Sermon Tone Analysis

Illustration: Have Natalia try to put together small puzzle that is missing a piece.

It’s frustrating to put a puzzle together only to find that you are missing one or two pieces that keep you from completing it.

Many people are frustrated - saved and unsaved alike - because they “feel” as though something, in their life, is missing.

Unfortunately, they too often view Christ merely as the “missing piece.”

Christ is not the missing piece.

As we will see, the Colosse Christians, while their faith for eternal life was in Jesus Christ, had been deceived into thinking that there was something more that needed to be done - that there was a missing piece.

Our culture deceives us into thinking that the reason that we seem to be unsatisfied and unfulfilled in our lives is because we are missing something.

Because of that, individuals often “try” Jesus Christ as if He were some sort of missing piece.

Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, said...

There are others in this world to whom Christ is something, but not much.

They are anxious to save themselves, but since they must confess some imperfections they use the merits of Christ as a sort of makeweight for their slight deficiencies.

Their robe is almost long enough, and by adding a little fringe of the Redeemer's grace it becomes all they can wish...They allow the blessed and all-sufficient work and sacrifice of the Savior to fill up their failures; and imagine that they are extremely humble in allowing so much as that.

Jesus is to them a stopgap, and nothing more.

Christ is not simply the missing piece.

Instead...

Christ is our life.

This reminds me of Galatians 2:20...

In Philippians 1:21...

As we head into this year we cannot look at Christ and our walk with Him as simply a piece of the puzzle.

No.

He is our life.

Christ is not the missing piece in your life…He is your life.

Christ is not simply something that you add to your life to make up your deficiencies…He is your life.

Christ is not simply that “activity” that you try when nothing else seems to work…He is your life.

If you by faith, have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ than you are already complete.

There is nothing more that you need to add!

Therefore...

Seek those things which are above.

Turn to and read Matthew 6:24-34.

There are things that those in this world seek after.

Those are not the things which we - who know Christ - should be seeking after.

You have a choice to make.

What are you going to seek after in this new year.

Set your affections on things above.

The word that is used here is phroneo which means “to set your mind upon.”

The same word is used in Philippians 2:5.

Contrast this mindset with that which is recorded in Philippians 3:19.

In this coming year we will either set our minds upon those things which are above or we will set our minds upon those things here on this earth.

The Bible describes for us what happens if we try to set our minds upon heavenly things and earthly things at the same time.

Because you are complete in Christ, don’t be fickle!

One day setting your mind upon things above; the next setting your mind upon things of the world.

Because you are complete in Christ, set your mind upon things above!

To accomplish that...

Saturate your life with the Word of God.

This is one of my favorite verses.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly...” While it is one of my favorite verses I don’t believe I have yet come to the point where it is a reality for me!

Jesus said...

Remember, we are complete in Christ; abide in Him! How?

Two things that I would to challenge you with for this year:

Read God’s Word.

Don’t read and listen to what others say about God’s Word.

You read it for yourself.

Memorize and meditate in God’s Word.

Our Scripture memory for this coming year is Colossians 3:1-17.

We will begin with verses 1 and 2. Let’s go over those together.

Because we are complete in Christ, let us seek those things which are above; set our minds upon that which above; and then saturate our minds with God’s Word!