Sunday August 21, 2022
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Colossians 3:1-17- “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
ACT YOUR POSITION
Epaphras solicited Paul’s help in dealing with false teaching that threatened the church at Colosse.
No other book in the New Testament sets forth more fully or defends the universal Lordship of Jesus Christ more thoroughly than the Book of Colossains.
Conservative scholars believe Paul wrote this letter during his first Roman imprisonment around AD 61.
It’s amazing, Paul wrote from a place of confinement but he didn’t talk about his position in the prison he talked about his position in Christ!
“I have been raised to new life in Jesus Christ…”
“Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
WHAT IS MY POSITION?
Some of us need to be reminded or some may need to discover.
Ephesians 2:6-7- “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.”
How can we act our position if we don’t know our position.
(Share the encounter Rafiki has with Symba in the movie “Lion King.”)
“who are you?”- Symba
“who are you?” Rafiki
“Now I’m not sure.” Symba
“you don’t know who you are.” Rafiki
“you have forgotten who you are.” Rafiki
Symba see’s his reflection at first. Then he looks again and sees his Father.
When Symba saw the reflection of his Father he remembered who he was. The King of the Pride Land.
“You must take your place.” Rafiki
ACT YOUR POSITION!
Colossians 1:13-14- “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”
Understand that you have been transferred from the power and authority of darkness!
Colossians 2:12-15- “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”
Paul acted his position because Paul practiced his position in Christ!
In AD 49- Paul writes to a group of churches in the Galatia region.
Galatians 5:13-26- “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”
The Bible really is a story of Kingdoms in conflict, and that battle rages on the field of your heart friends!
It rages for control of your soul!
The two kingdoms in conflict cannot live at peace with one another! There is no truce!
Each kingdom demands your loyalty and worship!
ONE KINGDOM LEADS YOU TO THE KING OF KINGS AND THE OTHER SETS YOU UP AS KING!
You either pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that his will be done or you work to make sure that your will and your way win the day!
1 Samuel 15:22-23- “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.”
You either pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that his will be done or you work to make sure that your will and your way win the day!
So tell yourself today that there is a King but he is not you! And our King has won the victory once and for all!
HOW CAN I WALK IN VICTORY? HOW CAN I ACT MY POSITION?
- Abide in a right relationship with Jesus Christ
John 15:4- “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
Galatians 5:25- “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
2. True strength is found in my weakness
2 Corinthians 12:10- “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
3. Live a submitted life
Galatians 5:16- “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
(TPT)- “Let me emphasize this: As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.”
4. Serve one another in love
Galatians 5:13-14- “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”