1.21 Church Sermons
Web Site: 1.21 Church
Total Sermons: 30
Find out how to link to 1.21 Church's sermons from your website or blog
Jesus Changes Everything (pt.2)
Paul Shows us because of the gospel we now can "put on" characteristics of Jesus. The gospel changes who we are from the inside out. This week in the life of 1.21church, we are asking the God of Colossians 3:12-17 to teach us and help us “put on” then new man that we are in Jesus. Paul has just given a list of what we are to “kill” or put off” because of the gospel. Now he is showing us the characteristics that we can now ‘put on’ because we are God’s chosen people. Paul goes through a small list and explains how each of the characteristics comes from Jesus and also how each should be natural affects from what Jesus has accomplished in his gospel. We can now be: holy, compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving, and full of love (the one that holds all together.) This is an extremely difficult text for most because we do not make the cut when it comes to these characteristics. A lot of time our actions do not back what we say or even show how good we think we are. The good news that Paul gives us is for us to look to and trust in the One person that had all of these characteristics, Jesus. We can now allow that Jesus to change us. In the text we see Jesus as… -the true Holy one whose life was always consecrated to God and His will. Even to the point of death, he refused to compromise his calling from God or the standards God had laid down for his life. -Jesus is the true Compassionate one who not only looked past the ways people had wronged him, but instead helped them and prayed for them even as he was nailed to the cross. -Jesus is the true Kind one who always took the time to help people with their problems and needs, whether they were great or small. -Jesus is the true Humble one who, though he existed as God, rather than holding on to his privilege, took on the form of a servant and came to earth, where he gave up his life in shame for prideful people like you and me. -Jesus is the true Patient one who dealt with his foolish, bickering disciples day and night for three years. And he is so patient with us daily. -Jesus is the true Forgiver who wipes our slate clean at great cost to himself and then casts our sin behind his back, never thinking of it again. -Jesus is the one that Displays Love, Is love, and Gives love. At the cross, we see love in its purest form: sacrifice and service. And because he has first loved us, now we too are able to love. We can only be this kind of person when we dwell deep on who he is and what he’s done, and then let that transform us. We can’t force it. We can’t try to accomplish it. Instead, it happens through us as we come to know Jesus. Paul is not telling us to be a better person. He is saying look to Jesus. Jesus personifies all of these qualities and his obedience is imputed in place of our failure. We are to put on these characteristics. We put on the new man, Jesus. It’s credited to us in justification, now we become it in progressive sanctification. He is our model, our motive, our source, and our security in all of this. Now as Christians we are allowed and commanded to go around and encourage our brothers and sisters by reminding them often of the gospel. How has the Gospel changed your life? Which characteristic that Paul listed do you struggle with the most and how does the gospel speak into your struggle?
0 Amens
Jesus Changes Everything (pt. 1)
Only after Chapters 1 & 2 in his letter to the church at Colossae does Paul begin to apply the gospel to the lives of his readers. This week 1.21 Church is looking at Colossians 3:1-10, (please read before going on). In this text God teaches us through Paul’s writing that the good news of Jesus changes every aspect of a believers life. He shows that this gospel has many implications, that these implications play out in everyday life. Many times we like to apply things that we have not learned yet. Paul, though, fills the first half of this letter with who Jesus is, and what Jesus has done. In doing so, he shows us that the only way we can apply the Word of God to our lives is by first seeing who Jesus is and what he has done. He begins by showing the only viable alternative proposal to legalism: instead of giving us principles to live by, or ways to change our behaviors, Paul reminds us of who we are in Christ. He tell us to stop thinking so much about ourselves, and our behavior (“earthly” things), and instead to set our minds on Jesus, and what he has done. He shows this in greater detail at the end of the text when he describes us putting off the old man (what we have received from Adam – sin), and putting on the new man (what we have received from the Second Adam – righteousness ). He gives those who are trusting in Jesus a list of things to kill; explaining that these things (such as anger, sex outside of marriage, slander, wrath) are inconsistent with who Jesus is, and are therefore of no value to a believer. He instructs us to kill them and put them away. They bring a bad name to Jesus, and they are inconsistent to who we are in Christ. Paul is not just telling them what they’re lives should be like. He’s calling them to live the lives that they’ve already been given in Christ. If you belong to Jesus, you have the same calling. What does applying the bible look like for you? How do you normally handle your own spiritual growth? When friends come to you for counsel, do you give them good advice or the good news of Jesus? Do you have friends that can help you see the implications from the gospel?
0 Amens
Identity
This week we continued our series: “Jesus versus Religion,” where we’ve been looking at the Book of Colossians, and seeing Jesus’ superiority over all things, including religion. The sermon this week came from Colossians 2.6-15, and explored our identity crises. The fact is, so often we don’t know who we are. We go around, wearing different masks to fit into different situations until we forget who we are underneath it all. As a result, our lives are fragmented and unstable. We don’t really feel like we belong anywhere because we don’t even know who we are. But in this passage, the Apostle Paul offers us a solution to this dillema: the stability and identity that we’re seeking are found in Jesus Christ and his gospel.
0 Amens
Suffering
This week, we looked at Colossians 1.24-2.5, where Paul describes his struggles and suffering on behalf of the church. This is good for us to hear, because we all struggle and suffer. There’s a tendency for us to think that if we love Jesus, believe in him, and follow him, that we’ll not have struggles or suffering. But this just couldn’t be true, because here Paul is: the Apostle of Jesus, representing him…yet he’s suffering! He doesn’t deny his suffering. He doesn’t seek “victory” over his suffering. Instead, he rejoices in suffering. So, even when we suffer, we can know that joy is available!
0 Amens
Joy
Pastor Gene teaches from Colossians 1:15-23, that the only way to genuine, lasting joy is through Jesus.
0 Amens
Easter
Today we celebrated the victory of Jesus over death. Pastor Stephen showed how the grace of God covers sin and how the Gospel is different than religion.
0 Amens
King Jesus
Jesus is the True and better king. All kings in the O.T. point to him and his kingship
0 Amens