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The Parable of the Titanic
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma
Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics
Colossians 1:19-23
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Think of the parable of the Titanic as a picture of a world gone wrong, of fallen humanity hopelessly and helplessly lost at sea in its sins.
I. God’s pleasure in reconciliation [vv19-20]
II. God’s plan in reconciliation [v20, v22]
III. God’s purpose in reconciliation [vv21-22]
IV. God’s promise in reconciliation [v23]
I. God’s pleasure in reconciliation [vv19-20]
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven.
The Bible says the joy of the Lord is our strength. God is full of joy. He isn’t a kill-joy or a grumpy old man in the sky. He is actually a God of joy who delights in His children.
John Piper: “When God is our deepest pleasure we display Him as our highest treasure.”
Col 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.
To see Jesus is to see the Father. Jesus is the full revelation of God’s character. If you want to know what God is like, look no further than Jesus, the very Son of God. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven.
Rom 8:19-22 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven.
“No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found.”
II. God’s plan in reconciliation [v20, v22]
20…making peace by the blood of his cross…22 He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death.
A lot of people want to have the peace of God but the reality is you cannot have the peace of G without first being at peace with God. And the only way to be at peace with God is to trust Jesus alone to save you.
20…making peace by the blood of his cross…22 He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death.
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with him graciously give us all things?
III. God’s purpose in reconciliation [vv21-22]
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.
In order to really appreciate our salvation, we have to realize how bad our condition was and how costly the rescue was. And this is where Paul goes in 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.
22 He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.
From God’s love for us, we should return love to God. From our positional holiness we ought to seek to live practical holiness. Not perfection but direction. If you have been reconciled to God in Christ, you must become what you are. If you are in Christ, you must become more like Christ. Practical holiness ought to be our life’s business.
IV. God’s promise in reconciliation [v23]
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Peter T. O’Brien: “At any rate, if you stand firm in the faith --- and I am sure you will.”
Paul knows salvation is from God. He knows salvation is God’s promise. He knows that He who began this work in us will complete it on the day of Christ Jesus. Paul knows that Christ will hold us fast.