Following are Shannon's notes from today's sermon:
Jesus is Enough! The Fullness of Christ
Colossians 2: 1-7
Vs. 1 Context – Colossian church – Paul never visited – writing from prison in Rome –
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally
Vs. 2 – The goal – Encouragement – discouraged Christians are easy prey, for the world, the flesh, the devil.
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
-Knit together in love, united
John 17:21-23
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Colossians 3:14
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
-full riches of complete understanding – explanation of the fullness of Christ, the completeness.
What is the “Mystery of God”? What is our understanding of the mystery of Christ?
The character and person of God in Christ
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6-7
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7
If you really knew me, you would know [2] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Col 2:3
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Apoknuphos – hidden – Gnostic’s “special” knowledge only for the few
The wisdom IS Christ Jesus. If we understand Jesus, if we have a relationship with him and truly have him within our hearts and our lives, that is the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Understanding the concept of the Creator – Him – and the created – us – and the relationship that we have only through the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ!
When we understand Jesus, we understand everything. Seek that hidden treasure by getting to know him better, getting into the Word, seeking for ourselves the understanding.
Each of us is responsible for the attainment of this knowledge. It is deeply personal.
John 6:40
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Col 2:4
I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
False teachers – easy lies – fallacy –
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves
1 Tim 4: 1-3
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
If we know Jesus, personally, intimately, and are in the Word, we will not be led astray – it is amazing how simple that is. If someone challenges you, look for truth in the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to interpret for you, pray.
Col 2: 6
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him
The greatest heresy in the time of the Colossians, and in our own time, is that we can perfect in the flesh what has begun in the Spirit! We can’t justify ourselves, or sanctify ourselves, only Christ.
Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Romans 3:28
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 2:8
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
Why do we try and complicate it? Jesus is sufficient. The gift of salvation is received from God by grace as a gift, not by our own efforts. The Colossians were under the threat of the same human condition that we are, the fatal human flaw of believing that we need to “earn” something or it isn’t “fair”, that there has to be “more to this”
Application
Colosssians 2: 7
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
We are to continue to live IN Him
1. Rooted IN Him
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
2. Built up IN Him
Matthew 7:24-25
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Ephesians 2: 19-22
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Strengthened IN the faith
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Mark 11: 22-24
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Phil 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
3. Overflowing with thankfulness
Philippians 4: 4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Jesus is Enough! The Fullness of Christ
Colossians 2: 1-7
Vs. 1 Context – Colossian church – Paul never visited – writing from prison in Rome –
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally
Vs. 2 – The goal – Encouragement – discouraged Christians are easy prey, for the world, the flesh, the devil.
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
-Knit together in love, united
John 17:21-23
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Colossians 3:14
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
-full riches of complete understanding – explanation of the fullness of Christ, the completeness.
What is the “Mystery of God”? What is our understanding of the mystery of Christ?
The character and person of God in Christ
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6-7
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7
If you really knew me, you would know [2] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Col 2:3
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Apoknuphos – hidden – Gnostic’s “special” knowledge only for the few
The wisdom IS Christ Jesus. If we understand Jesus, if we have a relationship with him and truly have him within our hearts and our lives, that is the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Understanding the concept of the Creator – Him – and the created – us – and the relationship that we have only through the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ!
When we understand Jesus, we understand everything. Seek that hidden treasure by getting to know him better, getting into the Word, seeking for ourselves the understanding.
Each of us is responsible for the attainment of this knowledge. It is deeply personal.
John 6:40
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Col 2:4
I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.
False teachers – easy lies – fallacy –
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves
1 Tim 4: 1-3
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
If we know Jesus, personally, intimately, and are in the Word, we will not be led astray – it is amazing how simple that is. If someone challenges you, look for truth in the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to interpret for you, pray.
Col 2: 6
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him
The greatest heresy in the time of the Colossians, and in our own time, is that we can perfect in the flesh what has begun in the Spirit! We can’t justify ourselves, or sanctify ourselves, only Christ.
Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Romans 3:28
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 2:8
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
Why do we try and complicate it? Jesus is sufficient. The gift of salvation is received from God by grace as a gift, not by our own efforts. The Colossians were under the threat of the same human condition that we are, the fatal human flaw of believing that we need to “earn” something or it isn’t “fair”, that there has to be “more to this”
Application
Colosssians 2: 7
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
We are to continue to live IN Him
1. Rooted IN Him
Jeremiah 17:7-8
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
2. Built up IN Him
Matthew 7:24-25
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Ephesians 2: 19-22
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Strengthened IN the faith
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Mark 11: 22-24
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Phil 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
3. Overflowing with thankfulness
Philippians 4: 4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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