HCC Sunday Service
Title: Hold Firmly to Christ
Text: Colossians 2:16-23
Speaker: Derrick Trent - Pastor
INTRODUCTION
Today we’re gonna continue
our series
in Colossians.
Let’s turn together
in our Bibles
to Colossians
chapter 2.
& we’re gonna read
verses 16-23.
Colossians 2:16-23.
& when you find that
in your Bible
pls stand for the reading
of God’s Word.
The title of
today’s teaching is
Hold Firmly to Christ
In Colossians 2:16-23
The Scriptures say:
Colossians 2:16–23 (EOB: NT)
Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of eating or drinking, or regarding a feast day, a new moon observance, or a Sabbath day.
These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body belongs to Christ.
Let no one rob you of your prize by false humility and a religion of angels, dwelling on things which one has not seen, vainly puffed up by a carnal mind.
Such a person is not holding firmly to the head, from whom the whole body, being supported and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with the growth given by God.
But if you died with Christ as regards these basic principles of the world, why do you subject yourselves to these commandments, as though you were still living in the world?
“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
These things are all destined to perish with use! These are merely human commands and teachings!
Indeed, these things have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, humility, and severe treatment of the body; but they have no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
You may be seated.
PRAYER
Let’s pray:
Lord open the eyes
of our hearts
that we may understand
your commands
& give us grace
to obey.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
In Colossians 2:16
Paul wants us
to be sure
we don’t let anyone
judge us based on
the Old Covenant Law.
He says
Colossians 2:16 (EOB: NT)
16 Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of eating or drinking, or regarding a feast day, a new moon observance, or a Sabbath day.
Everything Paul
mentions here
is a part
of God’s Law
under the Old Covenant.
Thru Moses
God commanded His ppl
not to eat
not to drink
& not to touch
certain foods
or objects
that were unclean.
God also
commanded them
to keep several feast days
New Moon celebrations
& Sabbath days—
Including the
weekly Sabbath.
& the false teachers
in Colossae
were judging the
saints in the Church
bcs they were not
keeping any
of those commands.
So, Paul’s says
“Don’t let anyone judge you
“in matters pertaining to
“the Old Covenant Law—
“especially the outward
“observances
“required by the Law.”
But why does
Paul says this?
Notice Paul
starts Colossians 2:16
w/ the word
“therefore.”
When we see the word
‘therefore’
in the Scriptures
we shld always ask
this question:
What is it there for?
Everybody say:
What is it there for?
I’m glad you asked
that question.
The word ‘therefore’
means “for this reason”—
or in this case
“for these reasons.”
So in Colossians 2:16
Paul saying:
“For these reasons...
“let know one judge you
“in matters
of the Old Covenant Law.”
What are those reasons?
Paul gives us
at least 3
in Colossians 2:8-15.
& all these reasons
are based on
what we are
in Christ.
In Colossians 2:9
Paul says...
Colossians 2:9 (EOB: NT)
9 ...in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily...
In Colossians 2:10
Paul says:
Colossians 2:10 (EOB: NT)
10 ...in him who is the head of all principality and power, you are made full.
& in verses 11-12
Paul says:
Colossians 2:11–12 (EOB: NT)
11 In him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, by casting off the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him through baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
So, the reasons
we shld not let anyone
judge us
by the standards
of the Old Covenant Law
is bcs:
In Christ—
In His body—
(1) We find
the fullness
of His deity;
(2) In Christ
We’re filled
w/ the fulness
of His deity
& (3) In Christ
we share
in His deity
when we’re buried
w/ Him in baptism.
We’re connected
to Christ in His death
burial & resurrection.
Our old self
is cut away.
We’re born again.
& we rise w/ Christ
to live a new life
as part of
the new creation
in Christ.
For those reasons
Paul says:
when we’re in Christ
we shld not let anyone
judge us by the standards
of the Old Covenant Law.
Those are
false standards
for us who are in Christ.
Bcs in Christ
Old things
have passed away
& all things
have become new.
The Old Covenant
has been fulfilled.
& all the
Old Covenant Law
has served
it’s purpose.
What was
the purpose
of the Old Covenant Law?
Paul tells us
in Colossians 2:17.
