Rooted In Jesus

Opening illustration: There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm. As he was returning home one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground. It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type. The place where the two seeds lay was rather fertile, and miraculously they took root. After about a week the squash seed showed signs of growth. The second seed showed none. After two weeks the squash began to sprout leaves. The second seed showed none. After seven weeks the squash began to show fruit. The second seed still showed no progress. Four more weeks came and gone. The squash plant reached the end of its life bearing much fruit in that time, but the other seed finally began to slowly grow. Many years later the squash was all but forgotten, but the other tiny seed, an acorn, had grown into a mighty oak tree. Many people want their faith to be like the squash. They want to experience it all right now … rather than be rooted for life.

Let us turn to Colossians 2 and see what Paul proposes for us to be rooted in Jesus.

Introduction: Churches had taken root in Colosse, Laodicea (4:16), and probably Hierapolis (4:13). Paul had not visited the Lycus Valley when he wrote this epistle (1:4; 2:1), but he had learned of the spread of the gospel there through Epaphras (1:8) and probably others.

The only information available to help us reconstruct the heresy threatening the church comes from indirect allusions and the emphases in this epistle. We conclude that the false teachers were not giving the person and work of Christ proper interpretation or emphasis. They were distorting and minimizing these doctrines. Therefore, Paul’s thrust to the church in Colosse was to remain firmly rooted in Christ.

Three purposes emerge from the contents of this epistle. Paul wanted to express his personal interest in this church, which he had evidently not visited. He wrote to warn the Colossians …

• First, of the danger of returning to their former beliefs and practices.

• Secondly, he also refuted the false teaching that was threatening this congregation. The outstanding Christian doctrine that this letter deals with is Christology.

• Thirdly, Paul's great purpose was to set forth the absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

The church today desperately needs the message of Colossians. We live in a day when religious toleration is interpreted to mean 'one religion is just as good as another.'

What does being ROOTED in JESUS do?

1. Strengthens our Steadfast Faith in Christ (vs. 1 & 5):

Greek, “the firm (or ‘solid’) foundation.” As “order” expresses the outward aspect of the Church; so “steadfastness” expresses the inner basis on which their Church rested. The Greek literally implies not an abstract quality, but the thing in the concrete; thus their “faith” here is the solid thing which constituted the basis of their Church.

Our faith is Christ is not a leap in the dark as philosophers like to claim in their own ignorance. Our faith is firmly rooted and built securely upon the truth of Jesus Christ and His promises. As we walk in Him, the bonds of faith continue to increase and strengthen so that we remain firm even when we encounter the trials that test our faith that James 1:2-4 tells us will come. In fact, that same passage tells us that such testing will result in even greater maturity for the one that walks in Christ.

The analogy Jesus gives at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27 explaining the difference between the wise man and the foolish man give us additional insight into God’s establishing us in faith. The contrast in the analogy is between a house built on the sand of hearing, but ignoring Jesus’ words, and a house built on the rock of hearing and heeding Jesus’ words. The storms of life come against both houses, but the house on the rock remains firm while the house on the sand collapses. The only difference presented in the two houses is the foundation.

The life lived apart from Christ collapses because the storms of life undermine it. They also have faith in the things they believe, but the difficulties of life prove what they believe is false resulting in either desperation or despondency. A life lived based on following Jesus is tested but remains standing because the foundation is solid. Every test of our faith increases our confidence that what Jesus said is true and that He keeps His promises. Those who walk in Christ are strengthened in their faith.

2. Assists our Walk in Christ (vs. 2 & 6):