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)
We are not to let anyone judge us for what we eat but we also are called not to judge others.
B. Days
The same goes for celebrating days, like religious festival, a New Moon Celebration, or Sabbath.
These celebrations were in place under the old covenant to point the Jewish people toward the coming Messiah.
There were false teachers in Colossae telling these believers that they had to participate in these days in order to be in good with God.
Paul continues in Romans:
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:5-6)
Again, they were not to let others steal their joy over these matters and and they were not to judge their Jewish friends who still celebrated these days.
Why? Because these dietary rules and religious days were just a shadow of things to come. They were not the real thing. The real thing, the substance, is found only in Christ.
The writer of Hebrews says it this way:
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.” (Hebrews 10:1)
In the allegory of the cave, Plato gives us a word picture for this.
There were prisoners chained in a cave, facing a wall, and they couldn’t turn their heads. There was a fire behind them and they would watch the images dance on the walls.
One day, a prisoner broke free and stumbled out of the cave and, at first was blinded by the light. But as his eyes adjusted, he started seeing people, and animals, and things. He could touch them, they were real, and he discovered that what they had been seeing on the wall of the cave were just shadows.
He ran back to the cave and had a hard time with his eyes adjusting. He told his friends, what you are seeing is not reality, it just shadows. That’s not a real dog. A real dog has fur, I petted one, he slobbered on me.
The prisoners reacted in horror and threatened to kill him if they ever got out of their chains.
In August, I’ll go to the Fairbury fair and see an REO Speedwagon tribute band called Richrath Project 3:13. Now what if I found out Kevin Cronin and the boys from REO were playing and the tickets cost the same?
Most people would want to see the real thing.
The real thing is Christ.
Aren’t you glad we don’t deal with this kind of legalism anymore.?
I was the gym last year and John Cerda and I were talking about his brother Adam starting a Tattoo Company here in Chenoa.
John asked me if I would be against it. I just froze. Against it? Why would be against it? John laughed and said, “Well you are a Baptist pastor, aren’t you?”
He said, “I thought you be against tattoos.”
I explained to him that I don’t tattoos because my pain threshold is that of a four year old girl. It has nothing to do with my faith.
There are some who take a verse out of its context in Leviticus and then judge people who have tattoos. That verse is about cutting, marking, branding or tattooing yourself like the pagan priests did when they worship their idols.
So if you have a tattoo of Dagon, Ashera, or Baal, I have an issue with it. You want to get a tattoo of Tigger, then go for it!
The law reveals God’s character in principle. Jesus was the full expression of His character in person.
For many years, the students at Moody Bible Institute, where I teach, were not allowed to have facial hair. This is the picture that created them as they walked into the the main building. [It’s a picture of Jesus with beard]
Maxine and I went to a church one time that didn’t allow women to wear pants. Maxine was supposed to play the cello that morning. It’s kind of unlady like to play the cello with a skirt on!
At a Christian music festival, me and the boys were in a golf cart and passed a young woman as it started to rain. I asked if she wanted a ride. When she climbed in, my boy’s eyes got big. She about 20 years old, covered in tattoos and piercings, had dreadlocks, and a hemp dress with no shoes.
I asked her to tell them her story. She loved Jesus with all her heart. She had come from Washington state to Illinois, on her dime, in order to serve at the festival. One of the things she had done all week was just walk around, start conversations with people, and share the Gospel.
I told the boys to remember her when they hear people say, “that person doesn’t look like a Christian.”
I’ve told this story before, I believe it shows the dangers of legalism in stark detail.
When I was working at Red Lobster, a fellow server named Liz approached with crying and asked me to go to to back with her. In the back room, I sat up on the booth and she explained to me what was going on. By the way, by that time there were other staff there too listening to our conversation.
Liz told me that one of the young waiters who attended a very legalistic college had told her she was going to hell because she had short hair.
My blood began to boil. And then she asked me, in front of probably ten other people, if that was true.
I got to explain to her that people don’t go to hell because of their hair but because of their heart. I explained the Gospel to her as clearly as I could and hugged her. Then I went and found that kid and told him if he ever bothered Liz again he would be meeting Jesus personally very soon!
