DESTINATION 2024: CommUNITY Matters – “Growing Together” (part 3)
July 28, 2024

Sunday, July 28, 2024 AM
DESTINATION 2024: CommUNITY Matters – “Growing Together” (part 3)
Mike Teel, Pastor

Focal Passage:

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. —Colossians 3:1-17 (NKJV)

THE OF DISCIPLESHIP

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. —Colossians 3:1-4

1. SEEK THE

–We are challenged by Paul to set our mind on things above and not on the things of this world.
–This is true discipleship, changing our carnal mind to a Godly mind set.
–We no longer belong to this world but to Christ. But never be fooled, the world is relentless in its pursuit of us.

2. THE EARTHLY

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, —Colossians 3:5-9

–We now turn from the positive to the negative.
–Paul reminds us of what our earthly mortal practices look like.
–So how do we overcome these things?
–Paul said: “kill them.” “put them to death.”

THE OF LIVING IT OUT

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. —Colossians 3:10-13

1. STRENGTHEN THE

–Because we are alive in Christ, we must seek the things that are above.
–And because we died with Christ, we must put off the things that belong to the earthly life of our past sin.
–The result is that we become like Jesus Christ!

2. THE OF CHRIST

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. —Colossians 3:12-14

–Grace is God’s favor to undeserving sinners.
–Notice what Paul was teaching the Colossians at this point:
God chose them – 3:12a
God set them apart – 3:12b
God loves them – 3:12c
God has forgiven them – 3:13

–Now because of these gracious blessings, the Christian has some solemn responsibilities before God.

THE OF CHRIST – GROWING TOGETHER

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. —Colossians 3:16-17

1. THE NEED FOR GOD’S WORD

–Paul realized that false teachers had shown up in Colossae with man-made traditions, religious rules and human philosophies.
–They were trying to harmonize God’s Word with their teachings.
–Sounds a lot like our society today, doesn’t it?
–This is why it is important that you know what you believe and why you believe it.

2. PAUL’S TO GROW

–Learn God’s Word and then apply it to your life.
–This is what our goal will be with the DG we have been talking about.
–Allow God’s Word to dwell in you, teach it to others in various ways, and then live it out.

LIVE IT OUT

–My prayer for you is that you are ready to take the next step in your discipleship journey when we are ready to offer it.
–Paul reminds us it all begins with dying to our old self through a salvation experience.
–Begin today by surrendering to the Lord in either salvation or discipleship.