This week’s sermon covered Colossians 2:16-23.
16Therefore, do not let anyone judge you for what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17
First of all, our pastor says when a passage starts with the word “therefore” we need to find out what it’s there for. So we look at the passage before it. We see there that Jesus has freed us from our sins by what he accomplished on the cross. Through his death and resurrection we have been forgiven for all of our sins. The empty grave makes it all possible. There will be no sequel, no amendment. Jesus is enough.
JESUS IS ENOUGH!
Heresy was beginning to infiltrate the church in Colosse. Things like idol worship, the deities of the Greeks, legalistical, mystical, aesthetics were introduced confusing the new Christians.
Do we still do this today? Sure, when we add to the gospel of Christ what we feel are our rights, we do the same thing. We’ve done it for decades.
Christ is never the center when we add to the gospel. We become spiritual mixologists. A little of everything.
- What feels good
- My way
- Who I voted for
- I yell at sins you commit
- Ignore my own sins
When we mix culture, morality, and politics we get cheap grace. It may look good and feel good, but we get none of the transformation of our hearts.
Don’t let anyone judge or condemn you by submitting you to man’s regulations that are not Christ centered. They are foolish additions about the kinds of foods we eat, festivals, holy days. These were to remember all that God had done, that he was moving. We give those celebrations way too much importance. They were in the Old Testament to give us hope of what was to come.
But, those were just shadows. You don’t worship the shadows when you have the real thing in Christ.
Don’t allow someone who worships angels shame you. Inflated by their unspiritual minds they think they’re better than others.
Once you decide not to connect to Christ, you won’t grow.
Never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t go to for advice. This really stood out to me as a good motto to live by. As we’ve been told…It’s mind over matter. Don’t mind them because they don’t matter.
20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules.
Colossians 2:20
Christ alone is sufficient. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ.
Don’t chase popular…
Paul died to the principles of this world. The things that are destined to perish and those based on human commands hold no value. These things will not cause heart change.
Decide who you are going to serve, God or man?
Where God Leads 