Life in Christ

Some of you came to Crosspoint this morning or are watching this service because Justine professed her faith and Mikey and Avery were baptized. It’s great to celebrate with Justine, Paul, and their family.

Maybe you’re thinking of professing your faith or presenting your children for baptism too. Four people are signed up for the New Members’ Class in January. It’s a class we’ll run at Crosspoint any time people are interested.

One of the big things we celebrate when someone publicly professes their faith is that they receive Christ Jesus as Lord. What does that mean?

Christ Jesus is Lord.

Democracy doesn’t have lords and ladies, kings and queens, at least, not in North America. You’ve got to understand other cultures in order for the claim “Jesus is Lord” to be meaningful. You’ve got to think of feudalism and other social hierarchies.

We see kings and rulers in histories, books, and movies. In exchange for vows of loyal service, the ruler lets someone rule in his land as a vassal. The land and its revenue are a gift from the overlord. But when you make vows of allegiance to your lord, the loyalty is a 2-way street. He gives you property and power and you give your lord allegiance, support, and service.

In this letter, the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of kingdoms and conquest to describe Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the dominion of darkness in Col. 1:

[Give] joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:12–14 (NIV)

If you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, you recognize that you are accepted into his kingdom. Everything he gives you is a gift: You’re redeemed from captivity in the dominion of darkness and brought into Jesus’ kingdom. You give your allegiance and loyalty to Jesus as the Lord and leader of your life.

Politics and religion were closely linked back in the days of the early church. Throughout most of the Roman Empire, loyalty to Rome and faith in the emperor were expressed in the phrase, “Caesar is Lord.” It happened at parades, sports events, and political rallies, “Caesar is Lord.”

When Christians professed Christ Jesus as Lord, they were ostracized, marginalized, and persecuted. In some places consequences were serious. Later in this letter, Paul mentions he’s in chains for proclaiming the gospel. Along with this letter, Tychicus is coming to bring all the news of Paul’s situation.

Like the Christians in the Roman Empire, we stand up and profess allegiance to Christ Jesus. We are citizens of Canada or some other country, but our primary allegiance and service is pledged to our Lord, Jesus Christ. It’s part of our new identity in Jesus Christ.

That’s why Paul urges the recipients of this letter, in Colosse and Laodicea, to “continue to live your lives in Jesus, rooted and built up in him.” You find these metaphors for life in Christ scattered through many of Paul’s letters

Rooted – plant imagery: branches are alive and fruitful because they’re connected to Christ Jesus. The strong root gives life to the branches.

Built up – It’s temple imagery: the whole building is connected and stands strong because Christ is the foundation, the cornerstone. Together, we are the temple of God most holy!

But how are we connected to Jesus?

Paul unpacks the gospel in the last paragraph we read.

When you were dead in your sinsand in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13–14 (NIV)

Dead in sins – it’s part of our confession and part of Jesus’ rescue plan. There’s a time when we recognize that something’s wrong in the world. Relationships are broken between us and others. We feel guilty before God.

At least, that’s my experience. I admit I’m not as loving and kind to others as God expects and I don’t always have God as #1 in my life. You can judge your own goodness for yourself.

Theological term for not loving God and neighbour is “sin.”

B/c God is holy and just, the punishment for sin is death.

I can’t fix my sin by myself. No matter how much I try or how religious I become, I only dig the hole deeper.

That’s why the news that God made you alive with Christ is such good news. Because God loves you and the rest of the world, he doesn’t want you to be destroyed by sin. He sent Jesus into the dominion of darkness to conquer sin and death and bring you out into the kingdom of light.

Jesus can do it because he’s 100% human and 100% God.

Jesus’ death on the cross covers our sin and guilt. Your guilt is nailed to the cross! Jesus’ resurrection 3 days later guarantees God’s forgiveness of our sins and being raised to life with Jesus.

Because Jesus has rescued us from sin, death, and being dominated by darkness, you’re invited to pledge allegiance to him. You’re invited to express faith in Jesus by receiving Christ Jesus as Lord. It’s a profession of faith that lets you enjoy life as a vassal of Jesus’ and citizen of the Kingdom of Light! What would stop you from claiming Christ Jesus as Lord?

Some of the people in Colosse were evidently familiar with the Jewish sign of God’s covenant of grace in the OT. So the Apostle Paul talks about circumcision in this letter. Circumcision is a sign and seal that set Jews apart as God’s covenant people.

In English, we sometimes talk about “cutting a deal.” Hebrew uses the same figure of speech for contracts and covenants. In circumcision, God’s covenant of grace is literally cut into people’s flesh when boys were circumcised at 8 days old.

Ever since Jesus died and rose again, there’s no need for any more blood to be shed – no need for circumcision. Starting in the NT, God’s covenant is extended to believers and their children through baptism. The water of baptism is a symbol of how Jesus’ blood covers our sin and guilt.

Baptism indicates washing and cleansing from the impure thoughts, filthy language, and dirty deeds that we have done.

Even though circumcision is rather up-close and personal to discuss in public worship services, Paul finds the imagery of circumcision helpful to demonstrate the change in the lives of Christians:

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:11–12 (NIV)

“Your whole self, ruled by the flesh was put off.”

It’s how Paul describes putting off our sinful, disobedient, and rebellious behaviour. In the next chapter, Paul describes it this way:

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:9–10 (NIV)

It’s part of the process of growing as a disciple. You put off stuff that hurts you, that damages relationships, that creates distance between you and God.

But it’s not just about putting stuff off. Paul also talks about putting stuff on.

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)