Colossians (Program #18) – Not To Be Deluded And Carried Off From Christ

Nearly every believer in Christ loves to hear an eloquent speaker with a solid knowledge of the Bible deliver an inspiring and uplifting message. Christians often elevate this aspect of the ministry to the highest degree as they measure the usefulness of a servant of the Lord. Yet, Colossians contains the following warning in chapter 2, verse 4 says, “This I say that no one may delude you with persuasive speech.”, and verse 8, “Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.”  What is it to be deluded with persuasive speech and be carried off according to the tradition of man?

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Colossians (Program #17) – To Walk In Christ-The Mystery Of God

The book of Colossians is a book to give us the highest vision of Christ. It’s a book unveiling Christ. In chapter 1, Christ is shown as item after item until finally He’s revealed as the very mystery of God. But there’s also a practical side to this book, a practicality that is expressed in chapter 2 in verse 6, “As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him.” This is a popular verse to many Christians, but also a perplexing one. For though it sounds simple enough, just how is it that we can walk in the One whom we received?   Well, if our eyes can be enlightened, the Bible in several key portions gives us the key, provided our hearts are open and clear, and that we have full assurance of understanding.

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Colossians (Program #16) – The Experience Of Christ As The Mystery Of God

Here is a question for you to ponder.  What is the mystery of God?  Well, how many endless philosophical discussions, how many thousands of pages of mystical speculations had been prompted by such a thought. Yet the Bible answers this question with a single word, the mystery of God is “Christ”. Colossians 2:2 says “That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ.” As we consider not only this mystery but how we can experience Christ as the mystery of God

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Colossians (Program #15) – Christ-The Mystery Of God

All believers love the Lord to some extend even if we were backsliden and fallen far from God if we are honest still we sense a degree of love for Him, even if it is a small degree.  But the key in the matter of loving the Lord has everything to do with our realization of Him; the more we know Him, the greater our love will be.  This explains the struggle of Paul, the apostle that he expressed in chapter 2 of Colossians verses 1 and 2 “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you… that your hearts may be comforted…being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ.”

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Colossians (Program #14) – Struggling According To The Operation Of Christ

Listen to Paul the apostle as he speaks of his great struggle in Colossians 2:1-2 “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh, That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ.” After unveiling Christ as the great mystery of God hidden from ages, he confesses that his great struggle for the believers was that their hearts could be comforted and knitted together. From something so high and spiritual to something so seemingly shallow and human as a care for the comfort of the believers. This was the Apostle Paul. Today we will consider these two bookends and how they related one to another.

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Colossians (Program #13) – Presenting Every Man Full-Grown In Christ

It’s a marvelous feeling to share Christ with someone, even pray with them as they accept the Lord Jesus for the first time. But typically, what happens to them after this initial step. Colossians 1:28 says, “[Christ] whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ;” We need to check within. Are we satisfied just to lead someone to salvation, or are we, as Paul was, burdened, even consumed with their being brought on to maturity.

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Colossians (Program #12) – Christ-The Mystery Of God’s Economy

What kind of book is the Bible to you? Maybe a book of stories of inspiring men of faith or perhaps a book of deep teachings and doctrines. Or, a book of ethics or words of wisdom for men to live by. Well, surely it’s all of these things but if these are all we see in the Bible, we’d missed the mark. Because embedded in all the stories, all the teachings, and all the ethics and wisdom lies the mystery of God and of His heart’s desire for man. Listen to Paul the Apostle in Colossians 1:25  “Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God, which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God, The mystery which has been hidden from the ages and from the generations but now has been manifested to His saints;”

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Colossians (Program #11) – Filling Up What is Lacking Of The Afflictions of Christ

In the writings of the Apostle Paul, there are terms and  concepts found no other place in the Scripture.  It was Paul who talked about “the Body of Christ” and the “One New Man” and the “stewardship” or the “economy of the mystery”.  In Colossians 1:25 Paul said that it was given to him to complete or fill up the word of God.  Yet other writings came after his in the New Testament.  So in what sense was Paul’s ministry, a ministry of completion?

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Colossians (Program #10) – The Stewardship of God

Colossians 1:24 says “I now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body, which is the church.” Did you ever consider that there were still a lack concerning Christ’s suffering?  After all that He endured on our behalf to accomplish our perfect redemption on the cross, how could anything yet lack? But here is the Apostle Paul pointing us to the need that he sensed to fill up on his part that lacked. This can be a troubling even perplexing verse but it can also be the source of tremendous light concerning God’s ultimate heart desire.

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Colossians (Program #9) – Christ’s Relationship To Creation

In Colossians 1:25, the apostle Paul says “Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God…”  There is much to this verse.  Today on life study of the Bible, we spend our time intently on this one short phrase “the stewardship of God.”  Because to see it and understand it thoroughly is to gain an insight which can revolutionize the way in which we see and understand the entire Bible .

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