Colossians 9 – The Message of Christ

“Let the Message of Christ dwell among you richly…”

We need that message dwelling in us everyday. We need the message of Christ to be in everything we do.

Are we familiar with this message? Is it being lived out in love & peace?

You have found your way to Redemption Church of Plano Tx. Hello my name is Chris Fluitt. Greetings to everyone watching online and of course all you good looking people right here in the room.

What kind of Church is Redemption Church? We are the kind of Church that connects with the culture. We are the kind of Church that does not DEMONIZE the culture around us. We don’t sit in our Church building and say terrible things about our society.. We are the kind of church that seeks to bring the message of Jesus to the culture. Sometimes we do this in creative ways. But regardless of how it is accomplished our major goal is put Jesus on display to a culture that has not yet seen Him.

Please turn with me to Colossians 3. I am excited to be in our Colossians study. I really have gotten so much out of this series. I hope it has been good for you… it has been great for me.

CHRIST IS SUPREME

I want you to remember that the theme of the book of Colossians is CHRIST IS SUPREME

Last week we talked about the Jesus Life. It is a glorious life! We ended with this powerful verse declaring Christ to be all and in all. Let’s read that verse again… Colossians 3:11

Colossians 3:11 (NIV2011) Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Colossians 3:12 (NIV2011) Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:13 (NIV2011) Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:14 (NIV2011) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:15 (NIV2011) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:16 (NIV2011) Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV2011) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:18 (NIV2011) Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Colossians 3:19 (NIV2011) Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Colossians 3:20 (NIV2011) Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 (NIV2011) Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Colossians 3:22 (NIV2011) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

Colossians 3:23 (NIV2011) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Colossians 3:24 (NIV2011) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:25 (NIV2011) Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

Colossians 4:1 (NIV2011) Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Clap your hands if you are thankful for God’s word!

Colossians 3:12 (NIV2011) Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Did you know that you are chosen?

Chosen/Elected

Eklektos (ek-lek-to’s) – Elect, chosen, picked out

The subject of “ELECTION” is a contentious subject. There are some that believe God only selects certain people. The thought continues that if God selects you then you are saved no matter what you do and if you aren’t selected then you are hell-bound no matter what you do.

I strongly disagree with this view of God. I don’t think it is what scripture declares.

But yet scripture declares right in front of us that there are chosen, elected people… so let’s bring context to this idea.

See if you can tell who this prophecy is about…

Isaiah 42:1 (NIV2011) “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

It’s Jesus. The rest of this chapter is just amazing, but we only have time to look at this first verse. The prophet declares Jesus is the chosen one. Jesus is the elect one.

God delights in him. His Spirit is on him. He brings justice to the nations. Jesus is the elect.

When Jesus was on the cross, scripture describes this.

Luke 23:35 (NIV2011) The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

This Jewish people understood that Isaiah was speaking about the messiah and called him the chosen one. Paul no doubt understands this prophecy as well and somehow the idea of an ELECT CHRIST & ELECT US must correlate.

I present to you the idea that Jesus is the elect one… and that we are elect through Him. Just as Isaiah said God delighted in him… God also delights in us. Just as Isaiah said God would put His Spirit on Him, God has placed His Spirit on us! Just as Jesus brought justice, we too are called to bring justice. None of this is possible without Jesus the elect one… it is only through coming to Jesus do we enter into the elect.

It is not God playing eeny meeny miny moe to pick who is saved or who isn’t. It is that God has ELECTED Christ and we can all become elect through Christ! Other examples… God commands the creation of an ark… whoever gets on board is predestined to be saved. God has a church, a body of Jesus believers, and whoever is in that church is predestined to be saved. The individual people aren’t predestined… the saving vessel is predestined. Get in the ark, it is ELECT of God to go through the flood. Get in the Church, it is ELECT of God to go through judgement and end up in heaven. Be in Christ, because HE IS ELECT, PREDESTINED, to be the savior of all.

Paul says it this way in Ephesians 1

Ephesians