Living a Blessed Life

Numbers 6: 22-27 - The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“The LORD bless you and keep you;

 the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you    

 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

1.  Blessing is God's desire
     You're never more certain to get what you ask for than when God tells you to ask for something

2.  Blessings are to be spoken
     Have you ever been guilty of an unspoken blessing?
     Every time you open your mouth, you can be a blessing or a curse
     Don't say something in the heat of the moment that could ruin a relationship forever, when the actions won't be remembered two weeks later
     Verbalize the blessings now -> in a month it will be too late

3.  Blessings come when God shines His face upon us
     God will not smile or shine His face on a life of rebellion
     When God is pleased with us, we will have everything we need
     What you do with your face determines what God does with His
     If you humble your face, God's face will shine on you
     If you are prideful and turn your face from Him, God will turn His face from you.
     If you want God to hear your prayers, make sure your heart, conscience and hands are clean
     Have you thanked God for the things he protects you from?

     Are you experiencing the smile of God in your life, or do you love your sin more than you love God?

4.  Blessings come with family
     With God's name comes responsibility

The Remarkable Power of Wisdom

Daniel 2


Knowledge speaks - Wisdom listens

1.  Difficult times are a common experience
     Human wisdom will always be limited by incomplete human knowledge

2.  Difficult times require prudence and discretion (wisdom & tact)
     God gives wisdom according to His all-knowing and ever-present reality

3.  Difficult times call for courageous action
     Life's circumstances don't reflect reality

Godly wisdom gives courage to act with confidence.

Walking Worthy of His Call

Ephesians 4:1-3 - 'As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.'

1.  Christian living always begins with a transformed heart
         addressing our relationship with other people
         church = people in relationship with God & God's people

     Difficult people create an opportunity for you to display the love of God and prove you are His
         child

     "Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude." ~ MLK, Jr


2.  Chrisian living always builds up the Body of Christ


To walk worthy of His calling is to walk together, not only for what you receive, but what you give to others.

Surprising and Supernatural

Mark 4:26-34

***If your vision is something YOU can attain, it probably is not God's will

***What appears impossible in the kingdom of God - isn't!  

              God works in mysterious, yet predictable, ways.

***What appears small and insignificant in the Kingdom of God - isn't!

              Spiritual growth happens through steadfast, faithful, consistent obedience

***The Kingdom of God gives strength for today and hope for tomorrow

Take your eyes off of the trials of today and put them on the prize of tomorrow.

Many Servants - One Lord

Colossians 4:7 - 15 - "Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 1Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house."

***Effective ministry requires teamwork
Unity included diversity
Interdependence is God's design

***Effective ministry requires encouragement
Encouragement keeps you in the race
Encouragement is focused on God's grace
The quality of your encouragement is directly related to God's work in your life

***Effective ministry requires humble sacrifice
Phillipians 2:2 - 4 - "...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Sacrifice requires putting others first
Sacrifice is the key to teamwork

***Effective ministry invests in the future
Pass on your faith - Paul passed his life on to his companions
Pass on your ministry

***Every believer is significant in the plan of God

***In the kingdom of God, there are many servants, but one Lord

Every Believer a Witness in Christ

Pastor Mel started this sermon talking about Alfred Nobel. His brother, Ludvig died in 1888, and the obituary accidently reported that it was Alfred who had died, labeling him the 'merchant of death.' He invented dynamite, and an article can be found on him here. Not wanting to be remembered in such a terrible way, he is who the Nobel Prize is named after.

Colossians 4:5 - 6 - "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

***There can be a great difference in what you think you are and how others see you

***Walk the walk (v 5)
1 Thessalonians 1:5 - "...because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake." - You become the testimony others can see

(a) Live in the wisdom of Christ - "Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdom."
Christ is looking more for our devotion to Him than for our service to Him. There is a difference in trying to live right and having a relationship with Christ.

