Rooted in Christ Pt 2- Christ deity
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Rooted
Colossians 2:6–7
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Last Week
Colossians 2:8–15
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
This week
vs 9
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
For
For
This “for” is very important.
Conjunction: Because/That
This is a connector to the previous idea
This verse could not stand alone and it tells us this at the very beginning!
It connects this theological aspect of Christ to a purpose.
We don’t sit to learn about Christ just so that we can say that we know more about Christ
knowledge without purpose is empty therefore our knowledge about Christ will always be connected to the purposes of Christ
in our seeking to learn about Christ we can unravel who HE really is, What does HE really desire. This will then feed how we talk about him, how we serve him, it will feed our conversations when we talk to him, and finally it will drive a deeper love for him in us as we glorify HIS true self as a revealed to us
Do not fear Theology as it will feed purpose. Fear Purpose absent of theology as that may steer you in the wrong direction.
for example: “we should just love others because God is love” This is true, but what if that phrase was absent from knowing what biblical love looks or absent from knowing Christ and how he loved?
we get love without truth, or enabling love that may be temporary without giving them a lasting experience of love. In essence we are selling them short of true Love!
Tonight's verse of Christ is so that we can recognize our confidence in who HE is as our manner of rooting our selves in HIM. The basis of our faith.
one of the reasons to not be swayed by teachings of others is because of the very fact that following Christ is following someone in which the fullness of God was in human form.
In Him the fullness of Deity Dwells Bodily
In Him the fullness of Deity Dwells Bodily
Christ was completely God
Oddly enough how much of Christ was God and how much was human was one of the biggest debates within the early church.
At face value we may look at that as foolish and ask ourselves, why would they argue so much about something that doesn't really change anything?
In essence many of us including myself have asked the question why does this matter?
Lets start with His deity today
Jesus Christ is God
Jesus Christ is God
Early Misunderstandings and the Council of Nicea
Early Misunderstandings and the Council of Nicea
The first denial of this came from a Jewish/Christian group saying the power of God came on a man named Jesus to enable him to fulfill messiah role but that he was not God
Another famous group denied Christs eternality and limited him to the “first and greatest of created beings”
This became such an issue that a conference was gathered for all the church leaders had to gather and make this clear. After searching the texts they came to the conclusion that Jesus is the same essence as the Father.
Apostles recognized Jesus as God
Apostles recognized Jesus as God
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Jesus Recognized himself as God
Jesus Recognized himself as God
He recognized his own divine authority to judge the whole world
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
2. Put his words on equal level with the Law from God
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
3. Took the title of THE Son of Man
Anyone ever wondered how the Son of Man is so significant then read it somewhere else in the bible and appears to be talking about everyday people?
while “a son of man” can be found in other places not referring to the messiah and is merely a human being
Jesus takes “The Son of Man” implying the unique well known messianic Son of Man from Dan 7 who is to rule over the world for all eternity
As THE Son of Man he has the power to declare that he has the power to forgive sin and is Lord of the Sabbath
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
4. Jesus recieved worship
And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
Any Jew like Jesus not claiming to be God would reject worship violently like Paul did
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
5. Perhaps the clearest example is Jesus equating himself with the Father
I and the Father are one.”
The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.
Implications of Christ’s Deity- What does this mean for our Faith?
Implications of Christ’s Deity- What does this mean for our Faith?
God can be known personally
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
2. Redemption is possible through Christ as deity
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
3. In his Godly resurrection and elevation into king of heaven we have an all powerful God to understand us and meet our needs
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
4. Worship of and obedience to Christ is the only logical response!
As God he has all the worship worthy attributes of God
Omnipresent (All places)
Omniscient (all knowing)
Omnipotent (all authority)
Immutable (consistent)
Life (all life only lives because it is infused with Him the source of Life)
If Jesus was simply a man then our faith is of no value. Jesus were only a man, he could not die to save the world but because he was God, his death had infinite value
That infinite value is worship worthy!
Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
Our faith is not misplaced in Jesus. We are safe to root our selves in Him, both to receive him as Lord and to follow after Him wholly to be trusted as life, in all places, in all circumstances, at all costs, both now and forevermore.
Next week were will cover the flip side of this. God humbled himself and came in the form of a man! As we move into our groups lets dwell that Jesus Christ whom we base our faith on is Completely God!
And so we wrap back around to the beginning with each point from main paragraph:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Because Christ is God how does that impact your relationship with Him? How does He impact your Christian walk in the here and now?
To get even more specific, because Christ is God what can we do to display that in our own college group? Try to get specific!