02/08/2009 by John Marsden.

Colossians 2:16-23Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. 

There is a true faith in Jesus and trust in Him… and there is a shadow of it that is seen in various laws and religious rituals that ultimately bring death, false humility, and legalism.  Jesus has freed us from religious laws.  He’s freed us from the expectations of others and has fulfilled all laws for us, so we can live in holiness in the freedom of the Spirit instead of bondage to the shadow of religion. 

The Shadow of Religion 

“These are a shadow of the things that were to come…” – Colossians 2:17a

1. Marked by Death

“He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.” – Colossians 2:19

 ·        What do you think would happen if your body suddenly lost its connection to your head?  Would it stay alive?·        Of course you wouldn’t stay alive – you’d be dead.·        The same goes for us and God.  If we lose our connection to God, the Head, we die.  Paul is saying that following religious rules and regulations will kill us.·        Even the rules themselves He says are “destined to perish” (Colossians 2:22a).·        We need to obey God, the Spirit, not a set of rules.  True life is found only in obeying Him.·        Paul said that the “mind of sinful man is death” (Romans 8:6), but Jesus gave us life by freeing us from the bondage of the Law and sin.·        Giving in to the “shadow of religion” (or lists of religious laws and rules) will bring death – you’ll be frustrated, crabby, stuck in sin, and bored with Christianity.  This isn’t what Jesus intended. 

2. Focused on Self

“…they are based on human commands and teachings.” – Colossians 2:22b

 ·        Besides being marked by death, following rules and regulations instead of simply following Jesus takes the focus off of God and onto ourselves.·        When you become consumed with following a set of rules of what you can and can’t do, you put your focus onto yourself, but when you simply set your heart on obeying God, your focus is on Him.·        What are some bad things that happen when you focus so much on yourself?·        Placing the focus on yourself will leave you powerless.  Only in submitting to God and focusing on Him will you be able to impact the world (Hebrews 12:1-3).·        It’s the only way we’ll be able to keep going without losing heart (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). 

3. Given to Legalism

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?” – Colossians 2:20-21

 ·        The shadow of religion will lead you away from freedom in God and toward bondage to legalism.·        Most Christians give in to legalism at some point in their walks with God.  The key is you don’t want to make a pattern of it.·        Jesus freed us from bondage to the law, so don’t get sucked back into obeying a list of rules and regulations.·        Paul calls legalism being “prisoners of the law” (Galatians 3:23).·        Even Jesus wasn’t concerned about legalistically keeping all the religious rules of His day.  See Mark 2:27.·        Without true faith in Jesus and trust in Him, following codes of conduct will simply be legalism. 

4. Having Outer Righteousness

“Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body…” – Colossians 2:23a

 ·        How many of you have heard the term “whitewashed tombs?”·        Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day, saying they were “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27).  Also see Matthew 23:3.·        The shadow of religion, without a living faith in Jesus, will give you a certain level of outward righteousness.  From the outside, you’ll seem to have things together, but you’ll be struggling on the inside.·        False humility, hypocrisy, and judgmentalism go hand-in-hand with the shadow of religion. 

5. Consumed by Inner Ungodliness

“…they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” – Colossians 2:23b

 ·        Ultimately, this is the crux of the matter – a life lived in bondage to the Law will not bring true godliness.·        Have you ever unsuccessfully tried so hard to remember where you put something only to find yourself remembering it randomly a few days later?·        Christianity is kind of like that – you can try and try to be godly, but until you just relax and let God work it out in you, you’ll be unsuccessful at it.·        As hard as you try, rules and regulations will never bring godliness.  See Galatians 2:21.·        In fact, Paul said that “no one will be declared righteous” through obeying laws (Romans 3:20).·        Our “human effort” will never achieve godliness in us (Galatians 3:3). 

 Have a great day

 John

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01/08/2009 by John Marsden.

