Why Christ is all you need

Read Colossians 2:8-10 “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Introduction

I want to share with you guys a true story.

10 years ago, in the Philippines was a fisherman.

One day during a storm in his boat, his boat suddenly stopped moving.

So assuming it was a rock that was stopping his boat, he dove down and instead found a giant clam.

And inside that clam was a giant substance that he kept under his bed for 10 years that he kept as a good luck charm before he went back out into sea.

One day he told his aunt about it.

His aunt working for tourism in the country realized that it was a massive pearl.

So they put it on tourism display because of the impressive size of the pearl

The pearl is over 2 feet long and weight at 75 lbs, making it the biggest pearl in existence.

And it is worth $100 million today.

We all wish that we could find something life-changing.

We’re all looking for it.

But it’s in the wrong places.

I mean this man had $100 million sitting under his bed for 10 years.

He had no idea.

Today, I want to show you why the life-changing thing that you are looking for is right here.

In fact it’s so close it’s even closer than under your bed.

It’s in you.

And that is Jesus Christ.

Today we are going to learn about Why Christ is all you need.

So that as some of you return to school or already in school, you don’t keep Christ under the bed for 10 years.

And so that you don’t miss out on riches far greater than $100 million.

1. Everything but Christ is empty (v.8)

We see this in v.8 where it says, ‘beware lest anyone cheat you’.

A more accurate translation says, Col 2:8

Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

See to it that no one takes you captive

While they both give the same idea, this translation brings out another image that Paul is writing, and that is the idea of being taken captive.

Getting robbed.

Getting kidnapped.

Paul also says see to it.

Or in other words watch out!

There are things and people that are trying to take you captive!

Growing up, one of my favorite Christmas movies as a kid was Home Alone.

And it’s this kid whose parents are away on vacation, and he’s left alone at home.

So these robbers come and try to rob the house, while the kid is still in the house alone.

And what vehicle did these robbers come in?

A van!

Ever since then as a kid, I always watched out for vans, especially white ones.

There’s a lot of crime involving white vans including kidnapping.

To this day, my wife does not like white vans!

So as long as I looked out for white vans, I knew I would be safe!

So if Paul is telling us to watch out for robbers and kidnappers, how can we tell who is the robber and kidnapper?

What is the vehicle that these spiritual robbers use to do their evil work?

First Paul says, ‘by philosophy’.

Now usually when we use the word philosophy, we think of complex philosophies and people like Aristotle, and Plato.

But the way Paul and the people in his time used the word referred to any way of thinking.

That means it can refer to not just Aristotle and Plato, but also religion, worldly ideas and culture.

Mormons tend to be quite common in this area, and that would fall under philosophy.

Evolution is another one

The idea that we were not created, but some random big bang happened which evolved into bacteria, that evolved into fish, that evolved into people.

Another one is, Critical Race Theory, or social justice.

It’s an idea that there are certain people groups like blacks or hispanics that are disadvantaged due to a political system.

And therefore in order make things even, advantaged groups such as white people, commonly known as white privilege have to make reparations, or pay money to the disadvantaged groups otherwise they are racist.

How about, ‘you can decide what gender you want to be’.

Or that ‘gay ‘marriage’ is equal to traditional marriage’.

And finally, the practice of girlfriends and boyfriends living together before marriage.

All of these fall under the term philosophy.

And do you know what Paul calls all of these?

He calls them empty deceit.

But why does Paul add the word, empty here?

He could have just said deceit and we would all get the idea.

It’s because all of the things I just mentioned seem to be full.

They seem to give life.

They seem to give joy.

They seem to give peace.

They seem to give fulfillment.

But they are really just a lie.

It’s deceit, Paul is saying.

It’s deceiving, it looks good.

You think you have found gold but really you struck fool’s gold.

You think you found a well, but it’s just an empty hole in the ground.

This is the white van that demons and people use to kidnap you.

It’s the worldly ideas and religions of the world.

That is what you have to watch out for.

Where can we find these deceptive ideas?

It’s not just at school from teachers.

But also the people around you: classmates, friends, even family members, even people who go to church.

