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Colossians 2:13-23 Christ has set me free

Colossians 2:13-23

PICTURE IN YOUR MIND.....As Jesus was dying on the Cross that Friday, in the halls of Hell, Satan and his demons were laughing hysterically and with delight.

 

They were partying and celebrating. The party was in full fling!

It was the party to end all parties. Devilish laughter filled the air! From time to time Satan rose to make a speech to the cheers of the demons.

He displayed the calm confidence of someone who’s won his greatest victory.

It was hard-fought to be sure and until the last moment he was nervous, but then it happened, and when it did, he knew he was the victor at last.

That old curse ...this puny God is finally gone…we’ll see who crushes who’s head.

 

Hours passed…the music and partying grew even louder. They danced and sang and drank and cheered and laughed the night away.

 

By Saturday morning, when you’d have expected the crowd to thin out, it grew larger–and louder–and even more rowdy as more and more spiritual rulers from distant realms came from around the spiritual world. The world we cannot see....

 

Speeches were given, followed by one toast after another. Then, more dancing and in the darker corners, wild immoral behavior took place.

 

But then it happened! .......No one knows the precise moment but in the early hours of Sunday morning, a messenger arrived whispering something in the ear of Satan..... and he looked as though he had seen one of his own ghosts...But he grew faint at the news.

 

A nervous whisper ran through the crowd. It happened that fast.

 

The music stopped, the dancing ended, and on Sunday morning the party in hell was over forever...... Hell’s rejoicing was short-lived. The party that started on Good Friday ended on Easter Sunday. What appeared to be Satan’s greatest victory turned into his absolute defeat?

 

The Cross on Calvary and the empty tomb meant for Satan the party’s over.

 

When Christ rose from the dead he took all the power and sting out of ALL the principalities powers or domains of the spiritual world.

All the powers that rage against the Christian...Christ exposed them... laid them bare and then he shattered smashed them.

Read vs 15.

Now they are empty and defeated...beaten completely

 

That is what Jesus did on the cross...

 

When I was about 18 a friend of mine got hold of some drugs...

But he died after being thrown to of a moving car onto the hospital steps.

I had a dream....standing before God ...backing away... saying hope  less... hopeless hope less end.

 

One thing Steve got right....in his short life

"Hopeless" describes exactly our position before the cross.

Before the cross, we were not friends with God. Thrown out of the Garden of Eden...we became independent of God...we were on our own.

We made the mess and we were powerless to fix it.

Then came plan of God...Calvary and the cross!! Starting with the Angel being placed at the gate to stop Adam and Eve coming back in...The tree of life was there...you don’t want to touch that when your in a state of rebellion with God. Then go across history to the cross at Calvary and to the empty grave.

And what was a hopeless end became for the Christ one an endless Hope. Check out 1 John 5:11,12. With Christ life without Christ ...no life.

Look back over history to the guy who ordered the death of Jesu...Pilate. Before Jesus was nailed to that cross he put a small sign was nailed above his head...

Jesus of Nazareth ...the king of the Jews!

The Jews authorities said, "no, no, … but Pilate said, "what I have written, I have written."

What you couldn’t see written in very small letters was all the sins of little Jackie Garratt

Vs 14 He cancelled All the record of sin against little Jackie!!!

 

Every time you or I broke a command of God... forgiven and cancelled...

 

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned.

Rom 6:23 Wages of sin... PAID IN FULL…so free the gift was eternal life.

Forgiven when we take Christ seriously and follow Him…     

In colossia jews who were used to having holy days and following rules started to lea non the gentiles and said they had to do the same….( this is why the letter)

But Sinful man could never reach a holy God through his own efforts.

No matter how sincere the effort, no matter how agonizing the labour self beating or fasting....

 

Sinful man can never bridge the chasm between himself and a holy God.

 

Eph 2:8,9...Not by works or human effort...but by grace!!

 

It was the Grace if God that bridged that chasm between God and Man.

 

Do you really think God would put his Son through the humiliation and agony of the cross if all that was needed for us to get right with God was a little dieting here holiday there and of course a little skin whacking for the guys!

 

Sin is a horrible, and hideous, and it effects every human on this planet.

To be rid of sin demands the very wisdom and power of Almighty God.

 

All these visual practices are doomed to failure spiritually, Paul says in verse 23, ‘‘Because they are based on human teachings, human strength."

We could not fix it!!!

Because Jesus came to this earth to die and rise from the dead...not so that He could simply just plonk you in heaven for eternity. That’s only part of it and a very important part.  But it was also to get himself out of heaven and into you where you are...taking His rightful place as God intended man to be...full of God...as it was in the garden of Eden!!

