The blessings of spiritual surgery

Red Colossians 2:11-12 “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Introduction

Many of you have started school this week, so I want to tell you a time when I was in high school.

I was playing football as a freshman for the freshman team.

Midway during the season I started as a linebacker.

After being tried for defensive end, and a running back, they settled on me playing inside and outside linebacker.

I was having a blast.

Fast forward to the last game, homecoming.

I was going for a tackle, and then my own teammate, somehow tackles me from the back, hitting the back of my right knee.

And I ended up on the floor, yelling in pain.

Found out that I tore my ACL, and that I needed surgery to repair it.

But at the time, just living with my mom, she had no money or insurance to cover my surgery.

So over time, months would pass, my knee would feel fine again.

I could even run!

But when I played my favorite sport, basketball, and would move lateral movements, I re-tore my ACL.

And after a few months, it would heal again, and then I would play some catch football with friends, and tear it again.

And it would heal again, and then tear, again, again, and again.

It wasn’t until a year later that I got surgery.

So many people live like that.

Some of you have also gone through injuries and might need surgery.

But there is a far more serious condition than a torn ACL.

And that is a sick heart.

You see the bible teaches, that everyone who is not in Christ, has a sick heart.

And some of us who have been saved, and have a new heart, live as if we have forgotten that we have a new heart.

We have been walking the Christian life now for some time, days, months, or years, but still get hung up on certain things.

Still get stuck with certain sins, listening or watching the wrong things, still struggling with anger or worry.

And that’s why today we’ll be learning The blessings of spiritual surgery.

So that we remember what Christ has done in us, and continue maturing as Christians, and so that those who don’t know Christ come and get a spiritual heart transplant.

1. You’ve been given a new heart (v.11)

This is the first blessing.

You see last Sunday, we talked about having Christ already, therefore we don’t need anything else.

But Paul wants to show us more benefits that we have in Christ.

This is why He writes, ‘in Him you were also’.

There is also another benefit.

There is more benefits that we have in Christ.

That added benefit Paul writes is, ‘you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands’.

Now first, we need to understand what circumcision is.

Circumcision was give by God to the Jews in order to distinguish them from other people.

It marked them as different than other nations, who were pagan and worshipped many false gods.

But why is Paul bringing this up?

Why does Paul bring up what is from the old covenant when we are in the new?

That’s because in the Colossian church, there were some Christians who were becoming confused.

And they were becoming confused because some people tried to teach them that in order to go to heaven, they must be circumcised.

These people were called Judaizers or legalists because they believed that following the Old Testament law is what got you to heaven.

They taught that you must have this physical mark, you must do this external rite, or else you cannot go to heaven.

Here’s why they’re wrong.

Paul writes that we are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.

You see circumcision is a physical rite.

It had to be done with hands.

But Paul is talking about a circumcision without hands.

Which means, that Paul is referring to something spiritual rather than physical.

Paul talks about the importance of a spiritual circumcision over a physical one in Romans 2:28-29

Romans 2:28–29 (NKJV)

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Here Paul is saying that true Jews are not ones who merely get circumcised physically.

Millions of babies get circumcised for medical reasons that are not Jewish.

That does not make them Jews.

What makes a true Jew, or a true believer is one who has been circumcised in the heart.

One whose sinful desires have been stripped away from the heart by spiritual circumcision.

One whose sinful heart has been replaced with a new one.

One who has been blessed by spiritual surgery.

Why is spiritual surgery a blessing?

Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17,

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Because we become new!

Every year, people make new year resolutions.

And almost everyone I know who makes resolution end up going back to the same way of living,

Or, I see people who change the color of their hair, and think that because their hair color has changed, that they are now a new person.

Students, these people don’t change.

That’s why the prophet Jeremiah 13:23 says,

Jeremiah 13:23 NKJV

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

Just like how a person can’t change his skin for a new one, or a leopard change its spots, so can s sinful person change and become good.

They can’t.

But Jesus can.

He can transform you,

He can make you new.

What does it look like when he makes us new?

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:22-24

Ephesians 4:22–24 (NKJV)

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

When God makes us new, He gives us the ability to stop living the way we used to live.

To stop living the way the old you used to live, which was corrupt and in deceitful lusts.

You stop watching inappropriate things online.

You stop listening to music that is raunchy.

You stop speaking in a manner that is crude and stop making crude jokes.

And instead we begin a new life of righteousness and holiness.

There has been a change when you became a Christian, and people notice it.

This is what Christ has done in you.

This is the spiritual surgery that Christ worked in you.

This is the blessing of spiritual surgery.

The blessing of what Christ has done in you.

Anyone can change their appearance on the outside but only God can change what’s on the inside.

Don’t look at your Christianity being based on something you did in the past.

Don’t look at yourself being a Christian because you said a prayer once, or because you got baptized.

Never listen to others who tell you that you need to do some work or ritual in order to go to heaven.

Instead look at your salvation based on what Christ did.

Look at what He did in your heart.

And give glory to Him!

And for those of you listening who have not yet put your faith in Christ, put away this idea that you need to become a good person in order to be saved.

That you need to get right with God first, and get your act together before you can come to Jesus.

You don’t have to do any of that.

All you have to do is trust in Jesus and He will do all the work.

I’ve had a few surgeries in the past.

One of them was when I got my wisdom teeth removed.

And I remember sitting in the dentist chair one moment, and then another moment woke up and it was all over.

