My Pulpit Message - notes Grow in Fullness in Christ My Pulpit Message Notes are extracted from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday 20th March 2022. Preacher: Reverend Munengi Mulandi, Senior Pastor, Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC). Topic: Grow in Fullness in Christ. Scripture: Colossians 2:6-23 Many people wear all kinds of insurances. Some have protection charms vation, or that their eternal security is at jeopardy, or that the way they on their wrists, some bracelet that is never removed supposed to protect are going they might knock the doors of heaven and it wont they opened, them from evil eyes etc. but he is concerned that their life before heaven would be worthless. That the life God has for them on earth, as citizens of heaven, but ambassadors Visiting one of my relatives abroad they made a wonderful breakfast for here would be compromised and so he issues a warning; beware, be careme where fruits and vegetables are mixed together in a juicer and after ful, see to it that you are not taken captive. serving the drinking they came with a huge bottle of multicoloured stuff Like us, when they received Christ they were very happy that we were supposed to take which they said were multivitamins, they and thought now it is like how you used to drive on Waiyaki Way, before were food supplements; calcium, omega 3, phosphate and yet they did all the Express Way came and have to do all kinds of dodging. these things away from the food that when you eat the food, you have to They believed once you receive Christ, you just wait for supplement with these vitamins. heaven. God had a message for them that there is more than just waiting for heaven. Yes it is there and is secure, but like Paul says in 2 Peter 1:8, - Paul by the inspiration of God writes to the believers in Colosse. What make your faith productive. And so Paul writes to them and gives them a God is speaking to them and to us today is that Jesus plus nothing is warning, beware, see to it that you are not taken advantage of. equals to everything. Jesus + 0 (nothing )= everything The believers in Colosse were concern. Were they going to cut the tape of the race successfully? Were they going to finish their journey/marathon in Christ successfully? Were they going to win that commendation award having finished with Jesus only? So they began having some supplements/ substitutes/multi-vitamins to add to/fortify Jesus.
Take a second look at Jesus Christ. Look at the Nth degree of who He is. In essence God (Col 2:9) and what He had done. Done a circumcision on us that is beyond the hands of men and cancelling our debt of sin that no supplement could do. Look at the Majesty of Jesus, who comes against these philosophies and disarms them all and has Majesty over them. Look at the soon coming King, this One whom everything else is a shadow. He alone is real.
W. I. N
As God was speaking to the Colossians He is speaking to us so that we may be able to cut the tape at the end of our salvation journey and WIN because of these three points: -
1. 2. 3.
Warning (Colossians 2:8-23) Instructions (Colossians 2:6-7, 9-23) N-nth factor/degree (Colossians 2:9-23)
Warning (Colossians 2:8-23)
Col 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy” The battle is in the mind. There are these thoughts / ideologies/ philosophies / ways of doing things that are trying to squeeze you into their own mould to think in a certain way. Paul warns them to be careful not to be dependent on human tradition, or elemental spiritual forces that have become the patrons of the way you do things
Verses 9-23 he gives more explanation of what these things are: Verse 16 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” He goes on listing these things, but I don’t know if you have noticed that in the book of Galatians warning them about these same things, but in the book of Galatians, he gives specific and detailed explanations as to what these philosophies are, what these things he is warning them against are. But in Colossians, he does not spend as much time detailing what the problems are, what he is warning them against, he spends a lot more time giving them what the solution is; Jesus plus nothing equal everything.
Paul is warning them just like he did to the Galatians, but more in details. He asked the Galatians, this was a race you were running well by - The gospel that is being presented to the believer in Colosse is not only, grace through faith, but who cut in on you, who bewitched you? Because don’t look for more apart from Jesus, it is, why look for more? For He is the issues of circumcision, certain diets, certain days, the moon,etc, the sufficient. issues of the philosophy of the day, all those were confusing God’s people that were making them unproductive in their faith as they lived here even Paul is writing a warning to believers, a church that had as they waited for heaven. So he gives them a stern warning. In verse 22 been planted by Epaphras, a church that he had never visited, but a church he tells them, ‘and anyway, even the observance of these things does not that was growing as described in 1:2 ‘ To the holy and faithful brothers in add any value in restraining you from sexual indulgence. So be warned! Christ Jesus. He is not writing to people who are outside of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is people who have received Christ, who love Jesus, who have confessed their sins, peoples whose names are written in the book of life and yet he has a stern warning for them. ‘Be careful /beware/see to it that you are not taken captive.” Paul is not concerned that they are going to lose their sal-
3 TT 145 | MAR 22nd - 28th | 2022
