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Spot the Difference · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

• 0:00
  Colossians chapter 2.
• 0:04
  We look again at verse 6.
• 0:06
  We're going to look at an overview of what we read from verse 6 to the end of the chapter.
• 0:13
  Just read again at verse 6.
• 0:15
  Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him,
• 0:22
  and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
• 0:30
  As Paul is writing to the church at Colossae, he's writing to a church,
• 0:35
  as is often the case when you're reading Paul's letters,
• 0:38
  a church that is young in the faith and with many different challenges.
• 0:43
  All around them.
• 0:45
  There's a phrase that's used that you maybe hear.
• 0:49
  They stand out in a crowd or they wouldn't get lost in a crowd.
• 0:55
  What does it mean?
• 0:57
  Well it usually applies to someone maybe of a certain appearance.
• 1:01
  It might be their height.
• 1:02
  That means that they wouldn't get lost in a crowd or you would notice them in a crowd.
• 1:08
  Or it may be something to do with how they dress.
• 1:11
  That they're dressed differently to everybody else.
• 1:15
  Therefore they wouldn't get lost in that crowd.
• 1:19
  And in a sense, Paul as he's writing to the church at Colossae and other churches,
• 1:25
  and it was a read of in the New Testament here,
• 1:28
  he's writing to encourage the believers to be different.
• 1:31
  To be different in the midst of the crowd that they're in.
• 1:36
  To stand out in the crowd.
• 1:38
  To have something different about them.
• 1:42
  And he's highlighted that already in this letter.
• 1:46
  In verse 27 of chapter 1 he says,
• 1:48
  So he's already making it clear there to the Christians,
• 2:01
  there's something about you that is different to everybody else around you who doesn't have Christ.
• 2:07
  You have Christ in you.
• 2:09
  The hope of glory.
• 2:11
  And so as he's going on from there, he's explaining how this impacts their life.
• 2:16
  In chapter 2, verse 5, he says there,
• 2:21
  So again, he's just outlining there that there's something about these believers
• 2:36
  that is showing that they are different to the rest of the people around them who have not Christ.
• 2:42
  They are standing in the firmness of their faith in Christ.
• 2:48
  And this would not be something easy to do.
• 2:51
  Just as it isn't easy in our own day at times.
• 2:53
  It's not easy to stand up on the side of Christ.
• 2:56
  And to stand up for Christ in our society and among the people around us.
• 3:02
  But Paul is writing to encourage them to be different to everybody else around them.
• 3:09
  And many ways as we go through chapter 2, verse 6 down to the end,
• 3:14
  he's showing us ways that they are to be different.
• 3:18
  And it's a little like maybe you've played the game,
• 3:20
  Spot the Difference.
• 3:22
  When you have two pictures in front of you and there's maybe ten different things in one picture to the other.
• 3:28
  And you have to find the difference.
• 3:30
  You have to spot the difference.
• 3:32
  And some can be very easy.
• 3:33
  They stand out immediately.
• 3:35
  But others you have to really study hard to see where is the difference.
• 3:40
  Well, in Colossus, the Christians were to be different.
• 3:44
  And some of these differences you could spot.
• 3:46
  And others were maybe more difficult.
• 3:49
  And the same is true for ourselves as Christians in the world.
• 3:54
  Is it obvious to others that we're Christians?
• 3:57
  Would they be able to look at us and see,
• 4:00
  There's the difference in that person.
• 4:03
  There's where they're different to me.
• 4:04
  Because this is what they believe.
• 4:06
  This is who they trust.
• 4:07
  This is how they live.
• 4:09
  Is it easy to spot the difference?
• 4:13
  Well, Paul highlights in these verses,
• 4:15
  Verse 6 down to the end,
• 4:17
  Five differences.
• 4:20
  Five differences.
• 4:21
  This is how the believers had called us.
• 4:23
  Who were to be different to others around them.
• 4:25
  Who didn't believe in Christ with all their hearts.
• 4:30
  And the first thing we see is in verse 6 to 8.
