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Feeling Fine? Baptism Service 20/10/24

Colossians 2: 9-15 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 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.

Feeling Lonely?

9: For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…


Jesus is God and He becomes the picture for us of what God is like and who He is. The fantastic thing that those getting baptised is that you can know Him, personally.


Feeling Empty?

10:… and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.


We fill out lives with all kinds of things, people, relationships, reels, socials, work, many, many things.


These things do not actually replace the emptiness in us all. We were designed to be full of God, not be gods, but we place so much in our lives. 


But when we step back, take time to ourselves, the hollowness returns.


Feeling Defeated?

10b: He is the head over every power and authority… 15:And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.


I don’t know about you but I feel that life can be an uphill battle. But Jesus promised us life to the full:

John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.


This doesn’t mean thrill seeking, it means a life that has the secret to overcome challenges and difficulties. The secret to overcoming has a name: Jesus.


Feeling Insignificant?

11a-12:Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by 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.


The great thing about being a Christian is that we move from insignificance to significance. We say goodbye to the old way of life that held us back.


Baptism is the symbolic picture of what has already happened. We are burying the old life, turning to God in repentance, and being raised to life. 

A new life. 

A life of fullness. 

A life that is different. 

A life that makes a difference.


Feeling Worthless?

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


When you feel worthless you have to know that, maybe, just maybe, you are not enough! The message of the world is “I am enough!” The message of the Bible is that what you think is living, is really dying.


“… dead in your sins… but God made you alive with Christ!”


If you feel worthless, know this, Jesus loves you beyond anything you could imagine.

It’s tough to admit when you need help, especially when you don’t feel you can ask.


Story: banished to the bedroom, holding on by fingertips, too proud to cry out.


“You don’t have to give up your intellect to trust the Bible. You have to give up your pride.” - R.C. Sproul


Feeling Exhausted?

15c: ….triumphing over them by the cross.


You don't have to muster up the strength or power to become a Christian. You don't have to clean your self up.


All the power you need is through the death and resurrection of Jesus! That’s it.

He's done it all.

He’s paid it all.

He has finished it all!


All you have to do is accept Him; we do that by confessing our wrongdoing, repenting (turning around) and asking Him to forgive us.


Wrapping This Up:

Romans 10:9-10: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.


Want to ask Jesus in today? You may be ready for that. And we can pray together. 

You may just say, “Maybe. But I want to know more.” Thats great too, talk to your friend who brought you or to someone next to you.



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