Gospel Change

Introduction:

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Big Idea: The Gospel reconciles and gives Hope to alienated people.

Sermon File Type

Sermon

Passages

Topics

Reconciliation; Peacemaking; Hope

Tags

Sermon #783

Speaker

Rev. David Thomas

Venue

FHCC;

Date

November 18, 2018;

Introduction:

What does it mean to be alien? To some it prompts images of flying saucers and beings with big heads or covered in scales. To others it is an emotionally-charged political term. To others it describes that awkwardness of being the new kid in class or the person who moved to Chase county 30 years ago, but wasn’t raised here.

Perhaps for you alien looks like this guy… video clip of John Crist as awkward supper guest

In today’s text we see that people who were once alienated (like the awkward guy in that video clip) have opportunity to be reconciled and given lasting hope.

Transition: Earlier verses of this chapter have talked about Christ’s authority and the spread of the gospel over all creation, but in these verses he gets very practical and personal with those whose lives had been changed by the good news that Jesus died for sinners.

Transition: Earlier verses of this chapter have talked about Christ’s authority and the spread of the gospel over all creation, but in these verses he gets very practical and personal with those whose lives had been changed by the good news that Jesus died for sinners.

Our Condition Before the Gospel (v.21)

I’m talking about YOU (v.21a)

1. Paul moves from universal in v.20 to specific in v.21

2. Alienation can have very different looks

a. It can look like “huddled masses yearning to breathe free”.

b. It can look like people who are perfectly happy in their own society, who may or may not desire to vacation in other places of the world.

c. It can look like people who will not be satisfied until your country looks like their ideal.

3. In relation to God alienation can also have varied looks.

a. It can look like the person with hurts, hang-ups and habits who feels undeserving of God’s love.

b. It can look like the person who just doesn’t have time for God other than an occasional Easter or Christmas service.

c. It can look like the person whose hurt displays itself in angry rants and political moves to silence any Christian voice in society.

4. I’m glad that the truth of the gospel includes “such WERE some of you”

Transition: The concept of alienation is expressed in two forms, hostility and evil.

Transition: The concept of alienation is expressed in two forms, hostility and evil.

Your mindset was hostile (v.21b)

1. Hostile does not imply violence.

2. If I refuse to accept as truthful the ideas that you promote, then I am hostile to your position. I may do that silently, or diplomatically, but it is hostile none the less.

In our politically correct culture, there is a trend of labeling attitudes and assumptions as -isms and phobias. And some of these insensitivities are covert, while others are very public. I dare say that most of us have unintentionally offended someone at sometime based upon our assumptions.

3. “Just because I tolerate it, doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

4. Whenever a person exerts independence from God, he/she is displaying the hostile mind described here.

Your deeds were evil (v.21c)

1. This same “independence from God” underlies the deeds in the last part of this verse.

2. describes unrighteousness as suppressing the truth. calls this a failure to honor or give thanks to God.

Perhaps your Gathering on Thursday may resemble this - video clip of blessing from Christmas Vacation

Perhaps your Gathering on Thursday may resemble this

Transition: While the way expressed our godlessness, or alienation, may have looked very different, we have all been guilty of hostile thoughts and evil deeds.

Transition: While the way expressed our godlessness, or alienation, may have looked very different, we have all been guilty of hostile thoughts and evil deeds.

Our Transition in the Gospel (v.22)

Reconciliation by Christ Physical Death (v.22a)

1. Some people (who like to argue) point to places like where Paul stood up and began to lay out his defense of the Gospel. They use that as an example of how debate convinces people.

2. Others point to where Paul explicitly states it is the love of Christ that causes us to reach a conclusion.

(ESV:2016) — because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

3. The word “saved” means to be made whole. In reconciliation God takes the separate parts and joins them to make one complete unit.

4. He views us in a whole new manner. He now longer sees us as aliens, but as sons and daughters. As the video before the message said, “When I see myself as God sees me, I walk with confidence.”

God sees us through a new lens—through the filter of Christ

God sees us through a new lens—through the filter of Christ

Made holy in a sacrificial sense (blameless)

1. Without defect or blemish

2. To the Jewish reader this word is packaged with all their memories of the day of atonement when an animal without defect would be sought out, the head of the family would transfer all the sins of the household onto that goat or sheep and he would be offered to God to appease the demand for perfection.

