A CHRIST-CENTERED FAITH-Colossians 2:1-10
Proposition: A Christ-centered faith means that God gives His children a full life in union with Christ, when His children let Him be supreme over all.
Objective: My purpose is to challenge all to make a full commitment to Christ as one experiences a Christ-centered faith.
INTRODUCTION:
Illus: Some Christians try to live from one dramatic mountaintop experience to another. Their relationship with the Lord is based on their feelings at the moment. They go from Bible conferences to seminars to Bible studies, trying to maintain an emotional high. Author Creath Davis, referring to his early Christian life, wrote, "I felt that if something spectacular was not transpiring, my faith was weakening. As a result, I missed most of what was going on in the valleys, waiting to get back to the mountain." What’s an effective antidote for a feelings-centered faith? According to the apostle Paul in Colossians 2, being Christ-centered is the answer. We grow steadily into maturity as we focus on Christ & what He has done for us, & not on our feelings. Illus: “Mountaintop experiences can be beneficial, but nothing is more profitable than an ongoing, Christ-centered life of faith.” —Joanie Yoder
“Christ Jesus the Lord” is the greatest affirmation of the deity, humanity and sovereignty of Christ. The apostle Paul was deeply concerned for the Church at Colossae because she was threatened from the inside by false teaching. In love he exposed the danger that was threatening the church. Like a skilled surgeon he exposed the life threatening cancer and prescribed the only cure. The prescription is loyalty to Jesus Christ. Christ was all the church needed. Here Paul communicates his concern to the Colossians and instructs them to be steadfast in the faith of Christ. How strange in our day many people go off searching the religious cults and mystery religions for a deeper spiritual life when the key to fulfillment in Christian living is to deepen our loyalty to Christ. To be a Christian is to be in fellowship with Christ. It is not a commitment to a culture or traditions of man. It is a vital union with Christ. "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6) is the key to a vibrant living Christian life. There were believers in the church at Colossae who were being distracted and led away from the all-sufficiency of Christ.
I. A GREAT CONCERN: “Don’t Be Deceived” ( vvs. 1-4) “I say lest anyone deceives you”—Paul warns these early Christians to be careful in listening to wrong teachings about Jesus Christ. They were hearing, “Christ is not the Creator, the carnation was not real and Christ was not enough.”
1. A great conflict (v. 1) “I want you to know what great conflict I have for you”-- For I want you to know how great a struggle (lit. physical striving in a contest, perhaps to wrestle) I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, His great conflict is because of his great concern over the dangerous doctrines being taught in the churches at Colossae and Laodicea.
2. A greater comfort (v. 2) “that their hearts may be encouraged”-- Here are the evidences of spiritual maturity:
1). Encouragement “encouraged”--The word "encourage" means "with heart." To encourage people is to give them new heart. Shallow sympathy makes people feel worse, but true spiritual encouragement brings out the best in people.
2). Endearment “being knit together”--The mature Christian loves others & seeks to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. He is a part of spiritual unity in the church. An immature person is often selfish & causes divisions.
3). Enrichment “attaining to all the riches of all assurance”--Too many Christians are living like paupers when they could be living like kings. Mature Christians do not complain about what they don’t have. Rather, they make use of the vast resources that they do have in Jesus Christ.
4). Enlightment “of understanding, to the knowledge of mystery of God”--The mature believer has assurance in his heart that he is a child of God. Knowledge is the apprehension of truth while wisdom is its application to life. The spiritual knowledge that he has in Christ constantly enlightens him and directs him daily.
3. The greatest certainty (v. 3) “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”— Paul states that this is found in Christ. Christ is “the mystery of God,” that is no longer hidden, but manifested as an “open secret.” The Gnostics, of course, boasted of an understanding far surpassing anything found w/in the pages of divine revelation. Note this: “Knowledge is the understanding of truth, whereas wisdom is the ability to apply what truth has been learned.”
4. The grim conclusion (v. 4)”lest anyone should deceive you”— To further discover the preciousness of Christ & to further explore the full meaning of His reconciling work is to be armed against error. Only this full knowledge & wisdom of Christ can keep a believer from being deceived with "persuasive words" or "fine-sounding arguments." On the other hand, if a man is preaching the truth of God, then he does not need to depend on such things as eloquence or clever arguments. T Illus: One minister, In my senior year of high school we had an English teacher who liked to poke fun at those of us who believed the Word of God. One day he said, "The crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel was all a myth. The Red Sea was really the Reed Sea. It was just a swampy marsh, only 12 to 18 inches deep at the most." A girl in the class responded immediately, "If that is so, perhaps the miracle was greater than we thought. It would be miraculous, indeed, for God to have drowned an experienced, well trained, well equipped Egyptian army in “1 inch of water!"
