Worship Service 9-1-19

A process this morning links the Jesus a Jesus centered Ministry, you know the ministry of reconciliation that we started all we heard. We learn from the previous message or last Sunday's message. Now this ministry of reconciliation. lynx The message still Jesus centered thinking. Now, this is a call to connect the centrality of Jesus Christ in our lives. So our Focus this morning is on how to be firmly rooted in Christ. At least she has the bases. Up our Jesus centered Ministry. That also produces the Jesus or producers Jesus centered thinking and leaving. But the question is how can one be firmly rooted in Christ?

Talk a lot about being rooted in the world.

That's how I would look at a couple of actions that we are going to take and stand and look at it together. So if you have your Bibles video open is in Colossians chapter 1 through 15 will be will only be focusing on a few verses in our message today, but we will read the full 15 verses from the second chapter of Colossians. And so if you have your Electronic Bibles or the hardware version of your Bibles open it in Colossians chapter 2 verses 1 to 16 lb reading from the English Standard Version for what for I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at loudest. And for all who have been who have not seen me face to face. That their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love. The Retreat of the richest Eva polish Ernst of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ in whom are Heathen Heathen all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge I say this verse poor in order that no one made you lose you with plausible arguments. For though, I am absent in body yet. I am with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. Rooted and built up in him and established in the face just asked you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving. 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 Cry 4 in him the whole fullness of diety dwells bodily. And you have been filled in him who is the head of all Rule and Authority in him? Also, 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 and which you were also raced with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead. And you who were dead in your trespasses and uncircumcision of your flesh God Made Alive together with him or with him having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of death that stood against us with its legal Hitman. This is set aside nailing it to the cross. If you sign the rulers and authorities and put them to open Shame by triumphing over them in here.

In order to be firmly rooted in Christ. We have the first of all make spiritual progress.

Add vs. Sport 2 to 6. netzaberg firmly rooted in Christ and this is that we're not just talking about the short-haul but to be firmly rooted in Christ over the Long Haul is really to remind ourselves about what is really important to us. because in the midst I'm a culture that probably was still not throwing a lot of things at us. With so many different ideas with so many philosophers with so many spiritual spiritual Concepts and perhaps that is what Paul was saying for the Christians to remind them to keep making spiritual progress. Don't let those things hinder you or prevent you from moving on and growing in the face.

No notice What policies has he identified? He identified in vs425 what he was really a why he was really glad that they were standing firm in the faith in Christ and that they were recite your they were resisting the deluding the plausible arguments that we're trying to persuade them.

He says this number sport. He said I say this in order that no one made you lose you with what plausible arguments? I'm he said that I'm not with you in the body, but I am with you in spirit rejoicing to see. Your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Then he moves on to verse 6 with the word therefore now, that's always the key right when we read in the scriptures the word therefore. It's either in light of what has been said before or is all it also means in light of what I am going to say to you. It's other backwards or forward. Interpol

starts off with the word bear for in verse 6 and how he describes they can continue and their spiritual progress is ADD airport as you received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. If you notice this Birds contains two confessional statements can be combined in one price. Christ Jesus the Lord know Jesus is the Christ. And Jesus is the Lord. Know the word Christ simply means the anointed one or the chosen one the Messiah. Now this term identifies Jesus as God's chosen and anointed server. The word Lord in the other hand does not say just Lord, but if it reads the Lord You're not capturing the powerful truth of Jesus is really and parallel in his sovereignty. Remember. The Colossians is about the supremacy and the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ. So he is both Christ and Lord. 4 uses the sprays Who encouraged the colossian Believers to walk with the Lord in a manner consistent with the way they received him?

Now the words to paraphrase the Brewers for saying in the same way that you received Jesus, you know acknowledging him as both your Messiah and your master. Continue to walk in hand. No.

The verse is very clear. That the word walk is a Aquaman and imperative. I know a lot of times when we wrestle about those commands because we don't want people telling us what to do.

You know. When you are going up or when you are when your mom and dad tells you to do something. It's always it's always something that I do you struggle doing or you just you know, babe without thinking now our grandson is 2 years old. And if you tell him to do not to do it, he will actually do it.

But that's the problem of his parents.

This is a command when Paul said you have received Jesus Christ in the way and it is a matter that you have received him not walk in him. This is something that just makes sense when you realize who you are following, right? That the word literally means walk around. That is it that the word that the word that wasn't specifically used by Paul here in there. And their the Greek packs is saying that walk around is that it's the word that we get our English word at Perimeter.

