HCC Sunday Service - September 11, 2022

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

You may be seated.

Abuse of power.

Injustice.

Prejudice.

Pride.

Hatred.

Jealousy.

Rage.

Racism.

Riots.

Murder.

All of those things

have something

in common.

& I can sum it up

w/ one word:

Sin.

6000 years

after the 1st

humans fell into sin

the world is still plagued

by the same problem:

Ppl are still fallen.

Ppl are still selfish.

Ppl are still sinful.

& for centuries

humans have

tried many methods

to bring ppl together

& bring peace

to the world.

But those efforts

continue to fall short.

& they always will.

Because humanity

has a sin problem.

Humans cannot conquer

sin bcs all humans

are inherently sinful.

So, what hope

does this world have

for peace?

How can ppl

be brought together

into a right relationship

w/ one another?

Paul answers

those questions for us

in today’s passage.

As we’ll see

The only hope

for our time.

The only hope

for humanity.

Is the hope

held out

in the gospel.

The hope

of 1st being reconciled

to God so that

thru our relationship

w/ God

we can be reconciled

to one another.

The hope

of having peace

w/ God

& w/one another

is thru the body & blood

of God’s divine-human Son.

We’ll talk abt this hope

& see how it applies to us.

PRAYER

Let’s pray.

Father

in this world that seems

so hopeless

we thank You for the hope

you offer us thru the gospel.

Help us to hear

& understand the truth

abt this gospel.

& give us grace

to live in this gospel.

In Jesus name.

Notice first

Paul’s powerful words

in Colossians 1:19.

He says:

Colossians 1:19 (NIV)

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [His Son]...

Here Paul’s talking abt

the incarnation.

God the Father

was pleased to have

all the fulness of deity

dwell in a human body.

Paul explains this further

in Colossians 2:9.

He says...

Colossians 2:9 (NIV)

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form...

John says

the same thing in John 1:14

John 1:14 (EHV)

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It’s impossible

to overstate

the immensity

of the Incarnation.

God’s divine Son

became a real

human being.

He did this

in such a way

that in the Son of God

the fullness of deity

truly lives

in truly human form.

Jesus is fully God

& fully Man

all wrapped up

in one physical

Human Body.

God’s Son is

the fulness of God

in human bodily form.

Why does Paul stress this?

Well

false teachers—

who wld later

be known

as Gnostics—

had infiltrated the Church

in Colossae.

They taught that

the human body

& all forms of matter—

all things physical—

are corrupted

& evil.

So, for them

God cld not really

become human

w/o corrupting

His divine nature.

So, Paul says:

“Don’t fall for it.”

“Remember the faith

you were taught.

“Hold on

to this foundational teaching

of the Christian faith.”

If we let go

of this truth

we let go

of the real Jesus

& real Christianity.

God was pleased

to forever unite

the Divine nature

w/ Human nature

in a human body

when His Son

became a divine-human being.

& in Colossians 1:20

Paul tells us why

God was pleased

to have His Son

dwell in a human body.

It’s because

thru Christ’s body

God will...

Colossians 1:20 (NIV)

...reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

God the Father

was pleased

for His Son

to become a divine-human being

bcs in His Son

God had a magnificent

plan for all creation.

God’s plans

for us in His Son

are so much more

than the Church

has focused on

over the last 60 years.

God’s plans

are so much more

than making a way

for us to avoid hell

& go to heaven

when we die.

God’s plans are

to reconcile all things

in heaven & on earth

to Himself

thru His Son.

To reconcile means

to to be brought back

to a right relationship

w/ God.

When God’s Son

became a human being

He forever united

humanity to divinity—

& became the way

for humanity

to be brought back

to God.

As human beings

are united to Christ

in His death

& resurrection

in the Church

God’s ppl become

a part of

the new creation

& share

in the divine nature.

This is one reason

why Jesus said

No one comes to

the Father

except by Jesus.

It’s only by being

united to the Son

that we can have

a right relationship

w/ the Father

& be remade

in the image of God.

That is great news

for humanity!

But God’s plans in Christ

Go far beyond humanity.

Humanity’s sins

not only affect us

but the whole creation.

The whole creation

was corrupted

& brought into bondage

to death & decay

bcs of humanity’s sins.

in Christ

God the Father plans

to bring all things

back to Himself.

God plans

to make peace

btwn God

& all creation

by recreating

all things thru His Son.

