Joy Stealers Series

Above All: A Study in Colossians

Colossians 2:16-23

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

6-05-2022

Add One Egg

A company that made cake mixes had a genius idea. It was an easy recipe cake mix. All the person had to do was to add water. They introduced the product and waited for it to take off. But it ended up being a flop.

In some interviews with people who had not bought the product, this is what they heard again and again - it can’t be that easy, there has to be something more.

They went back to the drawing board and decide to add one ingredient, an egg. The cook would have to add water and one egg to the mix.

This became one of the best selling products ever!

Some people approach Jesus like this cake mix. It can’t be that easy. All I have do to do is place my faith and trust in Jesus sacrificial death on the cross? Don’t I have to do more?

This morning’s we are going to be reminded, in vivid detail, that Jesus plus nothing equals everything!

Review

Last week, Paul started with a warning to the Colossian believers:

“don’t let anyone take you captive by hollow and deceptive philosophy.” (2:8)

He made the case that because of our being in Christ,

When He die, we died - circumcision

When He was buried, we were buried - baptism

When He rose from the grave, we rose as well

But there’s more - He has forgiven our sins, canceled the debt, won the victory over the spiritual powers of this world.

In the verses we will study this morning, Paul is going move from describing the deceptiveness of the false teachers to their practices. He will give the Colossians, and us, two more warnings that we need to hear today.

There was a syncretism being advanced by the false teachers. This means that they were presenting a spiritual buffet to these believers - a little Judaism, a little Christianity, a little pagan religious thought, a little Gnostic thought. Add it all together, and then you are really cooking with gas. Then, and only then, will be be a “real” Christian.

Our text breaks down into three sections. First, Paul will show the dangers of legalism, then mysticism, the asceticism.

Turn with me to Colossians 2:16-23.

Prayer

Legalism

“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. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (v. 16-17)

Paul has already warned of the real possibility of being taken captive by the false teacher’s philosophy.

Now he warns against the real threat of legalism in their midst.

Did you know that in Illinois…

In Eureka, a man with a mustache may not kiss a woman.

In Moline, ice-skating at the Riverside pond during the months of June and August is strictly prohibited.

In Normal, it’s against the law to make a face at a dog.

Paul writes for the Colossians not to let anyone judge them about two different decisions that they made in their lives - diet and days.

Diet

Under the old covenant, God had given the Jewish people very specific rules about what food they could eat and what foods that were considered unclean. There were several reasons for these prohibitions - to protect them from foods that might hurt them and to set them apart from the other nations.

There were false teachers that were telling these believers that they needed to be circumcised and also they needed to follow a kosher diet for God to really accept them.

But food is neutral:

“But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” (I Cor 8:8)

Remember that these Christians were Gentiles. They didn’t have a clue about Jewish food laws and this would have been confusing to some of them.

In response to His bewildered disciples, Jesus said,

“Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) (Mark 7:18-19)

Paul wrote to the Roman Christians:

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” (Romans 14:1-4)