Why don't you take your Bibles and go with me at this time over to Colossians chapter 2 and we are going to continue. We've looked at verse 1 through verse number 5 and how Paul in those verses very clearly in giving kind of a section heading of those verses would be a time frame of Paul is connecting on a personal level. So he's He's really presenting to them how his heart is burdened for them and for other places as well, other people that he knows as family in Christ, but has never met face-to-face. And so Paul connects very personally with them and helps them understand a little bit more concerning the caution, and of course he's going to continue that. All throughout Colossians he throws nuggets of information about caution. Here's what I do love about the book of Colossians, and I'm trying to try my best to teach 7th and 9th graders at this point how to read the Bible and and take note of things, how to notice things and see things that it's not just reading your Bible that matters, it's reading it with purpose. You can read anything and not know a thing you read. And yet, when you read the Bible, the point is, when you're reading, you're reading to gain information for knowledge and wisdom. You're seeking to grow and gain in knowledge, gain wisdom, and through it, get understanding. And so, when you're reading your Bible, there are ways in which you can kind of center in on unique aspects of what's happening in what you're reading so that it can more easily apply. And one of the things when it comes to the book of Colossians, one of the things you can notice and learn from is not just the content that is given, by Paul writing, but yet led by the Holy Spirit. It's not just the content, but if you're truly wanting to grow, you're gonna seek to grow not just by the surface information. There's multiple things you can gain through reading a book like the book of Colossians. One of those things you can gain is by paying attention to the way in which things are presented and through that what you will find is all throughout the book of Colossians we've already learned that this is a book written in large part a big reason for the writing is Paul trying to give warning and help to these people not to be pulled aside and fooled or deceived by vicious individuals who have Nothing concerning the ministry, the gospel, the purpose of Christ. All those things are not really the purpose of these individuals that are coming in with philosophy and theology and trying to gain men's confidence and following them. It's all for their own selfish purposes. They're not looking to further the real purpose of the church. They're looking to further their own purpose by using the church. And Paul has seen it, he's witnessed it, and he's dealt with it many times. But once you find it, we know that's the reason, that is one of the biggest purposes of the book of Colossians. Now as Paul is working to help them, With what he's saying to give warnings in that process, Paul is teaching a massive amount of important truth about Christ, and who we are in Christ, and what we've received through Christ. and all that's taken place, and there is a lot of massively encouraging words of exhortation concerning Christ in the book of Colossians. As we said, it is one of, if not the, most saturated books of the Bible concerning Christ. Christ, Him magnified, Him receiving the preeminence. And because of that focus on Christ, you understand that there is a lot of quality teachings that the child of God can gain and rejoice in concerning Christ. But here's another thing that you might miss if you're just allowing the surface to be enough for you. As I read through the book of Colossians, and as I study the book of Colossians for the purpose of trying to share what's there, There's one thing that has begun to stuck out, stuck out to me, stick out to me, you know, who cares, we're in the South, we say things however we feel like it, all right? But there's one thing that has begun to stick out to me concerning Paul's operation of what he teaches in his wording, okay? Now again, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, which tells you there is an aspect of wisdom to gain, not just in the words, but in the how. the words are presented. It's just like watching. Okay, I love when it comes to going to preacher's meetings and stuff. There are times when I'm listening to the preaching and I'm taking notes of the preaching and there are times when I'm just watching the preacher. John Yates in teaching. There are times, I've gone through the FBI stuff so many times, all the way through, so many different times. The first time I did it, I went through because I was trying to make sure I got the right content to pass the test. The second time I went through, I was really focused on really gaining more of a full understanding of the content, because I wasn't worried about the test. So I was gaining a little bit more of the full understanding of everything. By the third time I went through it, I was watching him as a teacher, especially when he was speaking and teaching on tongues, and speaking in tongues. Because I know this, what he teaches in the Bible Institute, there are entire groups and churches, entire large assemblies of people that are taking Faith Bible Institute that fully believe in the power of speaking in tongues. And if you've gone through Faith Bible Institute, you know he teaches what the Bible teaches, that it's an actual language for the hearing in someone's language by the miracle of God giving them the ability to either speak it or God giving the individual who speaks a different language the ability to hear it in their language, no matter what language they're speaking. The Lord