Rooted in Christ: The Foundation of Our Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ

True spiritual strength and hope are found only in Christ, not in our own efforts or wisdom. When we root our lives in Him, we are made complete, forgiven, and empowered to live in a way that pleases God. All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, and our faith is established as we walk in Him, overflowing with gratitude. The fullness of God dwells in Christ, and through Him, we are raised to new life, having our debts canceled and our sins forgiven. [07:40]

Colossians 2:6-15 (NASB 1995)
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Reflection: In what area of your life are you tempted to rely on your own strength or wisdom instead of rooting yourself in Christ’s sufficiency? What would it look like to shift your focus to Him today?

Day 2: Beware of Human Reasoning and Philosophy

Human wisdom and philosophy, even when well-intentioned, can lead us away from the simple, unchanging truth of the gospel. The world’s reasoning is always shifting, but the message of Christ and Him crucified remains constant and true. We must be careful not to let persuasive arguments or cultural trends redefine our faith, but instead hold fast to the wisdom of God revealed in Scripture. [19:30]

1 Corinthians 1:18-21 (NASB 1995)
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Reflection: What “wise” or popular ideas in our culture tempt you to reinterpret or compromise the clear teachings of Jesus? How can you intentionally guard your heart and mind against these influences today?

Day 3: Reject Mystical Additions to the Gospel

Spiritual-sounding experiences, visions, or new revelations that go beyond the teachings of Christ and His apostles are deceptive and dangerous. True faith is not built on mystical experiences or private revelations, but on the unchanging word of God and the testimony of Christ. We must hold fast to the head—Jesus—and not be swayed by those who claim special spiritual insight apart from Scripture. [29:10]

Galatians 1:6-9 (NASB 1995)
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

Reflection: Are you tempted to seek spiritual certainty or direction through experiences, feelings, or “new” revelations rather than through the clear teaching of Scripture? How can you recommit to letting God’s word be your only standard today?

Day 4: Avoid Legalism and Man-Made Traditions

Binding rules and traditions that go beyond what Christ and His apostles taught can become a dangerous substitute for true faith. When we elevate group decisions, traditions, or human judgments to the level of God’s commands, we risk departing from Christ—even in the name of religion. True discipleship is about adhering to Jesus, not to the comfort of “we decided” or the pressure of group conformity. [44:00]

Matthew 15:7-9 (NASB 1995)
You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

Reflection: Are there any traditions, group expectations, or “we decided” rules in your life or church that you have elevated above the teachings of Jesus? How can you return to a Christ-centered focus in your faith and practice today?

Day 5: True Transformation Over Mere Restriction

Spiritual growth is not about piling on more restrictions or saying “no” to everything, but about being transformed into the likeness of Christ. While personal and communal boundaries can be wise, they must never replace the goal of genuine transformation and love. The healthiest congregation and the healthiest Christian are those who focus on imitating Christ, growing in grace, and keeping God’s word—not on being defined by what they avoid or by their traditions. [56:30]

Romans 13:13-14 (NASB 1995)
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Reflection: In what ways have you confused spiritual transformation with simply adding more restrictions or rules? What is one step you can take today to pursue Christlike transformation, rather than just self-imposed boundaries?

Sermon Summary

Colossians chapters one and two remind us that the foundation of our faith, our hope, and our ability to live lives pleasing to God is found in Christ alone. All the power, wisdom, and assurance we need are not found in our own efforts or philosophies, but in being rooted and built up in Jesus. The fullness of God dwells in Christ, and in Him we are made complete. Our lives are to be tethered to Him, drawing strength and direction from His teachings, His sacrifice, and His resurrection.

Yet, there are persistent dangers that threaten to distract us from this Christ-centered life. Paul warns of four main tactics that can pull us away: human philosophy and reasoning, mystical experiences and supposed revelations, sectarianism and legalism, and extreme conservatism that elevates human restrictions above transformation in Christ. Each of these, though they may appear different, share a common root—they substitute human ideas, traditions, or experiences for the simple, saving faith in Jesus.

Human philosophy tempts us to trust in our own wisdom or the wisdom of others, rather than the unchanging truth of the gospel. Mystical experiences, visions, or new revelations can seem spiritual, but if they move us away from the clear teachings of Christ and His apostles, they are just another form of self-reliance. Sectarianism and legalism arise when groups or traditions make decisions and bind rules that God has not, creating barriers and shifting the focus from Christ to “us” and “our way.” Extreme conservatism, on the other hand, can lead to a religion of constant “no’s,” where self-denial becomes the measure of faithfulness, rather than genuine transformation into Christ’s likeness.

