The Pursuit Of Lasting Thanksgiving

The Pursuit Of Lasting Thanksgiving

Text: Colossians 2:6-10

Introduction

If thanksgiving is an expression that is worked in us by someone outside of us (the thought being Jesus Christ), then we should consider drawing closer to that source a very high priority.

There is a looming danger not too far from any of us who are believers in Christ; replacing God’s life giving truth for “so called” intellectualism (aka man’s philosophy).

Paul is writing with a heavy heart due to the influence of the Gnostics toward these believers. To put it simply, the Gnostics are teaching them doctrines of apostasy regarding Jesus being the Christ. Paul new the danger of this false dichotomy (a difference without a distinction; a false difference). For them to succeed in ripping the substantial truth of Jesus being the Christ, was to remove all confidence in Jesus being sufficient to deliver them from hell as well as life’s traps and temptations. This also resulting in removing any and all meaningful thanksgiving from them.

As Paul admonished them, let us also be directed toward the person (if abundantly pursued; abounding therein) who will gift us with lasting thanksgiving.

1) Receiving Christ = Thanksgiving (v6)

The beginning of receiving Christ comes from a loving work only God can do!

God must draw us to him.

God must do a work of life in us that we may come to Him, repent toward Him and rest our complete faith on Him!

Our receiving of Him = Him never losing us!

Now to approach the immediate context here:

to receive (tradition) v. — to formally receive authoritative teaching (as from an approved source).

These believers were taught the truths of Jesus through the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Let us just name a few biblical truths:

Jesus spoke many times of who His was (pre-existing, equal to the Father, creator, virgin born, truly God and truly man) and what only He could give (eternal life, forgiveness, grace, mercy…)

Truths for marriage and the family.

Truths regarding relationships.

Truths about prayer.

Truths about loving Him above all others.

Truths about giving.

Truths about reaching people with His Gospel.

Truths about life being about the Father’s will and not yours.

Truths about not being ashamed of Him.

Truths about God always supplying your needs.

He is coming again to receive you and judge the world.

Colossians 1:15-20 “15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

“So walk ye in him”

Out of everything else, those who have RECEIVED Christ, THIS is their greatest concern!

Psalm 37:3 “3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Every step you take plays a part in building your life!

Paul is saying, “Match your behavior to your Master.”

Quote: As we have received Christ, or consented to be his, so we must walk with him in our daily course and keep up our communion with him. [Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2332). Peabody: Hendrickson.]

Lasting thanksgiving is only to the life who abounds in Christ. He is our anchor in thanksgiving.

2) Advancing in Christ = Thanksgiving (v7)

A. Rooted in Christ

Here, notice the word “ROOTED” is PAST TENSE!

To God be the glory for rooting us in fertile ground!!!

However, it is up to YOU how deep your roots go.

Eph. 3:17 “17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,”

Quote: If we walk in him, we shall be rooted in him; and the more firmly we are rooted in him the more closely we shall walk in him: Rooted and built up. [Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2332). Peabody: Hendrickson.]

Let’s followed Paul’s root metaphor:

Methuselah Tree: On a mountain in California just north of Death Valley grows a gnarled and weather-beaten bristlecone pine. It is known as “Methuselah,” and it is well named for it is estimated to be forty-six hundred years old. When David was writing his psalms, old Methuselah had been growing and growing for some sixteen hundred years. When Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldees, old Methuselah had been growing for hundreds of years and was already a hardy veteran on earth. In fact, if its age is correctly estimated, Old Methuselah has been here since the days of the Flood. [Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary (Col 2:7). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.]

Outside of disease, natural disasters, loggers and fire, the main objective of the tree is to continue digging down and reaching out.

The further the branches reach upward and outward, the root reach downward.

Life for the tree is in the root tips.

For a tree to have an OUTWARD life, it must also have a hidden life!

Christians also have and outward life to live for the Lord. They must first learn to give Christ their hidden life.

B. Built up in Christ

Paul then uses the “building” metaphor:

Don’t miss the fact before there can be a building up, there must be a rooting down.

to be built up ⇔ be constructed v. — to be or become nearer to fullness or completion (as of moral strength or one’s conscience); conceived of as being or becoming constructed further.

Now, let think about the building process for a moment.....

There always has to be a cutting away/down before there can be a building up.

There is required time and resources to prepare a foundation to carry the soon coming load of the structure that has already been pre-determined to be built.

You man only see and feel the dozer blade, but truly, the concrete truck is on its way to provide you a stable footing.

One of the things I enjoy seeing are those buildings that I would call “timeless.”

They have stood for hundreds of years.

INDIVIDUALLY — A believer built up on Christ is TIMELESS.

CORPORATELY — A church built up on Christ is TIMELESS.

Timeless thanksgiving has followed moms, dads, husbands, wives, children, congregations, etc. when they all see the beauty of rooting deeper and building higher on CHRIST ALONE!

3) Christ Alone = Thanksgiving (vv8-10)

John 1:14 “14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Colossians 1:19 “19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;”

John 1:16 “16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”