1 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:16,200 Open your Bibles to Colossians Chapter 2 sometimes in preparing 2 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,000 the study. I think it's better in my study 3 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:28,280 than it is from the pulpit and I only wish I could get to you 4 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,880 what I see in the Word of God and what God reveals to me. 5 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,280 Let's hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will make our hearts 6 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,760 soft, rich soil that will receive the Word of God. 7 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,600 Help our minds to understand what God is saying to us. 8 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,480 Acts Sorry Colossians 2 we're going to go back to verse one 9 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,640 because we need to for I want you to know what a great 10 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,080 conflict I have for you. We studied on Sunday the heart 11 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,360 of Paul and those in Laodicea Colossae and Laodicea, both 12 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:11,960 churches in modern day Turkey. Paul started neither of them. 13 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:19,160 The Pafras was the the pioneer of Colossae and for as many as 14 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,680 has have not seen my face in the flesh. 15 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:27,280 So Paul says what he says, I pray he says that their hearts 16 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,000 may be encouraged. How? 17 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:38,000 By being knit together in love. And what will that achieve? 18 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,680 And then attaining to all riches. 19 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:47,360 And notice the descriptive words here of the full assurance of 20 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,200 understanding. The full assurance of 21 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,960 understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God, the 22 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,200 mystery of God. We've been talking about Paul's 23 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,440 been talking about is how Christ is deity, He is God in the flesh 24 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,759 both of the Father and of Christ and in God in them. 25 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,440 Paul refers to our hidden notice this I've underlined it all the 26 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,520 treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 27 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:24,320 You ever want to be wise, you want to know things I do I I I 28 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,480 like wisdom. I like learning things well, the 29 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,800 greatest way I can learn about life. 30 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:38,040 You know, people talk about the questions of life well, but the 31 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,440 way that I can learn what the questions of life are they are 32 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,520 our universe. Why I'm here, why you're here, 33 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,960 hidden in the wisdom and knowledge of God. 34 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,680 Now, most of us are aware of Paul's emphasis on the 35 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,800 importance of love, both in US individually, that is the love 36 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,800 of God, the agape love, and in the church that is the body of 37 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,840 Christ. But it's often misinterpreted. 38 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,960 If you ever read letters to the Editor in the West Australian, 39 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,720 which I do each morning, you know, people write well, 40 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,040 Christians, you know, they should have this and that love 41 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,520 and, you know, how can they say this? 42 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,800 And that's not very loving if you're a Christian. 43 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:21,720 I don't know what they're talking about. 44 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,680 The Bible tells us and gives us the definition of love. 45 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:33,320 Then it tells us how it works, especially in the church. 46 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,800 In One Corinthians 13, it's usually read out at weddings and 47 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,480 people think that's a lovely poem that's always read out at 48 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,320 wedding. It's not a poem, it's the word 49 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,280 of God. Paul says in One Corinthians 13, 50 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,000 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have 51 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,880 not love, I have become sounding brass or clanging cymbal, in 52 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,400 other words, noise. And though I have the gift of 53 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:05,600 prophecy, wow and understand all mysteries, Nostradamus, and all 54 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,360 knowledge, and though I have all faith, I believe, I believe, I 55 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:16,360 believe so that I could remove mountains, but have not love. 56 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,680 I'm nothing though. I bestow all my goods. 57 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,720 I'm the most philanthropic person in the world. 58 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,000 I, I mean, I really give my I make Mother Teresa look like 59 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:35,240 Donald Trump. Seriously though, I bestow all 60 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,720 my goods to feed the poor and I give my body to be burned. 61 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,160 Man, I sacrifice. I sacrifice everything. 62 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,360 If only you knew but have not love. 63 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:52,080 It profits me nothing. The church, the body of 64 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,640 believers which started on the day of Pentecost as the Holy 65 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:59,080 Spirit fell upon the disciples, that great noise that the heard 66 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:01,320 and the tongues of fire upon each of them. 67 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,320 The Church, the body of believers, you and I share in a 68 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,360 common life. What is that? 69 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:14,120 It's not that we all live in a kibbutz or commune and we're 70 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:19,400 socialists. No, we are the family of God now 71 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:24,520 because you have been saved by my Saviour and I've been by 72 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,600 saved by your Saviour. We are brothers and sisters in 73 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,120 Christ. We have one Father, our Father 74 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,640 who art in heaven. We're the family of God and 75 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,800 we're serving God. The body of Christ is that. 76 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,120 And the second thing it does is it our our aim in life now is 77 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,320 not to achieve what I want to achieve. 