I didn’t do a single thing.

And it didn’t matter how I felt either.

Because any time you go to get surgery, there is some anxiety.

But I still woke up without my wisdom teeth.

All I did was sit in the chair and trust that the dentist would do the work.

Students, all you have to do is lay down on Jesus’ surgeon table, and He will do all the work.

He will give you a new heart.

He promised this all the way back in the Old Testament in Ezek 36:26

Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Because your salvation is not based on what you do or who you are but on what Christ does and who He is.

But how does Christ do this?

If He can give me a new heart, how does He actually do it?

Paul tells us, he writes, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.

Another translations says, Col 2:11

Colossians 2:11 (LSB)

in the removal of the body of the flesh

By writing in the removal of the body of the flesh, Paul is referring to the cross, the death of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus accomplishes His surgical work, His work of salvation by dying on the cross for us.

And when the work was completed, Jesus proclaimed, ‘It is finished!’

It’s done!

You don’t have to add any works when it is already completed!

You don’t have to get right with God after you’ve sinned, before you can come to Him!

Because the work is finished!

Paul calls this finished work by the circumcision of Christ.

This is the spiritual circumcision.

This is the true circumcision.

Why is Paul telling us this?

You see, Paul is telling the Colossians that they don’t need to do some ritual in order to be saved.

They don’t need to be circumcised to be saved.

Because they’ve already been circumcised in the heart.

They’ve already had spiritual surgery.

So don’t add man-made rules or works to the Christian life.

There are Christians, some Baptists, who get lured to Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy because of the traditions.

Because of the rituals.

Because they failed to understand the work Jesus does in the heart.

They don’t understand the blessings of spiritual surgery.

So as you walk the Christian life, always remember that Christ has given you a new heart, and that you are a new creation who lives a new life.

2. You have a memorial of your new life (v.12)

And speaking of a new life and remembering it.

Jesus has given us something to remember it.

Some people have certain objects that help them remember something.

For some it’s a watch, a necklace, or a photo, to help them remember their loved ones.

For married couples it’s a wedding ring.

And for Christians, Christ gave us baptism as a memorial to help us remember that we have begun a new life.

Paul writes, in v.12 buried with Him in baptism.

Baptism is a symbolic representation to show that our old selves and former way of living, died with Christ when He died on the cross and that we also rose with Christ when He rose again on the 3rd day.

That’s what Paul writes, in which you were also raised with Him’.

Paul says with Him, because when Christians are saved, they become united with Christ.

Why get baptized?

Paul writes, through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead.

Baptism is a faithful response after being saved because Jesus commands new Christians to be baptized.

And it’s not just a blind faith.

It is a faith based on facts.

The fact that God rose Jesus from the dead 2000 years ago.

The fact that God is all powerful and has powerfully worked in you when He saved you.

Now I want to reiterate what others have taught you time and time again.

That baptism does not save you.

Baptism does not make you a Christian.

Because there are people who believe that.

The Church of Christ teaches that you must be baptized in order to get saved.

And that is heresy, believing that will take you to hell.

Because it is ignoring the spiritual surgery that Jesus does in believers, and saying that’s not good enough.

It is attacking the work of Christ.

No, you get baptized because you have been saved already.

And because you have been saved, you can’t help but tell everyone about it!

Baptism is a PSA.

A public service announcement.

When you get baptized, you are publically announcing to the church and to non-Christians, that you are with Christ!

And by the way, that is why baptisms must be done at church.

Not necessarily at the church building.

But baptism must be done in the presence of the gathered church, with pastors and other members there.

Because it’s a public not private announcement.

But what if I get baptized in a bathtub and someone records it and puts it online?

Isn’t that public?

Baptism foremost is a public announcement to the church.

You are declaring to the church that Christ has saved me.

So announcing it merely to the world is not enough, you need to announce it to the church.

But not only is baptism a public announcement, it’s a also a wonderful reminder and memorial.

When you get publically baptized to the church, you are also blessing those who are watching.

I remember a few months ago when I saw 3 of you get baptized.

And it was such a beautiful and joyful thing to see.

And not only is it a blessing for me to see.

It’s a blessing for you to remember.

That when you start drifting off the wrong way.

That you remember the picture of baptism.

You remember not only your baptism, but others baptism’s as well!

Of being fully immersed in the water, and coming out of it.

That there was a funeral of your old self and old manner of living.

And a celebration of you coming into new life.

That you remember that Jesus has taken out the heart of stone, and given you a new heart of flesh.

That you remember that the old you died with Jesus on the cross and the new you has come, rising from the dead with Jesus.

So be blessed that Jesus gave you a something to remember this.

He gave you a memorial.

You don’t need worldly ideas or activities, when you have the precious gift of the memorial of baptism.

If you have put your faith in Christ, and you know you have been saved, but haven’t been baptized yet, get baptized!

What are you waiting for?

On Sunday, 9/24 we are having baptisms at church, and if you want to be baptized let me know, so you can join the party!

Gospel

But if you haven’t been baptized yet, because you still have not put your faith in Christ.

Then I urge you to give up.

Give up your sinful life to Jesus, lay down on His surgeon table, and let Him remove your heart of stone for a heart of flesh.

Put your faith in Him who is all powerful and raised Christ from the dead over 2000 years ago.

So that you don’t eventually experience a spiritual heart attack, and experience spiritual death forever.

And instead enjoy the blessings of spiritual surgery.

Let’s pray!