Started In Christ, Staying In Christ | Respond

Brittany Ragon | Respond Women’s Retreat

In this session, Brittany teaches from Colossians 2:6–7, showing how believers are called to walk in Christ—rooted, built up, and established in faith. She explains how our relationship with Jesus starts with his saving work, grows through discipleship, and leads to a life marked by maturity and thankfulness.

You’ll be reminded that Jesus is enough—not Jesus plus anything. When we stay rooted in him and his Word, we can stand strong, grow deep, and live boldly in a world that needs the Gospel.

• Colossians 1:28 – 2:7
• Colossians 2:6–7

Transcript: Started In Christ, Staying In Christ

Well, good evening, ladies, my name is Brittany Reagan. I met most of you this morning on what we got to set up here and do the panel. I’m married to John, he works in the marketing department here at Snowbird and in 2009 he moved here after graduating from college. I had been graduated for about a year and he said, I heard about the summer camp, so I’m going to go there and work for a summer and then, I’m going to move to Birmingham, where I was living and we had plans of getting married and I was like, you should do that, you should have one good summer before you have to, really be an adult and 2025 guys still here. So, somehow, the Lord did an amazing work in 2009 and we got engaged and I moved here and our life has looked completely different than we ever thought, but it is such a blessing, we have six kids, which I told you this morning. I know they’re so cute. Our oldest daughter is 11 and our youngest son is 18 months and they’re all sprinkled there in between and they keep me really busy. I homeschool them and so, we just have the craziest days. I say that being at home with my babies and homeschooling them is the best, hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life

I’m so thankful for the days and the years and they’re just, you all know they’re passing by really quick. So, Christ overall, that is the message this weekend and hopefully so far through all of the sessions that you’ve got to sit in and be a part of, that is the message that you are hearing, because at the end of the day, that is all we need to know. Tonight, we’re going to be in Colossians1:28 and we’re going to go through chapter 2:7. The word of God says this, him, we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ for this I toil, struggling with all his energy, that he powerfully works in me, for I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance and understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ in whom are hidden, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments, for though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order.

The firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, abounding in thanksgiving. So, the book of Colossians, we know, was written by the author Paul, chapter 1 tells us that I Paul, he’s writing this letter to a group of believers in Colossae and it’s important that we know that it is written to believers, because everything that he says is specific to people who are following Jesus he has three key motives in this book. The first is to strengthen their faith with rich doctrine, we saw that anna Rose talked about that last, the supremacy of Christ Second, to encourage them in their walks with the Lord. In chapter 1:6 he says, in the word of truth the gospel and then, third is that he’s trying to keep them from being deceived by seemingly reasonable arguments, verse 4 says, I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. So, the church at Colossae has a lot going against them right now. There’s a lot of persuasions that are rising up. Later, we’ll hear the word elemental spirits and they’re all these things that are combating them and they’re starting to feel a little bit confused.

So, Paul is writing to them to strengthen their faith, to encourage them and to remind them, don’t be deceived by the things that you’re hearing. Don’t be deceived by the things of this world. Jesus is your rock. Jesus is your foundation Christ overall, that’s what we’re going to go with. So, and tonight, we’re specifically going to focus on chapter 2:6 and 7. So, Paul has been setting this foundation of belief and now we come to this transition word and the in this verse 6, I’m. Therefore. Now, a lot of you, if you’ve been in church for any time, you’ve probably heard a pastor or someone say, anytime you see the word, therefore, you need to ask, what is it that’s right. So, that’s what we’re going to do. What is it there for? So, the word therefore, literally means as a consequence, or in light of, or as a result of. So, Paul is saying in light of all of the things that I’ve just laid out for you. So, he’s coming to the climax of his letter, he’s spoken all of these solid truths over them and he’s shifting now to the specific call that he’s going to give them, that in light of all that Christ has done, in light of the preeminence of Christ from chapter 1, your reconciliation to Christ your hope in the gospel, the suffering that is spreading the gospel in light of God’s revelation of Christ in light of Christ in you, the hope of glory.

In light of your maturity in Christ in light of the riches of assurance and understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ Paul says, in light pf all of these things in the same way that I’ve taught you all these things. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord. Now we’re just looking at two specific verses here, but we are going to go deep into these verses, because Paul says, go back to when you first heard the gospel. How did you receive the gospel? Well, for Colossians, the people here it was, we see in chapter 1 that they heard the gospel from Epaphras, Epaphras probably heard the gospel from Paul when he was in Ephesians, we hear about that in Acts 19. So, Paul was faithful in the command that Jesus gave the disciples in Acts 1:8, so that you will be my witnesses to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth, Paul was faithful in doing that and then, he heard, Epaphras heard the gospel from him and now Epaphras is using the same faithfulness to go back to his hometown of Colossae and share the word of truth. So, I want to note two key words in this clause, he says as and he says received so as you received Christ he’s saying just as, in the likeness of, or on the grounds of, so, Paul is saying, these are discipleship things, in the same way that you received Christ.

