The Truth, The Gospel

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is, as always, an honor to steward this pulpit with the expressed intention of sharing the Word of God with our congregation.

Today we are beginning a new series, walking through the book of Colossians. This series as been entitled: “Living the Christian Life”

Throughout this study we will see Paul address a wide range of topics for the purpose of assisting the Christians in Colossae live their lives for the glory of God.

In our culture today, we are familiar with the phrase “Living the Life.” It’s usually used to describe someone who seemingly has it all figured out. They drive the best cars, they have have the best house, they have the perfect family. Every post they have on social media looks like they are in some new grand adventure. “Man, that guy is out there living the life.” Typically we see someone who has everything we think we want and does everything we think we want to do, and say, “Wow, now that’s living.”

Bit the problem is that, even if we were able to attain everything that person has, we still wouldn’t be satisfied.

In 2018, Lifeway Research put out an Article entitled “Why We are Bored and Never Satisfied”

In the article they quote Mathematician and Theologian Blaise Pascal as saying, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

I think we can identify with this statement. Even with all fo the technological advances in the world that we enjoy, its still not enough. We still look at others and think, “Man now that’s living the life!” Despite all of physical needs being met, the vast array of delicacies we have access too, and the smartphones in our hands that have access to entertainment options unimaginable just decades ago and more computing power than what was used to send the first man to the moon!

The things we have and the things we experience may temporarily numb our boredom, but they don’t elimate the problem. It just rears its head in new directions.

That same article mentioned Stephanie Land, an author who spent time cleaning homes for some very wealthy people. She would clean children’s bedrooms that were bigger than her entire apartment. They would have blankets that cost more than her car.

“After two years of cleaning large homes filled with empty lives, Stephanie concluded the larger the home, the harder the people worked to afford it, and the more pills were needed to get through the misery.”

“After scouring scientific research on boredom and interviewing hundreds of people about their own personal boredom, a group of psychologists concluded that boredom is much more than simply “not having anything to do,” especially in our culture as there is always something to occupy time.

Rather the psychologists concluded that boredom is “the unfulfilled desire for satisfying activity.” In other words, people are bored because their desire to be satisfied is unfulfilled.”

Even those that we think are “Living the Life” are dissatisfied and bored! They are unfulfilled. Even still, we see self-help book after self-help book, article after article, telling us how to finally live our best lives now, how to finally find the satisfaction we all desire.

The problem is that even if we were to attain the success promised from those sources, we would still be dissatisfied. We’d still be looking at someone else who “has it better” than us and think that they’re “Living the life”.

The big issue is that the world is trying to provide pragmatic solutions for a spiritual problem. The true path to “living the life” isn’t found in the world. It’s found in Christ. You want satisfaction and success? Don’t compare your life to those on a path to destruction, set your life on the foundation of Christ and measure your life on your faithfulness to Him! The only way to truly be living the life is to be living the Christian life. And I’m not talking about adding some contrived religious practices into your daily routine, I’m talking about repenting from your sin, and resting in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who gives you your worth and satisfaction!

Paul, the author of the book we are beginning to study this morning, used his life to point others to the only way to truly be living, that is in submission to Jesus Christ. Look at what he wrote to the Philippians:

Philippians 3:17–21 ESV

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

When we imitate those who are obsessed with earthly things, those who will never truly find the satisfaction they seek, we are bound to get caught up in their cycles of destruction.

But the good news for all of us here today is that there is a BETTER way! This is the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When you, by the grace of God, believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior who paid the price of your sin, your citizenship is transferred from this world full of dissatisfaction, to heaven! You life becomes about waiting for the Jesus to bring you to glory. But this waiting is not passively twiddling our thumbs! In understanding that Christ has reconciled you to God, you come to understand that God has a plan and a purpose for your life. You understand that He has prepared good works for you to accomplish. You understand that God has drafted you to work for Him. You understand that life isn’t about getting the next biggest and best “thing”, but about serving the Biggest and Best God!

A friend of mine who writes about Christian productivity put it this way, “My life is a stewardship from God to be used for bringing Him glory through bearing good works, according to His gifting, resulting in my reward.”

As we embark on this journey through the book of Colossians, the Holy Spirit, speaking to us through the pen of the apostle Paul, is equipping us not just to “live the life” that leads to destruction, but to “Live the CHRISTIAN life” that brings glory to God!

With that in mind, would you open your Bibles, if you haven’t already to the book of Colossians.

