August 25, 2019

Trinity Ten, Sunday August 25, 2019 — Colossians 2:1-10 — In Christ is found all Wisdom and Knowledge

Preacher:
Passage: Colossians 2:1-10
Service Type:

Sermon for Trinity Ten – Sunday August 25, 2019

Calvary/Marquette ● Soli Deo Gloria

Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Colossians 2:1–10 (NKJV)

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

 

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

 

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

In the Name of Jesus Christ,

  The foundation of our faith and life,

      The only solution to the problem of sin,

         Dear Fellow Redeemed in His precious blood –

If you’ve ever had occasion to read the owners guide that came with your car (and I hope it wasn’t broken down alongside the road) then it’s likely that you came across the little acronym: OEM, as in ‘the manufacturer recommends that all replacement parts be OEM.’ 

 

OEM is short for ‘original equipment manufacturer’ and refers to the company that originally made the parts that the auto manufacturer used in building your car.  OEM parts are supposed to be exactly the same as the parts that came with your car.  It’s possible to obtain similar parts from another car part manufacturer at a lesser price, but that doesn’t mean that the parts will always fit your car like the original.

I think we all understand the importance of having the right parts, right? It’s vital to have the proper replacement parts if you expect the car to start and run properly, as originally intended. Duct tape is not always the right part.

The Christians in the cities of Colossae and Laodicea had obtained from God the Holy Spirit a living faith in Jesus.  The man who brought the Good News of the meaning of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection to them was named Epaphras.  Much like you, they came to believe – by the grace of God – that Jesus was the single solution to their problem of sin and their impending entrance into death eternal.  Jesus, the Son of God, was and is the true solution to sin and death.

Then suddenly, there arrived in the Lycus Valley (where both cities were located) individuals who were hawking some new parts.  They weren’t selling car parts; they were declaring that it wasn’t enough to simply trust in what Christ had done.  They had to add to Christ’s vicarious atonement a few other ‘complementary parts.’   They were told that they had to add to Christ’s Work, new and improved parts, an additive here or there to help their faith in Christ to really purr.

The Holy Spirit directed the Apostle Paul to write to the Colossians and Laodiceans to show them that these ‘replacement parts’ were faulty.  They had what they needed in Jesus.  For in Christ is found all wisdom and knowledge…to dismiss persuasive human arguments, to live united to and growing in Him, and to recognize faulty philosophy and empty deceit for what it is – a cheap, powerless replacement for Jesus.

For the next three weeks, we will take a look at three faulty replacements for Jesus: Philosophy, Legalism and Carnality. May God the Holy Spirit bless our study and grant us growth in Christ. Amen.

+++++++

 

It’s tempting to place the disciples of Jesus and the Apostle Paul up on pedestals and imagine that things were somehow easy for them because they saw Jesus with their own eyes.  It wasn’t easy for the Apostle Paul – and not just because of the persecution that he endured after being called by the Risen Jesus.  When the Holy Spirit gave him these words to write to the believers in Colossae and those in Laodicea (11 miles away) he was imprisoned.

 

It wasn’t the chains that he wore that caused him to struggle, it was his earnest desire to encourage, unite and give confidence in Christ to these people that he had never met face to face.

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

When the Holy Spirit here gives us insight into the Apostle’s inner feelings and struggle, He uses a word that means ‘conflict’ or ‘strain.’  It’s a word that is used to picture an athlete, a contestant seeking victory.  However, in this case the Apostle wasn’t ‘straining’ to win a ribbon or medal, the stakes were critical and the outcome a matter of spiritual life and death.  Even though he had never met them, he was under pressure to help to:

       Encourage their hearts…to encourage them to put aside all doubt and cling to the Savior Jesus.

       Unite their hearts in love…to knit their hearts together with the love that is found in Jesus’ love.

       Help them to see their spiritual wealth and understand it…to lead them to see that through faith in Jesus’ innocent life lived for them and complete payment for sin and the glorious receipt of the resurrection – they were rich beyond this world.

The Apostle wanted to further open their eyes to what he calls ‘the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ’.  Now it was popular among the pagans and other religions in the 1st Century to claim to have secret information about something or the ability to explain what people considered the ‘mysteries’ of the world.

The Mystery of God, both the Father and of Christ -- wasn’t a mystery in the sense that it was hidden or unknowable or required some secret information.  It was Paul’s life and calling to make known the mystery, to proclaim and announce God’s plan to save sinners.  It was a plan that was originally ‘hidden’ in the mind of God, but had been revealed and even published by letter.  How can men be right with God?  The answer to this mystery is simply revealed in Christ, through faith in Christ.

 It is a mystery only in the sense that it cannot be discovered by deduction or reasoning but only through God’s revelation in His Word.    

Yet, despite the fact that God openly has made known the mystery of His Will, so many in our world – some of them calling themselves Christians – don’t understand or comprehend the reason the Son of God took on human flesh and blood.  It remains a mystery because people reject the simple word.  They try instead to ‘read between the lines’ and ‘interpret it their own way.’  They rule over Scripture with human reason, dismissing the creation and the miraculous because it seems so unbelievable.  They reduce the Son of God to a good teacher, an example to be emulated.  In the process the life, death and resurrection remain a mystery to them…even though it is openly proclaimed.

