Jesus is alive! The response to this great truth takes two forms: One in which keeping it a secret seems more profitable, and one in which Jesus commands us to take that truth to the whole world.

To consider the possibility that death did not have power over Jesus will change the way we feel, think, and live. Forever.

Jesus comes to His people as a kind, gentle, humble king who uses lowly, ordinary means and people - with their selfish, superficial, fake, fickle tendencies - to bring himself glory by saving them in spite of themselves.

Jesus has transformed the identity of His people, and this changes how communicate with God, what they communicate to the world, the way they communicate by their actions, and the tone in which they communicate with everyone.

Now that we have been united with Christ, we not only put off that which is sinful; but we also put on that which is consistent with our new position. This must take place especially in our closest relationships.

It's Jesus' job to put sin to death completely, but we are invited to put off sinfulness by always digging deeper into it and applying the Gospel at the deepest level. Then, we dress accordingly.

The great joy of the Gospel is found in that which Jesus - our Lord and King who is seated at the right hand of God - has accomplished for us and is realizing in our newly transformed lives.

To define ourselves by what we've done more so than by what Christ has done for us is to miss the Good News of Jesus Christ.

God shapes His people by His Word. As we begin spending the next 8 weeks walking through Paul's letter (Epistle) to the Colossians together, it is good to think about why we would read a letter to someone else written almost 2,000 years ago.

Very early on in the Gospel of Matthew we are introduced to the powerful, life-changing themes of repentance, God's kingdom, baptism, confession of sin, and God's pleasure in us in Jesus Christ.