Colossians 3:1-12 is one of my favorite sections in all of Scripture:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Last week, we saw that 3:12 makes no sense without 3:11 -- "Christ is all and is in all." That realization landed us at this truth: Your ethnicity is not your identity. Your Savior is.
So with that as our foundation, we begin digging deep into the fashion statement of Colossians 3:12 this coming Sunday. We'll take an interesting look at becoming "clothed with compassion" -- and as part of that we have one of the most exciting announcements in my time at Good Shepherd.
I can't wait.
Sunday.
8:30. 10. 11:30.