• 4:33
  And here the difference is whose teaching we are under.
• 4:38
  In verse 6 to 8.
• 4:39
  So he's saying to them there,
• 4:41
  You have received Christ.
• 4:43
  Now walk in him, rooted and built up in him,
• 4:46
  Established in the faith, just as you were taught,
• 4:49
  Abounding in thanksgiving.
• 4:51
  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy,
• 4:54
  An empty deceit, according to human tradition,
• 4:57
  According to elemental spirits of the world,
• 5:00
  And not according to Christ.
• 5:02
  And so there's this idea here,
• 5:06
  That the foundation of their faith is the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 5:11
  But all around them are those who seek to lead them astray.
• 5:16
  To take them captive, as it says there in verse 6.
• 5:20
  To take them away from the faith that they have in Jesus Christ.
• 5:25
  And Paul is saying this is where you are to be different.
• 5:28
  That you are rooted in Christ Jesus.
• 5:32
  Built up in him, established in the faith.
• 5:35
  This is your foundation.
• 5:37
  This is where your strength is.
• 5:40
  That you have Christ in you, the hope of glory.
• 5:45
  And so don't get pulled away.
• 5:47
  Don't just get pulled back into the crowd
• 5:49
  Who are believing in all these different philosophies.
• 5:53
  Empties, deceits, human traditions, as he's calling them there as well.
• 5:58
  Elemental spirits of the world.
• 6:00
  And there's so many things he lists off.
• 6:03
  There's so many things going on in Paul's day there that still go on in our day as well.
• 6:09
  We're trying to be, people are trying to pull the Christian away back into the world.
• 6:13
  But Paul's saying no.
• 6:15
  Stand out from the crowd.
• 6:17
  Dare to be different.
• 6:18
  Bear to have that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 6:22
  Established and rooted in him.
• 6:25
  And so he's telling them here, you stay firm in the midst of all of these challenges.
• 6:32
  Don't change anything.
• 6:34
  But remain firm and rooted in Christ.
• 6:37
  But what do we see in the world?
• 6:43
  In which we live.
• 6:45
  We see people constantly wanting to change the Christian faith.
• 6:50
  And you hear it more and more.
• 6:52
  You see it more publicly as well.
• 6:54
  A couple of years ago, there was a program on television.
• 6:59
  Piers Morgan was on it.
• 7:02
  And he was speaking about the Bible.
• 7:05
  And he was speaking to Christians about the Bible.
• 7:09
  And the Christians were saying how they believed in the word of God.
• 7:13
  But Piers Morgan was saying, but surely the word of God needs updating.
• 7:19
  Surely now in the 20th century, 21st century, we need to update the word of God.
• 7:25
  So it makes sense to people today.
• 7:27
  To bring everybody under its banner.
• 7:29
  To give everybody their rights.
• 7:31
  And he was talking about it in the midst of all these different issues.
• 7:35
  Whether it was gay and transgender issues.
• 7:38
  That they have to be brought in.
• 7:39
  And the Bible needs to be updated to accommodate them and their rights.
• 7:44
  He was saying it's flawed.
• 7:46
  But the Christians were adamant saying, no.
• 7:49
  The word of God cannot be changed.
• 7:51
  It's God's law to us.
• 7:53
  It's the teaching that we are under.
• 7:55
  We don't change it to suit ourselves.
• 7:58
  We don't change it because our views we want to change.
• 8:02
  We have to find ourselves under what God is saying.
• 8:05
  Taking his teaching seriously.
• 8:08
  And listening to what the word of God is saying.
• 8:12
  And so there we see the first difference is to stand out in the crowd in terms of the teaching that we are under.
• 8:19
  We are under the authority of the word of God.
• 8:22
  The teaching of the word of God.
• 8:27
  And then the second thing as we go on.
• 8:28
  We see in verse 9 to 12.
• 8:30
  We see that sense of whose authority we're under.
• 8:35
  Whose authority we're under.
• 8:36
  For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.
• 8:41
  And you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority.
• 8:46
  In him.
