Colossians 2:16-23 Don’t Settle for the Shadow
Colossians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Today we continue our journey through the book of Colossians
as we come to chapter 2:16–23.
Paul is writing from prison,
to a young church that was marked by God's grace.
Because of that grace,
they had built reputation for their faith in Christ
and their love for one another.
But Paul's desire was not simply that they begin well—
it was that they continue to grow into spiritual maturity.
To do that,
Paul continually points them to Christ.
He knew that the more clearly they saw Jesus,
the deeper they would grow in their faith in Jesus...
Paul reminded the young church,
that God's mystery has been revealed in Christ.
Through His death on the cross,
the record of our guilt and shame has been canceled.
Our past,
present,
and future sins—
the very record the enemy would use to accuse us—
has been wiped clean by the blood of Jesus.
In doing so,
Christ triumphed over the powers of darkness,
putting them to open shame through His victory on the cross.
Therefore,
we do not need to add anything to our salvation,
because Christ's work is completely sufficient.
In Him we have been made complete.
Now,
beginning in verse 16,
Paul builds on that truth
by warning us not to trade the sufficiency of Christ
for empty religion...
16 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. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 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, 19 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.
Baby Elephant… Adult Elephant...
(Small rope and steak keeps him from walking free)
Paul writes in 2:4,
"Let no one delude you with plausible arguments."
2:8,
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world..."
2:16,
"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you..."
2:18,
"Let no one disqualify you..."
The reality is,
Christ has already broken every chain,
yet many of us still live as prisoners—
not because of our past,
but because we have allowed the opinions
and judgments of others to define us.
We can become so crippled
by the judgments of others
that we begin to feel disqualified.
Christ is calling us into freedom,
yet we remain trapped
because we have been taken captive
by the empty philosophies and deceptions of man...
It is fascinating how our thinking
can be so tremendously shaped
by what others have said.
Their words can take such a hold on our minds
that we can be one step away from freedom,
yet never experience it
because we have believed a lie.
We become in many ways,
just like the elephant.
Though the rope
no longer has the power to hold him,
he remains a prisoner because he believes he is still bound.
In the same way,
Christ has set us free,
yet we can continue living like prisoners
because we have allowed the judgments
and accusations of others to hold us captive....
What people think I am...
What I think I am..
What God says who I am..
God says I am..
I am forgiven (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13–14)
I am chosen (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:9)
I am redeemed (Ephesians 1:7)
I am justified (Romans 5:1)
I am made righteous in Christ(2 Corinthians 5:21)
I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am loved (Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:1)
I am complete in Christ(Colossians 2:10)
Therefore,
when I understand this reality,
I will not allow myself to be held captive by the judgments of others,
because I know I am complete in Christ.
I don't need to add anything to earn my salvation—
all I need is Christ...
16 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. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 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,
Family Disney trip stop at sign...
(Mystery… Shadow…Substance...)
[Don’t settle for the shadow… (whatever it may be) Get the real thing of substance which is the person of Christ]
Paul lays out two ways
in which we can be derailed from Jesus.
The first is that we can settle for the shadow
instead of the substance.
The shadow may take the form of traditions.
Traditions are not necessarily evil,
and they can have a place.
But when we begin to treat tradition
as equal to Christ in importance,
we have been taken captive by deception...
The second way Paul highlights that we can be derailed,
is by adding something alongside Jesus.
People can insist that to truly be saved
or spiritually mature,
you must have some mystical experience,
receive a special revelation,
or even participate in the worship of angels.
Many forms of deception do not begin with the removal of Jesus,
but with the addition of something alongside Jesus.
It is so important to understand,
that you cannot mix falsehood with truth.
The worship of angels that Paul mentions,
is a clear example of this.
Angels are real,
but they were never meant to be worshiped.
They serve God;
but they do not replace God.
The moment we give our worship,
devotion,
or trust to anything other than Christ alone,
we have stepped into idolatry.
Paul explains that these people were consumed with visions
because they were puffed up with pride.
Jesus was not enough,
they had to continually seek supernatural experiences.
Jesus was not enough,
so they hade to have these mystical experiences,
particularly visions.
I believe God can speak through dreams and visions,
but anything truly from God will always lead us toward Christ,
never away from Him.
These false teachers were trying to disqualify believers
by convincing them that Christ was not enough.
But Paul already declared in Colossians 1:12
that the Father "has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."
The believers were qualified,
not because of their experiences,
traditions,
or accomplishments,
but because of Christ alone.
He has made them complete.
Therefore,
Paul wants to make sure,
that they don't allow people to pass judgment on them and disqualify them.
Because what God has qualified,
man cannot judge as unqualified.
So then,
they must remain rooted in Christ,
knowing that in Him they are complete and lack nothing.
And as they remain in Christ,
they will continue to grow...
(Growth is not… tradition… addition..)
Paul continues in V19
Colossians 2:19 “19 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.”
It is when we remain in Christ,
that we will grow into maturity...
It is not about following certain traditions,
is not about have special revelations,
it is all about simply remaining in Christ.
Jesus said.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Fruit is not produced by chasing certain spiritual experiences,
rather,
fruit is produced by simply abiding in Christ.
