Join us as we conclude our series on the book of Colossians with the message “Things From Above.”

<p>Join us as we conclude our series on the book of Colossians with the message “Things From Above.”</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Warren Seventh Day Adventist Church

Colossians

Giancarlo De Miranda

The Preeminence of Christ

Good morning church That's what we are going to do now to study The Word of God, would you say amen for that?

So I invite you to open up your Bibles to the book of Colossians Or if you have a digital Bible, go to the book of Colossians in chapter 1.

And just a quick review to what we've been studying.

We are doing a series on the book of Colossians.

So today we will see the preeminence of Christ in this epistle.

The last presentation, it was 2 weeks ago, we saw that Paul was praying for new converts.

Yes, and we should pray for all Christ followers, including those of our family as well as ourselves.

We saw 9 things that Paul was praying for.

You can follow along in the slide he prayed for the church to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom he also prayed that they would increase in the knowledge of God to walk worthy of the Lord to fully please him and to be fruitful in every good work, to be strengthened with all might of the Holy Spirit, to develop all patience and long-suffering in the midst of trials, to experience the joy of the Holy Spirit, and to be able to give thanks in spite of the circumstances we are in.

And he showed the example of 1 who was 1 of the founders of this church, the church of Colossae.

In Colossians 4.12, you don't need to go there, stay in chapter 1, we read last week, Epaphras, this is 1 of the founders of that church, who is 1 of you, a bond servant of Christ, greets you always laboring fervently for you in prayers that you may stand in what condition?

Perfect and complete in all the will of God.

So we can all grow in Christ Jesus and become mature.

Just a quick review from last week as well about the historical setting of this book.

Was Paul the founder of the Colossian Church?

It was Epaphras that we just read and other natives of Colossae.

They were the main founders of that church.

Another question here as a review, where was Paul when the Church of Colossae was found, founded?

No, he wasn't in prison, that's when he wrote that epistle, but when the church was founded he was in Ephesus.

During his third missionary trip, that was from 53 to 58, he spent 3 years in Ephesus.

And from Ephesus, the gospel was heard in Asia Minor and found its way in Colossae not through Paul but through Epaphras and others.

Another question here, what is the central theme of the epistle to the Colossians do you remember the central theme I know has been 2 weeks already anybody remember what was the central theme of this epistle it's always safe to say Christ the identity of Christ and His redemptive rule.

We are going to unpack that a little more and that is connected with our next question here.

What was the danger that the Colossian Church faced?

Do you remember what was the danger that they were facing as a church?

What kind of teachings does it say there?

Could that be a problem in our days as well?

Could it be possible that just as false teachings were trying to find its way into the Christian Church in the early Christian Church, false teachings can also find its way in the Christian Church in the last days.

So I'm going to read Colossians 2, just stay there in chapter 1 for a moment, I'm just laying the foundation for today's presentation.

Paul said, be aware lest anyone cheat you through, what kind of teachings?

Philosophy and empty deceit according to the traditions of man, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ that was the danger that they were facing false teachings we read this historical statement about what they were facing, you can read along with me to understand a little bit more about the false teachings.

Not only is Paul concerned to refute Judaizing legalism, which is pushing the ceremonial laws upon believers like circumcision and others he also must contend with certain pagan elements that sought to degrade or eclipse the office of Christ to diminish the role of Christ in our redemption therefore he, Paul, attacks the idea of angelic intermediaries as agents of 2 things what were they teaching there in those days we're going to see that in the Bible in a little bit but they were teaching that angels could do 2 things what were they according to this statement here creation and mediation between mankind and the divine God so the same page from the SDA Bible commentary on volume 7 page 184 we find this next statement here I want to read to you the false teachers at Colossae were teaching the existence of what everyone?

Angelic beings arranged in different orders, different orders of ranks or importance and then it says intermediate between God and the world who acted as mediators for man brought them salvation and merited their worship so notice carefully here that Christ is out of the picture or not important as these angelic beings so who's doing the mediation?

Angels or other beings other than Christ who is providing salvation?

