Scripture for Study and Reflection:

Read Colossians 3: 12-17.

1. Today we finish our sermon series “Healing Hearts: A Journey to Wholeness.”

What does wholeness mean to you? What do you think it takes to make you,

and/or the congregation, whole?

2. What are the virtues with which Paul tells us to clothe ourselves? Why do

you think he chose those virtues? What does it mean to clothe yourself

with them?

3. How is clothing yourself with virtue different than putting on the armor of

God (see Ephesians 6: 10-18)? How do we know when to put on virtues

versus putting on armor?

4. Paul says in verse 13 to “bear with each other.” What does he mean by that?

Why is this important? Can you think of times when you struggled to bear

with someone?

5. Paul says “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” What does this mean to you?

Is this easy or hard to do? What are some consequences of not forgiving

like this? What happens when we do?

6. Paul describes love as above all the other virtues (see verse 14 and

1 Corinthians 13: 13). Why is love so important? What does the kind of love

Paul describes accomplish?

7. Paul talks about peace in verse 15. What does peace mean to you? How

do you understand the Biblical description of “a peace that passes all

understanding”? (see Philippians 4: 7) How can we find such peace / what

is the source? How are peace and wholeness related?

8. Paul says in verse 15, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.”

What is the message of Christ? How can you let it dwell within you and

among others?

9. Why is it important to “sing to God with gratitude in your hearts” as Paul

says in verse 16? How can gratitude lead to peace and wholeness?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and loving God, we humbly and hopefully come before you seeking the

healing and wholeness only you can provide. Bind us together in perfect unity

through the love of Christ as we share His message with the whole world. Let the

peace of Christ keep us in tune with each other as we give the gospel room to

work in all of our lives. Clothe us with righteousness and fill our spirits with

forgiveness and gratitude. Grant us the peace that comes from truly being

humble, hopeful, healed and whole, so we can share that peace with the world.

We pray all of this in the name of the One who makes it possible, our Risen Lord

and Savior Jesus the Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.