Life In Christ (Col 1 + 2)

Short teachings from Hillcrest Church further exploring Sunday's teachings.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, hope you're doing well. Tim here, and uh we are diving deep into the Living Scent series. So we've talked about um we've kind of been working our way through these four relationships, kind of going over in more detail some of the things I mentioned on Sunday. And now we come we come to the story of Jesus, and um and really what you know what I what I touched on on Sunday, and uh maybe we can spend a minute uh today and look at Colossians a little bit, is that that the rescue comes as the Son of God steps into the story, and and I think the key is like his full identification um with uh with both humanity and Israel itself. Uh and so uh Jesus uh lives the vote, you know, Jesus is the true and second Adam. Paul talks about this in Romans, he's the true Israel. Um and so he he lives, he he he does the job, he lives the life that Israel is always meant to live, that humanity was always meant to live as image bearers, um, where we failed, and that on both accounts he takes on the the paint, the the consequences of sin and failure and exile that both uh were meant. Um uh Israel's exile and then humanity's exile. And if you want to even think about it further, why does he have to do it for Israel to do it for the world is because you know, uh Genesis 12, the calling of Abraham, Israel, God always said Israel was gonna be the means by which he rescued the world. And so it's like when the rescuers, Israel, um, God said, I promise to rescue and bless the world, heal the world through Israel. Well then Israel goes wrong. So for God, like God said, this is how I'm gonna do it. And so Jesus then um becomes the true Israel uh that rescues the world. That God always said, uh, you know, God always said this is how I do it, God being consistent to his word. And so this is what Jesus does, um, both uh living the life um and bearing the consequences of sin. Um and that's where you know, in all four dimensions, you know, in all four relationships that I that I drew on that board on Sunday towards God, uh towards uh towards his own self, uh towards others and and towards creation. And and I think a lot of times, you know, we we as you know evangelicals, one of the things that gets talked about a lot is kind of this idea of how does it work? Kind of the mechanism of salvation. And we may have different metaphors and images. I mean, we gotta be honest that when we're talking about uh God's rescuing of humanity, um, we are walking on holy ground, mysterious ground. Human words are not going to be able to fully encapsulate it. Now, this doesn't mean sometimes people say mystery, that means they kind of just shrug their shoulders. I don't mean that. Uh, I think it's important to theologically try to talk about these things, but with a humility of the reality is always going to be bigger than words can capture. Um, but when I think about the the the center part, I think like um words like identification um and union, like a spirit, like a connection is is central to how I think about Jesus' rescue of us. Um and I, you know, in those diagrams on Sunday, I tried to capture this that Jesus steps into our place in the story. He identifies with the full human experience through his life, death, and resurrection, and including that all parts of that. His life is part of what saves us, his death is what saves us, his resurrection is part of what saves us. And I think sometimes we can get so focused on the death. Yes, we cannot be saved without his death, but it's also his life, his full identification with the full human reality is part of his saving with us. And there's this his saving comes by him drawing near to us and stepping into um uh to human life. And that then, too, I don't know if you remember that final diagram, I drew a stick figure with a cross, kind of holding hands or almost together. And I think too, to think about our then our rescuing is then when we when we receive that intimacy that that he offers, that union, um, that we, you know, the New Testament talks about us having like being having life in Christ. We are in Christ, he is in us by the Spirit. We have a uh a spiritual closeness, union, connection with Jesus by the Spirit. Um, and that is, for me, that is the a core idea to understand how Jesus is rescuing us. I think sometimes we talk about forgiveness, and forgiveness is 100% part of what God is doing for us through Jesus on the cross. But it can almost be talked about in this like mechanistic at a distance sort of way. You know, like I if I have a debt, you know, I owe a thousand dollars and my uncle from across the country sends me a check to pay it off, um, you know, that debt is forgiven. But that paying off of the debt, it it came from a guy who's a thousand miles away who just sent money. And that's not what is that's not how the New Testament talks about what Jesus is doing for us. The New Testament talks about a closeness between us and Jesus, um, and that that it is by that closeness that we are being rescued. So, I mean, even, you know, and this is Colossians is like this diamond, just as you turn it, all these different things um are being reflected. I mean, when you think about this close, you know, when I think about this closeness, I mean in