WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.919 Good morning, everyone. Why don't we bow our heads and pray together before we open God's 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:16.120 Word. Our gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word. And Lord, we thank you 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:23.660 that Jesus taught that your Word is the kind of rock that we should build our houses upon. 00:00:23.660 --> 00:00:31.820 And so, Father, we pray that you would open our eyes and open our ears and open our hearts 00:00:31.820 --> 00:00:39.100 that we might receive that rock. And Lord, we might hold fast to you for Jesus Christ's 00:00:39.100 --> 00:00:51.079 sake. Amen. So in Colossians chapter 2 and verse 6, which Tina just read for us, we read 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:57.659 these words, So then, just as you receive Jesus Christ as Lord, continue to live in 00:00:57.659 --> 00:01:05.400 him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:16.219 with thanksgiving. If you've been around over the last few weeks, you will realize that we 00:01:16.219 --> 00:01:25.260 are midway through study in Paul's epistle to the Colossians. And just to remind you, when 00:01:25.260 --> 00:01:34.739 Paul wrote this letter, he was under house arrest. I don't think they had ankle tags in those 00:01:34.739 --> 00:01:41.500 days, but nevertheless, he was under house arrest. And Paul had never himself been to Colossae. 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:49.560 It was his friend, Epaphras, who planted the church there. And then Epaphras had started 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:58.260 to see that in Colossae, there were some false teachers who were beginning to be prominent. 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:07.340 And so Epaphras comes to Paul under house arrest. And off the back of that, Paul writes this letter. 00:02:07.340 --> 00:02:15.460 And Paul tells us that he has three primary aims in writing to the Colossian Christians. 00:02:16.099 --> 00:02:21.740 The first aim is to encourage them. Verse 2 of chapter 2, he says, 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:27.719 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love. 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:35.379 Secondly, he writes to warn them against these false teachers. And it wasn't in our reading 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:43.759 today, but as we will do next week, read further in the epistle. We will see that Paul is very 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:50.680 against what some of these people were teaching. But for today, in verse 4 of chapter 2, Paul 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:56.640 says, I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:06.080 I guess those of you who have a more cerebral type, that will be the kind of people who quite 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:13.420 like to debate fine-sounding arguments. And I'm not saying all fine-sounding arguments are a waste 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:22.459 of time. But what Paul is keen to stress is, don't let these arguments deceive you. Stick with what you 00:03:22.459 --> 00:03:28.959 know. So Paul writes to encourage them. He writes to warn them against these false teachers. And he 00:03:28.959 --> 00:03:35.099 writes to disciple them. In chapter 1 and verse 28, we read this. 00:03:35.099 --> 00:03:43.979 We proclaim him, that is Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:51.079 present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end, I labour, said St. Paul. 00:03:52.659 --> 00:04:01.979 What Paul is keen to do is to help these relatively new Christians. We think that Colossians is probably 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:08.780 written somewhere between 50 and 52 AD, which is pretty early on in the life of the church. 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:16.519 Paul's very concerned that these Christians would grow up in the faith that they have received, 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:25.980 and not be seduced by false teachers. This is the heart of Paul when he writes. He always wants to 00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:34.220 bring people back to Jesus. And those of you around earlier in this would know that in chapter 1 and 00:04:34.220 --> 00:04:42.560 verses 15 to 20, Paul writes really movingly about the supremacy of Jesus in all things. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:47.120 He uses this amazing phrase to describe Jesus. He said, 00:04:47.120 --> 00:05:02.079 In other words, if you want to know what God is like, what you need to do is look at the life of Jesus Christ. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:10.180 When you look at the life of Jesus, you begin to understand what God is like, his compassion, 00:05:10.180 --> 00:05:16.019 his concern for people, his desire that people live righteous lives. 00:05:18.900 --> 00:05:24.319 So what does this passage have to teach us? I don't know whether you noticed this, but 00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:32.180 it stuck out a mile to me, partly because I was preaching today. But when Jean was praying, how often 00:05:32.180 --> 00:05:42.620 she used the word stability? It's a great word. And I think that we human beings would thrive a little more 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:51.980 if we could build a little more stability into our lives. Paul says, continue with him. Don't be pulled out of shape. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:53.399 Continue with him. 00:05:53.399 --> 00:06:23.379 Continue with him. 