We Care About Proclaiming Christ!

We are in week 3 of this mini-series that is focused on Communicating the Vision for ODBC...

We set aside our study right now of 1 Peter simply because by the time we completed 1 Peter we would be near the holidays and we would have had to push this into next year…so we thought a good time to do this was now.

What is our Goal in this?

Purpose for this series:

To communicate who we are as a church and where we believe God wants us to go.

To encourage you to be an active participant in what God is going to do in us, through us, with us, and for us.

To equip you with the confidence that you belong here!

What is our Mission Statement?

Say it with me…Building Lives to Know and Live for Jesus Christ.

In other words, our mission is to be a disciple making church...

What does the acronym T.A.B.L.E.S stand for?

With TABLES we have identified 6 areas of focus for us to carry out our mission.

Say a brief comment regarding each one…this is what we are walking through on Sunday evenings

T eaching for Life Change

A dopting People as the Lord Brings Them

B uilding Christ-Honoring Families

L oving Each other as Spiritual Family

E quipping People to Serve

S haring Jesus with the World Around Us

How did we arrive at those?

We looked at what makes us…US…our spiritual DNA…what is important to us…we wrestled over what are the most important aspects of our life as believers and as a church....we call them our key principles…there are four…wanted to make them easy to remember so that all of us can use the same language when it comes to making disciples...

We then asked “how do we flesh these out in practical terms…TABLES becomes our “how to”…again we wanted it to be something easy to remember…again, that is what we are talking about on Sunday evenings...

So what we are doing on Sunday Mornings is communicating those key Principles that drive our application…they are what we care about…they identify our priorities.

Can you remember what our first one is?

Principle #1 – We Care About Glorifying God – Our primary responsibility, {both as individuals and a church}, is to glorify God in all things. Everything we do is to be geared to proclaiming the wonderful character of God.

Our second principle comes from Colossians 1:13-29.

If we are going to glorify God then we must Care About Proclaiming Christ.

Principle #2 – We Care About Proclaiming Christ – We rejoice in the message of the cross and that everyone can be forgiven through his blood and restored to a right relationship with God.

Read Col. 1:13-29.

This passage is perhaps one of the most critical passages in the whole Bible concerning the true identity of Jesus. It is vital to a proper understanding of our faith.

Main Point: Proclaiming Christ is Our Central Message!

4 Reasons we proclaim Christ

We Proclaim Christ Because He Redeemed us (13-14).

God delivers every believer through Him.

Verse 12 tells us this should be something that moves us to give thanks.

The terms rescued, dominion, and kingdom are all terms that comes from warfare.

There is a spiritual war taking place for the souls of every man, woman and child…it is a war that we cannot win with our own efforts.

Our only hope in that war is to be rescued by God.

God’s rescue mission is a transference from one dominion to another.

He brought us out of the realm of darkness.

God invaded Satan’s territory and delivered His people...“transferred” = describes a mighty king picking up a whole population and deporting it into another realm.

We are no longer in a kingdom of darkness, we are in a kingdom of light and love!

He brought us into the rule of His Son.

God provided redemption and forgiveness through Him.

Redemption and forgiveness are two terms that compliment each other.

Redemption belongs to the slave market…it involves the payment of a price to secure freedom…that price was the death of Christ…redemption is the emancipation from the slavery of sin…Paul speaks much about redemption in Romans…our sin separates us from God, we are born shackled to it, God’s justice for sin requires death…redemption through Jesus Christ alone settles God’s justice.

Forgiveness stresses the loving nature of God…with these two words we see both justice and mercy…it is a pardon, a release…a cancellation of debt...In Christ, God pardons the believing sinner…the guilt of sin was placed upon Jesus Christ…the penalty of our sin (God’s justice) as been removed (God’s forgiveness).

None of this is accomplished on our own…it is all of God! He initiated our rescue and completed it through Christ alone!

We Proclaim Christ Because of Who He Is (15-20)

The Jesus we proclaim must be the Jesus of the Bible…who is this Jesus we speak of…Paul gives insight to who Jesus is...

The image of God

Image = eikon = statue = image or likeness

Same word was used when Jesus asked whose image was on the coin in Matt 22:20

Also used in Rev. in reference to the statue of the Antichrist.

What makes Jesus unique, is that while being 100% human, He is accurately and absolutely the perfect image of God.

He did not BECOME the image of God at the incarnation, he has been that from all eternity.

In Heb 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

"the exact representation of [God's] nature refers to an engraving tool, or stamp.

Jesus is the exact likeness of God.

That is why He could say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

By using this term, Paul emphasizes that Jesus is both the representation and manifestation of God.

He is the full, final, and complete revelation of God.

He is God in human flesh.

2. The Firstborn over Creation

Firstborn – protokos– it can mean first chronologically, but its primary meaning is in reference to position or rank.