Resurrection – Defeated the Enemy 1. Jesus is the Winner

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” – Colossians 2:15

• The story of Jesus didn’t end with the cross.  In a lot of ways, that’s where it begins!  Jesus died on the cross for our forgiveness, but then he rose to life, defeating every power and authority in heaven and on earth.
• Unfortunately, for many Christians, Jesus is still hanging on the cross suffering, or at best lying in the ground dead and buried.  They’ve been forgiven, but there’s no real life of God operating in them.
• Jesus is our forgiveness in a complete sense of the word.  He didn’t just forgive us our past sins to let us continue living in them – He forgave our sins so that he could defeat sin and all its effects once and for all in us.
• When Jesus rose from the dead, He showed that He was the Lord and Master over all the earth – that He had won all authority.  See Matthew 28:18.
• If Jesus had stayed dead, we might still be forgiven for our sins, but sin and the power of the devil would still be in power on earth.  But Jesus “disarmed the powers and authorities… triumphing over them.”

2. We Win Too

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ…” – Colossians 2:13a

• Because Jesus rose from the dead and has all authority in heaven and on earth, we can walk in the same victory that He won.
• Just as Jesus was crucified and died, and our old nature dies with Him, so he rose again and lives, and our new nature lives with Him.
• Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
• Because Jesus is our total forgiveness, we can walk in new life and be freed from all the effects of sin.
• We can be healed spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.  We can be bold witnesses (Matthew 28:18-20).  We can walk in purity and holiness (Hebrews 10:10).  We are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).
• Jesus is our forgiveness – He frees us from every effect of sin on our lives!

 “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” – Romans 6:6-7 

• We’ve been crucified with Jesus!
• Our old body of sin isn’t just forgiven - it’s dead and gone!

We’re freed from slavery to sin!  It’s time to serve God now.

Have a great day.

John

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31/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Baptism – Buried As Dead Men  “…having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” – Colossians 2:12 1. The Baptism of John

“I baptize you with water for repentance.” – Matthew 3:11a

• Circumcision was the sign that God gave Abraham to mark his descendants as the people of God.  Baptism in water, in a lot of ways, is a modern counterpart.
• What is water baptism a sign of?
• When we are baptized in water, we are saying that we’re done living our old way of sin.  We allow ourselves to be “buried with [Jesus]… and raised with Him through faith.”  Also see 1 Peter 3:21.
• Baptism is the ultimate sign of Jesus as our forgiveness of sin.  Just as Jesus died and rose again, we die to our own wills in order to live for His (Matthew 16:25).

2. Baptism in the Holy Spirit

“…after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” – Matthew 3:11b

• Water baptism is a sign that we are dying to our old way of living, but when we become baptized in the Holy Spirit, we get filled with the power to live the new way that Jesus showed us.
• When we’re baptized in water, we are immersed in water as a symbol of washing away our former way of life.  When we’re baptized in the Holy Spirit, we allow Jesus to immerse us in His Spirit, so that we can have the power to live for Him.
• People were baptized in the Holy Spirit during the early days of the church (Acts 1:5, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 8:17, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 19:1-7).  Jews, Gentiles, men, and women were all baptized in the Holy Spirit.
• You can be baptized in the Holy Spirit too (Joel 2:28-29).
• If you want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, to live a life of holiness and power before God, just ask Him and He’ll fill you (See Mark 1:8 and Luke 11:13).
• Because Jesus is our forgiveness for sin, we get to be filled (immersed, baptized) in the Holy Spirit, in order to live the new life Jesus promised us.

Crucifixion – Canceled the Debt  “He forgave us all our sins” – Colossians 2:13b 1. Our Passover Lamb

“For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7

• When Jesus was crucified, something amazing happened - He took our place and died for our sins.  He became our Passover lamb, our sacrifice for sins.
• Here’s a tricky question about an ancient Hebrew custom - what was the point of sacrificing a lamb on Passover?
• The Hebrews sacrificed a Passover lamb so that their sons would be spared when God killed all the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 11-12).  Instead of their children dying, a lamb was killed.
• When Jesus died on the cross, He died in our place.  We were the firstborn that were supposed to die (because we’ve all sinned), but because Jesus gave up His life, God saw His blood instead of ours and spared us.
• Jesus is our total forgiveness.   Just like God completely spared the children of Israel, He completely spares us from sin.  None of the children of Israel were “sort of saved,” and neither are any of us who believe that Jesus is our savior.

