Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. You must receive God's grace. For by grace we have been saved through faith, and not of ourselves, it's the gift of God. Then we have peace with God and receive the peace of God. No true peace apart from first receiving God's grace.
This is the verdict, the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor John Monroe. In the book of Colossians, the Apostle Paul offers some of the Bible's richest teaching on the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. And today, on the verdict, we're realizing how important it is to fully understand exactly what we believe.
so that we can be discerning and mature in our faith.
Now here's Pastor John Monroe with today's lesson, Grace and Peace. Last time, we began a new series in Paul's letter to the Colossians. We're finding out that although it was written 2,000 years ago, it continues to speak to us today. Paul is warning against false doctrine. It's sometimes difficult to discern false doctrine, as often there is a bit of truth attached to the falsehood.
The error in the first century was not a complete denial of the Christian faith. Rather, it was adding something to the Christian faith. But anything added to Christ detracts from his uniqueness, and its efficiency. Be discerning, search the scriptures, and particularly focus on what any teacher is saying about our Savior. Let's continue our study of Colossians.
Colossians one. Verse one. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. by the will of God and Timothy our brother. To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse.
Grace to you and peace for you. From God our Father.
Now let's think of the little of the background of Colossians. Think of the church that was planted at Colossi. We know from this little book, chapter 2, verse 1, that Paul never personally visited Colossi. He says to them in chapter 2, verse 1, we haven't seen each other face to face. The church, rather, was probably founded by Epaphras.
Look at chapter 1, verse 7. As he talks about the gospel, he says, just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow. Servants. It seems that Epaphras went to Paul for help. We'll have given them an update on the church.
And also, would have told Paul of the false teaching which was threatening this new early small church. in the first century. And this book of Colossians is Paul's response to these problems. A little bit on the background.
Now The false teaching, secondly the false teaching in Klossy. What was the nature of the false teaching?
So, a lot of speculation as to the nature of this false teaching here being promoted at Closse. And It's difficult for us to know exactly what it is because Paul doesn't expressly spell it out.
Now Paul says here chapter 2 verse 8 that we must always be on the alert against false doctrine. In Acts 20, when Paul is talking to the elders at Ephesus, he warns them that fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Now let me ask you, do you think an evangelical church today We should be concerned about false teaching.
Sounds kind of negative, doesn't it? This is the age of tolerance.
Well, we are surrounded by false teaching. The evangelical church today, we're awash in subjectivism and emotionalism. God doesn't want us to be like that. We need to be established. We need to be firm in the faith.
This is why we need solid doctrine. Paul says in chapter 1, verse 28, that his goal is, at the end of the verse, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. That we will be established in our faith.
Now how Is Christian maturity achieved? How are we established in our faith? Through the word of God. Through reading? Through studying.
And obeying and learning the word of God. That's why preaching the Bible. is so important. Are there false teachings today attempting to dethrone Jesus? Many.
We need to be warned, we need to be established in our faith, otherwise, we will be devastated by them. Think of the popular mantra: there are many ways to God. All religions basically say the same thing. Jesus is a good man, possibly even a prophet, but he's only one way. We are bombarded by such views.
Now if you think I'm exaggerating about the problems we have today, Let me quote from Newsweek. Not Christianity today. Newsweek magazine. Lisa Miller in an article Called We Are All Hindus Now. Right.
Quote. Recent poll data shows that conceptually at least We are all becoming more and more like Hindus. and less like traditional Christians In the way we think about God, ourselves, each other, and eternity. I go on quote. The Rig Veda, the most ancient Hindu scripture, says this: Truth is one, but the ages speak of it by many names.
A Hindu believes there are many paths to God. Jesus is one way, the Quran is another way, yoga practice is a third. None is better than the other, all are equal.
Sound familiar? The most traditional conservative Christians have not been taught to think like this. They learn in Sunday school that their religion is true and others are false. Jesus said, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Listen to what she says. Americans are no longer buying it. Do you think she's right? Of course she's right, sadly. According to a 2008 Pew Forum survey, 65% of us believe.
That 65% of Americans believe that many religions can lead to eternal life. including Thirty-seven percent of white evangelicals. Over a third. Of white evangelicals. I don't know what color's got to do with it, but there it is.
37% of white evangelicals believe that many religions can lead. Life. She says the white evangelicals are the group most likely to believe that salvation is theirs alone. Also, The number of people who seek spiritual truth outside church is growing. 30% of Americans call themselves spiritual, not religious, according to a 2009 Newsweek poll, up from 24% in 2005.
Stephen Prothero, religion professor at Boston University, has long framed the American propensity for the divine Delhi cafeteria religion as very much in the spirit of Hinduism. You're not picking and choosing from different religions because they're all the same, he says. It isn't about orthodoxy, it's about whatever works. If going to yoga works, great. If going to Catholic Mass works, great.
