REFRESHING OUR MINDS ON THE BASICS
(Sermon 1 of 3 in the Series Back To The Classroom)
Col. 2:13-15
Dorn Ridge Sept. 6, 2009
INTRODUCTION:
I. WE WERE DEAD IN SINS.
– Col. 2:13a.
1.) Dead is a state of being in which there is separation.
A.) Though we do not have a full comprehension of the meaning of death, we have seen lifeless bodies separated from the Spirit that gives them life.
aa.) We can understand the finality in this life that death brings.
B.) What we can see in the physical sense, is also a picture of the spiritual separation between man and God that perhaps we cannot so easily see.
ba.) Just as there is physical death, there is also spiritual death which is even more of a concern than physical death.
2.) That state of separation we had was the result of sin.
A.) Gen. 3 shows us for the first time sin entering into this world.
B.) That sin had brought with it a spiritual death or separation that caused the first family to experience something that had never been felt in the presence of God before: fear and shame.
ba.) Gen. 3:7-11
C.) This terrible state that Adam and Eve now found themselves in, has been the state of all of creation from that day forward.
D.) This dreadful Spiritual separation was also made even more devastating by God's pronouncement of a curse, part of which meant physical death as well as the spiritual separation.
da.) Gen. 3:19
3.) That state of separation is a past tense description of our being.
A.) Praise be to God that Paul was speaking here in the past tense.
aa.) For the Christian, what we were is not what we now are.
II. GOD MADE US ALIVE IN CHRIST.
– Col. 2:13b.
1.) A Change has taken place in our relationship with God.
A.) Just as something very major broke our relationship with God, it also took something very major to restore that relationship with God.
B.) The spiritual death we had, and the separation from God were so great there was no way we could ever restore that relationship ourselves.
ba.) Once fellowship with God is broken, It takes nothing less than an act Of God to restore it again.
bb.) Thankfully, that is exactly what God had decided to do, even before sin had come into this world.
2.) It was God Himself who facilitated the change of relationship.
A.) God has always known we would never be able to restore that broken relationship with Him.
B.) Even from the creation of the world and before there was ever sin, God knew there would be a need to restore the brokenness of that relationship.
C.) It was also in the knowledge of God, that for that restoration to occur, he would have to provide the means for it to happen.
ca.) That which has become sin, cannot of itself become righteous again.
3.) The means of that change is God's Son, Jesus the Christ.
A.) Through the sinless life of Jesus, God's holiness could be met.
aa.) Never had Jesus ever sinned.
ab.) Never was the time he severed his own holiness before God.
B.) Through the death of Jesus on the cross, God's justice, and his punishment for sin could be met.
4.) Through God's Grace, the blessing that was limited to Christ alone, is through God's generosity given to all who will receive it.
A.) It goes beyond our understanding, but God will credit us with the Righteousness of His son Jesus Christ, while debiting His own Son with our sinfulness.
aa.) 2 Cor. 5:21
III. GOD HELPS TO KEEP US ALIVE BY REMOVING THE OBSTACLES.
– Col. 2:14-15
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1.) One obstacle that Christ removed was the law.
A.) The law still has great value today.
aa.) The law shows us what God's will is.
ab.) The law shows us what sin is. ac.) The law shows us that we are sinners.
ac-1.) Rom. 3:20
ad.) The law ultimately reveals to us that we cannot restore that relationship with God.
ad-1.) That was the spiritual frustration under the Jewish Dispensation: Never could you be good enough, or do enough. ae.) The law is what points us to Jesus Christ, and shows us the need we have for Him.
B.) Because Jesus has fulfilled the law, we must no longer have complete obedience to the law.
ba.) Instead, it is a a saving faith in Jesus Christ that is our hope of salvation.
bb.) Acts 4:12
C.)Today, salvation is through Jesus Christ.
ca.) The law is both holy, and perfect. cb.) Yet the law is incomplete in and of itself.
cb-1.) It is incomplete because it points out sin, brings guilt, and causes us to realize we are under the Judgment of God, but it's power and function stop there.
cb-2.) By itself, the law cannot save us.
cb-3.) Because the law has no power to save us, but only condemn us, it becomes an obstacle to our salvation.
cb-4.) Because this is an obstacle, when the redeeming work of Christ was accomplished, he canceled the written code.
cb-4i.) Col. 2:15
D.) The written code of the law was replaced with the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ received at the time of our immersion into Jesus Christ.
2.) Jesus removed a second obstacle by disarming the powers and authorities.
A.) In this world apart from the power and presence of Jesus Christ, Satan and his forces have great dominion.
aa.) The world Jesus came into was filled with the power of darkness.
ab.) There are many accounts in the Scriptures of demons, and evil spirits, and demon possession.
ac.) In those lands where the Gospel and Jesus Christ have not gone, the reports of demons and demon possession are widely reported, even today.
B.) Wherever the preaching of the Gospel, and the presence of Christ have been, Satan's power becomes diminished.
ba.) When Jesus was on this earth, he sent out a group of 72 two by two preaching that the Kingdom of God was near.
ba-1.) Jesus also gave this group power to heal the sick.
bb.) The seventy-two came back with an amazing report.
bb-1) “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (Luke 10:17)
bc.) Notice the response of Jesus:
bc-1.) Luke 10:18-20
bc-2.) Wherever the good news of Jesus is preached, the power of Satan is weakened.
3.) When Jesus was raised from the Grave, He defeated the stronghold of Satan.
A.) When Jesus rose from the grave, he did far more than merely come back to life (though certainly that in itself is a miracle beyond our comprehension.)
B.) When Jesus rose from the grave he demonstrated with the power of God that He was greater than the curse of death.
ba.) Death and the graveyard have for centuries been the trophy case to Satan's Victory.
bb.) When Jesus broke through the gates of death, He demonstrated himself greater than the worse that Satan could triumph in over mankind.
bc.) Death came as a penalty for sin, which was itself introduced into this world by Satan.
bd.) For Jesus to conquer the grave meant that Jesus had also conquered sin, and even the father of sin.
4.) When Jesus returns Satan and his authority will be forever be destroyed.
A.) Jesus Christ has disarmed the devil and the forces and powers against us.
aa.) Again, this is another of the obstacles that have been removed.
B.)Ours is the victory through Jesus Christ.
ba.) Any obstacle that will keep us from that relationship with God, God wants removed so that He can have fellowship with us.