In both Greek and Jewish history the firstborn was the son who had the right of inheritance…but that right was not always given to the first son born…

Esau & Jacob – Esau was first chronologically, but Jacob was the “firstborn” who received the inheritance.

Jesus is the One with the right to claim the inheritance of all creation

Being firstborn means Jesus is highest in rank, not order.

Israel is referred to as God’s firstborn even though they were not the first people born they held first place in God’s view of other nations (Ps. 89:27; Ex. 4:22 & Jer. 31:9)

The point Paul is making here is that Jesus existed before anything was created and is exalted in rank above it.

3. Creator of the Universe

Heaven…earth…visible…invisible

He created the angels...Hierarchy of angelic beings

Thrones, Powers, Rulers, Authorities

All these indicate a highly organized dominion of the spirit world

The people of Colosse were engaged in angel worship and Paul’s defense here is that Christ reigns supreme over the angels.

Jesus is not an angel…he created them…and rules over them.

In fact the Scriptures tell us that the ANGELS worship HIM.

As the creator, everything that was created has its purpose anchored to Christ.

His purposes, His glory, To do with as He pleases

Everything is his, nothing is ours…that means you are His and not your own…your purpose for living is only fulfilled in how you live for Christ.

As the creator, he also keeps it all together.

He sustains it.

He maintains the delicate balance necessary to life's existence...

He is the power behind every consistency in the universe.

He is the One who keeps all the entities in space in their motion.

He is the energy of the universe.

In all of this Paul’s point is clear…Jesus is God…He existed before creation…created all things for Himself…and preserves it. There remains no other conclusion.

4. Head of the Church

The church is a Body, and Christ is the head of the Body.

Not in the sense of the head of a company, but rather as a living organism, inseparably tied together by the living Christ.

He controls every part of it and gives it life and direction.

His life lived out through all the members provides the unity of the Body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-20).

He energizes and coordinates the diversity within the Body.

Providing a diversity of spiritual gifts and ministries (1 Cor 12:4-13).

He also directs the Body's mutuality, as the individual members serve and support each other (1 Cor 12:15-27).

The word chosen here for beginning is used in the twofold sense of source and primacy.

The church has its origins in Jesus.

God "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4).

He gives life to His church.

His sacrificial death and resurrection on our behalf provided our new life.

He is both head of the Body holding her chief position, or highest rank and He is its originator.

5. Firstborn from the dead

Again the same word as in verse 15 signifying rank.

All believers, both OT and NT will be raised to new life…amongst all who share this blessing, He is of highest rank.

As a result of his death and resurrection, Jesus has come to have first place in everything.

6. The fullness of God

All the fullness of deity rests in Jesus alone

The word for fullness is a key word in Colossians...It means complete

In reference to God’s deity, everything one needs to know about God is found in Christ.

It was God’s pleasure for all of this…By dwelling it means permanent, abide lastingly

Paul then is telling the people of Colosse that you do not need angels to save you.

7. The Reconciler of all things.

Salvation is found ONLY in the shed blood of Christ.

That is why will never shy away from preaching Christ crucified.

It is only when we come to the cross that our lives can be forever changed. (give gospel)

‎to reconcile means "to change" or "ex-change."

Its usage in the New Testament speaks of a change in a relationship.

1 Cor. 7:11 -- it refers to a woman being reconciled to her husband.

Romans 5:10 and 2 Cor. 5:18-20 it speaks of God and man being reconciled.

When people change from being at odds with each other to being at peace, they are said to be reconciled.

When the Bible speaks of reconciliation, then, it refers to the restoration of a right relationship between God and man.

In this text we find another term for reconcile.

It is a compound word, made up of the basic word for reconcile with a preposition added to intensify the meaning.

It means thoroughly, completely, or totally reconciled.

Paul no doubt used this stronger term in Colossians as a counterattack against the false teachers.

Because they held that Christ was merely another spirit being emanating from God, they also denied the possibility of man's being reconciled to God by Christ alone.

In refuting that denial, Paul emphasizes that there is total, complete, and full reconciliation through the Lord Jesus.

Inasmuch as He possesses all the fullness of deity (1:19; 2:9), Jesus is able to fully reconcile sinful men and women to God (1:20).

Jesus “made peace through the blood of His cross”

If you want to have a relationship with God then you must come to Him on His terms, not yours.

God’s terms are settled in the fact that a sacrificial death was to occur with blood loss as a vivid manifestation of life being poured out. Salvation would not have been possible without Jesus dying and pouring out His life for you.

Christ died not only as a sacrifice, but also as our substitute.

He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death. In Rom 8:3, Paul tells us that God sent "His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh."

He took the place of sinners, dying a substitutionary death that paid the full penalty for the sin of all who believe.

His death satisfied God's wrath.

We Proclaim Christ Because of What He Accomplished (21-23)

God's ultimate goal in reconciliation is to present us holy and pure before Him.

Look at how Paul describes our condition before God rescued us...

v.21....Our original condition is one of alienation from God…the word Paul chose here is a strong word that indicates a persistent and permanent condition.

