Colossians 1:21-23 / Need to Know

Introduction

Every christian should know their personal story of reconciliation.

Because we have been changed…for a purpose.

Things we should know...

Know who you were

Colossians 1:21 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

You were Alienated

estranged with our relationship

Used 3x’s in NT – none of them good.

We hear of the Parodical Son

Rejoice when he returned

but while he was gone...

Lived for pleasure not honor

Failed at happiness

Lost everything

Maybe you would point to very successful “worldy” people

How many have died because everything meant nothing.

Jesus asked, “What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?”

You were Hostile in mind

belligerent with our thinking

Wait… I was never “hostile”

many in our day still say they are Christian

they are sincere.

This points to how we think.

This is talking about the we we think.

Which is source of much problems

James 4:1–4 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Where do argument originate … our inward passions. (what we desire)

What gives us away? our prayers.

Worldly prayers sound different than kingdom prayers

Worldly seeks my happiness

Kingdom seeks God’s glory.

How can Paul say we were HOSTILE?

(because) “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Everyone makes a choice.

You were depraved with our actions

Some of your have no comment here

Based on James 4

You were living for yourself!!!

Know what was done.

Colossians 1:22 ESV

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,

More specifically...

He (Christ Jesus) has now reconciled us into His body of flesh.

Death and resurrection offered reconciliation for us to God.

We were stuck without a means to get out.

Parents who were stuck in Connersville.

This story doesn’t have a happy ending.

We had no hope to fix what was broken.

Knowing what was done is about acknowledging who Jesus is.

Gnostic heresy

deny who we were

deny what Jesus accomplished

All about denying WHO JESUS IS.

Know why it was done.

Colossians 1:22 ESV

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,

Before and after Christ reconciled you.

Alienated ------> Holy

Hostile ---------> Blameless

Doing evil -----> Above Reproach

How you used to be described vs NOW

Only Christ can do that.

Holy & blameless

Above reproach

I thought that was only for like leaders and stuff.

Staying Power

We have been changed now it’s OUR responsibility to hold onto it.

“Continue”, be “stable and steadfast”, “don’t shift”

These are things WE CONTROL!

Being a Christian is not a passive lifestyle choice like controlling our sugar intake. There are things we must guard against.

Cultural shifts

False teaching

Personal desires that would pull us away from our savior.

Also about having the right mindset...

Christian is like a roller coaster

You have ups and downs

I “kind of” agree.

But what about when you get half way through and the ride stops.

And you stuck sitting there in the hot sun.

And you’re thinking, “This is not why I got on this ride.”

There are times when being a Christian is exactly like a roller coaster.

Thrilling and scary.

Makes your stomach feel weird.

Makes your heart race.

Sometimes its kind of like the queue line.

Tons of people you don’t really know that well

There is noise, and smells,

Somethings interesting, some distracting, some annoying

You’re happy your there but hope your kids behave.

You know what this verse is telling you?

Stay put!

Don’t turn back looking for some thing better.

Think about where you were

Think what’s been done to allow you to be here.

STAY PUT

It will be worth it.