There is only one way
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Series: Set your Mind.
Summary;
Colossians 1;
Thanked them - Faith hope and Love.
Prayed for them - Filled with knowledge of God’s Will and wisdom.
Supremecy of Christ - FirstBorn, Head of the Church, Preeminent.
Happy to Struggle for the Gospel.
Colossians 2;
He wants the church to be; Knit Together, Hearts may be encouraged, Reach full riches of full assurance of Understanding AND Knowledge of God’s Mystery - Which is Christ.
Rooted and built up in Christ | Don’t be a tumbleweed - Be a Yukka | You are complete only in Christ | Last week = Put off sinful Nature | Your past is Clensed | Debt has been paid
This week:
Paul finishes off - Theological Section - before telling us how to live;
Deals with two main areas;
Legalism
Empty Spirituality
Title: There is only one way
Let’s dive in he starts;
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
These? Law | Regulations.
[Picture of Shadow]
Can see Shadow | Something of Substance has to cast Shadow | That’s the point
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
Not saying anyone CAN | Don’t let anyone TRICK you into disqualifying you | Feel like not saved because not upholding Rule.
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
What’s paul saying? Don’t be leaglistic | Rules don’t save you.
Definition of Legalism: legalism is the belief that law-keeping is the grounds of our acceptance with God and what we do earns or keeps God’s favour and measuring others of the same.
How it works itself out:
“How can you call yourself a Christian unless you ......”
(Insert repeating rule)
Paul saying; No outward behaviour going to change you, it must be inward transformation.
What you do can not EARN or KEEP Salvation.
We have a conundrum - Let’s get into this a bit -
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Vs
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Seem contradictory? However, Bible doesn’t contradict itself so let’s unpack.
1st - The Law could never earn salvation.
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
Never make perfect.
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
Gaurdian;
What does gaurdian do? Attempt to keep safe.
Child - Stove - Sticks hadn out - No don’d do that - Put rule in place.
Kid becomes adult - Free to make choice - Burn hand - Go back - burn again - Taught by burn or turn from way and ask someone else.
Still Sin - But not Rules anymore - A person, who shows you the WAY.
Get writing - Another Person - Follow person, not the actual Rule.
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Faith doesn’t ignore Law | Faith upholds it | Faith is fulfiment of it | Jesus says;
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Jesus | Never sinned | Did what we could not do | Showed us heart of law / Heart of God.
Sabbath - Rest 1 day per week.
Jesus - Come to me all those that are WEARY - REST from Works.
What’s harder? Resting 1 day per week, or handing over everytihng and operating from REst?
Jesus - Heard it - Shall now Murder - I say - Look at brother with Anger committed Murder.
Heard it said- Do not commit Adultry. Jesus - Look at someone wiht Lust…
Tithing - 10% - NT Cheerful GIver - Prob more than 10% - and be happy about it.
Could never complete or fulfill Law- but Jesus expoudned it…
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Flesh COULD NOT - Still CAN NOT fulfill LAW - That’s why we have GRACE - A FREE GIFT.
So what do we do? Just go on sinning?
Paul says;
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Gloves = Us
Heavy Object = Will to follow God.
Gloves Same | Weight Same | What has filled the gloves has changed.
What is inside you has changed you!
Not flesh wanting to follow Rules | not Will power.
Through following and with the power of HOLY SPIRIT.
This is why Paul says;
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
But here is the real reason;
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Listen - Setting mind on Spirit Leads to Life. Sin hurts the heart of God | Hurts your relationship with God.
Here is the point guys; If you ask; “Do I have to follow the Law” as a means to keep on sinning, or to do whatever you want, you’ve completely missed not only the heart of God, but his loving, beautiful and life-giving plan for your life.
Paul says;
It was a SHADOW | He also aid it was GOOD - However = Substance belongs to CHRIST.
CHRIST is fulfilment of Law, He can lead you to the heart of God -Where Law never can.
Law could never take you to life and Freedom - But Jesus CAN.
Paul is saying - Stop following Shadow - Follow the Person of CHRIST.
Hang on - Our connundrum;
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Even Jesus said
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
But mat, contradicted you’re entire message.
Jesus - Resurrected - Sees peter;
Jesus to Peter - Do you love me? Peter said yes…Jesus: Feed my lambs.
Jesus | 2nd time; Do you love me? Peter | Yes of Course | Jesus = Tend to my sheep
3rd time | Do you love me? | Peter Grieves - Because Jesus kept asking him said;
Lord - You know everything and you know that I love you | jesus said…Feed my Sheep.
Jesus said to Peter - These are the things to do…why?
As James says - Faith…without works is dead… (move sign) why? because Jesus transforms lives.
but not by rules | Not by Religion | Keeping Sabbath | Empty Spirituality | or the Law (Remove Path)
It is by the Narrow…Gate.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
It is by doing what Jesus said to Peter: “Follow Me”
So | Justified by Faith and Faith alone - However - If met Jesus - Follow Jesus - Evidence will be your good works | Fruit…Result …Life and Freedom.
The path is narrow | It’s the size of a person | Taht person - Jesus Christ. Not rules. Not Experience. Christ and Christ alone.
by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