But here it is a form of liberalism. It's in the Jewish expression often to denote as in the Bible as we see them to describe how a person leaves or behaves. Not a famous example is from the Old Testament when the Bible says in walked with God now, it's not a long walk. If I could disappear, it's also went when God challenge Abraham when he said to Abraham walked with me.

Your walk your Christian walk is open if an indication of what is happening inside your heart and your mind. You cannot sooner or later even app how good you're hiding it it will show.

Sao Paulo here is commanding that there must be a direct connection between what we think of Jesus or who Jesus is in our lives and how we walk or leave our lives. So it is not normal. I should say when there is a disconnect between Christ and your life. Because if we think about it, if we accepted Jesus Christ Our Savior and Lord. Jesus is supposed to work work out in us this change the comes. Remember Paul says that when a person is in Christ, he becomes what and you creation and the old things are passed and behold All Things become new.

It is not normal when we are disconnected with what we believe Christ is in our lives and how we leave or conduct ourselves.

Again, this is not saying that we ought to be perfect or leave a perfect life by that's mean that you can come here at church week after week and making no connection to your life what you have learned and heard from the word or maybe even hardly feel motivated to serve or to do anything that you know, that that these nuts good.

I'm so concerned of people coming to church because that's what they are supposed to do.

Let's hope the remedy for this faltering walk or the walk that is not consistent or walk that is disconnected with what we have received. Is the focus more on Jesus in our action will not mirror on RCN Merlin ourselves because often times the reason why we are disconnected is that we are preoccupied of ourselves. And it really focusing on what Jesus wants us to do. When we do that and we start to learn the really focus on what is important. What is Jesus or what are focusing more on on Jesus in your life. He will accomplish Two Face First it will resolve or trust or R-Truth issues. No through tissue is when we start believing that believe in like maybe for example, we we've heard so many things from from TV from the internet and you know, it becomes an issue when we start believing something about Jesus that is not true or that we believe about Jesus that is not maybe it's just for you. It's just a buyer. I'll be just what Paul warns the awards did the Colossians about inverse sport. What what did he say? He said to be careful that no one will diluted you would want persuasive argument because if you are disconnected with what you believe in Jesus what you believe and then your life is not in if you can listen to anybody that would satisfy yourself. The feel-good theology that is being thought these days.

So focusing more in Jesus would resolve the issue in the heart because we know who Jesus is this morning when we have the Bible study at Sunday school 8 that is being reinforced know when you study the Bible, you know exactly what you believe. I know we're not there still you about those persuasive arguments, you know that they are not correct.

This is also the warning the full set in verse 8. If you have that with with you there in verse 8. He said see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human prediction according to the element of spirits of the world and not according to Christ. UC focusing more on Jesus results a true tissues, but it also resolves are trust issues. No trust issues happens when the real and practical Cross of a heart is no longer on Jesus, but on the forms, we have created to lead us to G. What do we mean by this? We end up as a church building a Ministry structure that maybe was supposed to work, right? And from the reality that we have and there's nothing wrong about that. That's correct. We we are building a new church WIll building a n u community of Believers call International Christian Calvary International Christian Church. But what usually happens is that when we become too emotionally attached to the things that we are doing in Ministry that maybe work for us and that we want to do it here until 1 and then and then you know, it seems that it becomes ate ate something that would block us. From really accomplishing what God wants us to accomplish. In other words, when we do that our Focus then becomes on methods and not on the master. That's a good one.

So focusing more Jesus would resolve the truth is you've your heart. And a trust issues that often times happens because leaders at church members. Don't trust trust each other.

That'll be firmly rooted in Christ.

That's not only involve. You know, I'm making progress in her face, but also by throwing on spiritual provision now notice what ball stays here as he has already encouraged his readers to walk working in the manner in which they have received God. Suppose that he said, you know you started with faith. You must continue with faith. That's the symbol or formula that this is the only way to to make spiritual progress in there if you started with Peyton, you understand what you receive then continue in it. October 7th supposed to be rooted and built up in him and established in the truth. Just as you were taught abounding in Thanksgiving.

the construction of this verse Contains the for basically Park to see Paul's modifying the command walk. In other words. If you ask questions when all said you have received Jesus Christ, and I walked in him the question is how participial gives data answer it says how do you walk in him May being rooted in him? And then and then they be built up in him than being being established and then afterwards you also are abounding in Thanksgiving. So the first three words are all in the passive voice.

