Well, good morning. If you have your Bibles, would you please turn with me to Colossians chapter 2.
! And if you don't know who I am, my name is Daniel Shear.
! I've been able to serve as the intern here for the past five months or so.
And I've actually had the privilege of being here for nine years as well, even before being an intern.
And I'm currently a student at Cedarville, getting my master's degree, the MDiv, which is a ministry degree.
And I just want to say, like, it's good to see you all here today.
And it's good to be here and have the privilege of opening up the Word with you all and just worshiping God together.
I was told to tell you about the prayer cards this morning as well.
So this month, as a church, we want to focus on prayer.
Not that we aren't supposed to be praying the rest of the year, but this month in particular,
we want to just come together as a church and just consider and think about the importance of prayer in our lives as believers, as the church.
And as we continue to study through Colossians, just thinking about how we can memorize the book together or parts of the book
and be in prayer through the book, praying God's words back to him and just desiring to just have a love for God
and a love for his people and a love for the gospel in the world that needs the gospel.
And so if you just—there should be cards out by the doors and also at the Welcome Center.
So if you haven't already, please go ahead and grab one of these cards.
You can put them in your pocket.
You can put them in your wallet.
Whatever else you can think of, just put this somewhere just to remind you of prayer throughout the week and throughout the day.
There's some prompts on the back to just keep in mind as well.
So it can be just a helpful tool for us to just—this month in particular—to think about prayer together.
So let me just go ahead and open us up with another word of prayer.
God, we recognize that we are completely dependent on you.
Would you please open up our ears to hear your word?
And may we come and worship you together as your people.
May we know you and may we know what your Son has done for us.
And through that, may we also be assured and stand firm in our faith, knowing what you have done on our behalf.
May we believe in the gospel and live out the gospel.
And may we be encouraged as well by the truth that your Son, Christ, dwells in us.
In your name I pray. Amen.
Amen.
So, as I was a camp counselor just a couple years ago,
and one thing that I recognized about the pattern of how the speakers would come in
is they would start on the first day, so on Sunday night,
they would start with a gospel presentation.
And after this gospel presentation, they would have this altar call
and try to get everyone on the same page that this is the gospel, you must believe it.
And then throughout the week, they would go through their topic until they got to Wednesday.
Wednesday night, they would have a talk about assurance of salvation.
They wanted all the kids, after making a profession of faith,
and those who had already believed in the gospel,
to then know that they can be assured of their salvation.
And I recognize that this is an important discussion for us as the church and believers
to affirm as well, is we can have assurance in salvation.
Although I may not agree with some of the camp speakers and how they presented assurance,
they would sometimes fall short in some aspects.
Some camp speakers would talk about how all you needed to do was believe in the gospel
and everything else doesn't matter.
You know, you can live however you want, you can listen to do whatever you want,
you can do whatever you want, and no one could even know that you're a Christian,
but since you said that you believed in the gospel, then you're fine.
And on the other hand, there were some speakers who fell short because they only focused on,
well, just look at the fruit of your life.
Look at all the actions that you're doing.
Are you reading the Bible every day?
Are you praying every day?
Are you memorizing scripture?
Are you saying the right things?
Are you going to church?
Church, just look at the fruit of your life, and then you'll know that you're saved.
And not all the speakers did that, but it was unfortunate to see how many people fell
into either one of those two categories.
And as we read through this passage, we're going to be reading Colossians 2, 1 through 10.
Paul talks about assurance of salvation for the believer.
What the assurance of salvation is, and what it does for us.
And so I'm just going to go ahead and begin by reading those first 10 verses of chapter 2.
So if you have your Bibles, please turn there.
If you have the Pew Bible in front of you, you can find it on page 983.
And it just says this.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea,
and for all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,
to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery,
which is Christ, in whom are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
I say this in order that you may not be deluded with plausible arguments.
For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit,
rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Therefore, as you receive 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.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,
according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world,
and not according to Christ.