78 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:49,360 My plans all gone now. My plans are his plans. 79 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,400 God, what do you want me to do? Remember Paul on the road to 80 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,440 Damascus or Saul? He as he was then. 81 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,840 Lord, what would you have me to do? 82 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,200 So now we collectively are all serving the Lord. 83 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,120 How are we serving the Lord? That's for us to find out. 84 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,920 We each have the same eternal life, The eternal life that you 85 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,080 have and I have. We'll end up in the same place, 86 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:20,320 at the feet of Christ, worshipping, praising him in 87 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,920 heaven. We all came to Christ in the 88 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:30,120 same way because the Bible says for by grace you have been saved 89 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,240 through faith. It's the only way you can come 90 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,960 to Christ, come to to the Father, to salvation through 91 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:41,160 Jesus Christ. We are all placed into the one 92 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:48,400 Church, 1 body, the body of Christ the same way by the Holy 93 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,000 Spirit. He has placed us in the church, 94 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,480 the church's unity. And many people say Oh well what 95 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:02,280 we, we need to have see unity in the church is not and does not 96 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:08,040 occur by organisation. Well, OK everybody, we've got to 97 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,360 get together. We've got to be united, have a 98 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,200 united front. That's not the unity. 99 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,760 The church's unity is not organisational. 100 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,440 That is man made or manipulated. We're going to have these rules. 101 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:24,960 You're going to be along with this church. 102 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,320 You cut your hair this way, you wear these clothes, you pray 103 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,040 this way, you have this Bible. You do this, you do this, you do 104 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:38,320 this. No, that's not unity, but 105 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:44,360 instead the unity of Christ and the Church is organic. 106 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,840 God did it. He put us all in this one body. 107 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,800 He did it. We are all one in Christ Jesus, 108 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,720 the Bible tells us. Galatians 328 There is neither 109 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,200 Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. 110 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:06,120 There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in 111 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:11,560 Christ Jesus. This is the sign, this love and 112 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:16,480 unity, organic. This is the sign that Jesus 113 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,440 spoke of. You know, we often hear people 114 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:26,200 quote by this all know that you are my disciples if you have 115 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,960 love for one another. And so we think, wow, man, I 116 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:33,200 don't like this blokeman. Yeah, we're together. 117 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:43,159 Yeah, you know, no, no, that's just man made or rubbish. 118 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:49,000 The real love that we have for one another is genuine. 119 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:52,760 It's a genuine love that God gives us. 120 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,960 He places us. And now, now all of a sudden I 121 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,680 actually do care about other people. 122 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:03,400 I'm no longer Kane who doesn't care about his brother Abel. 123 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:11,040 Now I'm like the Good Samaritan. Do I see a stranger and I stop, 124 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,480 go out of my way. I fix them up, take them to a 125 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,840 motel. I pay their bill. 126 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,040 When I come back, if there's any more money and it's a complete 127 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,640 stranger, the change, the difference. 128 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:35,640 So the sign to the world of our love for one another is the 129 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,520 dynamic of church life. In other words, people outside 130 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,240 the world. See those people that sing at 131 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,440 Calvary Chapel. I've been sitting at the pub, 132 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,960 you know, all these weeks and I've watched all these people 133 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:52,840 come to this church across the road and I hear them singing and 134 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,040 I see they love going to church. I see them, you know, carrying 135 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,280 their Bibles. They're genuine. 136 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:03,480 Something's happened to this group. 137 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,800 That's the sign that we're followers of Jesus Christ, by 138 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,640 the way, that we now live in that capacity. 139 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:16,160 And it's not a show and it's not put on and it's not fake. 140 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:28,120 Loving someone is not defined by having warm feelings. 