Rooted In Christ: Colossians Week 3

H.M. Coker

13 Feb, 2024

Rooted In Christ: Colossians Week 3

Click here for the free printable download of Rooted In Christ: Colossians Week 3 Homework

Week 3, Day 1:

Pray: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:3-4).

Read: Colossians 3:9b-10 says, “you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator.”  This week we will be learning about who we are and what we have in Christ, but first let’s see what we have put off. 

  1. Read through the book of Colossians and put a backwards arrow beside any verses that describe who we were before Christ.
  2. In the space below, write everything you have learned in the book of Colossians about who you were before Christ. (Be sure to look at 1:13, 1:21, 2:13, and 3:7)

Apply:  This week’s memory verse is Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”  Write it on a notecard and read it three times every time you eat.

Week 3, Day 2:

Pray: Dear Father, I was once dead in trespasses and sins in which I once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the bodyand the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But, You, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which You loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace I have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace I have been saved through faith. And this is not my own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Read: 1 Corinthians 6:17 tells us that “anyone joined to the Lord is one Spirit with Him.”  Who are you in Christ?  What do you have because of Him? 

  1. Slowly read the entire book of Colossians and Highlight everything you learn about who we are and what we have in Christ.  (I used a pink highlighter.) 

Apply: Last week we learned that we are to let no one disqualify us, insisting on asceticism (false humility) and worship of angels.  We died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, so we are not to submit to regulations that have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but have no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  Instead, we are to set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For we have died, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 2:18-3:3) On one side of a notecard write “In Christ I am…”  On the other side write at least one thing you are according to the book of Colossians.  Put the notecard in your pocket and any time someone (or your own mind) tries to attack who you are, read who you are In Christ.  The power is not in who you are but in who Christ is– your life is hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). 

Week 3, Day 3:

Pray: Dear Father, In Christ Jesus we who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13).  Thank You for making me a fellow citizen with the saints and a member of Your household (Ephesians 2:19).  Thank You for making me a member of the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:6). 

Read: Take out your Cross-Referencing Journal.  At the top of a clean page write “In Christ…”  Then list everything the text teaches you about who you are and what you have in Christ (they should be easy to find since you highlighted them in pink yesterday).  Don’t forget to include the references so you can easily find these truths later.

Apply:  Last week we learned that some people may try to delude us.  But we are to be firm in our faith and as we received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and establish in the faith, abounding in thanksgiving (2:4-7).  How did yesterday’s application exercise affect the way you view yourself and your life?  Spend time journaling what you have learned these past two days and give thanks to God.   

Week 3, Day 4:

Pray: Father, In love You predestined us for adoption to Yourself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of Your will, to the praise of Your glorious grace, with which You have blessed us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of Your grace, which You lavished on us. (Ephesians 1:4b-7)    Thank You that through Your Son we have access in one Spirit to You (Ephesians 2:18).  Thank You that in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him (Ephesians 3:12).

Read: Colossians is filled with so many truths regarding who we are and what we have in Christ.  Let’s review what we have learned and correlate it with the rest of Scripture. 

  1. Who is our redemption in according to Colossians 1:14?
  2. What is redemption according to Colossians 1:14?
  3. Do a word study of the word “redemption” (Strong’s # 629, apolutrosis) and write what you learn below.
  4. Read Romans 3:23-26 and answer the questions. Who needs redemption (who has sinned)? How are we justified? God put Jesus forward as a propitiation by His what? To be received by what?
  5. What has He redeemed us from according to Colossians 1:13, Colossians 2:13, and 1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10?
  6. Who have we been reconciled to according to Colossians 1:13, Colossians 1:20 and Romans 5:10?
  7. Do a word study of the word “reconciliation” (Strong’s #604 and #2644, apo-katallasso) and write what you learn below.
  8. Now read Colossians 2:13-14 one more time and fill in the spaces. “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him,” having ____________________________________________ (Redemption) by _______________________________________________ (Reconciliation)
  9. Read Colossians 1:22 and 2:14b and Romans 5:10-11. By what was our reconciliation accomplished?
  10. You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death.  Why? (1:22b)

Apply: Are you in Christ? “These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” If you are a believer, then you have been sealed in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) and the Spirit Himself testifies with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). 

Week 3, Day 5:

Pray: Dear Father, Thank You for giving us an inheritance in Christ.  In Christ, when we heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation, and believed in Him, we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.  (Ephesians 1:11-14)

Read: Yesterday, we learned that we have been reconciled in Christ’s body of flesh by His death on the cross (1:22 and 2:14), but Christ did not remain in the grave.  1 Corinthians 15:3-4 tells us that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.  Romans 5:10 says, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”  Let’s look more at His resurrection and what it means for us In Christ?

  1. Read Colossians 2:11-13 and write what you learn.
  2. What does it mean to have been buried with Him in baptism (Colossians 2:12)?  Read the following passages and write what you learn. Romans 6:3-4 (if you have time read 6:3-11) and Galatians 3:27
  3. According to everything you have learned in the Word today, can a person be saved without believing God raised Jesus from the dead?  Read the following passages and write what you learn. Romans 4:22-25, Romans 8:11, and 1 Peter 1:3
  4. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3) Who are you in Christ? In Christ I have been ______________(2:10). In Christ I am God’s ____________, ____________, and ____________ (3:12).
  5. Therefore, Colossians 3:9b-10 says, “you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after_____________________________________________.”
  6. Who are you serving? (3:24)
  7. If you are in Christ then what is your future?  (Colossians 1:5, 1:12, 1:27, 3:4, 3:24)
  8. We have learned so much this week.  Let’s tie it all up with a bright red bow.  Read Ephesians 1:7-12 and answer the questions. Who is our redemption in? (Eph 1:7) Through what? (Ephesians 1:7) What is redemption? (Ephesians 1:7) According to what? (Ephesians 1:7) What is the mystery of His will which He made known to us, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time? (Ephesians 1:9-10) What’s another word you have learned for this? What have we obtained in Him? (1:11) So that (1:12)

Apply:  Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In Him you also, when you heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.”

1 Peter 1:4-9 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3)

Meditate on these verses and journal what the Holy Spirit is teaching you.

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*All scriptures are quoted from the ESV translation