Today, we begin an Advent series. Advent simply means coming or arriving. That's what we are dedicating the next three Sundays and Christmas Eve to—celebrating the coming of Jesus into our world. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Christmas Story
TEXT: Luke 1:26-38
TITLE: The True Christmas Story
PREACHER: Derek OVerstreet

POINTS:
1. An Unlikely Christmas Cast
2. An Extraordinary Christmas Plan

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”For Christians, Christmas presents spiritual dangers: We are vulnerable to allowing the trappings of Christmas—decorations, spending, and busyness to trump the true purpose of Advent. Even more dangerous, we are vulnerable to trivializing Jesus, diminishing his person, distorting the reason he came, and dismissing his eternal significance at the hands of shallow sentimentality.”

“As Christians, we enjoy the Christmas season, but always through the lens of the gospel. For this, Advent is meant to guard us and keep our focus on the person and purpose of The Christmas Story.”

“We begin The Christmas Story in Luke's gospel, where we find a group of unlikely people with front-row seats to God's extraordinary plan.” 

“First, there was Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. In 5-7, they're described as a godly elderly couple with no children. But everything was about to change for them. In 11, an angel named Gabriel appeared to him—read 8-17. Soon after, the miracle happened: Elizabeth, old and barren, became pregnant with the one the OT prophets foretold would make way for the long-promised Messiah—John the Baptist.”

“Six months later, that same angel would appear to another unlikely person in God's plan of redemption.”

“Imagine with me for a moment. It's just another day. People are going about their ordinary business. If you are a young teenage girl like Mary, perhaps you're finishing chores, daydreaming about your future, or socializing with friends. Out of nowhere, an angel appears and says you will give birth to God's Son. Luke says Mary was troubled. She was scared. She was confused, beginning with the obvious—(34) How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

“Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, there was nothing special about Mary. There was nothing special about Joseph. Just ordinary people trying to live for God just like us. This was an unlikely cast to lay the groundwork for God Incarnate. But God works in mysterious ways. He uses fools instead of wise men. He uses paupers instead of kings. He uses the weak instead of the mighty. When He decided how to introduce the Savior of the world to the world, He used barren senior citizens and virgin teenagers.”  

“This should encourage us. You were created for good works. God wants to use you in your church and community. You might be young. You might be old. You may feel unequipped or even disqualified. You probably feel weak in spirit. You should feel unworthy and unable in and of yourself. But, as it says in 37—Nothing will be impossible with God.”

“Think about how many promises you have broken over the years because you were unable to fulfill them. The unlikely cast of Christmas reminds us of the power and wisdom of God to accomplish what only He can accomplish. How do you need to believe and rest in the power and promises of God this Advent season?”

“Now, as unlikely as this Christmas cast is, infinitely more is the extraordinary nature of God's Christmas plan.”

“Mary knows her boy will not be an ordinary boy. As poor and despised as Jesus will be, he will be great because he is the eternal Son of God, equal to his Father in all things. If you wonder why Jesus had to be born of a virgin, you can start here—being fully man, Jesus was fully God. He would come into this world to establish David's throne and reign over God's people as their sovereign king in His eternal kingdom, which will be fully and finally established when he returns.”

“Mary's Son will do all this as Jesus, the name above all other names that means deliverer. He will deliver salvation to sinners. As young as Mary is, we know she understands this because of her response—read 38.”

“Mary is wholly surrendered to the Lord's will for her. She has no idea how her situation will turn out. She is unmarried and about to be pregnant. That sounds like serious trouble. Yet, her fear and confusion give way to faith and humble submission.”

“An angel named Gabriel isn't going to show up in your living room and shock you into faith and humble submission. But even better, Jesus has shown up in your heart, which is precisely why he came into this world. We see this in Mary’s ensuing celebration. In 39-45, Mary goes to see Elizabeth. Mary could have been overwhelmed with panic about the optics of a young, unwed, pregnant teenage girl. She could have been distracted by thinking through a PR plan as the gossip and accusations were about to fly. Instead, she is undone in worship.”

“The interchangeable terms soul and spirit create a repetition to communicate one thing—Mary is worshipping God with her entire being—her will, thoughts, affections, words, and body. Mary holds nothing back from God in her worship of God. And while Mary is not worthy of our worship, her worship is worthy of our emulation.”

“Mary understood her socioeconomic status. She understood she was a nobody from the nasty town of Nazareth. There was nothing special about Mary. Mary is the essence of ordinary. None of this escapes Mary. She's not beating her chest; she knows she’s a servant. So she sings God's praises—He who is mighty has done great things for me. God has chosen me to bear the Messiah. God has looked upon me and said, You will bear my Son who will save people from their sins.”

“Have you ever had a game-changer in your life? This is the ultimate game-changer! Mary and Elizabeth are living in the worst of times. Four hundred years have gone by since the last prophet spoke. God's people are living under Roman oppression as they await their long-promised Messiah. This baby changes everything, and Mary knows it—(48) from now on  all generations will call me blessed. Nothing will ever be the same for Mary. And nothing will ever be the same for the rest of the world either. Translation: God has acted in history, and an extraordinary reversal is underway!”

“The world is about to be turned upside down, and it begins here with a pregnant senior citizen and a pregnant teenager—(51) Jesus will humble the pride of intellect. This baby will humble the pride of status (52). Joseph and Mary's child will humble the pride of wealth (53). Everything that makes sense to the world, everything the world treasures and trusts, everything the world thinks matters most, everything the world respects and esteems, Christmas turns on its head and renders meaningless.”

“This is not the Christmas story found on the Hallmark Channel. This is not the Christmas story the world wants to hear. But it is the Christmas story the world needs to hear because it is the true Christmas Story.”

“Jesus, the image of the invisible God who is supreme over all creation, condescended to create a new humanity of righteousness and glory. Jesus, the firstborn from the dead in whom the fullness of God is pleased to dwell, was born into our world to reconcile all things, making peace by the blood of his cross. He was born to give spiritual life to the spiritually dead. He was born to liberate sinners from the oppression of their sin so they might live eternally for his praise and glory. There's no room for sentimentalizing this Jesus. We dare not distort, diminish, or dismiss his significance with our Christmas trappings. Christmas is about the coming of our only Savior and eternal King! This is the true Christmas story—who needs to hear it from you?”

“I don't know if you caught it, but Mary's song contains the phrase He has six times. Mary hasn't seen this great reversal with her eyes yet, but she sings about the future in the past tense because she knows her God is faithful. But for us on this side of the cross, we have seen and experienced this great reversal Jesus' birth has inaugurated. We know where Christmas is going. This cradle leads to a cross where God held nothing back as He judged Jesus for our sins.”

