Note: This lesson is a transcript of a live presentation. There are occasional ‘Video Notes’ throughout the text to help the reader imagine what this speaker is pointing to or what he is doing.

Let's start out in Colossians 3:8-11. Paul says,

But now you must rid yourselves of these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Then in Colossians 3:12-20

Therefore as God's chosen holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other, and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace, and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing songs, hymns, and spirituals songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. In whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Wives submit to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

So, there are a lot of commands. Have any of us kept all of those commands in the last 365 days? No? Me either. Isn't it discouraging when God gives us commands and we don't keep them? Isn't it even almost embittering or exasperating when we have commands, and we can't keep it? Right? In fact, sometimes they almost seem impossible.