141 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,400 You know, couples get together, going to get married and they do 142 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:33,000 the old. Yeah. 143 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,040 Well, why you going to? Why do you want to marry this 144 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:36,920 person? Oh, I think he's just. 145 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,320 Oh, well. And then the guy who's he's got 146 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,080 a well, now she said that I've got to go. 147 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:47,600 When I search, I think she's the most beautiful woman I've ever 148 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,040 seen in all my life. That's why we're getting 149 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:57,080 married. Well, that's nice, but that 150 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:58,880 actually is not the description of love. 151 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:07,520 That's physical attraction. Loving someone is not defined by 152 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,280 having warm feelings toward them. 153 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:16,640 Loving someone is defined by meeting that other person's 154 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:22,320 needs. And you read on One Corinthians 155 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:29,800 13 expecting nothing in return. Expecting nothing in return. 156 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,920 How many couples are at war in marriage as well? 157 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,400 I'll do if you, but I'm not doing it until you do. 158 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:43,000 And the poor old Mexicans get the blame for all of it. 159 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:52,200 The last time you made a sacrifice for someone was the 160 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:59,800 last time you loved them. Last time you made a sacrifice 161 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,720 for him was the last time you loved him. 162 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:07,040 The last time you made a sacrifice for her was the last 163 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:12,800 time you loved her. Paul has talked and wrote to the 164 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,480 church. Colossae, I want to encourage 165 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:16,640 you. I want to strengthen your 166 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:23,520 hearts, and that is a heart. A strengthened heart is a heart 167 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:29,120 that has learned to love. It goes on in verse 2. 168 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,600 And attaining to all riches. This is what he wants of the 169 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,960 full assurance of understanding. I'm going to put those together 170 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,120 again, the full assurance of understanding in my notes. 171 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,920 I have full assurance understanding and I have an 172 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,200 arrow and it goes to both it, it drops on to both. 173 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,760 They go together like grace and peace. 174 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:56,560 Full assurance of understanding. Can't have full assurance on its 175 00:12:56,560 --> 00:12:58,680 own, can't have understanding on its own. 176 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,480 Full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery 177 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,600 of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden 178 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,320 all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 179 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:14,000 And I'll explain. Paul wanted the believers of 180 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,880 Colossae to experience all the wealth straightaway. 181 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:24,200 People go money. Oh no, no wealth. 182 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,120 It's funny, the world, the material world, when it speaks 183 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,280 of wealth, it goes to monetary value, doesn't it? 184 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:39,200 Wealth is in the knowledge of God, knowing Christ, to 185 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:43,280 experience all the wealth that comes with full assurance. 186 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,960 Again, it's connected, all the treasures of wisdom and 187 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,720 knowledge. This means if we don't have that 188 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,360 assurance, we sing that the good old hymn. 189 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,760 I love blessed assurance, Jesus is mine or what a foretaste of 190 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:03,240 glory divine. If we don't have the assurance 191 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:11,560 that we are saved, we are unable to enjoy all the blessings as 192 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:16,040 heirs of Christ. It's a cause and reaction. 193 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:24,280 It's a domino effect. Full assurance of understanding. 194 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,120 I'll explain it even more. People are often troubled with 195 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,720 doubts about their salvation. It is so sad when people come 196 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,160 and just go. Keith, you know, Helen, can you 197 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,120 pray for us? And I'm just not sure whether, I 198 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,280 mean, I don't know if I'm a Christian or not. 199 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:41,680 I just don't know where I am. I'll go. 200 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,880 How does that happen? People are often troubled with 201 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:52,560 doubts about their salvation. Their problem is not knowledge. 202 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:54,080 They've been through the scriptures. 203 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,040 They know John 316 for God's to love the world, that he gave his 204 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,400 only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should 205 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:00,960 not perish, but have everlasting life. 206 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:02,600 They know Jesus died on the cross. 207 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,680 They know He rose from the dead on the third day. 208 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,760 So what's the problem? The problem is not knowledge. 209 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,600 They know and have heard the scriptures of salvation. 