Neverland the Seminary I've learned the passive voice means that somebody is acting

on you not you are acting on yourself. That would be the middle voice. So finally in in in the Great Grandma there is that the actor there is deposit and then there's also the middle.

Cuz they also have three genders. masculine feminine and the neuter

the campus today doesn't seem to it becomes a sensitive one if you talk about gender, but the Greeks have better bacon Express better because there's specific expression in every specific situation. Just like the word love. We have they have four words to describe love. So the first 3 and verse in this Brewers are all passive. That means it is pointing to the fact that God is the one who is doing the word. Forest Well, the final participle here is actually something that we all can do. It becomes then pass it. It's not three active. So reactive indicating that this is what the Colossians ought to do. What does that matter was three three actions by God one actions in response. If we understand this in the life of a What fault has warned the Colossians not to be deceived by false teachings. Now this gives is it really 8 a.m. Something that would give hope for those the people who are started to persuade or fall away from the faith because those philosophies and the Colossians have been struggling to really just a combat or or defend themselves against the the philosophy of friends in those days. They be us in those dates.

What bowl is saying to them is if you walk with him, this is what God will do for you. The Lord will put the roots of your face deeper in him and he will build that faith. And then he will confirm it or establish it. in other words God says to us that if we decide to walk with him or in him. Then he will save and sustain.

And let's look at this particular provision that we can draw from Percy said rooted not walking him rooted. It is an agricultural word and I by profession I am an agronomist or and agriculture graduate at work as an agricultural and I know exactly that when a plant does not root the roots of the flap does not go deeper that it is easily approved it.

No, they Construction in this the original language here use the word to mean that you don't once and for all having been rooted that means it has happened in the past and now God has done it for you. you should not be like a plant or a grass that doesn't have any Roots at all. That can easily be blown away by the air by every wind of Doctrine as Ephesians chapter 4 safe for 11 to 17. Or maybe if you don't have any Roots, then most likely you will be swayed by the words of sweet nothings the best deceivers inverse Ford birthday. But that's what they do. No questions about deeply rooted in Christ of God has determined them to be our our our become your plants that can easily be transplanted from one place to another now lately. We have plenty of those what they call that. maps maps maps not maps

we don't want those you don't want.

hey, I'm a farmer not the not a horticulturist, but No, they can easily be transplanted. Correct? You move them out and put them another and so on but this is not what all has in mind you're with. This is rooted in Christ net worth. Once we are rooted by faith in Christ, there is no need to change. You know this soil. All right, because the roots Dro Dro up the nourishment from from the rich or topsoil and the ground so that a tree planted on that which soil in ground will grow deep can grow The Roots can grow deeper which also gives stability and strength. No. a lot of us love bonsais No bonsais are plants that are beautiful, but they don't serve any they don't bear fruit that they usually once you pick them. That's the end. nothing Not a lot of Christians think of themselves as bonsais. They're very pretty. They can they can certainly look attractive and beautiful, but that's about it. no, the Bible speaks of Christians as the vine, you know, we are connected and are reconnecting and and and really the roots the Divine go deeper as well and they become strong and then so on but that he received that if we are rooted in Christ, then Our Roots can go deep and we have the strength and stability in whatever those false doctrines that the throw out as we recognize them right away because we know That's what Paul was telling the colossian questions that they need to have no worries about the spiritual soul that they're planted in because it is God's work. Not them. In other words their role is just to be there to be available for God to plant them so that they can grow roots and they can grow deeper.

and when they grow deeper

Bacon, basically face good times and bad times and they can always depend on the roots to bring them life-giving support because their rules are solidly planted in Christ.

There's another provision here rooted and built up now is he it routed the word rooted is an agricultural word built-up is an agricultural retirement small that use that pull you see Paul uses a lot of this metaphors to convey the truth that he is trying to teach. This one here is in the present tense. Meaning that it is being built up in this activate is continually happening you say you are planted once and for all It doesn't mean that you grow and stop at you. Stop growing there. That's why I hear you're planted you're rooted and then you continually keep on being built up.

Not to be built up in him means that there is obviously already a solid foundation. No brother. Renee can tell us this that when you build a structure it has to have a very strong Foundation.

