Reputation Series

Series: Church On The Move (Colossians)[#1]

REPUTATION

Colossians 1:1-8

Introduction:

I was watching a T.V. program while on vacation called “Rescue 911”. This program has different scenarios of emergencies that occur and then it tells of the rescue. A particular scene caught my attention.

A family was in a boat that got to spinning out of control and everyone was thrown from the boat except a 3 year old child. As the boat continued to spin round and round, people were gathered just watching the boat go in circles. There were a couple of feeble attempts to get into the boat and there was several people that was offering up suggestions; but no one could rescue the child.

As the boat continued to spin word began to spread all over the pier about the little child trapped in the boat. At this news a man yelled at his son to come help him get the boat so they could go help. As he was yelling, he noticed his 16 year old son driving on a jet-ski towards the boat. The teenager went around the boat and dangerous motor 2 times and then all of a sudden drove right up against the boat and dove into the boat. He then drove the child to shore where he brought him together with his family.

Since the beginning of humanity when Adam and Eve sinned, mankind has been spinning around in sin and no one could do anything about it. Sure there has been some who thought they had the answers; but these were just feeble attempts. When it seemed that there was nothing that could be done, God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to this earth to die on a cross so that we could be rescued from the grips of sin.

Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV)

[13]For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Through His victory over sin, death, and Satan; Jesus has snatched us out of the grips of sin. When no one else could do anything, Jesus Christ saved us.

I want to tell you the rest of the story about the rescued 3 year old. The family of the child welcomed the 16 year boy into their home. They treat him with great respect and honor. They never forget his birthday, they stay in communication with him, they tell other people what he did, and they never take him for granted.

Jesus died so that we could be rescued. Jesus is now at the right hand of God the Father; but He has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in all believers which make up the church. Every member of the Body of Christ is a part of the rescued.

In the Book of Colossians, Paul was writing to a group of Christians that made up the local Church of Colosse. This Church was under attack of the Gnostics who believed that they had “the market” on God. These Gnostics were extremely arrogant and legalistic. They were also trying to shut down the local church so that their “garbage doctrine” would not be contested. How did the Church of Colosse hold up and continue on? As we answer this question we must ask ourselves the same question.

We live in a time when the church is know for being a place of fighting, lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, etc... Because of this, lost people are not drawn to the church; many saved people don’t want to be a part of the church; and the church seems to just be spinning in circles. Our reputation as a church matters to the cause of Christ.

Colossians 1:3-8

[3]We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- [5] the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel [6] that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. [7] You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, [8] and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Look at what was noticed about the Colossian Church…

Their Faith, Hope, And Love

Their faith in Jesus Christ was apparent by the way they loved.

1 John 4:7-12