Walking in the Spirit
Colossians chapter 2:1-10
Introduction-
Turn with me to Colossians chapter 2. It located right after the book of Philippians.
I want to talk to you about walking in the Spirit of God. ( in the fullness of God.)
What would God be able do in your life and the life of the church if you totally gave your life to Him?
We have some who think that is too religious! To think that we could walk in step with God.
We have some that think that is impossible- to think that we could walk and please God.
We have some who just plain don’t want too- that is too restrictive. That God would tells us what to do and how to act.
We are going to hear the words of Apostle Paul.
Hear his heartbeat for people
Hear the love he has for the church.
The Bible says God “preserves the simple” (Psalm116:6) (Don’t you just love that)
You don’t have to have a PHD to learn God’s word.
You don’t have to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar to learn this lesson.
Quote-
The Bible is such a wonderful book.
It is shallow enough that a little child can come and get a drink without fear of drowning, and so deep that a scholar can swim in it and never touch bottom. (I love that)
Colossians 2:1-10 (Read from the Bible)
Paul tells us that he has a deep concern for God’s people.
(1) Because they struggle to live a victorious life.
(2) That they are not empowered by the Holy Spirit and do not accomplish in their life what the Lord intended for them.
I would have to say a big Amen! We spend most of our time pretending we are okay.
Illustrations
A little boy was lost inside a busy shopping mall. He was standing in the aisle of the department store crying and crying, I want my mommy, I want my mommy. People felt sorry for him and many gave him nickels, dimes and quarters to try to cheer him up. Finally a salesperson from the floor walked up to the little boy and said, I know where your mommy is. The little boy looked up with tears in his eyes- so do I, just keep quiet, I got a good thing going here!
Vacation Bible School this week has been a blast.
We have set a record for number of kids coming and we have watched God do some amazing things!
The theme is cooking up a life that is pleasing to God, by using the right ingredients. Chef Bazzel, Chef Otto, and Scraps the raccoon, all pointing us to the fact that right ingredients make the difference
Some of their ingredients:
Be ready for God
Believe fully in Jesus
Remember Jesus often.
Why does Vacation Bible School appeal to us?
Because inside of us, we all desire to live a life that has purpose and simple!
It is a reminder where we are and where we need to get too.
Every year somebody get the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It is given to the winning team in the Super bowl. In 1959 Vince Lombardi took over the 1-10 Packers as head coach. He said “I have never been associated with a loser and I don’t expect to be now.”
Passion was a driving force for him and his love of football.
Apostle Paul is telling us that if we have a driving force passion for God that we not only won’t fail, but we will be victorious.
The key verse is verse (9) “For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”
He says that the mystery of God is knowing Christ! (repeat)
“In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Why would God make Jesus a mystery? So that we can discover Him and realize the treasure that we have found.
Why did God hide it? So we could have the joy of discovering Him.
South African Diamond mines we not discovered until they noticed the kids playing with beautiful rocks. They played with them like marbles. Until they discovered what they were playing with.
Illustration-
I read awhile ago about a ship that was out in the ocean, off of Brazil, and the ship was without water. And, the people on board the ship, though surrounded with salt water, were dying of thirst. They saw another ship, and they sent a message to the other ship by semaphore, and said, Do you have any water? We need water. The other ship sent a message back, and said, “let down your buckets where you are. They said, no you don’t understand. They sent another message, “we need drinking water. They sent back the message again, “let down your buckets where you are. They let down their buckets and came up with fresh water, because they were at the mouth of the mighty Amazon River, and that Amazon River of fresh water was flowing into the Ocean and bringing fresh water, way out into the Ocean where they were. Here they were, thinking they were dying of thirst, and surrounded by water to drink. But they failed to see what was all around them.
I want to say like Paul this morning- discover what Jesus can mean to your life.
Let down your guard and let down your bucket! And discover the treasure s of God.!
The Devil wants to keep you from discovering the treasures of God. (explain)
He lied at the Garden of Eden and had them to believe it was better to be outside of God’s will than to be hemmed in by God. They discovered that it was a lie!
Jesus is an incredible gift from God to those that are willing to accept Him.
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.
There is nothing worth having outside of Jesus! Nothing! You say, what about my car, a house? Nothing! You can have a car, a house, as long as you don’t have to give up Jesus to get them. They can be a gift or a curse. They can be a gift from God, or a deterrent to take you away from God.
If Jesus allows you to have it, it is a gift!
And my God shall supply all my needs, according to His riches in Christ Jesus
In Christ Jesus is the fullness of God! We are complete in Him!
Apostle Paul was concerned because there were people deceiving believers and pulling them away from Christ to their own make-believe god that they created.
We have our own snake oil peddlers today in the church. Peddling their products, doing everything but telling people to walk with Jesus.
Teachers carrying a Bible but rarely opening it, describing a god who does not look like the God of the Bible.
(6) so then, Just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
You want to walk with God- you want to see your church walk with God. Here are a few thoughts.
Mystery of God is Jesus Christ. In Him are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Cannot do it without Jesus)
You trying to run your own life without God- you will not be able to do it.
What can make life worth living! Jesus Christ actively living in it.
Paul tells us that a life worth living is going to have a few struggles, this is why we need
Jesus Christ.
Want to know how to walk in the Spirit? Walk in the Lord!
The Bible does not tell us to walk after the Spirit, or walk with the Spirit. The Bible tells us to walk in the Spirit.
Example- If I told you to walk into this church- where would you walk? Inside the building! Walking around the building will not give you the same results as stepping into the building.
Illustration-
Now, let suppose that a rug was right here(show an area), this represents the Christian life. And, the Holy Spirit is the referee. And I’m to play the game of life on this rug. If I get out of bounds, he blows the whistle. He says, your out of bounds. Well, how do I know when I’m out of bounds? What does the whistle sound like? Well, he says, let the peace of God referee in your heart. (Colossians 3:15)
If you have been walking with the Lord very long, you know exactly when you step out of bounds. You know how? The whistle goes off. What’s the whistle? You lost your peace.
We are to stay in bounds. The only way we can do that is to allow the Holy Spirit to keep us in bounds.
I am afraid that Churches today are jammed with people who want programs, music, activities, but they do not want to walk with Jesus.
Closing (maybe)
(6) again- “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”
It is about the character of our walk
He demands, deserves control of our life
He is the manager of our lives
½ truths never get us where we need to be
Illustration-
Family wanted to compile a book on their family history. They hired an experienced author to write it, but they were worried about the great uncle who was executed in the electric chair. The author said that he would take care of the uncle. He would rewrite appropriately. Uncle Smith occupied a chair of applied electronics at a important government institution, was attached to his position by the strongest of ties, and his death came as a real shock.
½ truths that pulls us away from the truth.
As your pastor, people don’t realize the dangers of drifting away from the church, not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit actively working in our lives.
How does a wolf get a sheep, he does not usually run at the middle of the pack. He waits for a straggler to get away from the fold. There is strength in numbers. Believers cannot help each other if you are not with the group.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man that falls and has no one to help him up.”
Let me recap this as I close-
The devil wants to keep you from discovering the treasures of God
Jesus Christ is the treasure- nothing else matters- You will not be complete without Him.
God provides the Holy Spirit to actively live in our lives- to keep us in bounds of the things of God.
You want to walk in victory and walk in the things of God- Keep the devil a boot and put Jesus back on the throne.
Allow the Holy Spirit to actively guide your life- in the good times and especially in the hard times.
Drifting away will kill you! What do you say this morning?
Altar Call