• 8:47
  You see how often the word in him, in him, in him is used there.
• 8:53
  And he is the one who has all rule and authority.
• 8:56
  So whose authority are we under?
• 9:00
  Who is it that we're going to listen to here?
• 9:03
  Recognition by others is something that's often a temptation.
• 9:08
  A temptation just to do something that's going to please others.
• 9:12
  But everything we do is to please Christ.
• 9:17
  And so it's his authority that we're under.
• 9:21
  And you think of Daniel in the Old Testament.
• 9:25
  Who wouldn't change whose authority he was under.
• 9:28
  No matter what they threatened him with.
• 9:31
  He was always going to be obedient to God as his Lord.
• 9:34
  And nothing they could do or say was going to take that from him.
• 9:39
  But do we have that strength?
• 9:41
  Do the church at Colossae have that strength?
• 9:43
  To remain under the authority of him.
• 9:46
  Who is the head of all rule and authority.
• 9:49
  And so there's the challenge for them.
• 9:53
  It's about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 9:58
  And you see here he talks about it in the way of circumcision as well.
• 10:04
  Being circumcised, made by hands.
• 10:07
  It's talking about here he talks about not made by hands.
• 10:10
  We're looking at something different.
• 10:12
  Dare to be different here.
• 10:14
  And many religions have their add-ons.
• 10:17
  And this was something that the false teachers were seeking to keep added in to their faith.
• 10:24
  You still need to be circumcised.
• 10:26
  And they're saying we're still under the authority of the old ways.
• 10:30
  But they're starting to say no, we're under the authority of Christ.
• 10:33
  All that has changed.
• 10:35
  He circumcised the heart.
• 10:38
  He lays us bare before God in our heart.
• 10:40
  Not what we do physically, but what we are within.
• 10:43
  And we are complete in him.
• 10:47
  And he has authority over all things.
• 10:51
  In verse 12 he makes that clear.
• 10:53
  Having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith.
• 10:59
  In the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead.
• 11:04
  So there's all authority here.
• 11:07
  From birth to death to eternity.
• 11:10
  In him is the way.
• 11:12
  In the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 11:14
  It's Christ authority that we're under.
• 11:18
  And are we submitting ourselves to that authority?
• 11:24
  Or do we seek to kind of add things to our own faith?
• 11:29
  Many places do.
• 11:30
  But we are to remain firm and rooted in the faith in Christ Jesus.
• 11:35
  Who has all rule and authority.
• 11:39
  Trusting in him.
• 11:42
  The greatest honour we can have is to be known as the children of God.
• 11:48
  And that is what we are.
• 11:49
  Through faith in him.
• 11:53
  So we're under his authority.
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  To be different.
• 11:56
  To stand out as being under his authority.
• 11:59
  The third difference we see here in verse 13 to 15.
• 12:04
  Whose grace are we under?
• 12:08
  And this is maybe the most easy of the spot.
• 12:11
  The difference that we have here.
• 12:14
  In verse 13.
• 12:15
  And you who were dead in your trespasses.
• 12:18
  Dead in your trespasses.
• 12:21
  And the uncircumcision of your flesh.
• 12:23
  God made alive together with him.
• 12:25
  Having forgiven us all our trespasses.
• 12:28
  So similar to what he writes to the Ephesians.
• 12:32
  For you were dead in your trespasses and sins.
• 12:34
  But you were made alive together with Christ.
• 12:36
  By grace you have been saved.
• 12:38
  Very similar.
• 12:39
  He's talking about the same thing here.
• 12:41
  Whose grace are we coming under?
• 12:44
  We see here that it is in Christ Jesus.
• 12:48
  That we are made alive.
• 12:51
  And he has done this as it goes on to say in verse 14.
• 12:54
  By cancelling the record of debt.
• 12:56
  That stood against us with its legal demands.
• 12:59
  This he set aside.
• 13:00
  Nailing it to the cross.
• 13:03
  He disarmed the rulers and authorities.
• 13:05
  And put them to open shame.