2. He Became a Curse

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” – Galatians 3:13

• Jesus being our forgiveness means we’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law.  When Jesus hung on the cross, he set us free from the curse of the law.
• When God gave the Hebrews His laws, He expected them to obey.  When they wouldn’t obey, they’d fall under the curse of the law.
• The same goes for us.  If we vow to live according to God’s laws and fall short, we fall under the curse of the law.  See Galatians 3:10 for more.
• The only way to be set free is through believing that Jesus became a curse for us and has set us free from the power of the law.
• Jesus is our total forgiveness – He sets us free from sin, sickness, pain, torment, destruction, guilt, condemnation, and all the other curses of the law that result from our disobedience.  None of this would be ours without Jesus’s death on the cross.

3. Our Debt Is Canceled

“…having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:14

• When Jesus was crucified, he became our forgiveness by canceling our debt.
• Have any of you ever owed somebody money and had the debt canceled?  Or have you ever hurt someone and felt obligated to make it up to them, only to have them forgive you and cancel the debt you owed?
• Jesus canceled all the debts we owe God for our disobedience.
• In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who canceled the insurmountable debt that one of his servants owed to him.
• Our debts before God are huge, insurmountable, but through Jesus’ death on the cross, they are canceled.  See Hebrews 7:27.

Have a great day knowing you are completely forgiven.

John

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30/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Colossians 2:9-15For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Paul’s concept of forgiveness was big.  Forgiveness didn’t just mean that Jesus died on the cross as a sin sacrifice, so that we get forgiven but continue to live broken lives.  To Paul, forgiveness meant that Jesus died in our place and then rose again to triumph over all our enemies.  In that triumph, Jesus not only forgives our sins, but He also destroys the power of sin in our lives, freeing us from its grasp.

Paul’s concept of Jesus as our forgiveness was all-consuming.  We are now the circumcised of God, we were buried as dead men in baptism, we were crucified with Christ, and we have been resurrected toward righteousness with Him.  Jesus being our forgiveness means that our whole life is transformed through Him.

Circumcision – Marked for God

“In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ.” – Colossians 2:11

1. In the Time of Abraham…

“You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.” – Genesis 17:11

• The first time the concept of circumcision shows up is when God spoke to Abraham and made a covenant with Him.
• What was the covenant that God was making with Abraham?
• The covenant they were making was that God would be Abraham’s God and Abraham and his descendants would be God’s special people.  In addition, God was promising that He’d give Canaan to Abraham’s people.
• The sign of circumcision was a physical mark that showed who the people of God were.  Circumcision was what showed the world that the Hebrews worshiped the true God.

2. Circumcised in Heart

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh’” – Jeremiah 9:25

• God’s covenant with Abraham was marked by a circumcision according to the flesh, but God expects more - a circumcision of the heart.
• God is not so interested in what our bodies look like or what we do to ourselves physically to look different from the world.  He’s interested more in our hearts.
• Before Stephen was martyred, he called the Jews, “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts” (Acts 7:51).  God is after hearts that are marked by Him, hearts that are set apart for Him only.
• Through Jesus, our forgiveness for sin, we become circumcised in heart, by “putting off the sinful nature.”

3. We’re the People of God

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” – Ephesians 2:19

• At one point in time, the people of God were set apart by a circumcision of the flesh.  All the special privileges that went with being people of God were only given to the circumcised Hebrews.
• No one uncircumcised could dwell with the Hebrews (Genesis 17:14), take part in festival celebrations (Exodus 12:48), or enter the promised land (Joshua 5:2-3).
• Now, through Jesus, we are no longer the “uncircumcised,” but we become the people of God, circumcised in our hearts.
• Through what Jesus did, even those not circumcised in the flesh can know the living God and become His people.
• Now we are marked as the people of God not by an outward sign but by an inward change.

Have a great day.

