King Jesus, Anchor of Our Lives, How Great Thou Art (Until That Day), The Lord Is My Salvation, Holy Forever

How did your father provide for you as you were growing up? If you did not grow up with a father, how did you see God step in to provide sufficiently for your needs?

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.

We continue with our series called “JESUS THE EXPRESSION OF GOD’S LOVE”, a study on the book of Colossians which focuses on the supremacy of Christ. Chapters 1 and 2 talk about RIGHT BELIEVING. Chapters 3 and 4 talk about RIGHT LIVING and putting our faith into practice. The title of our message is CHRIST IS ALL -SUFFICIENT: FOCUS ON JESUS.

In Colossians 1:28-29, Paul wrote about how he proclaims Christ to people and his objective was to “present every man complete in Christ”. That was the primary objective of his ministry. Paul did not mean “perfection” but talks about our “full maturity” – to become all that God has planned out for us, reaching our full potential. 2 Corinthians 3:5 reminds us that our “adequacy is from God”. Jesus is all-sufficient, and we are not sufficient on our own.

Colossians 2:1-2 tells us that the letter was written to the Colossians and Laodiceans – he expressed that he struggles in prayer for them, so that their hearts will be encouraged, and that they gain full assurance of God’s mystery who is Christ Himself.

Many of us experience a downward spiral in life, being eaten up by emotions. How do we combat that? It is by attaining a full understanding of who Jesus Christ is!

Paul continues to describe Jesus in vv. 3-5, saying that in Him are found treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The problem in Colossae was that there were certain people deceiving them, so Paul yearned to see their “good discipline” and the “stability of… faith in Christ”. He then tells them that since they received Christ, they must “walk in Him” – to keep obeying, to keep following Jesus. The Christian life always has a beginning, but it is also in present tense after coming to Christ, you should walk with Him since we are rooted, being built up, established in faith, and overflowing in gratitude (vv.6-7). Is our life marked with overflowing joy and gratitude? Christ is all-sufficient, and in our challenges, He always has a purpose!

Colossians 2:8 then warns the people to not be deluded by philosophy and empty deception. There were many false teachings during that time – “mysticism”, or the worship of angels and mediators, “syncretism”, which is the combination of different beliefs and philosophies to reach God, “Gnosticism” which believes that salvation is achieved through special knowledge, “legalism” which requires keeping certain standards of behavior to be saved, and “asceticism”,
which imposes man-made rules or severe self-discipline to gain favor from God. The Bible tells us this is not the way

Beware of any teachings that diminish our view of Jesus or draw us further away from Him. We need to have a proper high view of Christ. Why is Christ all-sufficient? Here are three main reasons:

1) JESUS IS GOD
Colossians 2:9-10 tells us that in Christ, “all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form”! John confirms this in his gospel (John 1:1-3, v.14,18). Jesus claimed that for Himself in John 10:30-33, even if He was accused of blasphemy for claiming to be God. Why is Jesus all-sufficient? Because He is GOD! If Jesus is God and He is in you, then you have what you truly need in life.

2) JESUS COMPLETES US
Colossians 2:10 tells us that in Jesus we are made “complete”, meaning, “full maturity”! Peter said that through Christ, we are granted “everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:2-3). Whatever you add to Jesus to complete your happiness becomes an idol. We must find our happiness and satisfaction, our completeness in Christ Jesus alone. That is why Paul made the illustration of circumcision in v.11 – not the physical one, but the spiritual one as described in Deuteronomy 30:6. God is able to do something in our hearts to make us love Him. He gives us a new heart and puts His Spirit in us to cause us to want to obey (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Paul used the image of baptism as a metaphor – a picture of what happens to us when we come to Christ. Our old self dies, and being dead in our sins, He makes us alive together with Him as He has forgiven all of our transgressions (Romans 6:1-3, Colossians 2:12-13). Colossians 2:14-15 discusses the cancellation of the “certificate of debt” – the charges against us, and the list of all our sins is canceled out and paid in full! Not only that, but He also “disarmed” our enemies through the victory He accomplished on the cross and His resurrection. We have been transformed and are living in a renewed self in Christ!

3) JESUS GIVES US TRUE FREEDOM
Colossians 2:16-17 tells us what we should be doing now, knowing what we know about Jesus. We must live a life set free from religion, ideals and man-made traditions (vv.20-23). True freedom is not the ability to do what you like doing when you feel like doing it. True freedom is the power to say no to sin and yes to God. Titus 2:11-12 reminds us that we receive not only salvation, but also the ability to “deny ungodliness” and to choose to live a holy life by the power of Jesus in our lives!

Romans 6:14 tells us that we should not be mastered by sin nor the law, but that Jesus alone is our master! We are called to freedom, and we must not use this freedom to sin, but to serve God and live a holy life (Galatians 5:13-14). It is Jesus who sets people free, and indeed, He is ALL-SUFFICIENT

What does it mean that “in Him you have been made complete?

How does focusing on Jesus encourage you during difficult times?

How do you guard yourself from deceptions and other false teachings that are rampant today?

Pray for the people that God has placed in your life at home, at work, in your community, that they will come to know the all-sufficiency of Christ.

Be available for the Lord to use you to help them know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Do your part by sharing the gospel to them as soon as you can!

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• God’s help and comfort, salvation for Israel, wisdom for their leaders in government, military and their soldiers as they defend themselves against terrorists’ attacks. PRAISE GOD for the release of hostages so far! Continue to pray for the release of the remaining ones.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expansion worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.