Sunday School: Pastor Grayson: Got Resurrection Life? (Easter Sunday)

Devotional

Day 1: Since You Have Been Raised with Christ

The resurrection is not merely a historical event to be remembered; it is a present reality to be lived. This new life begins with a fundamental shift in identity, where one's old self is crucified with Christ and He now lives within. This indwelling presence is the very source and power of the resurrection life we are called to walk in each day. It is a life marked not by our own strength, but by faith in the Son of God. This transformative truth is the foundation upon which our daily existence is built. [03:14]

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1 NIV)

Reflection: In what specific area of your daily routine could you more intentionally acknowledge that you are not your own, but that Christ lives in you?

Day 2: Constantly Seek the Things Above

The call to seek the things above is not a passive glance but an active, continuous pursuit. It is a conscious and deliberate setting of one’s affections on the eternal realities of God’s kingdom. This requires a fixed heart, a determined focus that does not waver with circumstance or emotion. It is a constant motivation to want more of the Lord, to hunger and thirst for His presence above all else. This seeking becomes the defining direction of a life surrendered to Christ. [07:17]

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2 NIV)

Reflection: Where have you been merely "peeking into the garage" in your spiritual life, and what would a more active, constant seeking look like for you this week?

Day 3: Mortify the Deeds of the Flesh

Resurrection life involves a decisive rejection of the practices that belong to our former spiritual deadness. To mortify is to put to death the sinful tendencies of the old nature—such as impurity, evil desires, and greed—treating them as once-and-for-all defeated enemies. This is not a gradual reform but a definitive act of faith, relying on the power of Christ within to overcome what we cannot in our own strength. It is a vital sign of the new life we have received. [13:18]

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5 NIV)

Reflection: What is one specific "symptom of carnality" that you have justified, and what would it look like to actively put it to death through Christ's power this week?

Day 4: Speak the Truth in Love

Truth is the currency of God's kingdom and the foundation of healthy relationships. A lie, no matter how small it seems, drives a wedge between people and disrupts our fellowship with God, who is Truth itself. We are called to a higher standard where our communication is governed by the Holy Spirit, ensuring that we not only speak truth but do so with love and grace. This practice leads to liberty, wholeness, and reflects the character of Christ within us. [18:42]

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. (Colossians 3:9-10 NIV)

Reflection: When was the last time you were tempted to offer a "little untruth" for convenience's sake, and how can you rely on the Spirit to speak truth in love in a similar situation next time?

Day 5: Put On the New Self in Christ

The culmination of resurrection life is to be clothed with the character of Christ. Putting on the new self is a conscious choice to let the mind of Christ be in you, transforming your thoughts and actions. This renewed identity means that when others interact with you, they increasingly see the reflection of Jesus rather than the brokenness of the old life. It is through this putting on that God empowers us to say no to darkness and yes to His life, demonstrating His victory to the world. [19:23]

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

Reflection: As you get ready each morning, what is one practical way you can "put on" a specific characteristic of Christ, like compassion or kindness, for that day?

Sermon Summary

Colossians 3:1 anchors a call to live in resurrection reality. Since believers have been raised with Christ, they must orient life toward what is above, because Christ reigns as the center of God’s authority. Resurrection life shows itself in clear vitals: faith that sustains daily living, Christ dwelling within so that actions reflect divine will, and a continual seeking of heavenly things rather than temporary earthly impulses. The Greek for “seek” demands persistence; looking once is not enough—affection for God must remain steady and formative, setting a fixed moral horizon for behavior.

The risen life refuses carnality. Mortification requires decisive rejection of the body’s sinful tendencies—sexual immorality, uncleanness, covetousness, anger, malice, and corrupt speech—and insists on a once-for-all turning from practices that marked previous spiritual deadness. Confession and repentance mean more than shame; they require visible change: where treasure proves the heart, deeds prove true devotion. Truthful speech becomes a spiritual discipline because lies corrode relationships and spiritual fellowship; honesty framed by love restores liberty and wholeness.