is giving a miracle of true language that is unknown to the individual talking. Okay, but what I love is watching the teacher teach in a way that I gain and glean in some wisdom when I see someone who has the ability to teach a very touchy, difficult subject to people who are probably going to literally get mad at him. but yet the way in which he comes across and how he handles that information from Scripture so as not to lose the attention or to be shut off by the people he's trying to be heard by. He's wanting them to hear him and he's wanting them to listen. The last thing he needs to do is cause them to shut the gate on him so they never hear a word he's saying. So there are times when I like listening and watching the how it's presented. And so the same thing is true in scripture here. If you pay attention, you can see and you can watch not just the content of information, but the how it's presented. And here's something I can share with you, and we'll jump in, but there's something I can share with you about the book of Colossians that I'm starting to notice. Paul, time and time and time again, will mention and will, I mean, hit it dead on concerning the warning of wicked men. Trying to persuade them of things they do not need to follow. Trying to persuade them that Christ is not enough. men coming in that were not there originally and did not give the gospel to those who received Christ as their Savior. They had no part of that, but now they're coming in and trying to, as Paul will see in just a minute, trying to spoil the church with errant philosophies and wrong mentalities. But what you notice is though we know the book of Colossians is honestly the entire purpose of this letter is to deal with that very issue. The problem of infiltrators trying to turn the church from its focus on Christ. That is the purpose of the letter. And yet you don't see Paul just nonstop, just berating them with all of that. You see him insert it, and then talk about this, and then insert it, and then talk about Christ, and then insert it, and then encourage them with this, and then insert it, and encourage them over here. What's he doing? He's trying to keep them from turning him off. by the leading of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, he is constantly inserting the warning, the warning, and it's happening again and again and again and again. He almost says it the same way every single time. The context of what he's saying is the same thing over and over and over, but it's sandwiched all throughout, I should say it's kind of peppered, all throughout the entire letter. And it's not just one long letter of negative, negative, negative, negative, negative. Now, if you're paying attention to Scripture, you can learn something from that. You can learn how to help people with a very serious problem without coming across as though you're badgering them with their very serious problem. We can learn just from watching the how. in Scripture. And so that's just a little nugget. That is the teacher in me, okay? Wanting everyone to see there's more than just the words of Scripture. There is the reason God put it in here and the reason that the Holy Spirit led the writing of these letters in the way he did, because it's all together profitable. for every single child of God. So we've dealt with verse 1 to verse 5 is the connection on a personal level that Paul does with this group of believers. But then, verse number 6 to verse number 15, we're not going to get through all these verses, I'm going to break it up on purpose, alright? We're going to do from verse number 6 down to verse number 9 tonight, but The sectioning of these verses in this chapter, the next section would be verse number 16 to verse number 15. And I would simply give it a category or a title of Made Alive in Christ. That's the message, made alive in Christ. He's connected personally, now he's about to encourage them, and at the same time, give warning again. In the midst of the encouragement, he's gonna plug another warning into it all, okay? So, let's look at verse number six, and we'll go six, seven, eight, and nine tonight, okay? And so, being made alive in Christ is the message of these verses. and this section of the letter. Now, in verse number six and verse number seven, we have what I would say is being made alive in Christ, it is the focus on the walk, okay? The walk. And in this, there's several things given to us. And by the way, verse number six and verse number seven together are the key, I would say the key verses of the entire book of Colossians. It is the entire purpose for which Paul is writing to these believers, as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord. Well, there's the whole thing. Don't forget, ye have received Christ. As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. By the way, that is a very good challenge for the church today. You've received Christ. As ye have received Christ, so walk ye in him. May I say, one of the biggest struggles that even Christians today have, and I believe even back in this time we're having, is receiving Christ, but not walking in Christ. Receiving Christ, but being tempted to walk in the flesh. Having salvation, but being tempted to walk according to the desires of me. And what he's saying is, hey, as you have received Christ, it was him and him alone, you gave your all, how about you walk in him the same way? Give him your all. And so verse number seven, he gives a description of that walk. So walk ye in him. So here's the walk. There are five things listed. I'll just give them to you real quick. The five things listed, and then I'm gonna read verse number seven is where you find them. Rooted, built up, established, abounding, and