Take a moment to watch this 9/11 video titled, “In My Seat” as American Airlines pilot, First Officer Steve Scheibner, gives his personal testimony about how he was scheduled to be the pilot of Flight 11(the plan that crashed into the North Tower) on September 11, 2001 and how God intervened and spared his life. Amazing and convicting video presentation!
Nahum 1:3, “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
In the last couple of weeks the Southeastern states has been the victim of many severe thunderstorms that have included many harsh tornadoes.
On Saturday, April 16 my son and I had our first father/son adventure and interaction with a tornado. It was mid-afternoon and I was making some final preparations for a youth activity when I received word to take immediate cover for approaching tornadoes. I quickly scooped up my son, gathered some pillows and blankets, and huddled in the hallway. A few moments later, a tornado came swirling through the farm leaving behind severe damage to many homes, farm buildings, and vehicles! After the storm passed, I was amazed at how much destruction tornadoes can do in a matter of mere seconds!
It wasn’t long before emergency vehicles arrived and residents starting peeking out of their newly shaped homes looking at their newly arranged landscape. Although these tornadoes did some major destruction and claimed many lives there was another type of tornado that came through and that was one of compassion. Let me explain…
It wasn’t long after the storm passed that fellow citizens from nearby neighborhoods and church family started showing up to help clean off debris from our homes and yards. I was greatly encouraged by and reminded of the love neighbors and church members have for one another.
Days after the tornadoes passed I (and others) were receiving endless encouraging phone calls, several invitations to spend the night at someone’s home, many offers to receive a home-cooked meal, etc. The flow of compassion kept coming!
Above all, the greatest compassion I was reminded of was God’s compassion on mankind! Through the entire storm I was at complete peace that God loves me and has complete control of every wind, rain drop, and tornado. I praise Him for His compassion and protection! I praise God for this tornado of compassion!
I don’t know about you, but I like completeness! I like it when the needle on my gas tank is pointing at full. When I’m hungry I really like seeing my plate full of my favorite food! When I’m on shopping I love going to stores that are fully stocked with goods. To sum it all up, I like completeness!
As a Christian you are complete in Christ and I want to take a moment to share Colossians 2:11-15 on what it means to be completely complete in Christ.
1. In Christ You are Completely Saved (v.11-12)
Paul rejected the false teachings that physical circumcision was necessary for salvation. Paul used this word picture to illustrate how believers are completely changed by Christ. Circumcision metaphorically illustrates the cutting away and removal of your sinful nature’s power (cf. Rom. 6:6; Tit. 3:5). This spiritual operation can only be performed by Christ Himself. There is nothing you can do to earn salvation.
Next (v.12) Paul illustrated how believers are united in Christ by using the picture of baptism. When one is saved they are buried with Christ, raised with Christ, and made alive to serve Christ. (This is not a reference to water baptism in order to be saved.)
If you don’t view your sin nature as completely dead, then you will continue to live as though you are powerless against sin. You are completely saved!
2. In Christ You are Completely Forgiven (v.13-14)
Paul wanted the Colossians to correctly understand the doctrine of forgiveness; that all of their sins have been completely forgiven! They have been released from the penalty of sin and made spiritually alive to serve God. There was no reason to add something to Christ in order to gain favor with God.
Many Christians struggle with the fact that every single sin is completely forgiven through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross! (cf. Rom. 6:15-23; 1 Jh. 1:9). All your sins – past and future, big and small, known and unknown – all of them are permanently and irreversibly forgiven! How is this possible? How can God do this?
1) “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,” – The certificate of debt (IOU) that you owe God because of your violation to His divine law has been completely cancelled, erased, washed, wiped-away, cleared, and deleted at salvation!
2) “…which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,” – The sins that once sentenced you to hell have been permanently set aside, never to be seen again!
3) “…nailing it to his cross.” – Individuals who were crucified had their reason for death hung over their head to publicly reveal what they did wrong (cf. Matt. 27:37; Jh. 19:19). Christ took your charges and died in your place on the cross (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13).
Having a biblical understanding of how you know Christ has forgiven all your sins is liberating! Amen!
3. In Christ You are Completely Victorious (v.15)
Have you ever watched you favorite sports team win the championship and then parade through their home city celebrating their win over the opponents? In similar fashion, Christ disarmed every satanic power from all authority to accuse sinners by His death on the cross (crucifixion) and victory over the grave (resurrection). He then publically paraded their defeat just like a king would return from war. Christ is your conqueror. See 1 Cor. 15:55-58; 1 Pet. 3:18.
This passage sets out the total sufficiency of the person and work of Christ. Sin is forgiven; evil is conquered, what more is necessary? Christ has done it all! You are complete in Christ!