There is growth there is progress now many of you have noticed the beautiful MGM Hotel and Casino right along i-495. No, when we were still living in Virginia almost every Sunday with pass by that area. And in going back to Virginia, you will technically see because it's a little bit elevated, you know elevated you can technically see when they were building the foundation of that hotel. You can see that then you can see the progress and every Sunday we pass there is always progress there is development there is and then finally it it was done beautiful infrastructure day. UC

it is good to look at when there is progress happening.

And you notice that there seems to be a connection in both of these words rooted and built up rooted has something to do with what with being the foundation having the foundation and then and the building of built-up is progressing or you can look at this as a plant and the building has one thing in common. They all grow they develop But the V belt that is specifically. It's pointing toward our goal know. I don't expect you to become mature right away. Once you become a believer. But there must be an Evidence an indication that you are being built at growing. Because in the same way that when a tree loses its roots, it's easily being toppled and the building that is partially built. It's not a nice thing to look at have you seen in the Philippines are a lot of those nice subdivisions that start with and then never finish. I've seen that. Very nice Prasad with all the names but that's about it. And then you see all grasses and all that because they were not able to finish the project and that there's not a very nice sight to behold.

No, bull here calls the Believers to grow in such a way that you're not visible progress is evident, right? He calls every Christian not just to be content of being partially constructed, you know to have partially constructed spiritualize. You can see your life has been partially constructed because you stopped growing.

Because people who know who Jesus is in their lives will keep building their spiritual lives day after day. Nano 3rd a probationary says the that being rooted and built up in him established in the face. Now the word has to do with constructing something to be both a strong and reliable. Which are also coincides with the word rooted and built up right? They do you hear that are walk-in in him or in Christ should result in the incremental increases of our street. Now, you know this it you will always notice in the same way that when we pass by every Sunday every week of the building that I notice the progress. I have the privilege of swell of working in DC while I was still in in in Virginia even here and the the the Smithsonian Museum of African American history. From beginning to end. I was there every day looking at that any progress is it brings brings a beautiful architectural form? weather this now

since being established in the fade is directly connected to do our a growth in terms of really understanding the Bible. This is what we have started this morning means that there is an ever-growing confidence confidence in the content of the word that we are all learning and reading not the doctrines that we're sorry. No vs 9 to 15 has all this doctrines that we tend to just maybe maybe ignore because we don't understand them but we see that these are Essentials. But we must have an order for us to start to be strengthened to be established. Nothing worse than the more you experience the the power of the word. the more that you come to trust in and when you pass the word then no amount of philosophical arguments and be looser than you know, you know other of ethical teachings that would dissuade you. Grand Buffet

Paul said okay you have to be rooted you have to be you have to be built up. Then you have to be established, but don't worry because that is what God is doing for you. And all you have to do is this in response bolo position that the second part of her seven abounding in Thanksgiving the appropriate appropriate appropriate response to God's activity and eating and working in a it is in the air is in in an expression that has to continually have it is in the active voice winning it. You do it continually. The word abounding in itself means literally is super abundance in excess. You know, this is what the sign meant when he said my cup runs over or what Jesus described when they said at Viva and it will be given you good measure pressed down shaken together and running over. the results of God's Roofing building up and establishing us is that we will exceedingly superabundantly express our thankfulness to superabundant gratitude is really only proper response and we saw of God's grace. Daddy's at work

When we recognize Jesus as the core of our Jesus centered Ministry. He transforms what we do as a church. Soda while in the process of being transformed burn transforming our ministry. He is also Transforming Our lives and our thoughts so that we start to have just the Jesus centered thinking.

And he's just a guess what we want. Pepsi ICC to be sure that we leave in this way. connected what we receive what we are giving or leaving.

We want to live this way. We wanted to teach in this way. Jesus entered Ministry and Jesus centered thinking.

We want to do all the people are all of our activities this week. In fact, we want to do our our our family's this way back we want to do we want to race kids maybe this way. In fact, we want to do our evangelism our community outreach this way. We want to do church this way. Jesus entered Ministry Ministry of reconciliation. That's the the message has told us last Sunday, and now focusing on Jesus Jesus entered think.

Maybe we would just allow God to work in our lives we can achieve this. We can do it. if we would only allowed to Lord the spirit, but they come from I doubt there's the bottom line.

Heavenly Father we thank you that.

You have one doesn't remind reminded Us in also.