This is what I want you to do. So, the way that you walk needs to line up with the message that you received, the word of truth, the gospel and then, he uses that word as you received Christ. Now this is, in the Greek, the original text, the verb tense here is called the aorist and that, I’m noting that because it’s very specific, it means that it was a past or permanent action that happened, but it has continuing and lasting results. So, as you received Christ this was a past action, but it has permanent or lasting results because, if you have received Christ by grace, through faith, that changes everything for you, going forward, our faith doesn’t begin with us. The gospel here is that Jesus did everything for us, Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus is the founder and perfecter, or the author and finisher of our faith. So, when Jesus changed you, you didn’t do the acting Christ did, you simply received him, he is the main character in this narrative, he sought you out, he bought you with a price. This isn’t like this dot event in your life that happened one time and it’s like this faint memory. This is an ongoing event, permanent or lasting results. This is the foundation for everything going forward that you have received. Christ. So, what now? Well, Paul tells us. So, walk in him. Now this is the first imperative that we see in this book. Now I told you that I’m a homeschool mom, so I’ve got, some grammar things going on.

That I want to talk to you about tonight. So, an imperative is a sentence that is a command and you all know it well and our homeschool group will often give our kids a declarative sentence, Julie likes eggs and we’re like, make it imperative and they’re like, you like eggs so, it’s this command, it has this implied subject. So, here we’re saying you, the readers, the audience, the people who are seeing this letter in Colossae and for all of you sitting here tonight reading the word of God, you walk in him, he’s linking faith or salvation, as you receive Christ with Christ’s work in your life. Walk in him, he doesn’t say, rest in Jesus he doesn’t say, go ahead and lie down. Take a load off, he is calling them to a specific action. Now we all know what walking is, probably most of you mostly did that on your way into the building tonight, depending on how much rec you did, maybe limping a little bit, but we know that to walk we are literally the definition is like to move at a regular pace by picking up one foot and setting it down again and turn. We’re walking, we all know, if you’re like me, probably the first thing that you picture is a treadmill, we are very familiar with treadmills, as women, usually. So, when a treadmill, if you set that speed for a certain number, then you better keep the pace of that treadmill, or there will be immediate consequences. You’re not the pace. You’re not like, I’ll decide the treadmill will like, change.

No, the treadmill has been set, you are, bumping out of 12, or whatever you’re going at. So, you better keep the pace of that treadmill. I’ve been doing a lot of walking recently, just in my daily life and I got my six babies with me, so I always have at least one or more kids and inevitably, whether I’m walking for exercise or we’re going from the soccer fields to my car, I’m walking and I’m like, come on, guys, keep my pace, come on, walk with me, keep my pace, all day this is like I’m dragging them along. They’re distracted, or they’re trying to do other things, or they’re just whatever, kids, but I’m constantly saying to them, walk with me. Keep my pace, but what’s even more beautiful here is Paul isn’t saying walk with Jesus. What’s that preposition in? Walk in him. A lot of you have babies here tonight and you’re strapping them to you and that baby can’t even walk, but it’s keeping your pace because it’s not carrying itself. You’re doing the heavy lifting. You’re not called to keep pace with Jesus. You’re called to walk in him, keeping his stride, acting like he acts loving like he loves, forgiving like he forgives, extending grace like he extends grace, being a picture of the gospel, walk in him, but how are we walking in him? So, a little more grammar for you, because we’re presented with four participle statements,

Now I’m using the ESV tonight and so, you’re going to see these statements as past tense verbs, but what’s actually happening in the original text is that these are participles and so, they are modifying what has already been before, because a participle is actually going to modify, it’s going to act like an adjective. So, what we have here, my husband said, don’t go into all the Greek it’s too much. This is what you need to know. The Colossians were rooted when they received Christ Jesus They are presently rooted in him, he’s linking faith and salvation, we have, having been rooted, being built up and being established in the faith. These are three passive participles and I want to note that they’re passive because it’s Jesus who is doing the work, as you received Christ so, walk in him. This is how we’re walking in him. So, when we’re saying we’re looking at having been rooted, number one, this place took place at salvation. Jesus did the rooting, because Jesus is the root. When you think about roots of a tree. I think about the Aspen. If any of you have ever been to Colorado during Aspen season, you have these huge gold leaves and this really intense white bark and it’s breathtaking, but what’s even more fascinating is that you will never find one single Aspen growing by itself.

