ALIVE

COLOSSIANS 2:8-15

January 4, 2016

Keith Gove

 
 

Colossians 2:8-15 ESV: [8] See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. [9] For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, [10] and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. [11] In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, [12] having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, [14] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. [15] He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

To encourage the believers in Colossae not to be led astray by competing voices, Paul focuses them (and us) on what God has accomplished for those who treasure Christ.  To start our 2016, and our pursuit of more joy in who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we’ll look at three of the truths Paul gives in Colossians 2:    

GOD MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST

What does ‘dead’ mean?

  • No ability to respond to God, Christ, or His word
  • Loving darkness, rather than light (not neutral) – John 3
  • Having a heart of (spiritual) stone – Eze.36
  • Unable to please God – Romans 8
  • Slaves of sin – Romans 6
  • Following the prince of the power of the air – Eph. 2

Alive

  • New eyes – a new ability to see God
  • A New heart or affection for God as He is (His Holiness/His Law/His Word)
  • New ability to approach God, to interact with God, to follow God, to worship God

GOD NAILED OUR GUILT TO THE CROSS WITH CHRIST

How were we forgiven?

When we were still blinded by the curse of the law, because of own our disobedience…

  • Christ took on the curse of all – though He had never broken it
  • Christ took our debt – though He had never offended 
  • Christ took on our sin – though He had none
  • and in Christ, God nailed it all to the cross.  

 

GOD TRIUMPHED, THROUGH CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION, OVER EVERYTHING THAT WOULD ENSLAVE US

 Rulers and Authorities

Satan:

  • Using the Law as a weapon
  • Using people as His weapons
  • Using our Sin as a weapon
  • Using death/fear of death as a weapon
  • Using every spiritual force at his disposal

The Cross: The same cross that the world see as defeat – was the sword that crushed Satan’s head, that breaks the grip of fear, and that cancels the claim of sin upon our life.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

  • We live like this is true
  • We live like people who have been brought back to life
  • We live like forgiven people, not people who are earning forgiveness
  • We live confidently knowing every enemy has ultimately been defeated
  • We point everyone, always to Jesus