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:25.399 Continue with him. 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:40.679 It destroys markets. But it also destroys human souls. Because with uncertainty comes hopelessness and anxiety. 00:06:42.659 --> 00:06:53.259 Today is surely a day of uncertainty, economic challenges. Heard a lot recently, haven't we, about rising utility 00:06:53.259 --> 00:07:02.759 bills? And I know some of you will be anxious about that. We've heard about inflation. That means that the cost of your 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:12.180 weekly shopping is going to go up. You maybe don't know, but debt levels at a frightening level, not just at national level, 00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:22.259 but at personal level. There are certainly economic challenges and they will affect many of our lives. There are environmental 00:07:22.259 --> 00:07:34.300 challenges. Food security, water security, climate change. And again, I think the thing that in the end will probably make 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:42.480 governments sit up and take notice of climate change. And that is the mass migration which is caused when parts of the 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:54.160 earth become uninhabitable. Economic, environmental, and then just lurking in the background, the threat of extremism. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:08:10.240 At one level, excessive aggression fanned into a flame by alcohol and social media. But on a macro level, the Islamist threat and the 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:22.160 culture wars which threaten our free speech. At a time of great uncertainty, surely what we need is something that will give us a little bit of a 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:38.820 stability. Something to tie our boat to in a storm. Back in the fourth century, a man called Benedict, Benedict of 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:51.580 Nursia, was born. Nursia is in Italy. I think it's called Nursia today. And yeah. And he started, 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:58.879 kind of, kind of, kind of, it's actually technically not an order of monks, but the Benedictines. Some of you will have 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:08.199 heard of them. And we still have his writings in this rules of, for the conduct of life. For those of you who thought 00:09:08.199 --> 00:09:17.100 this might be thoughts of Chairman Mao. I mean, it's not really, you know, I'm not, I'm not brought this to kind of 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:23.820 recommend that you would read it. But I mean, it is quite interesting reading because Benedict's idea was 00:09:23.820 --> 00:09:32.139 on all fours with St. Paul. And he writes these rules for the conduct of life. And actually, they're quite good. 00:09:32.259 --> 00:09:39.800 I mean, they're slightly pulled out of shape by the fact that he's writing about life in the monastery, 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:47.879 which is clearly not most of our lives here today. But it's interesting and good stuff. And one of the 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:55.000 most notable things about Benedict was that instead of the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and 00:09:55.000 --> 00:10:05.799 obedience, monastic vows, one of his main qualities that he wanted to build into his monks was stability. 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:14.899 And I think that is really significant because the Bible, I don't know if you've noticed this, 00:10:15.459 --> 00:10:24.959 but it's full of talk about rocks and stones. Psalm 18, just a few examples here. The Lord is my rock, 00:10:25.079 --> 00:10:33.559 my fortress. Psalm 40, he has set my foot upon a rock. Matthew 7 teaches us that if you're going to go and 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:38.139 build a house, you're going to build a house, you're going to build a house on rock rather than go ahead 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:47.079 and build it on sand. The word rock or stone appears in the Bible over 200 times. And mostly, 00:10:47.219 --> 00:10:55.299 it's applied to describe the nature of God or what God will do for your life if you invest in him. 00:10:55.559 --> 00:11:00.799 In other words, he will give a little stability, a little rock into your life. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:12.199 And I want to try and help you understand today some things you might do that might build a little 00:11:12.199 --> 00:11:25.339 more rock into your life. And the first thing that is obvious is that unless you trust Jesus, 00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:34.360 really trust him, unless you understand the God of grace, unless you understand that he died for your 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:41.440 sins, to quote Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, one of the earliest bits of writing in the New Testament, 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:51.720 unless you get that, that's kind of base camp. You won't go any further in your walk with God 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:58.080 unless you trust Jesus. Why? Because the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelleth in Jesus. 00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:04.500 But here are some things for those of you who trusted Christ that you could think about. 