Christ is My Life

                              

"Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth."  - Colossians 3:2

                               

        

It was very fitting to have Andrew Farley's sermons this month be on the book of Colossians.  Since the beginning of the year we've been looking at who Jesus is for us.  Now we will look at our new life in Christ.  Andrew begins today's sermon reviewing Chapter 2 before he begins on Chapter 3.  

He explains that the Gospel is all about letting Jesus rule in your heart.  We no longer need to keep trying or doing because Jesus did it all for us.  Now all we have to do is let.  Let Jesus rule in your heart.  He's put Himself there when you accepted Him by faith.  That is all you need.  All the forgiveness, all the love, all the joy, peace, strength and power you will ever need, is abiding in you, waiting to be called upon.  

I have struggled with being consistent in "letting go and letting God" as the saying goes.  Colossians 3:2 is the answer.  Because we are so much IN the world we are constantly in danger of being OF the world.  It often means not fitting in with your peers or thought of as anti-social.  If we aren't secure in who we are now, we are in danger of being influenced by the world.

Andrew addresses this in the Discussion questions below in the above video.  I've provided the time stamp for each question.  He includes the scripture for each question, but you can also read them at this link to Biblehub.com:

Discussion Questions for Colossians 3:

1. Read verses 1-2. What inspiration does Paul offer for thinking differently?  (Time stamp 6:45)
2. Read verses 3-4 and react to this statement: Your life is hidden with Christ in God. Christ is your life! (Time stamp: 18:10)
3. Read verses 5-8 and react to this statement: Don’t walk like them because you are not them.  (Time stamp: 21:28)
4. How do verses 9-10 demonstrate (via past tense) that we believers can now “be ourselves”? What is being “renewed”?  (Time stamp: 28:59)
5. Does “chosen of God” in verses 11-12 support Calvinism? Why or why not?  (Time Stamp:  31:40)
6. Why does verse 13 appear to be the opposite of what we see in the Lord’s Prayer (if you forgive others, then God will forgive you)? How do we explain the discrepancy?  (Time Stamp: 34:00)
7. Read verse 14 and react to this statement: Put on love (on the outside), because love has been poured in your heart (on the inside). (Time Stamp:  36:40)

Father, thank you for enabling me to be made perfect by sending Jesus so that Your Holy Spirit can live in me.  May I grow in grace and knowledge of Christ in me so that I will let You direct my paths.

Link to scripture:  John 14:16

Take Action:  Walk by the Spirit