Freedom in Christ

Introduction

In Colossians 2 Paul has reminded us where our focus needs to be. Often times our focus is on what others are doing/aren't doing or we are focused on ourselves. In reality all of our focus should be on Christ.

Paul told them to watch men trying to deceive them through philosophy. Your Philosophy of Christianity should be Christ-centered and not after mans philosophy.

Paul reminded them that the traditions of man shouldn't distract us from Christ. Our Christianity shouldn't be based off of traditions, but rather as the Holy Spirit leads through the reading of God’s word and bathing our lives in prayer!

Paul reminded them they are complete in Christ. While the world will try philosophy and tradition to complete their lives, our lives are only complete through the finished work of Christ.

Last week I don’t know about you I enjoyed the reminder from Paul that Christ took all of my crimes/sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross.

Tonight I want us to look at the freedom we find in Christ.

What not to do

Throughout the book of Colossians, Paul has given them some things to do and some things not to do.

Paul here tells them they should not let men judge them

Romans 14:3,10, 13

in their meat

This was in reference to the old testament dietary laws in Leviticus 11. There were still some Christians holding to these dietary laws and looking down on those who didn't uphold them.

in their drink

This was in reference to preparation of vessels

in respect of an holy day

This was in reference to the observance of annual religious celebrations such as the passover, pentecost or tabernacles. All of these are found in Leviticus 23.

of the new moon

This was a monthly sacrifice offered in the first day of each month. Numbers 10:10 “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Numbers 28:11-14

or of sabbath days

Weekly observance of the day of rest - Saturdays in the OT.

Then Paul tells them why.

All of these things are a shadow of what was coming.

The word shadow gives the idea of a limited preview

They were a small glimpse into what was coming through Christ.

Christ was far better than any of the dietary laws or the observances. All the sacrifices made were nothing in comparison to the sacrifice Christ makes.

Heb. 8:5 “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

Heb. 10:1 “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

In Bro. Stewarts notes on Colossians he says this “The religious activities given by God in the Old Testament system were not a reality in and of themselves but rather they were limited previews of the coming person, life and work of Christ. They served to outline God’s coming redemptive act through His Son.”

Every feast, every sacrifice, every illustration in the Old Testament was meant to be a picture of Christ.

How many of you have seen a picture of Pikes peak in Colorado? How many of you have seen Pikes peak in real life? Which is better the picture or the real thing. The pictures don’t even do it Justice.

This is the same thing in the Old Testament, they had only seen a picture of Christ for so long that when Christ came to earth they enjoyed the pictures that foreshadowed him more than him.

The book of Colossians was written around 64 AD only 30 or so years removed from Christ and Paul is still reminding the church that Christ is better than the pictures used to illustrate him in the Old Testament.

Jamie and I have been married for 9 years coming up in September. I don’t think our married would’ve lated 9 hours if I liked a picture better of her than I did of the Real life Jamie.

Paul also tells them to let no man beguile them

Beguile here means to allure them

their rewards isn't talking about Salvation because Salvation is a gift, but rather the things that accompany salvation as well as the rewards for service done with the right motive and methodology

1 Corinthians 3:11–15 (KJV 1900)

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1 Corinthians 9:25 (KJV 1900)

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

2 Timothy 2:5

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

Revelation 14:13

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Don’t let men beguile you to do the right thing the wrong way or even the wrong thing the right way. Do it God’s way and a reward is prepared for you.

He says don’t let men allure you using voluntary Humility

An outward display of Humility that was for appearance only. Some would do this to seem extra-goldly.

I think people like this are almost worse than prideful people. Someone who tries to appear Godly only for appearance.

He also tells them not to be beguiled by those worshiping angels.

There were those who would give improper worship and reverence toward a creature that rejected such an idea and solely worship God

Revelation 22:9

Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

These people were intruding (encroaching, infringing, interfering) into those things (Unrevealed aspects of God’s program, dealing, and domain) which he hath not seen (this is talking about those claiming insight through further revelation they had received or visions they had supposedly seen.)

This causes them to be vainly puffed up (they had a sense of their own importance) by his fleshly mind (his fallen nature)

The same group of people isn’t holding the head

In the Body analogy the head of the Body would be Christ

Eph. 4:15-16 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Christ is so beyond angels and He is above all others

When we think about this analogy Christ is the head and we make up the members of the body (the body is the church and the members make up the different parts of the Body.) As Believers we shouldn't look to the people mentioned in verse 18 the false worshippers, but rater we should look to the head of the Body for our guidance and provision.

There are a lot of false prophets today who will try to guide you and promise provision if we provide for them, but in reality only God can truly Guide us and provide for us.

The joints and bands would be the various member fulfilling their particular but interrelated functions.

When we live this way we get our nourishment(our grace and enablement) from Christ and we become interdependent with each other and have a well coordinated interrelating of the membership of the church.

This alone causes us to increase with the increase of God.

Eph. 1:23 “Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

Eph. 4:16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Conclusion

Christ is better than any dietary law

Christ is better than any preperation of vessels

Christ is better than any of the Holy days

Christ is better than any sacrifice

Christ is better than the sabbath

all of these were pictures of what was coming and when Jesus came he proved he was better than everything.

Be careful to not get caught up in false worship, but to truly worship the one who is worthy of our worship!