“If you are a Christian, you have experienced your own great reversal in Christ: from sinner to saint, from enemy to child, from wrath to grace, from lost to found. Not because there was anything special about you. You are just as ordinary and hopeless as a barren old woman and young virgin girl. But in mercy, God acted in an extraordinary way to cause a great reversal in your life. You believed in Jesus, and like Mary, everything changed. Christmas happened to you, and Mary's song is your song.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 5:21

QUOTES:
Paul Tripp- “So much of our fear, discouragement, anxiety, and worry is the result of underestimating what God is willing and able to do.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones. -”Everything that man boasts in, his intellect, his understanding, his power, his social status, his influence, his righteousness, his morality, his ethics, his code—every one of them is utterly demolished by this Son of God.”

Martin Luther - “Mary's song is about God's great works and deeds, for the strengthening of our faith, for the comforting of all those of low degree, and for the terrifying of all the mighty ones on earth. We are to let the hymn serve this threefold purpose; for she sang it not for herself alone but for us all, to sing it after her.”

APPLICATION:
Q. What do faith and humble submission to God look like this Christmas? What seems impossible to you? What has you troubled, scared, and confused?

Q. Is your faith weak this morning? Is your spirit low this morning? Do you enter the Christmas season spiritually cynical or indifferent?  It doesn't have to be that way. Jesus—Immanuel, God with us, came to change everything. He wants your attention. He is worthy of your white-hot affections. Jesus knows your sin and weakness, and he wants to open your eyes to his love for you either for the first time or like no other time before. He went from the cradle to the cross to the grave to the right hand of your heavenly Father for you! Marveling at the wonder and living in the good of his love is what Christmas is about.

Q. How does the Spirit want to adjust your song as you enter the Christmas season this year? God made much of you when He condescended into this world to live and die for one reason—so you could make much of Him with everything you have and everything you are. That's a Christmas song worth singing. That's a Christmas promise worth living! That's a Christmas story worth telling.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
Who Would Have Dreamed
He Who Is Mighty
O Come All You Unfaithful
Heaven Has Come To Us

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Luke 2:1-7

This December we will be highlighting a Song of the Week each Wednesday to help us see and savor God this Christmas season.

Our first Song of the Week is O Come All You Unfaithful, written by Bob Kauflin and Lisa Clow. 

While the Christmas season is the “most wonderful time the year” many of us can still struggle with fear, weariness, sorrow over loss, or shame over our sin. This song invites us to lift our eyes upward and see what God has done by sending His son into the world. 

May this song encourage you as you listen and worship!

Listen Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8VZf8XK4wM

VERSE 1
O come, all you unfaithful; come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone
O come, barren and waiting ones, weary of praying, come
See what your God has done

CHORUS
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

VERSE 2
O come, bitter and broken; come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love
O come, guilty and hiding ones; there is no need to run
See what your God has done

BRIDGE
He’s the Lamb who was given; slain for our pardon
His promise is peace; for believe

VERSE 3
So come, though you have nothing; come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done
© 2020 Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music, David C Cook)) 

At this very moment, those that have received Christ are “more alive” now than ever before! Our understanding of who Jesus is, our very Christology, is fused/combined together with our very ethics, our way, our standard, our tradition - submitted to Christ Jesus the Lord, we therefore live as submitted to Him… in obedience to him. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 2:6-7
TITLE: Walk In Him
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: A life that is made alive in Christ will live in Christ.

POINTS:
1. We have received Him -  (v 6a)
2. Live in Him - (v 6b-7)

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”…in Chapter 2, verses 6 and 7, [Paul] summarizes what he has written so far by way of GROUNDING them in Christ Jesus the Lord. In these 2 verses, you and I are given the footing against this erroneous and destructive teaching.”

“The series that we are in as we work our way through Paul’s letter to the Colossians is a resounding proclamation, a moving declaration - one that at times bends the mind - as it preaches to us that we are ALIVE IN CHRIST!”

“Paul succinctly summarizes in Vs 6 and 7, key parts of what he has been writing to this church, praying for this church, and declaring to this church.”

“At this very moment, those that have received Christ are “more alive’ now than ever before! Weary souls need to hear the Holy Spirit speak through Paul’s pen! If you are here this morning and are without Christ, you need to hear this First Century Evangelist’s, Apostle’s, Pastor’s, Preacher’s words. The slumbering and easily distracted heart needs to hear these words. Until we “have gone out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal,” we need to hear that we are Alive in Christ AND are called to live in Him.”

“Gospel Truth - We have received Him! Gospel Claim - So live in Him!”

“The first thing that Paul reminds us of is Christ Jesus the Lord. He takes us again and again to Jesus. He draws out the Christology of Jesus by referencing him as Christ Jesus the Lord. He is the Christ, Promised One of Israel. He is Jesus (Yeshua - the Lord of salvation). He is Lord - one commentator saying that Paul “gathers up” all that he has already said about Christ in this letter so far. The Creator and ruler of everything. The spender of His majesty. The authority of His throne. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together!  And in vs. 6, WE have received HIM!”

“This word “receive” bears the meaning of receiving that which had been delivered - there has been a guarded transmission of a tradition - and accepting of that which has been transmitted, handed down, handed on - and in this verse, what we have received is Christ Jesus the Lord!”

“Christ Jesus the Lord has been passed on to us! Christ Jesus the Lord is THE tradition, handed down generation after generation to us, and we have RECEIVED him!”

“The doctrine of “Christ Alone” was not the reformers idea, it is God’s doctrine of His son, Christ Jesus the Lord. Christ Jesus the Lord is the center of our faith. We have received Him!”

“Paul had received the Gospel from the Lord and he passed it on to pastors (like Epaphras) who passed it on to the churches. This great tradition… This great Gospel message… was the life, death and resurrection of Christ is that GOOD NEWS that we have received!”

“The indicative was ‘...as you received Christ Jesus the Lord…’ The imperative is ‘..so walk in him.’”

“Walking is living in this context. It is living in obedience to Christ. It is living consistent in who you are in Christ.”

“Our understanding of who Jesus is, our very Christology, is fused/combined together with our very ethics, our way, our standard, our tradition - submitted to Christ Jesus the Lord, we therefore live as submitted to Him… in obedience to him.”

“This is the time of year that traditions mean a lot to us. Yet to us our traditions are the practice and repetition of things that we “do.” Thanksgiving traditions, Christmas traditions… things that we “do” over these holidays. On a grander scale: the Christian is caught up in an uninterrupted TRADITION of CHRIST. We find here in Vs. 6 is that we have received what has been handed down to us, THE teaching… THE tradition that is Christ. - Live in this never ending ‘Christmas” tradition of Christ, the gospel of Christ and Him crucified.’”

“Live rooted in Him. ‘Rooted’ draws on the metaphor of a plant (vine) tree (like being planted/rooted deeply into the soil. The perfect tense of the original meaning of the word is: You WERE rooted in. TRUE LIFE IN CHRIST is a rooted!”

“Live built up in Him. ‘Built up’ draws on the metaphor of a building that is constructed in Him.The combination of the two is that of having been securely rooted deep in Christ and being continually being rooted ALIVE in Christ and immovable like a secured mega-structure rising up fixed forever in Christ… JESUS FOREVER OUR LIFE AND OUR SURE FOUNDATION! Not simply a life of right and wrong decisions but one that is deeply rooted and built up IN Jesus Christ!”

