Rooted In Christ - Sermon 2

Root In To Your Inheritance

Text: Colossians 1:9-14

Introduction

As we have launched out into a focus of being “Rooted In Christ,” I believe it is imperative that we continue unpacking the value of such a focus, as well as key motivations, benefits, and purpose.

I want to back-step to glean from an opening prayer Paul was praying for these believers at Colosse. Remember, Epaphras reported some wonderful conditions and practices of the Colossian believers, yet they were become overshadowed with the threat of infiltration of false Gnostic knowledge.

Again, since the key to successful Christian living depends completely upon the direction and depth of our ROOTS, Paul was urgent to break into whole hearted prayer for these believers. If what is done in secret changes course, so will the life they live in the open; what happens under the ground determines what kind of activity happens above ground.

Here is the flow of our time together today: Controlled by a supply of understanding God’s will; What follows will be activity that pleases God; Therefore, they need to be strengthened so they will joyful in patience and longsuffering.

1) What Fills You, Controls You

VERSE 9

What has motivated Paul to pray the specifics listed in the verses we just read? (briefly look at verses 3-8)

Their faith in Christ

Paul valued EVERY child of God; even the feeblest and back-slidden.

They were the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

The world has no idea what it owes to the presence of God’s people remaining on earth.

Their brotherly love

Love for the backbiter and quarrelsome brother/sister in Christ.

Someone said, “To dwell above, with saints above, That will indeed be glory; To dwell below, with saints we know, Well, that’s another story!”

Their hope

It was solid and substantial because it was embedded in eternal truth.

Hope looks ahead; has to do with the future.

Their hope was guaranteed by God!

Their hope for today, tomorrow and eternity rested COMPLETELY ON CHRIST.

“since the day we heard it”

Paul knew that with the right foundation being laid, building was an urgent matter.

Colosse may have only been a little city and the church smaller than others, it had a BIG PROBLEM of being perverted in it’s doctrine.

“filled with knowledge” — sense of completeness

LISTEN, Satan always goes after the mind.

“filled” — the idea of being fully equipped.

The believer has all they need in Christ.

Means to be “controlled by”

The Gnostics claimed to have some kind of special/superior knowledge.

There will always be those who pull at your mind to make you think that other things will complete you.

ADVISE — take time to compare those things to whom Christ is and what you are already given in Him.

“knowledge of His will”

“knowledge” — carries the meaning of full knowledge

There is always something more to learn about God and His will.

“His will” — BDAG: what one wishes to bring about by the activity of others, to whom one assigns a task.

an important part of a successful Christian life.

Eph. 5:17 “17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

How is one to grow in the full knowledge of God’s will?

God’s will is understood through God’s Word.

You will learn God’s GENERAL will of which will be the baseline to discern what clearly is God’s SPECIFIC will. They will not contradict each other.

Not that they would know everything, but has the necessary wisdom to make the best descisions.

2) Learning Of God & Living For God

VERSE 10

This portion of Paul’s prayer breaks down for us the kind of Christian who’s roots are diving deeper into Jesus:

“that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing”

Activities of the Christian life.

Question: What life does men see? (inward or outward?)

If God is pleased with your outward life, men’s criticism will fall short.

Could be translated, “to set out walking.”

A fresh start or new departure.

It is never too late!!!

“unto all pleasing”

Idea of meeting all of God’s wishes.

The believer here is pointed to Jesus! It was Him on the cross, it was his nail pierced hands and feet.

This Savior invites you to do whatever satisfies the desires of His heart.

“being fruitful in ever good work”

This tells you the proper placement of “good works.”

Works become “good” when they are done through the power of Christ.

Works don’t bring us to Christ. Works are carries out because of Christ.

The “Vine and branches” in John 15 is a great example:

You are so grafted into the Vine, the life of the Vine produces the fruit of the Vine through you.

Quote: “What He is we are; what He says we say; what He does we do.” — John Phillips

“increase in the knowledge of God”

Do you know what the WONDER of the Christian life is? That you can know God!!!

This is done in two different ways:

Expositionally through His Word — He has clearly given us what He wants us to know about Him in 66 books.

God’s specific will must always agrees with His general will; What you do must agree with what He has already said.

Many struggle with determining God’s specific guidance in daily life due to rarely reading God’s Word.

Experientially through worship, prayer and experiencing life.

The day to day living and plugging into the labors of the church.

Both of these methods of learning God compliment each other.

How do you think the many great books written of past Christian pillars of the faith exist today? Why do you still tell past stories of certain family members, former pastors and missionaries?

Here is the catch. You can’t grow in knowledge of God and not be fruitful for God!

If you really want to get to know God, walk with Him through His word and through this life.

Quote: “Every Bible should be bound in shoe-leather” — D.L. Moody

3) Strength For Moral Excellence

VERSES 11-12

What we know, do, and act should all be interwoven.

Wisdom, conduct, moral character.

This will require a supernatural power!

From whom can we receive this? GOD!

Think of our universe, moon, starts, sun, and the cosmic fine tuning.

Our sun is a moderate star among thousands / consumes one thousand million tons of hydrogen every second.

The same power that hung all of that in space is the same God who invites you in to.

Let’s consider the scope of this power Paul is telling us about:

It is not a crossing of the Red Sea, defeating some military power or conquering a city.

Paul is discussing Christian Character: Patiences, long-suffering, joyfulness, and thanksgiving.

Internal victories of the soul.

“Patience” = endurance when circumstances are difficult.

We must learn this so we might learn many other valuable things.

How is it that Christians can be patient through pain, sorrow, tribulation?

ANS — the product of perseverance, character, and hope.

Quote: “It is not the Christian sitting in a rocking chair, waiting for God to do something. It is the soldier on the battlefield, keeping on when the going is tough. It is the runner on the race track, refusing to stop because he wants to win the race.” Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 113.

Quote: “By perseverance the snail reached the ark” — Charles Spurgeon

“Long-suffering” — self-restraint when dealing with people.

God is long-suffering because of love and grace.

Illustration: People who remain calm through difficult circumstances but lose it when dealing with a difficult person.

God can force water out of a rock, but He does not force long-suffering and patience into the heart of Moses.

“Joyfulness” — attached to patience and long-suffering.

Question: Has there ever been a kind of patience you did not enjoy?

Rooting into Christ will empower you to be joyful through all moments of patience and long-suffering.

Testimonies and relationships remain intact through this kind of joy.

Gal. 5:22 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”

4) Thanks For A Promising Inheritance

VERSE 12

I believe this applies to our inheritance we can enjoy now and one we are promised to enjoy when this life is over.

The gifts we have now and the gifts we will receive later ALL COME FROM GOD!

While we wait on Heaven, let us go forward and claim our Canaan.

As the Israelites had to work hard, battle through and claim what God had promised them, LET US go forward and claim all that God has promised us.

Claiming what God has promised us down here, enables us to please our Savior who is up there preparing us a home.

Conclusion