THE ONLY ATONEMENT Pastor Jeff 10-13-19

THE ONLY ATONEMENT Before I begin with today’s text which is out of Colossians, I want to use what I would say is the defining scripture of this particular book, the words that most embody the teaching in it. I hope to answer some questions I have been asked recently. First, regarding Jesus: Col 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, (ESV) Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (KJV) Christ is called the second part of the Godhead, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The Trinity, three distinct persons but One God. So, Colossians is clear, Jesus is all in all. He contains all the Godhead in His body. When you gaze into the Saviors face, you look into the face of God. FULLNESS OF GOD. 2nd, regarding man: Col 2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (ESV) Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (KJV) Col 2:10 And ye are, in him, filled full,—Who, is the head of all principality and authority, (ROTHERHAM) (Show glass half full, nearly full, truly full.) clear glass, red liquid When you repented of your sin and surrendered your heart to the Lord, you were soundly saved. Would you say fully saved? Completely saved? Fully forgiven? Completely forgiven? As a professing Bible Believing Christian, are you saved or nearly saved? Are you Righteous or still working on it? Are you Holy, or are you just on a path that hopefully, with enough study and good works under your belt, one day will lead to that goal? Please, brothers and sisters, be careful with your mindset, regarding the Sacrifice of our Messiah. Today we look at the only atonement. The one true lasting reconciliation. Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Col 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, In this deep declaration about the death and glory of Christ, the Apostle Paul refers to the Cross. In relation to the whole Cosmos, the heavens, Jesus is its Originator, it’s Sustainer, it’s Goal; in relation to the Chaos, mankind, Christ is it’s Redeemer, it’s Reconciler, it’s Restorer. Our key scripture is broken into THREE parts: 1. The Need of Reconciliation 2. The Way of Reconciliation 3. The Purpose of Reconciliation The Cross is the center of everything. Christ Himself is at the center and all things, all things are upheld and consist by His Power. The power of the Cross has no bounds. In the atmosphere filled with His Glory, the Cross fills the soul with AWE. It brings me to tears. I know breadth my sinfulness and just how far I had to be pulled out of the muck. I know I didn’t deserve it. The thought of our SAVIOR bleeding and nailed to that cursed tree should bring us to our knees spiritually in brokenness over our sin. The goal the message this morning is to remind you of the great price paid for your salvation and to share the good news, the Gospel with those who are still in their sin and in need of reconciliation with God. Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Col 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 1. The Need of Reconciliation We can interpret the meaning of reconciliation by the term Atonement, using the simple meaning of that word. Church fathers used to say the word mean at-one-ment. As in being brought into at-one-ment with God. Is there a need for this? Has man lost his at-one-ment with God? The Apostle says yes and describes the condition as, “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.” This is the truth concerning man’s sin. “Alienated.” Paul didn’t mean that sinners were aliens, but the fact that they were alienated. It declares an action by God. They were alienated, cut off from fellowship with God by an act of God. It was perfectly righteous because of man’s own sin. Alienation in Greek means “you were made to be strangers.” That alienation makes reconciliation necessary. We are always in danger of forgetting the truth and value of these two action words. Both recognize Gods Sovereignty. God is in control. In the presence of The Cross, declaring the need for reconciling, Paul stated that man is alienated from God by the act of God. The turning away from God by man results in the definite act on the part of God, he shuts man away from fellowship with Himself. Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; Isa 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. Sinning man can still pray, come to church, speak the name of Jesus, sing in the sanctuary, try to intellectually understand the doctrines of Christianity…and still have no personal fellowship with God. The Lord will not admit him to that fellowship. NO ONE can see the Lord without HOLINESS. Still in your sin, there is no fellowship. “Hostile in mind.” God’s attitude toward man in his sin, creates an attitude of enmity toward God. Look at it like this, God is forever at war with human failure, making no peace with it, making no excuse for it, so man is forever at war with the will of God. If you doubt it, give a listen to Godless Hollywood, listen to Godless Professors on College Campus’ today, listen to Godless Politicians every day, pushing God further out of American life, with laws that support criminals over victims, that push laws making it easier to murder unborn babies, getting ever closer to openly legalizing infanticide. Man has declared war on God because He exposes their sin and dark evil with light, they cannot tolerate the light of Holiness. God is at war with sin in every human, and with everyone who is sinning. God is angry with the wicked every day, the wrath of God abides on the ungodly. The Gospel message of God’s love for mankind thru the Cross of Christ, His love for righteousness and purity and hatred of sin and wrong is meant to draw men to Himself. And it does, for those who will humble themselves, repent and believe in the Savior. But mostly man chooses rebellion, man hates God because God hates man’s sin. So, we understand the phrase “Hostile in mind.” “doing evil deeds” All activities out of harmony with the will of God are evil. People justify their deeds by separating them as vulgar or respectable. But all Godless life is evil life. A person may not blaspheme the name, he may not write some book to prove God does not exist, he may put up Christmas lights every year and color Easter eggs with the kids, but if he refuses to hear about the death of Jesus to save men’s souls, then all his deeds are evil. You might think, that’s not fair. The Father gives all people, even wretched sinners, hope in a world destitute of real love. His gift of Grace is answered with defiance and “evil deeds”. 2. The Way of Reconciliation How can there be reconciliation between God and man in that state of godlessness? Let’s look at the first part of v 10: Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Col 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, Mankind was alienated by God. This Man lived the life of perfect fellowship with God. Mankind’s alienated spirit is an enemy of God and his physical life performs evil works. This Man had full friendship with God and went about doing good works. “in his body of flesh” refers to the actual human life of Jesus of Nazareth. How is His flesh any different from ours? A dramatic contrast. Jesus was human as we are, but by this comparison, He is seen as entirely different than me and you. Our lives and deeds were evil and Christ’s were only good. Now we must understand, His marvelous life does not get mankind into the realm of reconciliation. Not by what He was in the body of His flesh can He reconcile sinful man. The overwhelming truth comes from the next three words…”by His death”. By His horrific Glorious death alone are we saved. The incarnation, the life of Christ itself is not reconciliation. By its nature it cannot be. The perfect life of Jesus is the sternest foe of sinful man. His fair and beautiful life condemns me and my sinning life. His teaching, the ethic He revealed as being the will of God for man, simply makes me conscious of my humiliation. It’s impossible for me to reach His ideal. His deeds were directed against the very evil works that I lived in daily. There is still no reconciliation in His life. But this Man died. If we could be saved by His sinless life, then the Cross was a useless and awful reflection of Gods power and wisdom. Jesus must die. Act 2:23  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  What is death? It is the penalty of sin. We can’t escape the word penalty. Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death. So, here is the mystery, the Sinless died. This Man died. God help us to remember, before the Cross of Calvary we were blind. Now in the mystery of that Cross, this One upon whom our eyes have been resting is not in conflict with God. He is working together with God. 2Co 5:19  that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  3. The Purpose of Reconciliation Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Col 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, The ultimate purpose is that we should be Holy. No longer alienated, but in fellowship with life and holy in character as He is. We should be without blemish, no longer enemies, but by love satisfying love. We should be unreproveable, no longer workers of evil, but pleasing to Him in all things. Atonement was necessary. God cannot be reconciled to man in his sin. Man must be reconciled to God in His Holiness. The Crucified Christ has set man free. On the Cross our sin was imputed to Jesus, and His righteousness and Holiness was imputed to us. In Christ, we will stand before the Throne of God as though we had never sinned. NOTHING IN MY HAND I BRING SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING. PRAISE TEAM If we will so come, we will know reconciliation. Do you know the Savior who paid it all on the Cross? I hope I introduced you to Him today.