Colossians 2:4-15

4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Paul paints 5 word pictures of what a deeper dependence looks like, they reveal what pursuing Jesus is all about because we need to be remind that it’s not just about receiving Jesus it’s also about pursuing Jesus. Paul starts first with a picture of:

A.        Army-  Vs 5 – Be Obedient

When Paul says that they are living as they should he is using a military term meaning to be firm and disciplined. “Order” refers to the arrangement of an army in ranks, where “Steadfastness” meant battle formation, presenting a solid front to the enemy. As soldiers in God’s army we are to be solidly united against the enemy, as each of us practice discipline and strive to obey our Supreme Commanding Officer. Paul delighted in their obedience. Orderly soldiers were those who had no breaks or breaches in their ranks. It’s the picture of the wall builders in Nehemiah, who worked as a team, with their swords at their side (see Nehemiah 4:18). The emphasis of “order” is on individuality, everyone is doing his or her part. “Firmness” points to a “solid front,” with the focus on corporate strength, as the soldiers line up in battle formation. We’re not to battle against each other, but with each other as we serve side-by-side, standing untited. If we are going to follow Jesus we are going to take our place in His army, work with others and let Jesus call the shots. Being obedient takes us to a deeper dependence, where we delight in discipline because we know it will bring order instead of disarray. Be obedient so you can have order.

B.        Agricultural – Vs 7 – Be Planted

In this agricultural metaphor, just as a tree is “rooted,” we are to be grounded in the soil of God’s Word. A tree puts down deep roots in order to find nutrition but also to provide stability and support. We must go deep with Christ in order to find the fuel we need to flourish, and in order to be secure so we can withstand the storms of life. Today we like artificial trees, they are convenient because they require no effort, no watering, no pruning, no mess but there is also no fruit and no foundation they fall over with the littlest pressure. This stands in sharp contrast to Jeremiah 17:8, They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” When we are rooted in a relationship with Christ, we will have everything we need for life. We are not to be tumbleweeds blown about by every wind, colorless and dead. Be Planted so you can bear fruit

C.       Architectural – Vs 7 Be Aligned

Paul now moves to a construction image to show that as our foundation is built on Christ. Ephesians 2:20 tells us that at conversion we were “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.” A cornerstone was a big stone placed at the intersecting angle, where two walls of a building came together. By uniting two intersecting walls, a cornerstone helped align the whole structure both vertically and horizontally, not only tying it together but also supporting the weight. In the same way, as the chief cornerstone, Jesus holds everything together and provides alignment to our lives. If we are not building on Him we soon get out of alignment. The leaning tower Pica has an alignment problem due to an inadequate foundation. When it comes to building you are either resting or risking depending on your foundation. Be Aligned so you can build.