(b) Live in the opportunities given by Christ - Obedience to Christ is found in the timing of our response

***Talk the talk (v 6)
(a) Our speech shold be gracious - your mouth is a reflection of your heart (Matt 15:18 - "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'")

(b) Our speech should be salty - it should make a difference - a simple word of truth can set a person free

(c) Our speech should be ready - be ready to speak a word to people that need - God's word and a spirit filled life are a powerful combination

***Is there anything in me that would obscure the vision of Christ to a watching world?

***No matter what has happened in your past, you can determine today how you will live the rest of your life

***God expects every believer to be a witness for Him

***To be in Christ will impact the way you live, what you say, and people will be drawn to you

A Call to Prayer in Christ

Colossians 4:2 - 4 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should."

***How important is prayer in your life? Could you say that you are earnestly praying? Is it a priority or is it something you do if you have time?

***Prayer does not fit us for the greater work - Prayer IS the greater work (Oswald Chambers)

***God does not need us, but for some reason, He has chosen to work through His people

***Prayer is the fruit of Christ in you - to be like Christ is to be a person of prayer

***Prayer is intentional and consistent - it is a decision to invest your life in eternal things

***Prayer is from a heart of gratitude - do it with thanksgiving - do it with a grateful heart that recognizes God's work in your life

***We are called to pray with and for our spiritual leaders
Ephesians 6:18 - 20 - "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

***Leaders live in a spiritual battlefield - Satan would love to see a leader fall

***Leaders proclaim an eternal message

***Leaders are one among many members in the body of Christ

***Is Christ in you producing the fruit of prayer?

***He is calling you to pray today because He knows your tomorrow

***God is calling you to pray because He is conforming you to the image of His son

***Without prayer, a church is like a body without a spirit - it is a dead, inanimate thing. A church with prayer has God in it. Prayer is the one distinguishing mark of the house of God.

Your Family in Christ

Colossians 3:18 - 4:1 - "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven."

Galatians 3:27 - 28 - "..for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

***Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom from responsibility. It is a higher accountability.

***The sovereign God of the universe made you just as you are - you need to be content as you are and fulfill the role He has given you.

1 - Marriage relationship
(a) - wives, submit to your husbands as is fitting to the Lord
submit = modest cooperative demeanor that puts others first
Ephesians 5:21 - "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Mark 10:42 - 45 - "Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Philippians 2:3 - 4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
(b) - husbands - love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
A husband honors the Lord by his tender and sacrificial care for his wife

2 - Parental relationship
(a) children - obey your parents in all things
(b) fathers - do not provoke children to anger

3 - Work relationships
(a) bondservants, obey your mastsers
(b) masters, give bondservants what is just and fair

***The Lord validates and blesses every person who lives their life unto Him

***In every relationship you have, be a blessing

***Are you living your life for God's glory?

***Are you living in a way that honors Him?

***Don't look for another life - this is the life God has given you.

***When you begin to try to live someone else's life, everything falls apart

***Live your life in a way so that everyone knows you believe in Jesus Christ

The Word of Christ in You

Pastor Mel is back and it felt good to get back into the study of Colossians:

Colossians 3:16-17 : "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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."

***God wants to reveal Himself to you and has chosen the sacred text as a means to do it

***The Bible is:
**God's revelation of Himself to humankind
**a tool through which God speaks to His people today
**a record of God's interaction with human history...the supernatural is, therefore, both expected and accepted
**contains divine truths about God that is unknowable apart from revelation
**requires enlightenment of the Holy Spirit for full an accurate comprehension

**The Bible is the work of God from the beginning to the end
**Revelation - the act God uses to communicate Himself and His will to people
Hebrews 1:1-2 : "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe."
**Inspiration - the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of men, which rendered them agents of God for the faultless communication of that revelation
**Illumination - the divine quickening of the human mind, allowing it to understand the truth that has been revealed and communicated

***The Peace of Christ rules where the word of God dwells

***The Word of Christ should be lived - we don't read it for information, but for transformation

***The Word of Christ has the power in and of itself to bear fruit

***Encountering God in His word changes your life - Hebrews 4:12-13 - "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

***The goal of God's word is ultimately a relationship - John 5:39-40 - "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

The God of Your Father

Pastor Mel was back, but with this being Father's Day, he decided to deviate from Colossians and bring us a sermons about Fathers:

Exodus 3:6 - "Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."

