You Cant Cancel Christmas
You Cant Cancel Christmas • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsYou cannot have hope at Christamas without Christ dying on the cross
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Hope for the Future is in a Cross
Hope for the Future is in a Cross
I hope you are standing firm in your faith this week and trusting God with whatever future He has in store for you.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Right before this - Paul says, look folks - I have never actually met some of you, but I want to encourage you by praying for you and let you know that I struggle for you.
He says to continue to walk in Christ. (they were being challenged by a number of contradictory thoughts and philosophies about spiritual things that were not matching up with what they were taught and knew about Jesus).
He says this directly to that point:
8 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 Christ.
Then Paul follows it with this point about Jesus:
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
This is a reference to Jesus coming to earth through Mary in a virgin birth!
Then the concept of being completely filled and covered by Jesus allows us to more clearly understand the idea of “walking in Christ”. He guides, He lifts up, He exhorts us,, He convicts us, He emotionally moves us toward love and care for others.
So “walking in Christ” is a process that Paul challenges us toward and recognize the importance of the cross in our spiritual lives.
Without the cross there is no hope for the future!
Check these next verse out - this is the text for today.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
It sounds alot like
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Look at the concept of being dead before Christ and then what brought us to life!
The great love of God!
vs 13 of Colossians 2
vs 13 of Colossians 2
You were dead.
God made you alive.
God forgave you.
Vs 14 of Colossians 2
Vs 14 of Colossians 2
I am now debt free!
What was my debt?
The legal requirements of the law which I was completely incapable of fulfilling on my own.
How was it cancelled?
nailing it to the cross!
Without the cross - we have no hope!
Why the cross?
It fulfills prophecy!
10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.
12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.
7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
Vs 15 of Colossians 2
Vs 15 of Colossians 2
The Results of the Cross
The Results of the Cross
The idea of being one with Christ
If he disarmed them then they are disarmed for us as well!
If he triumphed then we have triumphed as well