Invite: Into Your Life (John 1:35-39)

The root of the Gospel is Christ. The fruit of the Gospel in change. In Colossians 3:5-17, the Apostle Paul calls us to seek transformation by killing sin and living Christ.

We are naturally inclined and oriented to this world and the things in it. But they can't bear the weight of glory. We need a reorientation of our glory (our identity, our honor, our pursuit, our satisfaction) to that which is actually glorious. Being rooted in Christ reorients our glory. The Apostle Paul teaches us to reorient our glory by dwelling on our past, our present, and our future in Christ. 

If we are rooted in Christ, we can walk in victory...

victory over the world

victory over  the flesh

victory over the devil

We are called to fight for community by

- struggling for one another's encouragement

- struggling for one another's belonging

- struggling for one another's assurance

- struggling for one another's good

We have a mission. 

Three essential parts of our mission: 

1. The cost of our mission: a ministry of suffering and stewardship
2. The content of our mission: a mystery of riches to be revealed
3. The culmination of our mission: a maturity in wisdom and work

What is the hope of the Gospel? 

The One who is above everything (Jesus) has done everything so you can have everything and overcome everything.

The Apostle Paul prays for the local church in Colossae and provides a model for us to pray for our church (to grow). 

Pray for your church to grow full of wisdom (1:9)

Pray for your church to grow fruitful in works (1:10)

Pray for your church to grow fortified for the walk (1:11-12)

Thank God for the root and the fruit of the Gospel. 

The root of the Gospel is Christ, as we receive and rest in him alone.

The fruit of the Gospel is change, as we are transformed by grace and bear fruit of faith, hope, and love.

Are you rooted in Christ? In this first message on Paul's letter to the Colossians, we unearth the essence of being firmly planted in faith. As we navigate Colossians 2:6-7, we see the deep connection Paul fostered with the Colossian believers through Epaphras's ministry, and we confront the allure of the "Jesus plus" gospel that threatened their spiritual stability. We share insights on why having a foundation in Christ alone is not just necessary, but life-changing. This passage reminds us to resist adding to the gospel, steering us instead toward the freeing truth found in Christ's sufficiency.

Moving beyond intellectual agreement, this message challenges you to reflect: Is your relationship with Jesus just intellectual agreement with the facts? Or is it a transformative, life-enveloping faith? We discuss what it means to truly receive Jesus, emphasizing the difference between knowing about Him and personally knowing Him. This isn't just about salvation; it's about enriching the fabric of our daily lives with a genuine, relational faith. As we delve into this introduction to the series, we invite listeners to ask three simple but important questions of their own faith as a “root check” of their walk with God. Prepare to reassess your spiritual life with a heart open to embracing Jesus in every step you take.