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The Plain Truth 3. In the end, Christ is all that matters. Does He live in you? Your heart can be Christ’s home. Through the power of the Holy Spirit you can begin your journey to heaven today and prepare to meet the Lord one day face-to-face. Pray: Lord, thank you that you know just where I am. I don’t understand everything about your love and this life of faith, but I want to know you. I believe you have a purpose for me that transcends any pull of this world. In this moment, I surrender to your love. Please forgive me of my sin. Help me to turn from darkness to light. Please fill Text: Colossians 3:1-11 me with your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. The Plain Truth: *LEGACY 2:10 In Christ we have _________ and _____ ________ to “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). become Giant-____________, ________-filled, greed- NOT ON MY WATCH! _________, torch-____________ children of God! 1. New ______ means new _______________. a) Conversion – your vision of the world through _____________ eyes. b) Identity– you are named by ________ not your _____________. 2. Kingdom vision names the ________ and enables the ___________. a) You’re commanded to do __________. One Year Bible Reading October 9: Jeremiah 12:1-14:10, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8, Psalm 79:1-13, Proverbs 24:30-34 b) Your future is a _________-filled, giant- October 10: Jeremiah 14:11-16:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13, Psalm 80:1-19, Prov. 25:1-5 ___________, torch-___________, greed- October 11: Jeremiah 16:16-18:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3, Psalm 81:1-16, Proverbs 25:6-8 October 12: Jeremiah 19:1-21:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28, Psalm 82:1-8, Proverbs 25:9-10 __________, Kingdom-_____________ child of October 13: Jeremiah 22:1-23:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, Psalm 83:1-18, Prov. 25:11-14 October 14: Jeremiah 23:21-25:38, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, Psalm 84:1-12, Proverbs 25:15 the Living God! October 15: Jeremiah 26:1-27:22, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18, Psalm 85:1-13, Proverbs 25:16 October 8, 2017 The reality of God being Triune is not an easy concept to wrap our minds around. But when we think of the ‘Trinity’ – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – something should resonate deep within the heart of every believer. If we look at the Life Group Lesson way Colossians 1:15 describes, or defines, Christ, the“ visible image of the invisible Week of October 8 God” existing before any created thing and supreme over all creation, we can begin to get a glimpse into the never-ending, ever-unveiling power of the risen Christ. In fact, one begins to see Christ on every page of Scripture. When the ‘visible’ God personally As a zealous young man initially on fire for ‘legalism’ the apostle Paul became a to- meets, speaks, intervenes, or leads His people throughout the Old Testament, could it tally new person on fire for Jesus once he encountered the risen Christ. No longer be Christ the “visible image of the invisible God”? was he about persecuting followers of The Way. Now through the incredible power of the risen Christ, Paul became all about the proclamation of Jesus as Savior—that 2. Long before the Christ of God was born into this world and given the name, Jesus, there is forgiveness of sin available for all who believe. Paul and his team covered a Christ existed with the Father. There are a plethora of Scriptures we could refer lot of ground (and water!) as they spread the Gospel westward. They had their work to, but quickly compare the following passages for further insight into the power cut out for them, but their work was not in vain. Upon Paul’s death, thousands upon and position of God’s Christ. Take special note of His position: where is Christ in thousands had already begun to respond to the Good News of Christ. the beginning, in the pages of Scripture, in the future? Although Paul never stepped foot into the city of Colossae, a commercial center Deuteronomy 18:15 and Acts 3:17-26 about 120 miles east of Ephesus in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), he loved this church. He knew they were included as “God’s holy people … faithful brothers and John 1:1-5, 14 and John 1:29-34 sisters in Christ.” He said, “We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God… for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s peo- Matthew 17:1-9 and 2 Peter 1:16-19 ple” (Colossians 1:2, 3-4). Believers at Colossae first heard the Gospel through their faithful brother, Epaphras, and Paul says: “He has told us about the love for others Daniel 7:13-14 and Matthew 26:62-64 that the Holy Spirit has given you” (Colossians 1:7-8). Reaching the next generation will come from an outpouring of this same “love for others” ignited by God’s Spirit. Acts 9:1-9 and Revelation 1:12-18 Read Colossians 1:15-21 How do I sense the Lord (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) mov- ing/working in my life personally today? After greetings, Paul opens this letter with a hymn defining the very Person of Christ and exalting the supremacy of Christ in the world from even before creation: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was cre- Like the sand running through a huge hourglass, time is ticking. There is coming a day ated and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the when the sands of time will run out. So we must realize we were not made for this heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we earth but for heaven. Just like we can’t stand in our backyard tonight and will our- can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. selves to the moon, we cannot will ourselves into heaven by our own strength. And Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, just as an astronaut needs a transport and special covering to travel through the at- and He holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:15-17). mosphere to outer space, we too need a means beyond ourselves to one day stand in heaven’s glory. Our transport will be the risen Jesus Christ Himself as this flesh is one 1. Look closely at the three verses above (Colossians 1:15-17) and name at least 5 day changed from glory to glory! So where should out focus be as we are living in the things you learn about Christ, perhaps that you have never seen before. here-and-now in these pre-resurrected bodies? Read Colossians 3:1-11 .
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