He says:
Colossians 2:17 (EOB: NT)
17 These [commands of the Law] are a shadow of the things to come, but the body belongs to Christ.
Food laws
the OT feasts
& Sabbath days
all those things
were only a shadow
of the things to come
in the
New Covenant.
The Law was
a shadow
& the body that
was casting
that shadow
belongs to Christ.
ILLUSTRATION
Picture yourself
sitting in a chair
in a room
w/ no lights.
On the other side
of the room
in front of you
you see a door outlined
by light coming
in frm the outside.
Someone opens
that door.
Behind them is
a brilliant light
shining brightly
into the room.
You cannot see
the person’s face
just their form.
& you can see
a shadow on the floor
in front of you.
The shadow is not
the person.
But the shadow
of the person
gives you
some idea of what
that person looks like.
Now
If you were
to get up frm the chair
& follow the shadow
in the direction frm which
The light is coming
eventually you’d come
to the source
of that shadow.
You wld find yourself
face to face
w/ the person
who made the shadow.
Paul says
that’s what the
Old Covenant Law was.
& especially
the outward observances
of the Law.
Those things
were a shadow
that wld eventually lead
to the source—
to the Person—
to the body—
Who made
the shadow.
& as Paul says:
that body
belongs to Christ.
God gave
the Old Covenant Law
to the people of Israel
thru Moses.
& the ppl of Israel
developed a tendency
to see the Law
as a means of salvation.
But that was never
what God intended.
The Old Covenant Law
was gvn
until the time came
for Christ
to fulfill the Law—
& establish
A new covenant.
Paul talks more abt this
in Romans 10:1-4.
He says:
Romans 10:1–4 (EOB: NT)
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God are for Israel, that they may be saved.
2 Certainly, I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to accurate knowledge.
3 Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
In some translations
the word translated
fulfillment
is translated end
or goal.
Though Israel
had tried to use the Law
as a means of salvation—
as a means of
being righteous—
The Old Covenant Law
Cld never do that.
The Law cld
Tell God’s ppl what to do
but cld not give them
the power to do it.
Humanity needed
to be changed.
& that change
wld come
when the Lawgiver
came & fulfilled
all the righteous
requirements of the Law
& created
a new humanity
in Himself.
So that those who
are united to Him
can be recreated
in the image of God
& become the
righteousness
of God in Christ.
As Paul says in
Ephesians 4:22–24 (NIV)
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
A new humanity
created in Christ
to be truly righteous
like God
was always the end—
the goal of
the Old Covenant Law.
The Law was gvn
to point ppl
to the One who wld
come & fulfill
the Old Covenant Law—
& establish a new
Covenant built on
better promises.
A covenant where
As God says in
Jeremiah 31:33
Jeremiah 31:33
(NIV)
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
And as God says
In Ezekiel 36:26–27
(NIV)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
The Old Covenant Law
Was only a shadow
of what Christ wld
accomplish
when He came.
Thru our union
w/ the One who
fulfilled the Old Covenant—
We now have
The God’s moral Law
on our hearts
& the Spirit of God
in us
Who moves us
To carefully obey
God’s law—
To carefully live
Righteous lives—
under the new covenant.
That’s what
Paul’s talking abt
when he says
the body belongs
to Christ.
The Law was only
a shadow of
what Christ wld
accomplish
thru the New Covenant.
So, when we follow
the shadow of
the Old Covenant Law
To the Source
of the shadow—
there we find ourselves
face to face w/ the One
who gave the Law
fulfilled the Law
& created something
new in Himself.
At the end
of the shadow
of the Old Covenant Law
we find
the body of Christ.
Now
If you’ve been
paying attention at all
over the past
8 weeks or so
as we’ve studied
this letter
it’s impossible to miss
the deeper meaning
of Paul’s words.
The phrase
“The body
“belongs to Christ”
Has a
double meaning.
First
The body of Christ
Is the human body
of the divine
Son of God.
God’s divine Son truly
became
a human being.
He is truly human
& truly God.
& this divine-human being
Is now & forever
Exalted to the right
Hand of the throne
of God in heaven.
Christ carried our
Humanity to the throne
of God
where He sits
in a physical body.
The 2nd meaning
of “the body
belongs to Christ” is
what Paul says
abt Jesus in
Ephesians 1:22-23.
He says:
Ephesians 1:22–23 (EOB: NT)
22 God put all things in subjection under his feet and granted him to be head over all things for the sake of the Church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The Church is
the body of Christ.
