Living the Risen Life

After Life: Living the Risen Life

EHV Study Bible: Some of the false teachings afflicting the Colossian church may be gleaned from hints in this letter:

Some insisted that Christians must continue to obey the Old Testament ceremonial laws which already then were no longer in force (2:11, 16–17; 3:11).
Some gave man-made rules about avoiding certain things (2:21–23).
Some apparently worshipped angels (2:18).
There is so much powerful emphasis in this letter on the fact that Jesus Christ is God and all the fullness of God dwells in him that false teachers must have been downgrading how great Jesus Christ truly is (1:15–20; 2:2–3, 9).
Some were apparently relying on human wisdom and traditions instead of on God’s word (2:4, 8).

The _______________ of our resurrection.

¹ Therefore, because you were raised [συνηγέρθητε (soo-nā-ger-thā-te)] with Christ [τῷ Χριστῷ (tō chris-tō)], seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died [ἀπεθάνετε (a-pe-tha-ve-te)], and your life is hidden [κρύπτω (krēp-tō)] with Christ [σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ (soo tō chris-tō)] in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:1–4)

¹¹ You were also circumcised in him, with a circumcision not done by human hands, in the putting off of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, ¹² when you were buried with Christ in baptism. And in baptism you were also raised [συνηγέρθητε (soo-nā-ger-thā-te)] with him through the faith worked by the God who raised Christ from the dead. ¹³ Even when you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ [σὺν αὐτῷ (soon ow-tō)] by forgiving us all our trespasses. (Col 2:11–13)

Did Abram/Abraham receive the promise that he would be the forefather of the Messiah before or after he received the command to be circumcised?

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you. (Ge 12:3)

⁵ The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” ⁶ Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (Ge 15:5–6)

and he received the mark of circumcision as the seal of the righteousness by faith that was already his while he was uncircumcised. So Abraham is the father of all the uncircumcised people who believe, so that righteousness would also be credited to them. (Ro 4:11)

Luther: in Abraham’s case … circumcision is a sign that merely signifies righteousness but does not confer it, for it finds Abraham already righteous. It does not make him righteous.

¹² Every boy among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised, every male throughout your generations, whether he is born in your house or purchased with money from any foreigner who is not descended from you. ¹³ Every male who is born in your house or one who is purchased with your money must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked on your flesh as an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised by removing the foreskin from his flesh, that person must be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant. (Ge 17:12–14)

Luther: This negative statement [v14] implies the positive one that a male who has been circumcised on the eighth day will be saved and will be counted among the people of God. Therefore circumcision was efficacious among the descendants of Abraham; that is, it brought righteousness, not because of the work alone, which was merely passive, but because of God’s promise, which was joined to this passive work.

Often times God attaches a _______ to something _. So, the ___ of God is sometimes tied to something tangible.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake and put it on a pole. If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” ⁹ Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Nu 21:8–9)

… wash in the pool of Siloam. … So he went and washed, and came back seeing. (Jn 9:7b)

Luther: When God reveals Himself in some sign, no matter what its nature, one must take hold of Him in it.

Luther: … since the girls are Abraham’s descendants, they are not excluded from Abraham’s righteousness; they attain it through faith.

¹⁶ He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.” (Lk 1:16–17)

⁶ Keep them and put them into practice, because in this way your wisdom and your understanding will be recognized by all the people who hear about all these statutes; and they will say, “This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people,” ⁷ because what other great nation is there that has a god as close to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him? ⁸ What other great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this entire law that I am presenting to you today? (Dt 4:6–8)

¹ What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? ² Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God. (Ro 3:1–2)

He is the Rock! Perfect is his work. Indeed all of his ways are justice. He is a faithful God. He does no wrong. Righteous and upright is he. (Dt 32:4)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and truth are right in front of you. (Ps 89:14)

But the Lord is eager to be gracious to you. He waits on high to have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who long for him. (Is 30:18)

And this is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day. (Jn 6:39)

Points to Ponder

What is one thing that stood out for you from this week’s message?
When you hear the words justice, mercy, and grace, what comes to mind? Do you see them as separate or as working together?
Read Deuteronomy 32:4. What does the image of God as “the Rock” communicate about His justice and reliability? How does the statement “all his ways are justice” challenge or comfort us when life feels unfair? In what ways can God be perfectly just and still show mercy?
Read John 6:39. How does Jesus’ promise to “lose none” of those the Father gives him show God’s justice at work? How is the final resurrection both an act of justice and an act of grace? How does this promise encourage believers who struggle with guilt or doubt?

Homework: Colossians 3

After Life

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Living the Risen Life

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Living the Risen Life

EHV Study Bible: Some of the false teachings afflicting the Colossian church may be gleaned from hints in this letter:

Some insisted that Christians must continue to obey the Old Testament ceremonial laws which already then were no longer in force (2:11, 16–17; 3:11).