“Live established in the faith in Him. The word ‘established’ carries in its translation being continually established! Being rooted and built up are clearly a work that has first been done by God, and so walk in what he has done and now regarding our faith is continually being done. HE IS CONTINUALLY establishing us in the faith.”

“If we are not rooted in Christ, we will be open to almost anything for relief and help. We don’t want to hear this. But the Colossians needed to hear this. In jeopardy of being deceived, Paul, grounds them again in the Gospel. IF we are not rooted in Christ, believe or not we are rooted in something and we have a tap root that seeks out other life sources. Q. What are you rooted in?  Christ?”

“Be careful what you read and why you are reading it. Be careful who you listen to and why you are listening to it. Itching ears have their roots in something else and wandering eyes seek out other sources for life. The more we are rooted in HIM, CHRIST JESUS THE LORD,  the more we see His sufficiency! Our faith is rooted, built up and established in Christ and NOTHING else.”

“Now we…live abounding in thankgiving. for thanksgiving keeps up constantly linked to the fact that we have received Christ - We are thankful for that which has been given to us, Christ Jesus Our Lord. The Christian is to be marked by the abundance of thanksgiving, because we return again and again to the life-source of our salvation. THE REASON that our thinking and belief should be flooded with thankfulness is we are His”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Colossians 1:10
Romans 14:15
Ephesians 4:1
Galatians 5:16
Psalm 1:3
Jeremiah 17:8
Ephesians 4:14, 17, 18, 21

QUOTES:
D. L. Moody- “Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, … gone out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body like unto [Christ’s] own glorious body. I was born of the flesh in 1837. I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”

Peter T. O’Brien - “The one whom the Colossians received as their tradition is the center of God’s mystery, and the Lord in both creation and reconcilliation. He is Lord absolutely, not just one among many.”

Peter T. O’Brien - “For Paul there is no hiatus between believing and behaving.”

Billy Graham - “No man can be said to be truly converted to Christ who has not bent his will to Christ.”

APPLICATION:
Q. Is not Jesus, Christ Jesus the Lord? And shouldn’t this have a life-altering effect on us?
Q. Shouldn’t our believing include our behaving?
Q. Shouldn’t our behavior be affected by our new life in the Lord and Savior?
Q. Shouldn’t our action be bent to this gospel tradition?
Q. What are you rooted in?  Christ?
Q. Are you able to abound in thanksgiving? This often is an indicator of where our hearts are truly living.
Q. What year were you born of the Spirit? What year did you receive Christ Jesus the Lord? In Him whom you have received, by the grace of God and in power the Spirit now live in Him.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Name Above All Names
Hope of the Ages
Jesus, There's No One Like You
Is He Worthy
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
We Receive

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Luke 1:26-38

So many voices clamor for our attention. We have so much information at our fingertips. We have itchy ears. We want immediate results in our lives. We are prone to sacrifice truth for experience. So we must believe with Paul that Christ alone makes us who we are and resolve to keep him at the center of our existence.  Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 2:1-5
TITLE: Grounded and Guarded
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: A church centered on Christ is a church guarded from wandering away from Christ.

POINTS:
1. A Beautiful Portrait of the Church
2. An Effective Safeguard for the Church

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”So many voices clamor for our attention. We have so much information at our fingertips. We have itchy ears. We want immediate results in our lives. We are prone to sacrifice truth for experience. So we must believe with Paul that Christ alone makes us who we are and resolve to keep him at the center of our existence.” 

“Paul begins in 1—I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you. Paul is not bragging. He is not complaining. He is expressing his deepest longing for them. The word translated struggle was used to describe the intense competitions of the Greek games. Just as the athlete fought with every ounce of energy to win, Paul cared for churches like the Colossians with the fierce desire of someone who was—in it to win it.”

“He communicates his desire for them in a way that paints a beautiful portrait of the church—read 2-3. In 2, their hearts may be encouraged—That is, they would know the comfort and possess the spiritual strength and courage that comes from knowing who they are in Christ. Paul goes on to say that they would be knit together in love.”

“Paul’s passion here is that the love of Christ would pour out into their relationships with one another, not only bound to God in Christ but bound to one another by the same divine love. It’s a humble love. It’s a sacrificial love. It’s a long-suffering love. It’s a love that gently rebukes and quickly forgives. It’s a love that always grounds them in what knits them together—the divine love of Christ!”

“We are so different—knitted together, divinely intertwined by the love of Christ.”

“In the face of false teaching that is challenging the sufficiency of Christ, Paul says the more you fix your head and heart on Christ, the deeper your understanding of God’s redemptive purposes that center on and climax in Christ, the greater your conviction and confidence that in Jesus you have everything and lack nothing—Stay close the guide!”

“OT books like Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes are packed with wisdom and knowledge. But the secret is out. The mystery has been revealed. The true fount and storehouse of all wisdom and knowledge is Jesus Christ!”

“To know Jesus is to have genuine knowledge of who God is and what he is like. To know Jesus is to know how to—(1:10) walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. To know Christ is to (Pro 2:3) Understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God so you can confidently live, in the words of RC Sproul, Coram Deo—in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.”

“It's an astonishing assertion that paints a beautiful portrait of the church. Sinners saved by grace, knitted together in love, encouraging one another as they grow in their understanding and conviction that Christ is their all-in-all.”

“Don’t miss the connection—I say this (2-3) in order that no one may delude you (deceive you) with plausible arguments.  The Beautiful Portrait of the Church also acts as An Effective Safeguard for the Church.”

“In 8, Paul will begin to deal directly with the deceptive teachings the Colossians were up against. To be clear, Jesus wasn’t being canceled; he was being added to.”

“These false teachers were good at their presentation. We could translate the word plausible in 4 as persuasive. Their arguments for Jesus Plus were persuasive and enticing. Paul says You don’t have to be deluded. Christ has been revealed to your head and heart. You experience genuine gospel encouragement and love through one another. Truth and your experience of truth tell you Jesus alone is sufficient. No matter how plausible the arguments are. No matter how persuasive the position is. No matter how polished the delivery is? It may SOUND right. It may SOUND godly. It may SOUND spiritual. It may be popular. But if it doesn’t lead you to Christ as your only identity, strength, and hope, it’s not good—it’s dangerous.”

“Where are you prone to be deluded by plausible and persuasive arguments that diminish and distract you from Christ? It may be time to change course for your spiritual well-being. Paul gives you the course in these verses: The more we experience genuine Christ-centered encouragement and love from one another, the more we grow in our (3) assurance of the sufficiency of Christ. Knowing the real thing is the best way to avoid being misled by counterfeits.”

“This is why the life of the local church is so important. It’s God’s chosen arena to grow our understanding of the gospel in the head and the heart in a way that establishes and protects our faith.”