Made holy in a judicial sense (above reproach)

1. Without accusation

2. To the Greek reader this word is pregnant with the imagery of a court of law where the defendant would stand and have the charges read publicly to which he would have to offer a defense.

3. The reconciliation that is ours includes not only satisfying all the righteous requirements, but to no longer have anyone to make any charges against us.

(ESV) — And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

Transition: Because of our holy disposition we are expected to act differently

Transition: Because of our holy disposition we are expected to act differently

Our Reaction to the Gospel (v.23)

“If” is not really a question

1. First Class Condition – IF = assumed to be true

2. Second Class Condition – IF = contrary to fact

3. Third Class Condition – IF = truly uncertain

1. IF I eat more than I should on Thursday, then I will need a nap.

1. IF I eat more than I should on Thursday, then I will need a nap.

2. If the KU Jayhawks win the National Championship in Football this year, then Bruce will mow Steve’s lawn for a year.

3. If a person goes shopping this Friday, she can expect longer lines.

4. Context tells us what class this is. This verse is an example of first class condition--due to the stable and steadfast nature of faith, Paul presumes they would continue.

Reconciled to a sturdy faith (stable and steadfast)

1. One Commentator explains that Colossae was in a region especially vulnerable to earthquakes. As such they would all know the difference between a stable building and one that wasn’t.

2. The word stable was used in construction to describe a building “being securely founded.”

3. Steadfast is used in a similar sense in to describe a building with firm pillars and buttresses.

I don’t need to explain the significance of a wall cloud. People in tornado alley know the difference between a manufactured home or trailer and a stone home anchored to poured foundation.

I don’t need to explain the significance of a wall cloud. People in tornado alley know the difference between a manufactured home or trailer and a stone home anchored to poured foundation.

Reconciled to a sure hope (not shifting from the hope)

I’m reminded of the lyrics of the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” that reads “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!”

1. If God was willing to send His only Son to die for us on a cross while we were alienated, hostile and evil towards Him just to make us complete and make us His heirs, We have, beyond all men, reason to hold on to hope.

2. This week I stumbled across a report authored by two researchers at University of Michigan that concluded “faith in God (and the hope that ensues) can overcome the effects of poverty and contribute to overall health.”

3. Because of God’s act of reconciliation, we have most reason to be optimistic.

There’s a story that has been told in various forms for over 100 years. The current version has been traced over 60 years. It is the story of 2 brothers, 1 and optimist and the other a pessimist. Their father was determined to even out their dispositions and secured presents accordingly.

There’s a story that has been told in various forms for over 100 years. The current version has been traced over 60 years. It is the story of 2 brothers, 1 and optimist and the other a pessimist. Their father was determined to even out their dispositions and secured presents accordingly.

On Christmas morning the pessimist comes downstairs and finds every toy he had asked for. Soon he was crying in the corner, “What’s the use they’re all just going to get broken anyway.”

The optimist couldn’t find any presents with his name so he went outside to play and he stepped in a steaming pile of manure. He began to whoop and holler so his papa yelled out back, “What’s all the noise?” The boy replied, “I just stepped in a steamy pile, there’s got to be a pony around here somewhere.

Transition: When God reconciles, He provides a sturdy faith and a sure hope.

Transition: When God reconciles, He provides a sturdy faith and a sure hope.

Conclusion:

Conclusion:

Paul wrote this letter to a group of believers, and as such, they had already been reconciled in the past tense. I don’t presume that everyone listening to this message has experience that transition, but today could be your day of salvation.

Today could be the time when you repent from all your alienation and hostility, whether overt or subtle, and receive the free gift of salvation paid for by Jesus death in his body on the cross. In a moment as we are singing, I invite you to come and meet me and simply say, “Pastor, pray for me.”

For those who are already in the Family of God, as we gather with family and friends this week many have a tradition of naming something for which we are thankful. My prayer is that a few of us will say “I’m thankful that while once I was alienated from God, He has reconciled me to Himself and given me a steady hope.”

Concluding Song #409....... “I Know Whom I Have Believed”

Benediction: (ESV) — Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.