February 23, 2020
Morning Service

Last week Paul gave us a glimpse of Jesus from a slightly different view.  We saw Him as not only as a Man but as very much God.  Jesus is the “image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  All things were created through Him and for Him and in Him all things consist.” (Col. 1:15-17) Everything we see as well as everything unseen, principalities and powers, are created and controlled by Him.  By His resurrection from the grave, He also showed His Lordship over sin and death.  Jesus indeed is Lord of all!  On Sunday night we found that we are reconciled back to God through His blood.  We are no longer strangers and aliens to God because Jesus not only designed the road to salvation, but built it as well.  He is not only the Author of our faith, but also the Finisher of it (Heb. 12:2).  The mystery behind God’s plan has been revealed to His followers and it is; “Christ in you the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27) “As many of us who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:27) God has sent His Holy Spirit to indwell us giving us not only eternal life, but also His presence in our lives to guide us down the right path never leaving us alone without Him.  He abides with us and in us.  Today as we begin chapter 2, Paul returns to his prayer that we grasp that it is through Christ that we can understand this mystery of God’s plan for us.

 Col 2:1-3 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, (2) that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

        Paul here is speaking of Colosse’s sister church in nearby Laodicea which may have been confronted with this false teaching as well.  Laodicea is one of the seven churches John addressed in the Book of Revelations and they were criticized for having a faith that was only lukewarm.  Paul carries a burden for these churches that he has not ever been to and as we saw in chapter one it caused him to pray diligently for them both.  His prayer for them here is that “their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love.”  I would translate that they are “may they understand that they are better together!”  God’s design for the church (us) is that we don’t go through life’s challenges alone; we are to be “knit together in love.” (Prayer chain).  He then stresses again the importance of having the understanding and knowledge of what God’s plan is for His children and then use wisdom to apply that to our lives.  The Will and Plan of God had been hidden from man up to this point, but now it has been openly revealed to us.  We not only can know and understand the plan, but we play a part in it.  This should enable us to be able to fully commit our lives to following Christ knowing that we have been given all we need to succeed; through Him the mystery has been revealed.  (2 Pet. 1:3)

 

Col 2:4-5 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.  (5)  For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ     

            Because the mystery has been revealed to us, we have access to the truth and can measure everything next to the scriptures as they reveal to us the knowledge and understanding we need not to be deceived.  He encourages them as a good leader to be steadfast in their faith in Christ.  There is no time to let down our guard, here describes the attitude Peter encourages us to have:

 

1Pe 5:6-9 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  (8)  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  (9)  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

            These attitudes all require action on our part.  Model them in your daily life and with your walk with the Lord.  Don’t be caught unaware that our enemy has come to “kill, steal and destroy” and you and your family are one of his targets; we are at war with no end in sight. 

 

Col 2:6-8 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (8) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

            Paul encourages us here to not allow the “world” to cheat you out of all that God has for you.  After accepting Jesus’ invitation to follow, we must continue to walk in His footsteps seeking to line up with the truth that we have been taught through the scriptures.  To be “established in our faith” means we are doers and not hearers only.  The NLT reads like this: “Let your roots grow deep into Him and draw up nourishment from Him so you will grow in faith, strong a vigorous in the truth.”  Let it become who you are not only what you do.

            Does that describe your walk with the Lord?  Are your roots growing deeper in Him over time or are your roots still just spread across the surface creating a lukewarm faith?  Don’t be cheated of all that God has for you by having a superficial faith conforming yourself to the principles of this world rather than to the Will of God.  Dig deep and commit yourself wholly to Him and be transformed into what He has created you to be.  Seek and you shall find.  Remember who He is and what following Him really means for you.

 

Col 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (10) and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

            He is Lord of all and has chosen you to be completed in Him.  When we have Him we need nothing else.  Our transformation begins with the knowledge that our salvation comes from His work not ours.  We have placed upon ourselves His righteousness giving us the privilege to be found justified before God; completed by Christ.  There is no judgement or condemnation against us who walk with Jesus as Paul told the Romans.

 

Rom 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  (3)  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, (4) that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

 

 

 

 

            Our salvation and forgiveness of sin rests totally upon the work of Christ as He “has made me free from the law of sin and death.”  “Not guilty” will be the verdict as we stand before God because our sins were paid for in full upon the cross through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  We too need to also be set free from self-condemnation as so often we can’t forgive ourselves for our own shortcomings though God assures us that He has done so.  We must “trust the process” of forgiveness acting by faith and obedience to confess our sin and believe God will forgive and cleanse us as He promises.

 

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

            If God forgives me, I too must follow suit and forgive myself as well.  It is our enemy who will hold our shortcomings against us and use them to cut us down, but remember we are complete in Christ.  As long as we continue to walk with the Lord we need nothing from anyone to justify as Christ has freed us from judgement and condemnation.

 

            We covered a lot this morning.  As the church we are better together. We covered the attitude it is going to take to stay on guard against our enemy.  We were encouraged not to be cheated by this world’s philosophy and to “dig our roots deep in Christ.”  We discovered we are “complete in Him” and that there is no condemnation upon us who walk with the Lord.  Finally, we are forgiven by God upon our confession of sin; we must also forgive ourselves.

 

Father, thank You for Jesus who has paved the road for us to find salvation and the hope of an eternal home with You.  Have us to be faithful followers.