“How encouraging is this? Paul can’t physically be with the Colossians to shepherd them through what they are facing. But he carries them in his heart, bound to them through their shared union in Christ. So he carries their burden, rejoicing over them, knowing they have all they need in Jesus. And now they have his teachings that point them to affirm the gospel and refute the deceivers. Paul is confident that as they center themselves on Christ according to his letter, their lives will be in order, that is, in keeping with the gospel, and their faith strong as they stand together in the encouragement and love of Christ, even in the face of opposition.”

“If you believe in Jesus Christ, that he is eternal, without beginning and without end, that he always was continuing; if you believe that he is Creator of everything, every cosmic speck across trillions of light-years of trackless space, the Creator of the textures and shapes and colors that daily dazzle your eyes; if you believe that he is the sustainer of all creation, the force that is presently holding the atoms of your body, your town, this universe together, and that without him all would dissolve; if you believe that he is the mystery, the incarnate reconciler who will one day reconcile the universe and redeem humanity to himself; if you believe that he is the lover of your soul, who loves you with a love bounded only by his infinitude; then, despite the fact that life will be full of trouble, nothing much will go wrong. Your vision of Christ will quicken and shape your life. What you believe about Christ makes all the difference in the world now and in eternity.” 

QUOTES:
D.A. Carson - “Paul cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else, without finally tying it to the cross. Paul is gospel-centered; he is cross-centered. From his first epistle to his final letter to Timothy, Paul kept the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus at  the center of his teaching. He resolved to know nothing...except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

John Woodhouse - “You can be perfectly sure that Paul never taught the Old Testament without proclaiming Christ! Paul never taught about the Christian life without the centrality of Christ. Paul never taught an understanding of anything without Christ. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and understanding are hidden in him!”

G.K. Beale - “At least parts of this false teaching is that believers still need to identify not only with Christ but also with the identification signs of the old law and must give some allegiance also to worship of angels together with Christ.”

Kent Hughes - “This is an important message for an alive Christianity. No intellectual process will lead to a full grasp of the mystery of Christ unless it is accompanied by a love for him and for Christians that knits us, the Church, together in love. We cannot pursue knowledge of God in willful, unloving isolation, rejecting fellowship with others. Historically, some have tried and have suffered incomplete or even distorted understanding. A complete understanding of the mystery comes in loving community.”

APPLICATION:
- Do you wonder what the purpose of life is? Do you wonder what the keys to a fulfilling life are? Do you wonder how one can suffer with joy? 
As a Christian, you can genuinely know God’s purposes in redemptive history because they have been revealed to you in the treasuries of wisdom—Jesus Christ.

- Where am I prone to be deluded by plausible and persuasive arguments that diminish and distract me from Christ?

Here's our application today:

1. Study the Scriptures with an eye to Christ (Catechism)

2. Knit yourself to the people in this room (priority of CG)

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
I Have A Shelter
All Things
There is One Gospel
All I Have Is Christ

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 2:6-7

There is a force at work in the world today that is more powerful and more significant than any other in the history of the world—the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is our hope of glory. So, we gladly suffer affliction and boldly proclaim Him as he advances His kingdom. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 1:24-49
TITLE: HIM!
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God builds His Kingdom as we experience affliction for Christ and we proclaim the gospel of Christ.

POINTS:
1. The Place of Affliction in God’s Purposes
2. The Priority of Proclamation in God’s Purposes

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”If read to the Colossians, these words [from John Woodhouse, quoted below] may have been a—Lord, I believe, help me with my unbelief moment. They were small and unimpressive. Men more eloquent and philosophically astute than pastor Epaphras were trying to persuade them the key to life was bigger than the gospel.”

“What was true for them is true for us. The gospel doesn’t always look like the most powerful and significant force in the history of the world. Our best evangelistic efforts seem fruitless. Affliction and suffering produce discouragement. It’s tempting to doubt the power and sufficiency of the gospel when your marriage is on life support, society increasingly despises your faith, and you’re your atheist neighbor is living the dream. In these experiences and so many others, it’s tempting to doubt and diminish the gospel as the most powerful and significant force in the history of the world—Lord, I believe, help me with my unbelief.”

“For this reason, we must understand how God is advancing His kingdom. Paul tells us in these verses: God builds His Kingdom as we experience affliction for Christ and we proclaim the gospel of Christ.”

“God doesn’t advance His kingdom through mass marketing and media. He is not bringing about His purposes through Christian Nationalism. The kingdom of God does not rely on impressive buildings and flashy preachers. God advances His kingdom and brings us to maturity, through affliction for and the proclamation of Jesus Christ.”

“Paul begins with an upside-down statement—read 24a. What? Who rejoices in their suffering?! Paul does. And for good reasons. As a minister (servant) of the gospel, Paul belongs to God. Jesus died for his sins. He belongs to Jesus. Once a ruthless persecutor of Christ’s church, now a servant of Christ’s church. But there was something else that produced transcending joy amid his suffering—Paul believed God was advancing His gospel kingdom, saving others just as he saved him through his afflictions.”

“Christ’s death is sufficient for our salvation in every way, lacking nothing in anyway. So what does Paul mean when he says— I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? To answer that, let’s take a step back.”

“Paul was used to advance the kingdom of God uniquely—taking the gospel to the Gentiles. In Acts 9, according to God’s plan, Christ appeared to Paul (Saul) on the way to Damascus, saying—Why are you persecuting me? To persecute Christ’s church was to persecute Christ himself. Such is the union of Christ and his people. A few verses later the Lord said, He chose Paul to take the gospel to the Gentiles and in doing so would suffer for Christ’s name.”

“God chose Paul to make known the fullness of God’s Word, that is the mystery, the OT promise now revealed in the gospel, that the once alienated and hopeless Gentiles were included in God’s plan of salvation. Now, by grace through faith, they are in Christ and Christ is in them. Because God lives in their hearts, they possess the hope of glory, a life of divine blessing today, and infinitely more in heaven with Jesus. This is something they had no hope of before. The afflictions Jesus bore on the cross were for the Gentiles too! This is the—(25) the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. For this, bringing the gospel to the Gentiles, Paul suffered greatly.”

“Paul suffered with joy, for the sake of advancing God’s kingdom, including the Colossians—(24) Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake—the church in Colossae which he didn’t plant and never visited, and two millennia later, our sake. So when Paul says his afflictions fill up what is lacking in Christ’s, he means his afflictions are advancing the intended effect of Christ’s afflictions on the cross, which is bringing the gospel and all its spiritual blessings to the Gentile.”

“We are engaged in the same conflict Paul was. The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints is still being revealed through us as we suffer and endure affliction for the sake of our gospel mission.”

“God is advancing His kingdom through the affliction of His people and the proclamation of His Son. Not the proclamation of our:

• Theological distinctives

• Parenting methodologies

• Anecdotal stories

• Spiritual gifts

• Community Groups and other ministries

• Personal prayer and Bible study

• God won’t advance the gospel on the east side through the proclamation of our ecclesiastical distinctives

God is advancing His kingdom through our proclamation of HIM—Jesus Christ and HIM crucified! Paul summarizes his ministry in 25-27 in one word—HIM!”