210 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:20,800 Their problem is their failure to apply the very truths they 211 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:28,240 know. That means to believe, to trust 212 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:33,440 by faith God's Word. God says I'm saved, that's good 213 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:37,840 enough for me. God says I'm saved, that's good 214 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,720 enough for me. Jesus says he'll never leave me 215 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,840 and nor forsake me. That's good enough for me. 216 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:52,520 Truth finds a firm footing in a strong heart that works its way 217 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,960 out in love. Love is connected here as its 218 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,760 expression. So the more I know of my 219 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:04,320 insurance in Christ, you'll never leave me, me or nor 220 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,120 forsake me. And I understand that assurance 221 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,120 with understanding then what happens in my life. 222 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,920 I I can go around loving people. You know why? 223 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:19,320 Because I'm satisfied. I don't have problems in my 224 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,400 life. Yeah, things, you know, I get a 225 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,880 flat tyre and we got to pay our bills and this happens and that 226 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,440 breaks down and you might get sickness and but but what 227 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,760 happens? I'm content in Christ. 228 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:38,120 And so I can love other people because God loves me. 229 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:53,880 You see, love works its way out in our lives because of our 230 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,760 assurance, full assurance and understanding of what God has 231 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,280 done. It's the expression of 232 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,920 salvation. If you don't have the love of 233 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:08,440 God seen and and and and and coming out of your life, then 234 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:13,000 there's probably cause to think, well, maybe I'm not saved 235 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:19,119 because the Bible tells us that the definition, the sign by this 236 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,680 the world shall know that you are my disciples. 237 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:32,440 Love is seen in action, not words in action, in a believer 238 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:37,400 who was applying God's word in their lives and living it out 239 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:43,440 obediently in faith. Faith is the substance of things 240 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,560 hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 241 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,280 The Lord's Prayer. Jesus gave us the model, didn't 242 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,600 he? What's the hard part of the 243 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,400 Lord's Prayer? And forgive us our trespasses. 244 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:57,960 We don't have a problem with that. 245 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:08,320 We love that as we as we, as we forgive those who trespass 246 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,280 against us. I have a problem with that. 247 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,280 God says, well, I have a problem with you and you got to change 248 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:24,960 because my love to you is given so that you can love others. 249 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,720 By this the world shall know that you're my disciple. 250 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,520 If you aren't able to forgive others, then there's a good 251 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,640 chance it ain't happening between us. 252 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:49,880 It's also seen in prayer. When people apply the truths of 253 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,680 God's Word, there is a deep conviction. 254 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,360 Why do you do this? Why do wives respect and honour 255 00:18:58,360 --> 00:18:59,920 their husbands and submit to their husbands? 256 00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:04,880 Why do husbands love their wives as Christ gave his life for the 257 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,320 church? Why do they do that? 258 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:08,880 Because they know the Word of God is true. 259 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:13,120 They have deep convictions. They have an assurance and an 260 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:15,520 understanding. It's a bit like the matter of 261 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,920 prayer. People don't pray. 262 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,200 And I, I'm kind of interested in this. 263 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,240 All you people don't have a problem. 264 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,960 People don't pray. Why not? 265 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,480 Because they don't know about it in scripture. 266 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:32,720 I mean the Bible is full of people praying. 267 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:38,280 Jesus prayed. They don't pray because they 268 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:46,200 have no assurance or an or understanding what that prayer 269 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,960 works. They don't pray. 270 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,240 Well, why pray? I mean, is it going to make any 271 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:56,200 difference? So why? 272 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:57,960 Why bother? People who don't pray, people 273 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,400 who don't come out for prayer night, they don't pray because 274 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,600 they don't believe it works. That's that's the truth of the 275 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,640 matter. Because if they really felt it 276 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,400 worked and that prayer was something important, you've been 277 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:15,600 horses couldn't keep them away. But when a person believes in 278 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,720 the power of prayer, like you who are gathered here tonight, 279 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,000 and you pray. We become like that man by the 280 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:32,960 name of Elijah, James says the effect of fervent prayer of a 281 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,680 righteous man avails much. It's it does a lot. 282 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,480 Elijah was a man with a nature just like us. 283 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,520 He's just ordinary. And he prayed earnestly. 