R1651 Introduction to Colossians Pt.2

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton of this edition of the scourging were as we open God's word together. Dr. Don is about to tell us about eternal concepts literally that we each can have something eternal to say eternal to live eternal to look forward to all that's on the way as we study God's word together and while we so you need to know were available for you to pray with you and for you anytime on our prayer line in 866-899-WORD. That's 866899673 were also connecting keyboard keyboard on our website@twonline.org right now the current resources amazing hope in him discover more on our website.

GW online.org now today ceasing with Dr. Don that he gone had something eternal, nonnegotiable to say to these people to the church designed to strengthen them. This was the anchor that would hold them despite the storms just a word about them. The church colossi had not yet come to the world around them and I'm going to tell you what they were facing. They will, they were under threat, they were surrounded by pagans. They will was very troubled and these were faithful and holy by the way, I'm not even going to get into that today only. Which one of us if I was to lost all of us to whichever one of you is holy rock. Now, would you please stand. None of us want to stand that designation comes because of warnings about to say concerning the sufficiency of Christ and the indwelling presence of Christ. It is because of him. He's the anchor he's the one you take him out of the equation church you going to be anything but holy uvula looked like the wound that you living in you take Jesus out of take God out of church you type gone out of it. When I discussed that you pay lip service to God like you dusty morph just on a Sunday morning and you will behavior does not mirror what it means to trust in God, you will be rendered unholy and unfaithful, which is where that's all around us, the world is not on the unholy but unfaithful.

That's what sin does.

Sin separates people from a holy and a righteous God, be talking about these things for several weeks so this church colossi they were facing serious challenges. They were coming to church on Sunday morning and Wednesday and whenever it might be, and the people were bringing with them the ranging wildfires that were going on into the world they came and set they prayed together study God's word together and they were dealing at the same time with pain with agony with unbelievable ugliness with bad behavior and and most of all with a world that was increasing the sign are you kidding me, Jesus. The church colossi was being squeezed and I hadn't yet succumbed. I'm I'm I'm saying this is this is a daunting statement. I wouldn't be surprised if word had gotten to Paul that they were churches falling like dominoes all across this region. They will succumbing left and right because the devil infiltrated them and it'll come through one person in this congregation, one it'll take one of you. He was licking his chops. It never happens through the pew pew's don't give you trouble peers never threatened God, it's always people and people's biggest problem is we always know better than God, and we living in a world today where we've set up a monument to our own glory and the world wants the church to mirror the world instead of the church wanting the wound to mirror the Lord Jesus and and essentially colossi in their world and I'm going into their world.

You have this collision between multiple anti-Christian philosophies became known as the colossi heresy. That's what it was known as an end, the church faced the danger, but I hadn't yet fallen to it. They face the danger of being pulled into it. If a fire starts in your house don't gun walked around it, put it if you're not dabbling in stock. If you part of the 1 foot club you have 1 foot in the world and 1 foot in God's kingdom.

Take your foot out of the will. That's what Paul is about site. Chapter 1 verse 23 verse 23 we will read will get there.

If you continue in your faith established and firm. You will not be moved from the hope held out in the gospel's, did you hear what he said. You continue your you will not be moved from all the joy and the promise the blessing that comes from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ because he's old sufficient.

So what about the cholos and Colossian heresy. So just to try and help us understand that briefly there were really two worlds that were colliding in this in this town. Watch me now okay this Optronics find it very something on the one hand, they was Greek philosophy rank paganism would result based on knowledge and philosophy. They Greek philosophers believe that the gospel of Jesus.

Just far too simplistic.

I'm in get a life. Give your heart to Jesus and you'll be forgiven and go to heaven half stupidly simplistic. The Greeks, they will overthink as they were philosophers.

I had seen. On knowledge so you can go and read about that for example in first Corinthians is replete with the challenges presented by this brand of paganism like is there anything more ridiculous than being a Christian and they found any reason to brand Christians to associate Christians. I just looked around the filmmaker Michael Moore.

Just this week said you know he equated the behavior of the tele-band to conservative Christians in America give me a break.

