Reconciliation

September 6, 2026

Colossians 1:21-23

Big Idea: Christ's death Reveal Answer hostile enemies into holy people, and true believers prove this reality by remaining Reveal Answer in the faith.

Why is reconciliation needed?

Your Reveal Answer with God is Reveal Answer (21)

How can you be reconciled?

Only through the Reveal Answer of Jesus Christ. (22a)

What is the purpose of reconciliation?

To present you Reveal Answer and Reveal Answer before God. (22b)

How do you know you are reconciled?

You are Reveal Answer and Reveal Answer in the Reveal Answer of the Gospel. (23)

Sermon Talks

1. Read Colossians 1:21-23 as you prepare to work through the sermon talks.

1. Paul describes our state before knowing Christ as “alienated,” “enemies in your minds,” and marked by “evil behavior.” How does understanding the depth of our past hostility toward God change how we view His grace?

1. Enmity towards God starts in the mind. In what ways does our thinking or mindset drift into hostility or independence from God?

1. Before you came to Christ, which description from verse 21 (alienated, enemies in mind, or evil behavior) most clearly characterized your life? How does remembering that reality increase your gratitude for the gospel?

1. Christians often forget who they once were or who they now are in Christ. Which of those two truths do you struggle to remember most often, and why?

1. Hebrews 4:16 says we can now “draw near with confidence” to God’s throne of grace. How would your prayer life change if you truly believed God welcomes you as a reconciled child?

1. Paul says Christ reconciled us in order to present us holy, blameless, and free from accusation. How should that future reality influence the way you live this week?

1. What are some pressures, distractions, or doubts that can cause believers to “move from the hope held out in the gospel”?

1. If someone looked at your life today, would they see more evidence of who you were or who you are becoming in Christ? What is one practical step you can take this week to live more consistently with your new identity in Jesus?

1. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in a time of prayer. Begin by praising God for who He is and what He has done in your life. Praise Him for your salvation.