***God has a purpose for every life. We must, therefore, be good stewards of every life God sends our way

***As a father, does you life inspire children to follow your God?

***God pursues His people
**The God of history was in the present, ready to do a work in the next generation
**The God of history is about to do a great work in this day, in this church

***God builds upon His past activity
**Moses stepped out in faith, within the context of who God was
**We must pass our faith to the next generation...we must teach them or they can't follow
Judges 2:10 - "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

***Let's move forward with the faith that reflectts the God of our Fathers

***Are you seeking to pass your faith on so that it doesn't die with you?

You Can Trust Him

Pastor Mel was away again this week, so our sermon was by Lanny Loe, our Minister of Missions. As noted above, this sermon is titled, 'You Can Trust Him.'

Romans 1:17 - "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

***God is working in our lives, continually teaching us to take the next step

***It is okay not to understand; it is not okay to stop trusting

Luke 2:48 - 50: "When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them."

***When the events do not fit into our standard of good and bad, we become anxious

***When difficult days come into our lives, He has been preparing us beforehand for these tragedies

Mark 9:30-32 : "They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it."

***God knows what you are going to experience and He loves you so much that He tries to prepare you for it

John 8:25-27 : "Who are you?" they asked.
"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father."

John 16:12 - "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear."

***Jesus wants you to understand - He wants to reveal Himself and His ways to you

***Understanding often occurs with hindsight and the gentle remindings of the Holy Spirit

***You can know Him, but sometimes you can't always find Him

***When your understanding is clouded by tears, grief, and shock, rely on your relationship with God

***When you don't understand....trust

Are You Living Like Jesus' Disciple?

Pastor Mel was out of town for two weekends in July, so we had the privilege of hearing two of our other pastors' preach on those Sundays. This sermon was by Bo Stevens, our Minister of Discipleship. As noted above, this sermon is titled, 'Are you living like Jesus' Disciple?'

John 13:31-38: "When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."
Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

***The essence of being a disciple is having a desire to follow Jesus

***Jesus' call of discipleship is a call to total abandonment to Him

***Bondservant: voluntarily chosen; obedient no matter what He may ask

***Volunteer: does what suits him

***Jesus does not call us to periodic volunteerism; He calls us to be His servants daily, with nothing held back

***Do we want to follow Christ on our own terms or are we willing to be a bondservant?

John 15:12 - 14: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."

***Do you actively love your brothers and sisters as God has loved you?

***The Lord does not want us to just tell the gospel....He wants the world to see Him in you and me

***The world will see the reality of the gospel as we live like disciples and love one another with a love that doesn't exist naturally in this world

Forgiveness in Christ

Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

***Are you more concerned about your rights than about your relationships?

***If you can't find and give forgiveness, you will never know love

***Love is the motivator and reward for forgiveness

***To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize the prisoner was you

***Unforgiveness will destroy you, not the other person

Mattnew 18: 21-35 -"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

***Jesus taught the lesson of unlimited forgiveness, then He lived it out before them

Mark 11:25-26 - "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

***He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass

***Forgiveness does not overlook the deed - it rises above it

***The greater the offense, the more you need to forgive

***If you focus on the person or the deed, you will not be able to forgive

***Look to Christ - He will give you the strength to forgive

***When you are unwilling to forgive, it says more about your relationship with Christ than your relationship with the person

***Whose voice are you listening to?

***Freedom to live is on the other side of forgiveness

***You won't have abundant life in Christ until you forgive everyone who has sinned against you, whether you want to or not

Loving Others in Christ

Colossians 3:12-17 - "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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."