It is not about striving to follow the traditions of men.
It is not about striving to experience some spiritual high.
It is about remaining in Christ.
As the people of God abide in Christ,
they will be knit together in perfect unity
and grow into maturity as the body of Christ,
because He is the head who nourishes the body...
The reason the body of Christ is often not growing in the unity
and maturity that God desires
is because the body as a whole
are not fully abiding in Christ.
Instead of Christ alone,
we have made it Christ plus something else.
Christ plus my preferences.
Christ plus my traditions.
Christ plus my experiences...
The church
must remain firmly grounded in the truth
that Christ alone is enough.
Growing into perfect unity
and full maturity as the body of Christ
comes through one simple reality:
Remaining in Christ.
Knowing that in Him you are complete,
and you do not need to add anything extra,
because Christ alone is enough...
Paul continues...
20 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— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 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.
Father big job.. slumber party with daughter...
Romans 7 & 8... law showed us our sin.… but it did not deliver us from sin… Law showed us we fall short of God’s standard…traditions were added to help elevate us to meet the standard…
Law showed us we fall short of God’s standard…
Jesus made us righteous so we can meet God’s standard....
Law showed us our bandage.…
Jesus made a way for us to break free from our bondage...
When we were saved,
we received the work of grace.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
It is by God's grace that we have been saved.
The Law showed us our need for salvation.
Grace made a way for us to receive salvation.
14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
When we were under the Law,
sin continued to rule over us.
But now we are under grace—
sin no longer has dominion over us.
The problem in much of Western Christianity
is that we have reduced grace to a singular work of salvation.
But the Bible reveals the dual work of grace.
Grace not only saves us,
it also empowers us to live in light of our salvation.
Many people see grace only as God's saving work.
But the reality is that because we are under grace
and not under the Law,
we now have the power to walk in freedom.
Grace is not just the end of our salvation.
It is the beginning of the saved life in Christ.
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Notice what Paul says.
Grace doesn't just bring salvation—
Grace trains us.
Grace not only saves us from the penalty of sin—
it also sets us free from the power of sin.
Grace does not simply give us permission to live however we want.
Grace gives us the power to live as God created us to live.
It transforms our desires.
It renews our minds.
It changes our hearts.
It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness
and "yes" to righteousness.
The freedom Christ gives is not the freedom to sin.
It is the freedom from sin.
Because of Christ,
sin is no longer our master.
We are now free to pursue holiness,
empowered by the grace of God.
Therefore,
grace is not the finish line of the Christian life...
It is the starting line...
The same grace that saves you
is the grace that sustains you,
transforms you,
and makes you more like Christ every day.
Therefore,
The Law was a mirror that revealed my stain,
but Christ,
by His grace,
washed me clean.
The Law exposed my chains,
but Christ,
by His grace,
broke them....
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
It is important to remember
that before Paul encountered Christ,
he was a Pharisee.
He knew firsthand
the burden of trying to earn God's approval by keeping the Law.
The Pharisees not only had the Law given through Moses,
but they also created countless traditions that they treated as though they came from God,
even though they came from man.
Those rules and traditions only added more weight.
More pressure.
More guilt.
More condemnation.
No matter how hard one tried,
they could never measure up.
Then Jesus stepped into that burden
and made one of the most beautiful invitations ever spoken:
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Paul knew what it was like to carry the crushing weight of religion.
That is why he makes the point this young church
not go back to the old way of doing things,
because Christ has established something new and better.
These rules and regulations may have an appearance of wisdom,
but they are not the wisdom of God.
Paul says they
"are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." V23
All these man-made traditions could modify behavior,
but they had no power to transform the heart.
They may change your appearance.
They may make you look religious.
They may impress other people.
But they could not transform your life.
Only Christ can do that.
So Paul’s point is,
If you have died with Christ...
If you have been raised with Christ...
Then stop living as though you still belong to the old system.
Live by the Spirit.
Don't live as though you are under the Law;
live as one
who is under grace.
Walk in the freedom Christ purchased for you.
You have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness
and brought into the kingdom of His marvelous light.
So don't go back to carrying burdens that Jesus died to remove.
Don't be enslaved by the traditions of men.
Don't be captivated by the philosophies of this world.
Don't let anyone pass judgment on you.
Don't let anyone disqualify you.
Don't let anyone convince you that Christ is not enough.
Instead,
Remain firmly planted in Christ.
Be nourished in Christ.
Find your identity in Christ.
Find your strength in Christ.
Find your rest in Christ.
Because the cross did not simply make your life better.
The cross made you new.
You are forgiven.
You are redeemed.
You are qualified.
You are complete.
And if you are complete in Christ...
Then there is nothing left for this world to add.
So lay down the burdens you were never meant to carry.
Stop striving to earn what Christ has already given.
Stop looking to shadows when the Substance is standing before you.
Stop chasing experiences when you already have the Savior.
Come to Jesus.
Abide in Jesus.
Rest in Jesus.
Because the One who carried the cross
never intended for you to spend your life carrying chains...
Story of Father and Son. (Son’s backpack)
Rule following is not the substance needed to be carried.
