Youth Sunday

Devotional

Day 1: Set Your Heart and Mind on Things Above

To live as a Christian means to intentionally focus your heart and mind on the things of God, not being distracted or consumed by earthly matters. This is not a call to ignore the world, but to let your priorities, desires, and thoughts be shaped by Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God. When you set your mind on things above, you are reminded that your true life is hidden with Christ, and your hope is anchored in His glory. This heavenly perspective transforms how you see your daily life and decisions, urging you to love and study the things of God so your heart can fully grow into them. [50:36]

Colossians 3:1-4 (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. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Reflection: What is one earthly thing that often distracts you from focusing on Christ, and how can you intentionally shift your attention to God today?

Day 2: Put to Death the Old Self

Being a follower of Jesus means actively putting to death the sinful patterns and desires that once defined your life. This includes not only obvious sins but also those habits and attitudes that subtly take the place of God in your heart. You are called to completely exterminate the old way of life—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying—because these do not reflect your new identity in Christ. Instead, you are to live in a way that is consistent with who Jesus is and what He desires for you. [51:35]

Colossians 3:5-9 (ESV)
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

Reflection: What is one old habit or attitude you need to “put to death” this week, and what practical step can you take to remove it from your life?

Day 3: Tame the Tongue and Pursue Deeper Obedience

The words you speak have great power, both to build up and to destroy. Scripture warns that the tongue, though small, can set the course of your whole life and even corrupt your character if left unchecked. Christians are called to bridle their tongues, recognizing that what they say reflects the state of their hearts. True spiritual maturity involves pursuing deeper obedience, especially in speech, so that your words consistently honor God and bless others rather than causing harm. [53:16]

James 3:1-12 (ESV)
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Reflection: Think about your conversations today—was there a moment when your words did not reflect Christ? How can you practice self-control and speak life in your next interaction?

Day 4: Clothe Yourself with Christlike Virtues

As God’s chosen people, you are called to put on a new self that is being renewed in the image of your Creator. This means clothing yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and above all, love. These virtues are not just for your relationship with God but are to be lived out in every relationship, binding the community of believers together in perfect unity. When you let the peace of Christ rule in your heart and let His message dwell richly among you, your life becomes a testimony of God’s love and grace to others. [55:36]

Colossians 3:10-15 (ESV)
And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Reflection: Who is one person you can show compassion, kindness, or forgiveness to today, and what specific action can you take to demonstrate Christ’s love to them?

Day 5: Make God First and Remove Idols

A life that truly reflects Christ is one where God is first, and nothing else takes His rightful place in your heart. Even good things can become idols if they begin to occupy the space that belongs to God alone. You are challenged to examine your life, identify anything you might be idolizing, and intentionally replace it with a deeper devotion to God. When God is first, His Holy Spirit empowers you to conduct yourself as a Christian, and your life becomes a witness to others of His transforming power. [56:43]

Exodus 20:3-4 (ESV)
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Reflection: What is one thing—big or small—that you might be putting before God, and how can you take a concrete step to surrender it to Him this week?

Sermon Summary

Colossians 3:1-17 calls us to a radically different way of living, rooted in our new identity in Christ. Since we have been raised with Christ, our hearts and minds are to be set on things above, not on earthly distractions. This means that our priorities, desires, and conduct should reflect the reality that our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. Earthly things are not inherently evil, but when they take the place that belongs to God, they become idols. We are called to put to death the old ways—sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed—because these are not compatible with our new life in Christ.

But the transformation doesn’t stop with the obvious sins. Paul challenges us to rid ourselves of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language—sins that often manifest in our speech and are easily overlooked. The tongue, as James 3 reminds us, is powerful and can either build up or destroy. No one can tame it on their own, but as we submit to Christ, our words can become instruments of grace rather than harm.

Putting on the new self means being renewed in knowledge and living out our identity as part of the body of Christ, where all barriers—race, class, culture—are broken down. We are called to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with and forgiving one another as Christ forgave us. Above all, love binds these virtues together in perfect unity. The peace of Christ should rule in our hearts and in our community, guiding our relationships and decisions.

Gratitude is to permeate our lives, as we let the message of Christ dwell among us richly, teaching and encouraging one another through worship and wisdom. Whatever we do, in word or deed, we are to do it all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father. The challenge is to examine our lives for anything that has taken God’s rightful place and to intentionally put Him first, trusting that as we do, the Holy Spirit will empower us to live out this new way of life.

