Christ Preeminent (Part Eleven): Foundational Faith

Transcript

JRNT 33
09/24/2023
Christ Preeminent (Part Eleven): Foundational Faith
Colossians 3:5-7
Jesse Randolph

Well, the Lord has blessed our church in many different ways over the years. And one of the many ways He has done so, is by blessing our body with many different men who build houses for a living. I won’t call them out by name, but the house my family lives in. I know the house was designed by one member of this body. And built by another member of this body. And then lived in for 30 years by another member of this body. And now, we live in the house, and love it. We have an abundance of riches here at Indian Hills, in terms of qualified and gifted men, who know the process of building a home, like they know the back of their hand. And I bring that up this morning, because knowing this, knowing this abundance of riches that we have here. And knowing the text that I would be in this morning. I did send out a group text earlier this week, to said colloquialism of home builders at Indian Hills. And I asked them a question. In fact, I wrote down the text in my notes here, so that I’d get this just right. I said: “Alright, home builders. [I called them that, not by name] I’m asking you this question for an illustration I may be developing for Sunday. The most important part of any house you build is ________”? Now, I have to admit, as I sent the question via text, to these guys, there was a mild degree of fear and trepidation on my part. Because, as a man, I know I’m supposed to know this sort of thing. I know that I’m supposed to know about carburetors, and muzzles, and beard oil, and meat grilling temperatures, and meat thermometers and things like that. And the most important part of any house that one builds. I should know these things. Well, I didn’t know the answer, definitely. But I had a sneaking suspicion. I had a reasonable guess, even if I wasn’t completely sure. So thankfully, these men fired back answers, quickly and graciously without embarrassing me. And the common response that each man gave is . . . the most important part of a house that one builds is – what? It was obvious to you. I wasn’t obvious to me. I heard one answer, I think, out there, the foundation. The unseen part of the house that’s buried so many inches or so many feet underground. Whose main purpose is to hold the house up. So that it eventually doesn’t sink or slip all the way into the ground. And that makes sense, right? Should have made sense to me. Hence, I shouldn’t have had to send the text. But who cares about bath fixtures, right? Who cares about guest bedroom furnishings if the house’s foundation is uneven? Who cares about what material you use for your kitchen island or where the doggy door is going to be placed if the foundation is cracked? Who cares about what type of roofing material you’re going to use if the whole thing is going to eventually implode and end up in the ground or underground anyway? The foundation of any house is essential. And a sure and steady foundation can result in a house withstanding all the elements. Whether that be battering rains, or gusts of wind, or feet of snowpack, or even back in my old homeland of California, shaking ground. But without a sure and steady foundation, by contrast, any house, no matter how visually appealing it is. No matter how beautiful it is on the outside. No matter where the doggy door is placed faces the prospect of sure ruin.

Well, a sure and stable foundation is essential, of course, not only for the construction of a home. A sure and stable foundation is essential to our lives as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we walk through this world. As we face various threats and challenges. As we come upon various temptations and difficulties in this life. Having the right foundation beneath us is absolutely key. Standing on steady footing is of vital importance.

We’re back in the book of Colossians this morning. And the section of this magnificent book that we’ll be in in this section we’re going to see the Apostle Paul commend the Colossians for their solid foundational faith. But we’re also going to see him exhort the Colossians to continue walking and growing and building upon that foundational faith. Turn with me in God’s word, to Colossians 2, and we’ll hit verses 5-7 this morning. God’s word reads:

“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. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, overflowing with gratitude.”

I’ve titled this morning’s message “Foundational Faith.” And I’ve done so because, as we work through these three verses. We’re going to see the Apostle Paul, as he’s guided by the Holy Spirit laying out for these early believers there in Colossae and by extension, all of us, the elements of any solid foundation. The elements, of course, not of a house’s foundation, but the elements of a Christian’s foundation their foundational faith.

In these three verses, I’m going to warn you in advance, your hand is going to cramp today, if you’re a note taker. We’re going to see eight elements of “foundational faith”. And note, as I list these off for you. I’m going to do this in advance here, what Paul gives us is not at all flashy or exciting in a sense. These eight foundational elements of foundational faith are maybe not as exciting as the books at Mardel or Hobby Lobby that talk about people making alleged visits to heaven after alleged sudden-death experiences. These eight elements aren’t as eye-grabbing as one of those red Kerusso t-shirts that says: “My Lifeguard Walks on Water.” These elements may not be as exhilarating as claiming to have the gift of tongues, or healing, or prophecy. Rather, the eight elements that Paul gives us here are quite standard. Quite middle-of-the-road. Quite vanilla. Quite, and in our experience driven culture, nobody likes this word, ordinary. The eight elements of “foundational faith” here’s your list here, are: Discipline, Stability, Depth, Pace, Planting, Building, Establishing, and Thanksgiving. I’ll go through those again, one by one, but let it be noted right now, if you were going to put on a Christian conference. And you wanted a lot of people to come. If you wanted to draw a big crowd. You probably wouldn’t lead with those eight topics. You probably wouldn’t bring them in with the “Discipline, Stability, Depth, Pace, Planting, Building, Establishing and Thanksgiving” Conference . . . the D,S,D,P,P,B,E,T Conference. Probably not. But those elements are exactly what God, through the pen of Paul, in our text for today, has prioritized for His children, as they are built up in their “foundational faith.” Discipline. Stability. Depth. Pace. Planting. Building. Establishing. And Thanksgiving.