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:10.440 One, build into his word. Chapter 1 and verse 25, Paul says this, 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:18.080 I have become the servant of the gospel by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:31.520 in all its fullness. If you turn to page 19 of the Sunday Times today, you will find that 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:40.299 controversial columnist, Rod Liddle, writing about churches. And his little piece starts off quite 00:12:40.299 --> 00:12:47.019 positively saying, if you think that Christianity is dead, no it isn't. In evangelical churches, 00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:54.079 he said, it's growing. And then he's saying, these are the people who believe in that clapped out, 00:12:54.080 --> 00:13:02.580 boring old book, the Bible. As if he can't make a connection between the teaching of God's word and 00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:11.920 the attendance of God's people. Very strange in my mind. Now we want to build into his word. We want 00:13:11.920 --> 00:13:18.800 to be the kind of people who, to quote that wonderful old Church of England collect, will read, mark, 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:24.279 learn, learn, learn, and inwardly digest the word. Eat it. I mean, not literally. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:38.699 Why? Because God reveals himself to us in his word. How amazing is that, that the infinite God 00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:48.679 can communicate with us at a supernatural level by his word. Second thing is, and this is a big 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:58.139 theme of Paul in Colossians, continue to live in Jesus. You know, some of you have been through a lot 00:13:58.139 --> 00:14:09.339 in your lives. You know, this crazy idea that seems to be around that somehow happiness is some kind of 00:14:09.340 --> 00:14:19.300 human right. Listen, life's tough. And the sooner you realize that, and the sooner you realize, you'd be 00:14:19.300 --> 00:14:27.379 better to equip yourself for the tough life that you will probably have. Life is tough. People die. 00:14:27.580 --> 00:14:35.220 People get broken relationships. People get sick. People you love die. You could write the list 00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:44.759 yourselves. Paul's advice would be, whatever is going on in your life, hang on to Jesus. 00:14:47.660 --> 00:14:57.220 You know, one of the greatest arguments launched against the Christian faith in the 20th century 00:14:57.220 --> 00:15:05.980 was why does God allow suffering? You know, there's some people in this church who are just about alive 00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:11.500 when six million Jews were slaughtered by Nazis in Germany. How could that happen? 00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:25.540 And in one of the concentration camps in Birkenau, Auschwitz, a group of rabbis put God on trial. 00:15:27.220 --> 00:15:36.240 And they tried God for the crimes of Nazism. And sadly, they found him guilty. 00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:45.779 Many of those Jews, religious, when they went into the concentration camps, understandably, 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:55.960 I think you would say, came out atheists. How sad. What would St. Paul say? He'd say, 00:15:55.960 --> 00:16:03.519 hang on in there. Even if by the skin of your teeth, hang on in there. Continue to live in him. 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:10.440 The third thing I suggest, if you want to build some rock into your life, is live thankfully. 00:16:12.700 --> 00:16:19.840 What does Paul say in verse 6? He says, overflow with thankfulness. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:31.420 It's been a tough time, hasn't it, this lockdown. Let's not be in any, you know, let's not confuse ourselves. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:35.399 It's been tough. And it's having its impact on people. 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:40.680 As we're reminded, today is Mental Health Awareness Day. 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:45.919 A lot of people have been made unwell simply by their lack of social contact. 00:16:49.699 --> 00:16:55.739 Paul says, give thanks in any and every situation. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.919 I had to read that again when I first read it because it sounds so counterintuitive. 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:07.700 I really love to moan when something goes wrong. Are you like that? 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:14.359 You know, I mean, I think it comes on you at a certain time in your life. 00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:18.740 You know, you kind of sit around dinner tables with friends, you know, moaning. 00:17:20.639 --> 00:17:22.539 No, says Paul, live thankfully. 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:23.579 And do you know what? 00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:29.319 I think that's great spiritual advice, but I also think it's great psychological advice. 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:33.379 Somebody told me of somebody they knew. 00:17:34.639 --> 00:17:41.700 And they wrote on their bedroom wall in front of their bed in huge letters, 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:43.259 be thankful. 00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:49.039 So that they wouldn't forget every day to start with thankfulness. