INTRODUCTION

What are the colours of your favourite clothes? Oftentimes, what we wear is a function of dressing for an occasion, a reflection of our moods, or simply just whatever is most conveniently placed on top of the pile of t-shirts that we own. We put on our uniform for school, for work, and for our lives. And sometimes these clothes define our identity. As students, policemen, nurses, bankers, or even people with aspirations to be the technocrats and influencers of our age. 

What do your clothes say about you today?

DISCUSSION

Read Colossians 3:1-17

1. In v1-3, Paul asks us to set our hearts and minds on things above.
   
   a. What are some of the things that might preoccupy our hearts and minds today that would take our focus away from God? 
   
   b. What practical steps can we take to remind ourselves to keep our affections on things that are above?
   
   
2. What does it mean that your life is now “hidden with Christ in God” (v3)? How does this shape your identity?
   
   
3. From v5-17, we are introduced to two very different regimes. The speaker connects the earthly regime to wearing “Good Friday clothing” and the Christ-like regime to wearing “Easter clothing”. Wearing the “Good Friday clothing” symbolises living a life of sin, while wearing the “Easter clothing” symbolises a life of Christlikeness.
   
   a. The vices mentioned in vv5-8 include sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. Evil was as prevalent then, when this letter was written to the church in Colossae, as it is today. What are some things in this list that you identify with that need to be surrendered to God? Do share with the group or with an accountability partner and pray for one another. 
   
   b. In contrast, we now have a new identity and new clothes – As God’s chosen people from vv12-15, we can put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and a peace-loving nature. How does your life reflect these virtues? 
   
   c. If putting on Christ (“Easter clothing”) meant that you looked different from others or stood out in this world, how would you cope with this?
   
   
4. How do we transform our lives to reflect Christ? Is it really as easy as changing clothes?
   
   a. In Genesis 3:7, 21, Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves to clothe their nakedness, and it was insufficient. God made garments out of lamb’s skin to cover and clothe them. 
   
   b. In Luke 15:22-23, the father asked his servants for the best robe to clothe his prodigal son, putting sandals on his bare feet and giving him a ring to reinstate his status as the Master’s son.
   
   Just as their clothes were changed, we need to change our mindsets about our identities. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to wash over us and transform our minds so that we understand who we really are in Christ.
   
   
5. Reflect: 
   a. Who does our Father see when He looks at us? 
   b. Is Jesus the model you are looking to when you decide how to live your life? 
   c. What spiritual disciplines do we practise in order to help us align our behaviour to match the person God intends us to be?

WHAT WILL YOU DO

With Christ as our all in all, we need to embrace our new identity in Him by putting on Christ – this translates to being the channel for Jesus to be seen and experienced wherever God has placed us in this world. We carry the presence and image of God by putting on the “Easter clothes” that God has chosen for us as our best fit. Pray for Christ’s resurrection power to practise Christ’s love, forgiveness and compassion today.

MEMORY VERSE

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. – Colossians 3:17 (ESV)