Colossians 2:1-8

1. Who is persuading you?
   • Paul’s concern for the Colossians was persuasive words.
   • Persuasion seems harmless, but persuasion has no loyalty to what is right or wrong, it’s just a tool.
   • People persuade you with knowledge, so where do you source your knowledge from, what persuades you? Is it science, celebrities, YouTube, your culture, societies constructs?
   • On social media we are instantly hit with adverts and posts persuading us to buy their product, interact etc. Persuasion will happen regardless of your choice, so we need to be alert that what we’re persuaded by is of good, Godly foundation.
   • Matthew 27:20 the religious leaders persuaded the crowd to put an innocent man to death.
   • What are you being persuaded into in your everyday life? Where are you being persuaded?
2. Be persuaded by Jesus
   • Verse 3 Paul is persuading us that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in God.
   • The false teachers in Colossae mixed Christianity with other elements and Paul spoke to that situation with persuasive words. This is still happening today, where Christianity is given a slight twist and we must be alert.
   • Do you have faith that the word of God is true and all you need?
   • John 1:1 and John 1:14
   • Let’s hold onto the word of God in 2021, the word is Jesus and Jesus is all we need, he completes us.
   • Where in your life have you allowed persuasive words to move you away from God’s word?
   • John 17:3

Colossians 2:9-15

1. Let’s take action

2. • Colossians 2:9
   • Our roots must be in Jesus and when we read God’s word and meditate on him that’s when we start growing roots in him.
   • The fullness of God exists in Jesus and only in Jesus, let’s dive into him and be excited that we can get to know who God is through Jesus.
   • Colossians 2:10
   • We are complete in Jesus and there is no wisdom or power that is higher than him. Let’s stop searching outside of Jesus for the true meaning of life or how to be a Christian, search him, because all knowledge is there.

2. Our complete identity

2. • Colossians 2:13-14
   • We are not saved because we do, we do because we are saved.
   • We are under God’s grace and mercy and we can never earn our salvation, it is a gift from God.
   • Colossians 2:15
   • Jesus won the war against the enemy and we too can enjoy this victory. We are children of the most high and we were bought at a high price, that is our identity.
   • Jesus has taken away the law and works and said just depend on my grace.  Through Jesus we have everything we need to be saved from death, he has nailed our sin to the cross.
   • Let’s walk and live like people who are saved, like people who are complete, because we have everything we need in Jesus.