Sermon Central
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Super-Size Your Faith Series
Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Feb 1, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: Do you want to Super-Size your faith? Colossians gives use some keys to be able to do that!
INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• You ever go to a fast food restaurant extremely hungry. You have intentions of eating a salad or a diet drink, but your hunger takes over.
• Now you are ready to order, the person behind the counter asks you what you would like to order and you start to say “a salad”, but then you decide to roll with a VALUE meal, you know, sandwich, fries, and a drink.
• Then the question, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPER-SIZE THAT?”
• Now your stomach starts talking, YES! Now your 300 calorie salad turns into a 2000 calorie artery clogger. But the good news, your also super-sized your diet drink! So all is good!
• That super-sized meal can leave you feeling a bit sluggish. Today I would like to spend some time talking about something that we should work on super-sizing; our faith.
• We can all possess faith at one level or another, some folks have the dollar menu faith. That type of faith does not require much of us or cost us much; it is usually a very small portion so therefore we are left hungry for more in a very short time.
• Some have the value menu faith, that kind of faith comes with a lot but it still does not cost us much, but it is more substantial than the dollar menu faith.
• What we are seeking is the SUPER-SIZED faith. A faith that is so large it overflows for others to see! When we possess a SUPER-SIZED faith we will not life a life of faith that is unsatisfying.
• Today we are going to embark on a study of the book of Colossians together.
• I hope that as we start to go through the book of Colossians we will learn some things that will help to challenge us to go deeper with Jesus.
• Paul is writing this letter to a church that is struggling with some false teachings that were prevalent at the time.
• This letter is written with three major purposes in mind; those purposes are still valid today.
o To encourage the readers not to go back to their former way of life
o To direct the people’s attention to Jesus and to get them to fully trust and worship Him and to fully recognize who He is.
o To emphasize the virtue of forgiveness and kindness.
• Today we will begin the series by examining the question, “How can we possess a SUPER-SIZED faith?”
• We will be in Colossians 1; we will begin in verses 3-4.
• SLIDE #2
• Colossians 1:3–4 (ESV) We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
In order to SUPER-SIZE your faith…
I. Make Jesus the center of your faith! (3-4)
• Paul starts this letter out with such a positive message. Verses 1-2 state;
• Colossians 1:1–2 (ESV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
• This letter is written to the FAITHFUL brothers in Christ at Colossae!
• He is thankful for them and he is praying for them!
• I pray that we do this for our brothers and sisters in Christ!
• What is the apostle thankful for? since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints
• When you think about it, this is an impressive statement. The faith of the Church at Colossae is so great that it is known all around.
• The faith of the Colossian church was centered on Jesus. since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.
• Their faith in Jesus made such an impact on the lives of those in the church that they gained a reputation for their faith.
• I wonder what people would say about the church as they walked around Colossae?
• I wonder what folks say about FCC when they pass by?
• The only way we can SUPER-SIZE our faith is by making Jesus the center of our faith.
• I have seen too many people over the years play the church game.
• Sometimes we can get so caught up in things to the point that Jesus is not really the center of our faith.
• For many the center of their faith is the status quo, it is their jobs, family or entertainment.
• For some it is the type of music in the service.