Let’s start with the first one: Discipline. We see this first element of “foundational faith” mentioned in verse 5. I’ll read a bigger section of verse 5, for some context. Actually, I’ll just read the whole verse.
“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”. We’ll explore those two words good discipline further in just a minute. But note that there is some background information that Paul gives us here at the beginning of verse 5. He begins by saying: “Even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit”.

Now, since it’s been a few weeks since we’ve been in Colossians. This would be as good a time as any to remind you by way of background and context here, what’s happening here in this text. The context here is that Paul is sitting in a Roman prison. And sitting next to him in that prison is this man named Epaphras. A man from Colossae. A man who had traveled 1,300 miles to visit Paul. And Epaphras has made this journey to Rome, to inform Paul of this false teaching the theological error that was now beginning to threaten the church there in his hometown. We’re actually going to get deeper into the error that was starting to pervade Colossae, next week when we get to Colossians 2:8 and following. But for now, I’ll remind you that the proponents of this error . . . this heresy there in Colossae . . . they were contending that Christ was not enough. They were claiming that in order to have a true knowledge of the living God. To have a true grasp of the divine. To have true access to God. You needed to add a variety of other different elements. You needed to mix in some philosophy. You needed to mix in some ascetism. Some self-depravation. And you needed to mix in angel worship. And needed to readd old Jewish dietary laws and practices. The Colossian heresy, in other words, was this syncretistic soup of various add-ons to Christ. Which ironically had the effect of detracting from or diluting the perfect and sufficient work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It really was subtraction by addition. And it threatened to derail this heresy did, these well-meaning believers in Jesus who were in this very early vulnerable, toddler like jelly-legged phase of their spiritual development.

So, when Paul here says in verse 5 that he’s “absent in body” that’s what he meant. That he was not able to be with them, in the flesh, in person in [the] body in Colossae. And that’s because, of course, he was wearing shackles in Rome. But the sentence doesn’t end there, does it? No. Putting the words in their full context, he says: “Even though I’m absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit”.
That’s a phrase we’re all familiar with. That’s a phrase that we, in our English dialect, have folded into our vernacular today. I used that phrase last week. We use it to express our regrets whether it’s sincere or insincere that’s a matter of the heart. Whether you really wish to be at an in-person event, right? You know, “Sorry I couldn’t make it to that baby shower, I had other commitments.” “Sorry aunt Edna, I can’t make it to your cat’s declawing, I have other commitments that day.” It’s a matter of the human heart. Individual hearts, which are sincere or insincere.

But Paul, of course, was being completely sincere. That he was regretful that he was unable to be there in Colossae for the sake of this dear body of believers. In fact, we’ve already seen earlier in this letter to Colossae, he had never been to this city. And he had never beheld this group of believers face-to-face. But he says right here in verse 5, that he was nevertheless with them. “with them in spirit”.

He uses a similar phrase in 1 Corinthians 5:3 where he says to that church – “For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, [the sin that was happening there] as though I were present” [he says]. And by the way, this was no token, throwaway line for Paul, when he says, “I’m absent in body but present in spirit”. Not at all. I mean, we’ve already seen several instances in Colossians where Paul has expressed from his heart various ways in which he was mindful of and thoughtful of and devoting his time and attention to this very body of believers.

We know from Colossians 1:3, in fact you can flip there with me to Colossians 1:3. He says he was “giving thanks to God” for this church. And later in that same verse, verse 3 of chapter 1, he says he was “praying always” for them. Or look down the page at verse 9 of Colossians 1 where he gives us the content of his prayer for the Colossians. He says, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light”. Wow! What a prayer that is. And then look down in verse 24 of Colossians 1, he says he’s “Rejoicing in his sufferings for their sake”.

In other words, this was not a church that Paul was merely loosely acquainted with. Or spiritually detached from. Quite the contrary. He loved this church. He loved this body of believers. He had a profound sense of connection to them. And this connection and this sense of love for them stemmed from the fact that they, like him, had been saved by God the Father. And purchased by God the Son. And was sealed by God the Holy Spirit.