These angelic beings I want to read to you and I want to say a word of prayer now we are in chapter 1 we're going to read verse 16 and 17 let's pray together asking the Lord's blessing upon our study Father in heaven we come before your presence to ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit we pray that the Holy Spirit will just be in this place as never before will enlighten our minds and strengthen us and help us to see Christ more fully we pray in Jesus name amen so let's go to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 16 and 17 so I want you to see how Paul is trying to address this false teachings that is creeping into the church and Colossians 1 16 the Bible says for by him who is Him here that Paul is talking about?

He says for by Him, how many things were created?

In other words, he is eliminating the possibility of angelic beings being agents of creation.

But he says that Christ has created all things.

By Him, all things were created that are in heaven and there are on earth visible and invisible including angelic beings Whether thrones or dominions and by the way, that's how they divided the different ranks of angels in thrones and dominions and principalities and powers and he says all those things were created by Christ and then it says it's highlighted there right in the middle and still on verse 16 how many things were created through him all things were created through Jesus and for him and then in verse 17 it says and he is before how many things all things and in him all things consists So He elevated Christ as the Creator, the only 1 who has created life and all things.

So notice now we are going to chapter 2 for a moment let's turn our Bibles there to chapter 2 of Colossians game and I want you to see that he's going to undermine the idea of worshipping angels.

Notice what we find in verse 18 of Colossians 2, verse 18.

It says, let no 1 cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and what else?

That's how people are cheating the believers at Colossae.

Trying to steal their reward by teaching them to worship angels.

Intruded into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.

They are creating this philosophy, exalting angels and worshipping angels, instead of exalting Christ and worshipping Christ.

Notice in the next verse, verse 19, and not holding fast to the head.

So those people teaching those false teachings, they are not holding fast to the head.

We must hold fast to Jesus Christ as the foundation of our faith from whom all the body that's the believers, the church.

What happens through Christ, the head of the church?

All the body nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, what's next word now?

Do you want to become a mature Christian?

You need to be connected to the head of the church, to the leader of the church.

The head is the 1 that nourish the whole body.

True spiritual growth comes only by connecting ourselves to Christ.

Now let's go back to chapter 1 for a moment.

He's going to now fight the idea that angels can be mediators between mankind and God.

Because in their minds, angels were somehow an emanation from God like sparks of God through this angelic beings now mediating between mankind and the divine so notice how he deals with that in chapter 1 he already addressed the issue of angels creating and it says no Christ has created all things including invisible things and principalities and powers these are all the ranks of angels.

They are subject to Him, and we shouldn't worship them.

Now in chapter 1 verse 20 and 21 it says, And by Him, and that's Christ, to, what is the next word now, friends?

1 side we have fallen humanity that through sin has separated themselves from God.

And the other side you have God and there is a gap between mankind and God and now there is a need of mediation there is a need to reconcile man back to God and what the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit do is to send Jesus Christ as the bridge between mankind and God.

Notice how Paul repeats the expression by him I put in red and in blue for you there is is highlighted there for you by him to reconcile all things to himself by him whether things on earth or things in heaven he brings together earth and heaven in Christ we have this reconciliation having made peace through the blood of his cross the sacrifice of Jesus enable the reconciliation between sinners and God and not through angels.

And notice in the next verse, verse 21, and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now he has done what everyone?

Nailed To the Cross

So let's bow our heads together and pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, we are going to continue our study on the book of Colossians.

Lord, we would like to ask for a special Visit of the Holy Spirit.

We ask you to impress our minds Strengthen us Lord help us to draw the lessons that we need speak to us individually and Also as a group we pray in Jesus name.

Amen So let's turn our Bibles to the book of Colossians in chapter 2.

So you can go there and for those that are with us for the first time or haven't been with us for the past few weeks, we are studying the book of Colossians.

But Here in the book of Colossians, we have been drawing a lot of lessons.

The first 1 we drew, of course there were other things included, but we learned how the Apostle Paul prayed for new believers.

So you can follow along with me just a review to what he prayed for, for the new believers.

He prayed for them to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom.

Also, for them to increase in the knowledge of God, a personal experience with God, for the believers to walk worthy of the Lord, for them to fully please Him and to be fruitful in every good work.

Number 6, for them to be strengthened with all might of the Holy Spirit, with all patience and long-suffering, even in the midst of trials, and to experience joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, and be able to give thanks to God despite the circumstances.