For in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily,
and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
I think we can all agree that we want some sort of consistency in our life.
I know growing up, I loved having my seat, my designated seat at the dinner table,
and whenever I didn't get that designated seat, I was a little upset.
Or even at school, like a lot of my classmates, we want to have our assigned seats,
you know, in each of the classes.
And when that order is messed up, we kind of are like confused.
But if you know anything about this world, you know that it's not consistent.
For even someone as young as I am, I know that just a couple of years ago,
the fads and the traditions and the words that were used are now no longer used.
You know, like the 6-7, is that a new thing, right?
I've heard about that.
Don't know what it means, but, you know.
And for those who are older, you don't even know what that means.
Like the world is constantly changing.
The terminologies that people use are changing.
Even technology, it wasn't even a thing before I was born,
and now, like, it's taken off.
And so everyone has a phone.
And so the world has changed so much.
But Paul says here that we can have assurance.
We can have a firmness in our faith.
And why is that the case?
It's because it's not based on the world and the teachings of the world,
but we have firmness and assurance because our assurance is in Christ
and in what he has done and in who he is.
Christ does not change.
What he has done has not changed.
And therefore, we can have assurance.
So I just want to walk us through this progression in the passage.
It kind of follows this.
I say this.
You receive this.
Do not be deceived.
And so he begins a passage by saying, I say this.
And then he moves on to, like, talking about what we have received
and how we should walk.
And then he'll end by talking about, do not be deceived.
And so for each of those progressions, I'll give us a point.
And so for that first point, it is that no, like, no Christ.
We have assurance by knowing Christ.
And when we read this passage, he talks about, I say this.
Like, what is this?
What are you talking about, Paul?
What are you referring to?
What have you said?
And the purpose of what he says is that we may not be deluded by plausible arguments.
And so to look at the context, I want to walk through chapter 1 really quick
and just point out, like, the first, like, verses 3 through 14,
he kind of talks about knowledge of God.
In his prayer for them, starting in verse 9, he says that,
And then this knowledge of God's will will lead them to walking in a particular manner,
in a manner that is worthy of the Lord,
walking in a way that desires to please God in all things.
And not only that, but they are also to increase in bearing fruit,
and then increase in their knowledge of God.
So again, Paul is praying that this church would know God,
that they would increase in their knowledge of God,
and that God would strengthen them so that they're able to endure with joy,
endure through the trials and temptations that they face.
And then he talks about in verses 11, sorry, verses 12,
saying giving thanks to the Father.
So again, he continues to expound on this knowledge of God.
What has the Father done for you?
Well, he has qualified us to share in the inheritance with the saints in light.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
So we are no longer like the world,
given over to the domain of darkness.
But God has saved us, he has redeemed us,
and has set us into this new kingdom,
with his Son as the head and king.
And his Son has somehow made redemption possible,
the forgiveness of sins possible.
And so the second part of chapter 1 talks about knowledge of Christ.
Who is Christ?
Well, Christ is the image of the invisible God.
So if you want to know God, you have to know Christ.
And then it says that Christ is the creator of all things.
For through him and for him, all things were created.
He holds all things together.
He is before all things.
He is the preeminent one.
And Christ is the head of the body, the church.
And so Paul talks about this knowledge of God,
and this knowledge of Christ,
who is God, who reveals God.
And then he talks about this knowledge of the gospel,
which, again, is Christ.
He'll say that the mystery that was revealed to us,
to the saints, to the church,
is that Christ dwells in us.
He talks about in verses 21 through 23,
that Christ has redeemed us,
he has reconciled us.
We who were hostile in mind and alienated,
we were separated from the promise,
the inheritance that God has given,
being with him in heaven for eternity.
We were separated from that.
But he has brought us in to this relationship.
He has reconciled us.
He made enemies friends.
And this is not just for the Jews any longer.
It's for the Gentiles.
Everyone who believes in the name of the Lord will be saved.