thankful. Those five things comprise the walk in Christ. Rooted, built up, established, abounding, and thankful. So verse number seven, let's see them. So as he has received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, and here's the walk. Rooted and built up in him. By the way, yes, you say, but that's one thing, rooted and built up, but it's two things happening. Rooted, is the grounding of your faith. Because what he's saying is, don't let yourself be uprooted. Don't let yourself be ripped out of the nutrient ground of Christ. You are rooted, root deep. If they're gonna try to pull the tree, they're gonna have to work harder than they're gonna wanna have to work to get you out of it. You're so rooted, you're not worth the effort to try to pull out. Y'all ever dealt with one of those kind of weeds? Ever dealt with one of those? You ever try to remove a little bitty, in Louisiana, there's little tallow trees and stuff. Things are an absolute pain. But if you ever had a tree, it's not very big, you're thinking, oh, I'll get rid of that thing quick. Three days later, you're still digging at it, No matter how much you dig, the root just keeps going and keeps going. And you're like, man, this thing's wobbling all over the place. You're trying to pull it. You know, get a tractor over there, hook it up. He's like, it's not going anywhere. What is wrong with this thing? Okay. After a while, I'll be honest, I fought with a couple of them one time. I'm just, I was about, you know what? I'm about to say they've earned their right to stay. Okay. As much as I want them gone, I gotta respect the fact they holding on. Okay, they're not letting go. But that's exactly what it's talking about, rooted. Okay? To be rooted in this sense of you're not surface Christians, but you've dug deep. You've allowed yourself to be planted firm. It goes back to that song, I Shall Not Be Moved. That's the theme song of the Baptist in all the wrong ways. but in a right way, in a right way, I shall not be moved is talking about I'm firmly planted. I'm firmly rooted. You're not gonna convince me that Christ is not enough. You're not gonna convince me that my salvation is not founded on what is necessary when I say it's founded in Christ. No, I am rooted. I am grounded. I am so deep in what I believe. My faith is so planted. You ain't plucking me out. And yes, I'm stubborn about it. But that's what he's saying, rooted. Now, the second half of that motion is the second thing that takes place. When you are so well-rooted, the roots of your faith have penetrated to a point that it always finds nutrients in Christ, in the Word of God. And you cannot help but grow up, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If we are rooted, you're gonna be built up. You're gonna grow up. You're going to increase in that faith. So it's one statement, but it's two actions. And if the first is not accomplished, the second will never be seen. If the roots are not deep, the building up and increasing is not going to happen. A lot of times there are shallow roots when it comes to Christians and they have a presence there, but it really doesn't take much and a little bit of a, kind of a wind and crash. Why? Because their roots are not truly grounded. They're not truly rooted. and they haven't really grown the way they should. And so it's all a facade. And one storm just blows it away. So we're to be rooted. What is the walk? The walk is rooted. Here's what most people want today. And it's all over, and whether it's Christians or non-Christians, doesn't matter. It's a mentality of the day we live in. Everybody wants to say, the way they feel and what they think and how they believe, but don't dare challenge them on what they've said. If you ask them a question that challenges them on what they have said or what they have claimed, they will block you if you're on social media. They won't answer the challenge and give an answer to any man that asks of you The reason of the hope that lieth in you. They don't want to do that. They just want to make statements, make claims, give their two cents about how things really are. But if somebody actually says, so where do you find that? Oh, how dare you block? You can never post anything on my page again. I mean, it happens all the time. I've seen it recently, several times. And it's sad. I've seen preachers and preachers' wives make statements, live their life, make their claims on things that are okay or things that they think are this or that and everything, and they start, they say, and then somebody, not being ugly, somebody asks a question, so what do you mean by that? Where do you find that? And it's a challenge to what they have claimed. And instead of answering the challenge, you're blocked. We're not gonna talk with you anymore. That's the way things are today. But here's the thing. If I'm established in that which I believe, then I've prepared myself to be able to give a biblical answer for any time I've been questioned. There should not be a problem with somebody questioning you on what you claim the Bible says, or what you claim God has directed. If it's biblical and you know where to find it, and you say something and somebody challenges you, then very nicely say, I'm glad you asked. Let me take you over here and over here and over here. This is why I say, I believe this is biblical. There's nothing wrong about that. Matter of fact, that is the only way to give a right answer. Now, whether or not they wanna believe what you are presenting, that is up to them. But the last thing a person should do is be challenged on what they claim and run away. I'm not answering that. I don't have to answer that. Well, you put it out there. If we're willing to