It's Time To Open Up To Jesus Series

INTRODUCTION

• When I was younger, I used to struggle with opening up to people. I was always afraid of what they would think of me if I let them in my “inner circle”.

• I was afraid to open myself up to being vulnerable to those around me because if you open up, you risk getting hurt.

• I think the real issue once again is trust. Those you trust, you tend to open your self up to.

• What about you, do you have trouble opening up?

• There are risks involved in opening up, but there are also great rewards.

• I want us to consider our relationship with Jesus for a little bit.

• Have you been afraid to open yourself up to Him? Are you afraid He will not love you or accept you? Are you afraid He would be ashamed of you?

• I used to really struggle with being able to accept God’s love for me even after I gave my life to Christ.

• Over time I learned I could trust Him enough to open myself up to Him, to allow Him to lead my life and to allow Him to work in my life.

• SLIDE #1

• It is time for us to open up to Jesus. It is time for us to allow Him to really work in our lives. We need to drop our “wall of protection” and allow Him to work in us and through us.

• There are great blessing in store for us when we open ourselves up to Jesus.

• I would like us to look at Colossians 3:15-17 this morning as we look at some areas we need to open ourselves up to Jesus.

• SLIDE #2 & #3

• READ COLOSSIANS 3:15-17

• SLIDE #4

SERMON

We need to open up to:

I. THE PEACE OF CHRIST (15)

• How many of us are stressed out with lives that seem to be in turmoil all the time. Does it seem that EVERY time we turn around that we are in the midst of some crisis?

• Do you feel tension around you all the time? Are you stressed out by you children, your spouse and your job?

• In the context of our passage it would seem like there were some issues in the church that was causing problems. There were people complaining against one another (verse 13) and it was causing problems.

• What is it that gets your blood boiling? Where do you lose your patience? For me it us a stop lights and in the long lines at the stores. Those situations seem to set something off in me if I am not careful. I really have to guard against getting all worked up over nothing.

• Why does this happen to us?

• It is because we have not opened ourselves up to the peace of Christ. We are trying to live life on our own power.

• Do you think that Jesus wants us to live in turmoil, chaos and crisis? NO

• God has a solution for you!

• SLIDE #5

• John 14:27 (NASB) 27“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

• Peace is an inner state of tranquility that comes from knowing that you are right with God. We are able to have this inner state of tranquility because we feel secure in our position with God. We feel safe in Christ.

• Jesus wants us to have this inner tranquility.

• When we are at war with God, we will not have the inner peace He desires us to have because we do not feel secure in our salvation.

• If we realize who we are and what we are in Christ, then we will be able to deal with whatever the world throws at us because we know who we are in Christ.

• When we put on Christ, one of the blessings is peace.

• We are not called to be at peace at ANY price. Having peace means to be under God’s control as we make courageous moral decisions for the truth.

• This peace that God offers to us has a purpose. The purpose is that the peace is to rule our hearts.

• This word translated “rule” means to umpire or referee.

• It was used to describe the activity of an umpire in deciding the outcome of an athletic contest. The peace of Christ guides believers in making decisions.

• We have to make sure what we do is in line with being at peace with God and being at peace with one another.