Dynamic Life Baptist Ministries - Pastor Victor Clay

Sermon Series: Exploring the Cross: A theological & practical perspective of the cross.
Sermon Title: The Celebration of the Cross
Sermon Text: Colossians 2:11-17
Sermon Purpose: To call the hearer to celebrate the freedom to live, in light of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon Proposition: There are 4 life celebrating freedoms found in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Colossians 2:11-17 (NKJV)

1. The disciple celebrates freedom from sins of the flesh as a result of the cross. v.11-13

   • The disciple celebrates the cutting away of sins. (Romans 6:6, 8:13, 13:14; Colossians 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21)

   • The disciple celebrates baptism and a resurrection to a new life. (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:7; Luke 12:50)

   • The disciple celebrates the operation of God by faith. (Romans 10:2-4; Isaiah 29:13; Psalm 51:16-17)

   
   

2. The disciple celebrates freedom from the surety of death as a result of the cross. v.13-14

   • The disciple celebrates Christ's ideal vs. man's ideal of sin and death. (Relevation 21:8; John 5:24; Ephesians 2:1; 1 Peter 2:24-25; John 5:21; Romans 8:11)

   • The disciple celebrates Christ's ideal vs. man's ideal of law.

   • Christ represents ideal righteousness.

   • Christ represents ideal death.

   • Christ represents ideal life. (Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:13)

   
   

3. The disciple celebrates freedom from the Satanic powers as a result of the cross. v.15

   • The disciple celebrates Christ's ideal vs. man's ideal of evil forces.

   • The disciple celebrates Christ's ideal vs. man's ideal of evil spirits.

   • The disciple celebrates Christ's victory over all. (Ephesians 4:1ff)

   • Christ conquered evil spirits and forces by never giving in to the devils temptation and by never sinning. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15, 7:26; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:22)

   • Christ conquered evil spirits and forces by dying for mankind, and bearing all of man's guilt and punishment for sin. (Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 1:13)

   • Christ conquered evil spirits and forces by being raised from the dead

   • Christ conquered evil spirits and forces by His Incarnation. (1 John 3:8)

   
   
   

4. The disciple celebrates freedom from secular judgments as a result of the cross. v.16-17

   • The disciple celebrates freedom from making rules and rituals keeping the goal of life.

   • The disciple celebrates freedom from making themselves acceptable to God.

   • The disciple celebrates freedom from making foods, religious symbols, and Holy days a means of salvation.

   • The disciple celebrates freedom to live as Christ lived in His humanity. (Romans 3:21-22, 10:3-4; Colossians 2:20; Romans 14:17; Hebrews 9:9-14)