28 Colossians: The Mystery of Christ The Word and the Power

Colossians 4:2-4  Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.   Genesis 15:1-6 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[b] shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Praise be to God Introduction: Have them speak out of stories of the Bible that they love – why did it impress them as it did? Have you given a thought about this faith that we hold dear?  This faith that contains these mighty acts of God? I believe in these accounts found in Scripture`: God created the entire universe in 6 literal days Then later asked Noah and his family to build a boat with enough of the various species of animals to repopulate the earth as God destroys His creation with a flood. That there was a man who was swallowed by a fish, living inside the fish for three days and spit out later. There was a woman who, while never being with any man, conceived and birthed a child who did, among many other things, raised people from the dead, walked on water, fed thousands. He was killed and was resurrected and ascended into heaven. I believe those things.  I believe the stories you shared. I believe that they happened and I believe that they are as real as I am standing before you now. But a short while back a video came across my Twitter feed and there was a man who was profanely boasting on how insane it was that anyone would believe these things. In his words, those who believe that someone swallowed by a fish is not fit for society.  In fact, he went on to say very forcefully, that if we believe such things, it should automatically take away our right to vote on anything.  We are absolutely insane and should be shamed and rejected in every way possible. I was listening to him go on and even saved it.  These were the type of people that Paul was facing as he wrote Colossians.  Everyone had their expert opinion on this, that and the other. We are at the end of this letter, Paul is wrapping it up, saying goodbye and his final request came by him asking for prayer. His prayer for them to pray? He is asking, “Pray that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ.” He says further, “that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Paul is praying for opportunity and ability to share the gospel. Give me an opportunity Lord . . .”and help me to speak clear.” This is the issue with Scripture.  It is not just a collection of random stories.  They are all connected.  They are all together and pointing in one direction.  This mysterious direction to which they point is in Jesus Christ.  All of Scripture finds its fulfillment in Christ. But, the problem in Colossae (Ephesus, Philippi, Rome. . . those places Paul was facing) is the same that we have in Springfield, Ohio: How do You know?  How do you know that this thing is precious to you is God’s word?  How can anyone know? Can you defend that?  Before we find and answer to this let us ask the Lord to bless our time together in His word. Adam, Colossae and Springfield There is an issue that ties Adam (from creation), Colossae and Springfield, Ohio all together. In Genesis 2 we have an early description of this issue.  The revelation of God, God’s very word was spoken to Adam.  This is a passage of which we are all well aware. Genesis 2:16-17, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but the tree of knowledge of Good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” This is the revelation of God.  God’s word.  And what was the first thing the first thing the enemy went after in the temptation.  The very first thing he said is, “Did God really say?” He does the same thing with Jesus in his temptations in the wilderness.  In our time together over the past several months in Colossians we looked at the similarities between the temptation of Adam and Eve and those of Jesus (the second Adam) in the wilderness.  They are identical (Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life). But the enemy, as crafty as he is, as cunning as he is, he is not very creative.  He uses the same tactic on Jesus that he used on Adam and Eve.  “Did God really say?” With Jesus, he was in the wilderness, he had been fasting.  The last thing he heard before going to the wilderness was the Father saying, “This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.”  The first thing we see in Scripture is the enemy saying, “If you are the son of God . . . .” The enemy is big on getting us to doubt this word that Paul wanted to proclaim.  Ever since the fall man has suppressed the God’s word in unrighteousness.  When you leave today, I want you to leave here with a whole new perspective on the word of God.  I want you to see the power that it has.  It is unlike anything ever. So much that I want you to understand this that I am asking you to listen to this sermon again.  Go to my web site, I post the audio there or go to the church web site, the video is typically posted there. The reason I am asking you to listen to this again is that you may KNOW, deep in your heart, this is the direction of how this congregation will grow.  It may take more than one listen for this to fully set in.  This congregation will grow because of the power of the spoken Scripture.  That is it!  That is the only way the gospel goes.  Herein lies the issue with the unregenerated heart specifically when it comes to defending the faith: I was raised on an apologetic (defense of the faith) that was evidence based.  I was raised and felt like, you know the person who is not in Christ is in neutral territory and I must get on his level and if I can just explain it in a way that they understand and convince them, then they will become a believer. There is no neutral ground spiritually.  There is none.  There is zero. You are either in Christ or you are dead in sin and hostile towards Christ. Those are the two positions Scripturally.  These are the two descriptions given. “The preaching of the cross is foolish” to those of the world.”  They want nothing to do with it.    But to “us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18   1 Corinthians 2:14 “The natural man cannot accept the things that are of God” Read that again, read it slow.  It is from Paul.  The same guy who wrote Colossians.  What does that mean?  What about Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in John 8:43, 47 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. . . 