And of going to Catholic Mass, plus the yoga, plus the Buddhist retreat works, that's great too. That's where we are. in this country.
so-called Christian America. Not so Christian, is it? anymore. That's the prevailing philosophy. around us in our society.
And Lisa Miller, unfortunately, is all too right that such a view is now impacting. Evangelicals. Who stood for what? In the membership class, a young man has to be On Wednesday night, well, what is an evangelical? I was talking about evangelicals.
What's an evangelical? Evangelicals are those who accepted that this is the Word of God. who accept That Jesus is the only way of salvation, the need for personal. Salvation. but we are being impacted.
By this false Teaching. How timely is going to be the message Of Colossians.
Now, what's the theme of Colossians? We've thought of the background, a little of the false teaching. The theme of Colossians. And I hope you've read this book. Only takes you 15 to 20 minutes, so keep reading it and rereading it.
The theme of Colossians is the supremacy, the incompatibility, the centrality, the complete sufficiency and adequacy of Jesus Christ. How wonderful. The false teaching at Colosse devalued Christ by emphasizing mysticism and legalism and asceticism. It was not, says Paul chapter 2 verse 8, it was not according to Christ. Therefore In these four chapters, Paul presents the uniqueness of Jesus and the uniqueness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He brilliantly summarizes it at the end of chapter 2, verse 11, by saying, Christ is all and in all. Christianity is not Christ plus anything.
So, Colossians contains one of the greatest expositions of the person and work of Christ. We call that Christology, the theology of Jesus Christ. All we need is found in Christ. He is Says Mu in his helpful commentary, the only true source of spiritual power. Christ, Paul is going to say, is the perfect revelation of God.
He is, chapter 1, verse 15, the very image. of God. That is, to see Jesus is to see God. He is the pre-eminent and supreme one. Look at chapter one.
At the end of verse 18. Paul says That in everything That is Christ. In everything he might be preeminent. Verse 19, for in him that is in Christ. all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.
Do you get that? In Jesus Christ. All the fullness of God was pleased. to dwell. Therefore, The fullness of knowledge.
The fullness of blessing, the fullness of power. All of the fullness of the power and the blessings of God are found. in Jesus Christ. Charles Wesley writes in that beautiful hymn, Thou, O Christ. is all I want.
more than all indeed, I find. Christ Paul is saying is preeminent in all things. Chapter 1, verses 16 and 17: He is preeminent in creation. He is the creator and the goal of all creation. Chapter 1, verse 18: Christ is preeminent in the new creation, that is, the church of which he is the head.
Chapter 1:19 and 20: Christ is preeminent in salvation. All things have been reconciled through Christ. To say he's only a prophet or a great teacher is to attack. the preeminence and the sufficiency. of Jesus Christ in salvation.
Chapter 1, verses 27 and 28: Christ is preeminent and sufficient in our sanctification, that is, in our spiritual growth. He is sufficient for the for every spiritual need that you have. Chapter two, verse nine. For in him that is in Christ The whole fullness of deity dwells Bodily. What an amazing statement.
In Christ, The whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. And you Have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority. Think of this. In Jesus Christ. The whole fullness of the Godhead of deity dwells bodily.
And you, Colossians. You have been filled in him. You don't need anyone else. You don't need anything else. All that you need, all the power you need, all the resources you need, are found in Christ.
and Christ alone, Paul. And so, in answer to the false teaching, Paul is emphasizing that the believer already has a relationship with the God of heaven. Christ is supreme and sufficient for our complete, our complete Satisfaction. No need to seek enlightenment and spiritual satisfaction in any other source other than Christ. In him.
dwells all The fullness. of deity. Bodily. He is. Supreme.
And he is sufficient. How wonderful. Now what's the opening greeting? Chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. Paul writes With apostolic greeting.
Apostolic authority, rather. He says, Paul. An apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God and Timothy our brother. The custom of the first century was to put one's name at the beginning of a letter rather than at the end. When we write a letter, I write, dear Bob, and I sign it.
John or John Monroe, depending on my relationship with the individual. In the first century, they didn't do that. They began. with the name of the rider. One of the good things about email is that before you read the email, you know who it's from.
So you can not read it if you don't want to, right? And that's the way they wrote. And the first And Paul is writing. In his authority as an apostle by the will of God, an apostle as a sent one, a messenger. He has been personally commissioned by the risen Christ as an apostle.
Timothy joins him in greeting the Colossians. He's writing under apostolic authority, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And he writes, verse 2. to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossi. As regards geography, they're at Colossi.
As regards the relationship with Christ, they are. In Christ. One of Paul's favorite expressions for the believer. We are in Christ. That is, we partake of all who Christ is and what He has done.
