ROOTED IN CHRIST (Colossians 2:1-7)

Transcription

1 ROOTED IN CHRIST (Colossians 2:1-7) INTRODUCTION: In one of his Newsletters, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies." A condescending question brought a profound answer. There are no instant great people --whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. Growth takes time. From our reading this morning I want to focus on verses 6 &7 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. This is another one of those passages I memorized early in my Christian life. This passage tells me that after I have received Christ I am to continue in grow in Christ by walking in Him, being rooted in Him and being built up in Him that I might become established in the faith. Walking, rooted, built up all are active verbs. This implies that the Christian life is a matter of growth. No great Christians are born here, just babies. But babies are expected to grow. Before we look at this passage in detail let s look at the context. In verse 1 Paul is expressing a great conflict he is having for them and others who have not seen him face to face. He is in jail in Rome. His conflict is his deep concern for them. In verse 2 he wants their hearts to be encouraged and that they may be knitted together in love. In verse 3 he wants them to enjoy the full riches of complete knowledge of Christ because all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge is in Him. In verse 4 we see what is causing Paul s deep concern for these Christians. There are those who are trying to persuade them with smooth words and fine sounding arguments to move away from their commitment to Christ. Are we faced with the same problem today? Yes we are. There are many voices today that would want to argue against the superiority and preeminence of Christ. Just think of the persuasive words of the politically correct people who do not want Christians to preach that Jesus is the only way and do not want Christians to live faithfully for Jesus. Just think of those who are so enamored with scientific March 4, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 1

2 knowledge that they look down upon Christians who would say that Christ is the creator and sustainer of this universe. Just think of the one world religion people who say that all roads lead to Rome, all religion are equally valid. These are just some of those today who use persuasive words of man s wisdom to distract the believer from Christ. But what is Paul counsel to us today? It is found in verses 6 and 7. Colossians 2:6-7 NKJV As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. RECEIVING CHRIST AS LORD Let s look at the statement As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord... We begin our Christian life by receiving Christ as Lord. John tells us: (John 1:12 NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: To receive Christ is to have a whole hearted trust in Christ as Lord. To receive Christ as Lord is to accept all that He claims for Himself. To receive Christ as Lord is to acknowledge that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Paul was writing to the Colossians to help them to stay strong in their faith and not succumb to the temptation to fall away from the Lord by following other claims to truth. He wanted them to be fully persuaded in their knowledge of Christ as the Truth. In verse 3 he had said that in Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. That wisdom and knowledge is hidden to the world, not hidden to the Christian. We are to dive deeply into the wisdom and knowledge of Christ. We get a hint of what wisdom and knowledge Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. In Christ there are great treasures of truth. These truths are capsulated in the great words of salvation like justification, regeneration, sanctification, glorification, holiness, redemption. We are to study these truths out with the goal of being fully assured of the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ. March 4, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 2

3 We are to spend our lifetime seeking to understand how Christ is our wisdom, how He is our righteousness, how He is our sanctification, how He is our redemption. This is true wisdom. This is wisdom that will endure throughout eternity. The wisdom of the world will fade and fail us in eternity. THE WALKING METAPHOR FOR DAILY CONDUCT Next Paul uses the metaphor of walking in Christ. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Walking refers to their daily conduct. Most people walk every day. Some of us walk intentionally for exercise, but all of us walk out of necessity. Walking is one of the most basic activities we all do, unless something is wrong with our legs. Paul says that we are to walk in Christ. Christ is our road, our path, our shoes, our clothes, our goal, our focal point in our daily lives. How do we walk in Christ so that He continues to be our focal point? Maybe we can learn from pigeons. Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can see where it's going. Because it can't adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between steps in order to refocus. This is the way it walks: head forward, stop; head back, stop. Don't laugh--that's how it goes! In our spiritual walk with the Lord we have the same problem as the pigeon. We have a hard time seeing while we're moving. We also need to stop between steps--to refocus on where we are in relationship with Christ ROOTED LIKE A PLANTAND BUILT UP LIKE A BUILDING Paul uses two more metaphors to get the point across to grow deeper in Christ. We are to be rooted like a plant and to be built up like a building, Each of these implies growth. rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, March 4, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 3

4 We need to continually be putting the roots of our faith down deep into our relationship with Christ. Billie Hanks makes an astounding statement in one of his books. He says that few Christians plan to mature beyond a casual relationship with God. For many, that relationship could simply be characterized as going to church on Sunday, praying when a problem arises and occasionally reading a few verses of Scripture. Does this describe your plan or lack of plan to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ? A vital day-by day relationship with God will never develop on that basis. You must have a plan to spend time in the Word and Prayer. You must have some understanding in how to read the Scriptures in a way to hear the voice of God speak to you. You must have some experience in praying in a way that you see God s answering your prayer. To be rooted in Christ and to be built up in Christ and to be established in the faith means is the way to protect you will smooth talk and persuasive arguments that would weaken your love for Christ and trust in Him. AS YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT Paul mentions as you have been taught. They had been taught the faith by the apostles and by Epaphras. This was the faith they were to be established in. God has given many good and some great teachers of the faith down through history. Augustine is one that has influenced the Church for a thousand years. Martin Luther on justification by faith. John Calvin on the Sovereignty of God. This past century, men like A.W. Tozer, Oswald Chambers, Oswald Sanders, Selwyn Hughes, just to mention a few. Are you reading any of these teachers of the faith. It will help you to grow deeper in your walk with the Lord, if you do. Being taught the faith is more than being taught by human teachers. If we are to be established in the faith we are to be taught by Christ and the Holy Spirit. There is an interesting parallel passage in Ephesians 4. It is speaking about the Ephesians having learned about Christ, no doubt from Paul and others. But Paul goes a step further and speak of being taught by Christ. Let s look at it: (Eph 4:20-21 NKJV) But you have not so learned Christ, {21} if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: March 4, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 4

5 To be rooted in Christ one must move beyond only human teachers, but you must have a learning relationship with Christ. We need to be asking Christ, What would you have me do? and then learn how to listen to Him. This is essential for a strong faith that withstands all hostile spiritual forces that comes against Christians. GRATITUDE IS THE SIGN OF GROWING Finally this passage reveals that our daily conduct should be abounding in gratitude. Paul ends the verse with...abounding in it with thanksgiving. William Hendriksen paints this word picture about this insight. He writes: Gratitude is that which completes the circle whereby blessings that drop down into our hearts and lives return to the Giver in the form of unending, loving, and spontaneous adoration. Think of a big circle. As we grow and are rooted in Christ in our daily conduct, God s blessings are rained down upon us as we experience the deep love of God and communion with Him. In return we learn to give thanks for all things and return to God, the Giver of all our blessings in Christ, our heart s unending loving and adoration through prayers of praise and thanksgiving. CONCLUSION: There are many voices today that are seeking to weaken the Christian s resolve to look to Jesus and trust Him as the treasure of wisdom and truth. After we have received Christ Jesus as our Lord we are to continue to grow in Him. We are to walk in Him, we are to be rooted in Him, we are to be built up in Him, until we are firmly established in the faith. No great Christians are born here, only babies. But babies are not expected to stay babies for long in the Christian faith. How is your growth pattern in the Lord? Is your growth pattern sustaining your faith in Jesus as your All in All? Amen? Amen! March 4, 2018 Corntassel CP Church Page 5