John

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29/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Why Should I Want Wisdom? 1. Improve Your Life

“Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 7:11

 ·        What are some worldly benefits to being smart?·        In the same way that being smart has a lot of benefits in the world, gaining wisdom will give you a much better life.·        Wisdom is a “good thing” that “benefits” everyone who gains it.·        When you have the wisdom that comes from Jesus, your life will be better.  Even your appearance will be improved (Ecclesiastes 8:1).·        Problems will seem a lot smaller because having wisdom is a source of great strength (Ecclesiastes 7:1).·        Not only that, but you won’t have as many problems in life because you’ll be making smarter choices (Proverbs 28:26).·        You’ll be able to obey God easier and won’t get into so much trouble (Psalm 119:34).·        People will notice you and praise you for your wisdom, as it says in Proverbs 12:8.·        When you have the wisdom of God operating in your life, everything becomes so much easier and better!  

2. Understand Your God

“Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.”– Proverbs 2:5

 ·        When you gain wisdom, you’ll begin to understand who God really is.·        Understanding God is a benefit in and of itself.·        Though there’s no way you can ever know everything about God now, when you gain wisdom, you begin to understand Him more and more.·        We can actually know God as a person, not just know about Him (Galatians 4:9).·        While the world can never really understand God, when the Spirit of God lives in you, you can (1 Corinthians 2:11).·        It’s an incredible thing that we’re able to know and understand God, and this understanding can only come through Jesus being our wisdom. 

3. Stand Your Ground

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God…”– 2 Corinthianas 10:5a

 ·        Besides improving your life and understanding God, gaining the wisdom of Jesus will help you stand your ground against deception, heresy, lies, and partial truths.·        Has anyone ever been taken in by a clever lie?·        When lies, wrong teachings, and goofy ideas take you in, you feel awful.·        With the wisdom of God in you, you won’t be deceived so easily.  You’ll be able to “demolish arguments” that set themselves up “against the knowledge of God.”·        You won’t adopt every weird new idea about God that comes your way, because you’ll have true wisdom that sees past lies (Ephesians 4:14).·        You won’t be so easily deceived into sin because you’ll see the temptation for what it is.

·        In this world of pseudo-Christian cults, false teachers, wacky ideologies, and never-ending temptations, it’s important to have true wisdom so you can see past the deception and stand your ground for truth,

Have a really great day. Hello to Rob & Donna!!!!!!

John 

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29/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Who Should Have Wisdom? 

1. We Should

“But we have the mind of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 2:16

 ·        We should all have the wisdom of God, not just our parents, pastors, teachers, or older siblings.  If you call yourself a Christian, you have the mind of Christ and He is your wisdom.·        You’re not too young to being acting and speaking in wisdom that astonishes even your elders.·        No matter how old you are, how long you’ve known God, how many books you’ve read, or how good your grades are, we all have the same ability to be filled with wisdom.·        God doesn’t care who you are – you have the mind of Christ, so start using it! 

How Can I Get Wisdom?                            1. Ask God

“Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked…  for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge…  therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you.” – 2 Chronicles 1:11-12a

 ·        Hopefully now you’ve begun to see that God wants you to move in wisdom and that if you start to you’re life will go so much better.·        Now the question becomes, “How can I get wisdom?”·        If you were to try and get better grades in your school classes, how would you go about it?  What sort of steps could you take to get smarter in school?·        God has a lot of ways you can go about getting wisdom, but the first place to start is simply asking Him for it.·        Just like God gave Solomon wisdom when he asked for it, He’ll do the same for you.  And just like God gave Solomon riches, fame, and health with the wisdom, all those will come for you too.·        You can ask God for a “spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1:17) and He’ll give it to you.·        God wants you to be wise, so don’t be afraid to ask for it.·        Proverbs 2:6 promises that God will give you wisdom. 

