God's Not Dead... And Neither Are You!

A lot people ask questions like "why am I here?" or "what is my purpose?" ... something that has been done throughout history.  We are no different today in wondering, "what in the world am I supposed to do?"

Last night we talked about two groups of people - and from your response, God was doing some crazy work in your hearts.  Those two groups of people would be:

1. People who are dead (spiritually, not physically)
2. People who are alive, but live as if they are dead (again, spiritually - not physically)

Paul answers the question of why we are here in the previous passage and gives his own mission statement.  Now it seems as if Paul wants to encourage these believers to live out that mission.

[8] See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

(Colossians 2:8)

Don't be enslaved by false teaching!  If Paul could scream this message, I am sure he would be!  His desire is to not go willfully back to the old way, but to STAND on the Gospel of Jesus.  -- Remember there is always enough truth in false teaching to lead people away from the true Gospel.

[9] For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, [10] and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

(Colossians 2:9-10)

In order to cement the idea of who Jesus is into the minds of believers - Paul again explains that Jesus is fully God, and fully man.  False teachers will try to attack one of these two statements.  If Jesus was not fully God - He could not live a perfect life and be our perfect sacrifice.  If He was not fully man - He could not identify with us or die for us.  

[12] having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, [14] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

(Colossians 2:12-14)

For those in Christ - those who have put their faith in Him for salvation - YOU ARE ALIVE!  The old, sinful self is dead (Gal. 2:20) and YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED to new life!  You were taken from death to life and don't have to live in the "way of the dead" anymore!

He wiped away your sin.  He cleaned your slate.  He made you new.  He gives you value.  He SAVES you and makes you alive!

How are you living in the way of the dead?

What would it look like if you were to live as if you are really ALIVE?

Christ Centered Suffering

Matt Chandler, a pastor in Texas, commented in his sermon on Colossians 1:24-2:7 that 

"I don’t think Jesus is the lamp. I don’t think you rub it and all things are made perfect. I think Jesus sustains. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not that if you follow Jesus everything goes well for you. That’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is that no matter what comes, He’ll be enough. You get God, that’s what you get. You get reconciled, you get alienation fixed. And so no matter 

what comes, you get Him." 

April 18, 2010

Isn't that the truth?  One of the major tones of Scripture, especially the New Testament is one of suffering for those who have Jesus as their Savior.  Just a few examples would be:

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
(2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

(John 15:18 ESV)

Paul nails it in this passage when he explains that sufferings come, but he is able to endure because of his relationship with Jesus.  The idea of suffering with joy seems really odd to me.  Here is what one person says about this:

(Taken from John MacArthur's commentary on Colossians)

1. Suffering brings you closer to Christ.

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 
(Philippians 3:10 ESV)

2. Suffering gives you assurance.

     Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

(2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

3. Suffering brings you a reward.

      For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 

(2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV)

No matter what comes your way in life - Jesus will ALWAYS be enough.

Last night you were challenged to create a personal mission statement.  Paul is given a responsibility from God to see the Gospel proclaimed to the Gentiles.  His mission was to preach this gospel by warning people of the destruction of sin and teaching them the awesomeness of Christ.  

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  (Colossians 1:28 ESV)

In looking at the life of Christ - Jesus limited His own ministry.  

(Taken from John MacArthur's commentary on Colossians)

1. He limited His ministry to God's will

      “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.  

(John 5:30 ESV)

2. He limited His ministry to God's timing

      So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.  

(John 7:30 ESV)

3. He limited His ministry to God's objective

      He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

(Matthew 15:24 ESV)

4. He limited His ministry to God's kingdom

      They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”  

(Matthew 22:21 ESV)

In making your own mission statement, take a look at where God has you right now.  Take a look at what gifts He has given you.  Take a look at your job, your friends, your family.  God placed you exactly where you are in order for you to fulfill your mission.  

After seeing where you are, apply the above principles to your mission statement.  Give your purpose over to God and His timing.  Go to those you already have relationships with.  Don't get caught up in things that do not matter eternally... or to say it another way - don't get side tracked.