And one the most common places you will find or hear these empty, and deceitful philosophies is going to be on social media.

The philosophers today are not so much Aristotle and Plato, not even so much Jordan Peterson, Andrew Tate, or Neildegrass Tyson.

But it’s the entertainers, posting how they live their life or making small comments or descriptions in their posts.

Those are the real philosophers today.

Watch out for those people.

Because they are really just robbers and kidnappers.

Who want to sell you a lie and leave you empty.

Because everything but Christ is empty.

Now Paul used a very broad term by saying philosophy and empty deceit.

So then he goes on to make specific descriptions to make it extra clear.

And the first description he gives is tradition when he says according to the tradition of men.

Tradition simply means man-made rules that you have to follow.

If you don’t follow you are sinning or won’t go to heaven.

Traditions or man-made rules are the foundation of all false religions.

That you need to do good works in order to go to heaven.

All religions except biblical Christianity all teach that you need to earn your way into heaven.

Growing up in public school, I had a lot of Muslim friends.

And I was truly impressed by them.

First off, they are very kind and hospitable.

I remember being invited for dinner at a Muslim friend’s house, and the family was so warm and welcoming.

They also tend to be quite religious.

During Ramadan, they would fast for an entire month, and I would just be amazed at their dedication to following it.

They would also commit themselves to daily prayer, I mean some of these guys prayed more than Christians I know!

And they were not ashamed to talk and share their religion with me.

I was so impressed that I actually thought of becoming Muslim!

While we can admire and appreciate their kindness and commitment, we must not be lured by other religions.

Because you can’t earn your way into heaven, when we already sinned against God, and there must be punishment for sinners in order for justice to prevail.

The other tool that these kidnappers use are basic principles of the world.

I think this translation is slightly more accurate Col 2:8

Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

according to the elemental spirits of the world

In the time of Paul, which was the age of the Greeks and Romans they believed in gods.

And they believed in gods that governed elements such as earth, water, wind, air, and fire.

The Romans had Jupiter the god of the skies.

The Greeks had Poseidon the god of the seas.

But in reality these are merely demons who create these false religions and pretend to be gods.

1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

Now most people in our society today don’t worship a god of fire, or god of the earth, although they are out there.

But many today do worship gods of money, and love, and sex.

Many Instagram pages (not all), are the modern temples and people make gods today not so much in a form of a statue, but in the form of pictures and videos.

You have Instagram models who post immodest photos in pursuit of worshippers who sometimes pay them money.

That was no different than Greek temple of Aphrodite in Paul’s day, the goddess of love, where people would go into and pay money to do immoral acts.

Or you have people who constantly desire lavish lifestyles and products, always desiring things, and that is worshipping money.

What are you following online?

Watch out that you are not a worshipper of these false gods.

Examine your heart and see what are you constantly desiring?

The third and final desription Paul gives is the final phrase, and not according to Christ.

To sum everything up and a very simple phrase is basically anything that is not of Christ.

You are going to come across many philosophies and it is impossible to know them all.

The point here is not to know all the false philosophies they’re too many to count.

But you really only need to know One person.

And that is Christ.

What do professional counterfeit agents do to detect a fake $100 bill?

They don’t study all the fakes.

Instead they put all their time studying the real bill, and that was how they could detect a fake every single time.

I mentioned before that when I was in high school, I resold a lot of expensive sneakers.

I resold Jordans, Yeezys, and SBs, to name a few.

And almost every time when I would walk around and see other people’s sneakers, I could instantly tell which was real or not.

Because I had the real ones, it was easy for me to see if people were wearing fakes.

So student’s all you have to do is check everything with the Bible.

Whenever you’re not sure about something you hear or see something online or something your fellow classmates are doing, don’t go and research what are talking about.

But simply ask one question, ‘what does the Bible say?’

‘What does Christ say?’

End of story.

It’s so simple!

Because everything but Christ is empty.

But what about Christ?

Why isn’t Christ empty?

2. Christ has everything (v.9)

Paul writes, ‘for’ to explain ‘why not according to Christ?’

Why does it have to be according to Christ?

And the answer is that Christ has everything.

He writes, in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

In other words, in Jesus Christ, is the fullness of God.

