Developing A Fulfilling Faith Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Expectations. Life is full of them.

• We have expectations for what school would be like, then college, then work, marriage, and eventually retirement!

• The thing about expectations is sometimes expectations are met, sometimes they are exceeded and other times expectations are missed big time!

• When you think of expectations for a moment, what were your expectations for your walk with Jesus?

• When you were immersed into Jesus, what were your expectations concerning your new life?

• Have those expectations been met, exceeded, or are you struggling with disappointment over how thing how developed?

• I a bit of good news and a bit of bad news.

• The bad first. If your expectations of how it would be to walk with Jesus have been exceeded or met, you will still need to tune in to the message today because whether YOUR expectations concerning your walk have been met or exceeded, there is still MORE!

• I pray that today can help you achieve an even more fulfilling walk with Jesus.

• The good news for those whose expectations have not been met is this, it can CHANGE!

• I want to tread compassionately with this statement. The reason things can change is the issue is not with God, it is with us!

• God wants you to enjoy a fulfilling walk with Him, so He has given us what we need. Today we will focus on some issues that can help us achieve what God desires for us!

• Let’s turn to Colossians 2:6-7 together to see what the Word says.

• SLIDE #2

• Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

Developing a fulfilling faith requires one to…

I. Endeavor to be rooted in Christ.

• Before we dissect the passage in order to gain a deeper understanding, we need to cover something that opens verse 6 and is the bones for the rest of the thoughts from verses 6-7 to hang on.

• We are told that as we received Christ, we are to walk in Him.

• The word WALK is a metaphor for living for Jesus, or living the life that Jesus has called us to live.

• Our journey is called a WALK, not a SPRINT or a RUN.

• A WALK implies moving forward at a steady pace.

• When I was in school and had to run a mile, I would start out WAY too fast and then I would burn out quickly because I did not have the talent or stamina to run at full speed for very long.

• We received Jesus with joy and excitement. We are called to live our lives for him in the same manner!

• Step by step, day by day, moment by moment we are to conduct ourselves in conscious submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!

• Life is a journey and we are called to make steady progress.

• Life is too difficult to try to sprint through it.

• On a moment by moment basis we are called to walk in Christ. We are literally called to ask WWJD! We are called to do the BEST we can to live life in that manner!

• Living for Jesus will bring such fulfillment and purpose in your life. Once you start on the path, you will never want to turn back!

• Being able to live for Jesus does not happen by accident, it takes love, drive, determination and effort to make this happen.

• For a Christian, living for Jesus is not about some super natural feeling, it is about lovingly following the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us. Just as love is a verb, so is the word WALK!

• Now let’s dig deep to see how we can develop a fulfilling faith!

• Paul uses several metaphors in these two verses as he tries to convey to us what God’s will on this subject is for us.

• IF we are going to have a fulfilling walk, a successful walk with the Lord it begins with endeavoring to be rooted in Him.

• The word “rooted” is an agricultural term. It is also used in such a way as to tell us that the “rooting” a present state from a past action.

• This rooting takes place when we give our lives to Christ.

• But from that initial rooting, we have to continue to be ROOTED in Christ everyday.

• Our survival as a Christian depends on it.

• Just as plants draw nourishment from the soil through their roots, so the believers should draw life-giving strength from Christ.