We should be praying for ourselves this prayer and for 1 another, even if our neighbor is not new in the faith.

But we also learn about the danger of false teachings, and every false teaching can be addressed by exalting Christ.

He wrote in Colossians chapter 2 verse 4, For in Christ how much of the fullness of deity dwells.

It says all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form.

So God, let me take that back, Jesus is fully divine, he's fully God.

And in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

Completion is found in Christ and not the other things we learned about that they were bringing, the false teachers were bringing to the believers.

Just a quick review to what Paul said about Jesus.

But number 1, it says, Jesus, He is the Redeemer of man.

There is no other way other than Christ so we can find salvation.

There is no other intermediaries in creation, but Christ is the very 1 who created all things.

He is a representation of the Father in bodily form.

He is the 1 who is in charge of the church.

Not even the leaders, the pastor, the bishops are in charge, but Christ is the true head of the church.

We learn about the expression, the firstborn, which means the 1 that has preeminence it's not in chronological order but he is the 1 that has preeminence over death he has preeminence in creation and that's why he was called the firstborn.

And number 6, he is the mediator between man and God.

No other mediator between the sinner and God the Father.

Number 7, in Jesus is found all wisdom and knowledge.

And number 8, in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.

Now today we're going to talk about nailed to the cross, an expression found in Colossians chapter 2.

And I want to invite you to read with me verses 16 and 17.

So there are certain things in these passages that raise a lot of disputes in Christianity and we will address them and then try to see the relevance of it.

So notice what it says in verse 16, So let no 1 judge you in food or in drink or regarding to what everyone?

Sabbath which are shadow of things to come but the substance is of Christ.

So some people when they read this passage they believe that the Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath of the 10 Commandments was abolished.

And we are going to unpack that passage and the surrounding context in a little bit, but you can see why some Christians, they believe that we no longer should keep the Sabbath holy, the weekly Sabbath holy, and that's 1 of the passages used for that.

And some others, they believe that we should keep the feasts, the Jewish feasts.

And this passage will shed light on this topic as well.

Some Christians, they believe that they should keep the Passover or the Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement and other Jewish feasts describing the Old Testament Scriptures.

And let's begin by analyzing the surrounding verses of the passage.

And at the end, it will be crystal clear to all of us what Paul is actually saying and the whole of scriptures as well.

Before we get to verse 16 where it says that the foods and drinks and festivals and Sabbaths are shadows that we shouldn't judge somebody for these things.

Bible says in verse 14, talking about Jesus, it says, having wiped out the what did he wiped out the handwriting is it any kind of a not writing what does it say next handwriting of requirements some translations says ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and he has taken it out of the way having done what with the handwritings of requirements having nailed it to the cross again some Christians as they read the Colossians chapter 2 verse 14 they conclude that the handwriting of requirements is a reference to including the the 10 Commandments.

Ok, And it says right there that Jesus took the handwriting, he wiped out and he nailed it to the cross and therefore in their perception, In their conclusion, Christians are no longer required to keep the 10 Commandments as a whole, including the Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath.

And we're going to see that this interpretation is rather problematic.

It's not contextual and neither analyzing other pieces of Paul, other pieces of who did I say?

You need to get the pieces of Paul and see if he talks about this subject in any other place to shed more light and in fact he does.

Let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 for a moment I want you to go there with me so let's develop this together so we can finally at the end after we see the big picture be able to draw the lessons so let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 15 so Paul is talking about requirements Jewish requirements that became a barrier between Jews and Gentiles.

I want you to see what he says in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 15.

Very similar language that he used in Colossians.

Having abolished in his flesh, meaning in his body when he was crucified.

So I will just transition here the slide for a moment because did Paul mention any enmity in Colossians 2 verse 14?

I'll go back there just so you can see it.

Notice in verse 14 in Colossians chapter 2.

Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was what?

So you see the enmity there which was contrary to us.

Ok, so let's go back now to Ephesians 2.15 once again.

So Paul is addressing the same subject and I want you to see.

"...having abolished in his flesh the enmity..." That handwriting was also against us, so it's the same subject matter.