open our mouths and say something, we ought to be willing to back it up if it gets challenged. That's roughly what I'm saying, okay? But that's the whole point of being established in the faith. You claim to believe the Bible, so when somebody challenges you on what the Bible has to say, you need to be able to have an answer. You may not have it right away, but you ought to be willing to say, give me a moment, I'll get back with you ASAP. Then go do some study real quick, make sure you got your ducks in a row, and then come back and very nicely give an answer. By the way, how is anybody going to learn what the Bible actually says if those who have the Bible and say they believe it are not willing to share what it is that backs up my faith? So we need to be those who are established in the faith. And then the walk also continues, as ye have been taught, So he's saying, being established, and walk as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. There's also two things, but it's one statement, but two actions. Abounding therein, abounding in our faith, abounding in what we believe, in other words, not just claiming, but actually living it, and living it out consistently, but with thanksgiving. And again, that's another struggle for any human being, being thankful as we ought to be. But the walk with Christ is a walk that is rooted, built up, established, abounding, and thankful. So that is what he is teaching them. As a child of God, this is the walk. We've been made alive in Christ, which, by the way, we're gonna see even more of in just, not tonight, but next Wednesday, Lord willing. He goes in from verse number 10 on. Boy, it's, ooh, some good stuff. But in verse number eight, number nine, This is where we're gonna close for tonight, okay? So the first half of this being made alive in Christ, he's encouraging them as to what they've received and what it ought to do for them, okay? You need to walk the walk of being made alive in Christ. That walk is rooted, built up, established, abounding, and thankful. And then he throws in the pepper. Here he's gonna, once again, Very shortly, but very directly, he's gonna throw in what the whole letter's about. He gives not only the walk presented, but now the warning in verse number eight and nine. Beware. So here's how you should walk, and it's all because of Christ, but beware. lest any man spoil you through vain philosophy, through philosophy and vain deceit. Now, here are the directions of how they do this. After the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. So there's your deciphering, okay? Your ability to have some understanding in what might be happening is to put it in the gauge of, is it focused towards the traditions of men only, the rudiments or the methods of this world only, or is it founded upon Christ? There is your gauge of whether someone is teaching you something that should be heeded or watched out for. Now, y'all be careful with this one because there are traditions that are biblically founded. So let's be careful with that. Because that's a big thing today. A big thing today is to throw out biblical principles by calling them traditions. Well, that's just a tradition from the 70s and the 80s. But hold on, hold on. You have to gauge everything, not according to does it contain some kind of traditional aspect. Well, it's traditions, throw it out. We're not just gonna do things because it's a tradition. No, no, now gauge it, not just is it tradition, but where is it founded? Where does it come from? Because some people will claim a tradition to be nothing more than the methods of men and that, those things are just preferences of tradition. And some things are. But some things that are, maybe you're thrown out with the bathwater. Some things that are claimed tradition, throw it out because we're not doing tradition. That's one of the things we're getting rid of today. We're getting rid of just tradition for tradition's sake. That's great, that's wonderful, I understand that, except for if it has a biblical principle upon which it is founded. At that point, it might be labeled tradition because it's been followed for a very long time. But if it's Bible, I don't follow it because of the tradition that it's been given. I follow it because the Bible has not changed. If you wanna get right down to it, there is a lot of tradition in this book. Because for hundreds of years, There have always been a people who have followed the principles of this book and have not changed them. That's now called a tradition and we throw it out. No, no, no. You have to check, give it its full check. Is it something that has traditionally been done? Okay, yes. Going back, I can look back into my entire life and even before I came on the scene, there have been independent Baptist churches who've been following certain aspects of things. Now I have to ask, can I find that in the Bible as a God-given biblical principle that the child of God is to follow? If so, I'm not gonna pay attention to the idea of tradition, I'm going to label it as biblical principle, and I don't care how many people have followed it, for how long they've followed it, or what they wanna label it now, it's still in the Bible, therefore, it is a biblical truth, upon which I will now continue to follow. So, maybe it's the traditions of my forefathers, but it's because it was Bible. and God has not changed. So there are traditions we must watch out for. In this particular sense, what he's dealing with is the Jewish traditions of sacrifice, the Jewish traditions of the temple and the tabernacle. It was all the Jewish things that the spiritual leaders were trying to keep them captive in as though Christ did not accomplish what he was said to have