And so Paul, in chapter 2,
says that he struggles for the church.
He wants them to be encouraged.
He wants their hearts to be knit together in love
to reach full assurance.
Paul doesn't want them to be confused about their status before God.
He wants them to know for sure the gospel.
And he says in verse 3,
this assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery,
which is Christ,
in whom are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
So if you want to know God,
if you want to be assured,
you must know Christ.
And so Paul says,
I say this,
right,
that you might have assurance
in the knowledge of Christ.
I say that
in order that you may not be deluded
by plausible arguments.
So if we know and understand Christ,
what he has done for us,
who he is,
and that he dwells in us,
we are guarded and have full assurance.
And if you look back at the culture of Colossae,
there were a lot of,
the main form of entertainment was rhetoric.
So you'd have a lot of speakers
who were very skilled
in grabbing people's attention
and having a flow of logic
and being able to captivate an audience
in the way that they were communicating.
And so people would actually listen to them
not because of the content of what was said,
but because of the way that it was said,
because of the oratory devices that were used.
And so Paul's concerned
that the Church of Colossae
would also be captivated
by these plausible arguments,
this lofty speech
that these speakers,
these orators would use.
And this is also relevant
to us today too.
I know that there are many forms of entertainment
that we also give ourselves to,
such as movies,
or music,
or social media,
or different forms of news.
And each of these mediums
and modes of entertainment
are trying to grab our attention,
not because of the content
with which they're trying to give us,
but because they just want to buy us.
They want to buy our attention
and just feed whatever we're willing
to listen to.
I was reading a book
for one of my classes
called Scrolling Ourselves' Death.
And in one of the chapters,
it was titled,
Now This.
And he was talking specifically
about news
and how it changed
to a now this kind of culture.
Right?
For one news article,
you may read about
an earthquake in the Philippines
and the devastation
that has come upon
so many people there.
And then the Now This,
the next article,
is about Gatorade and Cheetos
getting a new natural dye makeover.
I read that last night
just to try to find some examples.
And it's crazy about how fast
they want us to just grab our attention
from one devastating event
to a makeover on Gatorade and Cheetos.
And the way that they are trying
to just inundate us
and teach us
what they think is important,
and so then we actually lose sight
of what is truly important.
Paul was concerned
that the church of Colossae
would also be captivated
by this lofty speech
to be deluded.
And again,
to be deluded is to be led astray
by false beliefs.
He didn't want them
to be captivated by this speech
that may have grabbed their attention
and be a form of entertainment
that actually caused them
to believe false doctrine.
And so Paul wanted them
to have full assurance.
And where does full assurance come from?
Well, it comes from knowing Christ.
Full assurance comes
from knowing Christ.
All wisdom and knowledge
are hidden in Christ.
So these teachers
who claim to have
this special knowledge,
they claim to know
something beyond
what Christ has already revealed
to kind of grab our attention.
Paul says that that's not true.
You must go to the word.
You must go to knowing Christ,
what I've already taught you,
in order to be assured.
I think it's important for us
to also consider
and think about
the voices
that we're listening to.
What is the music
that we're listening to?
Each of those have a message.
I was just driving
with a bunch of non-believers
to Indiana and back,
and just listening to some
of the music
that they listened to
is like,
it was kind of sad
because you could hear
the hopelessness
of the artists.
And even the way
that they're trying
to captivate your attention
and tell you this message
that was apart from Christ.
And I know a lot of believers
who listen to that same kind of music.
They're listening to these voices.
Again, the movies we watch
do matter.
We can't just move on quickly
from one form of entertainment
to another
without considering
what they're trying
to teach us.
We must evaluate it
with God's word
and what we know about Christ.
And then Paul,
after saying this,
reminds the church,
for even though
I am absent in body,
yet I am with you
in spirit,
in order to see,
rejoicing to see
your good order
and the firmness
in your faith
in Christ.
