Rooted In Charcter Series

Title: Rooted in Character

Thesis: You are known by your character so what does yours look like?

Scripture Passage: Colossians 1:1-8

INTRO:

This morning I’m excited to kick off this summer’s Rooted series. Yes I said” Rooted”, like a tree. We all need to be grounded * rooted in the soil God has prepared for us because we live in an empty world.

“Living for Christ in a desolate world” is the subtitle of this series. Yes desolate like the desert with no water, dry, hot, and if you looked around you would see angry plants. How can you tell they’re angry?

Well they all have thorns, sharp ridged thorns = I call that angry! And they want to hurt you.

Well we all live in this world.

That challenges our beliefs and choices. I go to the same malls, shopping centers and I am faced with the same things that you face and that you may struggle with.

So as I share in this series I am speaking to myself as much as I am speaking to you in order to help us grow deeper with our God.

Let’s dive into this morning’s study.

Being Rooted in Character.

Colossians Chapter 1:1-8

Let me set the stage.

In verse 1 Paul rights a letter from prison to a place he never visited, the Colossian Church, but it was established as a by-product of Paul’s 2 years in Ephesus.

He greets this church using grace and peace in verse 2, like family. Phaphus, the pastor of the church of Colosse, shown in

verse 7, told Apostle Paul (Apostle meaning “one who is sent”), about the church in Colosse.

He knew this young vibrant church, full of excitement, was known for their faith, their hope, and their love according to verse 4 & 5.

This epistle is concerned with faith, hope, and love. Now remember in

1Cor 13:13 says

“Now abide these three: Faith, hope, and love.” These things mark the true character of the believer. What is character?

(One definition in Webster’s dictionary say’s “moral excellence and firmness” and Aristotle once said Good character is the public and private reflection of traits, attitudes and creeds that have become the convictions of the heart and are consistently demonstrated in wise personal choices of actions when confronted with opportunities, trials, or adversities)

Vs.1

In this passage I can’t help but to think about where Paul was to fulfill his own will and desires for his life. Here he says by the WILL of God. His will turned in to God’s will.

I went from serving myself and having my own desires- and turned it all over to Christ. My desires and ambitions have changed into the will of God. We are to become a new creation in Christ. My life is no longer mine. It is His.

Paul knew his role. He was an Apostle because that is what God wanted.

He was to be one sent to preach, God can direct our path. He can lead our life. We need to allow God to lead.

God loves his job, and He is not looking for a replacement.

What decisions are you facing that need God’s wisdom? Are there areas in your life where you are clueless to know His will?

He also took Timothy. A good leader takes along someone to pour into.

Vs. 2

He is writing to be faithful/loyal/trustworthy/Committed/Integrity

Vs. 3, 4

Paul is thankful for their reputation. They are willing to do what God has asked them to do. They made a choice- to represent God well. Paul understands how hard it is to live this way.

Paul tried to take every sinful thought captive, and he sees these people doing the same things. He adores the example that they are living.

Their faith was famous. They were believers to the core. All of them- all for Jesus.

They understand the love that they have for God’s people. They loved each other.

As Christians we share the same family. Not the physical family, but spiritual family.

The early church grew because of the love that they had for one another. We are to go out of our way to love each other, especially those who seem un-loveable.

Vs. 5

The Church at Colosse was not caught up in themselves. They were caught up with the hope of heaven and in their faith in Christ.

So many people are wondering around in the world trying to find their destiny- their destination. But as Christians we know our destination. HEAVEN!

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”

vs. 6

We are part of something that is bigger than ourselves. The Gospel is bigger than us. It will produce change! It transforms people.

Just like our ministry here.

Are we going to boldly proclaim this truth to our friends? When you see lonely people at school, and think “ awwe, they need a friend.” Yes, but they need something bigger than a friend.