And I mention the Spirit here, intentionally. Because I believe the words “in spirit,” here in Colossians 2:5, those are not nebulous, I just sort of feel warm toward you type of words. This is not a vague, otherwise indescribable feeling of coziness toward these people. I think this is actually a reference to the Holy Spirit. I think this is a reference to the spiritual bond that both he and these believers in Colossae knew that they shared. And a key reason I believe that this is a reference to the Holy Spirit, not just some vague notion of spiritual connection is what he said already back in Colossians 2:1. That they had not “personally seen my [his] face”. Think about it. If this were not referring to being bonded together in the Holy Spirit. What we would have here is one person – Paul. Telling this other group of people – the Colossians. People that they had never met, people he had never met, that he somehow felt closely bonded to them even though he was not with them. If you really think about it, if some random person that you haven’t met, is telling you, “I feel bonded to you”. What degree of comfort, even if it is coming from an apostle in this case, might that provide you?

Let me bring it to our context, just to illustrate the point. Bring it over to the 21st century. Let’s say that tomorrow, you receive a letter in your mailbox written from an inmate that’s 1,300 miles away from you. And in this letter, he says to you: “I just feel a real sense of closeness to you.” How are you going to feel about that? Are you going to feel excited about that? Are you going to feel warm and welcome about that? Is that going to be a source of comfort to you? As you think that there’s this prisoner out there that is thinking of you, and feels close to you? I don’t think so. And for many reasons. But if his letter, this prisoner in our context, said “I committed my crime, but I’ve been recently saved by God. I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb. I’ve been sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That same indwelt Holy Spirit that dwells in you.” You might feel a little differently about that letter, right? I mean, you might feel, still some caution. The guy’s, in fact, incarcerated. But you might have a different perspective. You might see this person that’s sending you this letter as someone who was once like you, in the darkness but now has been brought into the light. And that though they do not now have liberty here on earth. They have been, as their letter indicates, freed from the slave market of sin, as they put their faith in Jesus Christ.

That’s what’s going on here. Paul is the prisoner. He’s writing to the Colossians. And he’s not, I don’t think he’s saying he’s “with you [them] in spirit,” make some generic statement of feeling close to them. Rather, he’s sharing with them that he has the closest bond with them that another person could have with someone else. He shares a kinship with them that traces back to Calvary. They have been mutually washed in the blood of the Lamb. They have been both, all of them, rescued from the domain of darkness. They’ve been reconciled in Christ’s fleshly body through death. They are all striving to be presented complete in Christ. They are all unified in the Spirit. No matter how many borders or miles or seacoasts or mountain ranges divide them.

And with that, we come to our first element of “foundational faith.” That was all background, fifteen minutes in. Look at what he has to say here in verse 5. First, Paul says he’s “rejoicing to see your good discipline”. Note, he doesn’t say he’s rejoicing that he can see the size of their building. He’s not rejoicing to see the size of their offerings. He’s not rejoicing at the giftedness or the oratorical ability of the pastor here, Epaphras. No. He was rejoicing “to see [their] good discipline”. And that term, “discipline” refers to their orderliness. It’s a word we see used one other time in 1 Corinthians 14:40. A very disordered church, where Paul says, “But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner”. That word, “discipline” is a word that would have described an orderly array of soldiers. Paul here is picturing himself like he’s a military officer. And he’s looking out over his assembled troops. And what he sees is order. Things are how they ought to be. Now, in a literal military context, that would mean beds are made, and floors are swept. And people are falling into line, and recognizing where they rank. And they are following the commands of their superiors.

Here in the Colossian church, the “good discipline” that Paul saw. The “good order” that he witnessed. Likely had to do with the fact that this church was functioning in the exact opposite manner that the disordered Corinthian church was functioning. So, Paul had to call out the Corinthian church, you’ll recall, for how disorderly, how divided they were. In fact, go over with me, to 1 Corinthians. Let’s see what Paul himself had to say to that church. 1 Corinthians 1, we’ll go right to the beginning of this letter. Paul has to exhort this church for the divisions among them. For the lack of order, they’re demonstrating.

And look what he says in 1 Corinthians 1:10. He says, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment”. So, over here you have the Corinthian church, which is disordered. Full of immature self-seekers who were unwilling, or unable to embrace their place in the church. And as a result, they needed to be exhorted here by Paul.

And on this side, you have the Colossian church. Go back to Colossians 2:5, which is marked by its “good discipline.” But its good order. These were believers there in Colossae who were members of this body here in this church. Who understood that they were just that, members of a body. Not all were fingers. And not all were eyes. And not all were ears. Not all were mouths. This was not a chaotic assembly of self-appointed preachers and prophets. This was not a selfish swarm of individuals who sought to be front and center and first in line. No, this was a church there in Colossae that was submitted to Christ as the head of the church. And they were willing to play their part, no matter how unheralded it was. Or how seemingly insignificant it was. They were committed to the unity of the body. And they refused to break rank.