Paul tries to continue
to connect this church
with the universal
body of Christ.
He doesn't want them
to think that they're alone.
They're not crazy
for believing the gospel,
but they are
a part of something
that's going on
that's bigger.
He already mentions
in chapter 1,
verse 23,
that the gospel
that they received
has been proclaimed
in all of creation.
Right?
And even earlier
in chapter 1,
he mentions that
just as the gospel
is taking root
in the church of Colossae,
it's also taking root
and increasing
in the whole world.
And so this church
is not alone.
And Paul wants them
to know that
there's not only
other local bodies
around them,
but that he wants to,
he's there with them too.
Even though he's not able
to be there present
in body,
he wants to be there
with them
and encourage them
through this letter
and through his prayers.
He's there with them
in spirit.
And as I was reflecting
on this
and how it relates
to us as well,
I was even just encouraged
and thanking God
that we have leaders
who are present with us.
They're not just
there spiritually,
but they're there
with us shepherding us
physically.
And so just thinking
about the way
that God uses
our leaders
and our church
to just help encourage us
and point us
to the truth.
They're guarding us
from false doctrine.
And so just another way
to be thankful
for what God has done
in our church
here at Maranatha.
And also thinking
about the universal church,
like how we can be present
with those around us
in our universal church.
church.
We have several
different missionaries
we support.
And so as we're thinking
about prayer together
as a church,
like I would encourage you
to consider praying,
like picking a missionary
and praying for them
that we support.
Pray for their church.
Participate with them
in spirit.
You know,
as Paul desired
and agonized
over this church
and prayed for them,
like why don't we
be a church
who desires
to pray for
people and believers
that we haven't
ever even met.
Desiring for their
good order in the faith
and desiring for God
to keep them
in their faith
because we know
that that's a work
that God can do.
And so moving on
to our second point,
we must walk
in Christ.
The progression
of the passage again
is,
I say this,
you receive this,
do not be deceived.
And so what we have
received,
we also have to walk in.
And so Paul says
in chapter 2,
verses 6 and 7,
Paul reminds the Colossians
church that they have
already received Christ.
He's not questioning
their salvation here.
And so for all
who have received Christ
and have accepted Christ,
our encouragement
from God's word
is that we may also
walk in him.
And so as I was
studying this,
I just took a moment
to reflect my own
conversion,
thinking about what
God has done
for me.
That without God,
I would not be
where I am at right now.
I was thinking
about Romans 5,
8 through 10,
where it says,
but God
shows his love for us
and that while we were
still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Since therefore
we have now been
justified by his blood,
much more shall we
be saved from the
wrath of God.
For if while we were
reconciled to God
by the death of his son,
much more now
that we are reconciled
shall we be saved
by his life.
And then Ephesians 2
also speaks
that we were dead
in the trespasses
and sins in which
we once walked,
following the course
of the world
and following the prince
of the power
of the air.
Right?
We were dead,
but for some reason
God,
in his grace
and in his love
for us,
made us alive
together in him.
There is a particular
gospel that we received.
Let us not question
that.
Let us not allow
the teachings
of this world
dilute us
and lead us
astray
from what God
has taught us
in his word.
We must believe
and hold firm
to the faith
that we have received,
the gospel
that comes
in God's word.
But also recognizing
that when we walk,
we're not walking
as those
who have,
who can do this
on our own.
This is not a work
that we do of our own.
This is a work of God.
Just as we receive Christ
by the work of God
from death
to life,
so also we walk
by the power
of God.
When Paul was
confronting
the Galatians church,
there were
teachers in that church
that were telling them
that they had
to receive circumcision,
these works
of the law,
in order
to be saved.
That even though
they received Christ
in one way,
that they had
to be sanctified
and be perfected
in the faith
through their own works.
And a similar thing
is happening
to this church
in Colossae.
There's teachers
who are claiming
that they have
to do a bunch
of works
in order
to maintain
their salvation.
