Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Tonight we continue our exploration into the book of Colossians, and in doing so, will finish out the first chapter of this epistle to the church at Colosse.

(Recap)

(Previous Messages in the Colossians Series)

‘For the Faithfulness of Epaphras’ - Col. 1:1-8

In that message, we looked at how because Epaphras was Faithful to serve the LORD, the gentiles there at Colosse gained:

Faith in Christ

Fellowship with each other

A Future home in Heaven

Fruit for their Labor

And Friends - that would be there & pray for them

‘Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians’ - Col. 1:9-12

Our next message dealt with v9-12 and it focused on Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians.

Paul Prayed for a Filling - of His Will, Godly Wisdom & Biblical Watchfulness

Paul then Prayed for Faithfulness - in their Manner of Life & the Mark to Strive for

Paul then prayed for Fruitfulness - Testifying of who they were in Christ

Then Paul Prayed for Favor - For God to give them Strength & Satisfaction

Lastly Paul Prayed for Focus - Upon God and His Grace

‘The Incredible Christ’ - Col. 1:12-22

Then as Paul began to get into the meat of the letter, we preached a message titled ‘The Incredible Christ’ focused on v13-22 and in it Paul is just bragging about Jesus!

He spoke of the Performance of Christ

The Pardon of Christ

The Picture of Christ

The Power of Christ

The Preeminence of Christ

The Peace of Christ

The Presentation of Christ

‘A Presentation Without Regret’ - Col. 1:20-29

Paul Spoke of:

The Peace through His Cross (v20-22)

The Presentation Desired (v22; 28; 23)

Paul spoke of the fact that everyone was going to stand before God and give account.

The Person God Utilized

Then Paul made clear that God was using him to communicate truth

Now that Paul has laid this ground work, he speaks of himself for the purpose that they would take heed unto what he had to say.

‘A Call to Stand’ - Col. 2:1-10

Paul spoke of:

A Knowledge Imparted

A Course Implored

A Fulfillment Identified

‘Understanding Our Position in Christ’ - Col. 2:11-15

Paul spoke of:

The Circumcision of the Believer (v11)

The Comparison in Baptism (v12)

The Culmination of the Work of Christ (v13)

The Canceling of Our Debt (v14)

The Conquering of Christ (v15)

Given Complete Victory - and He is a Commander to Follow

Today we’re going to speak on the remaining 7 verses in Ch.2 in the message titled: ‘Beware, lest Ye be Spoiled’

This portion of Scripture is linked to the preceeding in several ways, but specifically what is said in Col. 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Church, there’s been many a person spoiled through these things throughout history.

I. Beware the Philosophy of the Jews (v16-17)

The Inference of Paul

In these verses, Paul is directing his attention to the Jews following the Mosaic Law and the Talmud & their traditions

Now it’s interesting to note that remember - Paul was a Jew.

He was an educated Jew.

In his testimony he tells us:

2 Cor.

11:22 “Are they Hebrews?

so am I. Are they Israelites?

so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.”

Php 3:4-6 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.

If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

So Paul is most assuredly a Jew and knew the Jewish faith, and you know what he’s saying?

Watch out for them!

And as we’ll see, there’s a reason why he’s telling them to watch out for them.

The Ideology Explained

Why now is Paul telling the church at Corinth to Beware?

Why is he warning them that some would spoil them?

He tells them specifics here:

In meat or in drink: Jews had strict dietary laws - which I will say were instituted by God.

We read that God had prohibited the eating of certain things: Lev.

11:1-7 “And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.”

Now let me ask you this: God gave that prohibition right?

If God gave it, then why don’t we follow it?

We’ll get to that in a moment

In holyday: In Levitical law, God gave specific dates that were to be remembered & celebrated:

Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, etc… (Lev.

23)

Read Ex. 12:1-14;

Or of the New moon, Or of the Sabbath days:

There’s a denomination called the 7th day Adventists, and ONE of the distinctions that we see in them is that they worship on Saturday.

They are ‘keeping the Sabbath’.

They look at Ex. 20:8-10 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”

To the Pharisees, this was where it was at.

They observed these days, the abstained from those meats - they ‘kept’ the Law of Moses - and what did Jesus tell them they were?

Mat.

23:27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

Do you know why they were what they were?

It wasn’t in the things that they did, it was in the way they viewed themselves in relation to God

So if God instructed them to do these things, yet it didn’t please God, what are we to make of all these things?

Well the answer is found in v17.

The Image Understood (v17)

One thing that we must understand is that there is in essence no difference between the Old Testament and the New.

What I mean is, they both tell the same story, just from a different perspective.