"...that is..." and then he clarifies what the handwriting is of requirements the law of commandments contained in what is next word everyone ordinances So we need to look back into the scriptures, the Old Testament scriptures, and answer ourselves what is or is there any law in the Old Testament that contains ordinances, that contains ceremonies, okay?

Because the 10 Commandments is a moral code.

It says, Thou shalt not have other gods before me.

Thou shalt not have a graven image and bow before them you know thou shall not kill thou shall not commit adultery honor your parents thou shall not bear false with is this a law of ordinances okay so ordinances here is pointing to ceremonies and practices related to ceremonies.

The 10 Commandments, it's a moral code, And it's not a commandment contained in ordinances.

So Jesus abolished, or he nailed it to the cross, he wiped out the law of commandments contained in ordinances so as to create in himself, Notice carefully, 1 new man, you know, 1 new body, the church, from the 2, meaning Gentiles and Jews, now becoming 1 new man, 1 new body, 1 new church, thus making peace between Jews and Gentiles.

So there was a law of requirements of ordinances that was a drawing between Gentiles and Jews.

Now here's the question, What was the handwriting of ordinances that was nailed or abolished at the cross by the death of Jesus?

That is no other than the mosaic ceremonial law.

And in fact, let's go to the book of Hebrews for a moment.

Hebrews chapter 7, we are still in the New Testament.

Many believe that the book of Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul and I'm trying before I go to any other passage of the Bible to stay within the writings of Paul.

So let's say you are a writer and you write about a particular subject, and you write 5 books pertaining to 1 certain subject, then I want to understand the whole of your thinking about that subject.

So, would it be helpful for me to read all your 5 books and some of the other 4 books will shed light upon this 1 book that I'm reading that you wrote about so it's the same with the writings of Paul did he ever write about this cancellation of laws of requirements in any other place?

Things From Above

So we are going to finalize our series on the book of Colossians.

If you have been here with us in the past few weeks, you know we are studying the book of Colossians.

There are 4 chapters in this book, but the fourth chapter is mostly salutations or greetings that Paul sends to his associates and to certain believers that he worked with or is sending greetings.

So before we continue, I'd like to pray to ask the Lord's blessing.

So let's bow our heads together and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit Dear Heavenly Father We came here this morning because we want to have an experience with you an experience with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit.

Lord, we want to ask for a special revelation of your presence during this hour.

We pray that you review yourself through the reading and the setting of the scriptures and may you speak to us individually according to our needs.

So just a quick review here on our studies.

So we learned in chapter 1 that Paul prayed for new believers do we need to pray for new believers?

Oh yes just a quick list here to what he prayed for he prayed for them to be filled with the knowledge of God's will understand God's will in all wisdom number 2 he prayed for them to increase in the knowledge of God personal experience with God to know his will and to know who he is.

Number 3, for them to walk worthy of the Lord, to experience transformation.

And number 4, fully pleasing Him, obedience to God, and for them to be fruitful in every good work and number 6 to be strengthened with all might of the Holy Spirit he prayed for the new believers to develop all patience and long-suffering and to experience the joy of the Holy Spirit and number 9 to give thanks to the Father for the blessings that they experience even in the midst of tribulation so we also learned the identity of Christ as a way to counter act false teachings heresies that are trying to enter the Christian faith He introduced Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind.

But Jesus is our Savior and only Him, the only way.

He introduced Jesus as the Creator, the image of the invisible God, the manifestation of God.

Basically, He is the 1 that revealed the Father, the head of the church, the leader of the church, the 1 who has authority over death, he is the resurrection and the life, the mediator between man and God, he is that bridge that brings together mankind to God.

Number 7, Jesus possesses all wisdom and knowledge.

There is no mysteries about salvation outside of Jesus in him in Jesus Christ dwells how much of the fullness of God all the fullness of the Godhead is divine and then we learned that there are things that some of the false teachers were teaching the Colossians to hang on that were only shadows of Christ that was the Jewish system of religion the ceremonial laws and he calls those laws shadow of things to come Christ was what was to come and all those symbols, all those festivals, all those sacrifices and foods and drinks they were somehow pointing to Jesus Christ and he says which are shadow of things to come but the substance is who?