“We proclaim HIM! We don’t need anything else to proclaim but HIM because in HIM, we lack nothing; apart from HIM, we have nothing to proclaim. That’s not to say we have nothing else to talk about, but that in all we talk about, at the center of it is always HIM! From theology to practical Christian living, it all flows from, points to, and finds its purpose in HIM!”

“It’s HIM, we proclaim! Notice what Paul says—HIM we (all of us) proclaim, warning everyone. What are we warning everyone about? Your only hope of glory is HIM! Turn to HIM in faith and repentance. If you belong to HIM, you must live for HIM. Don’t add to HIM. You have all you need in HIM. Don’t drift back to your old ways because you are a new creation in HIM.”

“Don’t miss Paul’s threepeat of the word, everyone. No one is in a situation that requires something more than HIM.”

“I hear people say it—I need more than Jesus. That’s what the Colossians are being told. Paul will have none of it. HIM we proclaim because He is enough. Christ is sufficient for all our needs. He is your wisdom and hope in every matter and circumstance. We proclaim HIM, warning or teaching, Whatever the topic, the need, the danger—to everyone.” 

“Here’s the goal—(28) that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Maturity in Christ is HIM at the center of life. It’s the ability to rejoice in our sufferings because we know we belong to HIM, and he will finish the work He began in us. Spiritual maturity is to say—Lord, I belong to HIM, so use me as you will, whatever the cost. To mature in Christ is to find your all in HIM and HIM alone. That’s the goal.”

“There is a force at work in the world today that is more powerful and more significant than any other in the history of the world—the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is our hope of glory. So, we gladly suffer affliction and boldly proclaim Him as he advances His kingdom.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 11:23-33 
Philippians 1:29-30

QUOTES:
 John Woodhouse - “There is a force at work in the world today that is more powerful and more significant than any other in the history of the world. It is not the spread of democracy, nor is it any of the anti-democratic movements that are currently active and threatening. It is not capitalism, nor socialism. It is not civil rights, gay rightsor feminism. It is certainly not atheistic secularism. The force that is more powerful and more significant than any other in the history of the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

John Piper - “What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ is not that they are deficient in worth or merit, as though they could not sufficiently cover the sins of all who believe. What is lacking is that the infinite value of Christ’s afflictions are not known in the world. They are still a mystery—hidden—to most peoples. And God’s intention is that the mystery be revealed, extended to all the Gentiles. So the afflictions are lacking in the sense that they are not seen and known among the nations. They must be carried by ministers of the word. And those ministers of the word fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ by extending them to others.”

APPLICATION:
Notice Paul’s final words—read verse 29.

To see the Colossians center their lives on Christ was his driving passion. Fully reliant on the Holy Spirit, Paul tirelessly labored to see Christ-centered churches. Is that true of you?

1. Develop the conviction from passages like Col 1 that Christ is enough. 

2. Evaluate where you seek help. Do the books, programs, and people you pursue for help unmistakenly, undeniably,  and unapologetically lead you directly to Christ, or do you have to work Christ in yourself? If they don’t lead you to Christ, run from them, because they lead you to someone and if that someone is not HIM then at best you are adding to HIM at worst you running from HIM. 

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
How Great You Are
Only A Holy God
Help Us See Christ
When We See Your Face
In Christ Alone

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 2:1-5

Who we were then was entirely our doing. Who we are now is entirely His doing. JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 1:21-23
TITLE: Jesus Changes Everything
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Jesus changes everything!

POINTS:
1.  Who We Once Were
2. Who We Are Now

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”In verse 21, we find the 3-fold GRIM REALITY that describes who we were.”

“‘And you who once were…’ Alienated - We were alienated from God. And our alienation is not simply describing the state of the brokenness and separation in our relationship with God. Instead, what is being described here is the active, purposeful persistence in our slavery to sin and willing idolatry. We were not passively floating around in the darkness of space in a thrusterless space capsule, being pulled by various forces here and there as we drifted further and further away from God. Rather, our alienation here is better described as having a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel of our 1966 Shelby with our foot buried on the throttle, racing hard and fast and further into our alienation from God.”

“‘And you who once were…’ Hostile in mind - Paul does not want us to misunderstand who we were as he now adds to our alienation and describes we were also ‘hostile in mind.’ If our alienation wasn’t bad enough, our hearts had turned on him in hostility, as active His enemy. In our hatred of him (a passive description of our enmity with God), foot still buried on the gas, we yanked on the wheel and headed straight at Him.”

“The GRIM reality is that in our minds, from the very wellspring of our hearts, we were at war with Him! We believe and teach that we ran away from God, but here we find that we ran at Him.”

“‘And you who once were…’  Doing evil deeds - Adding to our alienation from God and to our hostility toward God, we were doing evil deeds. Paul, making sure that we understand what he is saying, adds to our estrangement from God and our hearts and minds fixed full-on hate to now doing evil deeds. We embodied our sin.”

“The GRIM reality is that this IS who we once were! We were alienated from God, hostile toward God, and doing evil deeds against God and others! BUT, THE GOOD NEWS is Jesus changes everything!”

“While still exulting in the majesty and supremacy of Jesus, Paul speaks to our hostile alienation in sin that is aimed at God and others… BUT, HE DOES NOT LEAVE US THERE.”

“Vs 21 should have a profound effect on us as we behold the majesty and supremacy of Christ. This is both terrifying and beautiful! By the cry of His command, Jesus created us and holds us together! We hated him and sought to undermine him, having tried to take His place on the throne, with our backs turned against him pursuing the filthiness of evil deeds. HE HAS NOW RECONCILED US!”

“We are now Reconciled by the blood of His cross! We are now Reconciled by His death! Jesus and His crucifixion change everything! It is here that we see the CROSS of Jesus as the overarching TURNING POINT for us - the CROSS of Jesus changes everything for us. The OLD now passes away, and now the NEW has come through the body of our Savior as He bears our sins on his perfect body and as Jesus pours out his holy blood in that inexplicable sacrifice.”

“Before God, our Judge, the records of who we were have not been lost (though we want them to be)! THE historical RECORDS PROVE WHO WE WERE - no fire could destroy them, and no effort on our part could rid us of our past hatred and transgression against God. But the good news is that at the CROSS OF JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING. HIS BLOOD COVERS OUR RECORDS, AND HIS DEATH RECONCILES US BEFORE GOD!” 

“The reason Jesus has done this is to present you and me before the judgment seat of God - His 2nd Coming - as righteous. Without Jesus, we will not escape the righteous wrath of God. But, with Jesus, we are righteous in God’s eyes and this is who we are now!”

“Who are we now in Christ? Jesus ‘presents you above reproach’, meaning we are presented without the stain of sin. Jesus ‘presents you holy’, separated unto God in righteousness. Jesus ‘presents you blameless’ - without stain, we bear no blame anymore. We are now forgiven and reconciled.”

