Sermon Notes

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The Response of the Reconciled ~ Colossians 1:21 – 23 by Pastor Kurt Witzig

He has reconciled you, is the main thought or idea in Colossians 1:21. God is the reconciler, and we are reconciled now. He did this through the body of His flesh, He was a human being. Reconciled is past tense. We now have a peace with God, through Christ. It is a done thing! At one point we were alienated. We were wicked and hostile towards God, in our minds. Read a list of sins in Romans 1:18 – 32. A moral person, or a church attendee, may go all day long and then realize you never prayed once. A moral person, or a church attendee, may be guilty of many of the sins listed in Romans 1:18 – 32. When reading that list of sins, do not think of the worst sinner you know. Think of yourself! Thankfully the end of Colossians 1:21 tells us we have been reconciled! This reconciliation has nothing to do with us, it is all Christ. Verse 22 tells us the reason for the reconciliation is so we can be presented to God as holy, blameless and above reproach. That is our future position, how we will be presented. Our life is a Christ life, Christ is in us.

Mike Prom from W.I.L.D. Ministries Rhinelander, WI. 8-23-26
Shared with us from Psalm 103:1 – 14. God’s grace is upon us, He forgives us, He heals us, He crowns us, He
blesses us. He gives righteousness. Because of Jesus, we can come before a holy and perfect God. He is merciful,
meaning we do not get what we deserve. He is full of complete love, despite ourselves and our sin. He is patient with
us. He is a tender, compassionate Father to us, but He loves us so will also discipline us. Look at Titus 3:4 – 7, which
goes hand in hand with today’s message. He wants all of us to do good because of the grace we have been given. The
more we understand the grace and forgiveness we have been given, the more humbly we will live our lives. An olive
tree needs both harsh and gentle winds to grow and produce fruit, we grow the same way! The fruit has to be slightly
broken to get rid of the bitterness. We need to go through some tough times to be softened, also. We have to allow the
Holy Spirit to work through our lives. The world should be able to see the grace of God flow through us by maintaining a
kind spirit, being there for others when someone is sick or hurting, hurting with others, expressing gratitude to others,
or apologizing when we make a mistake. The world needs to see Jesus in our lives. Mike closed in prayer, asking God to
help us to represent Him well, that people are drawn to God and not repelled away from Him.

Pastor Dan Waters 8-16-2026
Opened his message with Philippians 4:11. Our attitude is our choice, we can have an attitude of anger, peace, depression, rejoicing, worry, contentment, anxiety, anticipation, or any other descriptive words you can think of. You cannot enjoy God’s peace until you know Him. Who is in charge here?
Answer #1 – Sovereignty. God is sovereign and good. Read 1 Timothy 6:8. 
Answer #2 – Focus. Focus on your future glory, not on your present trials. See Romans 8:18. Life’s trials will seem small when we                             see Jesus face to face. 
Answer #3 – Normal. Suffering is part of being human! John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 1 Peter 4:12-15 will back that up.                                    Everyone goes through tough times and tears, but it is our choice how we respond. Do not respond like they did in                              Numbers 20:5. We will never be content in life if we respond like that. Do you suffer well? Do you suffer wisely? Do                              you  suffer with faith? Look up Romans 5:3. We should not be upset by our suffering. 
Answer #4 – Priorities. Suffering is not my priority. Read Matthew 6:33. Stop living for tomorrow and live for today, get through                               today. 
Answer #5 – Please Him! Be pleasing to Jesus in all I do. See Philippians 3:10. Are you content today? Have you learned it? Read                               Philippians 2:5 and 2 Corinthians 5:9. Also read Colossians 1:9-10, pray this for your family and friends. Answer #6 –                           Grow. Trials allow us to grow as Christians. See James 1:2-3, Romans 5:3-4, and Psalm 119:71 Encouraging the saints                            and living for God should be our purpose for living. There is freedom in Jesus if you think His thoughts. Look at 2                                 Corinthians 4:16 and Psalm 40:1-3 to help you maintain a good attitude. Are you confident you are going to heaven?                           Then you are having a great day!
                        Are you confident He makes no mistakes? Then you are having a great day! Are you confident that if you suffer well,
                        you will get great rewards from God? Then you are having a great day!

