The Word of God (Colossians 1:21-27)
Gary McManus, 06/04/2023Part of the DCC Basics series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
June 4, 2023 Colossians 1:21-27 First Sunday After Pentecost
Today, DCC basics. The obvious things should be stated.
Today, we look at the Christian faith and God’s Word.
Our religion, the Christian religion, is a REVEALED religion. Not all religions ARE revealed religions. Ours is. So is Judaism. God revealed Himself: to Moses (Exodus 3:3-4), Abraham (Genesis 12:1), etc. Which God? There is only one God:
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Moses, the God of the prophets. Ezekiel 21:1, Hebrews 1:1, 2 Peter 1:21 These revelations. . .this Word of God is spoken first.
(At times our God used visions and visuals.)
“Thus saith the Lord (hundreds of times?). . .”
or “hear the word of the Lord.” (60+ times) in Scripture.
How do we have God’s Word, /the Bible?
The Jews kept the books of the Old Testament
(Romans 3:2, Romans 9:4). Even if the people of Israel strayed and forgot God’s Word, the Israelites and the Jews remained faithful to write the words down and keep them.
We who are not Jews have the Words of God (the Word of God) BECAUSE of God’s people the Jews.
What about the New Testament? Again, the Jews.
God has revealed Himself to us (by way of the Jews) through the Bible.
We declare that they are God’s Word—a revelation from God ABOUT GOD and how God has revealed Himself to God’s people. . .God revealing his purposes, his intentions, God’s love, revealing God’s actions.
Prophecy is NOT all about the future. It is about God’s will. Consider Baruch; Jeremiah’s messenger, Jeremiah’s pen. Jeremiah spoke the word of God. Baruch wrote Jeremiah’s words down. (See Jeremiah 36:4-32)
.Jeremiah knew:
--what he spoke came from the Lord God.
--he was called by God to speak God’s words
--Jeremiah felt COMPELLED to speak the words of God.
Clearly, God WANTS to communicate. .
God WANTS to reveal Himself to His people.
God WANTS a relationship with His people
God wants to live in covenant with His people.
See Psalm 9:9, Psalm 37:39, Psalm 49:5, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 61:2-3.
God has come to us in his Messiah, Jesus.
These are not truths we would know by looking around this world. The Heavenly Father sent His son to save the Father’s creation from our destructive hands (Hosea 4:1-3, Colossians 1:19-22).
The Apostle knows that he has a divine office given to him FOR YOU and that IS us, foreigners and not Jews—to make the Word of God known. . .to proclaim this loving revelation (Colossians 1:25-27).
You and anyone who hears can be saved.
Hear the revelation of God in Christ.
Jesus said so. (Luke 13:29, Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:7
The message of God’s love is not limited to a few.
(Matthew 28:20)
So, let us claim this message for ourselves as our
Lord intended. And let us PROCLAIM this revelation
as our Lord intended TO OTHERS:
Our God reconciling the world to Himself
(Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:12, Colossians 1:13-14,
Colossians 1:20-22). Amen.
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