Freedom in Christ: The Supremacy and Sufficiency of Jesus

Good Morning

I pray you have survived the recent storms and rain

If you are in need of assistance please let us know

School is out for summer!!!!!!!!!!! Parents tag you are it

I want to give a quick thank you to Michael and his family for joining us this morning and giving us an update on his ministry that we support. if you have any questions for him he would be happy to answer them after services today

Let’s Pray

We are continuing with our Colossians sermon series with the message Freedom in Christ: The Supremacy and Sufficiency of Jesus

we have made it to Colossians 2. so please get out your bible, smartphone, tablet however you access God’s Word and be turning to Colossians 2.

There are sermon notes as well as daily devotionals available in the back....again not nearly as fancy as Nolan makes them but they are there. Use them

While we are there I want to spend a moment or two and encourage you or maybe even rebuke you, Holy Spirit is in charge of that

If you come for just a sermon on Sunday and never open your Bible during the week you will never grow in Christian maturity

That is the reason for the sermon notes

That is the reason for the daily devotionals

To get you in the Word of God

Sunday is not about filling you for the week.....you do that everyday when you get in the Word of God

Sunday is about spurring you....encouraging you....convicting you....rebuking you.....with the Word of God to get you into the Word of God

If the only Jesus you get is on Sunday morning you are not walking in the Spirit

You are not walking in God’s ways and more than likely you are headed to hell

Get in the Word of God DAILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to this morning

This is a continuation of a thought and conversation that we have been looking at the past couple of weeks.

Colossians 2:9

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“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

Here we see again Paul describing to the Greeks that Jesus is Supreme....fully God and fully man

this was something the Greeks had a very hard time believing, understanding, and accepting

Jesus was and is fully divine

John 1:14

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“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

The Word....Jesus was made flesh and dwelt among us

No question about Jesus being fully divine and fully man

That also made Him the fullness of God

John 1:16

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“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”

Jesus is exactly who He said He is

He is fulness

He is supreme

He is the Great I Am

He is the same yesterday today and forever

Jesus is enough

Is He enough for you??????

What does it mean that in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily

Colossians 2:10

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“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

First and foremost you are only complete in Jesus

So many of us are trying to shove so many things into the void that only Jesus can fill

we shove sex

we shove porn

we shove alcohol

we shove drugs

we shove tobacco

we shove cigarettes

we shove vapes

we shove money

we shove greed

we shove pride

you name it we shove it into that void and are left empty and incomplete

why

because you are only complete in Jesus

Put Jesus first in your life and see the peace and contentment that follow!!!!!!

Since He is the head of all things including principality and power then when you accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior you are complete

Lacking nothing because in Jesus you have everything

This is not found just here in Colossians

Ephesians 1:21–22

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“Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”

Church here again is from ekklēsía, ek-klay-see'-ah; a calling out, i.e. especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):—assembly, church.

Jesus is the head of the spiritual church.....all Christians united in Jesus, the Body....His Bride the Church

But also has a physical meaning and implication....local bodies of believers who gather together to praise Jesus and grow in the Word of God together and be Jesus’ hands and feet in their communities as they live out the Gospel together

Jesus is far above all principality

Jesus is far above all power

Jesus is far above all might

Jesus is far above all dominion

Jesus is far above every name that is named.....not just in this world but in the one to come

Jesus is far above EVERYTHING

That is the One who willingly gave up everything and became your sin and died for that sin on the cross to make a payment for that sin

Jesus is far above governments

Jesus is far above money and status and position

Jesus is far above evil

Jesus is far above addiction and strong holds

Jesus is the ONLY deliverer......are you living in that power this morning?????

Not only is Jesus far above all things and victorious over all things He loves you and wants to fill you will the fulness of God

Ephesians 3:19

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“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

It was love that sent Jesus to be born in poverty in a food trough

It was love that allowed Him to endure 33 years on this earth

It was love that gave him the strength to take your beating

It was love that enabled Him to willingly become your sin and die for your sin

It is also that love that fills you with the fulness of God

Christian if you are living a miserable life that is your fault

Not miserable in terms of circumstances and situation etc.

You will face trials

you will face temptations

You will face the consequences of your sin

you will face persecution at some point probably sooner than later because of Jesus

In fact Jesus tells you to count the cost of following Him and part of that cost is leaving the comfortable life for an uncomfortable life because of Him

No if you are living a miserable life because you are not content

because you are restless

because you are dominated by fear

because you are dominated by anxiety

because you are dominated by worry

you are miserable because Jesus is not enough for you......you have access to the fulness of God but you choose to fill your life with sin and doubt and don’t stand on the promises and truths of God

If you are a Christian then because of the love of Christ you have access to the fulness of GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Colossians 2:11-15

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Colossians 2:11–15 KJV 1900

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

I want to spend some time here this morning because it is important we get this

I read the whole scripture because I wanted you to hear it as a whole and as we will dive back in verse by verse I want you to remember each verse is part of a bigger truth

Colossians 2:11

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“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:”

This is an important truth to get and i want to bring plenty of scripture to give you a Biblical foundation and be able to make a Biblical decision