 Pastor Dan Waters 7-19-2026 Can I Ever Be Whole Again? 
Are you ever frustrated or fearful, feeling full of despair, burnout, or worry? For God has not given us a spirit of fear
and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 How about anger, are you ever angry? Read James 1:19-20 and Ecclesiastes 7:9. Shalom means peace, but it means so much more. Shalom kind of peace means to be whole, complete, content, and in harmony. See Isaiah 9:6 about where that peace comes from. The people we read about in Scripture went through the same things we do! Here is what Paul had to say in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Is there any hope? Answer #1 – We have sovereignty and goodness! Look up Ephesians 1:11. We also know that suffering is a part of God’s plan. Some verses to look up about that are Philippians 1:29, Acts 14:22, Romans 8:17-18, Job 42:2, and Romans 8:28. We have to be willing to go through whatever God has planned for us. And it is impossible to please
God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. ~ Hebrews 11:6 Joseph, Job, Naomi and Daniel all had tough situations, and God never said, “Whoops”, He had a plan! Our lack of trust will not change our circumstances. You can teach yourself how to respond when you get smacked in the face with something. Answer #2 – Think about our future. Look at John 14:1-3 and Colossians 3:1-2. Do not settle for victory in this life! Matthew 6:19-21 tells us success is what happens in our next life.
We need to minister to the saints, see Hebrews 6:10. While you are at it, read 2 Corinthians 4:16-19 and 11:23-29, too.
Psalm 16:11, Psalm 36:8 and Matthew 19:27-29 all tell us we will be rewarded for our faithfulness. You can choose to
have a good or poor attitude; you will have the same ending either way. You will either have misery or peace when
going through troubles. Your choice!
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever! ~Psalm 16:11

Pastor Dan Waters 7-5-2026
 preached about freedom and Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate one who gave us our freedom. Freedom does not guarantee success. We went over three points. 1. Jesus gives us His freedom. Are you free today? Read John 8:36, we are not under the penalty of sin any more. We also looked at Ephesians 4:3  and Ephesians 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit will not let us fall by the wayside. We know from John 5:24 that we are free from judgment, doubt and hell! 2. Jesus gives freedom to serve! We read James 1:14, then went to Galatians 5:13. For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we are not our own, we were purchased. Romans 6:18 tells us we are slaves. Pay attention to who you serve. We also need to walk in a way that pleases God, see Colossians 1:9-10. Ephesians 2:8-10 states that our salvation is not of our works. 3. Jesus gives us His freedom to stand fast! We need to serve God until we die, there is no retirement! Galatians 5:1 tells us it pleases God when we serve one another. We read Hebrews 6:10 and Ephesians 6:8, then looked at 1 Peter 1:22 about forgiveness and loving one another with a pure heart. Take some time and look up a few more verses, 1 Peter 4:8, Titus 2:14, Galatians 6:10 and James 1:25. What is your life all about? Do not trade the small worldly things for eternal things. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20

Pastor Kurt Witzig 5-31-26
 shared with us from Colossians 1:15-20. These verses are sometimes called the Christ Hymn, some serious doctrinal teaching begins in this section, and is done in a poetic fashion. There are sixteen references to Jesus Christ in these verses. “All things” is mentioned eight times. The same power that created everything also resurrected Christ from the dead. And we qualify in the category of “all things”! Verses 15- 17 are referring to the Lord of creation. Verses 18-20 are referring to the Lord of the church. When we see Jesus, we see the Father, and the attributes of God. “Image of the invisible God”, “firstborn over all creation”, “before all things” and “in Him all things are held together” is talking about Jesus being the Lord of creation. We were each made by Him, for Him, and we find our purpose in our creator.”Head of the body”, “firstborn from the dead”, “all the fullness (of the Father) should dwell” and “to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him” is talking about Jesus being the Lord of the church – the new creation. God wants to be known, it pleases Him for us to seek Him and know Him. There is peace now between us and God, through the cross. We have to admit we are sinners, and God loves sinners! Have you been reconciled to Him? It is as simple as putting your faith in Christ. Jesus is Lord! So what though, what does that mean to us? Read Philippians 2:9-16 for your answer. Jesus is my Lord, and that is what we should be sharing with others!

Andy Soto May 24,2026
Preached from Matthew 6:25-34. Meaningless and hopelessness are running rampant in our country today.
Secular thought offers no hope, God, or peace of any kind. Some people will search out anything but the truth; self-
help, breathing techniques, meditation, and many other things. God speaks against worry and anxiety; it is a sin.