Colossians chapter 2, you know, he says things like, um, for in Christ, verse 9, for in Christ, all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. So the Son of, like He is God on earth, stepping into the human story, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness, like you are in Christ. And that is um how God's full life is being birthed in you. Um it goes on, he is the head over every power and authority. That gets back to this kingship idea. The gospel is about his kingship, not just about us. Um uh in him you were also circumcised, is using circumcision as this metaphor of putting off your old life. Uh in the second half of verse 11, it says, Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you are also raised with him through your faith in the working of God who raised you from the dead. I mean, it's this closeness, right? You were buried with him in baptism. I mean, you get in chapter three, you get similar language. Um, verse two, chapter three, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your light, your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. And and it is by our connection to Jesus, being hidden, our life, and Jesus' life being being now intertwined as we declare faith in him, that his death and resurrection delivers us from our old way of living, from the consequences of sin, um, and raises us into a near spiritual life. And that is why, you know, those consequences are dealt with. He bore those for us, and now he is, by his life in us, um empowering us uh to have this relationship with uh with the triune God, um, putting our hearts back in order, leading us in living rightly with others. I even think about how, you know, that living right with others, that's anything from your friend, your family member, all the way to, I mean, you know, Colossians talks about how the gospels reconcile Jews and Gentiles, the whole people groups are being reconciled because of the good news in Jesus. Um, that's that, that those relationships between people. And then, and then the relationship with all creation, and and you know, there's that, I mean, we could I mean that would be just a whole another episode of the way, I don't know if you saw it in Colossians 1, that Christ him, but how much the the the way the gospel is articulated has an eye to all creation, right? Um, you know, uh, chapter 1, verse 16, for in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through him and for him, everything was made for the Son of God, that it would find its ultimate purpose in relationship to the Son of God. Um, in him all things hold together, he sustains all things moment by moment. Um, and then in verse 20, and through him to reconcile to himself all things by making peace through his blood and shed on the cross that there's a uh the through Christ, God has an eye to not just human um redemption, but this sense of all the cosmos that all things are being set back in order through Christ. And this is, I mean, we're talking deep theological waters here. Um so this is the magnificent good news. I did want to just point to a couple books. I mean, your head may be spinning, and you're like, you know, Tim, you are uh you're speaking a language. I know there's certain kind of summaries of the gospel that we uh maybe have heard before, and it's and it's uh and we're very used to those. And uh and maybe I'm talking about the gospel in a different way, and you're like, you know, wow. Um and so I want to maybe give you some places to go with this uh uh great kind of intro, uh kind of introductory book to just what how the good news works, and particularly like how the the how Jesus' um uh cross works as part of this is a book by Scott McKnight called The Community Called Atonement. I think that's a nice um kind of in intermediate, you know, like beginner to intermediate introduction to how this uh rescuing of uh God works. So if you're looking for a book, a community called Atonement, I think that's a great one. And then if you want uh to go to the advanced like 501 level course, um there's a book, Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross uh by Hans Borsma. Uh it is not light reading, um, but it's one of the books um just talking about how the rescue of Jesus works that I've returned to again and again um and found very helpful. Uh I uh you know, I think um followers of Jesus um wondering, marveling, um, and you know, being awestruck by how God rescues us in Jesus. I think this is I think this is good and right for us to do it. J.I. Packer said theology should lead to doxology, um study of God should lead to worship of God. And I uh and I hope even when you spend time, um, a little time in Colossian hit leads to that. This idea that the Son of God steps into the human story, taking on uh the calling of humanity in Israel, living the life, bearing the pain, that when we are when we when we are connected to him, when we are attached to him, we are healed and we are made right uh with the triune God. We are made right with our own selves, we are made right with others, we are made right with all creation. Um, we are forgiven, we are made new, and we are empowered to live rightly in each of those uh relationships in our lives. So life is about relationships. That's what God's like, and He leads us into the relationships we are meant to live in. It is good news. Praise and peace.