& in the Church
we find the fulness of Him
who fulfilled
the Old Covenant
& established
the New Covenant
Where God’s law
Wld be fulfilled
In those who
are in Christ.
For the sake
of the Church
God the Father
granted that His Son
wld be head
over all things
so that thru
the Church
God will fill
all things w/
his glory.
So, it’s in the Church
that we find
the fulness of God.
It’s in the Church
that we find
the new creation.
& to try to force
ppl who are
connected to Christ
in the Church
to follow
the Old Covenant Law
is to trade
the substance
for the shadow.
It’s to trade
the fulness of God
for something
that was
incomplete.
& this is why
in Colossians 2:20-22
Paul asks this
Colossians 2:20–22 (EOB: NT)
But if you died with Christ as regards these basic principles of the world, why do you subject yourselves to these commandments, as though you were still living in the world?
“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
These things are all destined to perish with use! These are merely human commands and teachings!
If we’re in Christ—
If we’ve been
connected w/ Christ’s body
thru baptism—
We’ve died
to this world w/ Christ.
We no longer belong
to this world
& we no longer live
in this world.
We’ve been transferred
out of the kingdom
of darkness
& into the kingdom
of Light—
in the Church.
Our citizenship is now
in heaven.
We’re members
of the New Creation
in Christ.
Since that’s true:
Why wld we
submit to commands
of a world we’re
no longer a part of?
Why wld we try to use
the basic...powerless
things of this world
to try to live the life
of the world to come?
It just doesn’t work.
We cannot live
the New Creation life
by the Old Rules
of the Old Covenant.
Everything
has gotta change.
We can avoid
eating bacon
& pork butt.
We can avoid
shrimp
& scallops.
We can keep all the
Feasts
Festivals
Celebrations
& Sabbaths
of the Old Covenant.
We can live our
entire lives
obsessively obeying
all the
outward ordinances
of the Old Covenant Law.
& in the end
we can find ourselves
perishing
right along w/
the things of this world
that perish w/ use.
& Paul tells us
The reason this is true
in Colossians 2:23.
He says:
Colossians 2:23 (EOB: NT)
Indeed, these things have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, humility, and severe treatment of the body; but they have no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Outward observances
of the Old Covenant Law
& harsh treatment
of our bodies
based on those laws
appear wise.
You might look
real humble
& spiritual.
But doing those things
does nothing to solve
our real problem.
The real problem is
the flesh.
Not our
physical body.
But the sinful
person we were
in the world
outside of Christ.
The body
of the sins
of the flesh
needs to be cut off.
We need
our nature
changed.
& that change
cannot come
thru the Old Covenant Law.
The change can
only come
thru connection
w/ the body
of Christ.
The change comes
when Christ
Cuts off
the body
of the sins of the flesh
in baptism.
We’re changed.
We’re born again—
We’re gvn a new heart.
God writes His laws
on our hearts
& gives us the HS
who moves us
& gives us the power
to fulfill
righteous requirements of
the Law.
We’re enabled to live
The New Creation life
thru our union
w/ Christ in His body
which is
the Church.
So, Paul says:
Don’t let ppl
Judge you
By the standards
of the Old Covenant Law.
In Christ
We’re under
a New Covenant.
So the only standards
that matter now
are those given to us
by the Lord
Jesus Christ.
& we find those standards
in connection
w/ His body
in the Church.
In the Church
we have Christ.
In the Church
we have
the beginning of
the New Creation.
This is what
Paul’s talking abt in 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
When he says:
2 Corinthians 5:14–17 (NIV)
...Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Since the Lord Jesus
was born of a virgin
lived a sinless life
suffered & died
for our sins
rose again
& ascended into heaven
where He sits at the
right hand
of God the Father—
everything
has changed.
In Christ—
In union w/ Christ—
ppl become a part of
a new creation.
The old creation
has passed away
for those who are
united w/ Christ.
& eventually
the old creation
and everything
that belongs to it
will be done
away w/.
& for Paul
the OT Law—
the Old Covenant—
is now a part of
the old creation—
A part of
this world
that’s passing away.
As he says in
Hebrews 8:13 (EOB: NT)
13 By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old. And what is becoming obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
Thru the body of Christ
God has made
the first covenant
old & obsolete.
