Sermon Tone Analysis

"Rooted in The Work of Christ"

Colossians 2:6-15

February 20, 2022

Ryan Fregoso

Go ahead and find Colossians chapter 2 this morning.

We'll be in verses 6-15.

When I first became a follower of Jesus, I did everything I could to stay close to Him.

I attended as many bible studies and small groups during the week as I could.

I served anywhere that I could.

I bought the biggest Study Bible that I could find.

I started buying books and tapes and CDs.

I worked at my pastor's home just so I can learn from him and listen to and read his resources.

I served in the nursery and the children's and youth groups.

I led bible studies, and even changed the plastic pages on the overhead projector during worship.

I loved church.

I loved the people of God.

I loved the Word of God.

The problem, however, is when life happens, we begin to re-prioritize our love for the church, for the people of God, for the Word of God.

Other times, we may allow the culture to influence our faith.

Paul, as we've discussed, is writing to a church that allowed this very thing to happen.

His concern was for the souls of the saints in Colossae.

And because of that concern, he writes these words, beginning in verse 6 of chapter 2:

6 THEREFORE, AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, SO WALK IN HIM,

7 ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM AND ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH, JUST AS YOU WERE TAUGHT, ABOUNDING IN THANKSGIVING.

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.

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.

11 IN HIM ALSO YOU WERE CIRCUMCISED WITH A CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS, BY PUTTING OFF THE BODY OF THE FLESH, BY THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST,

12 HAVING BEEN BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, IN WHICH YOU WERE ALSO RAISED WITH HIM THROUGH FAITH IN THE POWERFUL WORKING OF GOD, WHO RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.

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.

Here is the main idea from this passage:

We are rooted in Christ when we hold on to Christ, and Christ alone.

This is yet another great passage.

Paul here is - once again - bringing the Colossians back to Jesus.

He's making it incredibly clear here that they are saved by Christ, and Christ alone.

He is asserting that the finished work of Christ is enough.

I think it was John MacArthur who said: "Christ plus nothing equals everything."

There are some observations in this passage that I believe are important to note.

First, we see that Paul gives us the first command in this passage.

Did you see it?

Verse 6 - THEREFORE, AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, SO WALK IN HIM

Yes, "WALK IN HIM." But, before we camp there, we need to read this verse along with verse 7: THEREFORE, AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, SO WALK IN HIM, ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM AND ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH, JUST AS YOU WERE TAUGHT, ABOUNDING IN THANKSGIVING

Quick reminder - these two verses are the theme verses of this sermon series.

Because they are so dense with practical details of the Christian faith, so we're going to camp here for a few minutes.

Again, we see the first command of this epistle - which is to WALK IN HIM.

Notice, however, the rest of these verses.

There is a wonderful progression involved in the maturing of the saints.

It begins with walking in Him, only after we have received Him (Jesus).

This idea of walking with Christ calls us back to John 15, where Jesus says we are to abide in Him.

This idea of abiding is to make a permanent residence with Jesus.

We are to be living with Him.

Think about what that means.

Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father.

He has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us.

This is to say that He is present in the lives of Christians.

True Christians who have received Him.

Now, Paul has talked about this receiving of the Gospel already but notice here that he speaks of receiving Christ.

So, Paul is saying, "since you've received Him, you must walk in Him."

Another way of looking at this, is to live out your faith.

Living out your faith can happen in a number of ways.

This might mean making difficult decisions on behalf of your family or in your job.

This might mean breaking off relationships that remove you from focusing on Christ.

This might mean you remove a hobby or activity in your life that takes your focus off Christ.

After I became a Christian back in 1999, I eventually had to leave my friends behind.

They were no good for me, and I didn't want to be associated with them any longer.

This is made possible, only through being rooted in Him.

We've talked about this a number of times in this series already.

Paul says that we are to be, "ROOTED AND BUILT UP." What's interesting about this phrase is - first, that it seems contradictory to the idea of walking - but more specifically, it is one phrase, one thought process that Paul is discussing.

He is saying that once we have a firm and rooted foundation, we are able to grow.

We are able grow outwardly.

We are able to grow in our faith.

In our influence.

And in our reach for the Kingdom.

It is essential that we are sharing our faith with others.

You can do that in a number of ways.

Maybe at work, you pray before your meal.

This may lead to someone asking you why you do this, and it may give you an opportunity to share your faith with someone.

When you are going about struggles or difficulties, how are you dealing with them?

Are you joyful?

Or bitter?

How you respond, may determine how others perceive you, and they may want to learn more about this joy.

Or maybe you travel a lot.

There's a soul that you can witness to on that plane.

Ask the Lord to give you these opportunities.

Then, Paul reminds the church that they have been established in the faith.

This idea of established means that they have been fully convinced of the Gospel and the Man of Christ.

Throughout this epistle, Paul is reminding the saints here that they have heard the Gospel (from the Apostolic teachings), they have received Christ, and they are true believers because they have been fully convinced and established in their faith.

Because of this, he says, that they ought to be abounding in thanksgiving.

We've seen this idea already twice before in this epistle.

In chapter one, verse 3, Paul expresses his thankfulness for them, and in chapter one, verse 12 Paul encourages them to be thankful.

This thankfulness is - in a way - the least we can do for the gift of salvation.

Paul is exhorting this church to live out their faith.

Obviously, there is a reason for this set up. Paul is about to warn them about a critical issue in their church.

Naturally, each week, there has been a verse that has stood out or that is difficult, so there is no surprise that we see it here in this passage as well.

When we get to verse eight, we read these words: 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."

This verse is a direct call back to verse 4, which we read last week: I SAY THIS IN ORDER THAT NO ONE MAY DELUDE YOU WITH PLAUSIBLE ARGUMENTS.

The language in the Greek is a lot more powerful than what we have here in the ESV.