Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: Col. 1: 24- 2:5 Sept. 21, 2025

Message: “Christ in You!”

by Pastor George Gnade

Play to Listen to the Message

0:00

Introduction: 

1. As most of you know, we have been studying the Book of Colossians. It was written by Paul to the church in Colosse which was started by a minister named Epaphras.

2. Paul described this church as one that was growing and bearing fruit. But a popular cult of that day known as  “gnostics” were infiltrating them and leading them astray. Paul did not want that to happen, which explains why he was writing to them.

a. Paul had been called to be an apostle to the Gentiles to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ. His respon-sibility was to help new Christians discern truth from error.

b. But in this letter, Paul never mentions these gnostics by name. He simply presents the truth of Christ. He lets it up to them to see the obvious differences. 

A. Consider some of the differences.

1. Gnostics said all matter was evil. Paul teaches us that Jesus created all things and made them good. In fact, Jesus Himself took on the form of man and dwelt among us. Gnostics could never accept that. 

2. Gnostics also claimed to have a special wisdom and knowledge that only they had, a knowledge that was difficult to learn. So only a few could rise to the top.  But in Colossians 2:3, Paul tells us that in Christ are found “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” This knowledge is available to all who believe in Him and have Him in their hearts. 

3. The Gnostics also had a lot of rules you had to follow to earn your way to God. The Jews had laws too and so do Christians. But these rules are not the way we get to God.

  a. Matter is not evil. Sin is evil, and sin is disobedience to God. The penalty of sin is death.  All these rules and laws can only show us how sinful we are. But they can’t save us.  They can only point us to the Savior who can save us. 

b. Of course we know that Jesus came to be our Savior.  Jesus paid the price for us and earned salvation for us.  That makes salvation a gift of God, a gift of His love and grace. All God asks us to do is to confess our sins and ask Him to forgive our sins and then thank Jesus for paying our penalty for us.

4. The good news of the Gospel is that anyone can be saved by simply trusting in Christ. That is what this letter to the Colossians is all about.

B. With this background, let us consider the passage we read from Col.1:24- 2:5.

1. In Chapter one, we already learned who Jesus is and what He did. Starting in vs. 24, Paul explains how he has dedicated his whole life to sharing this gospel.

a. Even the sufferings he had to go through were worth it to make this gospel known. After all, if Jesus was willing to suffer and die on the cross to save us, the least we can do is share with others how they can be saved. 

b. Paul told the Colossians that this good news was like a mystery that could not be fully revealed until Jesus came and died for us. Now that He had died and been raised from the dead, it is essential that we make it known as fast as we can to as many as we can.

2. In Col. 1:27, he writes: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

a. This is a simple verse but very powerful. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” It is all about Him. To have Him in your heart is all you need to get to heaven. 

b. Paul writes: “Him we proclaim, admonishing every-one and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so we may present everyone perfect in Christ!” In Col. 2: 10, it says: “And you are complete in Him.” In plain words, Jesus did it all. Everything we need is found in Him. 

3. Obviously people need to hear and understand the gospel to accept the gospel. They need to know what Jesus has done and who He is before they can or will commit themselves to Him. That is what Paul was committed to do to the best of his ability.

4. Being a pastor, I can identify with the apostle Paul when he writes in Col. 1:29: “To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy that He so powerfully works within me.”

a. Paul gave the Lord all the credit for what he accomplished, even the strength to accomplish it.

b. So do I. In fact, most pastors realize we can only be effective with Jesus’ help. He gives us the energy to do what we do. 

5. Paul called it “a struggle.”  After serving the Lord for 55 years, I fully understand what that means. At the end of a day, I often look back on it and try to understand how the Lord used me that day. I pray you will learn to do likewise. 

a. In Eph. 5:16, Paul talks about “redeeming the time because the days are evil.” Another translation says: “Make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.”

b. Because the days are evil, and we do not know what tomorrow will bring, God wants us to use our time wisely.

6. In other countries, it is often illegal to share Christ. But Christians do it anyway because they do not know what tomorrow may bring. This may be the last chance they get.

Christians in America are free to share Christ but are afraid of what people might think. But what if a loved one dies and you never even tried?

C. In Col. 2: 1-5, Paul says he even struggled to know how to pray for them, especially people who did not even know him.

1. It is hard enough to pray for our families and relatives. How do you pray for people you do not even know? Paul never even met the Colossians. But he cared about them. 

2. He especially cared about those who claimed to believe.

 In vs 2, he wrote: “My purpose is that (you) may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that (you) may have the full riches of complete understanding, that you may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

In Conclusion:

1. That is what the world claims it can give us. That is what the Gnostics claimed they could give the Colossians. 

2. But the Bible says the only way to really receive the wisdom and knowledge that can save you is through the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3. If you really believe in Him and know He is in your heart, then Paul encourages us to share Him with others while we still have the opportunity to do it. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. May God help each of us to do our part. Amen!