But Paul says
in chapter 3
in Galatians,
O foolish Galatians,
who has bewitched you?
Are you so foolish,
having begun
by the Spirit,
are you now
being perfected
by the flesh?
Right?
It's so,
it's almost stupid
for us to think
that being,
by beginning
our faith
in Christ
through the work
of God
on our behalf,
that we could
somehow receive
sanctification
and perfection
through our own works.
That is,
it's not possible
to be sanctified
without God's
working in us.
We are completely
dependent upon
His work.
I was also
just thinking
about the fact
that we can never
get past the gospel.
We can't ever
get past the gospel.
I have a friend
at Cedarville,
his name is Fletcher,
and I just remember
a couple times
just talking with him
and telling him
about what I was learning
in the Bible
and mentioned,
like,
kind of briefly mentioned
passing over
a fact about the gospel
to move on
to my main point.
But he would stop me
and his demeanor
would change
and he would just think,
wow,
isn't that such
a wonderful truth
that you just said
about the gospel?
That our sins
were forgiven?
Like,
wow,
like,
that's so amazing.
Like,
how could God
allow us
to be forgiven
of our sins?
How could He allow us
to have this hope
of being with Him
in heaven?
I could just imagine
Paul doing the same thing
when he was writing
this letter.
Or,
you know,
through chapter 1
all the way up
to this point
where it's like,
wow,
like giving thanks
to the Father
who has transferred us
from the domain
of darkness
to the kingdom
of His beloved Son.
Like,
I can't believe
God would do
such a wondrous thing.
That man,
Christ,
has redeemed us.
He has offered us
forgiveness of sins.
Wow,
Christ is the image
of the invisible God.
God,
if I know Christ,
I get to know God.
And that same Christ
who is preeminent,
He dwells in me.
Like,
how can that even be true?
Like,
we cannot get past
the gospel.
I know so often
I can open up
God's Word
and just quickly
read through it
and not be
astounded
by the wonder
of the truths
written within it.
but
just as you receive Christ,
we must also walk in Him.
So just as amazing
as the truths were
when we first believed,
those same truths
apply to us
as we seek to walk
faithfully
as believers.
And the gospel
hasn't changed,
so that's why
we can have assurance
in our walk
in Christ.
Not just looking
at the fruits
that we have
in our life,
but knowing that
God helps us
grow.
God is the one
who produces
fruit in our lives
as we grow
in a knowledge
of Him.
And so,
I'm just also
thinking about
how Paul says
in 1 Corinthians
15,
1 and 2,
I would remind you,
brothers,
of the gospel
I preached to you.
And this is the gospel
by which you received
and in which you stand
and by which you are
being saved.
If you hold fast
to the word I preached
to you,
unless you believed
in vain.
Again,
the gospel
remains the same.
The same gospel
that we received
is the same gospel
by which we are standing
and by which we are
being saved.
There's a past,
present,
and future reality
of the gospel
that we received.
And so,
Paul explains
using three
passive participles
that we are rooted
in Him,
we are built up
in Him,
and we are established
in the faith.
Those are all
passive realities
that are true
of believers
who walk in Christ.
And I think
it's interesting
that he uses
this passive
tense
to help us
recognize
that this is not
something that
we are actively doing.
Our walking in Christ
is not dependent
upon our striving,
but it's dependent
upon the work
that Christ has done.
So,
the first participle
is rooted
in Him.
And it's just
helping give
this agricultural
sense of firmness.
You know,
I think about
the Psalm 1 man
who does not walk
in the counsel
of the wicked.
He does not stand
in the way of sinners.
He does not
sit in the seat
of scoffers.
Like,
this man
does not follow
the ways
of this world,
but he delights
in the law
of the Lord.
And on God's law
he meditates
day and night.
So,
there's a consistency.
There's a rootedness
in God's word.
And so,
he says that
this man
is like a tree
planted by streams
of water.
God gives him
what he needs.
