August 10, 2003 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Colossians 2:10-12

Last week we finished up with verse ten, and it bears repeating...

Col 2:10. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

With His last breath on the cross, Christ cried out with a loud voice ("It is finished!"), and the bystanders knew that once and for all, this was the end of His ministry. Sure, He'd prophecied of His death and being risen on the third day, but this chilling cry from the cross would have created sorrowful doubts amidst the faithful few who witnessed His passing. At that time they just couldn't see the entirety of what was "finished" in His last breath; that once and for all time the atonement had been made. Here in verse ten, the phrase, "And ye are complete in him," is another example of perfect tense; something completed in the past, once and for all time, without need of repetition.

As I stand before you in all my countless imperfections (let's go ahead and call 'em flaws), I'm staring at the foot of the cross, examining my flawed heart and trying my best to prepare it for this communion, but I just can't see how I'm "complete" in any way whatsoever. At best, I'm a work in progress. Complete means to be filled to the brim, perfect, and yet verse ten tells me that we were made complete once and for all time. The key to unlock this mystery is found in the simple qualifier, "in him." Paul was very concerned about the false doctrines that were creeping into the church; anything that would complicate the simple message of those three simple words from the cross, "It is finished." In Him, and only "in Him" were we made complete.

Col 2:11-12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Outward displays of sanctification are important, but God reminds us throughout the scriptures that His main concern is the spiritual circumcision of our hearts. Outward displays of religion have a tendency to puff up pride and promote "holier than thou" attitudes. Then legalism is usually found lurking in the background, and worshipping the Lord becomes diluted to the point of being a mechanical, going through the motions-type experience, or worse. When we allow Jesus to cut away the dark corners of our hearts, then our outward displays of sanctification can take on the proper perspective. I pray at this time, and also as part of our daily routine this week, that we offer up our hearts to the Holy Spirit for surgery.