"The Christ Identity"
January 2, 2011
Senior Pastor Dr.
David Craig
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Date: January 2, 2011 - WEFC
Sermon Title: "The Christ Identity" - Sermon 6 of Colossians Series
Text: Colossians 1 : 2a
Sermon Notes for "The
Christ Identity"
( Click here to download or open the Word
document file for these notes. )
The Christ Identity
The Christ
Identity
Christ Centered
Living Part 6 - Colossians 1:2a – January 2, 2011
Principles of
Christian Identity
1) We
are to see ourselves as citizens of two kingdoms
(v.2).
2) Augustine’s
City of God (written from 413-426 A.D.) teaches that from
the first rebellion of the fallen angels against God “two cities have been
formed by two loves; the earthly by the love of self, even to the
contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God,
even to the contempt of self.”
3) We
must learn to live by principle rather than by power
or pleasure (the very definition of a barbarian).
4) We
are all barbarians until God removes our proud self-centeredness
and enables us to trust and learn from Him who alone is good, absolutely true
and exquisitely beautiful – Jesus Christ.
Christ’s Prayer for
The City of God (John 17:1-26)
What Jesus Didn’t
Pray for:
1) That
we would be numerous.
2) That
the Roman emperor would be converted.
3) That
Christian laws or a theocratic political
system would be established.
What Jesus Did
Pray for:
That God would get glory
(vv. 1, 4-5, 10, 22, 24) by allowing His character to be developed
and seen in us, and that we would obey Him in six
specific ways:
“Father, the hour has come; glorify
your Son that the Son may glorify you…I glorified
you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now,
Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory
that I had with you before the world existed…All mine is yours, and yours is
mine, and I am glorified in them…The glory that you
have given to me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are
one…Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me
where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you
loved me before the foundation of the world (vv. 1, 4-5, 10, 22, 24).”
1) joy
(v.13),
“But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the
world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves (v.
13).”
2) holiness
(vv. 14-16),
“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them
because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask
that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world (vv. 14-16).”
3) truth
(v. 17),
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is
truth (v. 17).”
4) mission
(v. 18),
“As you have sent me into the world, so I have
sent them into the world (v. 18).”
5) unity
(vv. 20-23),
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will
believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just
as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that
the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given
to me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are
one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one,
so that the world may know that you have sent me and loved them even as you
have loved me (vv. 20-23).”
6) love
(v. 26).
“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make
it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them,
and I in them (v. 26).”
Guide for
Discipleship and Mentoring in Community
1) James
Montgomery Boice (Two Cities, Two Loves) has defined a Barbarian
as, “a person who lives by power (control) and for pleasure
rather than by and for principle.” Be honest – By his definition are you
more like a Barbarian or a Christian? Why?
2) Read
John 15:1-11. According to Jesus what results in your “joy being made full?”
3) Holiness
is the characteristic of God that is mentioned more than any other in the
Bible. The term “saint” is not used of “special” Christians, but of “all”
Christians. This is due to your position “in” Christ and that you have been
“set apart” for God’s purposes. How do you see God setting you apart at home;
school, work, on the playing field? How do you think a Christian and a
Barbarian are different in these scenarios?
4) We
are to be a “truth” based (meaning Bible saturated – John 17:17) people. How
much Scripture do you really know and apply each day? As a little exercise –
take out a sheet/s of paper and write down from memory every Scripture you have
memorized. Then go over these Scriptures and evaluate how well you are
“intentionally” applying them to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.
5) Think
of at least three practical reasons of why Jesus has left us “in” the world.
Also, see if you can compare and contrast these reasons with “Barbarians”
reasons for living in the world.
6) You
have been given a “mind,” “heart,” and “hands” to be on mission (sent) with to
the world. How are you using these “tools” for God’s vineyard in the world?
7) What
surprises you about what Jesus didn’t pray for? Of the six specific things
Jesus prayed for which is the most difficult for you to actually live out? Try
to find someone to help you grow in one of the six areas. Start with Jesus – He
modeled joy, holiness, love, unity, mission, and love perfectly. Try to be
intentional about growing in one of these areas radically for the Kingdom of
God to be manifested and Christ glorified on the earth.