This circumcision is not physical but spiritual

It is circumcision of the heart by Jesus Himself

Why does that matter

Genesis 17:9-14

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Genesis 17:9–14 KJV 1900

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Circumcision.....physical circumcision was the sign of the old covenant

All males were to be circumcised on the 8th day

no circumcision no covenant

Why

Because Jesus had not come to pay for sins

Jesus had not come to open direct access to the Father

All of the old covenant

the sacrifices

the circumcision

the rituals

the feasts

all were designed to appease God’s Wrath until payment could be made for sin

it all pointed to Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus fulfilled that covenant and established a new covenant and the sign of the new covenant is circumcision of the heart by Jesus

How do you know that you are spiritually circumcised

fruits of obedience

Colossians 2:12

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“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Baptism is a fruit of obedience

Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change

it doesnt save you

it isnt required for salvation

but it is commanded

We believe baptism is the first step of obedience to Jesus

It represents the new reality

as you go under the water it symbolizes dying to self

dying to the body of the sins of the flesh

As you are raised up from the water it symbolizes your hope that one day you will live in heaven for eternity

Romans 6:5

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“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

Again Biblical foundation not religion tradition

So important we separate those two things

one is of God the other is of man

Here in Romans again God is telling us the importance of baptism not to save but to point to the inward change

you no longer put your hope in the things of this world

you no longer put your hope in your abilities

no you put your hope in Jesus that you will be with Him in eternity one day

Don’t just take my word for it look to God’s Word

Ephesians 1:19–20

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“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”

This is your hope as a Christian

That God did in fact raise Jesus from the dead and that Jesus is in fact sitting at God’s right hand in heaven

It is so much more than saying a sinners prayer or filling out a decision card etc

It is an internal.....eternal change of citizenship and allegiance

Ephesians 2:6

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“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

If you are saved here this morning you will one day be together with Jesus in heaven

period

end of story

that is your hope as a Christian

Again why you need to grab a notes sheet.....if all you get from these scriptures is what you hear this morning you will miss out on so much truth and depth in God’s Word....grab a notes sheet and dive into God’s Word this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Colossians 2:13

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“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”

This points to your new nature as a Christian

You still sin however you are no longer a slave to sin and your sinful nature

you are set free in Christ Jesus

Romans 6:6

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“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No longer serve sin

No longer a slave to sin

When you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior God crucifies your old, rebellious nature

You however because of free will have to chose to die to that nature everyday you are alive on this earth

Are you actively

intentionally

dying to that old

rebellious self every moment of every day??????

Your old nature is replaced by God through the Holy Spirit with a new nature

a loving nature

Colossians 3:9–10

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“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”

Staying the same is not an option

The old is dead

there is no going back from dead

it is final

This is God’s Word not my word

Are you dead to your old nature

Are you truly living in the Freedom that Christ died to give you????

Colossians 2:14

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“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

This goes beyond a transformed life

one reason you die to yourself

one reason you lived a transformed life

is because Jesus’ blood and death on the cross satisfied legal requirements

The law

God’s law not mans law

demands punishment for sin

it demands payment for sin

God’s law declared that payment for sin must be the blood of a perfect sacrifice

A perfect life

perfect blood shed for the payment of sin

It is legally binding because God is a just and holy God

You can’t pay that

I can’t pay that

no one other than Jesus could pay that

God knew that no human could keep the law

Throughout the entire old testament you see God pointing to Jesus

The law was a shadow

a way that God used to point to the freedom you and I have in Christ

Freedom from the law.....the legal requirements of the law

Jesus was also the fulfillment of the Old Covenant.....now I pray that at some point in the future that God leads us down this path as either a Bible study or sermon series the Old and New covenant but Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and that was always Gods plan

Jeremiah 31:31–34

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Jeremiah 31:31–34 KJV 1900

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant With the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which my covenant they brake, Although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For they shall all know me, From the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: For I will forgive their iniquity, And I will remember their sin no more.

Through Jesus on the cross.....those days...Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and created and entered into a New Covenant

The Holy Spirit teaches all men

no longer did you have to have a Jew tell you about the scriptures

no longer did you need a priest to mediate for you

no longer did you need to offer sacrifices to appease God for your sin

Through Jesus you have direct access to the Father

Colossians 2:15

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“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Jesus defeated.......that is what made a shew of them openly means

Jesus was enough

Jesus is enough

Jesus will always be enough

He triumphed over all

satan

demons

evil

sin

world

governments

religions

all were defeated in Christ!!!!!!!!!!!

Done and over with in Jesus the Lord of All!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you free here this morning?????

Church God didnt send Jesus to die for you for you to live in bondage to anything

Jesus is Supreme

Jesus is the Lord of ALL

In Him you are no longer bound to this world

In Him you are no longer bound to sin

In Him you are no longer bound to satan

In Him you are no longer bound to evil

In Jesus you are free

Not free to live however you want but free to live in Christ and follow His commandments

if you love me keep my commandments

what commandments

love the Lord your God with all your soul and heart and might and mind......love God with all that you are and all that you have and love your neighbors the same way

is that you

if not the time is now to come and walk out of here in true freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Invitation

Christ Is Enough (Acoustic) // Hillsong // Lyrics