In this letter, Paul is addressing a group of Christians in Colossae. Their pastor, Epaphras has visited Paul and told him about the wonderful things going on in the church. Epaphras has also told Paul about the cultural challenges his congregation is facing. Paul writes this letter to encourage the group to keep strong in the faith. We will see throughout this letter very practical implications of the gospel in our lives. But the applications of the gospel first begin with an understanding of the gospel. Look with me at verses 1-2

Colossians 1:1–2 ESV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

I’ve recently spoken about the introduction to the letters written by the apostles to the churches throughout the New Testament, so I won’t be spending too much time here today. However, we should all note that this letter which spends the latter half going through very specific and practical applications of the gospel, is written to “The saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.”

Why is this important? Because while the second half of the letter goes through practical applications to be employed in everyday life, the first half of this letter is very theological and focussed on explaining the gospel.

We need to make note of this because it tells us that we never graduate past the gospel. I don’t care if you have been in the church all of your life. You never grow past the necessity of understanding, digesting, and ruminating on the gospel.

Paul knows that he is writing to a group of believers. He knows that these people know and confess the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the atonement of sin. And yet he spends this entire first chapter going into great detail about the person of Christ and the truth of the gospel!

We may and should grow in our maturity in the faith, but we never grow past the gospel.

Let’s look now at the teaching on the gospel given to the church of Colossae.

Colossians 1:3–4 ESV

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,

The very first teaching and reminder we are given here is that The Gospel is Received by Faith.

Paul says that he has been praying for the church ever since he has heard of their faith in Christ Jesus.

Had the church not had faith in Christ, they would not be the church. They would not be the “saints and the brothers in Christ at Colossae!

George Michaels was wrong on a lot of things, but even a broken clock is right twice a day, and there is truth the statement, “I gotta have faith,” is absolutely correct. Nothing else in that song is worth a lick, but we do have to gave faith.

But the question is, what is real faith, what does faith in Christ Jesus really mean? Is it simply intellect assent? Saying Yes, Jesus is the Christ and leaving it at that? The book of James shows us that right intellectual knowledge without any impact on what you do is not faith at all. If you call that faith, you must call it dead faith. Real, God-given, living faith stirs us to not merely assenting to intellectual understanding of who Jesus is, but also to repentance from understanding how lost we are without Him! In understanding that Jesus died for our sin we understand the seriousness of our sin nature. We understand the righteous demands of a holy God. We are thus inspired and empowered to turn from sin and turn to the Lord. Faith in Jesus Christ is not just understanding who He is, but what He’s done, why He’s Done it, and how He changes you!

We see this play out all over Scriptrue, but also in our text today. Look at the end of verse four. Not only is the gospel received by Faith, but that faith results in Love.

This is not some simple expression of shared affection. All the saints, that is all those who are being sanctified by the Lord, being made holy, are joined together in super-familial love bonded together in truth.

2 John 6 tells us that love is walking according to the commandments of the Lord.

When we know Jesus Christ as Lord, as it says there in verse 3, we are united in mutual submission and following of the Lord. True faith in the gospel results in true love for other believers. That love is a reflection of the love Christ has for us. Christ is OUR Lord. We are joyful citizens of His Kingdom. We are united together with all others who share in the faith of Jesus Christ.

This does not mean that we will always have some sort of strong, emotional attachment towards every other believer. Biblical love is stronger than emotion! Biblical love is being willing to sacrfice for one another. To bear one another's burdens, to share with one another, to fellowship with one another, to walk with one another. Even when we don’t have a strong emotional connection. There are times where are personalities clash with one another. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, we may not always have the strongest affection for one another, but you better believe, that as Paul wrote here to the chruch in Colossae, I thank God for you, I pray for you, and I love you.

We must be willing and ready to sacrificially love our brothers and sisters in Christ, even if we don’t always feel strong emotions. Love is not about feeling, it is about truth.

While we are still in this world of sin battling this flesh, we struggle with interpersonal relationships, but we must maintain sacrificial unity amoungst the brethren because we know one day, those people sitting next to us in the pews, if they truly share in the faith of Jesus Christ, the truth of the gospel, that they will be beside us singing praises to our Lord in glory. If Christ loved me enough to sacrifice His life for me, and if Christ loved you enough to sacrifice His life for you, then I better understand your value, love you and be willing to sacrifice my life for you! That is what is to have love for the saints. In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus laid down His life completely for us even though we’re undeserving sinners. In reflection of the Love Christ has for us, we must be willing to sacrifice things in our lives for our friends, our co-laborers, are family in the Lord.

The gospel is received by faith and results in love. It also Reserves us Hope

Look at verse 5

Colossians 1:5 ESV

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

The faith and the love seen in the members of the chruch at Colossae is tied together with the hope that is laid up, that means actively reserved, for the believers in heaven.

