Bible Text: Colossians 2 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship

— Pastor Lou’s Notes —
Intro:
Review the background of the gnostic heresy infiltrating the church. came not only to save us, but also to mature us in our faith and, consequently, strengthen our walk with Christ. Gnostic teachings cater to the ego of the person. In other words, I could do something to earn God’s love and forgiveness.

Do you remember several years back when the auto industry and some banks were in financial trouble. The government choose to step in with a bail out program. Many of these companies were on the brink of bankruptcy. Paul reminds the church at Colossae that sin make all of us spiritually bankrupt. That is we, in and of ourselves, have nothing that we can present before God to earn His forgiveness so that we may be right with Him. No amount of good works, or going to church, or other good works can earn our forgiveness with God. There is not and cannot be enough good works to make up for the sin debt we owe God. Therefore, we are bankrupt!

But God sent us a bail out in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to humanity to rescue us from the penalty of sin, which is eternal separation from God. We need to realize that Jesus offers us not only forgiveness of our sin, but He offers us a new life and a new purpose in Him.

Christ came to this planet for several big purposes:

1. For our rescue
2. For the church
3. For our sanctification and maturation

We are all called to a journey towards spiritual maturity from the moment we trusted Christ. In this passage, we can discover the marks of spiritual maturity.

1. Jesus wants to be disciples
1. Disciples are followers who are willing to learn from Him
2. We need knowledge, but Jesus wants us to to cultivate our spirit so that the life of Christ comes through us.
1. Be Encouraged in Your Heart
1. Knowing what you believe and why you believe it
2. Letting the Scriptures speak to our souls
3. When we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and give us the power to apply what we learn to our hearts, it then becomes a conviction of our souls
4. Our convictions will encourage us to face life and life’s challenges in a way that will glorify God
5. The more we let the Holy Spirit transform us from the inside out to be more like Christ, the better we are able to love like God loves

2. Be United in Love
1. We may have the full riches of complete understanding
1. We may know the mystery of God e.g. Christ
1. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

2. Our love must be a love that come from a heart in which Christ dwells
1. We will love each other and be quick to forgive each other
2. We will encourage and pray for each other
3. We remember we are all imperfect people who are saved by God’s grace

3. Don’t be deceived by fine sounding arguments
1. There are many good sounding arguments that are around these days
2. Remember that deceivers with find sounding arguments want to draw you away from Christ and render us ineffective for the kingdom
3. In other words, being a disciple of Christ means making a commitment
4. We all know how easily we can be distracted and detoured from our walk with Christ

4. Be Strong in the Power of Christ
1. We cannot do this in our own power because we are spiritually bankrupt
2. We need to continually be in the Word and submit to the Holy Spirit
1. He will gives us the desire and power to be a Christ follower if we allow Him.
2. Our spiritual life starts by faith and needs to continue by faith in Christ

3. We are to be in Him, rooted and built up in Him
4. Strengthened in the faith that you are taught
5. Our lives become more consistent with the life of Christ
6. Overflowing with thankfulness

Closing:
May I suggest this holiday season taking a spiritual inventory of your life. If we are not seeing true biblical progress in our spiritual life, then what should we do about that?

1. Take advantage of the opportunities for learn that are offered here
2. Let us love each other with the love of Christ as the Holy spirit helps us grow in Christ
3. Take advantage of outreach opportunities
4. Let God continue to stretch you and lead you out of your comfort zone
5. Let the Holy Spirit help you live the life of Christ from the inside out