All of God is in Jesus.

Jesus is God in the flesh, which is why Paul says bodily.

He is truly man, and truly God.

John 1:3–4 (NKJV)

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John teaches that as God, Jesus created all things.

In Jesus Christ is life and light.

Jesus is the giver of light and radiates the light of God’s glory.

In other words Jesus is the source of life.

Joy, peace, happiness, and security!

You can’t find it anything else but Jesus, because Christ has everything!

He is the only source of life, joy and peace!

Jesus told the Samaritan woman in John 4:13-14

John 4:13–14 (NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Only Jesus can give you water where you will never thirst again.

Not physically thirsty, but spiritually thirsty.

Only Jesus can permanently satisfy your spiritual loneliness, anxiety, depression, fear, and worries.

And not only does He satisfy it forever, it becomes a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.

So that your pain, worries, and anxieties, become joy, peace, and love!

And it’s because Jesus Himself is the source of joy, peace, and love.

Because He is God, and God is joy.

God is peace.

And God is love.

Growing up as a teen, I had a lot of depression.

I pursued a lot of things that were all empty, and brought me no true fulfillment.

And yet I knew about Jesus.

I knew He was a good teacher and a good person.

But I never really came to Him.

Until He opened my eyes through His Word, and showed me that He was the true source and the true meaning of life.

Until He made me realize that Christ has everything.

So I can exhort you to come to Jesus, to go to Him.

But you will never actually come to Him to be satisfied, until you actually see Him as having everything.

3. You already have Christ (v.10)

So not only does Christ have everything but you also already have Christ!

That’s what Paul writes, ‘and you are complete in Him’

Another translation writes,

Colossians 2:10 (ESV)

and you have been filled in him,

So Paul is writing that Jesus is the fullness of God, and that you are filled in Christ.

In other words, Paul is writing that as a Christian, you are in Christ, you are identified with Christ.

And what that also means is that since you are in Christ, and Christ is full you are also full!

You are complete.

‘But I don’t feel full or complete!’

It’s not about feeling full or complete, or feeling that you have the creator of the universe and source of life in you at this very moment.

It’s about knowing that fact!

I’m not saying there is no feelings or emotions in your relationship with Jesus.

But what I am saying is that the more you understand this truth, and the deeper you understand this, the more blessed you will be.

The greater joy and satisfaction you will have.

And understanding at a deeper level, is a lifelong walk.

It’s a relationship that takes years and decades to grow in.

But you need to understand this truth and grow in it now!

Have you guys seen the meme where a child asks mom for Mcdonalds?

And then mom responds with we already have food at home.

And then it’s a picture of two pieces of bread with an egg, or spaghetti-os or any other boring food.

And then there are many versions of this meme.

Where a kid asks for anything such as a toy, or video game, or literally anything, like Batman, and then mom says we already have batman at home, and then there’s a picture of a knockoff version of Batman.

Too many Christians look at Jesus like that.

When they we should be looking at Jesus as the priceless treasure, the very fountain of youth.

C.S Lewis the author of the Chronicles of Narnia said,

If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Our problem Lewis says, is not that our passions or temptations are too strong.

But they are too weak.

Because we settle for trash.

We settle for making mud pies in a slum when we could be enjoying the holiday at the sea.

And not just the holiday at the sea.

But we have the sovereign ruler and creator of the universe as Paul concludes, who is the head of all principality and power.

The very demons that have deformed truth into false religions that people worship, whether it’s false religion or idols, are the same demons who will bow down to the Lord, the supreme authority of the universe.

That is who you have.

Do you really need that thing you want to buy so bad?

Do you really need that relationship or activity to give you completeness?

Be satisfied in Christ.

Because you already have the Lord who rules over all.

You already have Christ.

Some of you today however, do not have Christ. (gospel)

If you are listening to this today, and you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are not full.

You are not satisfied.

You will always seek and crave but will never be full.

Because your broken heart needs Christ.

The question is will you ignore what your soul needs, or will you surrender your sin and put your faith alone in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and recognize Him as the source of eternal life?

Repent and put your faith in Christ today.

Let’s pray.