The Hope of the Gospel

Date: Sunday, February 6, 2025 Text: Colossians 1:21-23 (KJV)

I. Our Former Condition – Alienated from God (v. 21)

Sometime (Once):

"And you, that were sometime alienated..."

What does it mean to be "sometime" alienated? It refers to a previous condition, before we were saved.

Romans 5:12: Sin entered the world through Adam, alienating all humanity from God.

Alienated:

Question: What does it mean to be alienated from God?

Cut off from fellowship with God due to sin (Isaiah 59:2).

Romans 3:23: All have sinned and fall short of God's glory.

Ephesians 2:1-6: Before salvation, we were dead in trespasses and sins.

Enemies in Your Mind:

"Enemies in your mind by wicked works..."

Question: How does sin affect our thoughts?

Ephesians 4:18: Sin darkens our understanding and hardens our hearts.

Sin leads to corrupt thinking, which then produces immoral behavior (Romans 8:7).

James 1:14-15: Sin follows a cycle: temptation → desire → sin → death.

Application:

Sin doesn't just affect what we do; it changes how we think. We must ask ourselves: Are we allowing sinful thoughts to control our behavior? How can we renew our minds (Romans 12:2)?

II. Our Reconciliation – Through Christ's Death (v. 22)

"Yet now hath he reconciled..."

Yet Now:

Key Point: God did not leave us in our sinful state! "But God, who is rich in mercy..." (Ephesians 2:4).

Christ came to reconcile us to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Christ was fully God and fully man, which was necessary for Him to be the perfect atoning sacrifice (Philippians 2:5-7).

In the Body of His Flesh:

Question: Why was Christ’s physical death important for reconciliation?

His death satisfied God's justice (Hebrews 2:14).

He abolished the law's hostility through His body (Ephesians 2:15).

Christ’s death has a purpose: to present us before God in a transformed state. (Romans 6:4)

To Present You:

Three Characteristics of a Reconciled Believer:

Holy: Set apart for God's purposes. (Webster 1828: "Consecrated or set apart to the service or worship of God.")

Unblameable: Blameless before God, free from guilt. (1 Thessalonians 5:22 – Abstain from all appearance of evil.)

Unreprovable: Above reproach; cannot be charged with fault.

Illustration: Greg Breazeale – "Gospel reconciliation is the equivalent to a judge who acquits the young man who killed his son, then adopts him as his own!"

In His Sight:

We are no longer viewed through the lens of sin but through Christ’s righteousness.

Application:

Are you living as someone who has been presented as holy, blameless, and above reproach?

How does knowing you are reconciled change the way you view yourself and your relationship with God?

III. Our Ongoing Responsibility – Remain Steadfast in the Faith (v. 23)

Salvation is a gift of grace, but believers are called to persevere in their faith.

If Ye Continue:

Question: What does it mean to be "grounded and settled" in the faith?

Grounded: Firmly rooted in the Gospel, like a house built on a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24-27).

Settled: Steadfast and unshakable in commitment to Christ.

Warning: False teachings and worldly pressures can cause some to fall away from the hope of the Gospel.

2 Peter 3:17 “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”

Not Moved Away:

James 1:6: Those who are double-minded and lack faith are like waves driven by the wind.

The Gospel brings eternal hope – hope for forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. This message is universal, preached to every creature under heaven.

However, this does not mean that it will be easy. We are not warned to not move away, if moving away wasn't a real threat (John 15:18-19).

Hope of the Gospel:

Paul emphasizes his role as a minister, encouraging others to do the same.

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The saving grace that we have found in Christ, should naturally overflow from us, giving us a desire to share it with everyone that we come into contact with.

Application:

Are you firmly grounded in your faith, or are you easily swayed by life’s circumstances?

How can you actively grow deeper in your understanding of the Gospel?

How can you share the hope of the Gospel with others?

Conclusion:

We were once alienated from God, but through Christ's death, we have been reconciled and presented as holy, blameless, and above reproach.

However, this reconciliation calls us to remain steadfast in our faith.

Let us live in the hope of the Gospel and share that hope with the world.

Discussion Questions:

What does it mean to be alienated from God? How did Christ reconcile us to Him?

How can we stay grounded and settled in our faith?

What practical steps can you take to resist being "moved away" from the Gospel?

How has the Gospel given you hope in your life? How can you share that hope with others?