We can make rules out of almost anything - hair length, clothes, make up, alcohol, [many people apologize to me when I see beer in their fridge], playing cards, or going to the movies.
It’s the “I don’t drink, and I don’t chew and I don’t go with girls who do” way of looking at life.
I was talking to another pastor about the rock group U2 and the fact that their lead singer is a Christian. He said, “Bono is definitely not a Christian!” When I asked him how he knew, he replied, “Because I heard him say the “F” word one time in an interview.”
Cursing means that a person isn’t a Christian? Then I lose my ticket to heaven every time I play golf!
I was at the pool on Friday and was talking to a lady who cussed and then said, “Oh, sorry pastor.” Why did she feel the need to apologize to me?
Often times after someone is born again we then give them a list of things to not do and make them miserable.
Why are we so drawn to legalism? Because it’s easier, much easier.
If you tell me that I have to do ten things for God to love me more, then I can start working on those ten things. Now, I may only get five of them down but, guess what, you only got three of them. So…I’m closer to God than you are!!
Luke records a story that Jesus told to “some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone.”
There are two characters in the story – a Pharisee and a tax collector. His listeners would have automatically understood that this was a story about a good guy and a bad guy. The only problem with Jesus is you never know which one is which.
First, we see a Pharisee going up to Jerusalem to pray. This is not out of the ordinary. Pharisees were good at praying. The word Pharisee literally means “Separated ones” and were members of a strict sect that gained prominence in the century before Christ was born. This man was probably the head of the synagogue and a member of the city council. He knew the Scriptures, much of it by heart. He knew all the rules and was a stickler for form and tradition. He was a good guy, well respected in the community. He wore a white hat. Parents wanted their children to grow up to be Pharisees.
The second man seems out of place. A tax collector going to the Temple to pray would be highly unusual. He is the “bad guy” of the story. He had sold his soul to Rome for a cheap buck. The Romans occupied Israel at this time and were hated. This guy not only worked for the enemy, but skimmed money off the top and got rich off his own countrymen. He was not even allowed in the synagogue, could not hold public office, and couldn’t testify in court. You didn’t want your babies to grow up to be tax collectors.
Next, Jesus tells us what they prayed. You can learn a lot about someone by listening to their prayers.
The Pharisee was a professional. He walked to the center of the inner court, ruffled his prayer shawl, cleared his throat, struck a pose and prayed:
“The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ’God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:11-12)
His prayer contained thirty-three words and five of those were the word “I.” It was been suggested that this guy needed an “I exam.” Toby Keith captured the Pharisees sentiments in a song called, “I Want to Talk about Me.” His prayer begins with a comparison between himself and others who are less righteous than he. He ends his prayer by listing, loudly, all the good things he has done for God. To the people in the crowd, this would have been expected from this character. Remember, he is the “good guy.”
As I said before, the tax collector presence in the Temple is a bit awkward:
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ’God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)
The tax collector knew better than to go into the inner court, so we find him “standing at a distance” probably somewhere in the outer court. No flowing robes, no fancy words. In fact, just seven words – “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” No comparisons, who could he compare himself to anyway? No list of “good deeds.” It was just a humble plea for pardon. He asked, while beating his chest, for mercy, undeserved favor. While our hearts may go out this poor guy, to Jesus first-century audience this guy was going to get just what he deserved –judgment!
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
Everyone had the story figured out, or so they thought. Jesus finished the story by telling them who was actually justified, made right, before God. He said, “The tax man went home right with God” and every jaw in the crowd dropped. Can’t you hear the gasps? The whispers? “Tax collectors are bad guys. God doesn’t listen to them! Who does this guy think he is?!” Jesus, anticipating their response, drops this bombshell on them:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14)
Legalism looks inward to the self. Did I do enough? Did I do more than you? But it’s not about what we do, but what Jesus has done. We are complete in Christ.
Legalism focus on the faults of others. These people are finger pointers, sin sniffers (Skip Heitzig), fault finders.
Legalism is contagious. It spreads like a virus.
Legalism makes us narrow and divisive. Everyone has to look like me. God never calls us to uniformity. He calls us to unity in the midst of diversity.
Legalism is joyless and leader to anger and arrogance.