He sustains him.
This is also a,
this word
is in a perfect tense.
So,
it means that
it happened
one time.
So,
he had been rooted.
Which means
that it doesn't change.
Our rootedness
in the gospel
does not change.
Once we accept Christ,
we now live
as those
who have accepted Christ.
Again,
that's another sense
of the assurance
that we have.
And then,
the second sense
is that we are built up.
This one's in the present tense.
So,
it has this continuous
sense.
And so,
as we are continuing
to grow
and continuing
to learn
and continuing
to know God,
we are built up
in him.
So,
not only have we been
rooted in him,
but we are also
built up.
We grow
in our knowledge
of him.
And as we grow
in our knowledge
of him,
we're able to walk
in him.
The last one
is talking about
that we are established
in our faith.
So,
there is a necessity
of being established
in our faith.
Again,
this is not dependent
on our own work.
It's not based
on aimlessly striving,
but we have a goal.
We have a message
that we can believe in
and know
that God
will be faithful.
And then,
that last element
found in the end
of verse 7,
it says,
just as you were taught
abounding
in thanksgiving.
So,
again,
just as we're not
supposed to move
past the gospel,
we must respond
appropriately
to the gospel.
Not just walking
in him,
but abounding
in thanksgiving
for all that
he has done.
You know,
in 1 Thessalonians 5,
he says that we must
give thanks
in all circumstances.
It's a pretty well-known
phrase.
And sometimes
I wonder,
like,
okay,
how can I give thanks
in all circumstances?
Like,
you didn't know
what happened to me
yesterday,
you know,
or tomorrow is Monday.
Like,
how am I supposed
to be thankful then?
But,
we can be thankful
in all circumstances
because God
does not change.
What he has done
for us
does not change.
And so,
we can be
thankful
in all things
because we know
that God
is in control
of all things.
He's not dependent
on our circumstances.
So,
our thanksgiving
is not dependent
on our circumstances
either.
And so,
God uses our thanksgiving
and our contentment
in every situation
to help keep us
in the faith as well
and help remind us
of our need
for God
and what he is doing
for us.
Helping us
keep attentive
to God's work
and God's power.
And so,
that last point
is that we are
being filled
in Christ.
We must not be deceived
because
we are being filled
in Christ.
It says,
in verses 8-10,
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.
For in him
the whole fullness
of deity
dwells bodily.
And you have been
filled in him
who is the head
of all rule
and authority.
I think it's interesting
right off the bat.
He begins by saying
being taken captive.
So,
there's this contrast
between
you have received
Christ
but then
don't be taken
captive
by these philosophies.
The philosophies
of this world
and from these
teachers,
they're trying to
steal believers
from the church.
They're trying to
steal them
and take them
captive
from what they
have received
already.
The gospel
has been freely
given.
We have
freely received
it.
So,
we must be
careful
not to be
taken captive
by the
teachings
of this
world.
I don't think
it means like
when he talks
about not
being taken
captive by
philosophy
that philosophy
is inherently
evil.
There are
many church
leaders who
were trained
in philosophy
and so
what I mean
by that is
reason is
God-given
but reason
that stems
from our
self
and from
this world
is empty
deceit.
Reason
that comes
from God,
knowledge
and wisdom
that comes
from God
is heavenly
and can
provide us
with assurance.
Right?
We're not
called as
believers
to not
think
but
we must
be aware
and evaluate
the philosophy
of this world
that is teaching
empty deceit.
It's teaching
us to trust
in and be
assured in
ourselves.
If you see
the explanation
he gives,
this philosophy
and empty
deceit
is according
to human
tradition,
it's according
to the human
tradition,
it's according
to the elemental
spirits of the
world
and it is not
according
to Christ.
And so
it's important
for us to
evaluate
the philosophies
of this world.
I was even
just reminded
of some
of the
professors
I had
at Cedarville
who were
philosophy
majors
and they
were just
telling me
some stories
about their
classmates
who just
had no
hope.
