Colossians Ep. 12(audio)

Summary:

The sermon explored what it means to "put off the old self" and "put on the new self" in Christ - a concept we may think we understand but often struggle to apply in daily life. Paul's words in Colossians remind us that because of who Christ has made us through faith, we are called to continually reject our old patterns and actively live out our new identity. This isn't about earning God's love - we already have that fully and completely through Christ's righteousness. Rather, it's about living out the love God has already poured into us, walking in obedience for His glory and our good.

Takeaways:

- Putting on the new self requires active repentance - a lifestyle of continually changing direction from sin toward Christlikeness. This means more than just hiding our sin; it means actively replacing old patterns with new ones like compassion, kindness, humility, and patience.

- Growing in knowledge of Christ through His Word is essential. We must let "the word of Christ dwell in us richly," diving deep into the infinite ocean of who God is and what He has done for us.

- Love should define all our relationships, especially within the church. We are called to serve one another, putting ourselves under each other just as Christ did for us - in practical ways through kindness, forgiveness, and spurring one another toward growth.

- Cultivating a heart of thanksgiving opens our eyes to God's constant presence and work in our lives, even amid hardship and pain.

- Everything we do - every word, deed, thought, and desire - should be done in the name of Jesus, representing Him as His ambassadors to the world.