284 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,600 He believed in prayer. He had full assurance that 285 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:51,560 prayer works, that it would not rain and it did not rain on the 286 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:53,400 land for three years or six months. 287 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,040 And he prayed again. Why did he pray again? 288 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,440 Because he know it works. He knows God listens. 289 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,960 You know God answers prayer. And the heaven gave rain and the 290 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,240 earth produced its fruit. James, 516 to 18. 291 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:11,520 You see, prayer, we know you are here, works. 292 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:18,640 So that's why we pray. We have an assurance and an 293 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:23,360 understanding because of the influence of the Gnostic heresy 294 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:28,360 which was attacking Colossi, and Paul's letter is right writing 295 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:32,400 to defeat that. Paul, one of the Colossian 296 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,000 believers. To know that in Jesus Christ is 297 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:41,680 hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 298 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,760 You need some. God's got it for you. 299 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,600 Whatever you need, he's got it. You need to know he's got it, 300 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,440 need to know how to apply, what to do. 301 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,360 He'll tell you They needed to have a settled conviction in 302 00:21:56,360 --> 00:22:00,000 their hearts that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he is 303 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,160 God on the flesh, that he is the Son of God, God on the flesh. 304 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:09,400 He is God's mystery. Therefore, Paul was saying Jesus 305 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:15,600 alone is sufficient. Well, we don't see that in 306 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:16,480 churches today. Why? 307 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,000 Because they're always chasing something to tack on. 308 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,440 Well, we got to have this, we got to have this. 309 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,360 We got to do it this way. We don't do, we got to have, we 310 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:26,360 got to put on this. We got to, we got to, we got to 311 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:30,880 be involved in that. You see, Paul was saying there's 312 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,640 no need for the new knowledge. Chuck Smith used to say, if it's 313 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,120 new, it's not true. If it's true, it's not new. 314 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,800 No need for the new knowledge. The writings of any cult. 315 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,440 Oh, we have a book. This will help you Book a 316 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,120 Mormon. I don't need it. 317 00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:52,080 I have Jesus Christ nor any philosophy to supplement the 318 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,240 Bible. Well, what we need, Bible is 319 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,520 very good, but we're a changing world. 320 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:01,120 We're an educated world, man, Internet at our fingertips, 321 00:23:01,120 --> 00:23:03,240 fingertips. We have a world that's suffering 322 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,160 with mental health. We know about that. 323 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:10,800 So what we need is we know the Bible needs it does so much, but 324 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,320 it needs this as well. Now it doesn't. 325 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,640 You don't need any philosophy to supplement the Bible. 326 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:29,040 Jesus is the source of all true spiritual knowledge. 327 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:33,680 Colossians 2, verse 4. Now this I say, lest anyone 328 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,480 should deceive you. That word means in the Greek 329 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:42,280 beguile. It's the reason it means speak 330 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,320 faulty logic, erroneous interpretations. 331 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,400 Oh, well, Jehovah Witnesses will say, well, that's not what 332 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,280 actually it says. So you need to read our book to 333 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:57,720 understand what this book says. That's beguiling, that's 334 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,640 deceiving. And how do they deceive you with 335 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,680 persuasive words in the Greek? That's enticing. 336 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:09,880 That's the con man who says, man, you know your flaws. 337 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:16,240 Let me just run this $300,000 vacuum cleaner over it and show 338 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:18,560 you just what? Look at that, man. 339 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,320 It's this. You need this. 340 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,480 I know you have no money, but this $300,000 vacuum cleaner, it 341 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,440 will do wonders. I need to get it. 342 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:30,880 Yeah, you need to get it. Otherwise you're not cleaning 343 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,640 your house. Persuasive. 344 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:43,480 Paul gives a warning. Today, the cults are still 345 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,480 preaching the doctrines of demons. 346 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,440 That's what it says. One Timothy 41. 347 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,600 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times, some will 348 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,000 depart from the fight. People will leave the church. 349 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:55,400 You know, people will leave the church. 350 00:24:55,400 --> 00:25:00,080 People come and they'll go. You know why I'm just after that 351 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,040 little bit extra? Because Jesus, the Jesus I have, 352 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,920 he just doesn't do it for me. Giving heed to deceiving 353 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,440 spirits. Come, come. 354 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,280 Oh yeah, we've got it for you and doctrines of demons. 355 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:20,040 Tonight I want to ask you, are you settled on the deity of 356 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:22,280 Jesus Christ? Verse 5. 