***God's love is best expressed in the family of God

***When you think on things below, you feed your sinful nature; when you think on things above, where Christ is, you feed your soul

***Believers are chosen by God, separated unto Him and deeply loved

***You are children of God by the will of God, so start living like it!

***Put on the new life - make choices that reflect your new nature
(tender mercies..heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, love one another)

***Let the new life work in you

***Let the peace of God rule (reign, have dominion) - when the peace of God rules, we will be unified

***Let the word of Christ dwell in you and transform you

John 13:3-5 - "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."

***To be confident in your salvation give you the freedom to serve

John 3:21 - "After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."

***Judas' betrayal....Jesus washed his betrayer's feet adn it troubled him...He loved even his enemy

John 13:34 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

***Don't wait for someone else to serve you....look for ways to serve others

***When you begin to love, you will find that it comes back to you

***We love the people that love us

***Are you loving one another as Christ has loved you?

***Love is not just words....it is action. Love will be expressed....it must be expressed

***Love in action is the only proof we've been born into the family of God

Choosing to Live in Christ

Colossians 3:1-17 - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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."

***The Christian life is more than being saved from death....it is being saved for life

***Christianity is not just about the good things we receive, but choosing to live under the Lordship of Christ

***Every believer has a daily choice to make: Die to self and live for Christ

Luke 9:23 - "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

***If you don't live for Christ, self will take over in an instant and the concerns of the Father go by unnoticed and rejected

***Jesus looks for ready obedience, not reluctant submission

Colossians 3:5 - "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."

***The nature of these sins move inward - they are self-centered sins that come into our life and destroy us - they eat away at who we are

Colossians 3:6 - "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

***Put off all these things - the nature of these sins move outward and hurt others - they are spiteful, mean and antagonizing

***What you take in shapes who you are and the life you live is a reflection of who you have become

***You can tell a self-centered person by the way they treat those around them

***What are you taking into your life?

***What is feeding your soul?

***Choosing to live for Christ is not a one time thing - it is a daily decision

Colossians 3:10-11 - "..and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

***To put off the old man and take on the new is to take your eyes off the things of earth and set your eyes on Christ

***It is the knowledge of Christ that renews your life

***No one can make you respond in anger

***Choose to be teh person God created you to be

Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship."

***if you want to follow Jesus, it makes more than one step....KEEP WALKING!

Hidden with Christ

Colossians 3:1-4 - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

***Christianity is not just being free from sin...it is new life in the family of God

***v.1 - Believers have been raised with Christ
**Believers already belong to the world above
**Believers already have knowledge of things above
**Believers are under the rule of Christ

***v.2 - Believers are 'hidden with Christ'
**The world cannot see believers as they really exist
**The world cannot ultimately harm one hidden with Christ
**The world cannot understand the strength of one hidden with Christ

***What does it mean (for us here on earth today)?
**Do not devalue life on earth
**Do not be so heavenly focused that you are of no earthly good
**Do not be afraid to stand out

Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

1 John 3:2-3 - "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure."

***Christ will increase in our lives as we are hidden in Him...dead to self...alive to Christ

***Never allow anything in your life to distract people from seeing Christ

Free in Christ - Part 2

Colossians 2:11-23 - "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. Therefore 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."