So that’s the first element of “foundational faith” here, highlighted by Paul, “good discipline”. “Good order.” At the end of verse 5 though, we see the next mark of foundational faith. Note that Paul says he’d “rejoicing” to see not only their “good discipline”, which we just looked at. But also “the stability of your faith in Christ”. That’s our second element of “foundational faith”, stability. Now, that word, stability refers to the steadfastness, the firmness, the solid nature of the Colossian’s faith. The word comes from a word that’s used often to describe something that’s stiff, firm, strong, solid. Like a castle. Like a bulwark. Like a seawall. The idea is that nothing was going to break it down. Nothing was going to penetrate it. Nothing was going to overcome it. Which would have been a very appropriate description of the Colossians’ faith. As each individual there, and the church corporately, was maintaining this solid front against the foe. Namely, Satan. As he sought to advance the false teaching that was being promoted there, through the Colossian heresy. What Paul is reporting here is that no one in the Colossian church had broken rank. No one had defected. This was not a church that was somehow tottering or spinning out of control. No, the individuals who made up this church were maintaining “the stability [it says] of [their] faith in Christ.” Back in Colossians 1:4, which wd covered eons ago, it seems, at this point. Paul said he had “heard of their faith in Christ Jesus”. Now, here in Colossians 2:5, he’s commending them because they’d not only heard of this faith, they have “stability of faith”. He’s giving a good report here. This is a joyful report. A praiseworthy report. Now note, this is important, the “faith” that the Colossians here had demonstrated and were living out, was not in some unidentifiable object. Rather, their faith was in the only Object that’s worthy of placing one’s faith in. It was, as we see here, into verse 5, “in Christ”.

Now, this represents sort of a segue in the text. And Paul is praising the Lord for what He has done in the Colossian believers here in verse 5. Their good discipline. Their stability of faith. But this is also on the front end of where he’s going to go in this letter, as he gets into the heresy that was starting to penetrate this church. And what I think he’s doing here, the way I envision it is, he’s functioning like a commercial pilot would in our day. He knows that a patch of choppy turbulence is up ahead. And he’s building them up, and he’s preparing them for what lies ahead. In our day, the pilot, you know, he sees the choppy stuff out there on the horizon. He tells the passengers, get your seatbelts. Get your flotation devices. Get your extra oxygen. It’s all there, ready for you in case you need it. The Colossians here were going to go through much more than a bumpy patch of air. They were going to go through the very slings and arrows of Satan himself. As these false teachers sought to bring in their false teaching to this church.
Well, thankfully the Colossians’ faith – like ours – if we’ve trusted in Christ, was not in a seatbelt. It was not in a flotation device. It was not in an oxygen mask. Their faith was in Christ. The very Christ of whom Paul has already spoken so profoundly in Colossians 1.

They put their faith in the Christ, Colossians 1:13 who “rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son”. They had put their faith in Christ, Colossians 1:14 “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”. They had put their faith in Christ, verse 15, who “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”. They had put their faith in Christ, verse 16 of the One who holds “all things together”. They had put their faith in Christ, who is the “head of the body, the church”, verse 18. They had put their faith in Christ, verse 18, who is “the firstborn from the dead”. They had put their faith in the Christ, verse 20 who “made peace through the blood of His cross”. They put their faith in the Christ, verse 22 who had “reconciled [us] in His fleshly body through death”. And they had put their faith in the Christ, verse 18 who it has “first place in everything”. The faith of the Colossian believers, in other words, was not in just any object. It was in a superior object. Indeed, it was in the supreme object. It was in the preeminent One, who’s the focal point of this entire letter, the Lord Jesus Christ. And not only was their faith in the supreme object, in Christ Himself but their faith was stable. That’s our second heading, stability. They were not, as it says in Ephesians 4:14, like “children, tossed to and fro by waves and carried [away] by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, [and] craftiness or deceitful scheming”. Rather, they were firmly anchored in their faith in Christ. And the reality was, now they were well-equipped to navigate whatever turbulence might come their way.

