Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
I want to talk to you for a moment this morning from the statement of “Be Careful of What and Who You Listen To.”
“Be Careful of What and Who You Listen To.”
It should concern you to see the growing deception and divisiveness the enemy uses to lead people a way from the Word of God.
It is seen on the Internet, Social Media, You Tube, TV and in Music.
People have grown dim and callous to the Truth of the Word of God.
Now more than any other time should we stand and proclaim the truth of God’s Word!
Paul feared the Colossian believers would allow themselves to be caught in a web of deception cleverly spun by people promoting false doctrine.
Paul is not struggling because he is in prison.
His struggle is not external; his is an intense inner struggle on behalf of believers.
Paul had his eyes open to the presence and the appeal of false teaching.
He was concerned that the Colossians not have their eyes closed.
Like Paul we need to have a wide-eyed awareness of the appeal of error.
We have no excuse for having our eyes closed to the existence of error, because the Bible is full of warnings:
Romans
1 Timothy 1:
1 Timothy 6:
2 Timothy 4:3-4
1 John
In verse 2-4 Paul tells how to avoid being deceived.
These verses contain three elements which add up to a loving, learning community.
Colossians 2:2
Paul’s goal is that believers be:
Paul’s goal is that believers be:
(1) comforted in heart which happens as they are
(2) Knit in love,
(3) and as they are settled in their understanding of the truth.
Comforted (Encouraged) means to be strengthen.
They need strength to equip them to stand strong against the error they face.
Strengthening takes place as believers are Knitted (united) in love.
United in love translates a Greek participle rendered “by being united in love”
The imagery of united is that of a body being held together by ligaments to make a strong unit.
Unity and solidarity create strength.
False teaching is naturally divisive.
A person left alone, with no support, is much more vulnerable than a cohesive unit.
What creates unity?
Love! Concern for one another.
Relating to one another as brothers and sisters, with loyalty and support.
When we are united in love, we will be strengthened in heart.
Then we will have assurance in understanding.
A loving, learning community will produce believers who are settled in their understanding of the truth.
Believers who link themselves with fellow believers, who care for one another, and who grow in their understanding of Jesus Christ will stand a good chance of remaining stable and confident.
The Definite Object of Understanding is Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
In contrast to the false teachers at Colosse, who said that wisdom and knowledge were hidden away in mystical experience and higher knowledge, Paul says that all wisdom and knowledge are hidden, or deposited, in Christ.
He is all we need.
In , we see that Jesus is the Lord of creation and reconciliation.
In , Jesus is the fullness of deity, the forgiver of sins, and the conqueror of satanic forces.
In , Jesus is the resurrected Lord, and our life.
In , Jesus is the one worthy of devoted service.
The false teachers claimed that spiritual experience was found in “secret” knowledge, available only to the initiated elite.
Paul says that the only mystery (literally “secret”) we need to know is Christ.
Paul writes even though I’m not there I rejoice in your steadfastness.
The more times change, the more they stay the same; there will always be those who wish to plunder Christians with the bait of so-called “deeper” thoughts and “better” understanding .
Christ is the answer to philosophy.
The remainder of the chapter will show that
He is the answer to ritual.
The answer to philosophy is for the head; the answer
to ritual is for the heart.
Christianity has always been in the danger of sailing
between Scylla and Charybdis.
On one extreme Christianity is in danger of
evaporating into a philosophy—then it becomes nothing but steam.
The opposite
who wish to plunder Christians with the bait of so-called “deeper” thoughts and
danger is that it will freeze into a form and become nothing more than a ritual.
There is a real peril on either side.
But the Lord Jesus called Himself the Water of
Life.
He is neither steam nor ice—neither can sustain life.
That is why we need to
guard against following the line of philosophy or following the line of ritual.
“better” understanding
(v.
8).
“Beware lest any man spoil you (plunder you, it might be rendered,) … through philosophy and [vain] deceit, ‘Beware of those who pretend that they are going to enrich you, but whose real object is to plunder you.
might be rendered,) … through philosophy and [vain] deceit, ‘Beware of those
Believers face the very real threat of being captivated by false teaching and lured away from an unswerving devotion to the absolute supremacy of Christ.
Paul’s warning now becomes direct: See to it that no one takes you captive.
Captive means “to carry away” or “kidnap.”
Here it refers to someone being carried away from the truth into the slavery of error.
who pretend that they are going to enrich you, but whose real object is to plunder
They say that they will give you advanced thought, deeper ideas, a system more relative with the age; but it is’ …
you.
They say that they will give you advanced thought, deeper ideas, a system
after the tradition of men,
more congruous with the age; but it is’ … after the tradition of men, after the
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
‘What do you want with their
‘What do you want with their traditions?
Christ has revealed his truth to you.
What do you want with the world’s rudiments?
traditions?
Christ has revealed his truth to you.
What do you want with the
world’s rudiments?
You have gone beyond such elementary, useless knowledge
You have gone beyond such elementary, useless knowledge as that, for you have got the truth itself’”
as that, for you have got the truth itself’”
In chapter 2: Paul is dealing with Philosophies and Rituals
“In the first fifteen verses of this chapter we will see that Christ is the answer to philosophy.
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