 

A man of God is a man in whom God

 

Through what Jesus did on the cross, if you are a Christ one you are acceptable. WHY? Because... The life of the Lord Jesus is placed in you to stop you being what you are in your nature, and that is unholy. That my friend is something only the Holy Spirit can do for you.

Once that new life is placed in you... You are free!!! Vs 20.

Let’s put this in real life…

The things that took Christ to the cross…in Christ they are terminated ...Finished! Vs 20.

One of the happiest days of my father’s life took place about 67  years ago.

My father was standing on parade in army uniform.

He was about to leave the army after the war.

You are now dismissed from his majesty's army and may, if you wish, seek civilian employment. But if you desire to sign on for another seven years, his majesties government we'll be happy to entertain you."

My father said under his breath...Not bloomin likey. He was free!

There was a man that had made the life of the soldiers an absolutely misery and his name was ‘regimental sergeant major’ . He had an immaculate uniform, a big voice, and a big mouth and a big moustache.

He loved to come right behind you while we were on parade, standing stiff.

Staring straight ahead. He would open his very big mouth one inch behind your ears and shout at the top of his voice, 'Am I hurting you boy?"

We had to answer, "No, sergeant major." "I can't hear you!"

"You're not moving your head, are you?" "no, sergeant major."

"I’m standing on your hair at the back! Get your hair cut

He was not a nice man!!!

Whenever we saw him coming, our backs would spring up straight. We'd swing our arms up to the shoulder, thumb on top, heels dug in.

The day my Dad was released He saw the rsm walking toward him.

My Dads head sprang up, His back straightened, and he began to march. His arm went to leap up to salute ... And a little voice inside me said.. "You are free from him, You died to him a few moments ago on that parade ground.... so he is dead to you. He has no power over you!!!"

So why salute a dead man walking!!!

So a very funny thing happened. His back curled over to a relaxed position, my hands found their way deliciously into my pockets.

And as he walked past the man, he whistled. I whistle a happy tune......and gave a little wave not a salute..

The RSM went red, turned to purple, turned to puce. He couldn't do a thing.

That's what the cross means to the Christian. We also died to all that it was necessary for Christ to die for.

VS 16 read....

So the next time people come our way and lean on you to act like them because they have a problem with the new direction you are taking

Or it could be....something like the food or drink or Satan tries to have a go at you and tempt you.....remember that although some people are powerful and Satan is mighty .....God is ALL powerful and All MIGHTY.....we should just whistle at 'em.  Deg vara are....

Thine be the Glory risen conquering Son, endless is thy victory thou oer death has won.

The devil and the principalities, and powers, the determined people he uses...They can't do a thing.

 

With Christ He has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved—

He has don it...it really is finished.

What's so good about "Good Friday"?

John 10

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant,

BC cartoon....

So what’s so good about good Friday?

ITS ALL ABOUT a man GOING die...!!!

WELL WHATS GOOD ABOUT THAT?

One year that we were going to South Africa British airways messed up our our connecting flights so we had to stay in a hotel at their expense.  It was 4 or 5 star Hilton hotel...and they gave us a key that was an all access pass. Opened all doors to any facility in the hotel. Restaurants, swimming pool, sauna bath gym...

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a key like that in real life?

I wonder How many doors have you gone through today?

Open a door in paradise...all access pass to the garden.

Enjoy it...its a garden of perfection and relationships...enjoy.

One condition!

2 Tree’s of good and evil.

Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:9

Ever had a door slammed in your face.

THAT’S WHAT Adam and Eve did...

slammed the door in Gods face. Instead of obeying God...

They thought they knew best!!!! 

What did God do? And drove out Adam and eve.

He put cherubim to guard the entrance. WHY?

For their protection he did not want them to touch the tree of life...especially as they were sin full. (Sin is saying no to God that's what they did when they did their own thing.)

If they could have found their way back into the garden and touched the tree of life they would be locked into a life of complete separation from God for ever !!! Gen 3:22

So right from the start.  God protected the man and woman .

NO ACCESS NO WAY BACK FOR THE MAN AND WOMAN THIS WAY!!!!

BUT A PLAN WAS BEING MADE....GODS PLAN HIS WAY.

You cant just come back to me any old way...there is a way and its my way.

John 10: I am the door.

Not a door not some kind of door, not a revolving door...NOT ANY RUBBISH DOOR  ..BUT THE DOOR!

To where?

Back into a relationship to God!!!!! A way that was safe...

John 10:6 people did not understand...

Have you seen HINterland a who did it show...a city cop come to the country wales...green fields and sheep!!!

14. I am shepherd

He lays down his life for his sheep.

