<p> COLOSSIANS #1 Greg Howse, March 2, 2014</p><p>REASONS FOR LOOKING INTO COLOSSIANS</p><p>1. We are living in the digital age . . . information is coming at such a rapid pace that no one is capable of keeping up with it, or mastering it</p><p>2. We are living in a religious world in which people are entitled to develop their own religion . . . no absolutes / fluctuating ethics / idol-making . . . Jesus is perceived to be just another guru among many</p><p>3. We are living in a time in which people want to know what will work for them . . . you can market and sell just about anything . . . we don’t care if it is the truth . . . we just want to know if it works to provide a better life for us</p><p>4. We are living in a time of ecumenicalism . . . a one-world church in which all religions and philosophies are lumped together in the name of unity . . . there is no authority . . . there are no absolutes . . . there is no absolute truth . . . there is no clear concept of God</p><p>5. We are living in a time of frustrated relationships . . . cold hearts . . . self-interests . . . self- absorbed . . . self-centered . . . dysfunctional backgrounds . . . lack of trust . . . loneliness</p><p>6. We are living in a time in which people are fascinated with the “end of the world” . . . everything from natural disasters to alien invasions</p><p>Paul was addressing a mixture of pagan occultism, Jewish legalism, and Christianity . . . Jesus was somewhat like one of our superheroes . . . He wasn’t fully God and fully man . . . He was one of many semi-divine beings that came to connect God with the earth so that man could live a better life</p><p>1:15 Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.</p><p>1:16 By Jesus Christ all things were created, that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. All things were created through Him and for Him.</p><p>1:17 Jesus Christ is before all things, and in Him all things consist.</p><p>1:18 Jesus Christ is the head of the Body, the Church.</p><p>1 1:18 In all things Jesus Christ has the preeminence.</p><p>2:9 In Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.</p><p>3:4 When Jesus Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.</p><p>OUR FELLOWSHIP v.2 SAINTS: Holy - - - Purity Whole - - - Completeness</p><p>We are FAITHFUL brethren!</p><p>Our spiritual location . . . IN CHRIST</p><p>Our natural location . . . IN CHICAGO vs.4,5 FAITH Christ Jesus</p><p>LOVE All the saints</p><p>HOPE What we are expecting</p><p>The Word of the Truth of the Gospel</p><p>I Corinthians 13:13 Now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. v.6 The Word of the Truth of the Gospel</p><p>HAS come to you . . . Which is present and remaining among you</p><p>IS also in the world . . . Producing fruit and growing</p><p>IS also among you . . . Hearing & Knowing (personal experience; receiving; understanding) the grace of God in truth</p><p>2 THE GOSPEL: Man created and crowned with glory & honor</p><p>Total depravity; self-absorbed; self-centered; self-sufficient; arrogant; deceived; foolish (Rom. 14:23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.)</p><p>God’s unconditional, relentless love</p><p>The Cross & Resurrection</p><p>Irresistible grace</p><p>The Spirit of Jesus to empower</p><p>Perseverance by faith . . . obedience is the evidence</p><p>AHA Moment: Awakening</p><p>Honesty</p><p>Action v.7 Epaphras was a faithful leader who was FOR THEM . . . unlike false teachers who were trying to get something FROM THEM v.8 LOVE in the SPIRIT . . . in contrast to love in the FLESH (conditional; feelings; personal opinions)</p><p>PERSONAL OPINIONS It is not love when we impose our personal convictions, opinions and tastes on how someone should choose to live their life, when they are actively seeking after the will of God</p><p>Love will offer counsel based in truth . . . Love leaves the decision with the person</p><p>Love leads us to invest our faith in Christ Jesus</p><p>Love leads us to encourage hope for a brilliant future in the glory of God</p><p>Love leads us to care for the person, and believe in the person, without conditions</p><p>The desire or conviction to marry a virgin . . . Did Jesus command you to marry someone who is a virgin? Is it a personal conviction? 3 Is it simply a desire of your heart? What is the will of God for a person? Are you imposing your conviction or desire on others in a harsh, judgmental fashion? Are you demanding this for yourself and others when you’re really not a virgin? Are you judging someone else as unclean because they don’t live by your desires? Are you accusing someone else of being a fornicator just because they had a child without being married? How do you know their sexual practices now? Pharisees!</p><p>HOW WE NOW LIVE v.9 BE FILLED . . . KNOWLEDGE: God’s will / All things centered in Christ</p><p>WISDOM: In contrast to the foolishness of false teaching</p><p>UNDERSTANDING: Seeing the revelation to discern what is appropriate for every place and every time</p><p>This is living with a renewed MIND (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23) v.10 WALK WORTHY: If we truly KNOW the will of God, we will also LIVE in the will of God</p><p>We will have a strong desire to PLEASE the Lord</p><p>Producing FRUIT in every GOOD WORK</p><p>INCREASING / GROWING v.11 We are being ENABLED / EMPOWERED / MADE MIGHTY</p><p>POWER is a major characteristic of God’s GLORY</p><p>All PATIENCE / ENDURANCE: Trials of persecutors</p><p>Seductions of false teachers</p><p>LONGSUFFERING: People who are resisting the truth</p><p>Patience and Longsuffering are exercised with great JOY</p><p>4 v.12 The FATHER has QUALIFIED us (made us MEET; sufficient; authorized) to be PARTAKERS of the inheritance (LIGHT)</p><p>God the Father has ADOPTED us, and made us His children</p><p>We have been brought into the Father’s house / His family</p><p>We have been made COMPLETE in Christ the Son (2:10); no longer on the outside, sinking in darkness</p><p>We are now PARTAKERS of the INHERITANCE . . . everything the Father has given to His Son has now been given to us as well v.13 DELIVERED from the POWER of DARKNESS</p><p>We have been saved or rescued from the TYRANNY of the devil and his rule</p><p>DARKNESS: Blindness / Hatred / Misery / Fear / Shame / Ignorance</p><p>TRANSLATED / CONVEYED: The deportation of captured armies from a defeated empire to the conquering kingdom v.14 REDEMPTION & FORGIVENESS</p><p>REDEMPTION: A conqueror releasing prisoners</p><p>A master ransoming a slave</p><p>Deliverance from an alien yoke of bondage</p><p>The BLOOD of Jesus: Redemption</p><p>Forgiveness</p><p>Cleansing</p><p>FORGIVENESS: Dismissing / Sending away</p><p>Canceling out all judgment, punishment, or debt</p><p>5</p>