He is the real thing so I use the illustration of a shadow of myself would it be silly for my wife and for my daughters to be attached to my shadow instead of myself and he is arguing the same why you attached to the Jewish ceremonial laws when you can actually have the substance which is Christ and all those ceremonies they had no power to help them to overcome the flesh I want you to go with me to Colossians chapter 2 and verse 23 let's open up our Bibles there in Colossians we're going to chapter 2 verse 23 and from here we will continue our study on the book of Colossians okay we're going to Colossians chapter 2 and notice what it says in verse 23 okay Colossians chapter 2 verse 23 the Bible reads these things talking about the shadow of things to come, the ceremonial laws, as well as the worship of angels which he fought against as a heresy.

These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom and self-imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

And if we feel a desire to fight against the inclination of the flesh and live after the Spirit, the only way we can succeed to overcome the flesh is by accepting Christ and having a personal experience with Him.

No other thing can give us victory over temptation whatever we are struggling with if we want to have victory we needed to experience Christ let let us read this verse 1 more time notice these things everything else that they are doing to be righteous and in their context again included the ceremonial laws and the worship of angels these things indeed have the appearance of wisdom and self-imposed religion false humility and neglect of the body but are of no value against indulgence of the flesh.

We must have the substance which is Christ.

Here's the title of our message today, Things from above.

In chapter 3, Paul separated the Christian life in 4 facets.

Number 1, which I will leave for last in our study, is Christian existence is rooted where?

We want to thrive as Christians we must ground ourselves in Christ and then he says in the second facet of the Christian life take off all the destructive patterns of life put away those things that are of the flesh that are sinful Then number 3 of the Christian life is put on new Christ-like patterns of building a grace-filled community in the church.

So we put off, then we put on, as we heard in the children's story.

Then finally, number 4, and I'm not going to dwell so much on number 4 today, but another aspect of the Christian life is household structure and principles.

And we can only attain number 2, number 3, number 4 if we have number 1 in place.

We can only put off destructive patterns of lifestyle, put on the new man in Christ Jesus and have structure in our families that will build a character for eternity if we are rooted and grounded in Christ now let's go to Colossians chapter 3 and verse 5.

I want you to see what it says in verse 5.

We're going to begin with number 2 there.

What did Paul say that Christians must put off?

He starts with sins that are completely unacceptable for the Christian experience.

Number 5, verse 5 says therefore put to death this is a metaphorical language to say put away from your life put to death your members which are on the earth and then he is very specific what is the first word there?

Fornication and the reason I highlighted that word there because I want you to see that Paul he cites or he make reference to several of the 10 Commandments in chapter 3.

And this is just because of our study about the handwriting that was nailed to the cross.

We saw was the ceremonial law and not the 10 Commandments, the moral law.

And we know that because in chapter 3 he's quoting several of the 10 Commandments.

So wouldn't make sense in chapter 2 to say that the moral code is nailed to the cross and then in chapter 3 he's citing many of the moral code.

But notice, it says that it is unacceptable for Christians to live in fornication.

That word fornication there is the word pornea in Greek, where we have the word porn or pornography.

So in Greek it goes beyond the meaning of fornication in English.

We usually say that fornication is sex without the marriage relationship, but the word porneia includes any sexual relationship that is contrary to God's will including adultery so Paul says that we're going to see that this practice is completely inconsistent with Christian life.

We will see that in verse 6 in a little bit.

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth fornication And then he says uncleanness in the context of sexual sins.

And then he says passion, evil desire, all in the context of sexual sins.

And then he says, what is the next word there?

Covetousness, another of the 10 Commandments thou shalt not covet, but the word covetousness in this context is specifically addressing the strong desire for sex and you may say how do you know that?

So Paul has used that word covetousness in other of his epistles, like in the book of Ephesians, in the context of sexual sins.

Notice this statement here from the Andrews Bible commentary, Light, Depth and Truth, New Testament on page 1754.

It says all of the terms for vices in verse 5 that we just read fornication passion covetousness It says here all of the terms for vices in verse 5 and those for desire in 1 Thessalonians 4, 5 and covetousness also used in Ephesians 4, 19 and 5, 5 likely indicate what kind of sins?

The word used here means greediness, the uncontrollable desire for sex.

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Colossians

Things From Above

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