The Effectual Boarder Series

Chico Alliance Church

“The Effectual Boarder”

“Let the Word of Christ dwell richly”

Colossians 3:16

• Hold fast to Christ

• Continually pursue or seek things related to the eternal.

• Continually contemplate or think about eternal things.

• Deny any expression by fleshly desires left over from the old life.

• Release the longings of the new heart implanted by the indwelling Christ

• Allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in the heart.

• Let the word of Christ live in the heart of the individual and the church.

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COLOSSIANS

We start today with the one here in Colossians 3:16

“Let the Word of Christ dwell richly within you”

The Word (logos) of Christ

The word used here is the word LOGOS, the word. Even in early Greek this word had the idea of explaining or reckoning. This word is simple yet full. The depth of the word lies in its context. It has to do with words spoken to express reality. You have the word of man.

You have the word of God. You have the word of the Holy Spirit. Logos speaks of communication. It is a name used for Christ I his role of explaining the Father. In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh. The Word of Christ refers to all teaching of Christ who also spoke the Word of God. Teaching others to obey the things Jesus taught is vital to our commission. We are to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. We are to allow the Word of Christ to continually dwell.

“dwell” present tense

Dwell has the idea of live or inhabit, take up residence. Paul instructs us to be saturated with the words and teaching of Christ. The only way the word can dwell to this extent is to study, memorize, meditate and practice it. When we apply the truth that God reveals to us to our everyday life, the Word finds a home in every part of our being and becomes the guiding force in all that we do.

“richly” -- fullness of good

We are to allow the word to penetrate every area of our life, to fill us up with it’s goodness.

Application within the church

The benefit to the body of individuals who allow the word of Christ to richly dwell is sound teaching and effective encouragement.

“Teaching”

To impart information to the point of understanding and practice.

To cause to learn.

“Admonish”

means to put into the mind

What part does the Bible play in your everyday life? We have in our hands a wonderful resource. In a world where everything is subject to opinion and feeling we need a solid foundation and structure. We also live in a world where everything is relative. Few people do believe in absolutes anymore. We need something that won’t change. We need a foundation that is absolute.

THE UNIQUENESS OF THE BIBLE

The surest resource for God’s communication to man is the written revelation, the Bible The Bible is absolutely the most unique book in all the world in all of history.

Unique in its continuity

Written over a period of 1600 years over 60 generations

Written by at least 40 authors from every walk of life.

Written on three continents

Written in different places

Written during different moods

Written in three languages

In spite of all of this, the Bible demonstrates continuity of thought from Genesis to Revelation. There is one unfolding story of “God’s redemption of man.”

Unique in its Circulation and Translation

Has been read by more people and published in more languages than any other book in history.

Unique in its Survival

It has survived copying, persecution, criticism. Voltaire said the Bible would be extinct by 1850. Oops!

Unique in its Teachings

Touches every aspect of life and provides the framework to address any question related to life here on this earth.

Unique in its Influence

Not other book has effected the thinking of people throughout history.

THE BENEFITS OF GOD’S WORD

In the Bible, God recorded all that He intended to reveal about Himself. It is a record of His thoughts, feelings, desires, decrees, plans, longings, intentions, instructions concerning life under his authority, character, interactions with people and their response to him. If you want truly know God, you must know what has been written.

Psalm 119 Benefits

Blesses, Stabilizes, Purifies, Counsels, Delights, Strengthens, Encourages Reverence, Saves, Revives, Comforts, Preserves, Illumines, Sustains, Makes wise, Delivers, Establishes, Enlightens.

The Bible testifies over and over again concerning the value and benefit of God’s word, the word of Christ.

It is the source of faith

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

It is the source of life

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' " Matthew 4:4