Colossians 2:1-15 Christ the fountainhead of Life: week 4
As we dig deeper into the Fountainhead of life he becomes richer and greater than we could have ever imagined. He is further described in this classic passage in Colossians 2:1-15 please take a minute to read it...
1) 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, 2) 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, 3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 4) I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5) 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. 6) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7) rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8) 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. 9) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10) and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11) In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13) And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15) He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:1-15 ESV)
We can draw close to Christ as fountainhead of life because of the three aspects of His rich character and accomplishments
1. The Mysterious Christ
If you are all into the Greek thing here is the word for "Mystery" from this passage...
G3466 μυστήριον
Pronounced moos-tay'-ree-on
from a derivative of μύω (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites):--mystery.
Used in Colossians 1:26;27; 2:2 & 4:3 this is a great theme in Colossians that the deep and utterly Mysterious Christ is now made known "we have beheld His glory the glory of the one and only as from the Father full of grace and truth." Paul here struggles for the mystery he struggles to make the deep mystery of Christ known to Laodicea and those he hasn't even met yet! The love of Christ truly does compel him and it works a deep affection for all who do not yet know this mystery. Christ is mysterious and also not mysterious. This word is used for secret religions usually those who wanted to become part of a secret society like we have now "the skulls" the "free masons" "illuminati", etc on the other hand Christ himself not a society is deeply mysterious, but he has made that mystery plain to the world! And we can shout it from the rooftops there are no insiders, there are no secret handshakes there are no rituals only freedom and acceptance for those who embrace the master. He has made himself known, and we will never know him completely until we have seen Him face to face, but we can come to fullness of him. If we know Him we know all we need, and "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are found in Him. Nothing escapes Him! The deep mysterion of God is revealed to all the world in His infinitely loved son hanging on a cross.
1) 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, 2) 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, 3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Have you ever walked out of a room into another room to get something and in the time it took you to walk into that room you forgot what you walked there to get? I have done this so many times lately either I am getting old or I am just too distracted. Jesus here is neither too old, slow, or distracted. because we see that ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in him! ALL nothing escapes Him! NOTHING!
2. The Deity of Christ
More Greek for you Greek loving peoples...Deity...
G2320 θεότης
Pronounced theh-ot'-ace
from 2316; divinity (abstractly):--godhead.
This word only occurs in this reference "divinity" the one God to whom all deity belongs, has given this fullness of deity to the incarnate Christ.
Bodily...
G4985 σωματικῶς
Pronounced so-mat-ee-koce'
adverb from 4984; corporeally or physically:--bodily.
All philosophies are answered in the physical, bodily, humanly, incarnate, and resurrected God-man who is Christ. He is everything and then more than you could ever believe or imagine. watch this video to get a better picture of all that Christ is...
4) I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5) 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. 6) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7) rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8) 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. 9) For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10) and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
3. The Resurrection of Christ
11) In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12) having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13) And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15) He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
In his resurrection five things happened...
1) we were circumcised by Christ himself
2) we were buried with him in baptism (you were then raised with him into a new nature)
3) made alive together with him and forgiven ALL our trespasses (past, present, and future)
4) canceling the record of legal demands
5) disarmed rulers and authorities putting them to public shame
This is just a small picture of what the the mysterious Christ has done for us and all He asks for in return is our worship. and all we can say sometimes is Hallelujah!!!
This is just a small picture of what the the mysterious Christ has done for us and all He asks for in return is our worship. and all we can say sometimes is Hallelujah!!!
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