They didn't
even know
what reality
was
because they
were so
caught up
in their
thoughts
and in
their
imaginations
and in
the conceptual
that they
couldn't even
think about
what reality
could be.
And so
we must
be aware
of the
things that
seem to
be wise,
that seem
to make
sense,
but are
not according
to the
word.
Because
philosophy
that has a
source other
than Christ
leads to
deceit
and it
leads us
to emptiness.
the reason
that Paul
gives for
why we
should not
be taken
captive
is because
in Christ
the whole
fullness of
deity
dwells bodily.
These
philosophers
and teachers
of the day
assume that
they have
this special
knowledge that
can give
people a
higher sense.
You know,
I can name
a bunch of
people that
I've talked
to that
believed in
this higher
reality that
if they just
lived a
certain way
that they
could become
more spiritual.
And it was
very undefined
characteristics.
It didn't
really have an
end goal in
mind.
But Christ
already is
the fullness
of God.
We don't have
to go anywhere
else.
There's no
other source
that we need.
Christ is
the fullness
of God.
And he
has filled
us.
We have
been filled
in Christ.
So we
don't have
to go
anywhere
else.
And so
just thinking
about what
this means
for us
this week.
how do we
consider and
evaluate the
voices that
we are
listening to?
How do we
consider and
evaluate the
hope that we
have, the
assurance that
we have in
Christ?
You know, the
last song that
we sang talked
about, I set my
hope in Jesus.
You know, even
when the doubts
remain or when
we're tempted by
sin or when
we're discouraged,
where is our
assurance?
Where is the
firmness of our
faith placed in?
Where are we
going to churn on
Monday morning when
we don't want to
wake up?
Where are we
going to churn when
we're tempted by
sin on Thursday
afternoon, whatever
it may be?
Do we turn to the
teachings of this
world and just
trying to put our
earbuds in and
just keep walking
until we go to
bed at night?
Or are we going
to take the
moment to plead
with God for
help?
Are we going to
turn to the
assurance in the
gospel and walk
in Christ?
Again, Christ
offers us
assurance.
And so as we
turn to his
word, as we
turn to the
believers that
God has given
to us, that we
can be kept
accountable,
we're then able
to then walk
in Christ, rooted
and built up in
him.
We don't have to
doubt, we don't
have to wonder,
but we can
worship and praise
God, abounding in
thanksgiving, knowing
that we have been
filled in Christ and
he has a plan and
purpose for us.
Let me go ahead and
just close this in a
word of prayer.
Dear Lord,
I know, again, that
we are desperately
in need of you, but
we're also so
thankful for the
work that you have
done on our
behalf.
Thank you for the
fact that you have
sent your son to
live on this earth.
Your son who was
fully God.
He lived a bodily
life and died a
bodily death and rose
again, defeating
death.
And in him are
hidden all wisdom
and knowledge.
And so as we turn
to Christ, we can
have assurance in
our salvation, but
only if we believe in
what you have done
for us.
Only if we believe in
the gospel.
Help us to not move
past the gospel, but
to worship you for
what you have done.
That you have
delivered us from
this domain of
darkness and have
transferred us to
this kingdom of
your beloved son.
Thank you so much
for the redemption,
the forgiveness of
sins that is
possible through your
son, and for the
inheritance that you
have given to us, and
for the redemption and
reconciliation that you
have bought with the
blood of Christ.
And so help us to be
aware of the false
teachings of this
world that seek to
delude us and lead us
astray.
And may we fill our
minds with truth.
faith.
May you use your
church, your body, to
encourage one another.
May we seek to exhort
one another every day as
long as it is called a
day, so that we may not
be deceived by, may we
not be led astray by the
deceitfulness of sin.
In your name I pray.
Amen.
Hey, thank you all for
coming.
It's a pleasure to have
you here, and thank you
for the opportunity to
preach.
God bless you.