Alive in Christ
Notes
Transcript
“Alive In Christ”: Colossians 2:6-14
Scripture before sermon:
Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned
Ephesians 2:1-5
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
2ndPeter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Colossians 2:6-14 (NIV)
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Introduction
· This text all centers around Jesus and the Gospel message
· We’ve learned Jesus is all sufficient for salvation and He is supreme over all creation
· Today: We are alive in Jesus
Main Point??? – We are alive in Christ and we can do all things through Him who strengthens us
Alive in Christ
Supporting Points??? – How are we alive and what are the results?
Alive in Christ is to share in the power and authority of Christ
To be alive in Christ today is to be alive in Christ tomorrow
Exegesis – GO IN DEPTH OF WHAT IS MAIN POINT, MOST IMPORTANT – EVERYTHING ELSE BE BRIEF
As we go through these versus, I will be referring to those in the church in Colosai
However, apply what Paul is teaching to your life as a believer
VS 2:6-7
· Therefore…
· What is the therefore there for?
· 1st, they have received Christ Jesus the Lord in same verse
· When we come to faith, we are receiving Jesus the Lord and our confession of faith is that “Jesus Christ is Lord”
· 2nd, Paul is referring to what has already been written in the previous versus in the letter
· Which is the foundational teaching of the Gospel they heard from Epaphras
· They have heard and believed the truth of the Gospel leading to their faith in Jesus
· In receiving Jesus, they have received all the Spiritual blessings of redemption, the forgiveness of sin, and salvation – The hope of their inheritance laid up for them in Heaven in VS 1:5
· Paul then command them, that because of all they have in Jesus when they received Him as the Lord is to “CONTINUE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN HIM” Other translations say “WALK IN HIM”
· In other words, to live a Christ-centered life in obedience to Jesus
· Paul has already gone into detail of living a Christ-centered life in VS 1:9-12 – I’ll leave this to you to go back and read it on your own
· Paul then uses the image of a tree and a building to remind them of their firm foundation of what they have been taught which is the Gospel
· This foundation leads to them being strengthened and established in their faith
· They are empowered with the ability to “WALK IN HIM” because they are rooted in Jesus and are being built up in Him – Growing in our faith and our walk with Him
· This is what established in the faith looks like
· This should result in their abounding thanksgiving to God
· The context of these versus is Paul writing to the Colossian church then
· However, we can bridge the gap of when it was written to us today
· We too have received all of this when we came to faith in Jesus and confess Him as Lord
VS 8
· The false teachers were a real threat in the Church in Colossae
· In VS 10, Paul refers to false teachers as earthly powers and authorities
· Important to know that Paul refers to the false teachers as “POWER AND AUTHORITY” if we are to understand and apply Paul’s teaching here
· Well Paul instructs them to not be taken captive by their hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world.
· Greek “captive” refers to stealing from a cargo ship
· “Philosophy” is equivalent to “teaching”
· That philosophy is that more needed to be added to our faith to be true Christians
· “Hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition” are the lie that man made works are things they must do to add to faith in Jesus
· These “HUMAN TRADITIONS” are inspired by “ELEMENTAL SPIRITUAL POWERS OF THIS WORLD.” In the context of when this letter was written, it refers to pagan religions that has its roots in demonic spirits in the ancient world then
· This is likely what Paul is referring to
· “ELEMENTAL SPIRITUAL POWERS” is therefore much stronger of a threat than just false teachers
· This, of course, contrasts the Gospel Jesus proclaimed and subsequently what all believers proclaim
Take VS 2:9-15 as a unit
· These versus encourage the church, as well as us today, that we have everything we need in Jesus – He is all sufficient for our redemption and salvation
· Therefore we don’t need to turn to anyone or anything else, we are complete in Christ
How does Jesus provide all we need to be complete in Him, that He’s all sufficient for our Christian lives?
· Remember, even though this was written a couple thousand years ago, every bit of it applies to us as well
· 1st, In Jesus all the fullness of Deity lives bodily – Jesus was fully God in the flesh
· Repeating VS 1:19 – “IN JESUS, ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD WAS PLEASED TO DWELL”
· And because Jesus is God, He is Head over all power and authority
· In 1:15-20, we learned that He is the Head over all creation
· But in this context, Jesus is Head over false teachers
· VS 2:15 gives us the reason for His power and authority over false teachers.
· Because of Christ’s work on the cross, He has triumphed over all powers and authorities
· The result is that Jesus has disarmed these powers and authorities
· And since we are “ALIVE IN CHRIST” we learn in VS 10 that we are also filled in Him, have been made complete
· We share in His power and authority over earthy powers and authorities, over false teachers
· We no longer have to live in fear that we aren’t doing enough to be forgiven and have salvation
· We have Christ’s power not to be taken captive by false teachings
VS 11-14 – Gospel message
· Interestingly, Paul uses “CIRCUMCISION” as a metaphor for them going from spiritually dead in their sin to becoming “ALIVE IN CHRIST” because of their faith
· That they have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Jesus
Most likely Paul uses circumcision here because they were told that believers must participate in the Jewish tradition of circumcision as an addition to their faith
· They were uncircumcised as they lived in the flesh before faith
· When they came to faith, they were circumcised by Christ, an inward circumcision made without hands
· Paul means that the old person living in sin has passed away and the new person made “ALIVE IN CHRIST” is here
· Through Baptism…
· Makes it sound like the act of baptism produces forgiveness of sin and salvation
· But this is not the case. Outward expression of an inward reality
· Paul is sticking to his metaphors as he did with circumcision
· Immersion baptism is the picture of us identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
· Under water represents dying to our old self and coming up represents us being raised to new life “ALIVE IN Christ”
· Romans: The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus
· Jesus canceled the legal charge of our indebtedness– Sinning against God through disobedience to OT laws, 10 commandments that condemns us
· He paid the price – We are “ALIVE IN CHRIST” because Jesus nailed our sins to the cross, we are forgiven through His blood and was resurrected from the grave
· Illustration: Have a cross to nail post it notes to – What are some sins, just shout them out
Illustrations
· Bush/small tree with extensive root system: Try to pull it out using brute strength, axe, tie a rope and pull with truck, winch. I’ve tried all these things
· Golden calf
Application
Scripture: The battle is the Lord’s so put your trust in God in all circumstances and rely on His power, not ours
We too will face false teachers – give examples
How’s your root system – Faith?
Why the repetition?
· None of us are immune to be deluded by plausible arguments and taken captive with the empty deception of false teachers
· Also when trials and hard times come, easily forget our life in Jesus and we have access to His very power
· And when trials come, can we take a moment to remember our position in Jesus, we are alive in Him and have access to His power to overcome them
· Life each day in the grace of the Gospel – what does that look like
· Are we “ALIVE IN CHRIST” ?
· Do we fully know and trust that we share in Christ’s power and authority?
· Are we willing to let go of our own power and authority and rely on Christ’s in all circumstances?
I want to finish by reading 2 Cor 12:9-10
2 Corinthians 12:9
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.