So, “foundational faith” involves “good discipline.” It involves “stability”. As we turn to verses 6-7, we’re going to see several additional elements of this type of faith. Let’s start with verse 6, where he says: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”. In this clause, we see two additional elements of foundational faith. One is depth, the other is pace. We’ll start with depth, verse 6, he says, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord”. Now, that word therefore in verse 6, is actually a conjunction that really carries over the thought. It’s not dividing verse 5 from verse 6. So much as it’s carrying over the thought from verse 5 into verse 6. And then he says, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord”. Now that verb there, received is referring to the moment of one’s conversion. Applied to the Christians here at Colossae this refers to that point, back in Colossians 1:5 where it says, “heard the word of truth, the gospel”. And when, Colossians 1:6, they “understood the grace of God in truth”. It was at that point that they “received Christ Jesus the Lord”. And that’s when we received Christ Jesus the Lord. Our moment of receive was the moment of redemption when we put our faith in His name. In fact, go over with me to 1 Corinthians 15. Familiar passage for many of us which contains the very basic elements of gospel truth. If you’re taking somebody, or leading somebody to Christ, turn to 1 Corinthians 15, and have them look at the very four verses we’re going to look at right now.
1 Corinthians 15:1 says, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures”. You see it there in verses 1-3, the same verb idea, received, “which you also received”, and “what I also received”. It was at this point, this 1 Corinthians 15 point, going back to Colossians now. When the Colossians believed these truths. About the death, the burial, the resurrection of Christ, that they received Him.

And note the very specific way is says they received Him. As we look at verse 6 again. It says you “received Christ Jesus the Lord”. Meaning, when they first heard the gospel message. Likely, through Epaphras, as we’ve already seen in our study of Colossians. It had apparently been explained to them in some depth, that Jesus was not merely a man. He was not merely Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter or the stonemason. Rather, He was Christ. The Messiah. The promised Messiah of Israel. The One who’d been predicted hundreds of years before, to be born of a virgin, to be born in some indistinct remote little village in Bethlehem. The One who would one day ride triumphantly into Jerusalem only to be rejected by His people, the Jews led to slaughter by His people as an innocent Lamb. And as we see right here in verse 6 of Colossians 2, the believers here in Colossae had not received Jesus as Jesus. And not only Jesus as the Christ. They had received Him, it says, as Lord. Christ Jesus the Lord. These believers, though new believers, already had the requisite depth and understanding to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Lord of the creation. Lord of the church. Lord of their very lives.

And what an encouragement and a challenge that is to all of us here, as we go out and share Christ with the unbeliever. As we go out, if you’re doing so, and I hope you are, sharing with that one person that you’re praying for, and committed to sharing this here. To make sure, as we do so, that we are presenting a complete picture of the Jesus that we’re asking them to put their faith in. See, the call of our lives, as we share Christ with others. As we share the gospel. As we evangelize. Has never been to say to them “repeat this prayer after me, please.” The call of our lives has never been to ask the nonbeliever “do you want to go to heaven?” The call in our lives, as evangelists has never been to say, “you know, God loves you so much and has a wonderful plan for your life.” That’s never been the call. The call to evangelize has been a call-to-call sinners to repentance and faith. To call on them to acknowledge Jesus not only as the Savior, but as Lord. And to, in faith, to not only lay claim to His saving mercies and His saving benefits. But to submit to His sovereign rule over their lives. The Colossians here, had heard that gospel message. A full substantial meaty gospel message from Epaphras. And they apparently believed in that message. They had received Christ with true understanding. With eyes wide open. They had acknowledged Christ as Jesus, as Messiah, as Lord. They had depth.

Here's our fourth aspect of “foundational faith”, pace. For this one, we’ll zero in on the last couple of words of verse 6. I’ll read the whole thing again, just to give us a running start. It says, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord”. We just looked at that, “so walk in Him”. Now, earlier in this letter, you’ll recall back in Colossians 1. In fact, you can flip over there to Colossians 1 again. Paul had prayed that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God, so that they could “walk worthy” in the Lord. “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” Look at Colossians 1:9, this is again, his prayer for them. It says, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”.
Now, here in Colossians 2:6 Paul is turning that prayer now, into a command. Since the Colossians had believed in Christ, as Savior, as Lord, they now needed to live like it. They were to commit themselves to “walking in Him.” And if you have any familiarity with the New Testament, you know that that verb – peripateo, is all over the New Testament, that verb, to walk. Speaking of the believer’s life, it’s a verb that indicates action and progress in the faith, as one is submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. As believers, Romans 6:4 we are to “walk in newness of life”. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “we walk by faith, not by sigh”. Galatians 5:16, 25 we “walk by the spirit”. Ephesians 4:1 we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called”. Ephesians 5:2 we “walk in love”. Ephesians 5:8 we “walk as children of Light”. Ephesians 5:15 we are “careful as we walk”. 1 John 2:6 we “walk in the same manner as He,” meaning our Savior Jesus, walked. 2 John 6 we “walk according to His commandments”. 3 John 3 we are to “walk in truth”. The Christian life, in other words, continues in the very way it commenced. Just as we received Christ Jesus as Lord and acknowledged Him as our Savior and as our Master. We live for Him now, daily by walking in Him by going at a certain pace for Him. In the various ways that He’s laid out for us in His word.