Worry is a worship disorder. Jesus Christ demands an undivided loyalty. An undivided mind equals anxiety, and anxiety
equals being troubled with cares, being distracted, and split allegiance. You do not see birds biting their nails! God
provides for them, and we are more valuable than they are. Solomon is an example of the earthly splendor spoke about in Matthew 6:29. God is in control over every single thing, so we should not worry about tomorrow. We took a quick look at Matthew 10:28. Look at Isaiah 46:8-11 and Isaiah 45:7, regarding how God has a purpose for all things. 

Daniel 4:34-35 and Proverbs 16:33 tell us there are no random events. He even turns kings’ hearts wherever He wants,
according to Proverbs 21:1. Worry assumes a responsibility God never assigned to us. Worry is saying I cannot trust
God with this. Read Philippians 4:6-7 and Psalm 55:22. We can have the three C’s over worry or anxiety, control, care
(or provision), and confidence if we follow and obey God. Anxiety shrinks when God’s kingdom becomes supreme. Seek
His rule, His purposes, His kingdom, and His righteousness. “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only
empties today of it’s strength.” ~ Charles Spurgeon “Worry is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy but does not bring
you farther.” ~ Corrie TenBoom We have Jesus’s peace, heavenly peace, Godly peace, He gives us this peace, it is a gift,
freely given. See John 14:26-27. Your peace with God is not a cease fire, it is an unending gift. The Christian walk is an
exercise of the mind. We have peace with God and justification from God. If you have no peace with God, then you are
at war with God. The cross is His provision, consider what God has already done for us. He will care for our small
worries. He is trustworthy and will not withhold from us. Look at Romans 5:3-5 and Ecclesiastes 7:13-14. God has
purpose in our turmoil. The same blood that justifies Paul also justifies us!

Pastor Dan Waters May 17, 2026
Shared with us from Acts 1, Where Did Jesus Go? Sunday was Ascension Sunday. Read Genesis
5:21-24 about Enoch ascending into heaven. He walked with God, which should be our passion, too. You can read in 2
Kings 2:11 about Elij ah being ascended into heaven in a whirlwind. Jesus is the only person that has a resurrection body
today. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, we learn that death is a separation, your body goes to the undertaker, your spirit goes to the
Lord. The dead in Christ will rise first, so their spirits and bodies can be connected. The living ones will rise with Christ
after that. People will be able to see the rapture, they will see the people rising up to heaven. You would think that
would make the ones left behind believe in Jesus. But unbelief in Jesus runs deep, it is hard to convince people of Jesus.
Part of our ministry, if we love Jesus, is to witness to others. It does not matter if others believe us or want to listen, just
do your part! The ascension proves He will come back down. He went up in a physical body, and will come back the
same way. According to 1 Peter 3:21-22, everyone and everything is subject to Jesus. We should also be submissive to
Jesus. Stephen was the first Christian martyr to enter heaven. Jesus exists with the Father, He is on His right side. He is
there for us, interceding (or praying) for us. God told us all these things because He wanted us to know them. They
would have happened whether we knew about them or not. Luke 24:49 and Acts 1 go together. God wanted the
disciples to write this all down for us to read and know, and to encourage us. Matthew 24:30 tells us we will see His
great glory. John 14:15 and John 15:14 both say almost the same thing. What is life all about? The answer is found in
Philippians 1:21.

Pastor Dan Waters April 19, 2026
Shared a message with us on the Three Quiet Fruits of the Spirit, from Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of
the Holy Spirit are not automatic; we need to pursue them. See 2 Timothy 2:22. Do people around me experience the
character of Christ when they are around me? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:15, we are obligated to live in the fruit of
the spirit, regardless of those around us. You can also look at what Stephen had to say about this in Acts 7:51. The first
fruit we looked at was longsuffering, or patience. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of
love, and patience of hop in our Lord Jesus Chris, in the sight of God and our Father. ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Are
you a patient person, foregoing short term pleasures for long term benefits? We need to give other people time to grow
and change. How do you develop patience? We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we
know that they help us develop endurance. ~ Romans 5:3 You can also look up Hebrews 6:12, James 5:10, James
1:2-4 (enjoy God’s schooling in this one!), and Galatians 6:9. We will grow weary if we stop serving God. God wants to
change us! The second fruit we looked at was kindness, or gentleness. We prove ourselves by our purity, our
understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:6 Paul said this was proof
of his kindness. We need to be kind with our words, strengthen, comfort and encourage others. Look for ways to be
kind. Colossians 3:12 tells us to do acts of kindness to one another. God will reveal His kindness for us, in the days to
come. See Ephesians 2:7. The third spirit we studied was gentleness, or meekness. They must not slander anyone
and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. ~ Titus 3:2 Are
you gentle or harsh to others? Do others describe you as approachable and humble? How do you respond when you
are criticized? Look at James 3:13 about being gentle when you speak to people. You can also look at 1 Peter 3:9 and
2:23 as examples of gentleness. If you have an area you need to work on, pray about it. In 1 John 5:13, we can know
we are going to heaven. Psalm 139:23-24 is not a prayer to be saved, but a prayer for Christians. We need to stick to
the program and please the Lord.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that
offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. ~ Psalm 139:23-24