Putting on Christ functions as both identity and power. Renewing the mind produces visible transformation so people see Christ’s character rather than a redeemed wreck. The Holy Spirit supplies the enabling power to refuse destructive patterns and to live as witnesses who love the world while resisting the world’s ways. Resurrection, finally, appears less as an isolated event and more as a personal presence—Jesus declared “I am the resurrection,” and his indwelling brings life, defeats death, and reclaims the believer for an eternal future. The text closes with a pastoral invitation to pursue God, greet one another in fellowship, and live out resurrection realities in daily relationships.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection life requires living by faith Resurrection life functions through active trust in Christ, not mere assent. Faith becomes the engine of moral transformation: it imputes righteousness, empowers obedience, and anchors the believer when trials test allegiance. Living by faith reframes suffering and success alike as contexts for Christ to live through the believer. [04:23]
2. Constantly seek things above Seeking the things above demands continuous, intentional pursuit rather than occasional interest. The Greek imperative implies a habitual orientation of heart and mind that sets affection on God as a fixed point amid distraction. Such constancy calibrates choices and resists the enemy’s steady attempts to divert attention. [07:17]
3. Mortify the flesh decisively Mortifying the flesh calls for a decisive, once-for-all refusal of sinful habits and patterns. This requires identification of specific symptoms—anger, covetousness, corrupt speech—and active measures to eradicate them so they no longer govern behavior. Without such decisive action, profession of faith remains hollow and vulnerable to judgment. [13:18]
4. Speak truth; put on Christ Truthful speech and putting on Christ form the twin marks of visible transformation. Honest words, shaped by love, heal relationships and reveal the Spirit’s work; wearing Christ’s mind and character reshapes identity so others see God’s workmanship. This renewed identity enlists the Holy Spirit’s power to say no to death-dealing habits and yes to life. [16:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:35] - Easter Sunday School & Colossians 3:1
[01:17] - Christ’s Throne and Authority
[02:08] - Question: Got Resurrection Life?
[03:29] - “Since You Have Been Raised”
[04:23] - Resurrection Life: Faith at Work
[07:17] - Seek Things Above Continually
[11:45] - Mortify the Deeds of the Body
[16:28] - Truthful Speech and Relationships
[19:23] - Put On Christ; Renewed Mind
[20:09] - Resurrection: A Person, Not Event

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Colossians 3:1-10 (ESV)
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Observation questions

According to Colossians 3:1, what is the direct connection between being "raised with Christ" and the command to "seek the things that are above"?
What specific "earthly" things are listed in verses 5 and 8 that we are instructed to "put to death" and "put away"? [11:45]
The sermon mentioned that the Greek word for "seek" implies a constant, continuous action. What does this tell us about the nature of pursuing God? [07:17]
Why is the specific command to "not lie to one another" (v. 9) singled out from the other practices to be put away? [16:28]

Interpretation questions

What does it mean practically to "set your minds on things that are above" in a world filled with daily distractions and responsibilities?
The phrase "put to death" (v. 5) suggests a decisive, final action. Why is such a definitive break necessary when dealing with sinful habits? [13:18]
How does truthful speech, specifically called out in verse 9, act as a foundation for healthy relationships and spiritual fellowship? [16:28]
If "Christ is your life" (v. 4), how should that reality reshape a person's identity and daily priorities?

Application questions

What is one "earthly thing" (anger, malice, corrupt speech, etc.) that you feel you need to decisively "put to death" this week? What is one practical step you can take to do this? [13:18]
The call to "seek the things that are above" is a continuous, daily pursuit. What does this persistent seeking look like in your current season of life? [07:17]
How can you tell when your "affection" is set on things above versus when it has drifted toward temporary, earthly things? What is a warning sign for you? [09:28]
In what specific relationship or situation this week can you make a conscious effort to speak truth in love, choosing honesty over a more convenient "untuth"? [16:28]
The idea of "putting on Christ" is described as both an identity and a source of power. In what area do you most need to rely on His power this week to say "no" to an old pattern and "yes" to life? [19:23]
Since resurrection life is lived by faith, not just by assent, what is one practical decision you can make this week that will require you to actively trust in Christ? [04:23]

Sermon Clips

22s

#GodDoesntForceYou

“He's not gonna make you do something you don't wanna do. I promise you that. If you're in something that you don't wanna do, it's not God that put you there because God's not gonna make you do something you don't wanna do. He's gonna offer you someone prayed at the altar. You've heard me say this before. They prayed at the altar. Lord, make me live right. God's not gonna make you live right. He's gonna give you the power to live right.”

29s

#ChristLivesInMe

“But another vital sign that is, is the fact that Christ now lives through me. So in other words, another vital sign that I have resurrection life is that it is not my I I am not my own. I have been bought with a price. My actions reflect my faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, not my will be done, but thine be done. It's not my ways. It's not my thoughts, the prophet wrote. It is the ways and the thoughts of God.”

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Sunday School: Pastor Grayson: Got Resurrection Life? (Easter Sunday) - April 5, 2026