The call is to return to the simplicity and sufficiency of Christ. Whether as individuals, families, or congregations, our aim must be to imitate the Master, to stand firm on what can be proven from Scripture, and to avoid the traps of both tradition and trendiness. True growth, hope, and victory are found in being buried with Christ in baptism, raised with Him, and living for Him—nothing more, nothing less.

Key Takeaways

1. The sufficiency of Christ is the foundation of our faith and life. All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Him, and our completeness comes not from our own efforts or understanding, but from being rooted and built up in Jesus. When we tether our lives to Christ, we find the strength and hope needed to endure and to grow. [02:45]
2. Human reasoning and philosophy, no matter how sophisticated or well-intentioned, cannot replace the simple truth of the gospel. The wisdom of the world is ever-changing and ultimately leads us away from the unchanging message of Christ crucified. Our faith must rest on what God has revealed, not on what seems reasonable to us or to the culture around us. [18:10]
3. Mystical experiences, visions, or new revelations that claim to supplement or supersede the teachings of Christ and His apostles are deceptive. Even spiritual-sounding ideas can become a form of self-reliance if they are not anchored in Scripture. The age of faith is rooted in the prophetic word made sure, not in subjective experiences or private revelations. [28:30]
4. Sectarianism and legalism are subtle departures from Christ, often cloaked in religious language and tradition. When groups or individuals bind rules or practices that God has not, or elevate their own identity above Christ, they create barriers to true unity and transformation. The focus must always be on adhering to Jesus, not to “us” or “our way.” [44:00]
5. Extreme conservatism, where self-denial and restriction become the measure of faithfulness, is no safer than extreme liberalism. True transformation is not about multiplying rules, but about becoming more like Jesus. Restrictions may have their place, but they must never replace the call to genuine growth in grace and knowledge of Christ. [56:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Christ-Centered Foundations in Colossians
[04:30] - The Power of “In Him”
[08:15] - The Mystery Revealed: Christ Himself
[12:00] - Warnings Against Distraction
[15:45] - Human Philosophy vs. Christ
[21:20] - The Danger of Mystical Experiences
[28:00] - Apostolic Authority and the End of New Revelation
[32:40] - Sectarianism and Legalism Explained
[38:50] - The Trap of “We Decided” Religion
[44:00] - Jesus’ Warnings About Tradition
[48:30] - Extreme Conservatism and Self-Made Religion
[54:00] - The Role of Restriction and Transformation
[59:10] - Three Types of Congregations
[64:00] - Returning to the Simplicity of Christ
[67:00] - Invitation to Be Buried and Raised with Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Colossians 2:6-15 — - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
- Matthew 15:1-9

Observation Questions

In Colossians 2:6-7, what does Paul say is the foundation for how Christians should live?
According to Colossians 2:8, what are the things that can take believers “captive,” and how are they contrasted with Christ?
In Matthew 15:1-9, what does Jesus say about traditions and commandments? What problem does He point out with the Pharisees’ approach?
The sermon listed four main dangers that can distract us from Christ. What are they? [12:00]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize being “rooted and built up in Christ” rather than relying on human wisdom or tradition? What does this look like in practice? [02:45]
The sermon warns that mystical experiences or new revelations can be a form of self-reliance. Why might these seem spiritual, and how can they actually pull us away from Christ? [28:30]
How does sectarianism or legalism shift the focus from Christ to “us” and “our way”? What are some modern examples of this? [44:00]
The sermon says that extreme conservatism, where self-denial becomes the measure of faithfulness, is “no safer than extreme liberalism.” Why is this the case? [56:10]

Application Questions

The sermon calls us to “return to the simplicity and sufficiency of Christ.” Is there an area in your life where you have complicated your faith with extra rules, traditions, or expectations? What would it look like to simplify and focus on Jesus in that area? [01:04]
Have you ever been tempted to trust in your own reasoning or the wisdom of others instead of what God has revealed in Scripture? What is one practical way you can remind yourself to go back to the Bible when making decisions? [18:10]
Have you experienced or witnessed mystical experiences, visions, or “new revelations” being used to guide faith or church decisions? How can you test whether these are truly from God or just another distraction? [28:30]
Think about your church or family. Are there any “we decided” rules or traditions that have become more important than what Jesus actually taught? How can you help shift the focus back to Christ? [44:00]
The sermon mentions that extreme conservatism can lead to a religion of constant “no’s.” Are there any areas where you or your church have made self-denial the main measure of faithfulness? How can you move toward genuine transformation into Christ’s likeness instead? [56:10]
The sermon described three types of congregations: traditionalist, daring, and Christ-focused. Which one do you think best describes your church experience? What steps could you take to help your group become more Christ-focused? [59:10]
Paul talks about being “buried with Christ in baptism, raised with Him, and living for Him.” What does it mean for you personally to live for Christ—nothing more, nothing less? Is there a next step you need to take in your walk with Him? [01:07]