That’s because their roots are all interconnected. They grow literally like little clones because they share the same root system and it’s necessary that those root systems be together and they’re always going to grow in a grove or a stand of aspen trees, kind of, like the body of Christ. You’re not meant to stand alone, rooted. Now, in addition to being at home with my kids, I, as a hobby, I really enjoy interior design and so, I listen to a lot of podcasts and different things that talk about that and so, recently, I was listening to one episode, it was about exterior home design and they had a guest arborist on this episode and so, they’re talking about how if you’re going to create a new outdoor space at your house, then you need to take into account all of the trees that are nearby, because every tree, its root system, is going to be at least as widespread as its widest branches and if you just go in and you cut into a system to pour your patio or whatever, you’re going to wind up risking that tree eventually falling, because the root system is necessary. The root system is everything, practically for us as believers, if we neglect time in the word and biblical community and accountability, then when you are in the world, you will not be strong enough to withstand what Paul tells us in verse 8ee to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy, empty deceit, according to tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world.

Not according to Christ. So, having been rooted. the foundation must be there. What is our foundation? Christ and his word. So, three points below having been rooted. # 1, rooted is personal, you heard the gospel, you repented or turned away from your sin and you’ve committed your life to proclaiming Christ as Lord, it’s your personal relationship with Jesus. # 2, rooted denotes this biblical of idea of justification. This is Christ’s work in your life, you have been justified. This is Jesus declaring you as righteous, not something that you’ve earned and # 3, this is Christ’s saving work in your life, point # 2 being built up in him. This is our second participle that we see here. So, once the foundation is laid, we’re shifting from this idea of plants and trees and moving into this idea of building and we see this in scripture a lot. Jesus is the cornerstone. So, now we are building, the foundation is laid and we’re going up. When I was in high school, my family bought a piece of property and we decided that we were going to build a house. Well, now we were resourceful people. So, we were like, let’s have the house put under roof, but then we can finish everything else, it’s fine. We’ll figure it out and did we ever so, we laid the hardwood floors and we ran electrical and we ran the plumbing and we painted every square inch

I have vivid memories of my mom and my older brother and me and some friends from high school and our high school French teacher laying rebar in what would be the future garage of our home till like the wee hours of the morning. Hopefully that house is doing okay today, because there was a lot of like, unskilled labor going into that, but wouldn’t it have been ridiculous if we had, we didn’t pour the foundation, we built on it, but what if we had had the contractor do the foundation, put up some walls and then, we were just like, that was cool and we never built on it, we never did any finishing’s, we just let it sit there and rot, it would waste the whole purpose of why there was a foundation to begin with. The purpose of the foundation is to be built upon, it’s absolutely necessary to have our foundation built on Christ and his word and it’s even better than that, because it is Christ who is doing the building. So, while this is a passive participle, because it’s being done to us, we are being built up in him because of Jesus, it’s also, present because, we are continually being built up, we having been rooted that happened, now we are being built up in him, we see a similar language in Acts 9:31 to, the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up.

In 1st Peter 2:5 you yourself, living stones are being built up as a spiritual house and in Acts 20:32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified, sanctification, the process of being made more like Jesus. So, while having been rooted as your personal relationship with Christ being built up in him is your discipleship and growth. So, having been rooted justification, being built up, sanctification, Christ’s ongoing work in your life. So, practically being built up might look like faithfulness in a local church, being in a small group or accountability group, a deep dive into bible study, maybe you went to this afternoon’s workshop, serving in a ministry in your church, hospitality in your home, showing up spiritually, basically being in a position where you have to try not to grow, this is the Lord’s grace in the body of Christ and something that we get to be a part of, being built up in him and then, the third passive participle that we see is being established in the faith, just as you were taught and this comes as a natural result of having been rooted and built up. Again, God does the work. When I hear the word established, I think of the Abrahamic covenant, where God establishes a covenant with Abraham God did the work,

Practically, I think of established like a college or a university like Harvard. I’m confident every single person in this room has heard of Harvard University. They’ve been there since before, the 1600s since before we were even a country, it’s established because you know it and it is presented for what it’s made itself to be. This is the word picture that we’re seeing in this passage, but it’s talking about us, you and me, established specifically in the faith, we see this demonstration throughout scripture. Acts 14:22 we’re called to continue in the faith. 1st Corinthians 16:13, stand firm in the faith. Colossians 1:23 which we’re going to go back to in a minute, if indeed, you continue in the faith and then, he says, just as you were taught, so who taught them? Well, we know that Epaphras did. I highlighted all that, but he set this amazing example where he hears the gospel he makes disciples. Hear the gospel, get discipled, make disciples, Epaphras did this, we learn later in the book that he’s actually in prison with Paul in Rome for doing this very thing. So, as you walk in Christ you are being established. Established in what? The faith. Faith in whom? Jesus the same Christ Jesus that they received. So, if having been rooted is your salvation and being built up is your personal discipleship.