So he starts to make a connection with the Door and shepherd.

Corral narrow door way.

The shepherd would sit or lay down so nothing can get through except over his body.

I am the door and eternal life is on the other side....

John 14:6...I am the way, truth and life...there is no other way to come to God.. except by ME.....I am the Plan!!!!

John 10:9.... I am the door:

There are many believe that God has been hiding from them all their lives.

Some people spend their whole lives knocking on doors...the financial door, success door, sex door, drugs door, relationship door...  only to find...no one home...no satisfaction...there was nothing there.

THAT’S WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY...

Not any man but Jesus came to make a way back to God and died doing so....BUT and rose again in order to open up an all access door.

And He says THROUGH IT come as you are...

It doesn’t matter if you’re an abandon wife or husband, whether you are sane or suicidal, drug addict, business man or at home mom.

so crippled with guilt because of your past mistakes, that never ending search for more and satisfaction.

come as you are...

If you trust me to be the door ...and come through that door I will relieve you of the past and create a new destiny and destination for you....

John 11:25.... "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies,.....I will give you LIFE.

Its there for the taking...new lives for old..... And that is what is so good about good Friday.

Genesis 15 Faithful God

Genesis 15....

This week, we will look at God speaking to this man, Abram, and he’ll be left with a decision and that is whether or not he can trust God.

This is the question for us all.

Beginning in Genesis 15:1. “After this” – and what he’s referring to here is in Chapter 14, Which Dan shared with us last week.

Abram went off and fought a great battle to release his not so intelligent nephew, Lot. And what Lot was doing there I don’t know...

He also met Melchizedek, who was priest and king of Jerusalem.  So after this great battle and meeting this great man, ( download the message)

This is where we pick up the story, where God is again speaking to Abram. And when God speaks it means He has something to say.

(Tiger and canary)

 vs 1 “the word of the Lord came to Abram” –

I want say this about God. God is free to reveal himself and communicate in any way that he determines is most effective, beneficial –  it is his right.

God can speak to us, the Bible says, through creation. Psalms,

through what he has made.

God can speak to us (Romans 2 says) through our conscience.

God can speak to us, obviously, through his Word.

God can speak through an angel.

God can speak through circumstances.

God could speak through a dream. He does that with Joseph at the end of the book of Genesis.

And here, God’s going to reveal himself through a vision.

God will speak in any way that he desires to people that he wants to reach.

Maybe we could ask God to speak to and .....

Surprise Ebenezer in jail in Eretria to meet his needs....

God will surprise Ta ha...

Know anyone else? Shout out their name.....

I personally never had a vision or a dream.

And these things happen today.

I was reading that in some closed countries under different religious rule where Christian missionaries are not allowed to go.

Now there are reports of Muslims coming in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ because they will go to bed and have a dream, and in that dream, they will die and they will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ to give an account for their life.

And they wake up and realize that Jesus is real and they become Christians. Why? Because God know where people are at and He can surprise them knowing....

He gets their attention....

So God breaks through in a vision and here’s what he says. Abram....He . “Don’t be afraid,” 

The shepherds we hear about at Christmas Don’t be afraid!!!!

Mary at the tomb Don’t be afraid....!

 “Abram....Don’t be afraid.” “OK I’ll try not to be...”

But doesn’t the Bible tells us to just fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (1 Sam 12:24) and he does....But its not be scared of the Lord...

C. S. Lewis describes; Numinous" taken from the Latin. It is a fear as to filled with awe, in which you "feel wonder and a certain shrinking" or "a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitation". It is a fear that comes forth out of love for the Lord.

I'm FEARFUL OF MY WIFE!!!!

I'm full of fear of hurting her. "Filial fear" (the fear of offending someone whom one loves).

But of course get a visitation from God or and angel and there is bound to be a surprise...imagine Mary in the kitchen and suddenly and Angel!!!  Fear Not Mary!!!...You Scared the life out of me!!!

Now, Abram at this point is an old man.... in his 90s.

Starting to become  Anxious about his time left on this earth.

And so, what God is saying here is this: “Abram, pay attention to me. Don’t be afraid of what’s happening in your life and circumstances.

I have a plan for you. If you trust me, everything’s gonna be just fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”

And then he gives two beautiful images about himself.

First, “I am your shield,” and second, “I am your very great reward.”

Two beautiful images...Dan last week told us of the battle he had just fought and won.

Already proved that he is a shield Because Abram with his 318 men went up against this huge war machine.

“Abram, you know why you won that war....Because its all about me not you!!!! Because I’m your shield.. I protected you. I defended you. I gave you a victory.”