What might that look like, practically? To walk in Him? Well, we just need to look across the page, at Colossians 3 for an example of what it might look like to “walk in Him.” Look at Colossians 3:5, he says, “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him”. And then drop down to verse 12, he says, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. [and then verse 14] Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity”. Put another way, to “walk in Him” describes the conduct of a person who lives this way, no longer for self. But all in for Christ. In their thinking. In their speaking. In their acting. In their doing. All that they do. They do to serve and please Christ. As they “walk in Him.” We profess, so now we practice. We believe, so now we behave. 2 Corinthians 5:9 “we make it our ambition, in everything to please Him”.

As we turn to verse 7, we’re going to see a series of four participles that really flow out of those words, “walk in Him” in verse 6. And these four participles are the next four elements of “foundational faith.” I’ll read the whole verse, and then we’ll take it apart word by word here. Verse 7, it says, “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”. Again, these are ideas that come out of the main idea of “walking in Him”.

Here’s our next element of “foundational faith”. This is number five, planting. We get this fifth element from the beginning words of verse 7 here, where it says, “having been firmly rooted”. The imagery here is horticultural, or agricultural. Similar to a tree, believers here in Colossae had put down their roots and therefore were now “rooted”. “Firmly rooted” in fact. And the expression, just like the idea of “receiving Christ Jesus the Lord” back in verse 6 takes us back to that point in time of their moment of conversion. Now, I won’t go to the mat over this and arm wrestle anybody over this. But it could be that what Paul has in mind here, when he’s speaking of being “firmly rooted” is Jesus’ parable of the four soils, back in Matthew 13. And what he may be getting at here, is when the Colossians first heard the gospel, the gospel seed didn’t land on the path and it didn’t land on the rocky soil and it didn’t land on the thorns. But instead, it “fell on [the] good soil.” In this case, in the Colossian’s case, that good soil, being Christ Himself. Or it’s also possible, given that Paul was a very trained Jewish scholar, that he’s actually going further back in time. All the way back to Jeremiah 17. In fact, let’s flip over to Jeremiah 17. Jeremiah, right in the middle of your bibles. When I say Jeremiah 17, you bible scholars in the room are probably thinking, I’m going to that passage about the heart being desperately wicked and sick, right? No. Go two verses before that, to Jeremiah 17:7. Unique context. The context is Judah here, after the divided kingdom era, or during the divided kingdom era. Look at Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit”.

Whichever scripture Paul had in mind. Whether it was Matthew 13 and the parable of the four soils or it was Jeremiah 17. As the Spirit moved him to write these words in Colossians 2:7, back to our text now. That the overriding principle that he’s communicating. for those Christians there in Colossae and for the Christians in the room this morning is that to have “foundational faith” means to be “firmly rooted”. Firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. The preeminent One. The focal point of Paul’s entire letter here. Christ is the soil. He is the soil from which we draw all our spiritual nourishment, to walk through this life. And knowing that our salvation is secure in Him. Knowing that our strength comes from Him, in this ever-darkening world. And knowing that he gives us the wisdom that we need to walk in this world, in the scriptures. We need to be like the Psalmist, the wise man of Psalm 1. Psalm 1:1-3, there’s echoes of it here in Jeremiah 17, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted [sounds like firmly rooted] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers”.

Well, one thing we know about Paul is he was never one to shy away from mixing metaphors.
Colossians 2:6, as we’ve just seen, he’s describing “walking.” In Colossians 2:7 now, he’s describing being “firmly rooted.” So, as I was studying this, I’m thinking well how does one walk and remain rooted at the same time? Are those separate ideas? Not at all. What Paul is really describing here, when he’s describing “walking in Him”, or “walking in Christ.” Is staying right where you are, as you do so. In other words, not moving from the hope of the very gospel in which you originally sunk your roots.
See, we never “graduate” from the gospel. There’s an old pastor of ours who would say, he would bang in this drum, over and over on Sunday mornings. He would say, “if the good news has become old news, that’s bad news.” And it’s true. We never graduate from the gospel. We need to remain “firmly rooted” in the basic gospel truths of Jesus’ death, and burial, and resurrection. No matter how theologically advanced we become. No matter how many books we’ve read. In the Colossian’s case, no matter how alluring and attractive and popular this strain of false teaching had become.

As we move into our next element of “foundational faith”, Paul’s going to mix his metaphors yet again. Let’s read on in verse 7. After mentioning being “firmly rooted”. He next says, “and now being built up in Him”. That’s our sixth element of “foundational faith”, building. So now Paul’s gone from walking. To being planted – or “firmly rooted.” To now using architectural terminology, to use this imagery of a building. One element of foundational faith, as a follower of Christ. Is “being built up in Him.” The roots of these Colossian believers. Our roots as Nebraska believers. Was rooted at that moment of conversion. The moment of regeneration. The moment when we repented and believed in the gospel of grace. And it was at that moment, not only that roots were planted. But also, when . . . to come over to the construction metaphor now, the foundation was laid. In fact, let’s go over to 1 Corinthians again. We’ll be there again at communion time. So, get used to going to 1 Corinthians. Look at 1 Corinthians 3 now. In the context here of a church body at large. In 1 Corinthians 3, I just want you to note how often here Paul, like he does here in Colossians, toggles back and forth between agricultural and construction-oriented metaphors. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:6, familiar line: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants, and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, everything up to now is in agricultural metaphor, but now look what he says God’s building. According to the grace of God, which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesu Christ”.