2. Read the Bible

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

 ·        Besides directly asking God for wisdom, start reading His “manual,” the Bible.·        If Scripture is “God-breathed,” then it came straight from God, the creator of all wisdom, and you would do good to read it.·        If Scripture is “useful for teaching,” then let yourself be taught by God.  There’s no other better teacher out there.·        If Scripture is “useful for… rebuking [and] correcting,” open yourself up to be rebuked and corrected by God, so you begin to walk in true wisdom.·        If Scripture is “useful for… training in righteousness,” let God train you to walk in wisdom and righteousness.·        If you want to have a better life, if you want to understand God more, if you want to have wisdom to know truth from error, start reading the Bible. 

3. Read Proverbs

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline…” – Proverbs 1:1-2a

 ·        The whole Bible is good for giving you the wisdom of Jesus, but if you could pick one book in particular that focuses on issues of wisdom, which would you pick?·        Proverbs, probably more than any other book, will teach you how to live wisely.  The whole focus of the book is to help you gain wisdom in your life.·        Read even a few verses from Proverbs every day, put them into practice, and you’ll notice yourself walking in more wisdom than ever before.·        If you want a good, practical lesson on being wise, start with the book of Proverbs. 

4. Learn from Others

“Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” – Proverbs 9:9

 ·        Finally, one of the most important ways to learn wisdom is to learn it from others.·        Open yourself up to your pastor, your teachers, your parents, your older siblings, and other more mature Believers.  Let them speak into your life and help you use wisdom.·        It’s easy to read the Bible and ignore the convicting parts.  It’s easy to read Proverbs and pretend you’ve put its guidelines into practice.  But when you allow other people to speak into your life, they’ll be able to point to specific things that need changing but you’d rather gloss over.·        If you learn from others you will become “wiser still” and “add to [your] learning.”·        Jesus taught the disciples to walk in wisdom (Matthew 11:1).  The disciples went on to teach others, and these went on to teach even more.·        Christianity is built on this idea of learning from others. 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5 

·        If you need wisdom, ask God for it and He’ll give it to you·        God gives wisdom generously – He’s more than ready to make you wise

·        You don’t have to already have everything figured out before God gives you wisdom.  Just ask, and He’ll give it to you.

Have a great day 

John

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28/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Colossians 2:1-5I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. 

When Paul wrote to the Colossian church, he told them that he hoped they would “have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

In Jesus is all wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Scientists, scholars, poets, religious gurus, philosophers, and even rock legends have made claims to having the keys to intelligence and truth, but ultimately true knowledge and wisdom are found in Jesus. 

If you’ve ever felt like wisdom is something for the geeky kids at school, listen up today because we’re going to look at how awesome real wisdom is.
Where Can I Find Wisdom? 1. The Wisest Man to Ever Walk the Earth“in [Jesus] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” – Colossians 2:3·        Somebody tell me where some places are that you can find wisdom?

·        Paul said that all the “treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are hidden in Jesus.  He was the wisest Man to ever walk the earth.

·        The first place to look for wisdom is in the person of Jesus.·        Jesus was so wise that he amazed people when he spoke.  See Matthew 13:54.·        Over and over, He confounded and confused all the wise men of Israel with His wisdom and understanding. See an example in Luke 20:27-40.·        The world will say that following Jesus means turning off your brain, but Jesus is the foundation of wisdom.  When He was on the earth, people were shocked by his knowledge and understanding. 2. The One Who Owns All Wisdom“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” – Job 12:13·        Job said that wisdom, counsel, and understanding belong to God.  He is the owner and creator of all wisdom.·        If you want to find wisdom, look to the one who created it.·        God is the owner of all wisdom.  He understands you, me, and all the world, past, present, and future, better than any body else.  He knows everything.·        God is the owner of all counsel.  He knows what needs to be done.  He knows how to heal your heart.  He knows how to restore relationships.  If you want good advice, it’s found in Him.·        God is the owner of all understanding.  He gets how things work.  He understands how we think and operate, and He knows how to make everything work out for Him.  If you’re confused and just don’t understand what’s going on, God has the answers.·        Scientists might say the world happened by chance, that mathematics and laws of nature control life, but the Bible says the world is founded in God’s wisdom (Jeremiah 10:12).

·        When we make Jesus our wisdom, we have all true wisdom within reach.