II. A GREAT CHARGE: “Make Spiritual Progress (vvs. -5-7)”--As you…have received Christ…so walk in Him ” Paul uses several pictures to illustrate spiritual progress. Like an army (v. 5), a pilgrim (v. 6), a tree (v. 7a), a building (v. 7b), a school (v. 7c) & a river (v. 7d) with thanksgiving. A picture of:
1. A walk that experiences steadfastness (v. 5) “rejoicing to see…the steadfastness of your faith”—This speaks of an army that is solidly united against the enemy. The first describes the orderly array of a company of soldiers, whereas the second pictures the solid flank which is presented by them. Paul rejoices that the Colossians were standing true to the Word of God.
2. A walk that experiences safety (v. 6) “so walk in Him”—This is the safety of a pilgrim who finds the way and walks in it. Paul: "You started with faith and you must continue with faith. This is the only way to make spiritual progress." Now Paul urges the saints to go on acknowledging the Lordship of Christ. The word walk is one that is often used of the Christian life. It speaks of action & progress. You cannot walk & remain in the same place. So it is in the Christian life; we are either going forward or backward.
3. A walk that experiences strength (v. 7a) “rooted & built up in Him”—Paul may have had the imagery of Psa. 1 in mind, picturing them as trees that send their roots wide & deep into the soil of Christ, thus drawing from His very life. Paul says that like a tree with deep roots in rich soil, believers have been “firmly rooted” in Christ. It is a process of being more & more like Jesus.
4. A walk that experiences stability (v. 7b) “established in the faith”— Being firmly rooted in Christ and growing in Him results in being “established” in our “faith.” When we trust Christ to save us, we are put on this foundation; from then on we grow in grace. Just as the house stands fast because it is built on strong foundations, so the Christian life is resistant to any storm because it is founded on the strength of Christ.
5. A walk that experiences the study of the Word (v. 7c) “as you have been taught”—This speaks of the study of the Word as in a school which builds & strengthens the Christian. Those who study the Word become established in the faith. Satan has a difficult time deceiving the Bible-taught believer. So cling to the Gospel as it has been taught them.
6. A walk that experiences super-abundance (v. 7d) “abounding in it with thanksgiving”—This speaks of the superabundance like a river overflowing with thanksgiving. Sad to say, many of us are making no progress--our lives are shallow trickles instead of mighty rivers.
Illus: J. Oswald Sanders was speaking at 89 years old when he told the story of an indigenous missionary who walked barefoot from village to village preaching in India. After a long day of many miles & much discouragement he came to a certain village & tried to speak the Gospel but was driven out & rejected. So he went to the edge of the village dejected & lay down under a tree & slept from exhaustion. When he awoke, people were hovering over him, & the whole town was gathered around to hear him speak. The head man of the village explained that they came to look him over while he was sleeping. When they saw his blistered feet, they concluded that he must be a holy man & that they had been evil to reject him. They were sorry & wanted to hear the message that he was willing to suffer so much to bring them.
III. A GREAT CONFIRMATION: “You Are Complete in Him” (vvs. 8-10)--After exhorting believers to continue in Christ (2:6-7)--in whom is the fullness of God and who brought complete redemption--Paul then condemned the Colossian heresy that was diverting them from Christ. Paul uses he vocabulary of his opponents in a different sense. Some examples are "philosophy" (v. 8), "fullness" (v. 9), "Deity" (v. 9), "powers and authorities" (v. 15), "humility" (v. 18), "disqualify" (v. 18)_ and "self- imposed worship" (v. 23 ). We have freedom in Christ from vain philosophy. Paul: "Christ is all--and all you need!" Paul reminds us that we do not need to add anything to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Fraud (v. 8) “Beware lest someone cheat you”-- False teachings seek to rob men of what is worthwhile, but offer nothing substantial in its place. Philosophy means literally “the love of wisdom.” This describes man’s attempt to find out by his own intellect & research those things which can only be known by divine revelation (1 Cor._2:14). Christ is the yardstick by which to measure philosophy & all phases of human knowledge. The Gnostics were measuring Christ by their philosophy & have it backwards. Paul would have the Colossians test all teaching by whether or not it agreed with the doctrines of Christ. Phillips: “Be careful that nobody spoils your faith through intellectualism or high sounding nonsense. Such stuff is at best founded on men’s ideas of the nature of the world, and disregards Christ!”