Sermon Clips

for in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form and in him you have been made complete and he is the head over all rule and authority and in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of christ having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the workings of god who raised him from the dead when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh he made you alive together with him in him with him having forgiven us all our transgressions having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us he has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross [00:10:40] (53 seconds) Edit Clip

for i want you to know how great a struggle i have on your behalf and for those who are at laodicea and for all those who have not personally seen my face that their hearts may be encouraged having been knit together in love and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding resulting in a knowledge of god's mystery that is christ himself in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge the mystery that paul references in colossians and ephesians is not complicated it doesn't mean it's hidden from you or it needs to be pieced together or it's only for people of a certain maturity what he's saying is before christ came it was a mystery and now that christ comes it is him he is that mystery and it is no longer mysterious [00:03:44] (52 seconds) Edit Clip

when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities he made a public display of them having triumphed over them how through him everything goes back to the teachings the will the rule and the goodness of jesus now we know that we spent some time this morning talking about that and i want you to see how focused it is now here's the warning of colossians 2 and where i think things might get interesting this morning the world is trying to distract christians from the three quotes you see on the slide behind me the world is trying to draw your gaze away and he warns about that in chapter 2 i skipped this verse in chapter 2 verse 4 i say this i say it's in christ himself i say verse 3 that in him is hidden all treasures so that no one will delude you with persuasive arguments [00:15:55] (55 seconds) Edit Clip

and in the midst of all of it was a departure from Christ in the name of Christ sit on that for a second a departure into our ideas Jesus talked at great length I'll give you a couple passages here it shows up most notably in Acts 15 1 in Acts 15 1 where they're converting people to Christ people are learning the principles of Jesus and they're learning to build out local churches like Jesus has designed them and things are going beautifully and then the Judaizing teachers just come up and say we decided you must also be circumcised because there's a lot of us and we all agreed and it makes us comfortable and it fits our conclusions and we're making a salvation issue out of this and you have to agree with us and Acts 15 was this big display of you don't get to make those decisions only Jesus does [00:41:30] (52 seconds) Edit Clip

when keeping up with the rules that we say have to be it actually makes us less charitable and less hospitable and makes us love less that's dangerous that's what he's talking about one more ready similar one more you're like please stop one more it's just warnings they're just warnings to think about because to be in him means you can't be in anything that's not him and then this is really really similar and I probably could have come up with better language but look at verses 20 through 23 if you have died with Christ in him with him with Christ if you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world why as if you were living in the world do you submit yourself to decrees and I want you to note something he could have listed a bunch of like bad stuff that they wanted to do like you're supposed to be in Christ you're like yes yes yes he doesn't go that route here he goes the opposite way he says you're supposed to be in Christ and you submit yourself to decrees like do not handle do not taste do not touch which all refer to things destined to perish with use in accordance with the commandments and the teachings of men that's just men telling you no not God [00:49:56] (74 seconds) Edit Clip

how about the christ focused congregation resembling the congregations of smyrna and philadelphia they might appear poor but they're spiritually rich their focus isn't so much on trends among brethren as it is on their savior they may seem to only have a little power and are probably not widely known however because of their humility and perseverance and keeping god's word god's word they're recognized in heaven that's all that matters their main concern is not doing what some group of congregations or some movement is always done neither is it in identifying themselves as non -traditional they simply want to imitate the master a part of doing that is imitating faithful early disciples who were taught by christ inspired apostles and prophets that helps them avoid imprudence lack of wisdom they don't trust in themselves to be faultless even though that is their desire their aim is to grow in grace and in knowledge of their lord and savior jesus christ trusting in his mercy in those areas where growth may be lacking honest to the fact that it may be may god help us through his word and good examples to be like that third congregation and then he adds that same principle applies to individuals [01:18:50] (80 seconds) Edit Clip

turns out the church is just a bunch of people and if my individual thinking moves back towards christ from whatever corner you may be residing god's people become just a collective of people who put christ first and in that is victory and in that is growth and in that is hope what i want to finish with could have read anything and i'm just going to finish in colossians 2 in verses 8 through 12 are you there colossians 2 8 through 12 we started with him we'll finish with him see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men according to the elementary principles of the world rather than according to christ in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form in him you've been made complete and he is the head over all rule and authority and in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands and the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of christ having been buried watch this please with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the workings of god who raised him from the dead your main concern is christ and him crucified and being buried with him and raised with him and living with him and for him have you been buried with him have you been raised up in him and are you living for him [01:21:30] (78 seconds) Edit Clip

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