It's like groping at something to bring down Christians. That's what the Greeks did they they belittled when when they kids went to school it was like house. We know you lost your mind. Are you in church on Sunday, you realize you could be at the beach right now worship God's man so you can summarize Greek philosophy and three denials and I'm just giving this to first will they deny the humanity of Christ. They denied the humanity of Christ, you know, how could I proofing God take up human matter, which was overtly evil can't happen so they deny the humanity of Christ. In other words, Jesus could never have taken on flesh, and that whole thing about becoming sin for us, even though he knew no sin. That's just globally gobbling nonsense. Secondly, they denied the deity of Christ. One thing to deny the humanity of Christ. But secondly, they deny the deity of Christ, and to deny the deity of Christ literally made. There was no way that God ever could become man member. They had plenty of guards made statues of temples erected to them everywhere they brand of worship was a Mardi Gras brand of worship is live today because tomorrow you die. And certainly they denied the sufficiency of Christ. What is the sufficiency of it's the sufficiency of Christ for salvation listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Please don't go away to be back with the rest of today's message in just a moment, but we want to remind you that you can hear today's message again. Maybe share with a friend as well from our website.

TW online.org we have audio and video on demand can also sign up for the daily podcast that's available@twonline.org and get we believe is one of the great ways to start your days in God's word and Dr. Don has the email version of his daily devotion available to sign up on our website right now@twonline.org inspiration focus from God's word. The launch of the some application about how we apply God's word as well. You can sign up today online@twonline.org for the daily devotion. Now let's dive back into God's word together with Dr. Don Wilton chapter 1 verse 28.

This is what Paul sees in verse 28 in the first chapter, we proclaim him, admonishing and everyone teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. That's the old sufficiency of Christ for salvation. You do not add anything or anyone to Jesus. He is the one he is God's son, the only begotten of the father, we are complete in Christ will Greek philosophical paganism denied Christ's humanity denied the deity of Christ, denied the old sufficiency of Christ and it was all around them. They were people out there saying this and then excuse me guys you don't mean that God is going to limit I mean he just loves everyone you know as long as you sincere never heard anybody say that as long as you do good guy can't stand these Christian religions that say Jesus is the only one who said you can have a corner on the market.

Are you telling me that my way to worship you love God made the trees and the flowers and the birds and bees.

If I want to worship in all and I believe that that's the way to get to God. Who are you to tell me I go to add Jesus into this so you got the Greeks, but on the other hand you have the Jews. I'm just presenting to your two groups whom many Jews and Judaism Edison heartbeat insisted on a number of things you take for example ceremonial is or how about ritualism, particularly circumcision of young males that was written into the religious framework of the Jewish people.

It was part of the old covenant, but it was in the now of the new, brought in times Paul spoke through the prophets, but now in these last days he has spoken to us through his son that didn't matter. So when you have ceremonial nihilism and ritualism and seek to schism you don't know what else to schism is its varying brands of self-denial, dietary Lords, you cannot eat this and you cannot eat that it even can be boiled down to laws and regulations related to Sabbath worship that associate not walking not talking, not touching, not doing, and all the rituals that he is the means by which you gain access to a righteous God through Jesus and these worlds collided.

Colossi and I haven't even begun to preach my message so the result clause that these people were becoming increasingly mixed up and confused. Can you understand that I can understand that being mixed up and confused is not criminal. It happens I don't find anywhere in Colossians way hole was scolding the people you you are not sinning against God because you're dealing with all of these things everybody is and what God wants to do is he wants to give to you his truth. He wants to show you how to be strong in him. And that's what the book of Colossians is it's about being strong in the Lord, you mean versus my Christian faith. This is what it means to be a Christian if you gave me an overriding theme about Colossians. It would be only old sufficiency of Christ love that chorus that we would sing, turn your eyes upon Jesus looks fool in his wonderful face and the things over will gross cranes lead in the light of his glory and grace. Paul was wanting these people to look into the face of Jesus to trustee. Don't say you trust him and then policing.

