Read: Colossians 2:13-15
Reflect:
- Forgiveness and “made alive” are deeply connected. There can be no new life without forgiveness. It’s sin that kills us. So, removing the sin empowers us to experience new life. No forgiveness; no new life.
- People look for “new life” all over the place. Some seek it through new relationships—some appropriate and, unfortunately, some not. Some seek it through consumption—new houses, cars, toys, clothes. Some change careers. And all who do, discover the same “old” problems return because they’re missing the key ingredient—forgiveness.
- The key term here is empower. It’s what forgiveness provides. When we’ve been freed from our sin and its consequences, we’re empowered to live new and vibrant lives. We’re no longer limited to simple earthly existence, we now have life that matters, that fulfills, that compels.
Respond:
- Describe your pre-Jesus life. Did you feel empowered to really live? What was missing?
- Reflect on what your life in Jesus is like. In what ways has life changed for you?
- If life is lived in Christ, how is it different from a mere earthly life?
Pray: Thank God for forgiveness. Pray that your life reflects the empowerment Jesus provides. Seek from God a deep sense of newness and contentment in your life.