Eric Becker 4-12-2026
Shared a message with us from Ephesians 2:1 – 10. Before digging into Ephesians 2, he gave us a little history
on Ephesus. The population was about 250,000 people, they had a theatre that seated around 20,000, there was a
massive temple built to Artemis, and it was a safe harbor for ships, but it is a ghost town now. You can watch YouTube
videos on Ephesus, from when it was in all it’s glory. Paul started the church in Ephesus, and wrote the letter to them
while in jail, in Rome. In Acts 19:1-8, Paul explains the transformation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enters us and
changes us. You can read in Acts 19:23-41 what happened to Paul when he went to Ephesus. Hebrews 4:12 tells us the
Bible is more than just a history book; these verses are written to us! Read Ephesians 2:1-10 in 2nd person, substituting
your name for the words “you”, “your”, or “us”. This text can take on a different meaning when we think of these words
being spoken directly from God to us. We are called to do good works because we are saved, not in order to be saved.
These words were written for us before we were even named! God is not a history teacher, He is involved in our lives
right now, and speaks to us now. 

Pastor Dan Waters 4-5-2026
shared a message with us titled Who is Jesus? Liar, Lunatic or Lord? Some think He is not a liar or
lunatic, but they do not do what He says, either. He made some demands in Matthew 7:24 and 7:26. “Anyone who
listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. But anyone who hears my
teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.” We looked at Colossians 1:16, which
could be the Creed of a Believer. Jesus taught a few other things in Luke 16:22-23 and Luke 23:39-43. Why did Jesus
come and why are we here today? Look up these verses for some answers: Luke 19:10, Revelation 1:5, 1 Peter 3:18,
Luke 18:32-33, Matthew 28:5, John 20:15-16, Mark 16:10-11, Matthew 28:9-10, Luke 24:13, Luke 24:19-25, John 20:19-
20, and John 20:24-25. After a week went by, Jesus shows Himself to the group again, see John 20:27. Many eye
witnesses over the next 40 days saw Jesus. Dr. Luke interviewed many of the people that we read about in 1 Corinthians
15:5-8. Do you believe? When should you believe? The thief on the cross did not have another day!Sample text. 

Pastor Dan Waters 3-1-2026
Preached on Pleasing God. What is the main thing we should be doing in these times we live in?
Please God. What else matters if you are pleasing God? What else matters if you are not pleasing God? For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Philippians 2:21 Our highest goal and motive in life should be to please God. See Deuteronomy 6:5. We looked at Proverbs 20:27, it is about our heart and our inner most being, and Proverbs 21:2, we are not the best judges of ourself. Are we striving and working, every day, to please God?

Pastor Dan mentioned several examples, from the Old Testament, of those who pleased God: Genesis 5:24, Genesis 6:8,
Numbers 14:24, 1 Samuel 2:26 and 16:13, 2 Kings 18:3 and 22:2. Jesus perfectly pleased the Father, and here are some
examples of that: John 4:34, 5:30, 8:29, 15:10 and 17:4. The Father was pleased by the Son! Look up the following verses: Isaiah 42:1 and 42:21, and Matthew 3:17 and 17:5. John taught us to please God in 1 John 3:22. The Father loves us because we love Jesus, see John 16:27. Paul taught us to please God in 2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 4:18, Colossians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 4:1. WARNING: the future decline is now! See Revelation 2:4-5. It is a sin to not love God with all of your heart, mind and soul. Read Matthew 24:12 and 2 Timothy 3:1-4. It is easy for our relationship with God to cool off, it takes work to maintain a relationship. For the More and More Solution, read Philippians 1:9 and 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 4:9-10. We are not called to be perfect, we are called to grow. A couple reminders from Hebrews for you are in 11:6, 13:21 and 6:10-11. How do we know if our love has grown cool for God? If you have lost your passion for reading the Bible, you have lost your passion for praying, if you have lost your passion for your spouse, lost your passion for other people, or lost your passion for missions. His passion for us has not cooled. “Look I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.” Revelation 22:12 We
need to finish well!

