MESSAGE
October 3, 2021
Sermon
Rooted and Built Up in Him
Sam McVay Jr.
ABOUT this message //
The devil lies about many things through many strategies, but the primary target of all his deception is the accurate head and heart revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sam discusses how vital it is that disciples in this present day are deeply rooted in Christ, built up high in Christ, and strengthened in the faith.
NOTES //
Download Notes PDF (When Available)
A few facts from ESV study Bible regarding Colossians:
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians living in the small city of Colossae. It was probably written c. A.D. 62, while Paul was in prison in Rome (Acts 27–28). This was about the same time he wrote Ephesians and Philemon. All three letters were sent with Tychicus and Onesimus.
Paul had never been there. It is supposed that during his three year ministry in Ephesus, a man named Epaphras from Colossae had come to hear the gospel where he received and took it back to his hometown.
A dangerous teaching was threatening the church at Colossae, one that lessened Christ’s role and undermined the new identity of believers “in Christ” (1:2, 28). Paul wrote to warn against this false teaching and to encourage the believers in their growth toward Christian maturity.
Key Themes
Jesus Christ is preeminent over all creation, Lord over all human rulers and cosmic powers (1:15–20; 2:9–10; 3:1).
God has acted through Christ to secure redemption and reconciliation for all who put their faith in him (1:13–14, 20–22).
Believers are in Christ, and so they share in Christ’s death, resurrection, new life, and his fullness (2:9–14; 3:1–4).
Christ has defeated the powers of darkness on the cross. Christians share in his power and authority over that realm (2:10, 15; see also 2:8, 20).
Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish expectation. Christians share in the heritage of the old covenant people of God through their union with him (1:12, 21–22, 27).
Believers are called to grow in spiritual maturity by getting rid of sinful practices and developing Christian virtues (1:10–12, 28; 3:1–4:6).
Colossians 2:6-8 (ESV)
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
It is vital that disciples in this present day are deeply rooted in Christ, built up high in Christ, and strengthened in their faith.
It is always important for these to happen, but there are two unique reasons why it so important now:
1. Pressures are increasing on earth at an accelerated rate, and
2. An anti-christ spirit of heresy and deception is also increasing
The devil lies about many things through many strategies, but beloved you must know that the primary target of all of his deception is the accurate head and heart revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, Paul reminds them in vs. 6: remember the Christ that was preached to you at the beginning by Epaphras and continue in that!
Then he exhorts them in v.7 to:
1. be rooted, or go deep deep deep in Jesus, and
2. go high, high, high in Jesus
3. these two will strengthen your faith to a point that it won't be broken.
In v.8 Paul then tells them to be on guard against:
1. philosophies
2. empty deceit
3. elemental spirits of the world
Beloved, we must set a trajectory towards:
- rooting ourselves deep, by the Spirit, in the glorious resurrected Jesus
- being built up sky high in our revelation of Jesus - an ever increasing Christology
- let these two take your faith into a robust, established and strong, unmovable faith
CATEGORY //
Sermon, Faith