When we’re
in Christ
God does not
deal w/ us
by the terms
of the Old Covenant.
So to tell ppl
Who are in Christ
that they must keep
the Old Covenant Law
is now the equivalent
of teaching
human commands
human teachings
& self-imposed
religion.
Since Christ came
all of what the
Old Covenant
pointed to
has been
& is being fulfilled
in the body of Christ—
in the Church.
In the Church we find
the fulness of what
was only a shadow
in the OT.
In the Church
we find
Christ in bodily form.
The picture has become
the Person.
The Shadow is now
the Substance.
So, we shld
never let anyone
Judge us by
the standards
of the Old Covenant.
We’re under
a new covenant
in Christ.
So the only standards
that matter for us
are the standards
the Lord Jesus
established &handed dwn
to His Saints
in His body—
the Church.
Those standards
lead us to new
life in Christ.
Those who insist
Christians must keep
Old Covenant Laws
are judging by false
standards...
& shld be rejected
as false teachers.
& in Colossians 2:18-19
Paul shows us
why these false teacher
ended up becoming
false teachers.
He says:
Colossians 2:18–19 (EOB: NT)
Let no one rob you of your prize by false humility and a religion of angels, dwelling on things which one has not seen, vainly puffed up by a carnal mind.
Such a person is not holding firmly to the head, from whom the whole body, being supported and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with the growth given by God.
What is the prize
Paul’s talking
abt here?
It’s the prize
of salvation.
The treasure
of an abundant
New life.
A where we’re being
restored to God’s image
thru our union
w/ Christ
in His body.
The false teachers
In were a part
of Christ’s body.
They were members
of the Church.
But they had
lost connection
w/ the Head
of the body.
They were still
gathering w/ the Church
But they were not
submitting themselves
the teachings
of the Head
of the Church.
The teachings
That Christ had
Handed dwn
to the Apostles.
Instead of seeking
the mind of Christ
& holding to
the Apostolic Teaching
these false teachers
were teaching things
they made up—
things that came frm their
own carnal minds.
So, Paul says:
If you lose connection
w/ the Head
you lose everything.
You’ve gotta hold
Firmly to the head
Hold firmly to the
Teachings of Christ
so your not led astray.
Paul reminds us again
what he said in earlier in
Colossians 1:21–23 (EOB: NT)
In the past, you were alienated and hostile in mind by your evil actions.
But now, he has reconciled you in the body of his flesh through death, in order to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him.
This is for you if you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard.
If we’re gonna win
the prize of salvation—
the prize of being
found holy
without blemish
& free frm accusation
in God’s sight—
If we want the hope
held out in the gospel—
the hope of sharing
in Christ’s glory
in the age to come—
The only way
to win that prize
is by getting attached to
& staying attached
to Christ’s body
in the Church—
By standing firm
in the faith—
in the Apostolic Traditions
that were handed dwn
once for all
to the saints
in the church.
We’ve gotta
keep living out
the true faith.
We’ve gotta be careful
& not allow ourselves
to be led astray
by puffed up ppl
who claim to know more
than what the Lord
revealed to His Apostles
in the Church.
We’ve gotta make sure
We Hold Firmly to Christ.
CONCLUSION
As we close:
In the Church
we find
the faith
that allows us to
become like God
thru Christ.
In the Church
human beings
are recreated
reborn
to bear the image
of God once more
as we strip off
our old self
& put on the new self
who is created
to be like God
in righteousness
& holiness.
This is the gospel.
This is the Good News.
This is the life
we can have
by staying
connected w/ Him
who is the head—
That is Christ.
In the Church
we find
the power of God
the presence of God
& the fulness of God.
The Church—
is everything
in God’s promises
& plans pointed to
in the Old Covenant.
Everything in the OT
was pointing to
what wld be fulfilled
in Christ
in His body
which is the Church.
So, let’s make sure
we hold firmly
to Christ.
We do that by
holding firmly to the
Apostolic Traditions
we can only find
in the Church.
Don’t let anyone rob
you of the prize
of salvation
thru empty
philosophy.
Don’t let anyone
Judge you
by false standards—
by insisting
you keep
the Old Covenant.
& don’t let robbers
steal your salvation
thru false teaching.
Today & always
Let’s make sure we
Hold Firmly to Christ.