email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

September 9, 2016

Colossians 2:12-15

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.

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, 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. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

New International Version (NIV)

Did you hear the story of the boy who baptized himself last weekend? As the pastor waxed eloquent about the meaning of baptism, the boy got tired of waiting and baptized himself and said, "I'm baptized." The pastor gave him a hug. Sam Houston reportedly felt sorry for the fish downstream from his baptism. Do you remember your baptism?

In Colossians Paul wrote to Christians who were struggling with the meaning of salvation. Some thought that they needed to keep the laws of the Old Testament in order to be saved. In so doing they were simply collaborating with the Enemy who wanted them to doubt the effectiveness of Christ's death for them. So Paul reminded them of their baptism in which they were buried and raised to life. Jesus did not come to make bad people a little better. He came to make dead people live!

Sometimes judges will punish shoplifters by making them wear a sign confessing their crime: SHOPLIFTER. So what guilt do you still harbor on your secret list of shame? Christ has forgiven all of our sins and canceled the record of debt. He did this through the cross. So Christ is our substitute, giving his life for us. He is our ransom, paying the price for our sins. Jesus is the great conqueror defeating the forces of darkness and putting them up for all to see their shame. To be clear, Christ does not want to embarrass us and parade our sin around with a sandwich board. Instead, he gave the sandwich board to Satan to wear every day as a reminder of his overwhelming defeat. He should be ashamed. Our sin has been taken away through Christ. Rejoice!

Pray with me:
Father thank you for bringing us to life again in Christ. Help us today to believe that our debt was paid in full by Christ. Help us to receive your forgiveness and to forgive ourselves by your grace. Then help us to forgive others freely as well, we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Scripture reading for today:

Colossians 2

Our Read Through the New Testament in One Year guide

is available at Tallowood Baptist Church. Or click to download it!

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