The Church: Embodying Christ in a Digitizing World

“Spiritual but Not Religious”

As opposed to “religious but not spiritual”?

Is this what people mean when they say this?

Elevating “personal belief” over engagement with a religious community

We shouldn’t be surprised at this

It is the way of this world, the ethos of our time

And it’s something we, as a church, (should) try to resist

But don’t always succeed

Twin “threats” to church engagement today:

“Deconstruction” = it’s the church’s fault

“Reductionism” = reducing our faith to the individual

Let’s face it, the Church doesn’t have a great track record

Scandals, abuses of power, cover-ups, misguided and wacky theologies, infighting, etc.

interestingly, sometimes churches can take on these same descriptors

“Spiritual but not religious” in an attempt to win people over (back)

“Religious but not spiritual” in a ateempt to keep from being tainted by the world

And yet, and yet … the church is God’s chosen instrument for making Christ present in the world

And so we take our queue from Christ

We are still sinful human beings - so we don’t do it perfectly

But we are united in Christ - so we continue to try and reflect him

This morning, we close out this 3-sermon mini-series on the Incarnation in a “digitizing” world

By looking at Christ’s embodiment today: the Church

Through Colossians 2:16–23 we’ll look at a danger facing the early church not dissimilar from the church today

We’ll discuss

How losing connection with Christ (and his church) leads to a skewed spiritual perspective

Why reconnecting with Christ (and his church) is important and necessary

And what staying connected to Christ (and his church) might look like today

Lost Connections

Read v. 16-19

“Therefore” = because Christ has overcome the “powers and authorities” of this world through the cross

“Don’t let anyone judge you” [according to worldly standards]

[Aside (v. 17): Paul is not saying these things are bad or wrong]

Paraphrase of v. 18: don’t let the “super-spiritual” discredit your faith

Explain “worship of angels”

“They have lost connection with the head”

Notice: not the body

These people who have separated themselves from the church and are passing judgment on it have actually separated themselves from Christ

“disqualify you” = not like the olympics where it’s something athlete did

Notice: overemphasizing “spiritual” things over earthly ones

In short: they’ve gone rogue, but don’t get pulled away by their judgments and arguments

Where do we see these types of “lost connection” today?

Losing connection between one another

Lead to judgmental attitudes

Look at social media anonymity

People wouldn’t say a fraction of these things face-to-face

Losing connection between the Church and forgiveness (LD 21)

“Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?”

= The Gospel for an individualist culture

Individualism is perhaps one of the greatest threats to the church

It is certainly behind and underneath “deconstruction” and “reductionism”

Really an over-inflation of the “self”

LD 21 makes it plain: if you are a Christian, you are a part of the church (54)

Re-Connecting

Reconnecting with Christ (19a)

Christ is the ultimate reality

See esp. Col. 2:9–10

Does Jesus ever encourage his people to “go it alone”?

Hand-in-hand reconnecting with the Church (19b)

Not a “one leads to the other" kind of thing

Key word here: “body” (cf. 1 Cor 12:27)

Throughout this mini-series we’ve been emphasizing the humanity of Christ

His humanity is essential for the Incarnation

His humanity is essential for his death and resurrection (salvation)

His humanity is inseparably linked to our humanity

Paul’s use of “body” (esp. in this passage) is very intentional

Christ has a physical human body

That particular body is no longer on earth after the ascension

But Christ still has a “body” on earth: the Church

The NT is clear: the Church carries on Jesus’ earthly mission until Christ returns

But we don’t do it perfectly

We fall victim to temptations and misguided actions

Clearly, the Colossian church was “buying into” what this other group was selling (v. 20–23)

And I believe this is a very big problem with the church today

Instead of living out our calling as the church

One side: we try to accomodate ourselves to the world around us

Let the world tell us what we ought to do

Other side: we completely separate ourselves from the world around us

Thumb our noses at the world

Neither is appropriate, helpful, or even biblical

Which leads us, finally, to the importance of ...

Staying Connected

Firstly, staying connected to Christ

Our world is actually very “spiritual” and open to spiritual things

People are looking for something beyond themselves

Even the atheists try to find meaning and purpose

People want connection

But look for it in the wrong places

Social media (e.g.) is a “counterfeit institution” (Brad Edwards)

Read excerpt p. 40-41

This actually leads to less connection as we become more and more isolated from one another

Multiple studies are bearing this out (e.g. Haidt’s The Anxious Generation)

“Connection” is way more than friending someone on Facebook, sending them a Snap, or following them on Instagram

Paul is clear (along with the rest of Scripture)

The growth of the Church is God’s work

It can’t happen if we aren’t connected to each other

Secondly, staying connected to the (physical) Church

Living as the body of Christ - warts and all

It’s ‘Family Day’ weekend

The Church is the Family of God (cf. Becoming God’s Family - Carla Joy Imes)

When we think of “family” we think mom, dad, and 1.6 children

When God thinks “family” he thinks all of his children

We really are “brothers and sisters” in Christ

There is a subtle but powerful statement Paul is making in v. 23

These people who follow all these rules may look like they have their lives in order

But following these rules “lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence”

In other words: “going it alone” with a “personal faith” in the end lacks accountability

Paul reminds the Colossians (and us)

You died with Christ (plural “you”) to the “elemental spiritual forces of this world”

Gk. stoicheia = orderliness / foundations / what we build our lives on

We do not build our lives on the ways of this world, but on Christ and him alone

We stay connected to Christ by staying connected to one another, and we are connected to one another only in and through Christ

Reflection Questions

How have we (as a church) been tempted to make ourselves more appealing to the world or separate oursleves from the world?

What are some practical steps we can take to start connecting with one another in more meaningful ways? [Introduce my Lenten challenge]