• 13:07
  By triumphing over them in him.
• 13:11
  So again we're looking to Christ.
• 13:13
  We're looking to the cross.
• 13:15
  That is the way of salvation.
• 13:18
  The way of salvation for so many others.
• 13:20
  We're looking for many different ways.
• 13:22
  Many different gods.
• 13:24
  Many different ideas of how we're going to be saved.
• 13:29
  But here we see it's by grace.
• 13:31
  And grace alone.
• 13:33
  That we are saved.
• 13:35
  And that's the difference.
• 13:37
  You notice at the end of verse 15.
• 13:39
  By triumphing over them in him.
• 13:43
  In the ESV Bible.
• 13:44
  It's got a little note beside it there.
• 13:46
  Number four.
• 13:47
  Which is to say or in it.
• 13:50
  Which is the cross.
• 13:53
  So it's in him.
• 13:54
  Or in it.
• 13:55
  But they mean the same thing.
• 13:57
  It's always pointing to him on the cross.
• 14:00
  That that is the way of salvation.
• 14:02
  By grace.
• 14:03
  In the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 14:05
  Christ.
• 14:07
  And so we have that hope.
• 14:09
  Of glory through Christ Jesus.
• 14:11
  Who has gone to the cross for us.
• 14:15
  Then we move on.
• 14:16
  We see verse 18 and 19.
• 14:20
  And here it's speaking about.
• 14:21
  Kind of the predictions.
• 14:23
  That we're under.
• 14:24
  They're looking to the future.
• 14:27
  And how we can discern.
• 14:29
  What lies ahead of us.
• 14:30
  In verse 18.
• 14:32
  Let no one.
• 14:33
  Disqualify you.
• 14:34
  Insisting on asceticism.
• 14:36
  And worship of angels.
• 14:37
  Going on in detail.
• 14:38
  About visions.
• 14:39
  Puffed up.
• 14:40
  Without reason.
• 14:41
  By his sensuous mind.
• 14:43
  And not holding fast.
• 14:45
  To the head.
• 14:46
  From whom the whole body.
• 14:47
  Nourished and knit together.
• 14:49
  Through its joints and ligaments.
• 14:51
  Grows with a growth.
• 14:52
  That is from God.
• 14:54
  So again.
• 14:55
  It's.
• 14:56
  How are we looking.
• 14:57
  Ahead to the future.
• 14:59
  Whose predictions.
• 14:59
  Are we coming under.
• 15:02
  And the people.
• 15:03
  In Colossae.
• 15:04
  As they had in the past.
• 15:05
  Are being.
• 15:06
  Tempted away.
• 15:07
  To go and.
• 15:07
  Look at all these.
• 15:08
  Different ways.
• 15:11
  Insisting on.
• 15:12
  Worship of angels.
• 15:14
  Visions.
• 15:16
  Sensuous mind.
• 15:17
  It's all these ideas.
• 15:19
  That come to people.
• 15:21
  That this is what we need.
• 15:22
  To guide us.
• 15:23
  In the way forward.
• 15:24
  Where.
• 15:25
  No.
• 15:26
  Our growth.
• 15:27
  Is from God.
• 15:28
  God.
• 15:29
  And we are under.
• 15:30
  His.
• 15:31
  Predictions.
• 15:33
  How many people.
• 15:34
  In our world.
• 15:35
  Today.
• 15:36
  Their.
• 15:36
  Their daily reading.
• 15:38
  Is the horoscope.
• 15:40
  What's the horoscope.
• 15:41
  Going to say to me.
• 15:41
  For this day.
• 15:42
  For this week.
• 15:44
  Or for this year.
• 15:46
  They're looking to the stars.
• 15:47
  They're looking in all kinds.
• 15:48
  Of different places.
• 15:49
  To find.
• 15:51
  A way.
• 15:51
  To the future.
• 15:52
  This is their predictions.
• 15:53
  This is what lies ahead of them.
• 15:54
  Well we are to be different.
• 15:57
  And say.
• 15:57
  Well God has told us.
