Now Alive in Christ

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

We have had something exciting the last couples weeks at our house. Our youngest daughter, Lucy has started walking. And having her start walking it creates joy as a parent. It is exciting and you want to get out your phone and record it. It has its moments of stress as you turn your back for one second and she is climbing the kitchen step-stool, or getting ready to bang on the TV. But having her walk completely changes everything - it’s like she’s a new person. You know when a baby starts walking there are moments of course when they stubble and fall. There are moments out of complete laziness or lack of motivation, where they just sit down. There are moments when they are walking and climbing on something they shouldn’t - and you in a panic through the phone down, stop whatever you are doing - to go and run to save them from danger! But there are also moments when they first begin walking - where they stand up, they take a few steps and they look back at you - almost asking or wondering - “Can I really do this?” And you have to give them the nod of encouragement - saying yes, yes you can do this!

Today our text comes from the Book of Colossians - and Paul he starts out our text with a encouragement and exhortation. He says to the church, “

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

He is encouraging the church to continue to remain rooted or planted in the promises of Jesus. He is recognizes and says, that the church should continue to be built up in the work of Jesus. He saying to the church - you have been rooted, you are being built up, you have been given these instructions, now continue to walk in Him; continue to walk in it. Paul like a parent saying to young child taking their first steps, is saying to and encouraging - yes you can do this; continue to walk in it.

Now there is a reason that Paul has to encourage, and remind the church to walk in the life given by Jesus. And Paul gives us a hint of the background and the context in the warning he gives the church. He says,

English Standard Version Chapter 2

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

In the day of Paul there groups and religious systems and thoughts out there - that were competing with the message of Christ alone delivered by Paul. These groups had promises and thoughts like if you live this certain way than you will experience God; if worship in this certain way than you finally be able to see the truth. And some of these groups and religious systems looked proper, they looked right to the outside world. Like the Jewish rules and relegations - they looked different and very religious from the rest of the world. Or when Paul is talking about the elemental spirits of the world, there were people trying to interpret the signs of the universe, or things in this natural world to experience truth. So Paul is warning the people of the church in Colossae not fall into the trap of these false ideas and thoughts. Because although they look like they might have the truth - they are missing it.

Have you ever been in the grocery store and you are there shopping for something basic, like cereal. You are there standing in the aisle, and you are faced with the choice - do you go for the name brand cereal like Cheerios or do you settle for the generic brand - Price Choppers version of Cheerios? And you are there standing in the middle of the aisle - and there are few things that factor into your decision. You maybe first look at the price. You try and determine - is it worth me paying an extra dollar or two to get basically the same thing. You maybe look at what flavors they have available - and the generic brand Price Chopper version of Cheerios has more options. And so after thinking about it for a little bit, you decide to try and cut some corners, save on the budget and you buy the big carton of Generic Brand cereal. You sit down the next day at breakfast, you open the cereal box for the first time, and it doesn’t taste the same; it leaves you empty; it leaves you wanting more. It maybe looked the same on the outside, it maybe came in a similar box, but as you taste and experience it - it leaves you empty.

Why should we settle for things that present a reflection - instead of having the real thing? For Paul, on the church that he was addressing - the different philosophies of the world, the different philosophies of the other religions - such as Judaism, appeared to lead people to God - seemed to be good and right, but their ways as Paul says are empty; they are missing the source of true life - Jesus. Because Paul says in Him,

English Standard Version Chapter 2

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

In other words, you don’t need all the laws that Jews want to hold you under, you don’t need different arguments and rational reasoning to find God, because in Christ - the whole fullness of God dwells. In Jesus, God came bodily to live among this world. And through His work we are filled up with His power and might. In Jesus we are given freedom. You don’t have to do all these things to try and attain God, but because God has come to you! You don’t need to look anywhere else because in Him, in Jesus - God has come to you!

The question for us to think about today is do we live under this fellowship with Jesus? I think many of us and in the world, don’t find ourselves being held captive by the great philosophies like Romans and Greeks, many of the world and us don’t probably even find ourselves too concerned by human tradition. But there is a huge temptation instead of walking in Christ - to try to walk according to ourselves. We think that we can accomplish anything placed before us - we rely on our own strength and say, I’ve got this! - and maybe the need or desire to be with Jesus gets pushed to the side - and we find ourselves walking by ourselves. We get caught up in the busyness of our world, the activities we find ourselves in, we find ourselves focused on our own goals - that need for Jesus gets pushed to the side - and we find ourselves walking by ourselves. Perhaps instead of walking in the truth - as Paul says that has been given to us, we walk according to our own desires - and we find ourselves walking by ourselves.

I was in town celebrating Molly’s Grandpa’s 95th birthday a month or so ago. And in the middle of the birthday celebration my mother-in-law made this slideshow with all these pictures of his life. These great memories of family weddings, the day of his ordination (he was a pastor), the memories of his first car! But at the end of the his slideshow - she included a quote that he clings to throughout his life and ministry. It’s a quote attributed to Martin Luther and it says, “When I look at myself - I don’t see how I can be saved, but when I look at Christ I don’t see how I can be lost.” There is confidence that through the work of Christ we are saved! And this isn’t just true for Molly’s grandpa, Martin Luther, but it is true for you and me. In Christ - we are saved and are connected to life! In Him, we have forgiveness. Listen again to the words of Paul through our reading:

you have been filled in Him with all fullness and authority

In Him, you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ

Having been buried with Him in baptism

in which you were also raised with Him…. (this isn’t something we just look forward to, but it something for us right now!)

And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him

It’s in Jesus you are giving life, its in Jesus you are given forgiveness. Jesus out of His love and mercy invites you into this fellowship with Him, where we receive His great blessings and mercies. They are yours because you are joined to Jesus!

Like a child learning walk, there maybe be moments when we look back - wondering if this is what it is supposed to look like, wondering if maybe if our past disqualifies us, there maybe are moments we look back on our lives and see the shame and guilt of our sin. But instead of looking back as we walk in this new life, Paul calls us today to look at Jesus. In Jesus you are not lost, in Jesus you are completely forgiven, you are free, and you are now given life in Jesus! As we hear these words of Paul, may we continue to walk, continue to live, continue remain grounded in this message of Jesus alone!

Now may the grace of God which surpasses all understanding may it guard your hearts and minds in Christ our Lord, Amen.