357 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,280 For though I am absent in the flesh, Paul said, yet I am with 358 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:30,920 you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the 359 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,480 steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 360 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:37,960 Paul rejoices at the church in Colosse was a church in order. 361 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,120 That word order is a military term meaning good discipline. 362 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:45,000 Calvary Chapel, Secret Harbour. We have a church in good order. 363 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,320 You can't do anything cranky here because we'll throw you 364 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,920 out. Can't do anything stupid here 365 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,600 because we'll throw you out. You go, well, that's not very 366 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:54,120 Christian. No, it actually is very 367 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:56,120 Christian. It's a military term. 368 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,760 It's a good order. We're not going to allow freak 369 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,480 freaks and freak shows to occur here. 370 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,240 This is the House of God where we teach the Word of God in 371 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,440 reverence and awe of them, Almighty God. 372 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:12,240 So Paul rejoiced that the church was in order and the 373 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,320 steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 374 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:21,200 Stereo MA is the word steadfastness, which means 375 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:25,040 stability. It's another military term. 376 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,440 You're solid, you know. Oh, what are we doing in church 377 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,080 this. Well, this day we're all going 378 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:33,360 to March around and sing a song. And then next week we're all 379 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:35,920 going to run around the lawn do cartwheels. 380 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:38,760 Wow, man, God's really moving here. 381 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:47,520 Yeah, he's moving out stability. When you come to church, what 382 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,480 should you hear? You should sing songs of 383 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,120 worship. The God, that script got 384 00:26:52,120 --> 00:26:56,680 Scripture in them and then you should hear, let's open our 385 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,520 Bibles and you should be able to sit there and follow along in 386 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,360 your Bible and go, yeah, that's right, that's right. 387 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:02,680 That's what it says. That's what it says. 388 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,880 Verse 6 as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord 389 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:13,840 now so walk in him. Because of this, Paul now says, 390 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,400 so walk in him. That's what we have to do now 391 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,160 walk. That is your daily conduct, 392 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,360 meaning to continue believing in the truth about Jesus. 393 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:30,120 Don't waiver. Oh I'm not sure is he do I need? 394 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,160 I'm not sure. The former head of the Anglican 395 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:38,800 Church in WA just can't recollect his name off the top 396 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,000 of my head now, which I don't want to anyway. 397 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,200 He said Jesus Christ is good, but we can learn from other 398 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:47,920 religions. They can help us and I went 399 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:51,120 that's blasphemy. It is and he wrote that in the 400 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,880 in the Anakin Anglican messenger or whatever it was called. 401 00:27:54,360 --> 00:28:00,120 I remember reading it. Your daily conduct conduct means 402 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:02,240 to continue believing in the truth about Jesus. 403 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:07,480 Don't waver as a as a fish swims and lives in water. 404 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,520 What are you and I to do as Christians now believers, we 405 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,200 must learn to walk in Christ. If you read the book of 406 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,560 Ephesians, it's in him, through him, by him, of him. 407 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,440 So your life now is in Christ. That's where you live. 408 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:25,400 You're a fish out of water if you're out of Christ. 409 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,320 In a broader sense, Paul says live in union with Christ. 410 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,280 This is a true relationship with him. 411 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:38,120 Walk in Step 1, John 26. He who says he abides in him or 412 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,960 himself also to walk just as he walked. 413 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:47,040 So when you face a problem or you're hit by a storm, a Rogue 414 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,400 Wave suddenly sweeps over you or your family or your marriage, 415 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,160 what is the guideline of what should I do at that moment when 416 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,560 this happens? The question you should ask and 417 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:03,040 pray is this, what would Jesus do in this situation? 418 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,080 What would Jesus do in this situation? 419 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,240 And then do what Jesus would do in this situation. 420 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,320 Jesus, what should I do? He'll tell you. 421 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,000 That's your answer, that's your direction. 422 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:22,040 The seven rooted and built up in Him, one established in the 423 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:26,560 faith, 2 as you have been taught, 3 abounding in it with 424 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:31,480 Thanksgiving. 44 great points in that 7 verse 7. 