death”?
2. What does Paul mean by “set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2), and how does the sermon illustrate this with the example of shifting from an “old neighborhood” mindset to a “throne room” perspective? [35:50]
3. What two contrasting lists does Paul give in Colossians 3:5-14 (things to “put off” vs. things to “put on”)?
4. How does the sermon describe the consequences of tolerating sin, using metaphors like a mosquito, spider, or snake? [47:23]

1. Why does Paul use such strong language like “put to death” (Colossians 3:5) instead of milder terms like “manage” or “avoid” sin? How does this connect to the sermon’s warning that “kill sin or it kills you”? [42:18]
2. Colossians 3:10 says believers are “being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” How does the sermon explain the relationship between knowing Christ deeply and experiencing transformation? [52:49]
3. The sermon states, “The expulsive power of a new affection does the heavy lifting here” when describing how love for Christ displaces sin. How does Colossians 3:12-17 support this idea?
4. What does it mean practically for “the word of Christ [to] dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16), and why does the sermon tie this to worship and community? [01:02:14]

1. Identify one specific sin from Colossians 3:5-9 that you’ve tolerated as a “mosquito” or “spider” in your life. What “shovel” (concrete action) could you use this week to “put it to death”? [48:48]
2. The sermon asks, “What occupies your thoughts the most?” [37:25] What daily habit could help you intentionally “set your mind on things above” (e.g., Scripture before social media, prayer walks, etc.)?
3. Paul urges believers to “put on” virtues like compassion and patience (Colossians 3:12). Which of these feels most unnatural to you? How could you actively practice it in a relationship this week?
4. The sermon warns against being a “spiritual infant” [01:00:31] – what step will you take to grow in “knowledge of Jesus” (e.g., studying a Gospel, memorizing a Psalm, joining a group)?
5. How could you make “the word of Christ dwell richly” in your home or workplace (Colossians 3:16)? Consider one tangible change, like playing worship music or discussing a verse at meals.
6. The sermon says, “Mercy often looks like a decisive no” [42:18] – when have you struggled to say “no” to a temptation out of fear of embarrassment? How can you lean on community for accountability?
7. What “crumb” from the world (e.g., approval, comfort, control) have you settled for instead of feasting on Christ’s beauty? How will you redirect your appetite this week? [01:07:02]