Understanding Our Position in Christ
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Tonight we continue our exploration into the book of Colossians, and in doing so, will finish out the first chapter of this epistle to the church at Colosse.
(Recap)
(Previous Messages in the Colossians Series)
‘For the Faithfulness of Epaphras’ - Col. 1:1-8
In that message, we looked at how because Epaphras was Faithful to serve the LORD, the gentiles there at Colosse gained:
Faith in Christ
Fellowship with each other
A Future home in Heaven
Fruit for their Labor
And Friends - that would be there & pray for them
‘Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians’ - Col. 1:9-12
Our next message dealt with v9-12 and it focused on Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians.
Paul Prayed for a Filling - of His Will, Godly Wisdom & Biblical Watchfulness
Paul then Prayed for Faithfulness - in their Manner of Life & the Mark to Strive for
Paul then prayed for Fruitfulness - Testifying of who they were in Christ
Then Paul Prayed for Favor - For God to give them Strength & Satisfaction
Lastly Paul Prayed for Focus - Upon God and His Grace
‘The Incredible Christ’ - Col. 1:12-22
Then as Paul began to get into the meat of the letter, we preached a message titled ‘The Incredible Christ’ focused on v13-22 and in it Paul is just bragging about Jesus!
He spoke of the Performance of Christ
The Pardon of Christ
The Picture of Christ
The Power of Christ
The Preeminence of Christ
The Peace of Christ
The Presentation of Christ
‘A Presentation Without Regret’ - Col. 1:20-29
Paul Spoke of:
The Peace through His Cross (v20-22)
The Presentation Desired (v22; 28; 23)
Paul spoke of the fact that everyone was going to stand before God and give account.
The Person God Utilized
Then Paul made clear that God was using him to communicate truth
Now that Paul has laid this ground work, he speaks of himself for the purpose that they would take heed unto what he had to say.
‘A Call to Stand’ - Col. 2:1-10
Paul spoke of:
A Knowledge Imparted
A Course Implored
A Fulfillment Identified
Today we’re going to look at the next 5 verses in the book of Colossians, in this message titled ‘Understanding Our Position in Christ’
Because Paul is writing to believers, He’s trying to get them to understand what that means
I. The Circumcision of the Believer (v11)
I. The Circumcision of the Believer (v11)
The first of two illustrations pointing to a deeper truth
The Purpose of Circumcision
If we go back to Gen. 17, we can see the institution of circumcision. (Read Gen. 17:7-14)
But we need to step back and consider what the purpose of the token was for.
It was a symbol of a relationship
We see that both those who came into the family naturally, and unnaturally (v12-13) when they became part of Abraham’s house, they were to ben circumcised.
It was an intimate symbol
This was not like wearing a certain garment / outfit to show everyone. It was very personal, very private.
It was a piece of flesh which was removed
This is where the rubber meets the road. While physical circumcision was the task of removing a piece of flesh, Spiritual circumcision is the removal of the ‘sins of the flesh’
We are sinners by nature and by practice, but when Jesus died on the Cross, and we accepted the free gift of Salvation, He has removed the penalty of the sins of the flesh within us!
We see the Purpose of Circumcision
The Performance of Circumcision
As we consider both the wording and truth that is being spoken by Paul, we must acknowledge who it is that performs the act.
Going back to Gen. 17, we see that in v12, the circumcision was taking place when the child was 8 days old. This is important for this reason. The child could not circumcise himself. He had no ability or means to - it had to be done for him.
The Spiritual circumcision that Paul is speaking of in Col. 2, cannot be done by you or I - we are as incapable of putting off the body of sins in the flesh as a baby is of performing his own circumcision. It must be done by someone who is capable - and that is Christ!
Jesus said in: Joh. 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Paul said in: Rom. 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
If your sin-stains have been cleansed, it’s because you have experienced the personal, intimate removal of sins by the LORD Jesus Christ!
We see the Circumcision of the Believer. Next...
II. The Comparison in Baptism (v12)
II. The Comparison in Baptism (v12)
The second of two illustrations pointing to a deeper truth
The Image of Baptism
Paul speaks of this image in Rom. 6:3-4 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:...”
Many souls miss the point of what water Baptism is all about. Water cannot wash your sins away… ‘What can wash away my sins - NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!’
Water baptism is not for salvation, it’s for identification! It’s a public profession of an inward possession. And this is what Paul is stressing here. He began with one image (circumcision), and now has moved on to another (water baptism) for the purpose of instructing the church.
