Colossians 2:6-15
Intro Questions
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Other Resources:
Prison Epistles
SECURING THE TOMB — A joke heard around the Pentagon goes like this:
One reason the Services have trouble operating jointly is that they don't speak the same language. For example, if you told Navy personnel to "secure a building," they would turn off the lights and lock the doors.
Army personnel would occupy the building so no one could enter.
Marines would assault the building, capture it, and defend it with suppressive fire and close combat.
The Air Force, on the other hand, would take out a three-year lease with an option to buy.
It seems to me that there was some misunderstanding regarding the "securing" of a location in Palestine in the first century as well.
"On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, 'Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise." Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, "He has risen from the dead." So the last deception will be worse than the first.' Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard." (Matthew 27:62-66).
The Jewish and Roman leaders' idea of "securing the tomb" meant putting a big rock in front of it. Unfortunately for them (but fortunately for us), Jesus' idea was to secure the tomb's place in history by rising from the dead. Mere rocks are unable to hold back the one who created the universe! What hope is ours because of what happened that glorious morning nearly 2,000 years ago! Praise God for the resurrection of His precious Son!
Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:
- When you were a child or for someone who didn’t grow up going to church, what did you think made a person "religious"?
Spiritual Fullness in Christ — Colossians 2:6-15
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forcesa of this world rather than on Christ.
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the fleshb was put off when you were circumcised bycChrist, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made youd alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.e
Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will
- God is ... What do we learn about God?
- We are ... What do we learn about people?
- What had the Colossians received (v. 6)? What does “living in Christ” (v. 6) involve?
- How should Paul's readers understand the phrase "rooted and built up" in verse 7?
- What were the Colossians "taught" as indicated in verse 7? What was the focus?
- What does Paul see as the source of knowledge for true philosophy (v. 8)?
- What are “the basic principles of this world” (vv. 8, 20) and the “powers and authorities” (vv. 10, 15)? How did Christ give the Colossians victory over these?
- What kind of circumcision is done by Christ (v. 11)” How did he do it (vv. 12-15)? How does Paul use the word "baptism" in verse 12?
- Who made the Colossians (and all other Christians) alive (v. 13)? What experiences does the believer share with Christ (vv. 9-13)? What implications are drawn from this (vv. 13, 16-17, 20-23)?
- What is the "written code" Paul writes of in verse 14? What is meant by Paul when he says "nailed to the cross" (v. 14)?
- How are powers and authorities disarmed (v. 15)? Is the "he" of verse 15 referring to God or Christ?
- What additions do people add to God’s plan of salvation today?
- Last week we looked at “fine sounding arguments” and this week he points us to Christ and the cross. Do we still need to emphasize the same message? How?
- How do we make spiritual progress without adding to the God’s plan?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this?
- How does this equip us be a better disciple and help empower us to “make disciples”?
Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us.
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Baptism Saves or Jesus Saves: Is that really the issue?
When one holds to the truth that baptism is necessary for salvation, you quickly realize that this is not the common view of many professed Christians. Not only do you realize this, but you also quickly realize that many people accuse you of holding all sorts of doctrines, which you do not hold.
You might hear someone say, “You don’t believe in the blood of Jesus.” Or “You want to be saved by your works.” Or “You don’t believe the true gospel.” One argument against it that I heard yesterday, as a response to this post, was “I believe Jesus saves, you can believe baptism saves.”
It is quite a good rhetorical feature that happens a lot in discussions. You pit Jesus against anything and Jesus wins. In fact, I wrote about this same argument earlier (click here to read). The problem is that often times the argument sets up a false choice.
This is also the case in the situation of people saying that either Baptism Saves or Jesus saves. In their minds it is one or the other. However, I’m convinced the Bible teaches it is both. Or as I would word it, “Jesus saves us in the waters of Baptism.”
No one who is saved is saved by anything other than Jesus. That fact is not in question. The question is when does Jesus save, or better yet, how do we receive that salvation. It is always interesting to me that people who argue that Jesus saves, and therefore Baptism has no part in our salvation, will quickly argue that we must believe. Does this mean that you are convinced that believing saves and therefore that Jesus does not? I think they would quickly argue that it is just not the case. My response would be that the same is true of baptism.
It is not baptism verses Jesus, rather it is recognizing that it is in Baptism when we receive our forgiveness (Acts 2:38), salvation (1 Peter 3:21; Mark 16:16), all spiritual blessing (Ephesian 1:3 cf. Romans 6:3, 4), are connected with Jesus death (Romans 6:3, 4) are clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27), and God works on our behalf (Colossians 2:12-15). Baptism is our response to the promise that Jesus is Lord, Christ, and Savior!
When something is so ingrained within the mind of people it is difficult to have an open discussion. Instead fruitful discussions turn into questions of hypothetical situations and strong accusations. I wish this was not the case, but it is so.
With regards to believing that baptism is necessary for salvation it isn’t a matter of baptism or Jesus, rather it is a matter of how and when does Jesus save. Just like it isn’t a matter of believing verse Jesus or repenting verses Jesus. The truth is Jesus saves. Salvation is by grace. It is a gift. But God shows us how to accept that gift and in His wisdom He has determined that baptism is a part of the plan.
#Baptism
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https://youtu.be/5S4I3FUqqUA
Document for DBS
Series: Connected “Abiding in Christ”
In a time of growing isolation and individualism, we are reminded of how important it is to stay connected to God and to each other. Jesus’ metaphor of the vine and branches calls us into a life of connection over production as we abide in Him.
Title: “Danger of Disconnection” (John 15:1-8)
Bookmark: Click Here
Opening Thoughts: The allure of independence and the attraction of "fake vines" can disconnect us from what we need most. Apart from the true vine, we will continually struggle.
Pittsburg man with a counterfeit bill.
Million-dollar bill.
“I am the true Vine.” -- Jesus
We often settle for counterfeit connections
John 15 last week. Focus on abiding before achieving.
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Text: Colossians 2:6-15
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
Review and retell the story.
Reflections for applications:
John 15:4–6 NIV - Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
“Remain in me.”
Ecclesiastes 2:11 NIV - Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Apart from Jesus, life is meaningless
Colossians 2:6-15
Signs of Disconnection: Futility & Ingratitude
We are only made complete with Jesus.
Annual baptism video
Whatever we connect to will determine the fruit of our lives
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Digging Questions:
How will you respond to making “Connection to Jesus”? What transformative move needs to be made?
What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
What is God calling us (me and you individually) to do?
Take Away Challenges
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?
Hashtags #Connected #TrueVine #Baptism #Disconnection
Sunday sermon link https://youtu.be/T2v2ESGJFcE
Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes
Comments and resources with some more resources:
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