Colossians 1:24-29
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to First Community Church where we worship God in Spirit and in Truth, one verse at a time!
Well here we are , Christmas week is upon us and we all have so much to be grateful for.
May this Christmas, we take time out to reflect on the birth of Jesus and really contemplate what this means for us and for the whole world.
It is my heart that each time we meet that we would know Jesus more, know what he wants us to do, and deal with the issues of our hearts.
The end result of all we do should be to be like Jesus, to learn how to love well and serve more.
Prayer
Prayer
Read Colossians 1:19-29
Read Colossians 1:19-29
Today we are going to look at a section of scripture which shows us what the ideal servant of Christ really is.
Church, the Apostle Paul’s life was a great example of a true minister of the gospel.
We could call it a mini minister’s manual for effective ministry.
We will learn some principles to live by every day.
So just because this is written about Paul, it does not mean that there are not some nuggets of truth and practical application for our lives.
But before we dive in, lets look back to last week.
Review
Review
Paul wrote Colossians to refute the false teachers (Gnostics) that were coming into this small church at Colossae.
Over the last few weeks we have learned that Jesus Christ is enough. The Gnostics were attempting to teach that Jesus was not enough and that it needed to be Jesus, plus their secret knowledge.
Paul makes it clear here in the first 23 verses that Jesus must be Preeminent, number One in the life of the church and in our own lives.
What happens when you cut the head off of a chicken or anythings for that matter? It dies church!!
Some of the phrases we’ve looked at:
Some of the phrases we’ve looked at:
1:15 He is the image of the invisible God,
If you want a clear picture of what God is like, look at the best picture God has left us – Jesus.
1:16 For by Him all things were created …
Jesus is the Creator. He has created everything, the heavens, the earth, EVERYTHING.
1:17 and in Him all things consist.
He not only made everything, Jesus is the glue that holds it all together. He holds everything together church, not just the universe, but you and me as well.
Now, stop and think about this for a moment! Jesus is the glue that holds everything together. Why is it, we struggle with going to Him, with spending time with Him, with trusting Him church?
1:18 that in all things He may have the preeminence.
All these things point to one thing – Jesus is the one who holds “first place” in the Universe. Jesus needs to be “first place” in our lives as well.
Who’s sitting in the pilot’s seat in your life? Who makes the decisions?
:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
We saw very clearly that Jesus is fully God. We looked at just a few of the many passages that show that Jesus is God. There are over a hundred passages that show us Jesus is fully God!
:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
Our sin is really bad, but Jesus has made things right with God on the cross. He has reconciled us to God and giving us the ministry of reconciliation!
If we have been reconciled in Christ, back unto God, He has placed us all in the ministry. Not just pastors, but all of us here today and all of us listening on line.
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
We are ambassadors for Christ church!
Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
We cannot make yourself a fisher of men!
We must Follow Jesus!
This is where we stopped last week, so I want to pick up here:
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross paid the the full penalty for the sin of all who believe
It is here that reconciliation made possible church
If we have been reconciled in Christ church, then guess what?
Jesus desires to present His bride holy, blameless, and above reproach
Holy refers to our positional relationship to God.
There was a great exchange church! He exchanged our sinfulness, for His righteousness. The theological way of saying this is Justification.
Therefore, we are blameless and above reproach, because of the blood of the Lamb church
Blameless means without blemish
Above reproach means no one can bring a charge against you.
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
We saw in the last text God’s Sovereignty
Here we see mans responsibility
Being made Holy, Blameless, and above Reproach can only happen if you continue in the faith
If you have been reconciled in Christ, then the process of sanctification is going on in your life
Those that have been reconciled will persevere in the faith, they will be grounded and steadfast in the Gospel, they will trust and obey in the Lord and desire to do what is good and pleasing in His sight.
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
This verse dispels the teaching of once saved, always saved here church!
Our belief, must be proven by our behavior! To say that we are Christians, but live a life that is no conducive to the teachings of scripture is self-deception.
It does not mean, that we all don’t fall short of God glory, but it does mean that we continue in the faith when we fall because we are grounded!
A person that is reconciled in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ, will not defect from the gospel they heard.
It means that the person that is reconciled in Christ will remain solid that Jesus is Preeminent, that He is the Cornerstone in their foundation and that it is not Jesus plus this or that!
This is the disciple church that recognizes teaching that is apart form the Word of God, this is the disciple that recognizes that their is compromise going on, this is the disciple like Paul who says that is wrong!