See, Christ Himself is the foundation. And bringing it back over to Colossians 2:7, the reference here to “now being built in Him.” Indicates that every single follower of Jesus Christ, is “under construction.” The roots have been planted. The foundation has been laid. But a follower of Christ, and I’d better get at least one or two amens for this is not a “finished product”. Thank you! Rather, the process of “being built” up happens in successive layers and phases. With every scripture that we read and every scripture that we memorize. With every spiritual battle that we face, and we conquer. Through every season of difficulty that the Lord allows us to go through. Through every trial He appoints for us but allows us to endure.
See, buildings in Paul’s day were built one stone at a time. Which is a fitting illustration for a follower of Christ. As we’re built up by God’s power, and by God’s strength. One day at a time. One season at a time. One event at a time. One trial at a time.

We’re up to our seventh element of “foundational faith.” Which is establishing. After mentioning being firmly rooted here. After mentioning now being built up in Him. He says now, and established your faith, just as you were instructed. Now, that word established could also be translated confirmed. Or strengthened. The idea here is growth. Development. Which is a process that goes on continuously throughout the Christian life. The Colossians here had been given the gospel. They’d been taught the fundamentals of the Christian faith, by Epaphras. And now, praise the Lord, they’re growing. They’re being strengthened. They’re progressing in their faith.

And note here in a NASB translation, it says “your faith.” That word “your” actually does not appear in the original Greek manuscripts. So, I think a better translation would be “the” faith. In other words, here’s the difference, the distinction. Paul is emphasizing, at least in this passage, not so much that the Colossians were subjectively becoming more faithful or faith-filled people. But more so they were being established and built up objectively in a body of truth, known as “the faith”. “The faith”, meaning . . . truth about Christ. Truth about the gospel. Truth about their relationship to Christ, through faith. A truth about His preeminence, as we’ve been studying throughout this letter so far. “The faith”, as Jude 3 would put it, that “was once for all [delivered] to the saints”. These early Christians were being “built up in Him”. Meaning, Christ. Brick by brick. And stone by stone. And layer by layer. With the cement. The compound. The adhesive. Which allowed them to be built up. Being sound doctrine. Sound doctrine that they were taught. And sound doctrine that they still sought out.

Remember, they had this faithful pastor-shepherd, Epaphras, who was, to borrow from Titus 1:9 instructing them in “sound doctrine”. “Speaking of the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.”
They had, since Epaphras had initially instructed them, to borrow from 1 Timothy 4:6, “constantly [being] nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have [they had] been following”.

See, the Christian faith is more than just being taught and embracing the gospel. It’s about embracing all aspects of the Christian faith. As He’s revealed it to us in His word. Becoming and being established, as it says here in verse 7. Means necessarily being a reader of God’s word. Being a student of God’s word. Where He reveals Himself to us, as to what He wants us to be, and become. It means growing in your biblical and theological, and your doctrinal awareness. In a church context, it means getting connected to and anchored to some smaller community of believers. Where you can have a focal point of discussion centered on the word. But also, at the same time, so as not to be accused of speaking out of both sides of my mouth, it means not losing sight of that simple and blessed truth, that what it means to be a follower of Christ in the first place. That to truly embrace the gospel facts. The gospel message.
This is all encapsulated in Colossians 1:23. This idea of not losing sight of the gospel, but at the same time advancing on to other aspects of Christian living. Look at Colossians 1:23 “If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moving away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard”. So, in other words, to be established means not forgetting the basics. But at the same time not topping out or leveling off at the basics. It means not being a perpetual milk-drinker. But eventually moving up to being a meat-eater.

As we wind down this morning. We come to our eighth and final element of “foundational faith.” Look at the end of verse 7, where he uses the words “overflowing with gratitude.” Or as other translations have it: “abounding with thanksgiving.” That’s our final heading this morning, thanksgiving. Our eighth element. As Christians, we are called to be people who are all about as we’ve seen today discipline, and stability, and depth, and pace, and planting, and building, and establishing. But while we’re called to be each of those things. We have to be careful, at the same time that we are not drifting into being coldly doctrinal. To not become like the church at Ephesus, in Revelation 2, who knew all the right answers. That lost its first love, for the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot forget that, at its core, all of the building, and the establishing that we’re privileged to do, and be a part of. All the study of the sound doctrine that we are blessed at this church to be a part of. Is founded on the most simple yet incredible truth that’s ever been proclaimed on this planet – which is that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. Don’t ever lose sight of that truth. That Jesus Christ died to save sinners. Don’t be so full of knowledge and awareness in things that you know and are competent to teach in even. And lose sight of the fact that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. Unworthy sinners like you and me. So that we might have our sins forgiven. So that we might be restored to a fellowship with a holy God. And so that we might have the hope of eternal life secured.

