Maxed Out

November 10, 2008

Evening Worship

Text: Colossians 2:6-23

Subject: Fullness in Christ

Title: Maxed Out

You know that I am one of those people who believe that you should be what you say you are. When I worked in the trades I was often captivated by the other trades, especially the tradesmen who were very good at their trades. And trust me, I have seen carpenters, plumbers, HVAC/sheetmetal workers, drywall hangers and finishers, and concrete men who were those things in title alone. And I have seen some who were like artists. Everything they did was a purposeful stroke of an artist’s brush to bring about the completed masterpiece. My goal for myself was always to be one of those types of people.

Did anybody besides me, when you were a kid, play pretend? We were out in the woods as pretend soldiers fighting a pretend war with pretend guns. It seems that is how a lot of people approach their work and life in general. They just pretend their way through without ever making the effort to be what they say they are.

I don’t want you as Christians to be like that. And you don’t have to be because the Bible says that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I want to share with you tonight four steps to enable you to be maxed out for Christ.

Colossians 2:6-23

1. Continue to Live “IN CHRIST” 6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Now Paul is obviously writing this to Christians, just as you therefore have received Christ Jesus as Lord… What you have received you have received in the spirit man. It began with a decision you made but the instant that you trusted Christ it became a spiritual event that translates into the soul and body. But it is something that is done in the Spirit; continue to live in him… People say, “Oh, I’ve tried church before. It didn’t work for me.” That’s the problem. They tried church but they didn’t have Jesus. Salvation isn’t something you try. It is something that takes place in the spirit man so that you never want to go back to your old life. Look at the three steps Paul says here that will help you in your continuing walk. 1) you are 7rooted and built up in him. If you are trying to continue in your own strength you have resorted to a works based salvation. Ephesians 6:10, 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 2) You are strengthened by increasing your faith. strengthened in the faith as you were taught… How does faith come? By hearing the Word of God! Romans 1:17, For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (from faith to faith), just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Ephesians 3:16-20, 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 3) You are overflowing with thankfulness. How do you overflow with thankfulness? It’s easy. Just start counting your blessings. Remember who God is, Psalm 69:30, I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Remember what He has done for you. Psalm 103:2-5, Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

2. Beware of False Doctrine. 8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. How could anyone be taken captive by false doctrine? For one thing it is a sign of the times we are living in. 1 Timothy 4:1-2, 1The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. Also, people don’t know the Bible so how could they know what false doctrine is? Have you ever noticed how people from the radical left can take a topic like abortion or homosexuality and twist it around to make it look like Christians are insensitive and we are the bad guys? That is what happens when people rely on the basic principles of this world. Those last three words are the key. If it is of this world then it isn’t from Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The god of this age or of this world wants to keep people blinded to the truth in the word and turned to the lies from secular philosophy – satan’s doctrine. Satan’s doctrine is any doctrine that leads people away from Christ. It is so attractive because it offers so many paths of salvation. But Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life.