People now…and then try to replace Christ with something else, something faulty and powerless. This is the very reason why the Holy Spirit warned the Colossians – and warns us – about being deceived with persuasive words or plausible arguments.

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

 

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

The Apostle didn’t only warn them, but expressed confidence that though He was not present with them He was confident that they possessed what they needed to stand firm in faith.  Paul had heard from their Pastor Epaphras that they were grounded in faith and looked to Christ for strength to stand.  The Apostle didn’t have to be present to protect them, they already had the Holy Spirit, who had joined them to Jesus.  They had what they needed to walk or live as God’s children.

The Holy Spirit had set their roots deep in Christ.  Even as trees send out roots deep into the soil to find water and nutrients and become strong; so, their faith was rooted in Christ and obtained its strength from Him.  Likewise, the deeper we sink our roots into the words and promises of Jesus, the stronger will be our foundation and the structure built upon it.

Jesus Christ is both the life of the plant that is our faith and the binding force that joins us to Him and to one another. They were being confirmed, strengthened in faith and their faith was producing fruits, they were abounding with thanksgiving.

The Apostle Paul had every reason to expect this would turn out for the benefit of their faith.  Still, the Spirit warns about the danger that exists…. because it is still present today.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Beware lest anyone cheat you…isn’t a bad translation…but the word means ‘to take captive, to enslave, even to carry off like stolen loot.’  Let me remind you that the Apostle Paul was himself in chains, a captive, when the Spirit of God directed him to write ‘Watch out, lest someone enslave you.’ This wasn’t a warning not to be arrested or physically enslaved, but spiritually enslaved and deceived.  This wasn’t a hypothetical possibility, but a real danger.

What were they to watch out for or beware of?  Well, Philosophy and empty deceit.

This isn’t a criticism of every form of philosophy.  After all, philosophy in its most general form is simply a search for knowledge and understanding.  In some cases, people search for knowledge about God, about this world, even about the ‘meaning of life.’ It’s not bad to ask questions…but when the philosophy is based on human reason and wisdom and dismisses Christ…then it is without spiritual wisdom and understanding.

There were many different champions of human philosophy at that time and the names are still familiar.

 

ü  Stoicism --- was a philosophy developed by a man named Zeno, who believed that self-control was the way to overcome destructive emotions. Zeno’s philosophy said to seek help from within.   Sound familiar?  Many today peddle this same philosophy that strength comes from within us.  On the other hand, we seek help from outside of us, from our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, from our God.  As it is written (Psalm 121:1-2):

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

ü  Epicureanism – was another philosophy prevalent in those days developed by Epicurus, who believed that the highest good was to be free from anxiety and mental pain rising from death and from god.  He reasoned that God doesn’t exist, because if God knows about suffering and cares then there wouldn’t be any suffering.  He declared that there is no life after death…but he knows the truth now.  These same arguments are made to this very day by people in our world, most often by skeptics, atheists and humanists. The LORD says of these (Psalm 14:1):

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, They have done abominable works,

There is none who does good.

ü  Gnosticism – was a philosophy that declared – among other things – that the creation account is a lie and that God didn’t create the world.  Much like Epicurus, Gnostics declare that tragedy is evidence that God doesn’t exist.  Gnosticism teaches that Jesus wasn’t and isn’t really GOD, but an emissary sent by God. The Holy Spirit contradicts Gnosticism when He says here through Paul:

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

10 and you are complete in Him,

who is the head of all principality and power.

These are just a few examples of philosophy and empty deceit.  These others are examples of ‘knowledge’ springing from the fallen mind of man and not from God’s revelation of Himself.  These are examples of an ‘understanding’ based on the elementary principles of this world.   These are worthless philosophies because they leave out Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of God.

Every religion that dismisses Jesus and teaches human beings that they can make things right with God is an example of a faulty philosophy and empty deceit.  Every person who declares that trusting in Jesus Christ isn’t enough forgets or denies that Jesus is GOD, and the only one who can reconcile us to God.  We have all that we need in Jesus Christ.

 

We have all that we will ever need by faith in Him.  There is no replacement part for Jesus Christ.  There is no additive to be obtained.  Every other attempt to be right with God apart from Christ is a worthless and powerless endeavor that will fail in the end.

Jesus Christ, my Pride and Glory, he, the true and living Light,

Strengthens me with glorious might. Christ revealed in sacred story, Whom I now as Lord confess, Teaches me true holiness.

 

Let me live to praise Thee ever, Jesus, Thou my heart’s Delight,

Thou who leadest me aright. Let me cling to Thee forever,

All the fleshly lusts deny, And the devil’s hosts defy.

 

Grant me Lord, Thy Holy Spirit That in all I follow Him

Lest the light of faith grow dim. Let me ever trust Thy merit,

Let Thy blessing me attend, from all evil me defend.

 

From all pain and imperfection, Gracious Lord, deliver me,

Heaven’s glory let me see. Keep me under Thy direction

That the grace Thou gavest me I may praise eternally.

 

Amen.

 

 

 

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