As Paul says

in Ephesians 1:9-10

Ephesians 1:9–10 (CSB)

He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ

as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

God the Father was pleased

to have all His fulness

dwell in His Son

Bcs in His Son

God plans to reconcile

or reunite

all things

to a right relationship

w/ God the Father

& w/ one another.

Why?

So that all of creation

can have

peace w/ God

& peace w/ one another

under the Lordship

of Jesus Christ.

Now

watch how Paul

applies this to us

in Colossians 1:21.

Colossians 1:21–22 (NIV)

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

But now he has reconciled you...

Notice the contrast here.

Paul says:

Once you were

but now you are.

Those two phrases

encompass the whole message

of the gospel.

Once you were this

outside of Christ.

But now—

in Christ—

God makes you

something new.

What are we OUTSIDE of Christ?

Once we were

alienated frm God.

Once we were

enemies of God.

Here Paul’s talking abt

the entirety

of humanity.

The whole of humanity

outside of Christ

is alienated—

separated— frm God;

& enemies of God.

& this alienation

is not bcs of

anything God has done.

Our being alienated

frm God

is 100% our fault.

100%

a human problem.

We separate ourselves

frm God.

We make ourselves

enemies of God

bcs of our

evil behavior.

We’ve all been there

& done that.

We’ve all made ourselves

enemies of God

bcs we chose to do evil.

We messed up

the relationship.

Like an unfaithful spouse

we turned our backs

on our Creator

& chased after the evil desires

of our own wicked hearts.

It was our sins

that separated us

frm God.

We were

God’s enemies

bcs of our bad behavior.

APPLICATION

& maybe you’re

there today.

Maybe you’re

estranged frm God.

You’re

living in sin.

You’re an enemy

of God in your mind

bcs of your evil behavior.

IF that’s you

God has a message

for you today.

Put dwn your weapons.

Stop fighting

a battle

you’ll never win.

Come & find peace.

Come & be reconciled

to God

thru His Son.

To keep living

as God’s enemy

when He’s offering You

a way to peace w/ Him

is the most unwise

decision any of us

cld make.

Bcs Paul tells us

in Hebrews 10:27

God’s enemies live

every day under

the unbearable weight

of a

in Hebrews 10:27

Hebrews 10:27 (NIV)

...a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

If you’re God’s

enemy today.

If you’re still doing

your own thing.

If you’re living

in lawlessness.

Don’t stay there.

Don’t end up

meeting God

as a raging fire

that will consume

God’s enemies.

God wants something

dfrnt for you.

God does not

want you

or anyone else

to remain

His enemies.

God loves

His enemies.

& it’s God love

for His enemies

that can take us

frm what we

once were

outside of Christ—

to what we are now

in Christ.

What are we outside of Christ?

Enemies of God—

Destined for destruction.

What Are We IN Christ?

Paul tells us in

Colossians 1:22

He says:

Colossians 1:22 (NIV)

But now he has reconciled you...

But now...

is the now

we experience

in Christ.

In Christ

we’re reconciled

to God.

Those words

are full of hope

for humanity.

Bcs those words

show us

God offers to erase

what we once were;

to change us;

& turn us

frm His enemies

into dearly loved children

as part of

a new creation

in Christ.

God offers His enemies

peace in Christ

bcs He loves

His enemies.

But love

is so often misunderstood

by humanity.........

Especially God’s

kind of love.

What ppl call love

in our current culture

is anything but love.

We’re taught

to love

when the object

of our love

is lovable.

When the object

of our love

has something

to offer us.

But God’s love—

real love—

is dfrnt.

& as w/

all things divine

we see a perfect picture

of God’s love

in God’s Son.

God’s divine Son

demonstrated God’s

extraordinary love

for all creation

when He willingly suffered

the terrible torture

of the cross

to die to save

His enemies.

God’s Son shows us:

God’s love is

others focused;

God’s love is

self-sacrificing;

God’s love

compels Him

to not only lay dwn His life

for His friends;

But also

to lay dwn His life

for His enemies.

Sacrificing for friends

& family

yeah

We all get that.

But loving & sacrificing for

Ppl who hate you.

Ppl who reject you.

Ppl who are thankless

& heartless;

& cruel & evil;

That type of sacrificial love

is not natural

for any human being.

That kind of love

is supernatural.

It’s God’s

kind of love.

