colossians_lesson11

Lesson 11: The New Community — Love, Peace, and the Word

Lesson 11: The New Community — Love, Peace, and the Word

Colossians 3:12-17 — study notes

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1) Introduction

The gospel forms a community marked by compassion, forgiveness, love, peace, Scripture-saturated worship, and gratitude. Today's lesson is a wonderful teaching of almost perfect fellowship — a wonderful world of believers who love each other dearly.

2) Colossians 3:12-14 — Put On the Nature of Christ

Those who have put on the "new man" should cultivate and manifest the qualities of Christ.

  1. Believers in Christ are God's chosen people, and thus must show something of His nature.
  2. Paul tells us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" in Romans 13:11-14, and here in Colossians 3 tells us to put on His nature: compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
  3. The phrase "compassionate hearts" refers in the Greek to the same words used when Jesus "had compassion" on people, the masses, etc.
  4. This will cause the actions in verses 13 and 14: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, as well as forgiveness. What binds everything together is love.

Romans 13:11-14 (ESV)

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

3) Colossians 3:15-17 — Peace, the Word, and Thanksgiving

Paul tells us that the unifying bond of believers is the peace of Christ, and that the Word of God dwells in them.

  1. Peace should rule in the believer's heart. This peace is both individual and corporate (church) because we were called to one body.
  2. In Ephesians 4:1-3 Paul calls the unity in the Body (church) to unity in peace; it is the bond in which the unity of the Spirit is maintained.
  3. Believers must let the Word dwell in them "richly" so they are able to live and serve God with thankfulness — in such a way that we should be able to teach one another in love.
  4. Finally, Paul encourages us to do everything "in the name of the Lord Jesus," giving thanks to the Father. This attitude will help us to see the big picture of God's plan and purpose.

Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV)

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Action Plan for This Week

  1. Do a Scripture rhythm. Read Colossians 3:12-17 aloud once this week with family or privately.
  2. Serve the group. Encourage one person with a specific affirmation and one prayer request.
  3. Take one step of reconciliation. Initiate forgiveness or ask for it.