Relationship not Religion

Colossians 2:15-23

Colossians 2:15–23 (NKJV)

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Colossians 3:1–11 (NASB95)

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Let no one judge you regarding festibles new moon sabbaths

Here Paul is pushing back against the Jewish legalistic.

We still have some today our brothers in Seventh day Adventist and the Hebrews roots movement sometimes can get carried away in some of theses things

Paul is saying you are free

Jesus said,

Mark 2:27 NASB95

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Paul elsewhere said this about holidays

Romans 14:5 NASB95

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

This is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians let each man examine himself

Sometimes we can get to caught up examining others we never examine ourselves

We do exactly what scripture teaches us not to do

We judge ourselves by ourselves

Sandra had a shirt that said Jesus is the Standard

He must be the Standard not me not Carlos no reed not bobby not John mac Author not Spurgeioun not even the Apostle Paul

Jesus must be the standard

In Jesus we find freedom from bondage of legalism last week we saw that He nailed the law that cursed us to the cross

For those who would trust in Him the Law was fulfilled it was crucified with Christ,

Now hear me make no mistake i am not saying that gives you free reign to live like the world no my dear child while before you could not control your sin in Him you have been given the gift of self control and He expects us to utilize it as we will see shortly

Paul wrote this Rom 6:1-3

Romans 6:1–3 NASB95

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

Notice it say let no one judge you ,.....but the substance of Christ

This judgement is not if you are fallen back into habitual sin and you need restoration that's not what this is saying this is saying if you are living a Godly life and following Christ then he alone is your judge. However if you fall back the church has the responsibility to encourage you to get back on the right way. Matt 18 Jesus Himself lays out how this should take place,

So don't let them judge you over if you celebrate Christmas or not if you eat pork or not if you eat shellfish or not, if you fail to rest on the sabbath this is what the text is saying here

Lets look to the opening of Chapter 3 now

Set your mind on heavenly things not on earthly things

Your life has been hidden in Christ who is our life

he came to give life He is our life the very purpose for us existing is to glorify Him

Now he goes on to say consider your earthly members dead

The things of your flesh treat the as dead

Dont treat them out for dinner

WE must be killing sin in our live or sin will be killing us

It steals our peace it steals our gaze from heavenly things it steals our joy

It outs the shackles of slavery that Christ broke back on us, So Paul is saying here

Treat them as though they were dead, then he lists them I believe its like on Galatians when he gives a long list of the fruit of the flesh its a example but not a exhausted example of the sin we should be putting to death in our lives

immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on your new self a renewal a fresh start hit the reset button he is saying you can through Christ you can He will help you this is Gods will for you

Some of you are missing blessings in your life because you like me so many times have clung to tightly to a sin or a group of sins not really liking them but you hold to them because they give a small measure of temporary pleasure,

He is telling us today don't miss you chance at a life worth living

don't miss your chance at a blessing that may be intended for you flee from the sin you can do it in Christ you can do all things who gives you strength flee from it cling to the giver of life like He is your only hope then and only then will the peace that surpass all understanding flow into your should then and only then will the joy amidst trials that makes no sense over flow you cup,, then and only then will you truly know what unconditional live unwavering love feels like

let us pray