“We, who were once alienated… separated from God, have now been brought near in Christ! We, who were once hostile in mind… enemies of God, are now loving worshippers of God in Christ! We, who were once doing evil deeds…unrighteous before God,  are now made righteous in Christ! JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 6:5
 2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 2:13
Luke 7:47
Romans 5:17

APPLICATION:
3-fold Application

• Continue in your Gospel faith. Remembering how you got here will be fuel for continuing on in your gospel faith

• Be rooted in your Gospel hope. Peter O’Brian - “...continuance is the test of reality. If it is true that the saints will persevere to the end, then it is equally true that the saints must  persevere to the end.”

• Become what you already are NOW in Christ. We were once embodying sin… now embody holiness and righteousness! Now we are reconciled by the Cross of Jesus, holy, blameless, and above reproach. Live in your innocence - live in your new reality!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
Jesus, There's No One Like You
Glorious
Behold Our God
How Vast The Love

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 1:21-23

5 REASONS FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND CONSIDERATION

1. To make baby steps in outreach.

Matthew 28:19 - “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...” To make disciples of all nations we must start somewhere. Evangelism and outreach cause us to “Go, not knowing.” Before we can run, we must begin walking. One of the easiest things we can do with the 3-5 people most of us have on our hearts is to invite them to Church. We always trust God for results in any efforts to evangelize, but Invitation Sunday gives the Church an opportunity to grow in faithfulness to reach out to people we are close to.

2. TO POSITION OUR LOVED ONES TO HEAR THE GOSPEL.

Romans 10:14 - “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” How will they hear without someone preaching? This might seem obvious but what better way for people on our hearts to hear the gospel in an undistracted way? Whether it’s singing the gospel, preaching the gospel, or displaying the gospel through serving one another, a friend that comes to Church will by the grace of God hear the gospel preached.

3. TO PUT THE CHURCH ON DISPLAY.

John 13:34-35 - “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” I mentioned last Sunday during the pre-service prayer how I think the Church underestimates how powerful our community witness can be. When people observe our Church community and make comments like “this is a friendly Church” or “it’s great to see so many young people involved” or “this Church seems really passionate” – these are observations of the whole community who are gathered for one reason alone – we have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ! As guests and friends get to know a Church community, they witness the gospel effect not just on one person (that they can dismiss) but on a whole community.

4. TO ENGAGE THE UNCHURCHED.

1 Corinthians 14:23 - “…and outsiders or unbelievers enter…” Although the context of 1 Corinthians 14 is correction on the use of tongues and order in the Church, it’s interesting that Paul speaks of unbelievers AND outsiders. He creates a whole category of people. In our day, we have many relationships where we just don’t know the heart of our friend or family member. Unchurched people talk and seem like they are believers, but they have not prioritized the Church. They fit the description “unchurched.” It can be difficult for an unbeliever completely foreign to Christianity to enter a Church service but for the “unchurched” they know what to expect.

5. TO HAVE A COMMUNITY PRESENCE.

Matthew 5:14-16 - “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…” In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Jesus teaching certainly has individual application but a city is more than one person. An Invitation Sunday (verbiage we use inside the Church) or Community Event allows us to shine our corporate light to the community.

Out of all the things that matter in your life, your Christology must matter most. Nothing matters more than what you believe about Jesus and how you respond to Jesus. Because Christ is supreme and sufficient, he should tower over our lives and draw us to him in every aspect of life. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 1:15-20
TITLE: JESUS!
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: It’s all about Jesus!

POINTS:
1.  The Supremacy of Christ over His Creation
2. The Sufficiency of Christ for Our Reconciliation

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”I was born and raised in NW, Washington. Naturally, I have spent much time in the city of Seattle. The views can be breathtaking on a sunny day in the right spot. The blue waters of Puget Sound give way to the brilliant Seattle skyline that stands against the backdrop of the lush greenery and looming Cascade Mountain Range. And towering above it all is Mt. Rainier. Everything on the horizon gives way and draws your gaze to the snowcapped volcano that rises 14,410 above the ground. If you fly into Seattle on a cloudy day, the rugged ice-capped peak rises from the sea of clouds. Whether from the ground or the air, it's a majestic sight.”

“Our text today is the Mt. Rainier of Colossians. Paul's words rise above everything he's said to this point and all he will say hereafter. The first nineteen verses of Colossians have been building up to this point, and the seventy-five verses that follow flow from our text today.”

“Our text can't be disconnected from 12-14, where Paul reminds the Colossians what God has done for them in Christ. Once living in darkness, they have been welcomed into God's kingdom of light, where they share in the blessings of God as sinners fully forgiven and redeemed, qualified in Christ for divine mercy and grace instead of divine judgment and wrath. TRANSLATION: Jesus is their sure and heavenly hope in life and death.”

“Now, in 15-20, it's as if Paul pulls back the curtain. And as he does, there's a shift. Everything changes as the towering assertions of Christ consume Paul's thoughts. The you's and I's of the first 14 verses give way to the he's and him's. Ten times, Paul uses phrases He is, by him, through him, or for him. The breadth of these terms is emphasized by the all seven times. The message is simple: It's all about Jesus!”

“Out of all the things that matter in your life, your Christology must matter most. Nothing matters more than what you believe about Jesus and how you respond to Jesus. Because Christ is supreme and sufficient, he should tower over our lives and draw us to him in every aspect of life.”

“Paul begins by telling us who Christ is, first as it relates to God—(15) He is the image of the invisible God.”

“Jesus makes the invisible God of the universe visible. From all eternity and for all eternity, Jesus shines forth the image and glory of God. Don't try to figure it out; just stand in awe and wonder!”

“Then Paul describes who Jesus is as it relates to creation—(15) Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Jesus is the preexistent Son who makes the invisible God visible and is the Lord over all creation.”

“In early church history, the term firstborn was a source of great confusion. The third-century heresy known as Arianism taught that Jesus as the firstborn of all creation meant he was part of God's creation, stripping him of deity. But the term firstborn here does not have anything to do with time or order; it's about rank and authority. Christ is the firstborn of all creation, not because he was born first but because he existed before and is supreme over creation.”

“As the creator of ALL things, Jesus is the GOAL of ALL creation. See the phrase for him; some have translated it as toward. The point becomes even more powerful. ALL of creation begins and ends with Jesus. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the END. ALL things, from the unseen to the majestic Mt. Rainier, ALL of it finds their ultimate goal in Jesus.” 

“Including you and me. Relationships. Money. Job. Intellect. Thoughts. Decision-making. Parenting and grandparenting. Marriage. Body. Gifts. Evangelism. Bible reading. Opportunities. Leisure. Trials. Jesus is the goal of you.”

“The tense of the verb hold is present, meaning it's a continual action. Jesus continually, moment by moment, holds his creation together. With a word, everything would cease to exist. The message to us is the same as the Colossians—This is your Savior!”

“Did you expect that? In this towering text, did you expect Paul to go from Christ supreme over the cosmos to head of the church?  And by head of the church—don't miss the metaphor—just as the head is connected to the human body, Christ as head of the body is connected to the church.”

