Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Title: The Gospel of Reconciliation

Text:

You Will Continue in the Faith of God (vs.

23)

I’d like to take a survey this morning.

How many of you love conflict?

There are some that do, no doubt, but the vast majority of us, myself included, do everything we can to avoid conflict.

We do not like conflict because it potentially will cause a fracture or a rift in a relationship.

And so instead of dealing with the problem, we keep it superficial so there is a fake peace/unity that results.

Instead of doing the messy, hard work of working through a problem, we avoid it, ignore it and even run from it!

This is not God’s way.

There is a huge conflict between God and human beings.

We, initially through Adam and Eve, disregarded God and His commands and did our own thing.

We don’t need to blame Adam and Eve for everything, because we are just as rebellious.

And so there is a great conflict between us and God.

And guess who took steps to resolve that conflict?

It wasn’t you and it wasn’t me.

It was God himself.

“While we were YET sinners, Christ died for us.”

This is the beautiful truth of the Gospel.

Even though there was a great and seemingly insurmountable conflict between us, God’s love compelled Him to pursue a way that our relationship could be harmonious, gracious and full of love!

What is the Biblical Solution?

What do the hearers need to know?

Main Textual Idea:

Main Idea: God Made the Way for You to be Right with Him

He gives three important truths in this passage to remind the Colossians of what they have received in the gospel so they will not be tempted to follow another gospel!

Transition:

Body (Satisfaction)

1.

You Were Alienated From God (vs.

21)

Lead in…Paul doesn’t mince words.

He lovingly reminds them of their former state...

Lead in...

Text -

Speaking the truth can be very challenging hard because people do not want to hear it, especially about themselves.

We live in a time of hyper-sensitivity with little grace and humor.

To be perpetually offended is a badge of honor.

And then, here we Christians come with the gospel.

The gospel is an offensive message.

It is harsh and painfully brutal.

It is anything but politically correct!

It cuts right to the heart of the matter.

And this is what Paul reminds the church in Colossae.

Let’s break this verse down and see what he says...

“And you” - Paul is not speaking in a general sense at all.

He reminds them that it was them, personally...

“A

“who once were...” Three things they were in the past...

“alienated” - estrange; only, be a stranger to, be separated from ()

He is so holy

alienate, estrange; only passive in the NT be a stranger to, be separated from ()

We are so sinful

and hostile in mind” -

Isaiah - Woe is me...

Dimond -

and hostile in mind” - enemy, is alienated; one who is at war; one who has long been alienated and refuses to be reconciled.

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, Henry Stuart Jones, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), 748.

Mind - disposition or attitude!

‘

Resulting in...

“doing evil deeds” - Acting in a wicked way

Doing evil deeds starts in the mind and leads to action...

Why is Paul reminding the Colossians of this?

Well, it’s always good to remember where you’ve come from so you don’t become too proud of where you are.

No one, other than Jesus, has been right with God from birth.

No one has been buddy, buddy with God before the act of justification.

The raw, unadulterated fact is that the Colossians were, prior to their salvation, enemies of God.

Determined enemies!

Not interested in conforming to the character or demands of God.

And Paul wants them to never forget this.

Paul certainly didn’t forget from where he came.

Paul, of anyone, understood what he was apart from the grace of God...

You and I have the same problem as Paul and the Colossians did.

We are, as Paul declared, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds...”

When was I “alienated?”

When was I “hostile in mind?”

When was I “doing evil deeds?”

Illustration - another word for alienated is estranged.

“The word "estranged" implies a former condition of close relationship and affection, from which they have since fallen.

You would not apply the term to foreigners.

You would not say of a Frenchman that he was estranged from this country, simply because he never belonged to it; but if an Englishman resided so long in Paris as to lose his patriotism and interest in our affairs, you would say that he was estranged.

So, again, you would not say of a mere acquaintance, if you ceased to see him, that he was estranged from you; but if the love of an old friend grow cold, if a child become indifferent to his home, or a husband fail in his devotion to his wife, you describe such a falling off as estrangement.”

-

https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/furse/alienation_from_god.htm

https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/furse/alienation_from_god.htm

Argumentation - Paul doesn’t remind them of this truth to get them to feel bad about themselves or to do some sort of penitent work to earn God’s favor.

Not at all! Paul is reminding them that they were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds so that they would never get the dangerous and ill-conceived idea that there was something about them that deserved God’s gracious gift of salvation.

Paul wanted to paint a very simple, clear and poignant picture of who we are prior to us becoming children of God.

Because an accurate picture of who we are produces a continual humility that is our only hope to grow in Christlikeness.

Paul doesn’t remind them of this truth to get them to feel bad about themselves or to do some sort of penitent work to earn God’s favor.

Not at all! Paul is reminding them that they were once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds so that they would never get the dangerous and ill-conceived idea that there was something about them that deserved God’s gracious gift of salvation.

Paul wanted to paint a very simple, clear and poignant picture of who we are prior to us becoming children of God.

Because an accurate picture of who we are produces a continual humility that is our only hope to grow in Christlikeness.

How do you view God’s gracious gift of salvation?

How do you view what God did to provide salvation for you?

There is nothing free in this life - but you say, wait, the bible says salvation is free!

It doesn’t cost me anything.

True, it is free to you by faith.

However is it not free.

To save you, cost God a great deal!

Do you take that for granted or are you daily, deeply moved by what God has done for you through Christ.

If you are, your life will not be one of grousing and complaining, but one of gratitude and grace.

So, if you want to know if you truly appreciate the gospel?