Full Riches Of Complete Understanding

Colossians – Jesus Holds it All

Full Riches of Complete Understanding

September 2, 2018

There’s over a billion websites. Every second, there are 40,000 searches on Google, 2 million emails are sent, and 6000 Tweets are Tweeted. People are hungry for information and knowledge!

There is so much information shared that it is impossible to know what is true and what is misleading.

There was no internet in Colossae, but there were plenty of cults and mystery religions. It was not uncommon for people to embrace syncretism.

Syncretism – The merging or combining of different beliefs, cultures and religions.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

God is mysterious and can never be fully understood. Have we left any room for mystery?

God should be revealed in our worship and unveiled in our study.

v. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

We can be deceived.

Fine Sounding arguments

Am I being entertained or challenged?

Theology is more important than theatrics.

Is this helping me grow up or just making me feel good?

v. 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live 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 basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

2 Corinthians 4 – god of this age that blinds the minds of believers, so they cannot see Jesus

v. 8 Basic principles of this world rather than on Christ

“My group is always right and is superior” (Tribalism)

“Get as much as you can any way you can” (Greed)

“The chief pursuit of life is pleasure and entertainment” (Hedonism)

v.9 -For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form

How do we know if we’re hearing and believing sound theology?

I’m compelled to know Jesus and follow him.

I’m compelled to love people who are different than me.

I’m compelled to serve.

I’m compelled to be generous.

The Table:

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.