Then being established in the faith is the outward working of your faith. Being established is your spiritual maturity. Look at chapter 1:28 him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. This is the entire goal of what Paul is getting to spiritual maturity. This is Christ’s visible work in your life. So, being established in the faith might look like sharing the gospel with new friends, at work, at the gym, at the library, maybe serving in your community and being faithful to have gospel conversations, hosting a bible study, being bold for the gospel in a world that is against Christ. Then we come to our final participle in this part and it switches to active, abounding in thanksgiving. So, why the language switch here? Well, what we’re seeing is that these first three are being done by Jesus, having been rooted, being built up, being established. These are things that Jesus is doing because we have received Christ and now we have something specific. So, we’re walking in him and as we do, we are abounding in thanksgiving. So, the definition of abounding is to be copiously supplied, as in bursting and I love that this is the usage here, because bursting with thanksgiving, what a beautiful picture. How many of you have ever gotten a couple pieces of bubble gum, you know where I’m going with this? Probably two pieces. bubblicious bubble yum.

Depending on the decade that you grew up in, watermelon, cotton candy, I don’t know, sugar overload, absolutely, you are shoving those in your mouth. You’re using all your muscles and your jaws to chew it, because what’s coming? Epic bubble, yes and you blow the biggest bubble the world has ever seen and when you do, somebody’s got to see this. So, then you are expanded to your full capacity and you’re trying to get your friend’s attention, call your mom, but the longer you try to keep that bubble expanded, things are going to go wrong, bursting, you see what I’m saying, you’re left with this massive you’re just praying it didn’t get in the hair, bursting, but bursting with thanksgiving. The more we express thanksgiving and gratitude, the more we are able to keep our eyes focused on the things above where Christ is. This participle is active because this is our job. This is our responsibility, it is our daily practice, it comes as a result of being rooted and built up and established, because Jesus did that work, our response should be that we are abounding, bursting with thanksgiving. In his commentary, John MacArthur says that Christ in our lives, giving us stability causes us to be thankful and he goes on to say this quote, praise completes the circle in which the blessings that flow to us from God return to him.

In the form of praise and adoration, but what’s the opposite of thanksgiving, complaint, ungratefulness, nagging comparison, coveting, gossip, rudeness. Aren’t these all the jokes that we hear about women. How many women do that you can say, are some of these things, how many women do that you can say are bursting with thanksgiving and which one are you? Thanksgiving turns our eyes outward, we aren’t called to be navel gazers focused on ourselves, our problems, our tiredness, our busyness, our constant schedules, our kids sporting events, my heavy workload, my difficulty in my marriage. We’re not called to focus on everything that we think is going wrong in our lives, thanksgiving turns our eyes outward because, when Christ is our focus, thanksgiving is the natural result, we see the words thanks, thankful, thanksgiving over 160 times in the bible. So, can Psalm 34:1 be said of us that we bless the Lord at all times and his praise is continually in my mouth or, what about Ephesians 5:4 let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead, let there be thanksgiving or, what about Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God.

You received Christ, you are rooted in him as a result, therefore God will continue to build you up and establish you so you will be abounding in thanksgiving, it should be the natural outflowing of a heart filled with and focused on Jesus. I’m going to read that again. You received Christ, you are rooted in him as a result. Therefore, God will continue to build you up and establish you so you will be abounding in thanksgiving, it should be the natural outflowing of a heart filled with and focused on Jesus. This isn’t works based. You’re not earning all this merit. You’re not like, okay, maybe if I do enough good things, no, God has done the work, all of these things are true because you received Christ Jesus the Lord and look, but look back at chapter 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not being moved or shifted from the hope of the gospel that you heard, God will do these things in you, he will produce truth and your life will change, but you have to keep believing. If you believe the gospel really is what it says it is. If you really are forgiven and you really will receive eternal life and the call is to live like Christ lived. Are you doing it? Hear me, ladies, God isn’t just doing a work in our lives when our circumstances are good. God isn’t just worthy to be praised when you’re happy about how your life looks because, the reality is we don’t always feel like it, we don’t always want to live like Christ.

