Embodying Christ: Living a Life of Love and Virtue

Devotional

Day 1: Embodying Christ's Essence

Living "in Christ" is a profound call to embody His essence in every aspect of life. This means more than just being near or for Christ; it involves making Him the cornerstone of our existence. By doing so, we allow ourselves to grow and flourish according to His divine plan. In a world filled with distractions and competing ideologies, remaining steadfast in faith is crucial. This journey requires a conscious decision to let Christ be the foundation of our lives, influencing our thoughts, actions, and interactions with others. [01:59]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: What specific area of your life needs to be more deeply rooted in Christ today, and how can you take a step towards making Him the cornerstone in that area?

Day 2: Clothing Ourselves in Christ's Virtues

Paul urges believers to "put on" virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. These virtues are not just words but actions that reflect the heart of Christ. By choosing to wear these virtues, we represent Christ in a world that desperately needs His love. This metaphor of clothing illustrates the transformation that occurs when we live in Christ. Just as we choose our physical attire each day, we must also choose to clothe ourselves in the virtues that reflect Christ’s love. [06:12]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Reflection: Which virtue do you find most challenging to "put on" daily, and what practical steps can you take to embody this virtue more consistently?

Day 3: Stripping Away the Old Nature

To truly live in Christ, one must strip away the old, sinful nature and embrace a new life characterized by love and grace. This involves letting go of anger, unforgiveness, and pride, and instead, clothing oneself in the virtues of Christ. It is a daily decision to live not for oneself but as a representative of Christ, bringing His love to a broken world. This transformation is not a one-time event but a continuous process of renewal and growth. [19:39]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: What is one aspect of your old nature that you need to let go of today, and how can you invite Christ to help you embrace a new life in that area?

Day 4: Living with Intentionality

Living in Christ requires intentionality. It involves making a daily decision to clothe oneself in the virtues that reflect Christ’s love. This means setting one's sights on heavenly things and allowing His peace to rule in the heart. By doing so, believers can make the most of every opportunity to share His love and grace with others. This intentional living is a commitment to embodying Christ's teachings in every interaction and decision. [21:35]

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can set your mind on heavenly things today, and how can this shift in focus impact your daily interactions?

Day 5: Extending Christ’s Love to Others

The journey in Christ is not just personal but communal. Believers are called to extend His love to others, making the most of every opportunity to share His grace. This involves living wisely among non-believers and letting conversations be gracious and attractive. By doing so, Christians can represent Christ in a world that needs His love and guidance. This communal aspect of faith emphasizes the importance of relationships and the impact of Christ's love on the world. [35:30]

1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can intentionally show Christ's love to today, and what specific action can you take to demonstrate His grace to them?

Sermon Summary

In our journey through the book of Colossians, we have been exploring the profound call to live a life truly "in Christ." This is not merely about being near or for Christ, but about embodying His essence in every aspect of our lives. Paul’s letter to the Colossians is as relevant today as it was then, urging us to remain steadfast in our faith amidst a world filled with distractions and competing ideologies. The core message is clear: Jesus is not an add-on to our lives; He is the cornerstone. Our lives should be deeply rooted in Him, allowing us to grow and flourish according to His divine plan.

As we delve into Colossians 3 and 4, we are reminded that living in Christ is not just a personal journey but a communal one. We are called to extend the love of Christ to others, embodying His teachings in our daily interactions. This involves a conscious decision to "put on" the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. These are not mere words but actions that reflect the heart of Christ. They are the garments we must wear to represent Him in a world that desperately needs His love.

Paul uses the metaphor of clothing to illustrate the transformation that occurs when we live in Christ. Just as we choose our physical attire each day, we must also choose to clothe ourselves in the virtues that reflect Christ’s love. This requires us to strip away the old, sinful nature and embrace a new life characterized by love and grace. It is a daily decision to live not for ourselves but as representatives of Christ, bringing His love to a broken world.

Living in Christ means setting our sights on heavenly things, allowing His peace to rule in our hearts, and being thankful in all circumstances. It is about making the most of every opportunity to share His love and grace with others. As we commit to this journey, we are reminded that we are not alone. Christ lives in us, empowering us to live out His love in a tangible and transformative way.

Key Takeaways

1. h8&t=119s'>[01:59]
2. Clothing Ourselves in Virtues: Paul urges us to "put on" virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. These are not just words but actions that reflect the heart of Christ. By choosing to wear these virtues, we represent Christ in a world that needs His love.

3. Stripping Away the Old Nature: To truly live in Christ, we must strip away our old, sinful nature and embrace a new life characterized by love and grace. This involves letting go of anger, unforgiveness, and pride, and instead, clothing ourselves in the virtues of Christ.

4. Living with Intentionality: Living in Christ requires intentionality. We must make a daily decision to clothe ourselves in the virtues that reflect Christ’s love. This involves setting our sights on heavenly things and allowing His peace to rule in our hearts.

5. Extending Christ’s Love to Others: Our journey in Christ is not just personal but communal. We are called to extend His love to others, making the most of every opportunity to share His grace. This involves living wisely among non-believers and letting our conversations be gracious and attractive.