When we experience water baptism, we are testifying to the world that we are ‘like as Christ’ - guess what, Jesus died. And we Christians, now that we’ve been Spiritually circumcised, we need to put the old man down.
We see the image of Baptism begins with the death of the old man...
The Illustration of the Resurrection
Looking back to Paul’s words on water Baptism in Rom. 6:3-7 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”
So we Christians just as Christ willingly laid His life down for you and I, you and I should lay our old life down for Christ! We SHOULD walk in newness of life.
Our problems in America - where sin is running rampant - is not caused by sinners, it’s caused by Saints WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE LIKE SINNERS! It’s because too many Christians have accepted carnality in their lives - some more than others, but most at least some.
We see the Illustration of the Resurrection
The Inciter of Both
Notice that the resurrection was made possible ‘through the faith of the operation of God’.
Church, God frees us from the Penalty of Sin
God frees us from the Power of Sin
We are freed from the bondage of sin! I don’t have to commit sin, I choose to. God has made it possible to live the Holy lifestyle He’s called me to live! I Pet. 1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
I challenge you, whenever you catch yourself sinning, ask yourself ‘did I have a choice whether or not to do that?’ If the answer is yes, then that will convict you. If the answer is no, you’d better make sure that you’ve been born again and in a right relationship with the LORD.
For God has freed us from the Penalty and the Power of Sin, but we choose whether to Perform sin or not.
We see the Circumcision of the Believer. The Comparison of Baptism, Next...
III. The Culmination of the Work of Christ (v13)
III. The Culmination of the Work of Christ (v13)
The Position We Suffered
Now, Paul reminds the church of where they used to be - ‘dead in your sins & the uncircumcision of your flesh’
Paul put it even better to the gentile church in Ephesus: Eph 2:12 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
Simply being a human put me as being dead in trespass and sin, for I was a sinner by nature and by practice: The Bible makes this clear in Rom. 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Rom. 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
So you and I were by nature and practice separated from God (And if you’ve not been born again, this is your position today)
To make matters worse, I’m a gentile. I have no right or claim to the promises that God made unto the Jewish people.
I in my natural state had no hope.
But I’m thankful that I have a Great and Merciful God - full of Grace & Truth!
The Power We Experienced
Quickened (def) made alive
Though I WAS dead, I am alive in Christ!
Read Eph. 2:1-10
My God has taken something dead and made it alive! (But of course, this is nothing to the God we serve! My God is able!
I by Faith have experienced that Power
The Person Who Provided
One word there that will escape you if you’re not careful. ‘He’
Salvation cannot be bought or borrowed, nor can it be stolen or earned. Salvation is a gift that must be received by Faith in Jesus!
We see the Circumcision of the Believer. The Comparison of Baptism, The Culmination of the Work of Christ...
IV. The Canceling of Our Debt (v14)
IV. The Canceling of Our Debt (v14)
He Cleaned Our Slate
The illusion that Paul is speaking of, is the Mosaic Covenant found in Ex. 20. But we need to understand what preceded Ex. 20 to understand the covenant itself.
Read Ex. 19:1-8; 20:1-17;
This was the contract between God and His people. A contract that was agreed to, but could not be kept.
When God ‘blotted out the handwriting, He nullified the contract! He cleaned Our Slate! All of the sins that we’ve committed that convicted us in the sight of God in breach of that agreement, God has wiped them away!
He Cleaned Our Slate
He Cleared a Path
Now, what was done symbolically in the temple has been accomplished in truth!
Mat. 27:50-51 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
The path was cleared, Upon Calvary’s Cross
Upon Calvary’s Cross
Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Every drop of blood He shed - every hammer of the nails bought our pardon!
Eph. 2:15-16 “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
We see the Circumcision of the Believer. The Comparison of Baptism, The Culmination of the Work of Christ, The Canceling of Our Debt
V. The Conquering of Christ (v15)
V. The Conquering of Christ (v15)
A Complete Victory
Matthew Barnes wrote this concerning this verse: And having spoiled. Plundered; as a victorious army does a conquered country. Cmt. on Col 2:8. The terms used in this verse are all military; and the idea is, that Christ has completely subdued our enemies by his death. A complete victory was achieved by his death, so that everything is now in subjection to him, and we have nothing to fear.
We fight today, but in truth the victory has already been determined! The Battle is Won, the Victor is Christ!
A Commander to Follow
Because this Jesus:
Conquered Death, Hell & the Grave
Canceled our Sin Debt, Cleared a Path unto God
Put all our Foes under His Feet
This is a God to serve! This is a God to whom we should submit ourselves unto!
Conclusion
Conclusion