Creekside Church, Sunday, May 15, 2022
JESUS Plus Nothing
Locations & Times
Creekside Church
660 Conservation Dr, Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z4, Canada
Wednesday 9:00 AM
Wednesday 10:30 AM
Today's Passage - Colossians 2:6-23
Col 2:6-7 Can be read as the summary theme for the body of Colossians. Everything prior has really just been Paul's introduction
2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Once you have Jesus – root yourself there and grow from those roots.
---
2:8 - 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.
Be careful that no one convinces you that you're not rich by convincing you to take your eyes off Jesus.
--
2:9-15 - Gives a summary of what we have in Christ.
Vs 9-10 - notice the use of "fullness"
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.
---
2:16-23 - Gives more detail about what "hollow and deceptive philosophy" can look like. We'll put them into three groups, numbered below.
---
#1 – Religious Traditions
Col 2:16-17
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
- Direct call out of Jewish traditions
- Shadow of things to come – reality is found in Christ
- Ex. Sabbath – was a day that pointed to the person of Jesus where we would find our ultimate rest
---
#2 - False Mysticism
Mysticism - the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics
- the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience
Col. 2:18-19
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
- False humility – humble brag, acting humble meanwhile being full of pride – watch out for people who are not truly servants
- Puffed up by their visions - think of people who like to talk about their own personal visions as authoritative over others
- Unspiritual mind – they act spiritual but they are just making it up
- They are disconnected from Jesus – it’s in connection to Jesus that you grow
---
#3 - Useless Asceticism
Asceticism - severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Col 2:20-23
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
- Why submit to rules that have no value in actually producing change in you?
- It may sound religious and spiritual to follow fancy rules but pay attention to what fruit they produce in your life
---
Are you rooted in Jesus alone?
Where are you most tempted to earn from God or to add to Jesus' gift of salvation?
Are there times when you think God loves you more?
Are there times when you think God loves you less?
The goal is to be rooted and responding to the gift of God's grace.
Not restless and searching.
----
How do we avoid the pitfalls Paul is talking about? We remember what we have in Jesus. Paul describes it in such a way as if to say, "Why on earth would you be looking to move on from Jesus?"
Colossians 2:13-15
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.
---
Memory Verse
Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Col 2:6-7 Can be read as the summary theme for the body of Colossians. Everything prior has really just been Paul's introduction
2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Once you have Jesus – root yourself there and grow from those roots.
---
2:8 - 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.
Be careful that no one convinces you that you're not rich by convincing you to take your eyes off Jesus.
--
2:9-15 - Gives a summary of what we have in Christ.
Vs 9-10 - notice the use of "fullness"
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.
---
2:16-23 - Gives more detail about what "hollow and deceptive philosophy" can look like. We'll put them into three groups, numbered below.
---
#1 – Religious Traditions
Col 2:16-17
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
- Direct call out of Jewish traditions
- Shadow of things to come – reality is found in Christ
- Ex. Sabbath – was a day that pointed to the person of Jesus where we would find our ultimate rest
---
#2 - False Mysticism
Mysticism - the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics
- the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience
Col. 2:18-19
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
- False humility – humble brag, acting humble meanwhile being full of pride – watch out for people who are not truly servants
- Puffed up by their visions - think of people who like to talk about their own personal visions as authoritative over others
- Unspiritual mind – they act spiritual but they are just making it up
- They are disconnected from Jesus – it’s in connection to Jesus that you grow
---
#3 - Useless Asceticism
Asceticism - severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Col 2:20-23
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
- Why submit to rules that have no value in actually producing change in you?
- It may sound religious and spiritual to follow fancy rules but pay attention to what fruit they produce in your life
---
Are you rooted in Jesus alone?
Where are you most tempted to earn from God or to add to Jesus' gift of salvation?
Are there times when you think God loves you more?
Are there times when you think God loves you less?
The goal is to be rooted and responding to the gift of God's grace.
Not restless and searching.
----
How do we avoid the pitfalls Paul is talking about? We remember what we have in Jesus. Paul describes it in such a way as if to say, "Why on earth would you be looking to move on from Jesus?"
Colossians 2:13-15
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.
---
Memory Verse
Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.