Don't say you trust God and then spend half your waking hour questioning him, which is very easy to do and there is nothing simple about the questions I'm I'm smiling because if you could see me you'd say I'm getting to these studies and I started asking myself more questions that say why why what went how how my going to explain this many times a say Lord okay him and him I could do the arms going to skip over that sorrowing talk about that. You know I don't talk about that because I know if I talk about that somebody out there is going to be mad with me because you not supposed to talk about it while might tell you something folks of God's is an ongoing talk about it. That's what I mean. That's not that's not alike. What's the word I'm looking for like well you know me, big chief, you just listen. I you know I'm going. I'm turning you on. Again, that's not what he's talking about saying turn your eyes upon Jesus trust him. He's old sufficient God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, it's about Jesus. So what am I encouraging you to do beginning right now beginning right now number one I'm asking you please give your heart to Jesus. Just that's the starting point trust Jesus by faith we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, not of works, because if it wasn't works. You and I would have a serious competition going on now I've had 15 years of seminary studies so I deserve to have the front row seat in heaven right seek God sees with saved by grace through faith is not even governed by whether or not we were in church on Sunday. Now how is that how you do am I telling you not to come inside, that's what I said but coming to church doesn't save you.

Jesus does, asking you to give your heart to treat.

Secondly, I'm inviting you to trust him. I'm inviting us guys.

Let's trust God.

Thirdly, let's really study him.

Let's keep the sub we've done a jolly good job for many years getting a group where you can study and lost a lot more questions.

Keep on asking those questions that are scrim of God.

I want you to have confidence want you to be strong, asking gone to make a soul like pole we living in a day and age. Keep your eyes open. Beware of this. Parents look at me. Not a good idea. If you've got children and you don't keep your eyes on them. You are a teenager right now and come any day you say listen, man.

Go play in the traffic is let me know whenever you get back you are asking for trouble that I say that getting into trouble say that you trust your child is on them be engaged church be engaged. This is God's church and we church strong because Christ makes us that way and what encouragement from knowing that we can be strong together because God made us that way.

I pray that you hear that and you are comforted to know that you are plugged to the not just your church or my church on church membership, but the body of Christ is Dr. Don would remind us you can stand in the garage and not be a car, maybe you are like me. I spent too many years. Going to church but not becoming a follower of Jesus Christ today could be the day that you reevaluate who you are as you strive to be a Christ follower. You've heard Dr. Donnie's been preaching these last few minutes to open your heart to what he wants to share as he steps in the studio right now.

Are you rated to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know you love me very, very, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came out on the cross so that I might be forgiven today. I repainted myself I can face Mohsen and I invite you to come into my heart into my life. Jesus name I pray. If you pray that pray that Mimi the first want to welcome you to the family of this is wonderful.

I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is me, less so that we can talk to you and connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey.

Perhaps moments ago you prayed along with Dr. Wilton to give your life to Jesus, perhaps for the first time maybe to rededicate your life and begin afresh. Start today follow love to be part of your next steps for part of growing and encouraging you in your journey. Dr. Wilton has some wonderful resources you have you given your life to Jesus Christ today will rededicate your life to Christ.

Just call us at 866899 word and will send these out to you right away in the phone number is 866-899-9673 it's available 24 hours a day to be a part of encouraging you anytime. That's 866899673 were also available online@gwonline.org that's TW online.org will you find great resources like this right now you may be driving your car or sitting in the comforts of your own perhaps immediately or listening to us in the present where every encouraging word for you today where is God and King's role is sovereign over the universe kiss plan for your life remains intact and urging you to Dr. wonderful help life-changing surrounding your faith and conviction not so normal, 68998699973 wonderful help in the bone, e.g. with The Encouraging Word listeners ministry for listening times gone for today but I pray you will stay connected with us on our website@twonline.org been listening this week to understand that we now are in the middle wonderful opportunity of matching challenges never given to The Encouraging Word ever you would consider looking into its discovery TW online.org. I think you'll find that this is for grapefruit for the king again right now is the perfect time to get between now and the end of the year, we have the opportunity to double the impact of The Encouraging Word with your gift. Email us at online@tewonline.org