I would love to hear some of your statements!

     

A Little Extra

Colossians 1:15-23
When looking at these verses - what pops out right away is the phrase "image of the invisible God."  That is who Jesus is.  Hebrews says He is the exact imprint of the nature of God.  Which means - if we want to know what God is like, look at the life of Jesus.

We will do just that.

We see that God is merciful.  Luke 13:34 shows Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem.  He desires that the Israelites would accept Him as Messiah, but knows that this will not happen at this time.

We see that God is compassionate.  John 11 tells the story of Jesus' friend Lazarus who became sick and eventually died.  By the time Jesus arrives on the scene - Lazarus is buried and people are mourning.  Jesus went to the place where Lazarus was laid to rest and wept.  Jesus, being God, knows that He has the power over death and that He is going to bring Lazarus back from the dead, but that does not stop His emotions.

We see that God is powerful.  Jesus gets on a boat with the disciples in Luke 8:22-25. A storm came upon them while they were on the lake.  They were in danger, and the disciples are most likely freaking out.  All the while, Jesus is taking a nap.  The disciples went and woke Him up and Jesus rebukes the storm.  He tells the storm to cease!  He has power over nature.

In Luke 17 Jesus meets 10 lepers.  He heals all 10.  He has power over disease.

Jesus brings a little girl back to life just as He did with Lazarus, showing He has power over death.

This is just a brief glimpse of who God is based on the life of Jesus.  There is so much more in the gospel accounts!

The idea of "firstborn" shows up 130 times and describes status and power.  Israel is known as God's firstborn son in Exodus.  Israel is God's chosen nation - they have a higher status than any other nation.  Christ, being described as "firstborn" shows His exalted status and His prominent authority.

The phrase "through Him and for Him" is really Paul jabbing at Caesar who has set himself up as God.  What Paul is saying is that Jesus+Nothing=Everything.  There is no need for believers to add anything to the gospel of Christ.  For us today we might be tempted to add missions, evangelism, social justice, church attendance, giving... etc.  For Paul's readers they were tempted with Jewish and Pagan rituals.

Finally for today we see Christ as the SUSTAINER.  Louie Giglio gives a great example as to how we are sustained in Christ.

None of this is possible if we were not reconciled to God.  Our broken relationship with Him was fixed through the death of Christ in our place.  

What a gift to us!

More Thoughts on Colossians 1:1-14

As we start to tread through the book of Colossians, I have run into a problem.  There are so many things to teach and to say regarding this tiny letter, but we have a lack of time to do so.

Every problem has a solution - ours is this forum.  I will post some more things regarding our lessons in an effort to give you an opportunity to fully dive into Colossians.

With that said.... Here we go.

Paul the Apostle was chosen by God for a specific task.  That task:  to take the Gospel to the gentiles and see local churches planted and cared for (2 Corinthians 11:28).  In his letter to the Colossians, he desires to set a couple things straight.

1 - Rome is not the Light.  Many Gentiles may have thought that Rome was the culmination of all that is good in the world.  There was prosperity under Roman rule, the was peace under Roman rule (as long as you didn't question Rome's authority), there were Roman roads among other good things that had come from this time period.  Paul wants to make sure that his readers understand Jesus is the Light and was God in the flesh.

2 - There is only one way to God.  With different false teachings all around these young Christians, the temptation was to either believe heresy or add to the gospel.  This idea of syncretism was running rampant in the city.  Paul's misson in this letter is to show that Jesus+Nothing=Everything.

Background information aside, this letter beings in typical Pauline fashion with an introduction, thanksgiving, and prayer.  What strikes me is how he clearly preaches the Gospel to people who would already know it.  This isn't the only time he does this either (Colossians 1:21-23 & Colossians 2:13-15).

Why?

A reminder that we NEVER leave the truths of the gospel.

Read through the passages in Colossians.  In what areas do you see the gospel at work in your life today?