** [01:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:59] - Are You In Christ?
[03:14] - Building a Life on Christ
[04:45] - Setting Your Sights on Heaven
[06:12] - Putting on a New Nature
[07:13] - Clothe Yourself with Love
[08:28] - Living as Representatives of Christ
[10:08] - The Lesson of the Chinos
[12:23] - The Cost of Following Christ
[14:22] - The Garment of Love
[15:59] - Bringing Jesus to Others
[17:14] - The Challenge of Love
[18:42] - Stripping Off the Old Nature
[19:39] - Personal Decision to Live in Christ
[21:35] - Choosing Compassion and Kindness
[23:01] - The Importance of Humility
[24:23] - Gentleness and Patience
[26:20] - The Power of Forgiveness
[35:30] - Living Wisely Among Non-Believers
[37:16] - Clothe Yourself in the Love of Jesus
[39:28] - Invitation to Know Christ

Sermon Clips

1. "And if He's just an add-on, then who's to say that He is the way, the truth, and the life in every area of our life? And so then the contending reality for us is that we need to be in Christ and decide once and for all, He is the way, He is the truth, and He is the life. And then as we looked at last week, we would build our lives and let the roots of our lives go deep in Him so that we can build on the foundation that is Christ and discover that He is not just everything. But because He is the way, the truth, and the life, your life and my life won't go backwards when we hold onto Him. It'll only go forwards." [00:02:31] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "And then we're gonna pick up Colossians in chapter three and a little bit of chapter four today where Paul is writing and saying, it's one thing to be in Christ and that's first and foremost. It's now another thing to build your life on Christ and actually allow your life to flourish according to His plan in Scripture. But now it's not just about me and Jesus and everyone else is out here, but actually we have to take the love of Christ and apply it to our lives and take it to others." [00:03:14] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Footnote, watch your bullseye. If our sight is not set on heaven and heaven alone where Christ is, we're gonna miss the mark. That is why it's not just a life on Christ or by Christ or for Christ, but it's a life in Christ. He is the one who sets the cornerstone of our lives. Set your sights on heaven. Think about the things from heaven, not the things of earth, for you died to this life and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory. Thank God for that." [00:04:33] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We might not be in a culture where it's okay to stone people, but trust me, there's stones being thrown. They're our words, our opinions, our slander, our perspective, our judgement. You and I have to actually make sure we don't live the old way, but we clothe ourselves and create room through forgiveness where it's gonna be okay. We're stumbling towards becoming like Jesus. Above all, here's this word again, clothe yourself with love. It's this love that actually binds us all together in perfect harmony and let the peace, that comes from Christ's rule in your heart." [00:07:27] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "But because it was a prestigious cloth known by the Colosses, it's really important we understand that we're not being asked to put on our own thoughts, our own desires, our own experiences. We can't water down or confuse the power of Christ because of the humanity of who we are. And that is why following Jesus is not a one-hit wonder, but a daily deciding. To strip off the things that are not of Him and put on all of who He is. If we're not careful, we'll stop at chapter one, chapter two, and go, it's all about me and Jesus and my life. But chapter three encourages us, no, we're not to keep Jesus to ourselves." [00:15:26] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "It's interesting because Paul actually unpacks what love looks like from how Jesus himself lived and roamed this earth. I don't know what love means to you or what your definition of love may look like, but he unpacks this idea and he says we have to clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness. Now that's six nice words, but how many know doing all of those six at once is going to be a challenge? Just try being patient in the traffic tomorrow or on Tuesday or on Wednesday or on Thursday. There's so many opportunities for these to not be put on." [00:16:47] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "And so this is a personal outworking with Jesus Himself where we have to let go of all the things the Bible says that so easily hinder us, that ensnare us. And this is not to be done on public show where everyone gets their own opinion about what you should do and you shouldn't do. It's coming back to Jesus and being open and being honest and you discover very quickly that Jesus is not looking for a put together me. But actually, he's looking for every one of us to be completely vulnerable in front of the Lord." [00:20:24] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "And so then the challenge for you and I is to actually look at what is being tabled here and if everything is tabled, if every day we get to choose what we wear, then I've got to make a decision. Am I choosing hate or compassion? So I come over and I take the pants of compassion and I say, I'm gonna make a decision to put on this aspect of love known as compassion. I'm gonna do my fly. I've forgotten the first service." [00:21:35] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "And so we actually have to make room to slow down, to see and live with a deep sympathy for what we're doing. For those who are stricken by misfortune, but we also need to accompany it with a strong desire to actually alleviate their suffering. Secondly, he says the idea of love is not just compassion, but kindness. And kindness is important because kindness actually represents the heart of the Father. The thing with kindness though, is that although we've been in a situation where we've been called to live considerate and helpful to others, we miss the opportunities." [00:24:03] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Paul finishes it and I'll finish it here in Colossians 4 where he says, Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be great. Be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians reminds us that there is no one equal to Christ. Therefore, we need to be reminded to commit our lives to His will, His word, His way, and then realise Jesus is counting on you and me to put on love and show and bring love." [00:36:00] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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