Just to let you know that my operation went fine, nothing sinister

just left me with a very sore throat and feeling very tired.

Have a great day and be blessed. God is so good!

John

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27/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Persuading Righteousness

1. God Desires Godliness

“Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” – Romans 6:19b

• Part of our calling as Christians is to, like Paul, persuade men and women to live righteous lives devoted to God.
• We do this not with our own energy and wisdom, but with the power of Jesus in us.
• God expects righteousness out of His followers.  If we call ourselves Christians, we must live like it.  See 1 Peter 1:15.
• God also expects us to persuade others to live righteous lives.  As ambassadors of Christ, it’s our job to show both the world and the church a clear line between right and wrong. 
• Don’t be afraid to talk about the standards God has – it’s the only way people will know what God expects of them.
• Does this sound like legalism?  Raise your hand if this sounds like being too legalistic.
• We’re not talking about legalism, where you follow a code of conduct because you think it will make you righteous.  We’re talking about living a holy life through the power of Jesus because you’ve been changed by God (Ephesians 4:24).
• By faith, God makes us righteous, and we live it out to prove what he’s done (James 2:18).
• It’s only in the energy and power of Jesus that we can be made righteous and persuade others to live the same.

Passing on the Teachings

1. The Power of Discipleship

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” – Matthew 28:19a

• Paul said that he got his power to teach and train others in Christianity, to disciple people, from the energy of Jesus within Him.
• After Jesus rose from the dead, he gave His disciples the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
• God’s plan to rescue the world isn’t through one or two amazing evangelists but through simple discipleship, taking one person at a time and training them to follow God, then teaching them to do the same.  See 2 Timothy 2:2.
• God has plans to bring His rule to the entire earth (Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8).  This is way bigger than any one of us can do out of our own energy and power.  If this is going to happen, we’ll need the power of Jesus in us!
• We need the power of Jesus in order to make disciples who make disciples, until the earth is filled with God’s glory!

Presenting to Perfection

1. You Work At It, God Does It

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” – Colossians 1:28

• Paul’s goal was to present everyone perfect in Jesus.
• Does anybody here think they’re perfect yet?
• Perfection isn’t that we never miss a basket in basketball, never get an A- in Geography, and never give in to temptation.  Perfection is being whole and complete in Jesus, despite mistakes we may make on the way.  See James 1:4.
• To be made perfect, and to present others perfect, it takes the energy of Jesus.
• Paul said in Philippians 2:12-13, “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.”  It’s a partnership of us and God working together toward perfection.
• You can’t make yourself perfect.  Nor can you make anyone else perfect.  You aim toward it, but it takes the energy and power of Jesus working in you.

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” – 1 Corinthians 2:4 

• When Paul preached, his strength came from God
• In the same way, Jesus is our energy to serve Him and impact the world
• You don’t have to be amazing.  You don’t need to know a lot or go to school for years or have a lot of skill – He is your energy to do the impossible

This will be my last blog for a day or two as I am off to hospital for a small operation.

Have a great day walking with the Saviour

John

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26/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Proclaiming Jesus

1. Savior of the World

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom…” – Colossians 1:28a

• We need the energy of Jesus working in us if we’re going to follow after Him and preach the word of God.  We also need His help to proclaim who He is.
• The Bible talks a lot about proclaiming who Jesus is.  If you were introducing Jesus at a boxing match, what would you say about Him?  Italian Stallion?  Beast from the East?
• When we proclaim Jesus, one thing we proclaim is that He is the Savior of the world.  See John 3:16 or 1 Timothy 1:15 if you’re not convinced of that.
• Jesus came to earth and died on the cross to save the world!
• He came to save us from the consequences of sin and guarantee us a place in Heaven.
• He came to save us from sickness and disease and bring healing.
• He came to save us from loneliness, depression, and emotional turmoil.
• If we don’t proclaim that Jesus is the Savior, the world will never receive Him and no one will be healed.
• It’s imperative to proclaim that Jesus has come to rescue the world, but at the same time, we need to be careful we don’t stop there.