• 15:59
  God has shown us.
• 16:01
  Our future.
• 16:02
  We don't know.
• 16:03
  Everything that's involved in it.
• 16:05
  But we know the security.
• 16:07
  Of what he's saying to us.
• 16:09
  That for.
• 16:10
  To know Christ.
• 16:11
  Is to know that.
• 16:12
  Hope of glory.
• 16:14
  That whatever this world brings us.
• 16:16
  We have that security.
• 16:18
  In him.
• 16:18
  It's interesting.
• 16:21
  In terms of.
• 16:23
  What you hear.
• 16:25
  When you go to a funeral.
• 16:27
  And especially.
• 16:28
  When you go to the cemetery.
• 16:30
  And you have different conversations.
• 16:32
  With different people.
• 16:34
  But probably one of the most.
• 16:36
  Recurring.
• 16:37
  Comments.
• 16:38
  That I hear is.
• 16:39
  Well you just don't know.
• 16:41
  What's ahead.
• 16:43
  And you can see the truth.
• 16:45
  In that.
• 16:45
  You never know.
• 16:47
  The moment.
• 16:48
  So we don't know.
• 16:49
  And it's.
• 16:50
  A good thing is often added to that.
• 16:51
  It's a good thing we don't know.
• 16:54
  But then you look at it.
• 16:55
  The other hand as well.
• 16:56
  We are walking.
• 16:58
  Towards.
• 16:59
  A grave.
• 17:01
  And we do know.
• 17:02
  What's ahead of us.
• 17:03
  Because it's there.
• 17:05
  In front of us.
• 17:06
  That there is an end.
• 17:07
  For everyone.
• 17:10
  So yes.
• 17:11
  We don't know.
• 17:11
  What's ahead of us.
• 17:12
  In one sense.
• 17:14
  We don't know.
• 17:14
  What a moment.
• 17:15
  Or a day.
• 17:16
  Will bring.
• 17:16
  But on the other hand.
• 17:19
  We know.
• 17:20
  What's ahead.
• 17:20
  Because.
• 17:21
  The word of God.
• 17:22
  Tells us.
• 17:23
  And we see it all around us.
• 17:25
  Every day.
• 17:27
  We are all.
• 17:28
  Destined.
• 17:29
  For that grave.
• 17:30
  Unless the Lord.
• 17:32
  Returns.
• 17:33
  That is.
• 17:34
  The prediction of God.
• 17:35
  That's what he is telling us.
• 17:37
  And there is no way.
• 17:38
  To avoid any of these issues.
• 17:41
  The matter of life.
• 17:42
  And death.
• 17:43
  They belong to God.
• 17:44
  And so these are the predictions.
• 17:47
  And the promises.
• 17:48
  That the word of God.
• 17:49
  Tells us.
• 17:50
  The people here.
• 17:50
  You could see.
• 17:51
  They could look into their visions.
• 17:53
  And their worship of angels.
• 17:54
  And all of these things.
• 17:56
  Their minds.
• 17:57
  Trying to discern.
• 17:59
  What lay ahead of them.
• 18:00
  In the future.
• 18:01
  But it was all about God's predictions.
• 18:04
  And the will.
• 18:05
  Of God.
• 18:06
  And seeking.
• 18:07
  That will.
• 18:09
  So whose predictions.
• 18:11
  We are to be different.
• 18:12
  By reminding ourselves.
• 18:13
  And others.
• 18:15
  That we are under God's word.
• 18:16
  That tells us exactly.
• 18:18
  What we have.
• 18:21
  That we have life.
• 18:23
  And death.
• 18:24
  And eternity.
• 18:26
  These are the.
• 18:28
  Guaranteed.
• 18:28
  For us.
• 18:29
  We don't know the times.
• 18:31
  Or the moment.
• 18:33
  But we know the truth.
• 18:34
  Of the word of God.
• 18:35
  That tells us.
• 18:37
  And the only way.
• 18:38
  To be secure in that.
• 18:39
  Is to be faith.
• 18:41
  To have faith.
