Colossians 2:16-19
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to First Community Church where we worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, one verse at a time.
Thank you for that amazing song-service and for your faithfulness!
We had a baptism scheduled for today, but it was canceled because Arianna’s grandma was not feeling well and she wanted her to be here.
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
Timothy was raised up by his grandma and mother in the faith, and it is my understanding that Arianna’s grandmother played a huge role in her coming to Jesus.
The new date is March 7, which is next week!
Prayer
Prayer
Read Colossians 2:16-19
Read Colossians 2:16-19
Review
Review
Last week we finished up verses 11-15 learning that we are Complete in Christ!
Complete is a nautical term which means ship-shape, ready to sail. It means filled to the brim church!
This happens at the moment of conversion church.
So positionally we are complete, but daily we must work out our own salvation practically and we call this sanctification
We are completely saved, we are completely forgiven, and we are completely victorious because of what Jesus did upon the cross for you, for me, and for the whole world should we accept Him as Lord and Savior.
We learned that he blotted the hand writing that was against us, and that was contrary to us and nailed it to the cross.
This was not only the debt that we owed church, but it was the law. Jesus fulfilled the law.
The day you signed your debt, was the day it was forgiven.
When you received Jesus Christ, and you walked up and signed your confession, that’s when God nailed it to His cross, paid the penalty, and wiped it clean. It’s a great thought, isn’t it?
So because we are complete in Christ, completely saved, completely forgiven, and completely victorious!
So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
The NIV, ESV, and NASB reads therefore instead of So let here.
When a therefore is in the biblical text, we must ask why is it therefore?
This therefore is here because we just learned that why or how we are complete in Christ
So Paul is saying, now since you know that you are completely saved, completely forgiven, and completely victorious, let no one judge you in diet, drink, and days.
We are dealing with legalism here, and will deal with mysticism and asceticism later.
There was a small Jewish sect in Colossae that were attempting to teach this church that Jesus was not enough, that you needed to keep the dietary laws of Leviticus 11.
I have a better working definition of legalism for you today:
Legalism is the religion of human achievement. It teaches that salvation is based on Christ plus human works. It makes conformity to man-made rules the measure of being saved or spirituality. Believers, however, are complete in Christ, who has provided complete salvation, forgiveness, and victory.
Legalism fails to recognize Gods grace in the person of Jesus Christ and his finished atoning work on the cross.
Legalism is the religion of externals and works.
Did you know that all the religions around the world are works based systems? That Christianity is the only grace based system there is?
It says that:
You have to work to be saved, that what Christ did upon the cross was not enough.
You are saved by works and sanctified by your own efforts and good deeds.
So here we see the legalist imposing the Mosaic dietary laws and days on the Colossians.
They were telling them that if you eat a certain way and worship on certain days you will be more spiritual.
It is worth noting that the legalist will always add externals to the finished work of Christ!
Remember church, all false teaching, all cults, attack the Deity- The Supremacy of Jesus Christ in some form or fashion.
God gave the Dietary Laws to Israel as a sign that they were his covenant people.
They were to be separate from the surrounding pagan nations.
They were called to be a peculiar people as are we, but we must remember that Jesus is our passover Lamb and that he fulfilled the law.
Plus there is no NT instruction on diet and drink.
Lets look at what Jesus said:
Read Mark 7:89, 15-23
Read Mark 7:89, 15-23
Jesus said it is not what comes into a man that defiles him, but rather what comes out church.
It not what you eat that messes you up because it is eliminated, it is your heart!
Jesus turned over that tables of the heart in the temple church.
A great illustration of this is when I am talking to or ministering to people and they let the f-bomb slip or some other word and then say, “ I Dont know where that came from!” I say, I do! Out of the heart that mouth speaks !
Someone once said, “Whats in the well, comes up in the bucket!”
How do you respond when you hit your finger on accident with a hammer! Hallelujah Jesus!
There has to be a clear command in the NT to follow the dietary restrictions of the OT and guess what, there is not!
Our diet, drink, and the days we worship do not make us more spiritual church as the legalizers would like to convince you.
Only spending time with Jesus can do that!
Therefore, do not let anyone judge you church in food or drink, or days!
Judge-krino- to evaluate v. — to form a critical opinion of something (either positive or negative) by examination or scrutiny.
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Paul is letting his readers know to let no one judge you in what you eat or drink and we have seen what the Bible says about such things.
But I think it is important to talk a little more about this because:
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The context here is not only about sexual immorality, but food church because the church at Corinth was having major problems wit h these two areas.
And we are today! it might not be about meat being offered to idols, but it is about eating the kings delicacies.