“That means two things: 1. The place Christ's supremacy is expressed most gloriously and most clearly is the church and uniquely when the local church gathers. 2. In Christ, you are personally and intimately connected to the supreme source of wisdom, life, and power. For a church tempted to look to other places for superior spiritual knowledge and power, Paul says—Stop looking! You have Christ and Christ is all you need.”

“Simply put, Jesus' resurrection was the beginning of making all things new. More than that, he is the new beginning. He is the author of new life in the age of the Spirit that the OT points to and Acts unpacks. Those once dead in sin are now raised to life and reborn as new creations. This puts Jesus at the center of everything we are, do, and proclaim.”

“it makes Jesus—in the words of Paul at the end of 18—that in everything he might be preeminent. In all we do, from church to leisure, Christ is the most treasured. Most loved. Most pursued. Most celebrated. Most trusted. This is who the gospel has brought you to. This is who loves you. This is who you belong to. This is who we are inseparably united with. This is who has your days in his hands and is working all things for your good. This is who is coming back for you.”

“This is what it means to live a gospel-centered life: Live with Jesus at the center of your existence. That's God's desire. And Christ is worthy and sufficient to be the center of your existence.”

“Paul says Christ is preeminent because in him dwells the fullness of God. Ponder Paul's claim. All that God is. All that God offers. All His purposes. His power. His presence. His wisdom. It dwells in Christ. Outside of Jesus, we have none of God. With Jesus, we lack nothing from God!”

“If you know Christ, you lack nothing for life and godliness. No matter what you think you're lacking. No matter how inadequate you feel. In Christ, you have all of God that He wants you to have in this life. I know that sounds impossible, but here's what makes it certain—read 19-20.”

“Paul ends where he ended in 14—the cross. The one in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. The visible image of the invisible God. The one whom all things were created by, through, and for. The one who reigns supreme over all creation. That one condescended to us—God Incarnate. He, driven by His Father's glory and love for you, willingly left heaven, took on flesh, and gave himself unto death, so that, by his blood that covers every sin, sinners like you and I would be reconciled (20), peace with God, having life, not only in this life but the life to come in heaven when all of creation will be made new in the light and presence of Jesus, the preeminent One of eternal glory!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Timothy 6:16, John 4:24 - God cannot be seen
John 1:18, Hebrews 1:3 - But Christ is His image. Jesus makes the invisible God visible!

QUOTES:
John Piper - “All that came into being exists for Christ—that is, it exists to display the greatness of Christ. Nothing—nothing!—in the universe exists for its own sake. Everything from the bottom of the oceans to the top of the mountains, from the smallest particle to the biggest star, from the most boring school subject to the most fascinating science, from the ugliest cockroach to the most beautiful human, from the greatest saint to the most wicked genocidal dictator—everything that exists, exists to make the greatness of Christ more fully known—including you, and the person you have the hardest time liking.”

Mark Jones - “There is something in Christ more excellent and comely than the office of a Savior; the greatness of his person is more excellent than the salvation procured by his death.” Mr. Jones adds—”The glory of his person outweighs even the glory of his work on our behalf. However, who he is enabled him to do what no man is capable of: die in the place of a multitude of sinners. We praise him first for who he is and then for what he accomplished.”

APPLICATION:
- Do you struggle with "church?"—The problem isn't the church; it's your Christology.

Paul wrote this towering text because certain teachings that diminished the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ were hindering the Colossians from seeing and living a gospel-centered life. What is hindering or even diminishing Christ's place in your life? Whatever it is, I leave you with these words as application:

John Piper - “If your heart ever wavers and grows cold, go here [Colossians 1:15-20]; memorize this litany of glories and ask God to give you affections that correspond to the measure of this greatness. If any person or any power or any wisdom or any love awakens any admiration or any amazement or any joy, let it be the greatest Person and the greatest power and the greatest wisdom and the greatest love that exists, Jesus Christ.”

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
Bless The Lord O My Soul (Psalm 103)
Come Thou Fount
We Receive
Glorious Christ

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 1:21-23

Colossians 1:9-20 form one long sentence in the original. Paul gets started up and he doesn’t stop. The effect is one of the richest sections in Scripture. Paul’s desire is to root his readers in their gospel identity before he exhorts them on how to live. Paul knows, to quote David Prior—believers never move on from the cross of Christ, only into a more profound understanding of the cross. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Colossians - Alive In Christ
TEXT: Colossians 1:9-14
TITLE: Knowing Is Growing
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: The more you know the more you grow.

POINTS:
1.  A Godward Perspective
2. A Worthy Life

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”…after 37 years of marriage, here’s my experience—The more I learn about Donna, the more I love her and the more I love her the more I know about her. It’s a beautiful cause and effect. That cause and effect principle operates in the Christian life as well. Colossians 1:9-20 form one long sentence in the original. Paul gets started up and he doesn’t stop. The effect is one of the richest sections in Scripture.”

“The more we understand God’s will, the more our worldview is shaped by the gospel, the more Godward our perspective is, the more our lives reflect His glory. The more you know the more you grow.”

“Paul’s begins 9—And so, from the day we heard. What did they hear? They heard from Epaphras (3-8) about their faith in Jesus and their love for one another, that was born out of their hope of heaven. The gospel they believe is real. Their faith in Jesus is real. Their hope of heaven is real. This undeniable reality that Paul is so thankful for fuels his prayersfor them.”

“What does Paul mean by the knowledge of God’s will? Is Paul referring to God’s private plan for individual Christian? God does have a plan for your life and it is good because He is good. But His plan for you is set in a much bigger plan. For Paul, the will of God here is His redemptive purposes.”

“Paul’s prayer is that their knowledge of God’s plan of redemption would grow more and more, notice end of 9—in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. In other words, they would increasingly understand life and their lives at the spiritual level.”

“Call it a cross-centered perspective, an eternal perspective, or a Godward perspective, Paul prays it would characterize the Colossians more and more.”

“As we will see in Ch. 2, some were trying to dupe the Colossians with other humanistic notions and philosophies that had an appearance of wisdom but were void of Christ, therefore, leading them away from Christ. So Paul prays they will see and understand all of life with a Godward perspective, which is that Christ is the center of God’s will and therefore the key to all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Don’t we need this prayer today?”

“Walking was a Jewish metaphor for how one lives their life. To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord is to live a life consistent with who God is and what Christ has done for you in the gospel. If you are in Christ, live like you are in Christ. Paul exhorted the churches this way often.”

“Walking in a manner worthy of the gospel can never be unattached to the gospel. That leads to either legalism (earning favor with God through behavior) or licentiousness (living like God doesn’t care how you live). [Be sure to be clear in your understanding of ‘justification (position before God) vs sanctification (practice before God in light of our position before God)’”

“A Fruitful Life - An apple tree bears apples because it’s an apple tree. Likewise, a Christian’s life should bear fruit that reflects who they are in Christ:

• Quick to forgive others because you have been forgiven in Christ

• Gracious and gentle toward one another because in Christ, God has been and continues to be gracious and gentle toward you 

• A heart for the lost because once you were lost but God set his affections on you and saved you. 