And this picture of God being our shield is continued through scripture.

Ephesians 6 in the New Testament where it tells us that as God’s people we are in a war. It’s not just against people but against powers, domains, and spirits.

I'm a labourer, teacher mechanic, student...what do we know about the spirit world. Principalities and powers--But He does.

What this means is we, as a little church, are up against a real enemy that’s spiritual.....Jesus believes and encountered a literal Satan.

With real demons. With Real spiritual attacks.  This is a real enemy who really wants to do us harm.

He doesn’t want us to love each other. He wants us to be bitter, angry, unforgiving, mean-spirited, and divided.

Recognize some so called Christians you know?

He doesn’t want us to be devoted to the Lord Jesus he wants us to be lazy.

He doesn’t want Christian marriages last. He doesn’t want the children to be raised in loving Christian homes.

Satan doesn’t like you !!!! So what do we do? 

As one of my friends used to say; get under the spout where the glory runs out....we hang out under the shield.  God is our protector. He’s our defender.

And he says, “Abram, I’m your shield. I know everything about you now ......

It’s like Hebrews 12:2 says. Fix your eyes on me trust me...

Stay under my protective covering.

Hang out with me.. Let’s have this ongoing relationship. Let yourself be mentored, be disciples so you can grow in knowledge of me and tell people of what you know about me... I’ll will fight for you I will protect you.”

Abram had just won a war in Genesis 14. He had all the spoils of victory he could’ve taken for himself, a large fortune, made himself very wealthy. Did he take any of his money?

And God is reminding him that HE is his very great reward.

Job 22:21-27 Read .....Is the Lord you r gold and silver...

Chapter 12.....God said Leave your country....

Chapter13. So Abram left...

But now in 15: He hesitates! he is feeling worried.

This man of faith is struggling...

vs 2. BUT BUT BUT.....

He’s confused, and the question is whether he can trust God!

God takes him outside and looks toward heaven...your descendants will be as many as the stars...

do you know what Abrams doing..?

He is looking back toward a wife who is following him in Zimmer frame...Im really old now....God I think you got it wrong!!!

He is stressed with the largeness of the promise and he says to himself...IMPOSSIBLE...

Luke 18:27          Listen to the words of Jesus...

Amplified Bible (AMP)

27 But He said, What is impossible with men is possible with God.

 But there are times when you read the Word of God, you read the promises of God, “I’ll forgive all your sins. I’ll never leave you. I’ll never forsake you. I will bless you. I will protect you. I will do you good, not harm.

I will work out all things for the good of those who love me and are called according to my purpose.” You read all those promises ...but then you look at your life and you say, “God, I just don’t see it. God,

You like Abraham have left your land...but life at times tough in this freezing land of Norway!!

Ab says you’ll never leave me, but I feel alone.

You say that  you’ll work everything out, but it just seems like it’s not coming together....the language is difficult, I cant find a job at all.

I don’t have all my culture and family or even the food I'm used to .

God, I don’t understand.”

This is the place that Abram finds himself in.

God is right there with him and he is saying BUT BUT!!!

HOLD ON!!! IS He is doubting God to His face?

YES...DOUBT IS NOT unbelief...

But doubt and unbelief are two different things....

Faith is big enough for doubt. Doubt can be positive.

Its what we do with or doubt that matters...Im your shield your reward......therefore we take the Doubt to GOD JUST LIKE ABRAM.

Take the BUTS to Lord I'm struggling, I don’t understand, I don’t see it, I don’t taste it I'm frustrated with all that is going on or not going on. Help me understand it?

Doubt is absolutely part of faith and growth.

Unbelief is when you walk away and say, and we turn our back on God and basically say that God is a lying.

Where does he take his doubt, He takes it to God.

 “O Sovereign Lord,” – what he can see is that it is not all abut him and tired little body Its about Sovereign Lord!!!!

So many people treat God as like a free Amazon.

By pushing the buy now button we can push God into doing it my way in my time.  

Ab has tried that! When he and Sahrah decided to help God out with His promise...

Genesis 16:15

And Hagar (servant) gave Abraham a son: and Abram called his son's name, Ishmael.

Genesis 21:2-3

For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son is his old age .... And Abraham called him Isaac.

Here’s the problem. Jack Garratt is not Sovereign.

I don’t have a throne, I’m not the king of kings, lord of lords,.

Faith is knowing who the Sovereign Lord.....is.

This is not a guy who’s turned his back on God. This is a man who wants to know God more deeply and fully.

He’s in a hard place, but his heart is in the right place of wanting to push into God so that he might move forward in a right relationship.  The depth he now goes into God is the depth he can go into this great reward of people and land.