Living The Good Life

Living the Good Life
Col. 3:1-4

Intro: The first chapter of Colossians is a powerful treatise on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ; his deity; his Creative power; his preeminence over all things; his Fulness of Glory.
In light of the greatness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Paul writes in chapter 2 that we should not only receive Christ but we should Walk in Him; continue in Him; follow him in obedience; be rooted and grounded in Him; for only In Christ can we ever be Complete spiritually.
Complete; Greek word is pleroo (play roo) to be filled to the top; filled to the fullest measure. Only in Christ can our life ever be totally Fulfilling! Only in Christ can our Life ever be filled to its fullest measure; even David said the Lord filled his cup till it Ran Over!
These first four verses from chapter 3 talk about our Life In Christ; the only way anyone can Live the Good Life is to be In Christ.

I. The Life Which I Once Lived
vs. 3 says about the life we once lived, that we are DEAD.
That Life is Finished! It is done; it is dead;
Thank God he makes it possible for that Old Life to be Dead; we do not have to continue living that old, sinful, disobedient life once we come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He becomes OUR PERSONAL SAVIOR. He Saves us from that old life of sin.
Notice that Paul says about that old life- not only is it Finished- Dead
It is Forgiven! For it is “HID” with Christ in God. HID- I know that some people still remember your old life; if you go to a class reunion someone there will bring it up and laugh about the life you used to live; if you go to the wedding of a relative one of your kinfolk will bring up the life you used to live and get a kick out of talking about it.
But as far as God Himself is concerned- that Life is Finished and Forgiven. It is HID with Christ. When Jesus died on Calvary he died for YOU; to pay for your sin; to Cover your life with his blood; When you repent and turn to the Lord, your life is Hid with him.

II. The Life Which I Now Live
The life I live now has Purpose!
I buried the old life of sin and disgrace with Jesus in the tomb. My new life came to me because Jesus Arose from the tomb and Now I am Risen With Christ. Now instead of looking Down in shame and guilt and despair; I am Looking UP; I am looking for those things which are ABOVE; I am Living for a Heavenly Purpose; Because My life is With Christ and he is sitting on the right hand of the Father.
Paul wrote a lot about those “heavenly places” in Christ Jesus. As a matter of fact, he mentioned them 4 times in the book of Ephesians.
1) Christ was Raised from the Dead and is now Seated in heavenly places.
2) We too as Christians have been Raised up from the dead spiritually and we are seated together with Christ in those heavenly places.
3) We are Blessed with all Spiritual Blessings while we are there with Christ in those heavenly places.
4) The principalities that are in heavenly places are aware that we as children of God and members of his body the Church, are part of the ultimate and Eternal purpose of God.
Talk about Living the Good Life!
Did you think living the good life meant that you would have an abundance of money?
Did you think that living the good life meant you would be popular or famous in this world?
Did you think that living the good life meant that every single circumstance of life would go exactly as you wanted it to?
If any of those were your thoughts- you have been Sadly Mistaken. The Good Life is the life Hid With Christ- for in Christ we find the Ultimate and Eternal Purpose of our earthly life.
And, not only that- but this life we now life is a Protected Life- it is Hid in Christ. You know that NOTHING can in itself separate you and I from the Love of Christ; nothing can sever this wonderful relationship unless we allow it to.
We are Risen With Christ to a new Purpose.
And We are Hid with Christ in God for our Protection.
We are Hid from Satan’s power to possess.
We are Hid from Sin’s power to Dominate.
We are Hid from the power of principalities and powers that would love to overcome us and defeat us.
Talk about Living the Good Life!

III. The Life Which we Shall Live.
Paul states that right now our old life is dead; our new life has been Raised with Christ and is Hid with Christ in God. Then he says that when Christ shall appear- then we will also appear With Him in Glory.
Talk about an Exciting Life to come!
We will appear With Him in glory. Four times the Bible states that the Saints of God will reign WITH Christ in his kingdom. How exciting is that?!!
There is an old hymn in our books titled One Day.
Vs 1 talks about the Glorious Day when Jesus left the glory of heaven and came to the earth born of a virgin to dwell among man.
Vs 2 talks about the Tragic Day when Jesus was led up Mt. Calvary and suffered in anguish while bearing our sins and bringing redemption.
Vs. 3&4 talk about his being Buried in the Garden tomb while angels kept watch; and about how the Grave could conceal him no longer and he arose over death he had conquered and now has ascended our Lord evermore.
The last verse talks about a Future Glorious Day- the day when the Trumpet sounds his coming; the day when the skies with his glory will shine and his loved ones will be brought from earth to heaven- Wonderful Day!
The life which we shall live will be Exciting and it will be Eternal!
Paul said that the Lord would descend and that we would be caught up to meet him in the air- “And so shall we EVER be with the Lord.”
Talk about living the Good Life!
Do you feel short financially?
Are you suffering physically?
Are you oppressed by the circumstances of earthly life?
Just remember- you are living the Good Life.
The Good life is Hid with Christ in God- it is Protected and has Purpose.
The Good Life is leading you to an Exciting Eternity where God’s glory will shine in you without End.