Guest Speaker: Marty Wolf (from Friends of Israel)

John 10:22-42 (NASB)

22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Him there.

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14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

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Colossians 2:20-23 (NASB)

²⁰ If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ²¹ “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²² (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? ²³ These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

The Big Idea: We must not add any type of works, worship, or ways to what the Lord Jesus Christ has already accomplished on the Cross for our eternal salvation.

Outline:
Last Sunday – Two wrong ways to salvation that you must reject, and the One right way that you must embrace for salvation.

1) Wrong Way #1 – Ritualistic religious works (2:16-17)
2) Wrong Way #2 – Seemingly spiritual worship (2:18)
3) The Only Way – Clinging to Christ alone (2:19)

Today – A third wrong way to salvation that you must reject, and the death that leads to true life.

1) Wrong Way #3 – Self-defeating, self-depriving ways (2:20-23)

2) The Way of Life – Dying with Christ to the world (2:20a)

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Colossians 2:16-19 (NASB)

¹⁶ Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— ¹⁷ things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

The Big Idea: We must not add any type of works or worship to what the Lord Jesus Christ has already accomplished on the Cross for our eternal salvation.

Outline: Two wrong ways to salvation that you must reject, and the One right way that you must embrace for salvation.

Wrong Way #1 – Ritualistic religious works (2:16-17)
Wrong Way #2 – Seemingly Spiritual worship (2:18)

The Only Way – Clinging to Christ alone (2: 19)

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Special Guest Speaker: Alex Morice

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NASB)

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Outline:
1) Our View of Christ

2) Our View of Creation

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Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB)

¹³ When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴ having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Big Idea: God is the Giver of eternal life, Who provides forgiveness for all our sins and payment of all our debts, through the victorious cross of Jesus Christ.

Outline: Four amazing Gospel reasons why all who believe in Jesus can be thankful and secure – today, every day, and into eternity.

   1. God brings you from death to life (2:13)
   2. God forgives you all your sins (2:13b)
   3. Jesus paid your debt in full on the cross (2:14)
   4. God defeated Satan/Demons at the cross of Christ (2:15)

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Colossians 2:8-12 (NASB)

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Big Idea: The Supreme Savior and Loving Lord Jesus is sufficient for your every need, every trial and every circumstance in life – you are complete in Him.

Outline:

  Last Week

    1. Don’t fall for the trap! (2:8)
    2. You are complete in Christ! (2:9-10)

  This Week

    3. You have been circumcised in Christ (2:11)
    4. You have been baptized with Christ (2:12)

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Colossians 2:8-12 (NASB)

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Big Idea: The Supreme Savior and Loving Lord Jesus is sufficient for your every need, every trial and every circumstance in life – you are complete in Him.

Outline:

1. Don’t fall for the trap (2:8)
2. You are complete in Christ (2:9-12)

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Colossians 2:1-7 (NASB)

¹ For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. ⁵ For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. ⁶ Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

The Big Idea: A Pastor/Shepherd’s love for God’s people should reflect the love that our Good Shepherd Jesus has for His people.

Outline: Four characteristics of a Pastor’s love for the Church that should be encouraging to your faith in Christ.

Last Sunday:

  1) His Care for the Church (2:1-3, 5)
  2) His Concern for the Church (2:4)

Today:

  3) His Celebration of the Church (2:5)
  4) His Charge to the Church (2:6-7)

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Colossians 2:1-5 (NASB)

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

The Big Idea: A Pastor/Shepherd’s love for God’s people should reflect the love that our Good Shepherd Jesus has for His people.

Outline: 3 Characteristics of a Pastor’s love for the Church that should be encouraging to your faith in Christ (2:1-5)

I. His Care for the Church (2:1-3, 5)

II. His Concern for the Church (2:4)

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