Rooted In Christ

Colossians 2:6-15, 16-19 Rooted in Jesus

1. Paul’s letter to the Colossians: Live rooted in Jesus Christ, “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).

• Paul desires that the folks in Closse to be rooted in Christ because of who He is: The strong roots of the tree are the foundation and allow the tree to grow tall and strong.

• For Paul Christ is the Mystery of God 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

• Christ is the fullness of Deity 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

• In Christ we are filled with all things that are needed 10in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

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2. Paul believes being rooted in Christ we know what Jesus has done:

• Jesus has circumcised your heart In the Israelite faith, circumcision was a sign that the individual stood in covenant relation with God. He has cut away the sins

• Paul reminds them that although they were once alienated from God, through Christ they have been reconciled so they might appear holy and blameless before God (1:21-22). 21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because ofF your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

• What Jesus has done he given the believers Hope

• Jesus has given forgiveness of Sin 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the un- circumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

• All charges against the believer’s sins are canceled out 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

3. Paul wants these folks not to be led astray 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ. I one is deeply rooted they will not be led astray!

4. Paul tells being rooted means to live Life Connected

• “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him” (Colossians 2:6-7). Christians are not to live as isolated individuals, but to be rooted in Christ, nourished by Christ, and built up in Christ and connected to Christ

• According to Paul, Christians are linked at a very deep level to Jesus Christ. When we remain rooted in Christ, we find we are connected : “the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God” (v. 19).

5. We are rooted in Christ, by connectivity

• We are rooted, when we connect to Christ like-ness we have “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (3:12).

• We are rooted when we connect or communicate with each other. “Faith communities speak lovingly but truthfully to their members,”

• We are rooted and connected. when we carry encouragement, guidance and support from person to person.

• We grow “with a growth that is from God” (Colossians 2:19). God wants us to grow deeper and larger. Rooted is acknowledging who Jesus is, what Jesus has done, Connecting to HIM