When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way. Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
It is important to note here that the Bible teaches against gluttony. Gluttony is addiction to food!
We live in a gluttonous society because of self-gratification.
God desires us to take care of ourselves church.
He desires us to make wise and healthy choices with our food and to have self-control.
He desire that we would exercise as well.
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Even Paul says that exercise profits church.
The pain of not working out, is greater than the pain of working out!
Looking back at the text, it talks about drink church.
We know that the Jews used wine not only to celebrate, but for medicinal purposes.
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
The Nazarite vow was in Numbers 6:3-7 tells us that he/she was to abstain from wine or any fermented drink, nor was the Nazirite to drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins, not even the seeds or skins. Next, the Nazirite was not to cut his hair for the length of the vow. Last, he was not to go near a dead body, because that would make him ceremonially unclean. Even if a member of his immediate family died, he was not to go near the corpse. Plus there was other guidelines to follow as they set themselves apart to God.
I believe whole heartedly that those that are in positions of leadership in the church or in ministry should take this vow for the sake of their witness and for the glory of the Lord!
What does the word say about drink?
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Dissipation/ debauchery- a-so-tia- lavishness n. — the act of spending or using something excessively; especially that results in sinful license.
Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Church, God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness in his Word Peter wrote! Therefore, let us take care of ourselves and :
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Lets revisit or text :
So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
The second part is do not let no one judge you regarding a festival, a new moon or sabbaths church!
It is important for us to understand that this was a Gentile church and they were not under the law as were the Jews.
These festivals, new moon, and sabbaths all ran in accordance with the Jewish calendar
The festivals the Jews celebrated and still do today are :
Passover- Jesus is now our Passover
Pentecost-
Tabernacles- Jesus tabernacles with us
New moons- sacrifices were made when the new moon came out as well as the first day of each month
Sabbaths -sabboton- n. — a day of rest and worship at the end of the seven day week cycle; lasting from Friday evening until Saturday evening.
These legalist were trying to impose these all on the Colossians and they are trying to do it today.
Note: That all of these are externals, these can all be done through human achievement.
I would like to give you 5 reasons why we do not keep the Saturday Sabbath .
Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between Israel ad God:
“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
2. Second, the New Testament nowhere commands Christians to observe the Sabbath.
3. Third, in our only glimpse of an early church worship service in the New Testament, we find the church meeting on Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The Lord day, the day he was resurrected.
4. Fourth, we find no hint in the Old Testament that God expected the Gentile nations to observe the Sabbath, nor are they ever condemned for failing to do so. That is certainly strange if He expected all peoples to observe the Sabbath.
5. Fifth, there is no evidence of anyone’s keeping the Sabbath before the time of Moses, nor are there any commands to keep the Sabbath before the giving of the law at Mount Sinai.
6. Sixth, the Jerusalem Council did not impose Sabbath keeping on the Gentile believers (Acts 15).
7. Seventh, Paul warned the Gentiles about many different sins in his epistles, but never about breaking the Sabbath.
8. Eighth, Paul rebuked the Galatians for thinking God expected them to observe special days (including the Sabbath) (Gal. 4:10–11).
9. The early church Fathers, from Ignatius to Augustine, taught that the Old Testament Sabbath had been abolished and that the first day of the week (Sunday) was the day when Christians should meet for worship. That disproves the claim of some that Sunday worship was not instituted until the fourth century.
10. Jesus is our Sabbath rest church!
The dietary laws, festivals, sacrifices, and Sabbath-day worship were all things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. A shadow has no reality; the reality is what makes the shadow. Jesus Christ is the reality to which the shadows pointed.
But the substance belongs to Christ church! What does substance mean?
Substance-soma- n. — that which fulfills or brings to reality or consummation; understood as a real body as opposed to its shadow which is only an indistinct representation.
For example, regarding food regulations, He is “the bread that came down out of heaven” (John 6:41).
There is no need for Christians to observe the Passover either, because “Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7).
Any continuing preoccupation with the shadows once the reality has come is pointless.
Paul’s point is simple: true spirituality does not consist merely of keeping external rules, but of having an inner relationship with Jesus Christ.
So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
These external things were just a shadow of things to come church!
Any continuing preoccupation with the shadows once the reality has come is pointless.
Paul’s point is simple church: true spirituality does not consist merely of keeping external rules, but of having an inner relationship with Jesus Christ.
Do you have this relationship? Or are you keeping a bunch of external rules that cannot change your heart?
If we allow the Lord to change this inside church, the outside will follow.
Transformation starts and ends with the heart!
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Benediction
Benediction
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
The Lord Bless You!
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