Alive In Christ Series

“ALIVE IN CHRIST” Colossians 2:6-15

FBCF – 7/28/24

Jon Daniels

INTRO – What does it mean to be a Christian? Being a Christian is more than just praying a prayer at some point in your life. It’s more than a one-time decision. It’s more than filling out a card at the end of a church service.

The word “Christian” literally means, “little Christ” & is used 3 times in the NT:

- Acts 11:26 – Barnabas & Saul when to Antioch – “For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

- Acts 26:28 – Paul witnessing to King Agrippa – “And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?’”

- 1 Peter 4:16 – Peter talking about suffering – “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

- Was actually used in some instances as a derogatory insult. (https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-Christian.html)

But I would submit to you that it is misused & misunderstood many times today. Lots of people & groups get lumped under the umbrella term of “Christian.”

- Jehovah’s Witnesses & Mormons both considered by many to be “Christians.” And yet both of them teach, follow, & spread false teachings & heresy, leading many people astray.

- Some denominations & churches that are still considered “Christian” have watered down the Gospel so much & perverted the teachings of the Bible so much that they should stop calling themselves Christians.

- America is called & considered to be a “Christian nation.” And while we may have been founded on many Christian principles, we are a long way from being a Christian nation as we continue to systematically dismantle many bedrock Biblical precepts that our nation was founded upon. We continue to move farther & farther away from our foundation as we, as a nation, celebrate every form of immorality & depravity that our sinful minds can come up with.

o This Christian nation has officially dedicated an entire month each year to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender community.

o …officially legalized same-sex marriage.

o …officially aborted approx. 64 million babies since 1973.

o …officially the world’s leading producer of pornography.

So then, what DOES it mean to be a Christian? It means that you have come to a place in your life where you realize that you are a sinner who is lost & headed to hell – that Jesus Christ is the one & only Son of God & the one & only Savior of the world - & you make a conscious commitment to believe in Jesus, turn away from your sin & yourself, & trust Him ALONE to save you. In that instant, everything in your life changes.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17 says you become a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come.

- Luke 15:24 says you were lost but now you are found.

- Romans 5:10 says you were an enemy of God but now you are a friend of God.

- And as we will see in our passage for today, you were dead but now you are alive in Christ Jesus.

EXPLANATION – Colossians 2:6-15 – Theme of Colossians: The Superiority of Christ

APPLICATION – When you are alive in Christ, it will be evident & obvious.

Evidence of being alive in Christ:

WE FOCUS ON HIM – v. 6-7 – “…just as you received Him…” – There’s that moment of new birth (John 3:3), that moment of calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13), that moment of receiving & accepting Christ as your Savior & Lord.

- Some of you need to have that moment right now!

Notice that Paul didn’t say, “As you received Christ, now walk in your own strength & ingenuity & abilities.” He said, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord [Boss, Master], so walk in HIM [continue to live your lives in Him – NIV].”

- CEV – “You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following Him.”

- HE becomes the focus of your entire life. Every aspect of your life is impacted by your relationship w/ Him. When we are alive in Christ, we will stay focused on Him, from the moment of our profession of faith in Him to the end of our lives.

o Bill Jones funeral – 95 yrs old – saved in 1952

- David Jeremiah – “People come to faith w/ empty hands & nothing to offer. But at the foot of the cross, they receive the gift of Christ Jesus as Lord, & this motivates their daily choices & direction (how they live).”

You stay focused on Him by: