Rooted in Christ Colossians 2:6-15

Do you remember when you came to Jesus? For some, that was recent. For others, it was many years ago. And for some of you, it hasn’t happened yet.

Think back to when you realized you were a sinner—when your sin and brokenness led you to the foot of the cross. There, Jesus nailed all your debt and sin to it, paying for it with His life. You repented, accepted His undeserved gift of grace, and met Him in the waters baptism.

Personal Testimony

April 9, 1995, was the day I committed my life to Jesus and my father baptized me. In the weeks before, I began to see how my sin—even at age nine—had separated me from God. I had been talking with my parents about baptism and repenting of various sins. I originally wanted to wait until my birthday on April 21 so that my spiritual birthday would be the same as my physical one. But that Saturday, I realized I couldn’t wait.

The next day, after the worship, I walked forward with my dad, confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, and was baptized then and there.

I grew up in a home where both parents—and their parents—were believers. I grew up reading the Bible, praying, and being part of a church committed to God’s Word. My foundation reminds me of Timothy, whose sincere faith lived first in his mother and grandmother. And like Timothy, I learned to test every teaching by the Word of God. But I’m far from perfect. I often relate to Paul’s words: “What a wretched man I am!” Paul this morning wants us to remember the beginning.

1. Remember Your Foundation

This summer, we’re walking through Colossians. Paul had heard of their faith and love for God’s people. He wanted them to grow in maturity, bearing the fruit of —encouraged in heart, united in love, and firm in faith.

Today, Paul reminds us to go back to our foundation: Jesus Christ.

If you have your bibles turn with me to the book of Colossians. It’s on the right side of your bibles, in the NT, comes right after Philippians and right before 1 Thessalonians.

Colossians 2:6-7

Colossians 2:6–7

Paul says, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him.”

Think about when you first believed. Things were simple. Jesus says it—we do it.

When Jesus called Peter, He said, “Leave your nets and follow Me.” Peter didn’t make excuses or run errands. He dropped his nets and followed.

When we begin a road trip, the destination is clear. But over time, we get tired, distracted, and discouraged. The tire blows out. The traffic is thick. The kids are yelling. We forget where we’re going. We must remember the destination and not grow weary on the journey of following Jesus.

Galatians 6:9-10 reminds us:

Galatians 6:9–10

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Friends don’t become weary. But stay focused by being rooted in Christ. Built up in Him. Strengthened in faith. Overflowing with thankfulness.

Jesus + nothing = everything. He is all we need.

Remember your foundation is Jesus. Why? Because if not, we can be deceived by fine-sounding arguments and carried away.

2. Resist Being Carried Away

Colossians 2:8

Colossians 2:8

Paul warns: Don’t be carried off.

As we saw last week in 2 Timothy 4 he warns of a time when people won’t tolerate sound doctrine. Instead, they’ll gather teachers to suit their desires, turning away from the truth.

This isn’t just a warning about the world. Paul was talking about people who claim to follow Jesus—who claim Jesus but aren’t rooted in Him. And how do we resist being carried away? Be the Bereans.

Acts 17:11-12,

Acts 17:11–12

11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Friends we must examine the Scriptures daily to ensure what we hear is true. The Bereans were eager to hear Paul, but they verified everything against God’s Word.

The only way you can watch out, is if you are daily examining scripture. As Journey Church we grow by studying the Bible together, increasing our desire to know the inspired and inerrant Word of God and humbly obeying its truth in everyday life.

And friends when we are as His church growing in scripture and obeying it everyday, rooted in Christ, built up in him, eagerly searching his word, and living it out, may the result for the Berean’s been seen among us. That many will believe Jesus is Lord and savior.

We must examine scripture daily, so that if anyone teaches something contrary to it, we can correct them, and resist being carried away.

As I was writing this message my doorbell rang and two sweet well-meaning lady’s were there to tell me about what they thought was true. They were from the Jehovah’s Witness. Now they have been convinced by smooth sounding teaching that is based on the teaching of men rather than on Christ. They claimed it was from the bible. They said don’t you want to have peace? I told them that I do in Jesus Christ. It is only though Jesus I have peace. Unfortunately these ladies have a twisted view of Jesus and scripture that is not Jesus.

And not only groups like the Jehovah’s Witness but many others have been taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy. Our test must always be this: is it in line with God’s word. Is it in line with Jesus as Lord and savior? If it doesn’t center on Him, be careful. Don’t be taken captive. Don’t rely on feelings or itching ears. Anchor yourself in the Word of God.

Remember your foundation, resist being carried away and

3. Rejoice in the Triumph of the Cross

Colossians 2:9-15

Colossians 2:9–15

Here’s our foundation:

"In Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

Jesus is not part-God or a man filled with God. He is fully God and fully man. He is the image of the invisible God.

Not only is Jesus the fullness of God, but He is also the head over every power and authority. We were dead in our sins—but we were buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through faith.

Romans 6:1-4 reminds us:

Romans 6:1–4

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

In Jesus, our old self is crucified. Our sin-debt has been canceled—nailed to the cross. Jesus triumphed over sin, death, and every power that condemns us.

Paul doesn’t just want us to understand that Jesus triumphed at the cross—he wants us to experience that triumph personally. And how do we do that? Through faith—at baptism, where God makes that victory real in our lives.

Many people think of baptism as something we do for God—an outward ritual, a religious tradition, or a personal statement of commitment.

But when we read Colossians 2 and Romans 6, we find that baptism is not about our action. It is about God’s action in us. Baptism is not a work we do for God; it is God’s work through our faith in Christ.

Baptism is a Participation in Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

In Romans and Colossians Paul teaches that in baptism, we are united with Jesus in His death. It’s as if, in that moment, God places us in the tomb with Christ. And just as Christ was raised to new life, so we are raised with Him. Baptism isn’t symbolic only—it is a spiritual participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

It’s not that the water magically saves us, but that God uses this act, through our faith, as the moment of union with Christ’s saving work. It is the divine working behind the physical act that brings transformation.

Baptism Is God’s Power at Work (Colossians 2:12–13)

Colossians 2:12–13

Here Paul is clear: Baptism is not a human effort—it is the "working of God." Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, He raises us to new spiritual life. The phrase “through your faith” clarifies the role we play—not performing the act to earn grace, but receiving what God does by trusting in Him.

Think of it like this: when someone is baptized, they are not saying, “Look what I’m doing for God.” Instead, they are saying, “Look what God is doing in me through Jesus.” Baptism Is God’s Power at Work

Baptism Signifies a Break from the Old Life

In baptism, God is putting our old life to death. The sin, the guilt, the shame—it is nailed to the cross with Jesus. We rise from baptism not as people who are simply “trying harder,” but as new creations, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for God.

Baptism Declares the Defeat of the Enemy (Colossians 2:14–15)

Colossians 2:14–15

“He forgave us all our sins… he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities…”

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God triumphed over the powers of sin and darkness. And in baptism, that victory becomes ours. Our sin-debt is canceled, our guilt removed, and our enemy disarmed.

So What Does This Mean for us?

• Baptism is not our achievement—it’s a sign of God’s grace and God’s power at work in us.

• Baptism requires faith—not faith in the water or the ritual, but faith in the God who raises the dead.

• Baptism reminds us of our new identity in Christ—dead to sin, alive to God.

• Baptism is both a burial and a birth—we go under the water like going into the grave, and we rise up like walking out of the tomb with Jesus.

Baptism is where the reality of what Christ has done is applied to your life through faith. All of us are bankrupt in our sin without Jesus.

Story: Mr. Kline

A discouraged man whose name was Mr. Kline, walked past a church building as they sang: “Jesus died for all mankind... and Jesus died for me.” But with his poor hearing, he thought he heard: “Jesus died for old man Kline.” “Why”, he said, “that’s me!” Stopping in his tracks, he turned and entered the small auditorium. There he heard the simple message of the Gospel as the minister presented the good news that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Jesus didn’t just die for all mankind. He died for you. Jesus has nailed your debt to sin to the cross.

Story: D.L. Moody

A well-educated woman once asked Moody, “Do you mean to tell me I must enter heaven the same way as the worst criminals?” Moody replied, “I don’t tell you that—God does. Everyone must be born again.”

Whether you’ve grown up in church or have wandered far, the call is the same: Be born again. Buried and raised with Jesus in baptism. Rooted in Him alone.

Conclusion: Rooted and Built Up in Christ

Friends, every one of us is bankrupt in our sin without Jesus. But in Him, we are made alive. If you’ve never made Jesus your Lord—repent today. Be buried with Him in baptism. Be raised to new life. Let Him nail every one of your sins to the cross. The baptistry is ready wont you come today. I’ll be in the lobby come if your ready to talk.

If you are in Jesus, live like it. Remember what Jesus has done for you. Remember when you received Jesus as Lord and let us as his church continue to live our lives in him, rooted, and built up in him strengthened in the faith as we first were taught, overflowing in thankfulness, so we aren’t carried off, taken captive by fine sound, hollow, deceptive teaching. But be rooted and built up in Christ.

Maybe you have been taken captive by hollow and deceptive teaching that takes away Christ as Lord and Messiah. Make a commitment today to examine God's Word daily. Whatever you believe—no matter who taught it—test it against Scripture. If it’s not aligned with God’s word, repent and align your life, your believes, your obedience with God’s word. Know God’s word, search, read it, study it, examine it daily. And allow it to bear fruit in your life. When people see Journey Church let them see a people that live lives that please God, that examine scripture, and live lives rooted, built up in Christ our Lord.

Let Journey Church be a people of the Word. Like the Bereans—searching Scripture daily, eager to grow, and grounded in the truth.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything. Jesus is above all else.

Let us live rooted, built up, and alive in Him.