8) How
are you promoting and contributing to the unity of our Church Body? Try to
always be “for” the church and seek to do all you can to build up the Body of
Christ, rather than tear it down. Think of ways you can specifically make our
church more joyful, holy, truthful, missional, loving, and unified – by being
these things yourself! Evaluate these areas in your life one day at a time and
try to eliminate a behavior (e.g. – where are you being unloving, unholy,
untruthful, etc.) and try to add a behavior (e.g. – sing a joyful song unto the
Lord; seek to tell the truth to someone (something you may be holding back –
make sure it’s spoken in love and to help them); be missional – invite an
unbeliever for coffee and just be interested in them – see if you can
practically help them – and if God leads share some Biblical truth with them in
love.
( Click here to download or open the Word
document file for these notes. )
The Christ Identity
Christ Centered Living Part 6 - Colossians 1:2a – January 2, 2011
Principles of Christian Identity
1) We are to see ourselves as citizens of two kingdoms (v.2).
2) Augustine’s City of God (written from 413-426 A.D.) teaches that from the first rebellion of the fallen angels against God “two cities have been formed by two loves; the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self.”
3) We must learn to live by principle rather than by power or pleasure (the very definition of a barbarian).
4) We are all barbarians until God removes our proud self-centeredness and enables us to trust and learn from Him who alone is good, absolutely true and exquisitely beautiful – Jesus Christ.
Christ’s Prayer for The City of God (John 17:1-26)
What Jesus Didn’t Pray for:
1) That we would be numerous.
2) That the Roman emperor would be converted.
3) That Christian laws or a theocratic political system would be established.
What Jesus Did Pray for:
That God would get glory (vv. 1, 4-5, 10, 22, 24) by allowing His character to be developed and seen in us, and that we would obey Him in six specific ways:
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed…All mine is yours, and yours is mine, and I am glorified in them…The glory that you have given to me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one…Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world (vv. 1, 4-5, 10, 22, 24).”
1) joy (v.13),
“But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves (v. 13).”
2) holiness (vv. 14-16),
“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world (vv. 14-16).”
3) truth (v. 17),
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (v. 17).”
4) mission (v. 18),
“As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world (v. 18).”
5) unity (vv. 20-23),
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given to me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and loved them even as you have loved me (vv. 20-23).”
6) love (v. 26).
“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (v. 26).”
Guide for Discipleship and Mentoring in Community
1) James Montgomery Boice (Two Cities, Two Loves) has defined a Barbarian as, “a person who lives by power (control) and for pleasure rather than by and for principle.” Be honest – By his definition are you more like a Barbarian or a Christian? Why?
2) Read John 15:1-11. According to Jesus what results in your “joy being made full?”
3) Holiness is the characteristic of God that is mentioned more than any other in the Bible. The term “saint” is not used of “special” Christians, but of “all” Christians. This is due to your position “in” Christ and that you have been “set apart” for God’s purposes. How do you see God setting you apart at home; school, work, on the playing field? How do you think a Christian and a Barbarian are different in these scenarios?
4) We are to be a “truth” based (meaning Bible saturated – John 17:17) people. How much Scripture do you really know and apply each day? As a little exercise – take out a sheet/s of paper and write down from memory every Scripture you have memorized. Then go over these Scriptures and evaluate how well you are “intentionally” applying them to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.
5) Think of at least three practical reasons of why Jesus has left us “in” the world. Also, see if you can compare and contrast these reasons with “Barbarians” reasons for living in the world.
6) You have been given a “mind,” “heart,” and “hands” to be on mission (sent) with to the world. How are you using these “tools” for God’s vineyard in the world?
7) What surprises you about what Jesus didn’t pray for? Of the six specific things Jesus prayed for which is the most difficult for you to actually live out? Try to find someone to help you grow in one of the six areas. Start with Jesus – He modeled joy, holiness, love, unity, mission, and love perfectly. Try to be intentional about growing in one of these areas radically for the Kingdom of God to be manifested and Christ glorified on the earth.
8) How are you promoting and contributing to the unity of our Church Body? Try to always be “for” the church and seek to do all you can to build up the Body of Christ, rather than tear it down. Think of ways you can specifically make our church more joyful, holy, truthful, missional, loving, and unified – by being these things yourself! Evaluate these areas in your life one day at a time and try to eliminate a behavior (e.g. – where are you being unloving, unholy, untruthful, etc.) and try to add a behavior (e.g. – sing a joyful song unto the Lord; seek to tell the truth to someone (something you may be holding back – make sure it’s spoken in love and to help them); be missional – invite an unbeliever for coffee and just be interested in them – see if you can practically help them – and if God leads share some Biblical truth with them in love.
We are located at
3770 Highway 525
Greenbank, Washington
That is 2 miles south of Greenbank
and 6 miles north of Freeland by MAP.