If there’s one thing I pray that you are teaching your children and your grandchildren. Like one note. Like a broken guitar with one string, the only string you can play. It would be that truth, that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. If there’s one message that you are proclaiming in the circles of influence you have. Whether it be to build up other believers, or to share the gospel with the lost, I pray you’re sharing that same message, that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. If there’s one truth that I pray is at the forefront of your mind on your deathbed, whenever that day comes. When your eyes are preparing to close and shut for the last time. When things are starting to go grainy and gray and eventually black. I pray that the truth that comes to the front of your mind, is that Jesus Christ died to save sinners. That truth given its proper place and its prominence will lead to hearts that, like water that’s flowing over the banks of a river will lead to regular overflowing of thanksgiving, like Paul is commending here. Grateful hearts that are enraptured with the cross of Jesus Christ. And grateful souls that constantly have at the forefront of their minds. What the shedding of the Savior’s blood means. And what it accomplished for us. I’m just going to let that sit for a minute. That’s element number eight of “foundational faith.”

I could close in prayer, but this is one service, this is one gathering of people. We’re going to transition into communion at this point. And I think that’s about as suitable a place to transition to communion as we could have. Thinking about thanksgiving, gratitude for the saving work of Jesus Christ, for His shed blood, to look at these elements of foundational faith.

We’ve been looking, this morning at foundational faith. Not experiential faith. Not excitement-driven faith. Not anything like that foundational faith. Foundational faith that requires us to receive Christ Jesus as Lord. To be firmly rooted in Him and built up in Him. There’s nothing more foundational to be reminded of, or to reflect upon, as we prepare to take communion. And what this is all about is the gospel message, come to fruition, through what Christ did on the cross. And the gospel, you’ve heard me say it many times before already, the gospel begins with God. Doesn’t begin with us and our need for anything. It begins with God and who He is. It begins with remembering and recognizing that God is a God who is holy. He’s perfect. He’s the definition of perfection. He is just. He’s righteous. He calls every strike a strike. And every ball a ball. And never gets it wrong. He is a God, who on account of His holiness and His justice and His righteousness, He hates sin. But He’s also a God who is patient. And He’s a God who is merciful. He’s a God who is a God of love. And He demonstrated His own love, most powerfully, in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Into this world. God sent His Son, the Lord, into this world on a mission. And that mission was to die. To stand in the place of sinners like you and me. And then at Calvary’s cross to atone for sin. Not His own, because He had none. But for our sin, of which we’ve had plenty. And He shed His own innocent blood . . . and He committed to and did in fact die . . . on our behalf.

And when we partake of the elements that we’re about to partake of. We’re simply remembering and reflecting. And we’re, with grateful thankful hearts, rejoicing. As we think about who we once were. As we consider who we once were in our sin. When we were dead in our sin. As we consider the great debt that we owed to this holy God, that we had incurred against Him on account of our sin. As we consider the very sure and very terrifying real prospect of the terrifying wrath of God falling on our head, for the sin that we’d committed. And as we consider the finished work of Christ on the cross. And how, through His death, He paid – in full, the debt of our sin. So that our sins could be forgiven. So that relationship with this holy God could be restored. And that we could have that hope of eternal life to look forward to.

God, we thank You again for sending Your Son into the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf. We thank You, that You saw fit, because of Your great love for us, Your great grace, Your great mercy. to send the Lord Jesus. To send Your Son into the world to die on our behalf. We thank You for the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Which is our hope. Which is the very payment for the atonement for our sin. The very payment for our entrance into heaven, one day. The very payment for the forgiveness of sin that we committed. And we thank You for the ultimate sacrifice of the ultimate Lamb. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God, I pray that as we go away from this place, we would not look at this in a trivial manner. We would not be immediately forgetful of the cost of the sacrifice of Your Son. Because of the gravity and the depth of our sin. May we rejoice in the fact that sin has been forgiven. May that joy then move into a joyful obedience to You, God. To know that we were once mastered by our sin. And once dominated by our sin. Once slaves to sin, as it says in Romans 6. But now we have a new Master. We are now slaves, joyful slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whose yolk is easy. Whose burden is light. And what a joy it is to serve Him every day of our life. We thank You for this morning of worship. And give You all the praise. In Jesus name. Amen.