accomplished. As though Christ was not the final sacrifice. As though Christ is not enough. What they were doing is they were completely contradicting in their traditions what Christ had done for them. At that point, what Christ had done overpowered the tradition of men. Now, did the tradition of men have a foundation in Old Testament biblical truth that they were to follow? Yes. But the difference is, when Christ died on the cross, there were Jewish traditions that were no longer applicable as lasting biblical truth, because now Christ himself is the change. And no longer do they look to animal sacrifices to put off their guilt, but they look to Christ to settle their guilt. So it's a whole different ballgame, and that's what he's trying to get them to understand. Traditions of men or rudiments of this world, the world's philosophies coming in, sounds good, looks good, ain't Bible. That's the kind of stuff you need to watch out for. Anything that has not to do with Christ, Anything that's not scriptural, for us today, it's not only just Christ, but that which has nothing to do with biblical truth and principle. Doesn't matter if it's a tradition that's been held for a long time. Doesn't matter if it's something that sounds good to the rest of society. If it's not Bible, it's not truth from God's word, and it has nothing to do with Christ and the word of God, that's where we need to say, hmm, I need to be careful about this. So he's giving them this warning, beware of these men. They'll bring philosophy, vain deceit, the traditions of men, and the rudiments of this world. These things will be brought in order to bring about deceit and to pull people away. So he points to them, he says basically, beware Watch out, warning. And then also through that, I just give you this, we're done. Be aware, okay? So you say, that's pretty much the same thing. A little different. Beware is a warning. Be aware is a challenge. Okay, you're noting something, but one is the noting of the danger, the other is the noting of the importance. Okay, so you have beware of men who come with deceit, but be aware of what you need to be paying attention to, that which points to Christ. Anything that magnifies Jesus Christ, you need to be aware of it. You need to take note of it. Anyone who is teaching that not they receive the focus, but that Christ receive their preeminence. God be magnified and that everything points to what he would have. That you need to be aware of. Take note and realize there is the warning of watch out for these guys, but pay attention and listen to what these individuals are teaching. What makes the difference? They're both great speakers. It's what they're saying. It's what they're presenting. It's the influence they're trying to bring. That which applies to men and the world and all the ways of wisdom and knowledge from the earth, or that which magnifies Christ, that which focuses on the Lord, that which encourages the spreading of the gospel. These are the differences here. And so beware of and be aware of two things at the same time. When I recognize that which is of men, I know to watch out. And when I recognize that which magnifies Christ, I know to perk up, pay attention, and take hold, because it's gonna build my faith. It's gonna challenge my life in serving Christ. And that's what we see there in verse number eight and verse number nine. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him, who? Christ. In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When Christ is being magnified, your focus has been put on him that dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead. It's not man's wisdoms. It's not man's ways. It's not man's wants. It has to be about Christ and him magnified. And through that, we become rooted, built up, established, abounding, and thankful in our walk with Christ. Now, that's only part of this section because he's about to get into what Christ has done for them, and that's why I don't wanna go there tonight. We wanna leave that, because when we start looking at verse number 10 and on, oh, Jesus, just, can I give you one little tidbit? Because he talked about, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. You ready for how exciting it could be? and ye are complete in him. Say, what's the big deal? You're not getting it, okay? Ye are complete in him. Here he is, he goes from the warning, and now he's gonna go right in and say, hey, hey, y'all wanna get excited? Let me tell you about Christ. Who is he? He's the one that completes you. Because without him, you were nothing. And with him, you have everything. I mean, okay, I can't go there. That's not tonight. We're gonna put that off until next Wednesday. But he's going into being made alive in Christ. You were dead, you were useless, you were pathetic, just like the rest of us. But look what Christ has done with worthlessness. I mean, that's where he's heading, all right? And that's why this book, honestly, it is so much fun to dig into. And in the midst of it all, exciting, exciting, exciting, teach, teach, teach, warning. Exciting, exciting, exciting, teach, teach, warning. Exciting, exciting, teach, teach, warning. It's just constant. If you pay attention, you see a pattern of wisdom. in helping people understand who Christ is and who they are to be in Christ as a child of God. Boy, it's just, it's good stuff. But I've gotta stop. So we're gonna put the rest of it off until next Wednesday, all right? These things just keep going. But let's pray and then we'll close out in just a moment in small groups praying over these very important needs that we have. But let's close out this time in prayer real quick from looking at this scripture. Heavenly Father, we thank you.