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:54.639 Not only is it spiritually good for you, I think it's psychologically good for you as well. 00:17:54.899 --> 00:17:57.519 It starts your day on a positive note. 00:17:57.519 --> 00:17:59.139 Do you think you could? 00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:05.679 Get up tomorrow and the first thing that you would do would be to say thank you. 00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:12.000 If you're in bed with somebody, hopefully your spouse, 00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:15.419 turn to them and say thank you. 00:18:17.439 --> 00:18:18.599 Look out the window. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:19.919 Thank God for the sunshine. 00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:21.220 Thank him for the rain. 00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:24.939 Thankful heart. 00:18:25.379 --> 00:18:27.379 Overflow with thankfulness, says Paul. 00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:31.160 Fourth thing is, be willing to be accountable. 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:36.640 Paul uses this word that I think is not popular in our churches. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.460 And I really get this. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:42.720 But when we see people going wrong in the Christian life, 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:48.460 do we ever dare, do we love them enough to admonish them? 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:52.799 And nobody likes to be admonished. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:58.420 Ask my wife, you know, when she feels the need to offer me corrective therapy. 00:19:00.840 --> 00:19:02.620 Be willing to be accountable. 00:19:02.619 --> 00:19:05.679 That's why I think home groups are really important. 00:19:05.679 --> 00:19:08.539 You can build great relationships of trust. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:19.299 Where these kind of little peccadillos that can so mess up our Christian life can be brought out into the open and prayed through. 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:23.639 And finally, I go back to Benedict. 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:25.799 And I haven't got this from the Bible. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:31.019 But I think it's a good thing to try and build some spiritual routine into your life. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:35.159 I think that will give some rock to your life. 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:37.500 What do I mean by that? 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:40.420 Well, try and give some time to pray every day. 00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:43.259 Try and give some time to the reading of Scripture. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:46.420 There's a great app that some of you have used. 00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:51.079 And I think it's called Lectio Divina. 00:19:52.359 --> 00:19:55.700 Actually, that was developed by, I mean, not the app, obviously. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:59.000 Lived in the fourth century. 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:04.039 But the idea of Lectio Divina, daily confrontation with the Word of God, 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:09.240 was one of the things that Benedict was big on in the life of the monastery. 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:14.059 So, to conclude, you want to build some rock into your life? 00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:15.319 First, trust Christ. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.819 Second, build into His Word. 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.399 Sorry, first. 00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:21.139 Second, continue to build into His Word. 00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:23.159 Third, continue to live in Him. 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:24.379 Fourth, live thankfully. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:28.180 Five, be willing to be accountable in your walk with God. 00:20:28.180 --> 00:20:34.480 And six, build some spiritual routines into your life. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:41.680 In conclusion, Jesus told a story in Matthew chapter 7. 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:45.259 You might like to set yourself some homework in. 00:20:45.900 --> 00:20:47.060 Go home and read this. 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:49.820 And He says, He's talking about house building. 00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:57.339 And before you wonder, why would Jesus be given any insight, you know, about the construction industry? 00:20:58.379 --> 00:20:59.519 It's a parable. 00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:03.220 It's a story given to tell a truth. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.939 And He says this. 00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:06.419 There were two people who built a house. 00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:08.319 One built his house on sand. 00:21:08.679 --> 00:21:11.879 The other person built their house on rock. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:18.759 And then the storm came along and completely demolished the house of sand. 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:22.700 And Jesus says, 00:21:24.359 --> 00:21:30.039 He who hears my words and puts them into practice 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:36.240 is like a wise person who builds his house upon the rock. