Rooted and Built Up in Christ

Colossians 2:6–15 (NIV)

Introduction:

Growing up in Florida, hurricanes were a part of life. Every summer and fall, we’d track the latest storm on the news—names like Andrew, Charley, Frances. Some were near misses, others came roaring through with intensity. I remember the eerie calm before the winds picked up. The power would flicker, and then the trees would start to sway… and crack.

After every storm, we’d survey the damage. I can still picture massive limbs snapped off like twigs. Tall pine trees—some split clean in half, like someone snapped a pencil across their knee. It was sobering.

Now living in South Carolina, I’ve witnessed the same kind of power—most recently in the fall of 2024 when Hurricane Helene came barreling through the Upstate. Trees that had stood for decades—strong oaks and towering poplars—were pulled out of the ground, roots and all. It was shocking to see how something so large and established could still fall.

And yet… not every tree fell. That was the curious part. Some trees, right next to the ones that toppled, remained rooted. Same soil. Same wind. Same storm.

What made the difference?

Depth.
The trees that held firm had roots that ran deep. They were anchored—connected to systems underground that held them when the wind tried to rip them apart.

The same is true in our spiritual lives.

Storms will come. Doubts will swirl. Culture will shift. Trials will hit. And when they do, the question won’t be: “Were you busy?” or “Were you visible?” The question will be: “Were you rooted?”

In Colossians 2, Paul turns our attention toward spiritual depth. After proclaiming the supremacy of Christ, he challenges the church to continue in Him—rooted, built up, and strengthened.

Because when you’re rooted in Christ, you don’t just survive the storm—you grow through it.

Let’s turn to the Word and let God speak to the soil of our souls.

Colossians 2:6–15 (NIV)

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Paul begins with a charge that connects belief and behavior. He says: “You received Christ—now continue in Him.” Let’s unpack what that looks like for us today.

1. Stay Rooted in Christ—Because Shallow Faith Won’t Survive the Storm (vv. 6–7)

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him…”

Paul uses two vivid metaphors: a tree that’s rooted, and a building being built up. Both are images of depth and growth.

Notice the progression:

Rooted – planted deep in the gospel.
Built up – growing in strength and maturity.
Strengthened in the faith – stable and secure in doctrine.
Overflowing with thankfulness – joyfully grounded in grace.

This is a picture of the Christian life in motion. Not stagnant. Not passive. But grounded and growing.

Imagine walking through a forest and spotting a small sapling. Now imagine walking through Sequoia National Park and standing beneath a 300-foot-tall redwood. What’s the difference? Time—and depth. Redwoods have an underground root system that stretches for hundreds of feet, intertwining with the roots of neighboring trees. That’s how they stand through storms.

Application: If your roots are in your emotions, circumstances, or culture—you will be shaken. But if you’re rooted in Christ, nothing can uproot you.

Are you feeding your roots daily in the Word? Are you growing deeper in Christ—or just wider in activity?

But Paul knows that rooting in Christ doesn’t happen in a vacuum. There are forces—both subtle and deceptive—that want to pull us away. So next, he sounds the alarm.

2. Guard Against Deception—Because the World Will Offer You Substitutes (v. 8)

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy…”

This is Paul’s warning label. He’s saying: “Don’t be taken captive.” The phrase here is military—it’s the idea of being kidnapped, led away like a prisoner of war.

And what does the enemy use? Not brute force—but ideas.
Ideas that sound wise. Feel spiritual. Even carry religious language.
But they are hollow—empty at the core.

Paul says these ideas are rooted in:

Human tradition – man-made systems and rituals.
Elemental spiritual forces – demonic influences that subtly oppose Christ.

A few years ago, a prominent health product was being sold that claimed to be a “miracle supplement.” It had the right branding, celebrity endorsements, and powerful testimonials. But later it was discovered that the ingredients were nothing but sugar and water. It looked helpful—but it was hollow.

That’s what worldly philosophies do. They promise freedom but deliver captivity.

Application: Not every spiritual-sounding idea is from God. Test every teaching against Christ. If it doesn’t exalt Him, ground you in Scripture, and align with the gospel—it’s hollow.

Stay alert. Guard your mind. Don’t drift from the Source

Why is it so dangerous to drift from Christ? Because in Him—and only in Him—is fullness. So now Paul reminds us what we already have in Jesus.

3. Find Your Fullness in Christ—Because He Lacks Nothing, and You Lack Nothing in Him (vv. 9–10)

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness…”

This is one of Paul’s boldest statements. All the fullness of God—not part, not a glimpse—dwells in Jesus. And now, Paul says, “You have been brought to fullness.”

That word “fullness” in Greek (plērōma) means complete, filled to capacity. In Christ, we are spiritually complete.

You don’t need to add mystical experiences.
You don’t need to strive to be “enough.”
You are full—because He is full.

And Paul adds: “He is the head over every power and authority.” There is no higher name. No greater throne.

Imagine walking into a five-star restaurant and being seated at a table with a feast prepared just for you—multiple courses, masterfully crafted. But instead of enjoying it, you pull out a half-eaten granola bar from your bag and settle for that.

Why do we settle for spiritual junk food when we’ve been given the fullness of Christ?

Application: Don’t live like you’re spiritually empty when you’ve been filled. Stop chasing what the world says you need. Everything your soul longs for is found in Him.

But Paul isn’t finished. He ends this section with a glorious reminder—not just of who Jesus is, but what He’s done. And in these final verses, Paul takes us to the cross and declares our complete victory in Christ.

4. Walk in Freedom—Because Jesus Has Already Won (vv. 11–15)

“God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins… he has taken [the record of our debt] away, nailing it to the cross.”

Here, Paul unpacks the gospel with breathtaking clarity.

He says:

You were dead in sin.
But God made you alive in Christ.
He forgave all your sins.
He canceled your debt.
And He disarmed the enemy, triumphing over every spiritual force.

In the Roman world, when someone was crucified, a list of charges was nailed above their head. Paul says Jesus took our list—our guilt, our shame, our spiritual debt—and nailed it to the cross. Paid in full.

Years ago, a man racked up a massive debt with his business—hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just before he was forced into bankruptcy, a friend stepped in and paid it entirely. The man wept, not just because he was free—but because he knew he didn’t deserve it.

That’s what Jesus did for us—except the debt was deeper, and the cost was His life.

Application: You don’t have to live in guilt. You don’t have to fight for victory—it’s already been won. Walk in freedom. Stand in grace. Let the cross be your confidence.

Conclusion:

Friends—don’t drift.
Don’t settle for shallow roots, hollow philosophies, or performance-based faith.
Stay rooted. Stay full. Stay free.

In a world of confusion, Christ is your clarity.
In a world of lack, Christ is your fullness.
In a world of striving, Christ is your peace.

You don’t need to go searching for spiritual shortcuts. You just need to sink your roots deeper into Christ.

So today—build on Him.
Grow in Him.
Stay in Him.
And live a life anchored in the truth:

Christ is above all—and in Him, so are you.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You today, for being our firm foundation. Thank You that in You, we are rooted, built up, strengthened, and filled. Forgive us for the times we’ve drifted from You—chasing hollow ideas or trying to earn what You’ve already given. Root us again in Your truth. Guard our hearts from deception. Fill us with the joy of our salvation. Let us live free, forgiven, and full—because of Your victory on the cross. And let our lives proclaim what our hearts believe: That You are enough. That You are supreme. And that You are Lord. In Your name we pray, Amen.