Title: Rooted in Character
Thesis: You are known by your character so what does yours look like?
Scripture Passage: Colossians 1:1-8
INTRO:
This morning I’m excited to kick off this summer’s Rooted series. Yes I said” Rooted”, like a tree. We all need to be grounded * rooted in the soil God has prepared for us because we live in an empty world.
“Living for Christ in a desolate world” is the subtitle of this series. Yes desolate like the desert with no water, dry, hot, and if you looked around you would see angry plants. How can you tell they’re angry?
Well they all have thorns, sharp ridged thorns = I call that angry! And they want to hurt you.
Well we all live in this world.
That challenges our beliefs and choices. I go to the same malls, shopping centers and I am faced with the same things that you face and that you may struggle with.
So as I share in this series I am speaking to myself as much as I am speaking to you in order to help us grow deeper with our God.
Let’s dive into this morning’s study.
Being Rooted in Character.
Colossians Chapter 1:1-8
Let me set the stage.
In verse 1 Paul rights a letter from prison to a place he never visited, the Colossian Church, but it was established as a by-product of Paul’s 2 years in Ephesus.
He greets this church using grace and peace in verse 2, like family. Phaphus, the pastor of the church of Colosse, shown in
verse 7, told Apostle Paul (Apostle meaning “one who is sent”), about the church in Colosse.
He knew this young vibrant church, full of excitement, was known for their faith, their hope, and their love according to verse 4 & 5.
This epistle is concerned with faith, hope, and love. Now remember in
1Cor 13:13 says
“Now abide these three: Faith, hope, and love.” These things mark the true character of the believer. What is character?
(One definition in Webster’s dictionary say’s “moral excellence and firmness” and Aristotle once said Good character is the public and private reflection of traits, attitudes and creeds that have become the convictions of the heart and are consistently demonstrated in wise personal choices of actions when confronted with opportunities, trials, or adversities)
Vs.1
In this passage I can’t help but to think about where Paul was to fulfill his own will and desires for his life. Here he says by the WILL of God. His will turned in to God’s will.
I went from serving myself and having my own desires- and turned it all over to Christ. My desires and ambitions have changed into the will of God. We are to become a new creation in Christ. My life is no longer mine. It is His.
Paul knew his role. He was an Apostle because that is what God wanted.
He was to be one sent to preach, God can direct our path. He can lead our life. We need to allow God to lead.
God loves his job, and He is not looking for a replacement.
What decisions are you facing that need God’s wisdom? Are there areas in your life where you are clueless to know His will?
He also took Timothy. A good leader takes along someone to pour into.
Vs. 2
He is writing to be faithful/loyal/trustworthy/Committed/Integrity
Vs. 3, 4
Paul is thankful for their reputation. They are willing to do what God has asked them to do. They made a choice- to represent God well. Paul understands how hard it is to live this way.
Paul tried to take every sinful thought captive, and he sees these people doing the same things. He adores the example that they are living.
Their faith was famous. They were believers to the core. All of them- all for Jesus.
They understand the love that they have for God’s people. They loved each other.
As Christians we share the same family. Not the physical family, but spiritual family.
The early church grew because of the love that they had for one another. We are to go out of our way to love each other, especially those who seem un-loveable.
Vs. 5
The Church at Colosse was not caught up in themselves. They were caught up with the hope of heaven and in their faith in Christ.
So many people are wondering around in the world trying to find their destiny- their destination. But as Christians we know our destination. HEAVEN!
“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
vs. 6
We are part of something that is bigger than ourselves. The Gospel is bigger than us. It will produce change! It transforms people.
Just like our ministry here.
Are we going to boldly proclaim this truth to our friends? When you see lonely people at school, and think “ awwe, they need a friend.” Yes, but they need something bigger than a friend.
They need Jesus. Don’t be ashamed of it!
If you want to see fruit in your lives
Romans 1. Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation…”
Why are we afraid? Because we don’t believe! We doubt that it works!
“My Testimony” (short story or your testimony here)
Knowing Jesus produces Change/ produces Fruit.
The Church in Colosse was known for one major thing- Their character was rooted in Christ.
Christ was reflected in all that they did.
[Vs. 6] You see, they knew the Grace of God and because of that they
are seeing fruit through the Truth that was instilled in them through Christ.
They cannot keep it to themselves, not keeping it the world’s best secret, but making it known.
Have you ever been so excited about something that you had to go and tell all your friends about it?
Like when you got the most awesome present at your b-day?
One year when I was about 9 years old I got this star wars spaceship. The one with Chewbacca…
I couldn’t wait to get it out of the box and go show it to my friends. On the way out the door with my new prized possession in my hand- up in the air- ready for take-off- I tripped!
As I hit the floor near the door, my new toy took flight and crashed into pieces.
You see I was so wanting to share my toy with my friends because I didn’t want to keep it to myself.
Colosse, these guys had something they had the grace from God and His Truth.
Do you have that excitement for the truth so much that you cannot contain it to yourself.
You see, these guys were rooted in character- in the character of Christ. They were built up in their faith in God. You are known by your character, so what does your look like?
Vs. 4-5
In these vs. it makes the characteristics of a believer, and the faith of the believer.
In closing: God wants us to be known for our Godly character that exemplifies our faith, hope, and love to one another. So let’s be Rooted in our Character.
You are known by your character. So what does your look like? Only YOU can answer that. Your character speaks louder than words!
Let’s pray
