Our Absolute Fullness In Christ

Introduction

Over the next several weeks we are going to look at some Absolutes that Christ brings into our lives.

Our Absolute Fullness in Christ - He brings us to completeness

Our Absolute Forgiveness in Christ - He brings us to peacefulness

Our Absolute Freedom in Christ - He brings us to victory

Paul begins the chapter with a focus on his internal struggle toward the Colossians and others in the region

He has not had the opportunity to meet them personally

He is aware of the presence of false teaching

He is concerned for their spiritual health

Like Paul, we need to be aware of the dangers of false teachings and be prepared to give a defense for the hope within us according to 1 Peter 3:15

The lie that Paul addresses in this passage is that a Christian can still be lacking completeness, that they still need something more than Christ

Body

Fullness of Christ commences with the knowledge of Christ (vs. 1-3)

The knowledge that we can be encouraged in heart 

“be encouraged” - parakaleo - to call near or invite - this is the root word from which comes the Greek word paraclete which is the Holy Spirit

The idea is similar to a child crawling in bed with his parents after a nightmare, or a child holding to their father’s leg in order to fall safe, their proximity brings courage

We need to be encouraged to draw near to God

In Exodus 3 when God spoke to Moses, God instructed Moses to draw near to Him

In 1 Samuel 14:36, the priest encouraged Saul to draw near to God before moving forward with his plans

The Psalmist writes in 73:28 that it is good for Him to draw near to God

Hebrews 7:19 speaks of a better hope through which we can draw near to God

Each of us needs to draw near to God

the unbeliever for the first time

the believer, to restore a distant relationship

The knowledge that we can be united in love

The knitting process of believers means that we come into contact with one another at varying places in our lives and are in close proximity to one another always

God calls us together to learn from and lean upon one another

That happens for believers in the local church

The knowledge that we can be settled in understanding

If we are to stand for the truth and to be united around the truth we must know the truth

Discipleship is of extreme importance

Fullness of Christ continues with a firm rooting and establishing of the faith (vs. 6-7)

“Walk in Him”

To dwell with or live within

To conduct all of our lives within the confines of our relationship with Him

Be Rooted

You must grow down before you can grow up

There must be a firm foundation laid - 1 Corinthians 3:11 “for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

Roots provide an anchor and a source of nourishment

Be Built up

It’s not enough to have a foundation, there needs to be a building

The foundation provides stability, the building provides shelter for others

Fullness of Christ concludes with a completion of Christ’s work in you (vs. 8-10)

Philippians 1:6 - “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”

God will complete His work 

Here and Hereafter

Eternal life is assured for the Christian

“are complete” indicates a present state

We have all we need to do His will

We’ve got all of God we need, the question is does God have all of us?

Conclusion