Here‘s the audio for my Colossians sermon series intro.
NOTES:
Colossians 1:1-2 “The Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ”
Intro: 10 years ago public worship services; people born & die; arrive & move away; new Christians & growth as believers
-God has provided financially, sustained us as a congregational; new venue; covid; and tonight—elder install & constitute
-It has not been easy: joy and pain; We are smaller than we thought we’d be…But God is sovereign and in control.
-Our 1st sermon series: Colossians. This summer was going to back to Colossians “Colossians Revisited”
-As we look to God for the future, we need to hear the precious truths of Colossians again.
-This morning: Recite the book from memory and then preach a sermon to introduce the book to you.
-As you hear it, do 2 things: 1. Enter into original situation; 2 Behold the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ.
-PRAY…RECITE.
THIS MORNING’S SERMON: 1 Introduce the Book; 2 Apply the Book;
I Introduction to Colossians.
1. Who wrote the book? Author: Paul the apostle (1:1)
-See Acts 9àConverted on road to Damascus; “chosen instrument of Christ to carry name before Gentiles and Israel” (9:15)
–APOSTLE: authorized agent of Christ, leading and teaching the church
-NT is made up of the apostle’s writings.
-A healthy Christian and church today is led by apostle’s teaching, preached and applied.
2. To whom was the book written? Audience: Church at Colossae (1:2) “Saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae”
-Colossae: Modern Turkey.
-“Saint”=holy one; every Christian is a saint—contra Roman Catholicism
-“faithful brothers”=Faithful Christians; part of the family of God.
-Paul has not been there yet, but has heard about the church through Epaphras (1:7)
–Epaphras is a Colossian native, and shared the gospel with the Colossians
-Paul is in prison but has heard from Epaphras the situation at Colossae
3. What was happening? Situation: The Colossians Christians Are Faithful but Encountering of False Teachers.
–Colossians are genuine Christians and strong in the faith
-Genuine Christians: 1:3-8
-Strong in the faith: 2:5
–Threat of false teachers is real (2:6-23).
-Paul is concerned about the threat of false teachers and danger of ‘shifting away from the gospel’ (1:23)
–FALSE TEACHING: mix of persuasive words, philosophy, Jewish mysticism and rule-keeping
-Fear ‘Is Christ enough?’ ‘Do I need a fullness elsewhere’? ‘Do I know real gospel?’
APP: Today, Christians face similar false teaching, causing us to be uneasy and seek fullness elsewhere.
–Cults: Mormonism; Jehovah Witnesses; International Church of Christ
–Also: Roman Catholicism; Pentecostalism; Do-it-yourself Spiritualism; Worldly philosophies
4. What did Paul hope would happen? Aim: Encourage Growth and Protect against the False Teaching
–Growth as Christians
-Main exhortation in the letter is found in 2:6-7
-We all need to grow up in the faith, it is not automatic
-It takes effort, by God’s grace and Holy Spirit empowering
-Christians are to LIVE OUT their NEW IDENTITY!
–Protection against False Teaching
-Jesus taught us to ‘shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves’ (Matt 10:16)
-Colossians faced genuine threat to their faith
-Persuasive, charismatic teaching can be quite powerful
-Christians are to NOT SHIFT FROM HOPE OF THE GOSPEL!
- How does Paul accomplish this? Method: àBy Beholding the Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ
-MAIN IDEA OF COLOSSIANS: the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ
-80 times in 95 verses: the person or work or result of the work of Jesus is mentioned!
NOTE: False teaching always down plays or shifts away from supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus
-Jesus is seen as not fully God; or not enough to meet our needs
-Jesus’ work is not viewed as being complete—we have to add on to it.
BIG IDEA: If we are to grow as Christians and be protected against false teaching, we must recognize
the supremacy of Christ and sufficiency of his work!
1 SUPREMACY OF Christ: There is no one greater!
-Soccer game with Messi playing—commentators gushing over him.
-Christ really is supremely great, majestic, glorious, and worthy of worship
-There is not ‘superfluous’ expression of his greatness
-In fact, every attempt of our falls short of full expressing his greatness!
–Deity of Jesus 1:19-20; Preeminence of Jesus: 1:15-20; Saving Work of Jesus: 1:22; 2:14
***QUESTION: Do you believe Jesus is better than everything? Or are you bored with Jesus?
–Children: What most thrills your heart? Movies, duo-lingo, or sports, activities? Or Jesus?
–Adults: What most thrills your heart? Growing bank account; vacations; fitness; success? Or Jesus?
-We need to see again the truth: Nothing is greater than Jesus. Nothing can satisfy apart from him!
CHALLENGE OF NAPERVILLE: It is hard to keep this truth in our heart when we live in such a nice place.
-Jesus really is better than all the nice things of Naperville.
2 SUFFICIENCY of Christ: What Jesus accomplished through death and resurrection is enough!
-Through Christ we are transferred into new kingdom; forgiven of sins; reconciled to God;
-Through Christ we have hope of glory; we have been spiritually alive;
-The Christian life is now one of living out this new reality.
****QUESTION: Do we recognize the true sufficiency of Jesus’ finished work?
-Or are we look elsewhere for ourselves or children? Looking to programs, techniques?
CHALLENGE OF NAPERVILLE: It is hard to keep this truth in our heart here in Naperville.
-Roman Catholics; Spiritualists; Other Churches that bigger and have more resources—spiritual FOMO!
-We must see: the work of Jesus really is sufficient for all spiritual needs!
- My Prayer: We would see again the SUPREMACY AND SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST
–Individually: a personal renewed joy and delight in Christ.
-Pray that God helps you see the truth that Jesus truly is great.
–Families: a family renewed joy and delight in Christ.
-Let the truth of Christ reshape what we’re excited about, how spend money, free time, future.
–Church: a church renewed joy and delight in Christ.
-What does our little church have to offer those who attend? Or those outside the church?
-Something more precious than all the world: Jesus Christ!
CLOSE: Amen.
