Living out our Faith

Jun 13, 2014

We had a great turnout at our first week of Connect! If you know all about Connect, skip down to the Key Scripture area… where the meat starts.

If you’re asking “What’s Connect?” then you probably weren’t here Tuesday night. This week Ascension started a Bible Study as a way to invest in our artists, encourage them, and build community with one another. We call it Connect.

Don’t fret if you’re not an Ascension artist. Just keep reading.

Our hope is that through this blog you too can be encouraged and even add to our conversation.

Key Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

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.

4 Ways to LIVE IT OUT:

1. Create a daily discipline (vs. 12-13)

Just like we put on clothes in the morning, we have to daily put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, forgiveness, and love. We can’t just expect these characteristics to appear but we have to make them our new normal.One guy compared it to his attempt at wearing a watch…For a couple months he wore a watch. He kept it on and tried to make it his new normal. He took it off one day and has yet to wear the watch since. He never could get used to it. He said if you don’t feel weird that it’s not on, you’re going to forget that it’s not on.*
Now apply this same idea to the characteristics outlined for God’s chosen ones. This has to be something we’re doing daily, a core part of what makes us who we are. It is something we can only do with the Holy Spirit because these traits are in opposition to our fleshly nature.

2. Be united and act in love (vs. 14-15)

Being united doesn’t mean having no problems, it means loving through those problems and being gracious toward one another. The love of Christ is perfect harmony.When we allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts, we are able to share that peace and love with those around us, which leads to unity and community within the body of Christ.
As the body of Christ, we’re forgiven. This is not just part of why we are who we are; it is the ONLY reason we are who we are! We are called to forgive because Christ forgave us. And when we forgive, we are acting in love and building unity.

3. Share Christ (vs. 16)

Let’s question ourselves for a minute… How are we sharing Christ in what we do? As worship leaders… are we mindful of what is being taught through the songs we choose on a Sunday? As musicians… are we playing for the Glory of God or for ourselves? As creatives… are we creating something that resonates and teaches*? As believers… Is everything we do for the kingdom?
It is our responsibility as believers to share Christ with others in EVERYTHING we do.

4. Be thankful (vs. 17)

Everything up until this point can only be accomplished if we have a thankful heart. It is repeated more than once in this passage: be thankful, with thankfulness, giving thanks to God.
When we recognize what Christ has done for us, we can live out what is desired for “God’s chosen ones.” A thankful heart leads to true worship. A thankful heart is the first step to living out Colossians 3:12-17.

Your Turn:

How do you apply these verses when serving in your home church?
What about in your everyday life?

*Specific thoughts from Connect Bible Study participants