Col 2:15 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea,

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• Col 21-5
  21 For I
  would that ye knew what great conflict I have for
  you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as
  have not seen my face in the flesh
  2 That their hearts might be
  comforted, being knit together in love, and unto
  all riches of the full assurance of
  understanding, to the acknowledgement of the
  mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ
  
  3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
  and knowledge.
  4 And this I
  say, lest any man should beguile you with
  enticing words.
  5 For though I be
  absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the
  spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the
  stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

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Exalt Christ in 2006 "The Fullness of Christ"

• Howard Rutledge was shot down over North Vietnam
  during the early stages of the war
• Many of us can relate to how he felt. We are so
  busy with the things of the world that we are
  neglecting our spiritual lives.
• Yet Paul, in speaking of the fullness of Christ,
  also speaks of the fullness that we should have
  as believers in Him.
• We shouldnt be walking around with an emptiness
  of void in our lives.
• We have everything we need in Christ.
• He wants us so full of Christ that there is no
  room for anything else.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• I. The Fullness of Understanding - vs 1-5 Text.
• vs 2 Paul tells the Colossians and Laodacians
  that he wanted them to have the full riches of
  complete understanding.
• A. Full Riches of complete understanding comes
  from having a relationship with Christ.
• 1. Ruth Tucker tells the story of Kari
  Torjesen Malcolm, who served for 15 years as a
  missionary to the Philippines.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• Kari began to realize something we all need to
  realize.
• a) Our fullness doesnt come from what we do,
  but from who we know.
• b) Without knowing Christ, I cannot know what my
  full potential in this life.
• c) It cannot be complete unless he fills the
  void.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• The Fullness of Understanding
• B. Understanding comes from digging into the
  treasures of Christ - vs 3
• 1. Christ is the place where all spiritual
  treasures are stored.
• 2. The more we dig into these treasures, the
  more understanding we acquire.
• 3. If you dig for Gold, or coal, or something
  like that, there will always be a point where you
  have got all that you can get.
• 4. Thats not so with the treasures of Jesus.
• a) With him, the more we dig the more we
  realize we realize there is treasures
  still laid up for us by the Lord.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• II. The Fullness of Living - vs 6-8
• Many people go through life. Hearts beating,
  walking and talking, but they never really
  understand what it means to be alive. Kind of
  like this poem.
• There was a very cautious man
• Who never laughed or played.
• He never risked, he never tried
• He never sang or prayed.
• And when he one day passed away
• His insurance was denied.
• For since he never really lived,
• They claimed he never died.
• To really live today we must live with Christ!

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• The Fullness of Living vs. 6-8
• B. Paul gives a message to those who are
  already Christians in vs. 6 - as you received
  Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.
• C. vs 8 tells us that we need to avoid that
  which pulls us away from Christ to really feel
  the fullness of Christ.
• 1. They will lead you captive.
• 2. man made traditions cannot save us, they
  only enslave us.
• 3. We need Christ for our freedom.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• III. The Fullness of Freedom vs. 9 -15
• A. Freedom from Sin
• B. Freedom from the written code. Vs 14
• 1. The written code is the law of Moses for the
  Jews and I think it would mean the moral law for
  Gentiles.
• a) The problem was that neither one was able
  to save us.
• b) One required you to live perfectly, and the
  other required a perfect sacrifice.
• c) Both were impossible....Until Christ died
  on the cross
• C. Freedom through the cross . Vs 15
• Through the cross, Jesus won over the
  authorities, the principalities, and every dark
  force that was ever known.
• The Jews and Satan thought they had won when he
  died.
• They didnt realize they simply put him exactly
  where he wanted to be to save mankind.

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Exalt Christ in 2006The Fullness of Christ

• Remember how full I felt after that turkey?
• Usually I wished I hadnt got that full.
• 1. Christ gives us fullness.
• 2. full of understanding
• 3. full of living
• 4. full of freedom.
• a) But this fullness is one I will never
  regret having too much of.
• HOW CAN WE HELP?