• A joyful willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel because Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for you

We could go on but you get the picture. Bearing fruit in good works that reflect the nature of the gospel that shapes you.”

“A Knowledgeable Life - Don’t miss the circular nature of Paul’s thoughts—the knowledge of God’s redemptive will (9) compels us to live for His purposes (10). The more we live for God, bearing fruit, the more we grow in our knowledge and love of Him. It’s a spiritual cause and effect. This principle exists in the Christian life in two ways:

• Intellectual—Personal study, Sunday preaching, teaching ministries of the church, fellowship of CG

• Experiential—If you want to increase in your knowledge of God, throw yourself into what God is doing and in the doing you learn about God intimately.”

“The more you know of God in your head and heart, the more you want to serve and imitate God. The more you serve and imitate God, the more you learn about God. It’s an upward spiral that magnifies the power, beauty, and glory of God!”

“A Powerful Life - Here’s what we tend to forget: This is no ordinary power. Look at 11—We are strengthened with ALL power (sufficient for the task), according to His glorious might (God’s might is infinite). This is extraordinary power. It’s an immense power. It is power scaled to God Himself. Ultimately, it’s a resurrection power according to Paul in Ephesians. Paul takes God’s colossal power and applies it, not to miracles, but to everyday Christian living—endurance and patience. The Colossians needed endurance and patience to stand in the truth of the gospel in the face of false teaching. We need endurance and patience to trust God, be content in Christ, and stand in righteousness instead of complaining, growing bitter, and becoming despondent in difficult situations and with difficult people. That is impossible apart from the Spirit’s resurrection power at work in us.”

“Hears the deal: In the context of Paul’s prayer, the more you know the will of God and how He works it, the more you understand and experience the unmatched power of His Spirit at work in you, and the more your life will be marked by God-pleasing, Christ-exalting, joy-filled endurance and patience. And you say—Yet not I but Christ in me!”

“A Thankful Life - Paul has come full circle. In 3-8 he shared how thankful he is that they are part of God’s redemptive will. He begins this section exhorting them to grow in their knowledge of that will. He ends by reminding of their place in His will through the saving power of the gospel. And the only appropriate response to that knowledge and reality is a life of joyful gratitude to the Lord. If you are a Christian, you should be one of the most thankful people on the planet. Think about what Christ has done for you—He has brought you out of darkness into the light of His kingdom, fully forgiven and with the hope of heaven, sharing in the eternal and indescribable heavenly inheritance with the saints. God understood your greatest need and He provided an answer—the forgiveness of your sins through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 1:27
Ephesians 4:1
Galatians 2
Ephesians 1:19-20

QUOTES:
David Garland - “For Paul, understanding God’s will involves recognizing how Christ is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive purposes, how God’s salvation is open to all people, and how God intends for Christians to live in whatever situation they find themselves in.”

D.A. Carson - “Great endurance and patience: the expression suggests both the kind of stamina that gets under a burden and carries it with enduring fortitude, and the kind of stamina that knows how to possess its soul in patience. Those are not virtues that are popular in our age. We extol champagne: lots of fizz and a pretty good high, but having no nutritional value for the long haul. In an age when tempers are hot, quick solutions are ardently courted, success is revered, victory is cherished, independence is lauded, and easy triumphs are promised, "great endurance and patience" at first glance seem like less than stellar qualities. But the truth is, they are so far beyond human capacity that they require the power of the Spirit of God. These virtues enable the believer to survive with joy when persecuted, to triumph in self-composure and contentment when insulted, to trust God's all-wise and all-gracious providence when one is suffering like Job. When Jesus sees these virtues in us, he is well pleased.”

D.A. Carson - “If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior.”

APPLICATION:
1. What role does the Bible play in your life?
2. How central is the church to your life?

Do you desire a more pleasing life to God? Are you spiritually struggling? Trust in the might of God through His Spirit, draw near to God in prayer, pursue Christ through His Word, and plug into your gospel preaching church.

BECAUSE: The more you understand and experience God’s will in Christ, the more you will grow in living for Christ to the pleasure of God. 

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Revive Us Again
Help Us See Christ
Man Of Sorrows
When You Move

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Colossians 1:15-20

What a joy it is to be part of Sovereign Grace Churches! Your financial partnership and prayers continue to be a means of God's grace in advancing the Gospel through our family of churches throughout the world. YOU, together with our Church, are making an eternal difference!

Mark Prater, the Executive Director of the Sovereign Grace Churches Global Leadership Team, recently provided the following encouragement and a list of Prayer Requests. We hope that you are encouraged by his words and ask you to join us in praying for these things.

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From Mark:

In his commentary on the book of Judges, Dale Ralph Davis writes this about prayer, “Yahweh’s hearing is the most crucial matter for all prayer…When God listens to our voice, we must never respond with a yawn. We will trivialize prayer whenever we forget the repeated miracle it involves, the gracious condescension of the King of glory, who stoops down to listen to our verbs and nouns, our adverbs and questions, our groans and tears.”

What an amazing, humbling truth that we must never take for granted. God listens! In gracious condescension, He stoops down and listens to our prayers. May that “repeated miracle” fuel our desire to pray for our shared mission, and for one another in Sovereign Grace.

As we pray, let us continue to be amazed that God listens!

Thanks for praying,

Mark

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sovereign grace churches fourth quarter 2024 prayer requests:

• Pray that God would give us opportunities to invite unbelievers and the unchurched to Sovereign Grace churches as we hold our Christmas-related events and services in December.

• Pray that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelieving family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers over the holiday season.

• Pray for the Sovereign Grace Churches Pastors Conference, November 5-7, 2024, in Orlando, FL, asking God to work in a way that our relationships among our churches are strengthened, pastors and wives are equipped for what God has called them to do, and that our family of churches is united in our shared gospel mission all for the glory of God alone.

• Pray for the annual Sovereign Grace Churches Council of Elders meeting on November 4, 2024, in Orlando, asking God to give our pastors wisdom to make decisions that strengthen our mission, foster our unity, and that best serve our churches.

• Pray for Bob Kauflin as he leads four Prepare Him Room events in December in Franklin, TN, Knoxville, TN, New Orleans, LA, and Louisville, KY. Pray for the musicians, vocalists, and staff joining Bob, asking that God grant them grace to use their gifts to make much of Christ as we celebrate His birth.

• Pray for Pat Tedeschi, currently a pastor at Greentree Church in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, who will be moving to London in early 2025 to lead Oasis International Church into partnership with Sovereign Grace. Pray that God would provide visas, housing, etc., for Pat and his wife Dana, and ask God to give Pat wisdom and help to lead Oasis Church to continue their gospel mission in London with a strong interdependency among the Sovereign Grace churches in Europe, and among our family of churches globally.

• Pray for the Philippine Pastors Institute, which started another academic year in September, looking to theologically equip 14 students. It’s the hope that through this Institute Sovereign Grace Philippines, and the Mindanao Region specifically, will continue to be faithful in gospel ministry for generations to come.

•  Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world.