Paul used an architectural image in this verse—a house, firmly set on the foundation. The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes, and the word translated “moved away” can mean “earthquake stricken.” Paul was saying, “If you are truly saved, and built on the solid foundation, Jesus Christ, then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you. You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ, and He has saved you.”
In other words, we are not saved by continuing in the faith. But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved. It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God (2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Peter 1:10ff).
So we see here, that Paul was made a minister and the the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven. It has no boundaries! It has no boundaries!
Here we see Paul shift is train of thought to how He became a minister.
Minister- diakonos- n. — a person working in the service of another, a servant of the King, a messenger. We get our word deacon from this.
Even though Paul is talking about himself here, we are all diakonos’ of the King
Jesus ministry is one of serving one another
Did you know that there is over 50 one another’s in the Bible?
Love one another John 13:34 5-6xs
Serve one another
Forgive one another
Greet one another
Carry one another’s burdens
Wash one another’s feet
Honor one another above yourself
Church, when is the last time your served another???
I have found that those who struggle with mental health, that have been hurt, and traumatized in one form or another, when they step out of the pain and start serving others, God heals their hearts.
Illustration- my testimony.... Serving during the holidays>>>
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
There is a chance church, that Paul’s enemies made much of the fact that the great apostle was a prisoner of Rome.
The false teachers in Colossae probably ridiculed Paul and used this as a weapon to fight the truth of the Gospel. But Paul turned this weapon around and used it to defeat his enemies and to build a closer relationship with the church in Colossae.
Paul did not choose to be a minister church, God called Him and God made Him a minister church!
If a person goes into the ministry without the call of God on their life, they will burn out or eventually leave....
Is God calling you? Are you running from the call like Jonah did? Like Paul? How about the disciples when Jesus was crucified? the only one left was John! Are you called?
Now we are all called to the ministry of reconciliation, right?
But guess what church, there might be a few of y’all that God is calling to full-time ministry
As a Pastor
A youth director
A youth Pastor
A Worship Pastor
A Care Pastor
An Evangelist
A elder
a deacon
A greeter
A volunteer
Janitorial
Here is the reality church, God has gifted each one of you for service, He has given us gifts, talents, and abilities to bless His holy name, to serve in our churches, families, and communities and this is all ministry...
But what happens if we do not use those gifts?
Do we become discouraged or even depressed?
Do we begin to become full fo self instead of full of Christ?
I want to pause here today In Colossians because we are talking about the ministry and the talents that God has given us, and see what Jesus says about the abilities He has given us:
Read Matthew 25:14-30
Read Matthew 25:14-30
Each servant in this parable was given money (a talent was worth about twenty years’ wages) according to his ability.
The man with much ability was given five talents; the man with average ability received two talents; the man with minimal ability received one talent.
The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities.
If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility.
But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced, degraded, and discouraged and even depressed.
God assigns work and opportunity according to ability.
We are living in the period of time between Matthew 25:18 and 19.
There is a lot of burying going on!
Church, we have been assigned our ministries according to the abilities and gifts God has given us.
It is our privilege to serve the Lord and multiply His goods.
The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful. The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord. The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth. Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them! He did not purposely do evil. But by doing nothing, he was committing sin and robbing his Lord of service and increase.
Are you faithful with the talents (abilities) God has given you? Or are you burying them?
What is stopping you from using the gifts that God has given you church?
In this parable the third servant was unfaithful and therefore was unrewarded.
Because this man was afraid he might fail, he never tried to succeed. He feared life and his responsibilities.
This paralyzed him with anxiety, so he buried the talent to protect it. The least he could have done was put the money in a bank and collect some interest. There was no real risk in that.
What we do not use for the Lord, we are in danger of losing.
The master reprimanded the unfaithful, unprofitable servant, and then took his talent from him. The man with the most talents received the extra talent.
It is possible that the one-talent man thought that his one talent was not really very important. He did not have five talents, or even two. Why worry about one?
Because he was appointed as a steward by the Lord. Were it not for the one-talent people in our world, very little would get accomplished. His one talent could have increased to two and brought glory to his master.
What are you doing with your talents church?
You know it is said that in the church that 10% of the people do 90% of the work.
This is only a true statement if you are not using your talents!
God has gifted us to bless the body of Christ, to bless other church, let us allow Him to enable us to glorify His name.
Be cautious that you do not make excuses or rationalize away what He has called you to do!
Prayer
Prayer
Announcements
Announcements
Are there any announcements?
Benediction
Benediction
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Next week we will learn the marks of the ministry!
Merry Christmas!
The Lord Bless you!
Your Mission Starts Now!