Key Takeaways

1. Setting our hearts and minds on things above is not about ignoring earthly responsibilities, but about letting our heavenly identity shape every aspect of our lives. When Christ is our focus, our desires and priorities are transformed, and we begin to see the world through His perspective. This reorientation is the foundation for authentic Christian conduct. [50:15]
2. The call to put to death the old self is a call to ruthless honesty about the patterns and desires that compete with Christ for our allegiance. It’s not enough to avoid obvious sins; we must also confront the subtle ways our hearts drift from God. True transformation requires ongoing surrender and vigilance. [51:08]
3. The power of our words cannot be underestimated. James 3 teaches that the tongue, though small, can set the course of our lives and the lives of others. As followers of Jesus, we are called to bridle our tongues, using our speech to bless rather than curse, and recognizing that our words reveal the state of our hearts. [53:16]
4. In Christ, all human divisions are rendered meaningless. Our new self is being renewed in knowledge, and we are welcomed into a community where Christ is all and in all. This unity is not based on sameness, but on the shared life of Christ, which calls us to radical acceptance and love for one another. [54:23]
5. Love is the virtue that binds all others together and is the true test of Christian maturity. Without love, even the most admirable qualities become distorted. Letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and community, and living lives marked by gratitude, is only possible when love is our highest aim and motivation. [55:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[49:30] - Introduction and Purpose
[49:47] - Turning to Colossians 3
[50:15] - Setting Hearts on Things Above
[50:56] - The Danger of Earthly Idols
[51:08] - Putting to Death the Old Self
[51:35] - The World’s Ways vs. Christ’s Ways
[51:48] - Sins of Speech and Overlooked Habits
[52:23] - The Challenge of Bridling the Tongue
[53:16] - The Power and Danger of Words
[54:08] - Putting on the New Self
[54:23] - Unity in Christ
[54:59] - Clothing Ourselves with Virtue
[55:36] - The Supremacy of Love
[56:20] - Living for Jesus in All Things
[56:43] - The Challenge: Removing Idols
[56:56] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Colossians 3:1-4, what does Paul say has happened to believers, and how should this affect where we set our hearts and minds? ([50:15])
What are some of the “old self” behaviors Paul lists that we are called to put to death? ([51:08])
In verses 8-9, what kinds of sins does Paul mention that are often overlooked, and how do they usually show up in our lives? ([51:48])
What does Paul say about unity in Christ in verses 10-11? How does he describe the new community believers are part of? ([54:23])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Paul emphasizes setting our hearts and minds on things above, rather than just telling us to avoid earthly things? What difference does this focus make in daily life? ([50:26])
The sermon mentioned that even “harmless” things can become idols if they take God’s place. How can someone recognize when something good has become an idol in their life? ([50:56])
Why is it important to address not just obvious sins, but also the “little” sins of speech and attitude? What does this reveal about the process of transformation in Christ? ([51:48])
Paul says that in Christ, all human divisions are broken down. What does this mean for how we relate to people who are different from us in the church? ([54:23])

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to examine our lives for anything that might be taking God’s rightful place. Is there something in your life right now—maybe a hobby, relationship, or goal—that you sense is competing with God for your attention or affection? What would it look like to put God first in that area? ([56:43])
Paul calls us to “put to death” old ways like sexual immorality, greed, and anger. Is there a specific old habit or attitude that you feel God is asking you to surrender? What practical step could you take this week to address it? ([51:08])
The sermon highlighted the power of our words and the challenge of controlling our tongues (James 3). Can you think of a recent time when your words either built someone up or tore them down? What is one way you can be more intentional with your speech this week? ([53:16])
Paul says to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Which of these virtues do you find most challenging, and why? What is one situation this week where you could practice it? ([54:59])
The passage calls us to bear with and forgive one another as Christ forgave us. Is there someone you need to forgive or seek forgiveness from? What is holding you back, and what step could you take toward reconciliation? ([55:36])
The sermon talked about the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts and community. When you think about your relationships (family, friends, church), is there an area where you need to let Christ’s peace guide your actions or decisions? ([55:36])
Gratitude is mentioned as a mark of the new life in Christ. What is one thing you can thank God for today, and how might practicing gratitude change your perspective this week? ([55:48])

Sermon Clips

So, in that passage, this is Paul, I don't know who he's talking to, but, he's saying, love heavenly things, study them, and let your hearts fully grow into them. Earthly things are not all evil, but there are many that are. Even things harmless in themselves become harmful if we let them take the place that should be reserved for God. [00:50:40] (26 seconds) #LoveHeavenlyFocus

We need to put to death the things in our life that are contrary to our identity with Jesus. We are to wipe them out, completely exterminating the old way of life. These sins previously mentioned are part of the way the world lives and not how Jesus lives and wants us to live. [00:51:28] (17 seconds) #ExterminateOldWays

Paul challenges us to put off the old habits in every area of our life. All of these sins are primarily committed by what we say. When Paul calls us, we are called as Christians into a deeper obedience. [00:52:11] (15 seconds) #SpeakWithObedience

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