This alienation from God expressed itself in a mind that was hostile to him and a will that chose to do evil.

People don’t want to hear this…but they need to…without Christ you are an enemy of God…your mind is hostile to God, your will is bent on doing evil...

v.22 — in spite of our condition, God still desires to reconcile us...

once you trust Christ as your Savior, you no longer stand before God in hostility…you are now holy, without blame, and beyond reproach…according to Romans 8:17, you are now an heir of Christ’s promises.

Romans 8:17 “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

So if that is true (and it is), then why do I still struggle with sin?...because we live in the realm of an “already, but not yet”.

In our Position with God we are already holy, already blameless, already beyond reproach…this status will never change…it is yours for eternity...

In our Practice we live in the “but not yet”. We are not yet practicing perfected holiness, we are not yet practicing being blameless, we are not yet fully beyond reproach…this is what we refer to as progressive sanctification…we become in practice what we are in position…

God has done His part in giving us a new position with Him…now we have to come alongside what God has accomplished in Christ...

That’s what Paul means in Phil 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”… We don’t work FOR our salvation…our salvation is PROVED by our works…Because it is God who is at work in us!

In Paul’s theological understanding what God provides does not negate human responsibility!

Jesus did for us what we could not do, but He does not do what we are expected to do!

We must be involved in the sanctification process.

v.23 — Paul is not doubting whether they will continue on…the structure of this verse indicates an assumption that they will continue…there is a responsibility on our part…there is no magic pill we can take…Paul taught that those who know the truth will continue in the truth...

This involves our mind, our heart, and our wills…our minds must feed on Christ and his Word…our hearts are to focus on him in love…our wills are to take their practice and pattern from him…every day our lives are to be filled with him.

We get involved in the sanctification process by being established, steadfast, and unmovable.

Established in the gospel…found in Christ alone

Steadfast in the gospel…no other message of salvation

Unmovable…not going to be swayed by anything outside the truth of the gospel.

We Proclaim Christ Because We Accept His Call to Minister (24-29).

This whole section is a summary of Paul’s ministry…in the Greek text is one long cumbersome sentence.

Although we all have different occupations, we all have been called to make disciples…whatever form that takes for you, it is a very high calling of God…when we trusted Christ as our Savior, we entered into His kingdom and the expectation of all members of the kingdom is to be involved in that process.

Accepting that call to salvation is an acceptance of the call to minister the gospel…so we like Paul have the same ministry of the gospel.

We Are Called to Suffer (24)

Suffering was part of Paul’s course of life…Acts 9:16 “for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”” ....God speaking to Ananias regarding Paul…

When we suffer we can rejoice in suffering because the church benefits…believers grow through personal suffering, and the good we receive flows to others and builds up the body.

Paul is not saying that Christ’s suffering was not enough and he took it upon himself to finish that…Paul is stating that a close identification develops between Christ and the church through suffering.

Paul knew that his suffering were good for the church and that brought him closer to Christ.

Often what we go through becomes an avenue for us to encourage the body and when that happens, there is a closeness we experience to Christ and to the body who shares in that with us!

We Are Charged to Proclaim the Word (25-27)

People cannot know Christ without the proclamation of His Word…the idea here is to lay out the Word of God fully.

Expositional preaching was the heart of God’s call to Paul…this kind of preaching is what we are committed to…it is exposing the Word of God with an expectation of growth…Teaching for Life Change.

The Bible was not written to give us information, it was written to provide transformation.

God’s word exposes the need for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved…that is the mystery Paul spoke of here.

Like Paul, we are to proclaim the truth of the gospel as that which was once hidden is now revealed…salvation exists only in the person of Jesus Christ...

The reality of Jesus life transforming power has been made manifest in us by providing the hope of glory!

We Must Minister With the Right Purpose (28)

Paul’s great joy was present to Christ believers who have reached their maximum potential...

We can accomplish that same purpose through warning and correcting…admonishing…this isn’t always easy, but we cannot shy away from it…we have the authority of God’s Word to stand on and hold each other accountable.

Teaching everyone about Christ because everyone needs Christ and Christ is for everyone!

We Must Minister With the Right Energy (29)

Ministry to others is hard work…in fact, the word Paul uses here for labor was used for work which left one so weary it was as if the person had taken a beating…labor to the point of exhaustion...

Striving = even stronger…it is the word we derive agony from…it was used to describe the agonizing pain endured by athletes

Both words together describe the tremendous amount of energy Paul used…and that was supplied by Christ himself.

Paul’s philosophy of ministry is a model for all of us...

Ministry without laborers who work to the point of exhaustion will struggle to reach the heights God desires.

Life Lesson — Proclaiming Christ to every generation is the responsibility of every generation of believers.

You proclaim Christ with your words.

You proclaim Christ with your life choices.

You proclaim Christ with your attitudes and responses to suffering.