***When you are in sin, you are dead

***Stay with Christ - He alone set you free from sin

Romans 6:22 - "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

***Are we still in bondage to sin or have we been set free by the power of Christ?

1 John 1:5-10 - "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."
***If the light of God is in your life, it dispels the darkness
Ephesians 6:12 - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
***The kingdom of darkness is all that opposes God
***When you are walking in darkness, you cannot clearly see your spiritual life (!!)
***If you are living in a constant state of sin, you are not living in the presence of God
1 John 1:8 - "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
***We tend to dwell on the ACT of sin rather than the NATURE of sin
***The trouble is not what is coming out of you, but what is already in you
***The secular world cannot help you if sin is your problem
***Romans 3 describes what sin has done in your life...
-we lose our desire to seek God
-we cause pain because our sin hurts everyone we come in contact with
-we do not understand spiritual truth
-we turnt to that which is empty
-we lose our fear of God
-we cause pain to those around us
***We need to repent:
-confess you were wrong and sinned against God
-say you are sorry you have sinned
-ask God to forgive you for your sin
-ask God to cleanse you of your sin
-ask God to empower you to walk in the Spirit
***Is is not a choice to do right, but to make Christ your Lord

Free in Christ

Colossians 2:11-15 - "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."

***Every person lives by faith in what they believe to be true

***Do you believe that Jesus' life, death and resurrection is sufficient for salvation?

***The symbol of His shame has become our symbol of victory in Him

***Jesus has given us life...(v 13-"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,...")

***Jesus has cancelled our debt of sin...(v 14-"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."

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

***Our sin was nailed to the cross....how does that make you feel?

***Jesus disarmed evil powers...(v 15-And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.)

***When Christ forgives your sin, He frees you from the unrelenting power of sin

John 3:15-18 - "...that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

***It is not enough to 'believe'...it must be lived out in daily life

***Does Jesus Christ have absolute power in your life? If so, you can overcome anything

***Does your life reflect what you say you believe about Christ?

***Do you pray as if God answers prayer?

***Does your life demonstrate that you believe in Jesus Christ?

Alive in Christ

Colossians 2:13 - "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,"

***Satan has been good at keeping us from understanding what happened on the cross

Romans 5:6 - "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."

***Death is not primarily about our body, it is the plight of our soul

***Jesus referred to death as 'sleep' because He could bring people back to life...He used 'death' differently than we do

***Jesus came from eternity and His perspective on life and death is much different than ours

John 8:51 - "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

John 6:35 - "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

***He didn't come to save us from 'sleep,' but from 'death'.....spiritual death

***On that awful hill called Mt Calvary, we see the Savior 'sleep,' we do not see him 'DIE'!

***Christ died for the ungodly; He tasted death for all mankind

Romans 8:1-2 - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

***The Christian will never die - he may 'sleep,' but will never experience eternal death

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 - "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

***Satan tries to make us feel sorrow and agony for Christ's beaten body

***Unforgiven sin keeps us from eternal life

***All the concerns of our lives are changed because of the resurrection

***The primary concern of Jesus was to secure our soul in eternity

***Physically, we're born and live until we die...we progress toward physical death; Spiritually, we're all dead until we're made alive in Christ...we progress toward spiritual life

***What is the condition of your soul? Are you dead in sin or alive in Christ? Are you moving toward death or eternal life?

Complete in Christ

Colossians 2:6-12

Colossians 2:6-12 - " So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For 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."

Deuteronomy 10:16 -"Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."

***Baptism is a picture of our complete salvation

Matthew 3:1-17 -"In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. "I baptize you with water for repentance. But 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. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
***Jesus was baptized to please the Father - not because he had to be - it ws an act of obedience

***He wanted to identify with the humble - those He would save

***He wanted to make a public declaration to do the Father's will

***Baptism was a foreshadow of His life, burial and resurrection

***Jesus was not primarily concerned about physical death, but about spiritual life

***All who are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to new life are complete in Him

Romans 6:3-11 -"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 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.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

***He could not provide our salvation unless He first assumed our position

***Thru baptism, Christ identified with us....thru baptism, we identify with Him

Colossians 2:9-10 - "For 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."

***When you put your faith in Christ, you are complete in Him

***Baptism doesn't save you....It is a symbol of our union with Him

***Are you right in Christ? Are you complete in Him or are you still struggling with your sin?

***In Christ you are complete - Apart from Him, you have nothing