God’s love compels Him

to do good

to His enemies;

To constantly call out

& plead w/

a stubborn

& defiant humanity:

Turn frm your wicked ways

& be brought back

into a right relationship

w/ the supplier

& sustainer

of life;

& the giver

of every good gift.

God’s love compels Him

To reconcile us to Himself

thru His Son.

& how does God

reconcile us thru His Son?

In Colossians 1:22

Paul says God:

Colossians 1:22 (NIV)

...has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through [Christ’s physical] death...

& in Colossians 1:20

Paul says:

God chose...

Colossians 1:20 (NIV)

…through [His Son] to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

It’s so important

we see this.

Jesus had

a real physical body.

He was not

a phantom.

He really

became human.

The fulness

of divinity dwells in

the human body

of Jesus.

He really suffered;

really felt pain;

really shed His blood;

really died;

He really rose

frm the grave.

He really ascended

into heaven;

He’s really sitting

at the right hand

of the Father—

in a glorified

human body.

& thru our union

w/ the real

human body & blood

of the divine-human

Son of God

in the Church

we’re now sitting

w/ Christ in heaven

Reunited to God.

& in Colossians 1:22

Paul goes on

to tell us

one of God’s goals

in reconciling us

thru Christ’s body & blood.

He says it’s...

Colossians 1:22 (NIV)

...to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

God’s goal in

uniting us to Christ

is to make us

like Christ.

Christ is Holy.

Christ is blameless.

Christ is free

frm accusation.

God wants to

make us

all of those things too.

& this happens

as ppl are joined

to Christ’s body

in the Church.

In the Church

we’re being

transformed by God’s grace

into Christ’s image.

Paul expands on this

in Ephesians 5:25-27.

He says...

Ephesians 5:25–27 (EHV)

Husbands, love your wives, in the same way as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

to make her holy, by cleansing her with the washing of water in connection with the Word.

He did this so that he could present her to himself as a glorious church, having no stain or wrinkle or any such thing, but so that she would be holy and blameless.

In the end

Jesus will present us

to Himself

as [part of] a glorious Church—

a ppl who are like Jesus:

Holy

blameless

w/o stain or wrinkle

or any other blemish.

That’s God’s goal

for uniting us

to His Son.

But we need to notice

there’s a very important

word at the beginning

of Colossians 1:23.

Notice the word

Colossians 1:23 (NIV)

Ιf...

This word means

there are conditions

we must meet

if we’re gonna reach

God’s goal for us in Christ.

If we’re gonna be

reconciled to God;

have peace w/ God—

& be found holy

w/o blemish

& free frm accusation

in God’s sight.

What Christ has done

is very powerful.

He sacrificed Himself

once for all.

He’s done

everything necessary

so all of humanity

can be brought back

to a right relationship

w/ God

thru Him.

But what Christ has done

will only apply

to us personally

IF—

as Paul says in

Colossians 1:23 (NIV)

...if [we] continue in [the] faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

Now remember

Paul’s writing

to true believers.

Ppl who have

heard & accepted

the true gospel.

Ppl who were

part of the Church.

W/o question

these ppl

were the real deal.

They were saints.

They had faith

in Christ Jesus;

They were faithful

to Christ Jesus;

& their lives

showed the fruit

of their faith

& faithfulness.

The gospel

was bearing fruit

among them—

Especially the fruit of

Holy Spirit inspired love.

These ppl

were genuine members

of the body of Christ.

But Paul warns them—

Just as Paul warns

other churches

throughout his letters—

& Paul warns us.

If we want the hope

of reconciliation

& peace w/ God;

If we want to be found

spotless

blameless

& free frm accusation

we must continue

in the faith

that was once for all

entrusted to the saints

in the Church.

& continuing in the faith

Has two equally

important components:

(1) What we believe &

(2) How we behave.

Right belief

& right behavior

are equally important.

They always

go together.

As Paul tells Timothy

in 1 Timothy 4:16:

1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Right doctrine—

believing the right things—

& a right life—

behaving the right way—

are both essential

for salvation.

For us to finally realize

our future hope

of salvation

we’ve gotta continue

to hold

right beliefs abt God.

We’ve gotta hold to

the Apostolic Traditions

abt God’s Son;

The nature of salvation;

The Church

& so on.

& we’ve also

gotta continue

to practice

right behavior.

Right behavior

is behavior that’s consistent

w/ Christ’s commands.