The Christian life is not just admiring Christ. Although we Worship him. It's not just listening to Christ, although we certainly do that. It is the most intimate of all relationships. We are in.
Christ Nothing more to experience the fullness of God's blessing than to draw on all of the resources that God has provided in Christ, blessed with every spiritual blessing. Paul says in the opening verses of Ephesians 1. They are in Christ that is no longer in Adam. Not only are we in Christ, but Paul is going to say in chapter 1, verse 27, that Christ is in us, the hope of glory. As a follower of Christ, I am in Christ.
And Christ is in me. That's my hope. of glory. As regards the relationship to God, verse two, they are saints. What's a saint?
A holy one. A designation for someone who dies and then goes through some kind of ecclesiastical procedure whereby they're canonized and then they become a saint and we can pray for them, nothing like that at all. These people were a living. They were saints, they were holy ones set apart for God and for His service. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ.
You are a saint. Turn to the person next to you and introduce yourself. A saint John. Or Saint Tom. Saint Roger.
Want to do that? If your name is Bernard, you've got a problem. But we're saints, aren't we? He's writing to the saints. A holy one is the point.
Set apart from sin. Set apart To God, sanctified. and cleansed by the blood. of Jesus Christ. We are to demonstrate that we are holy ones by being faithful to the saints and faithful brothers.
Are you a faithful brother? A faithful sister. As regards our relationship to one another, we are brothers. We have God as our Father, and we're all part of the same heavenly family. family and Paul was writing to believers.
to the saints. and the faithful brothers in Christ at Colossi. Colossians then is going to teach us that Christ is supreme. And sufficient in all things. Therefore, what are we to do?
We are to pursue Christ. We are to love Christ. We are to serve Christ. We're not to seek further enlightenment or spiritual Satisfaction in such things as transcendental meditation or mysticism or yoga or legalism. No, full knowledge, full wisdom are received in Christ, He's all.
And he is in all. And Paul ends at the end of verse 2 by saying, Grace to you. and peace. From God. Our Father.
God's grace. And God's peace extended to you as you sit here this evening from God our Father. Grace, the wonderful Greek word karis, which means undeserved favor, unmerited blessing, and kindness and love from God towards us. Peace. The Greek form of the Hebrew word shalom, well-being, a wholesome and a sound life as we rest in Christ.
This piece also. comes from God our Father. Restless, worried? Don't conjure up your own peace. Don't sit in a yoga position contemplating your navel, trying to get peace.
It comes from God. Grace and peace. From God's our Father. First, You must receive God's grace. For by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it's the gift of God.
Then we have peace with God and receive the peace of God. No true peace apart from first receiving God's grace. First, receiving his salvation and the forgiveness of sins. And may we understand more and more that grace in which we stand. And may our relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ deepen and so experience more and more in our lives of that peace which passes all.
understanding in a troubled world. We're brought face to face then. with the centrality, the supremacy and the sufficiency of our Lord Jesus Christ. We declare our love for Christ. We say, Lord, we love you.
We praise Him that we are in Christ and He is in us the hope. of glory. We praise God that we are complete in Christ. We bless His holy name for His grace, which we certainly, speaking very personally, which we certainly, I certainly do not deserve. We celebrate the peace which our Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished through the blood of His cross and which we now enjoy.
All of these blessings come from. Our Lord Jesus Christ. through His glorious redemptive work, all of His grace. May that grace. And that peace.
From God our Father, come to each one of us. This evening, and let us this week. in all aspects of her life. Display and proclaim The preeminence. of the all-sufficient.
Christ. If God is in charge, if Jesus Christ really is King of kings and Lord of lords. every facet of our lives. Must come. under his authority, must be in submission to him, So that he will guide us.
And as he guides us, he blesses us. And as he blesses us, we receive more. and more of that peace which passes all understanding.
So to the saints and faithful brothers, In Christ, grace to you. and peace. from God our Father. Father, we thank you. For our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we're sometimes tempted to try other things.
The things of this world, perhaps legalism. Religion. Meditation.
Some new idea.
Some new secret. But we thank you that all we have And all we need is found in Christ. And in Christ We thank you for this wonderful book of Colossians and pray that during these coming weeks that you will guide us and teach us that we truly will be rooted and established in our faith, that we won't be blown around by every wind of doctrine. but that we will be strong. and the grace which is in Christ Jesus.
To that end we pray. This precious thing. Amen. This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us.
From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Are you aware of any false teaching? When people come knocking on your door, what do they say of Jesus, the Christ, God incarnate? Are you being tempted to follow some person rather than Christ? Is some individual exalting himself rather than pointing you to Christ?
These are all danger signs. May you receive God's grace and experience. Peace with God. Don't forget to join me next time as we continue to learn from the book of Colossians and think of three great words of the gospel. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