425 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:36,160 That's a sermon there, rooted and built up means like a tree 426 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:39,920 with deep roots and rich soil. Believers have been firmly 427 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,200 rooted in who Christ Jesus. That's where I'm founded, that's 428 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,040 my foundation. He's the rock which I sit. 429 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,640 This eternal planning. When did that happen? 430 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:52,080 When did that happen? It happened the moment you 431 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,800 receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. 432 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:01,400 Jesus Christ because he is the source of our spiritual 433 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,480 nourishment. John 15 five. 434 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,760 Jesus says I'm the vine, you're the branches. 435 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,840 We've got to be connected. He who abides in me walks, walks 436 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,880 with him, has a relationship with him, seeks him, prays with 437 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:21,280 him, speaks to him, speaks back, He abides. 438 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,760 A man, I and Him bears much fruit. 439 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,200 You know why? Because God is working through 440 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:27,760 you. You're not doing your own thing, 441 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:31,840 but without me you can do nothing. 442 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,120 We are constantly being built up in Him. 443 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,680 Each day when you read the Word of God, you are strengthened. 444 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:45,680 Each time you kneel in prayer, you were changed more into the 445 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:50,960 image of Him. Verse 6, as you have been 446 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,400 taught, abounding in it with Thanksgiving. 447 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:57,360 Paul had taught Epaphras all this. 448 00:30:57,640 --> 00:30:59,800 Epaphras had taught those at Colossae. 449 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,400 All that we've just studied as you've been taught. 450 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,360 It wasn't just So what are we to do? 451 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:08,160 They were taught they were in church and they went through the 452 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:12,200 word of God and they were taught this by Paul and Epaphras 453 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:16,520 abounding in it with Thanksgiving. 454 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,600 Summarising Paul's teaching in these few verses, we see Paul 455 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:25,320 teaches that there should be evident in the Christian walk 456 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,640 pictures of spiritual progress. We should, you should be able to 457 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:32,440 see in me and I should be able to see in you that you're 458 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:37,080 growing in Christ because if you're not growing, you know 459 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:40,120 what you're doing the opposite, the growing backsliding. 460 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,640 There's no levelling off. You're either growing in Christ 461 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:46,680 is what we've got to do, should do each day, or we are 462 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,160 backsliding. We're dying on the vine. 463 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:55,000 And how should we see this spiritual progress? 464 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:57,480 We should be abounding with Thanksgiving. 465 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:03,000 The healthy, growing Christian can easily defeat the enemy and 466 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:04,920 not be LED astray. Why? 467 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:10,000 If our spiritual roots are deep in Christ Jesus, we'll desire no 468 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:12,880 other soil. I'm not interested in Hindu or 469 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,280 Islam, or I don't have curiosities about Buddha or some 470 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:19,080 other thing. How can they compare with the 471 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:23,440 creator of heaven and earth, the one true God? 472 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:29,120 Paul would later write of those who are not rooted in Christ to 473 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,240 Timothy 35. We're going to see more of it in 474 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,440 these last days, having a form of godliness. 475 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,600 What are they doing? They deny it's power. 476 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:46,840 Yeah, but can he really? Always learning, never able to 477 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,360 come to the knowledge of the truth. 478 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:55,560 No assurance, no understanding, no love, no growth, no Christ. 479 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:02,120 But if Jesus Christ is your sure foundation, you have no need to 480 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:05,320 move. If you're studying and growing 481 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,280 in the Word, you'll not be easily enticed by false 482 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:08,880 teaching. Man. 483 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:10,880 You hear a false teacher, you go, man, what? 484 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,080 That's a joke, that people can sit in front of that guy and 485 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:19,080 hear him say that stuff. Joel Osteen, how thousands of 486 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:23,280 people can sit in front of that guy and listen to him vomit on 487 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,280 his stuff. Philosophy, my goodness. 488 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:33,240 And instead your heart, as Paul tells us, will be overflowing 489 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,280 with Thanksgiving. That's why you, when you come to 490 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,720 your mouth, although it's just so good He is, you will never 491 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:41,440 consider turning away from the fullness. 492 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,080 You haven't. I have everything in Christ. 493 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:44,680 He's given me everything that I need. 494 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,720 As a grounded, growing, grateful believer, you will not be LED 495 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,600 astray. Paul will tell us in 2 verses a 496 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:54,160 little late. Later on in verse 10, Paul will 497 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,080 say this. And you are complete in him. 498 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,600 That's marvellous, that's marvellous.