The commands

we receive in

the Apostolic Faith

we profess.

Behavior that’s

holy & blameless.

& this is a process

that will not

be completed

until we leave

this earth.

Either thru death.

Or when the trumpet blows

& Christ comes

to get us.

We’ve gotta continue

in this relationship

w/ Jesus

where we keep striving

to be found holy

blameless & spotless

in Him.

That is

a life-long

process.

One we must continue

to work out

if we’re to be reconciled to God...

& have peace w/ God

in the end.

Peter puts it this way

in 2 Peter 3:13-14

2 Peter 3:13–14 (NIV)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

To be found holy

Blameless

spotless

free frm accusation

in God’s sight—

to have peace w/ God—

we must make

every effort.

Christianity is not

passive.

We must run the race

w/ perseverance

to get the crown of life.

It takes daily dedication

& discipline.

It takes exhaustive effort

on our part.

Many who start

this fight

will not finish.

When the fight

gets tough

& we find ourselves

being pummeled

by temptations

tribulation

& persecution

some will throw in the towel.

Many who start this race

will never cross

the finish line.

Some will be

lured away frm

the narrow road

by seducing spirits

& abandon the faith.

Others will fall for

doctrines of demons;

be led astray

by destructive heresies;

& lose connection

w/ Jesus

& His body.

But although

that can happen

to all of us

it does not have to

happen to any of us.

If we’ll just heed

the warnings

we find in Scripture.

Let’s make sure

we don’t find ourselves

among those

who fall away.

Let’s learn

& hold on to

the true faith.

Let’s hold on to

the true gospel.

In Colossians 1:23.

Paul says this gospel

Colossians 1:23 (NIV)

...has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Notice the universal nature

of the gospel.

The gospel is good news

for the whole creation.

It’s the good news

that in Christ

God will not only

reconcile

& restore humanity

to God;

In Christ

all of creation

will be reconciled to God

& recreated

to the glorious splendor

of life bfr the fall.

When God

created everything

He said

it was very good.

He created the heavens

& the earth

& everything in them.

He created humanity

& gave humanity authority

to rule over

the perfect earth.

Imagine what that

perfect earth was like.

On that perfect earth

The land

was not cursed.

No thorns or thistles.

No dandelions

to ruin your lush lawn.

On that perfect earth

Pain & sorrow;

Disease & Death

were unknown.

On that perfect earth

There was

No abuse of power.

No Murder.

No Injustice.

No Prejudice.

No Pride.

No Hatred.

No Jealousy.

No Rage. Racism. or Riots.

No sin of any kind.

& on that perfect earth

There was perfect peace

& harmony

btwn God

humanity

& all creation.

& that perfect earth

Is what Jesus

came to restore

to God.

Not by cleaning up

the current creation

but by making

a new creation.

Thru His Incarnation

Life, suffering, death,

Resurrection & Ascension

God’s divine-human Son

will bring all of creation

back to God.

One day

everything will be

united under Christ

in the kingdom God’s Son.

In a new heavens

& new earth.

But we don’t have to wait

to get a taste of what

that new creation

will be like.

Bcs the Church is—

or at least

shld be—

a little piece of that

here & now.

The Church is

a community of

born again

recreated human beings

who are being shaped

into the image

of God.

CONCLUSION

& as we close

There is hope

for this world.

But we won’t find it

in any plans

human beings

can come up with.

The hope for this world

is in becoming a part of

the kingdom that’s not

of this world

in the Church.

The only hope

for humanity

is the hope held out

in the gospel.

The hope of being

reunited w/God;

& being at peace w/ God

& w/ all creation

thru God’s Son.

Jesus purchased peace w/ God...

For all creation...

thru His body & blood.

In Jesus...

All of creation can be...

Reconciled...

to God;

& restored...

to its original splendor.

If you & I

want to have a share

in that restoration

we must embrace

the true faith.

We’ve gotta become

a part of Christ’s body

in the Church.

& then continue

established & firm

in the faith.

Until we leave

this earth.

Or until Jesus

comes in again in glory.

We’ve gotta

Keep fighting;

Keep Running;

Keep the Faith.

Stay attached

to the head

by staying attached

to the body of Christ

in the Church.

Let’s all hold tight to

& strenuously strive

to attain

The Hope Held Out

in the Gospel.

PRAYER

Let’s all stand

for prayer.

Lord

THE LORD’S BLESSING

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