Some gave man-made rules about avoiding certain things (2:21–23).

Some apparently worshipped angels (2:18).

There is so much powerful emphasis in this letter on the fact that Jesus Christ is God and all the fullness of God dwells in him that false teachers must have been downgrading how great Jesus Christ truly is (1:15–20; 2:2–3, 9).

Some were apparently relying on human wisdom and traditions instead of on God’s word (2:4, 8).

The _______________ of our resurrection.

Did Abram/Abraham receive the promise that he would be the forefather of the Messiah before or after he received the command to be circumcised?

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you. (Ge 12:3)

⁵ The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” ⁶ Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (Ge 15:5–6)

and he received the mark of circumcision as the seal of the righteousness by faith that was already his while he was uncircumcised. So Abraham is the father of all the uncircumcised people who believe, so that righteousness would also be credited to them. (Ro 4:11)

Luther: in Abraham’s case … circumcision is a sign that merely signifies righteousness but does not confer it, for it finds Abraham already righteous. It does not make him righteous.

Often times God attaches a _______ to something _. So, the ___ of God is sometimes tied to something tangible.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake and put it on a pole. If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” ⁹ Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Nu 21:8–9)

… wash in the pool of Siloam. … So he went and washed, and came back seeing. (Jn 9:7b)

Luther: When God reveals Himself in some sign, no matter what its nature, one must take hold of Him in it.

Luther: … since the girls are Abraham’s descendants, they are not excluded from Abraham’s righteousness; they attain it through faith.

¹ What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? ² Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God. (Ro 3:1–2)

He is the Rock! Perfect is his work. Indeed all of his ways are justice. He is a faithful God. He does no wrong. Righteous and upright is he. (Dt 32:4)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and truth are right in front of you. (Ps 89:14)

But the Lord is eager to be gracious to you. He waits on high to have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who long for him. (Is 30:18)

And this is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day. (Jn 6:39)

Living the Risen Life

Pressing On Toward the Prize

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Living the Risen Life

EHV Study Bible: Some of the false teachings afflicting the Colossian church may be gleaned from hints in this letter:

Some insisted that Christians must continue to obey the Old Testament ceremonial laws which already then were no longer in force (2:11, 16–17; 3:11).

Some gave man-made rules about avoiding certain things (2:21–23).

Some apparently worshipped angels (2:18).

There is so much powerful emphasis in this letter on the fact that Jesus Christ is God and all the fullness of God dwells in him that false teachers must have been downgrading how great Jesus Christ truly is (1:15–20; 2:2–3, 9).

Some were apparently relying on human wisdom and traditions instead of on God’s word (2:4, 8).

The _______________ of our resurrection.

Did Abram/Abraham receive the promise that he would be the forefather of the Messiah before or after he received the command to be circumcised?

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you. (Ge 12:3)

5 The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” 6 Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (Ge 15:5–6)

and he received the mark of circumcision as the seal of the righteousness by faith that was already his while he was uncircumcised. So Abraham is the father of all the uncircumcised people who believe, so that righteousness would also be credited to them. (Ro 4:11)

Luther: in Abraham’s case … circumcision is a sign that merely signifies righteousness but does not confer it, for it finds Abraham already righteous. It does not make him righteous.

Often times God attaches a _______________ to something _________________. So, the ___________ of God is sometimes tied to something tangible.

8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake and put it on a pole. If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9 Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Nu 21:8–9)

… wash in the pool of Siloam. … So he went and washed, and came back seeing. (Jn 9:7b)

Luther: When God reveals Himself in some sign, no matter what its nature, one must take hold of Him in it.

Luther: … since the girls are Abraham’s descendants, they are not excluded from Abraham’s righteousness; they attain it through faith.

1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God. (Ro 3:1–2)

He is the Rock! Perfect is his work. Indeed all of his ways are justice. He is a faithful God. He does no wrong. Righteous and upright is he. (Dt 32:4)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and truth are right in front of you. (Ps 89:14)

But the Lord is eager to be gracious to you. He waits on high to have mercy on you, for the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who long for him. (Is 30:18)

And this is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day. (Jn 6:39)

Living the Risen Life

Pressing On Toward the Prize

Holiday Inn (Temporary Worship Location)

Contact

⁵ The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” ⁶ Abram believed in the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (Ge 15:5–6)

Often times God attaches a _______ to something _. So, the ___ of God is sometimes tied to something tangible.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake and put it on a pole. If anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” ⁹ Moses made a bronze snake and put it on the pole. If a snake had bitten anyone, if that person looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Nu 21:8–9)

¹ What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there to circumcision? ² Much in every way! Indeed, above all else, they were entrusted with the messages of God. (Ro 3:1–2)