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:49.559 The thing about foundations is they disappear pretty early in the process of building. 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:55.299 And you only find out the strength of them 00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:59.439 when the storms blow against that building. 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:04.339 Listen, many of our lives look the same. 00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:07.539 Many of us have the same aspirations, the same ideas. 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:16.420 But actually, you will only find out how much rock you've got in your life 00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:20.559 when the storms of life blow against you. 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:23.539 Where will you build? 00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:23.579 Where will you build? 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:31.440 Rock holds fast. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:37.259 That picture of Cheddar Gorge. 00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:41.580 Just a kind of, I know it's limestone and it does erode a bit. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:45.420 But I mean, it is a picture of a certain kind of stability. 00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:50.420 And if you're prepared to build your house on rock, 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:54.640 you will find a new hope and a new security. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.700 And really importantly, 00:22:58.420 --> 00:23:02.360 you will minimize collateral damage in your life. 00:23:04.300 --> 00:23:09.020 A house built on sand delivers the absolute opposite. 00:23:10.300 --> 00:23:14.280 Hopelessness, neurosis, anxiety. 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:18.440 So here's my advice. 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:24.579 Based on 55 years nearly of being a Christian. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.539 My advice is, 00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:31.839 invest in the rock that doesn't roll. 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:34.039 Let's pray. 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:41.720 Our gracious Father, 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:44.759 you know these are really turbulent times. 00:23:46.460 --> 00:23:53.399 Lord, where there's a lot of uncertainty and fear and worry. 00:23:56.819 --> 00:24:01.899 And Lord, your word bids us to cast our anxiety upon you. 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:05.280 Because you care for us. 00:24:05.360 --> 00:24:10.740 Father, I pray for people in church who are worried about paying the bills. 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:17.360 People who are worried about the kind of world we will bequeath to our grandchildren. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:27.140 And for those who live in fear of attacks on social media or in the wider world. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.200 The impact of global terrorism. 00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:33.780 Dear Lord, 00:24:34.360 --> 00:24:37.840 if ever there was a time that we need to tie our boat to rock, 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.720 it would be now. 00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:43.080 And so, Father, we ask that 00:24:43.080 --> 00:24:49.019 for those of us who have never trusted in Jesus the rock, 00:24:49.100 --> 00:24:49.780 Lord, today 00:24:49.780 --> 00:24:54.620 might be a big moment in our lives. 00:24:54.619 --> 00:25:01.119 Lord, we pray for those who tied their boat to Christ, 00:25:01.259 --> 00:25:05.219 but haven't really continued with him 00:25:05.219 --> 00:25:08.839 and want to live off the spiritual experience of years ago. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:12.579 Lord, 00:25:12.659 --> 00:25:15.419 Paul referred to the energy working within him. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.659 Lord, would you please 00:25:16.659 --> 00:25:19.439 bathe us afresh in the energy 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:21.320 of your Holy Spirit. 00:25:21.320 --> 00:25:25.100 That we might continue in you, thankfully. 00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:32.700 And Father, we pray for those who are feeling desperate. 00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:37.860 And Lord, we ask that you would become their rock. 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:42.299 And Lord, as stuff happens, 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:45.340 as it inevitably will in our lives, 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:48.019 we might hang together 00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:50.120 and stick with you. 00:25:50.119 --> 00:25:53.899 And we pray these things, Father, 00:25:54.419 --> 00:25:56.839 because you are an amazing God. 00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.219 Lord, 00:25:58.419 --> 00:26:01.819 please visit us with your understanding 00:26:01.819 --> 00:26:05.419 that we may truly hold on to you 00:26:05.419 --> 00:26:06.339 and continue 00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:08.059 in you. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:11.419 And we pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:13.439 And the people who agreed said together, 00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:15.059 Amen. 00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:16.379 Amen.