We definitely don’t always want to be bursting with thanksgiving, because the Christian life is hard. That’s the whole point. That’s why Paul is writing these reminders to the church at Colossae, because it’s the only way to combat what we read in verse 8, philosophy, empty deceit, human tradition, elemental spirits of the world. Don’t be deceived, Paul is saying, don’t believe something else, don’t be shifted, all of these things can lead to unbelief. How easy is unbelief? Don’t take the easy way out. We’re called to more than that, it’s not Jesus plus anything, it’s not Jesus plus my traditions, it’s not Jesus plus my music preference, it’s not Jesus plus I like the way that preacher talks better, it’s not Jesus plus that girl gets on my nerves so I’m going to, it’s not Jesus plus anything, it’s Christ alone and sometimes we just have to get out of the way and let God work. Look at verse 9, for in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority. In him, the fullness of deity dwells and guess what, you have been filled in him. Is there anything more glorious than that? What a reason to celebrate that while we were stinking nasty sinners, that Christ died for us and then, through our repentance, fills us with his glorious grace, praise Jesus, abounding in thanksgiving, bursting in thanksgiving, thanksgiving is the natural result of a life in Christ.

Thanksgiving is a daily practice and thanksgiving is your response to Christ’s work in your life.  So, what is hindering us from following through with those instructions? It’s pretty clear. Why aren’t we doing it? Life, we often find ourselves too busy, busy with the things of the world, or we don’t leave enough margin in our life for the things of God, or do you find yourself saying no to new things of the Lord, new relationships, new gospel opportunities because you don’t have time? I quickly want to flip over to Luke 10:38 – 42 and this is a story that you all know well, I’m sure. Now, as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house and she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching, but Martha was distracted with much serving and she went to him and she said, Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone, tell her to help me, but the Lord said to her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. Are you anxious and troubled, are you too busy with all the right things that are failing your soul, are you allowing your children or your job or your husband or your desire for a husband.

To become an idol in your life, is your drive for success or appearances or the things of this world directing your decisions, have you scheduled out every last minute of your life and you’ve left no space for the things of the Lord? Jesus himself said one thing is necessary, Psalm 73:26 my heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever, he says, Mary has chosen the good portion, choose the good portion, choose that which will not be taken away. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, having been rooted, having been built up, being built up, being established in the faith, just as you were taught and abounding in thanksgiving, but maybe you’re here tonight and you have not received Christ Jesus the Lord, you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say you need to be rooted in God’s word and built up in him through personal discipleship and established in the faith as you share the gospel because, you have not received the gospel, I’m not going to assume that in a room full of women this size that every one of you are walking with Jesus, but look at this message of hope in chapter two, verses 13 and 14, you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us.

All our trespasses by canceling the record of death that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross, hallelujah God, the perfect creator, God of the universe who made you perfectly and intricately and for this time, he’s calling after you, he’s doing the work, he wants a relationship with you, but God can have no part with sin. So, Jesus said, I’m going to become sin on your behalf. I’m going to go to the cross and I’m going to take the consequence that you deserved, so that I can have a relationship with you, we tell our kids and Amy said it in her breakout today, God took our badness and he gave us his goodness, my son came to know Jesus a couple of weeks ago and one of my pastors asked him, why’d you want to be a Christian, what’s that mean and he said, Because, I lacked righteousness, but Jesus gave him that, he takes our badness and he gives us his goodness and not because of anything that we did and not because of anything that we are doing, but because Jesus does the work and he did it on the cross, but he didn’t stay in that grave, did he? We just had Easter, he stood back up out of that grave because he defeated death and he defeated hell and he gives us opportunity to have eternal life with him because of it.

So, if you don’t have relationship with Jesus, come to the Father, come to the feet, the song that we’re singing this weekend, all I did was praise, all I did was worship, all I did was bow down, all I did was stay still, hallelujah, you have saved me better this way, better your way. We’re about to wrap up this time tonight and we’re going to go into a time of worship and while we do that, if you are here tonight and you don’t know Jesus we’re going to have some women at the very back by the picnic tables who would love to talk with you and I’ll tell you what, if you don’t want to go back there and talk with them, that’s all right, because guess what, Jesus is enough, you sit in your seat, you stand and praise him, a bursting with thanksgiving. Jesus is enough. If you are a follower of Jesus then sister, I commission you as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so, walk in him, he did the rooting and the building up and the establishing and so, you can be abounding in thanksgiving. Jesus is alive and he gives us relationship with him and we get to be a part of it and what a privilege.