Morgan Teruel: Thanks for tuning in to The Sandals Church podcast. Our vision as a church is to be real with ourselves, God, and others. We're glad you're here, and we hope you enjoy this message. As you listen to the passage, focus on the ways you can love Jesus through your personal faithfulness to him. Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world rather than from Christ.
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision, the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized, and with Him, you were raised to new life because you trusted the raised Christ from the dead.
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ for He forgave all your sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:8 through 14. It doesn't take much for a child to start dancing.
At the very moment music begins to play, a child will assume any public space has a personal dance floor. The music is played, the music is heard, and the response is instantaneous. The dance can be captivating for adults to watch as the joy is contagious. And the uninhibited response to the call of music speaks to a familiar freedom we adults long for. We were once this child.
We share the same nature, and we hear the same music. This freedom on display is ours too somewhere locked within us. So we watch the child dance as spectators on the outside, looking in upon a joy uninhibited. Imagine this scene. From afar you see movement, a single figure dancing alone.
You can't help but be drawn closer. With every step, the music playing becomes louder and clearer. As you approach, you recognize the dancing figure. This man is Jesus. He's dancing freely with laughter and joy.
The music is calling you and he invites you to join him. Others begin to gather around. You look to see curious smiles forming on their faces. Jesus continues his dance alone until someone decides to join him. There's laughter from the dancer and a childlike freedom that invites more to join.
More and more begin to dance with Jesus, setting down their bags or whatever else they might be holding. Yet, you stand watching, listening to the music. You're witnessing the dance of faithfulness. God is the divine music maker, and in His love and faithfulness, He's given you ears to hear His call. Jesus is leading this dance and is inviting you to set down your burdens and doubts to join him.
Look at the freedom of this dance. What is holding you back? Now imagine Jesus dancing toward you where you stand. He notices you and stops before you. He takes away whatever you are carrying and sets it aside.
You trust him. Now you are free. You begin to move in faith. And as you move, you begin to smile. And as you smile, you begin to laugh.
This movement becomes a dance and you are now dancing the dance of faithfulness with Jesus. Feel the joy of this dance. Feel the freedom. Look around and see the crowd that has gathered. Some of these faces you recognize.
Invite them to dance. Invite them to freedom. Invite them to Jesus. Today, as you go about your day, may you be filled with the freedom deep in your soul that Jesus is inviting you into.