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” It is because for those who are outside of Christ, they “by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[g] in the things that have been made. XX So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:18-21 But we read that, “The heavens declare the glory of God,     and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech,     and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words,     whose voice is not heard.” Psalm 19:1-3 We see this, but those who are unrighteous suppress it.  They suppress the truth in unrighteousness.  They are NOT in neutral.  “7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  Romans 8:6-8 What hope is there?  If this is the condition of man, what hope is there? It is in the word. The very word of God that the enemy, all the way back in the Garden of Eden, that word that he contradicted.  That word of God, the revelation of God that the enemy said, “Did God really say?” Abraham Take our friend Abraham here.  We read of him earlier.  God calls Abraham from the land of Ur (Joshua said idol worshipper) Says pack your bags Makes him three promises one of which is you will be a father (this is God’s word to Abraham. This is God’s word) Abraham is childless Abraham packs the bags and he and Sarah move, trusting in God’s word Abraham and Sarah have been trying to have a child, certain they have had many conversations over the promise God made God comes again to Abraham “Fear not I will bless you.” Abraham says, I am still childless, I do have this Eliezer in Damascus, not sure if that counts as my heir but so far you have not given me a child.” God said, “Eliezer will not be the heir. I will give you an heir. God took him outside and said, look at the stars (ever seen stars where there is no light pollution?) This will be your family (THIS WAS GOD’S WORD) Abraham believed. This is the picture of faith that Paul writes of in Romans 4 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,   XX 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”  XX   19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness[b] of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,   XX. 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,   XX. 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Abraham believed the word of God.  God calls those things which are not into existence.  Why do you think at least one of the reasons it took so long for Abraham and Sarah to conceive? So that it was definitely from God. Do not doubt the word of God.  The word of God is what brought us to faith.  It was not cleaver argumentation.  It was not a sales pitch.  It was the word of God. “Faith comes by . . . .hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 This is why I place so much emphasis on God’s word.  There is nothing like it.  It is the revelation of God and somehow, some beautiful way God works through this and it becomes living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.  It pierces right to our hearts, and it convicts us. We have been in this study of Colossians since the beginning of June.  I called it the Mystery of Christ because that is the phrase used by Paul several times, even here in chapter 4 of our reading that he asked for prayers “that God may open to us a door for us to declare the mystery of Christ.” Colossians 4:3 This mystery is what God, through His Spirit has opened to us by the hearing of HIS word. This is not a teaching isolated to Colossians.  He says in 1 Corinthians 2 something very similar in, “7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. . . . 0 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.   XX.  12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.  “  (1 Corinthians 2:7, 10-12) There is nothing like this word of God.  The very thing that brought life to Sarah’s womb is the very same thing that called Lazarus to come out.  God’s word is powerful.  It is how the Spirit brings life to unbelievers. I look at the situation with the Colossian church.  I was pondering what are some similarities that Donnels Creek has with the Colossian believers.  I also considered what are some differences between us and them. After considering several things I found that there is one thing I can say that answers both questions. We differ in that they are a brand-new body of believers.  They were young believers.  They were a young church. We differ with them in this area.  Most of the people here have been believers for a long time.  Some of you can’t remember a time that you were not a believer.  Others who are here have been in the faith for decades. We also are a congregation that is over 200 years old.  Donnels Creek has been here a long time. So we differ in those areas.  Where we are alike is that we want to grow.  I am certain the Colossian church wanted to grow. Earlier I said, this may be a sermon you want to listen to again.  The reason I said that is I wanted to really emphasize the power of God’s word.  I want this church to grow.  I want it to grow in knowledge: I absolutely want you to gain and knowledge of God that is deep.  I want to lead you in this. I have found, the more I know of God, the greater my praise is of God.  There are moments that I learn something new and it moves me emotionally.  It deepens my faith and deepens my praise. But I also want this congregation to grow in number.  Not to pad statistics.  Not for pride.  I want Christ’s kingdom to advance.  This will only come by the preaching and teaching of God’s word.  This is how God works.  It is very simple really.  There are no tricks.  I am praying, like Paul for opportunities to speak clearly.  I will tell you, I work hard every week to be a better preacher.  And again, this is not about me.  It is not about getting a pat on the back.  Encouragement is great.  I love to hear how God has ministered to you through His word from me.  But it is not about me. God has gifted me with a craft.  I want to be the best I can at that craft.  Just like Paul desired to speak clearly.  This is what I want to do.  But this word is NOT dependant up on me.  It is not dependent upon any visual lesson I give when I preach.  It is 1000% dependant upon the working of the Holy Spirit to awaken dead hearts.  It comes through the WORD.  This is it. This is our prayer, and this is our mission.