Photo above taken by: hugoslv (www.sxc.hu)
I love the church! The Church has many functions and many vivid illustrations come to mind when I think about the Church. Here are five of them:
A Factory – Have you ever gone to an industrial plant where items are produced? It’s always fascinating to see how everyday household items are assembled and then distributed across the world. Isn’t that a great picture of what the local church ought to be doing? Throughout the New Testament, especially in Acts, you see this factory like model taking place by believers who has a heartbeat for the great commission. Paul, and others, went from place to place planting churches. This process of multiplication is a lot more effective than one church trying to reach every person with the gospel truth. Churches ought to be planting churches! Think about it…your church was planted by someone who was trained by someone who was involved in a great commissioned minded church and so forth. Philippians 1:27, “…striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
A Lighthouse – There are a countless number of people who are groping in their darkness and aimlessly looking for truth. They are being tossed to and fro between the rocks of hopelessness and bogus beliefs. What do they need? They need a local church to brightly and boldly shine the gospel light that offers satisfying peace and eternal truth for all. In order for this lighthouse to shine it needs people who are willing to do the work. Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see you good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
A Schoolhouse –The church must disciple, train, and teach Christians how to live redemptively in a culture full of wrong. God has organized and appointed Pastors and teachers to nurture and equip believers with the Word of God. The spiritual maturity and edification of the church is vital in order to have a healthy church. Ephesians 4:11-12, “And he gave some…pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints , for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2).
A Pillar – The world is overflowing with false teachers and erroneous religious systems that are blinding many people from the truth of the gospel. Where are people to turn? How do we find the truth? Answer: The Bible. The church must uphold and boldly proclaim this unchanging truth that is directly from God. 1 Timothy 3:15, “…the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
A Body –We can all relate to this one. A body that is healthy and properly functioning can accomplish much. Wouldn’t it be weird if one day your elbow stop performing because he or she was jealous of all the attention and glamour your eyelashes receive??? Your body would be crippled and simple tasks would become difficult till your elbow repented. A local church is gifted with all kinds of abilities that are specifically designed to serve that body in order to fulfill its duties. 1 Corinthians 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” (cf. Colossians 1:18).
You want to know why I love the church? Because Christ loves the church. Ephesians 5:25-27, “…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Thanksgiving is an awesome time of spending time with family, watching football, visiting friends, playing outside, and taking time off work, but more importantly it’s a time of giving thanks to God for the many blessings He has daily loaded us down with. There are three things related to our salvation that we must be thankful for this thanksgiving season!
It is very easy to take salvation for granted and even become unthankful for it. When we biblically understand what we have been saved from we will respond in thanksgiving. Colossians 1:12-14 clearly teaches the doctrine of salvation and reveals three (3) reasons why we must give thanks to God for our salvation.
1. Be Thankful that God has Qualified Us for His Inheritance (v.12) – “Giving thanks unto the Father…which [who] hath made us meet [qualified] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”
At salvation our heavenly Father gave us the right, title, position, access, and privilege to enjoy His inheritance now! What is this inheritance? God’s inheritance is present, personal, and eternal (Eph. 1:13; Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 1:3-5). We have eternal life (Matt. 19:29; Jh. 3:16) and access to the promises of God (Heb. 6:12). Are we thankful that God has graciously qualified us for His rich inheritance?
2. Be Thankful that God has Rescued Us from the Power of Darkness (v.13a) – “Giving thanks unto the Father…Who hath delivered [rescued] us from the power of darkness…”
Here Paul praised God for rescuing the Colossians out of the captivity and dominion of sin and wickedness. We must be thankful that when we trusted in Christ alone for salvation that we were immediately delivered out of the bondage of sin because of God’s grace and finished work on the cross! Are we thankful that God has mercifully rescued us from the power of darkness?
3. Be Thankful that God has Transferred Us into His Kingdom (v.13b) – “Giving thanks unto the Father…Who hath translated [transfer] us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
Paul gave thanks to God for transferring the Colossians into His (God’s) kingdom. The Greek word used for translated Are we thankful that God has sovereignly transferred us into His kingdom? carries the idea of when one empire defeated another, it was custom to move the people to the conqueror’s land (i.e. Israelites relocated to Babylon). The instant we trusted Christ was the instant we were moved into God’s everlasting and unconquerable kingdom! We are now under the complete authority and care of God!
How is all this possible? (v.14) – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” God has set us free from the bondage of sin (redemption) by paying a price (through his blood) and has released us from the penalty of sin (forgiveness). This is the heart of the gospel!
One recent world event that illustrates this passage very well is the rescuing of the 33 Chilean miners. Here was a group of men who had no ability whatsoever to save themselves from life-ending circumstances but were rescued from the power of darkness through the diligent efforts and love of engineers above ground who outstandingly created a device to transfer each miner into the “kingdom” of light. As each miner arrived to the surface of the earth they responded verbally, visibly, and joyfully with thanksgiving and praise because they knew there was nothing they could to do to rescue themselves out of the depths and darkness of the earth. What a great illustration about salvation!
As Christians we have been given three solid reasons to joyfully and continually give thanks to God for our salvation this thanksgiving season and onward!