Illus: Thomas Hobbes, the famous English atheistic philosopher who fostered materialistic psychology and utilitarian morality, when he was drawing near to death said, "I am about to take a leap into the dark! I shall be glad to find a hole to creep out of the world."
2. Fullness (v. 9) “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”--It is marvelous to see how the Apostle Paul constantly brings his readers back to the Person of Christ. Here he gives one of the most sublime and unmistakable verses in the Bible on the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. First of all, you have His deity: “For in Him dwells ... the Godhead bodily.” Secondly, you have what someone has called the amplitude of deity: “For in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Finally, you have what has been called the absolute completeness of deity: “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” There is no "fullness" in philosophy based on vain human reasoning. False teachers: "Jesus is one of the rays of light of God’s glory and if we really want to know God’s glory, it comes through our philosophy. Jesus Christ is all very well, He can do much for but He cannot enable you to escape from your subjection to the stars. We alone have the secret knowledge which can enable you to do that." Paul: "Jesus is no mere ray of light. You need nothing but Christ to overcome any power in the universe; for in Him is to overcome any power in the universe; for in Him is nothing less than the fullness of God and He is the Head of every power and authority, for He created them. He is everything, the fullness and the completeness of the Godhead bodily." Paul affirms here that Christ is both fully God and truly man (1 John 4:1-6). You must not be drawn from Christ. He is all in all. In Him is the divine fullness (all divine power). In Him as revealed was God in bodily form. Compare John 1:14.
Illus: Jean Paul Sarte said, "Life is an empty bubble on the sea of nothingness."
3. Freedom (v. 10) “You are complete in Him”-- Our fullness is based on His fullness. This means that nothing else is needed to supplement what we have in Christ. He is the supreme Ruler of all. Possessing Him, we possess all. There is no need for one to turn to any other source for spiritual help. All they needed was in Jesus Christ. As Wesley put it, "Thou O Christ art all I need, More than all in Thee I find." Paul gives the true and lasting antidote to all false teaching: "All fullness is in Christ and you have been made full in Him. Why, then, would you need anything else?"
Illus: Imagine that we are on the Pacific Ocean and looking out at the seemingly infinite (unlimited) expanse. We realize that we are just two finite (limited) dots in God’s big earth. Imagine that we take a pint jar and allow the ocean to rush into it, in an instant my jar would be filled with the fullness of the Pacific. But I could never put the fullness of the Pacific Ocean into my jar!
CONCLUSION: In closing: When you have a Christ-centered faith:
1. You know that our greatest treasure is Jesus Christ Himself as the Pearl of Great Price. The apostle Paul stresses the full deity of Christ. The apostle Paul stresses the real humanity of Christ. The apostle Paul stresses the all-sufficiency of Christ. The fullness of Christ is all that I need since Christ is all-sufficient.
2. You have the capacity to discern truth from error. Jesus is the truth about God. You continue to grow toward a full maturity in Christ. He is the center. He controls all. From eternity past to eternity future, the more we exalt Christ, the more we glorify the Father.
3. You rejoice and pour out your gratitude to God for all His grace and
goodness. Do you have a Christ-centered faith? You can by asking Jesus to be your Savior. As a Christian, you can have more of a Christ-centered faith as you obey Him.
Illus: A Prayer Before Surgery as told by Tina Blessitt from Kentucky: My 9-year-old’s last-second request surprised his doctor and taught me a valuable lesson about sharing the gospel. Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, Austin’s anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that "frog hat."
The doctor explained that he had two choices. He could either try to start the IV, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the OR the doctor would give Austin some "goofy" gas, and start the IV when he was more relaxed. "So, Austin," he asked, "which do you want?" Austin replied, "I’ll take the gas." But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, "Hey, wait." The doctor turned. “Yeah, buddy, what do you need?" "Do you go to church?" "No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don’t." Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?" Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, "Nope. But after talking to you,maybe it’s something I should consider." Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well, you should, ’cause Jesus is great!" "I’m sure He is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit. After that a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get me when Austin’s surgery was done. After about 45 minutes, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said, "Mrs. Blessitt, I don’t usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did." Oh boy, I thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he’d just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, "Wait a minute, we have to pray!"
The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, "Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen." The doctor admitted this touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well," he explained. "He didn’t even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have." A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator. "Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn’t wait to tell you something exciting that your son did." With a smile, I told her that the doctor already mentioned Austin’s prayer. "But there’s something you don’t know," she said. "Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son’s surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin’s prayer. He said, ’Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus too." She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ right there in the hospital. Wow! Austin had played a small part in something wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed. I thought about John’s words in his Gospel, "One sows and the other reaps." (John 4:37)
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