• 18:42
  In the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 18:44
  To dare.
• 18:45
  To be different.
• 18:46
  And to remind others.
• 18:47
  Christ.
• 18:49
  Is what we need.
• 18:50
  For these things.
• 18:52
  The final thing.
• 18:53
  We see here.
• 18:54
  Is in verse 16.
• 18:55
  And 17.
• 18:56
  And there's.
• 18:57
  Also verse 20.
• 18:59
  To 23.
• 19:00
  And we see here.
• 19:01
  It's all about rules.
• 19:04
  In verse 16.
• 19:05
  To 17.
• 19:06
  You have these rules.
• 19:07
  Of questions.
• 19:09
  Of food.
• 19:09
  And drink.
• 19:10
  Of festivals.
• 19:11
  The new moon.
• 19:11
  Or the Sabbath.
• 19:13
  So there's all these.
• 19:15
  Rules.
• 19:16
  That they're coming under.
• 19:16
  How you do this.
• 19:18
  And then you have it.
• 19:19
  In verse 20.
• 19:20
  To 23.
• 19:21
  As well.
• 19:23
  Do not submit.
• 19:25
  To regulations.
• 19:26
  Do not handle.
• 19:27
  Do not taste.
• 19:28
  Do not touch.
• 19:29
  There's all these.
• 19:30
  Rules.
• 19:31
  That people.
• 19:32
  Are trying.
• 19:33
  To bring in.
• 19:33
  And to keep.
• 19:34
  As the forefront.
• 19:35
  Of their mind.
• 19:38
  But what.
• 19:39
  Paul is reminding them.
• 19:40
  Of here as well.
• 19:42
  Is in like.
• 19:43
  It says in verse 17.
• 19:44
  These are a shadow.
• 19:46
  Of the things to come.
• 19:48
  But the substance.
• 19:49
  Belongs.
• 19:50
  To Christ.
• 19:52
  Or as he says.
• 19:53
  In verse 23.
• 19:54
  These indeed.
• 19:55
  Have an appearance.
• 19:56
  Of wisdom.
• 19:56
  And promoting.
• 19:57
  Self-made.
• 19:58
  Religion.
• 19:59
  And asceticism.
• 20:00
  And severity.
• 20:01
  Of the body.
• 20:02
  But they're of no value.
• 20:04
  In stopping.
• 20:05
  The indulgence.
• 20:07
  Of the flesh.
• 20:09
  So in both.
• 20:10
  These situations.
• 20:11
  He's saying.
• 20:11
  There's all these.
• 20:12
  Rules.
• 20:13
  But if that's all.
• 20:14
  You have.
• 20:16
  They're of no use.
• 20:17
  To you.
• 20:20
  Everything belongs.
• 20:22
  To Christ.
• 20:23
  And all the rule.
• 20:25
  And all authority.
• 20:27
  And all the predictions.
• 20:28
  All of these things.
• 20:31
  They all belong.
• 20:32
  To Christ.
• 20:34
  And that is.
• 20:35
  What makes us stand out.
• 20:37
  In everything.
• 20:39
  To spot the difference.
• 20:40
  Is to say.
• 20:41
  We are standing.
• 20:43
  In Christ.
• 20:45
  Go back to verse 6.
• 20:46
  Therefore as you received.
• 20:48
  Christ Jesus the Lord.
• 20:50
  So walk in him.
• 20:52
  Rooted.
• 20:53
  And built up in him.
• 20:54
  And established.
• 20:55
  In the faith.
• 20:56
  Just as you were taught.
• 20:57
  Abounding.
• 20:58
  In thanksgiving.
• 21:01
  There is.
• 21:02
  The firmness.
• 21:03
  There is the difference.
• 21:04
  In all of these things.
• 21:07
  That we have Christ.
• 21:09
  That we are standing fast.
• 21:11
  In him.
• 21:12
  That we are seeking to obey.
• 21:14
  His rule.
• 21:15
  His authority.
• 21:16
  His word.
• 21:18
  And that is what matters.