2. King of Kings

“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” – Revelation 19:16

• Jesus isn’t just the Saviour of the world – He’s also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He has all authority in heaven and on earth and is the ultimate master over everything, including each one of us.
• If Jesus is in charge of everything, who should we obey – Him or ourselves?
• We need to proclaim that Jesus is the King of everything.  He’s not just the gentle lamb who died for us, but He’s also the conquering Lion of Judah who needs to be obeyed.
• Jesus didn’t come just to rescue us.  He’s establishing His Kingdom on the earth.  Paul said, “For the kingdom of
  God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20).  God’s government is not a democracy but a kingdom under His direct authority.
• When we proclaim Jesus, we need to proclaim Him as the Savior, but also as the Lord who demands our obedience.

3. Returning Judge

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…” – 2 Timothy 4:1a

• Besides proclaiming that Jesus came to rescue the world and to be our King, we also need to proclaim that Jesus is going to return to judge us for our deeds.
• One day, Jesus is returning to judge the world (Hebrews 12:23).  If we’ve obeyed and served Him and lived in righteousness, we’ll receive a reward (2 Timothy 4:8).
• If we’ve disobeyed God, followed ourselves, and lived ungodly, we’ll be punished (James 5:9).
• Ultimately, whether life is great for you or awful, God will judge your actions and you’ll receive a just reward or punishment.
• We need the energy and power of Jesus in us if we’re going to proclaim Him as the returning Judge.

Persuading Righteousness

1. God Desires Godliness

“Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” – Romans 6:19b

• Part of our calling as Christians is to, like Paul, persuade men and women to live righteous lives devoted to God.
• We do this not with our own energy and wisdom, but with the power of Jesus in us.
• God expects righteousness out of His followers.  If we call ourselves Christians, we must live like it.  See 1 Peter 1:15.
• God also expects us to persuade others to live righteous lives.  As ambassadors of Christ, it’s our job to show both the world and the church a clear line between right and wrong. 
• Don’t be afraid to talk about the standards God has – it’s the only way people will know what God expects of them.
• Does this sound like legalism?  Raise your hand if this sounds like being too legalistic.
• We’re not talking about legalism, where you follow a code of conduct because you think it will make you righteous.  We’re talking about living a holy life through the power of Jesus because you’ve been changed by God (Ephesians 4:24).
• By faith, God makes us righteous, and we live it out to prove what he’s done (James 2:18).
• It’s only in the energy and power of Jesus that we can be made righteous and persuade others to live the same.

Have a great day.

John

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25/07/2009 by John Marsden.

Preaching the Word of God 

1. Convicting the World

“our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction…” – 1 Thessalonians 1:5a

• One area where we definitely need the energy of Jesus working in us is in preaching the word of God and bringing conviction on the world.
• Paul said that he brought the Gospel to the Thessalonian church with “power,” “the Holy Spirit,” and “deep conviction.”
• We’re called to preach the word of God and convict the world of sin, but that conviction can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit.  You can’t convict people – only God can.
• Jesus said that the Holy Spirit, “will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
• We need to speak the truth, but do it in the energy and power of Jesus, not in our own strength.
• When we speak the truth, we need to trust that God will convict people. We don’t have to argue with them or convince them of the truth.
• Our job is simple: just preach about Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).  He’ll do the rest.

2. Challenging the Church

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” – 1 Corinthians 1:17

• Whether preaching to the pagan world of Rome or challenging the Christians in his church plants, Paul was clear that he came in the power of Jesus and not just his own wisdom or strength.
• We have a calling from God not only to speak the truth to the world but also to challenge the church to really live for God.  Both of these require the power of God to be effective.
• Has anyone here ever been challenged by another Christian to live more godly?
• When the power of God is behind a challenge, it’s a lot more effective than otherwise.  Check out 1 Corinthians 2:4.
• God expects us to speak up at church and urge our Christian brothers and sisters to live for God (1 Timothy 5:1).
• Don’t be rude, but don’t be quiet either!  Stand in the power of God and challenge the church!

Have a great day.

John 

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