Christian you can continue to holdfast to your faith in Jesus Christ and actively love your brothers and sisters in Christ because you can take it to the bank, that no matter how dismal your circumstances may be, heaven is coming. Truthfully, we aren’t given a whole lot of details about what heaven will be like in Scripture. I believe this is because our finite minds are unable to comprehend what it will be like. We don’t have the categories in our human language to give it an accurate description.

While I may not be able to give you the specific itenerary for a day in heaven, I can tell you this. It’s better than anything I could ever say anyways. Why is it so great? Because Jesus is there. We will be in the presence of God without the remnants of sin. What a day that will be. Knowing that we will be in the presence of the Lord gives us blessed hope to cling to our faith and love our Christian family On a day to day basis, regardless of the hardship we go through. After talking about being in the presence of God, it says in 2 Corintians

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The weight of glory is beyond any comparison. We do not have the ability to accurately describe what that will be. I tell you this, I have hope in that day. Not hope in the sense we normally use it. Like when we want something to happen but aren’t sure if it actually will. This faith fueled hope gives us confidence that its coming and I'm gonna be there. Not only have I punched my ticket, but God gave it to me through the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the atonement of my sin.

The reason I have this hope, the reason all Christians have this hope, is because of the truth of the gospel. Look back at verse 5 once more.

Colossians 1:5 ESV

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

The faith, love, and hope of the Colossian church is both from and in the word of TRUTH, which is the gospel.God created the World. Man sinned againot God. We stand condemned in our sin, unable to stand before a Holy God. We can all see the sin that stains our world. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know that we have praticipated in sin. We’ve fallen short of perfection. We’ve hurt others. We’ve lied. We’ve stolen. None of us could truly be considered righteous or worthy of glory. So Jesus Christ truly lived, died, and rose again. In doing so he took our sin upon himself. He paid the debt we could not pay. Who so ever believes in Him is truly granted eternal life. God has graced us with faith, united us with love, and fueled us with hope stored for us in heaven. NOt for anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us! This is the truth, the gospel!

And God has shared the gift of the gospel with the world through the spreading of the gospel.

Colossians 1:6 ESV

which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

The gospel reaches the world.

How amazing is it, that the events in Calvary, the place where God the Father chose to have God the Son make atonement for sin, have been made known to us some 2000 years later in our little corner of Clay’s Ferry. In His great love, God has spread the message of the gospel across the world.

In context of the book of Colossians, the message had spread hundreds of miles, throughout the Roman Empire. This would foreshadow the Gospels spread that we are still seeing today. After His resurrection and before His ascension, Jesus told us this was going to happen. He said that he was sending out witnesses from Jerusalem, to Judaea, to Samari, and to the end of earth.

The gospel has gone out and continues to go out all across the earth. Despite the drudgery in the world that we witness as people continue to live in sin, we can take solace knowing that God’s Word is still going out, the gospel is still being proclaimed, and not just being talked about, but it is bearing fruit, people’s lives are being changed. They are repenting from sin, turning to Christ, and living their lives for the glory of God. Where the gospel goes, God is given glory, and this should cause those who know the gospel to celebrate! Paul is celebrating and giving God glory for the spread of the gospel.

All of this is an expression of God’s grace. As sinful humans, God doesn’t owe us salvation. But as a loving God, He provides it anyways!

You may have heard the old hymn Jesus Paid it all

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

It is by God’s grace that faithful ministers of His Word have shared the gospel with those who have gone before us and is continuing to do so today.

Colossians 1:7–8 ESV

just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Gdo used Epaphras to bring the gospel to Colossae. MacArthur notes, “Although salvation is solely by God’s grace, He uses humans as the channels of that grace.”

If you are here today and you know Jesus Christ not just as some wise teacher from long ago, but as Lord, the one who has total power, authority, and influence over your life, then you can relate that God worked through someone to get you to realization.

For me it was my mother. For you it may have a pastor. A friend. A family member. Maybe even a seemingly random person on the street. Even if you came to that point of repentance alone in your room with a Bible in hand, God used people to print His Word and put it in a place where He grasped your attention.

If you truly know the truth, the gospel, then you have received it by faith, it results in sacrificial love for other believers, it reserves the hope that you have awaiting you in glory, and you are a part of the gospel reaching the world.

God may very well use you to share the gospel with someone today. It is a sobering responsibility and joyous task that all those who know the Lord are given. “May we be faithful to share with others the gospel that has meant so much to us.” (MacArthur).

Maybe you have never really heard the gospel. Maybe you have heard it 1000 times but it have never truly sank in. If you would, allow me to present it to you once more. For those that know the truth, it is a blessed reminder of God’s grace. For those who have yet to understand, it is the most important message in the world.

3 Circles Graphic