• 21:20
  For us.
• 21:21
  Christ.
• 21:22
  Christ.
• 21:23
  Is all.
• 21:24
  We need.
• 21:26
  We have him.
• 21:28
  We have the hope.
• 21:30
  Of glory.
• 21:31
  And that is what Paul.
• 21:33
  Is reminding the church.
• 21:34
  At Colossae.
• 21:35
  You have.
• 21:36
  Christ.
• 21:37
  In you.
• 21:38
  The hope.
• 21:39
  Of glory.
• 21:40
  That will make you.
• 21:41
  Stand out.
• 21:42
  In a crowd.
• 21:43
  That will make people see.
• 21:45
  There is something.
• 21:46
  Different.
• 21:47
  About you.
• 21:48
  And that is the same.
• 21:49
  For ourselves.
• 21:50
  Today.
• 21:51
  We have that same.
• 21:52
  Christ.
• 21:53
  In us.
• 21:54
  The hope.
• 21:55
  Of glory.
• 21:56
  But do we see.
• 21:57
  Ourselves.
• 21:58
  So different.
• 21:59
  To the rest.
• 22:00
  Around us.
• 22:02
  Do we stand out.
• 22:03
  In the crowd.
• 22:04
  In all of these ways.
• 22:06
  That the love of Christ.
• 22:07
  That we have.
• 22:09
  Is what others see.
• 22:11
  Or are we just.
• 22:12
  Blending.
• 22:13
  In with the rest.
• 22:15
  May the love of Christ.
• 22:16
  In our hearts.
• 22:17
  And the hope of glory.
• 22:19
  In us.
• 22:19
  Be something.
• 22:20
  That makes us.
• 22:21
  Stand out.
• 22:22
  And to be different.
• 22:23
  And to say.
• 22:24
  We have.
• 22:25
  This Christ.
• 22:27
  We love him.
• 22:27
  With all our hearts.
• 22:30
  And we will stand.
• 22:31
  For him.
• 22:33
  Let us pray.
• 22:38
  Lord our gracious God.
• 22:40
  As we read these words.
• 22:42
  And as we think of.
• 22:43
  The days in the church.
• 22:45
  In Colossae.
• 22:45
  When there were so many.
• 22:47
  Challenges around them.
• 22:48
  Challenges abounding.
• 22:49
  In so many different ways.
• 22:51
  And we see the similar.
• 22:53
  Challenges that we face.
• 22:54
  Ourselves.
• 22:55
  In our own day and age.
• 22:56
  And see how the world.
• 22:58
  Is always talking about.
• 23:00
  Change for the better.
• 23:02
  Yet we are no better.
• 23:02
  When we drift away.
• 23:04
  From Christ.
• 23:05
  We have made no progress.
• 23:06
  When we go away from him.
• 23:08
  And so we pray Lord.
• 23:10
  That we will be led back.
• 23:11
  To him.
• 23:11
  Even as Paul.
• 23:12
  Sought to lead the people.
• 23:14
  To walk closely.
• 23:15
  With him as their Lord.
• 23:17
  We pray that you will help.
• 23:18
  Us as your people.
• 23:20
  And all of your people.
• 23:21
  Near and far.
• 23:23
  To stand out in the crowd.
• 23:25
  Of this world.
• 23:26
  To stand up.
• 23:27
  On the side of Christ.
• 23:28
  To acknowledge him.
• 23:30
  And to seek to walk.
• 23:32
  Closely with him.
• 23:33
  Rooted.
• 23:34
  And built up in him.
• 23:35
  And established.
• 23:36
  In the faith.
• 23:37
  Even just.
• 23:38
  As we have been taught.
• 23:39
  Ourselves.
• 23:40
  Over all of our days.
• 23:42
  So Lord.
• 23:43
  Guide us.
• 23:43
  We pray.
• 23:44
  Continue with us.
• 23:45
  Pardon us.
• 23:46
  In all our sin.
• 23:47
  As all we ask.
• 23:48
  We ask in his precious name.
• 23:50
  Amen.