THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS
(The Key Elements of the True Christian Life - September 25, 2022)
Series Big Idea: "Humanity is only complete in God the Son"
Sermon Big Idea: "Believers in Christ could not exist as the Church without the Key Elements of Faith and Love"
Key Scripture (Colossians 1:3-8)
The Book of Colossians lays a solid foundation against any false teaching that threatened the early Church. It speaks to us even in our modern churches giving us solid teaching to fight against all the false teaching that exists now. Within these verses, we will see several Key Elements that hold up the Christian faith. These are so great that they spurred the Apostle Paul to thank God that they exist because these elements are the support that holds together the lives of these believers. They couldn’t exist as the Church without these.
(Colossians 1:3-8)
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and recognized God’s grace in the truth. 7 You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow slave. He is a faithful servant of the Messiah on your behalf, 8 and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.
When Paul said he gives thanks in verse 3, he was speaking of the One true and living God. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why is this important? Because Jesus IS whom He claimed to be.
The Key Elements of the Christian Life are Faith and Love. They form one commandment of God Himself.
(1 John 3:23) Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.
1. A Key Element of the Christian Life is Faith (verse 4).
But it is not just faith to make it through life or faith in ourselves or others to live out life in general, but it is in a specific person, Christ Jesus. What is it about Jesus that makes Him greater than anything or anyone else? Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled back to God and be adopted as sons and daughters of His. Jesus is able and has the right to ask the Father to adopt the fatherless person. God’s presence and blessings are assured in Jesus. By adopting us God looks after us as His children and directs us through our trials and temptations. Believers live by faith in Christ. So, a believer's faith in Jesus becomes one of the key elements of the Christian Life.
Someone has said that faith in Christ is like a sphere where the Christian lives. When a person believes in Christ he comes to live in that sphere or world of that belief. The person literally lives, moves, and has his being in that realm.
(John 12:46) I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness.
2. A Key Element of the Christian Life is Love.
Not the natural love people have for each other. We should have that love. But the love that is talked about here is the love believers have for one another. Why is the love Christians have for one another greater than natural love? Because a Christian’s love is based on the love of Christ Jesus. When a person gives their life to follow Christ, they are giving themselves to love as Christ loved. This is a sacrificial love that is stirred by the Holy Spirit. So, this is a supernatural love. The Christian loves all people but because they have the love of Christ, they live and move and have their being in that sphere of faith being indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. They are bound to have a very special bond. That is why there is no room for cliques, envy, criticism, and hard feelings among believers.
(John 13:34-35) “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
It is impossible to have a successful life without faith in Christ Jesus and His love.
3. Love and Faith are based on the believer’s Hope (verse 5).
The hope that Christ promises is the reason believers surrender their lives to Him. It is the hope that is laid up in heaven.
It is the hope of being raised from the dead and a new and perfect body like Christ.
(Philippians 3:20-21) but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.
It is the hope of Christ’s return and being with Him forever (John 14:2-3). It is the hope of living in heaven forever (Hebrews 6:18-20). It is the hope of a glorious inheritance to receive from God as sons and daughters of His (1 Peter 1:3).
Conclusion:
In verses 5-8 we see that this hope has one great source. The Gospel. The Word of God. It is the Word of God that reveals the great hope for man. Humanity can’t find real hope, not eternal or permanent hope. That hope can only be found in the Word of God. It is the Good News. It is Truth. It's not some guess or wish. It is the hope promised by God Himself.
(John 17:17) Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
It is for every person. Paul says it has come to you. It is the person who has given up his heart and life to follow the hope of Christ.
(Romans 10:13) For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
The Gospel is for the whole world, not just a certain nation, church, or social class. It is not limited in any sense of the word. It doesn’t discriminate or show favoritism.
(Mark 16:15) Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. The Gospel produces fruit. It did with the Colossians and will in all people who surrender their lives to follow Christ. It produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the fruit of reaching others for Christ (Romans 1:13). It is the fruit of sanctification or of cleanliness of life (John 15:2-3).
The Gospel comes by hearing. Some sit under the Word or God but never listen. They allow their minds to wander. (Romans 10:17).
These Colossian believers had given their lives to Christ and were filled with the love of the Spirit of God. They were given over to the Gospel of Christ. Have you given your life over to the Gospel of Christ?
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:
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