“CONTINUE TO LIVE IN CHRIST” (Outline)
August 9, 2009 --
PENTECOST 10 --
Colossians 2:6-15
INTRO: In the Lord Jesus Christ believers have everything that they need. Believers are also given more than one can even ask or imagine. Without Christ people have nothing. Today’s word of God points out how vital it is to maintain an active relationship with the Lord. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing"(JOHN 15:4). Our theme today is:
“CONTINUE TO LIVE IN CHRIST”.
I. Enjoy (recognize) the blessings of Christ.
II. Relish (appreciate) the victories of Christ.
I. ENJOY (RECOGNIZE) THE BLESSINGS OF CHRIST
A. God, through the apostle Paul, reminds these believers of their faith which enjoys God’s blessings.
1. Verse 6. The gift of the Holy Spirit is faith. The believers were to continue in that faith.
2. Verse 7. Like a growing plant the Christian faith is rooted in Christ, the water of life.
3. Believers are also built up in Christ, living stones forming the spiritual temple of God.
B. Verse 8. Paul warns against the false teachers challenging God’s free grace in his gospel.
1. Judaizers (“traditionalists”) wanted to use the law as the way to salvation, not the gospel.
2. This mixing of law and gospel undermines the effectiveness of God’s teachings.
a. Law is associated with sin (3 letters each). b. Gospel is associated with Savior (6 letters).
C. Verse 9. Jesus, the Christ, was not only true man but also true God. God lived among man in the flesh.
1. Paul makes this fact known for those who were caught up in the worship of angels.
2. Verse 10. The fullness of God found in Christ is another blessing given to believers.
D. The teachings of men and the philosophies of this world still stand opposed to the grace of God. Whenever man injects his thoughts or reasoning into the word of God he muddies the simple saving truth God intends for all mankind. Man’s traditions and philosophies cannot take away the power of God’s holy word. This is the greatest blessing the Lord God Almighty provides for us – his word. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream" (JEREMIAH 17:7, 8a). Believers are the green trees firmly rooted in the water of life. We are the beacons of blessings for those wandering in our drought-stricken land of wickedness, sin, and rebellion. Like a well-watered plant our souls are nourished with God’s water of life.
E. Like living stones we are also built up into the holy Christian church. This is another one of God’s blessing that we enjoy. Man’s traditions and philosophies will come, and go, and fail. The word of the Lord does not fail. God’s word will stand forever as our firm foundation. "Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’" (2 TIMOTHY 2:19). Our solid foundation is that the Lord God Almighty knows each of us by name. We are being built into God’s spiritual temple. We continue to live in Christ as we confess the Lord’s name and turn away from wickedness.
F. We have learned that Christ lives in us (last week, Colossians 1:21-28). This is a divine mystery and it is also our glorious hope. We are reminded of the importance of Christ living in us. We are given con-fidence and boldness with Christ alive in us. With Christ alive in us we are excited and moved to continue to live in Christ. Time and time and time again the promises of man come crashing down in utter failure. Our God is not a man that he should lie. God promises and fulfills every promise he makes. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" (PSALM 1:1). In faith we trust in the Lord, not man. God’s great blessing to enjoy.
“CONTINUE TO LIVE CHRIST”. We live in Christ as and when we enjoy and recognize his blessings.
II. RELISH (APPRECIATE) THE VICTORIES OF CHRIST
A. In verses 9, 10 God lived in Christ. The authority of Christ over every enemy is meant for believers.
1. Verse 11. Paul challenges the Judaizers. Circumcision was an outward covenant with God.
2. Faith is inward matter of the heart. It is worked not by men’s hand but by the grace of God.
3. Verse 12. Christ instituted baptism as the new covenant replacing circumcision.
a. Sins are buried and left in Christ’s tomb. b. Believers are raised to a new life in Christ.
B. Verse 13a. Once dead believers are now given life. The victory of Christ is the believers’ victory.
1. This new life is God’s forgiveness, verse 13b. Notice how God’s law is described, verse 14.
2. The law was against believers and opposed believers. The law revealed sin, not salvation.
C. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection fulfilled all of God’s law and takes away its power, verse 15.
D. It is vitally important that we do not mix the clear teaching of law and gospel together. This happens all too often in the mishandling of God’s word. All too many want to combine doing something (law) with the God’s free gift of faith by grace (gospel). Simply put, we are saved because God calls us out of darkness into his wonderful light. We are not saved IF we try hard enough. We are not saved AND have to do, do, do. Faith reveals that Christ has done, done, done everything necessary for our eternal salvation. "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin" (ROMANS 3:20). We relish Christ’s victory over the power of the law.
E. The complete and total victory of Christ over the written code and its regulations can be difficult to grasp. The law has been completely fulfilled by Jesus Christ, the One who did not sin. The gospel of Christ shows us that our sins have been completely paid for, once and for all. We are forgiven though we do not deserve to be forgiven. The victory we have over our sinful flesh comes from the power Christ gives us over the sin. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regula-tions"(EPHESIANS 2:14,15a). Christ’s crucifixion is our victory over any condemnation of the law.
F. The ultimate victory is always the final victory. Scripture is very, very clear about the total victory over that last enemy to be destroyed. "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 CORINTHIANS 15:56, 57).In death every believer is victorious. This victory over death is ours because of the resurrection of Christ, our Savior. True, there can be sadness or sorrow at death. This is still the sting of sin. The victory we appreciate is the inheritance of eternal life that Christ has provided by his death and resurrection.
CONC.: By faith through grace Christ lives in us. This is our reason that we want to continue to live in Christ. As we look around in this world of failures and empty promises we can always still see the hand of God in each and every one of our lives. No matter the earthly disasters or dire predictions believers can still enjoy the blessings of Christ. We enjoy Christ’s blessings as we recognize them. We also relish the victories of Christ that are ours. To our sinful flesh we say, “No!” To Satan we say, “Get behind me!” These are the victories of Christ that are ours. "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us " (1 JOHN 3:23,24). Christ does live in us so that we “CONTINUE TO LIVE IN CHRIST”. I. Enjoy (recognize) the blessings of Christ. II. Relish (appreciate) Christ’s victories. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 10 readings:
EXODUS 24:3-11;
EPHESIANS 4:1-7,
11-16; JOHN 6:1-15;
(PSALM 84)
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min. (Sat)/12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun) / 7:00pm @ Hays (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF / 10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