Buck Parson’s tweeted this morning:
“The ironic thing about legalism is that it doesn't make us want to work harder, it makes us want to give up.”
Legalism produces a shallow faith that is obsessed with secondary matters.
Chuck Swindoll has written:
“Nothing will keep a Christian more immature than keeping a list.”
Dane Ortlund, in his beautiful book, “Surprised By Jesus,” writes:
“Keeping the rules no more extinguishes the sin in our hearts than buckets of gasoline extinguishes the flames in our fireplace.”
Larry Osborne writes in his book, “The Accidental Pharisee,”
“Unfortunately, the more zealous and passionate we become, the easier it is to fall into the trap of legalism. We can become so focused on the hard sayings of Jesus that we miss the incredible compassion and mercy he showed to the weakest and most vulnerable of his flock. To people who fail, turn away, or sit on the fence because they are too afraid to jump in or are not yet fully convinced, Jesus continues to offer his extravagant mercy, a healing hand and another chance. It isn’t weakness. It’s not compromise. It’s mercy: excessive, undeserved and generous.”
It’s a not about rules but a relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul is saying do not anyone impose on you a discipleship plan that doesn’t have Christ at the heart.
The world is not divided, Jesus eyes, between the bad and the good but between those who are bad and those who refuse to admit they are bad. By admitting you are disqualified is the only way to actually get in.
There are things that as Christians we are called to do or avoid but that isn’t about God loving us more or earning spiritual brownie points.
Paul says it’s about not letting anyone steal your joy and freedom over trivial matters:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal 5:1)
Does this mean that there are no rules for Christians? Of course not. We will see Paul give us some in chapter three.
Point to Ponder: Is your faith about rules or a relationship with God through Jesus?
I got my haircut yesterday and the friend that was cutting my hair reminded me of how incredibly judgmental I used to be. It was sobering. And I can still be if I don’t keep a watch on my heart.
In Walmart on Friday, I walked past a guy buying lotto tickets on the touch screen near the front of the store. I said out loud but to myself, “You must have more spare cash than I have.” It stopped me in my tracks.
And it reminded me of several events that God used to knock me off the judgement seat.
I went to a large men’s gathering some time ago and, honestly, I was in religious mode. I was whining about the worship and was less than inspired by the speakers. I walked into the breezeway and said quietly, “God I need you to teach me something here today. Please help me to listen.” At lunch time, I grabbed my box and tore into my turkey sandwich. Sitting next to me was a man who was eying my cookie. My heart immediately became cold. This event was held on the fairgrounds and I knew that a lot of homeless guys lived at the fairgrounds. I immediately judged him as a loser, a drug-addicted drain on society. I am not proud to tell you that, but it is the truth.
Silas, he had introduced himself by this time, did not have many teeth. He wore purple pants and a pink shirt. He stood out, he didn’t belong. I finally asked him if he lived here at the fairgrounds. He answered that he actually lived on the streets in the downtown area. Barely hiding my contempt, I asked how he got into the conference. I will never forget his answer, “Jeff, I was sleeping yesterday afternoon when a van drove up. The man inside told me he was a pastor and would like to take me to Promise Keepers. I didn’t know what that was but he promised me food, a shower, and a bed. Can’t refuse that, you know. Well, last night that first guy started speaking and how God loves me and something happened to me. I just knew it was true. God loves me.
I got up, walked down to the prayer tent and gave my life to Jesus.” By this time he was beaming. “They told me that Jesus can help me stop drinking and doing drugs. Do you believe that Jeff?” By this time I was bawling. I was barely able to get the words out but assured him that Jesus’ love could free him from anything.
Jesus had shown up and I had missed Him. I had on the right clothes, knew the words to the songs, and knew when to say amen. I was the Pharisee. Silas didn’t know squat but found freedom and new humbled friend… and a free cookie.
That’s why this table is so important. It’s not something that we do to earn brownie points with God, or earn more grace. We come to this table to celebrate our fullness, freedom, and the fact that we are complete in Christ!
Point to Ponder: Are you a born again Christian or do you just how know to play church?
Read p. 63 out of Surprised by Jesus.
Communion
Video: Harmony
Ending Song: The Solid Rock