Pastor Dan Waters 2-15-2026
Preached on the ninth fruit of the spirit, self-control. Addressing this issue is uncomfortable and challenging. Peter spoke about self-control in 2 Peter 1:6. Do not procrastinate, start working on this today! Self-Control nourishes the first eight fruits; it is kind of like Weed and Feed! Any negative behavior can become addictive.Our emotions, thoughts, words, deeds, habits, pride, issues of the tongue, and so many other things need to be controlled. Pastor Dan gave us a list of three things to help us in the area of self-control. 
1. Change our thinking, see Romans 13:14. We need to remove temptations in our life, in order to encounter temptations less, which will make it harder to sin. We need to meditate and memorize more of the Bible, see Joshua 1:8. We also looked at James 1:20 and Proverbs 16:32. We need to hate evil, see Psalm 97:10. Think of yourself as a new person, 2 Corinthians 10:5. Life is not about you. We only have one purpose in life. When Satan attacks your mind – obey God! Read Colossians 3:2. If you
please God, what else matters? If you do not please God, what else matters?! 

2. Change your actions, Galatians 5:16. Walk in the spirit, do the things God wants you to do. 3. Change in relationships. Try to help someone else, maybe by example or by sharing something with them. Read Proverbs 27:17, and sharpen one another on purpose. Witness to saved people, by encouraging them. David became complacent and allowed himself to be tempted, and God told David there would be consequences. Uzziah was made a leper because of his pride. Solomon had all those ladies, but paid the price the rest of his life. We are forgiven, but still pay the consequences of our sins. Look at Proverbs 25:28.
Accountability can help in this self-control area. We should help one another to grow. Things that are addictive, do not
do it the first time. We know from 2 Corinthians 3:18 that we are being changed, and from 2 Corinthians 5:9 that our
goal is to please Him. We closed by reading 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 – But thank God! He gives us victory over sin
and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always
work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.. 

Pastor Dan Waters 1-18-2026 
Once we realize we are only accountable to one person in the universe, it simplifies life! We know from Luke 2 that
Christ came in peace. Romans 14:17 says peace comes from the Holy Spirit. According to John 14:27, peace also comes
from the Lord. Pastor Dan talked about three relationships that we need peace in.

1. We need peace in our relationship with God. Read Romans 5:1 and Colossians 1:20. Blood is needed for this
peace because sin is serious business.

2. We need peace in our relationships with others. People are tough to get along with! If it is possible, as much
as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ~ Romans 12:18 Forgiveness can be tough, but Matthew
6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if
you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” When you
forgive someone, God will still hold them accountable, they are not getting away with something! Take a look at
Philippians 2:3 and Matthew 20:26-28 for more on peace. Jesus was willing to give His life as a ransom for us.
We should want to serve others, and serve them the best we can.

3. We need peace in our relationship with ourself. Do you have perfect peace in yourself? How would you rate
your inner peace? Peace in yourself brings contentment. Lasting peace comes from the Holy Spirit. You will
have perfect peace if you focus on Him and not your circumstances. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 is a good prayer about
peace. What do you do when worry hits you? Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about
you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7 When you have problems, do something to please God. Do not keep telling yourself to stop
thinking about the problem. How do we please God? Read the Bible, pray, serve others or praise Him. Jesus
had perfect peace on the inside. Paul had inner peace. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 is a major league prayer! If you
want peace, you have to be willing to go through whatever He takes you through. You cannot have fear and
peace as roommates!
We personally benefit when we go through “stuff” in life. Our faith grows when we feel powerless. True peace
comes from the Father. True peace comes from Jesus. True peace comes from the Holy Spirit. Have you ever
experienced complete bliss and said, “I wish this could last forever?” It will, in heaven! For those of us who know
Jesus, peace is our right and heritage.