Colossians 2:8-15
See to it
that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,
according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of
the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in
him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you
have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In
him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands,
by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having
been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the
dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him,
having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the
record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside,
nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers
and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over
them in him.
The
Cross: Your Forgiveness
Harry Potter
– Mad Eye Moody – paranoid – “Constant vigilance!”
There is a
little bit of that vigilant attitude in Col. 2
-
ESV
– “See to it”
-
NKJV
– Beware”
-
“Look
out!”
For what? “That
you not be taken captive…”
There is a
certain vigilance that must be maintained in the Christian life.
-
Paranoia?
No. There is a real enemy out there that wants to pull us away from Jesus.
o
John
10 – The Theif
o
Catechism
actually speaks of 3 enemies – Devil, World, and our sinful nature
-
Goal?
Rob you of the good news of your forgiveness. Doesn’t actually mind if you
believe in Jesus – as a teacher, a guru, an ethical guide, a law giver. But not
a savior.
-
Strategies?
o
Philosophy
– ideas, false doctrines, false authorities
o
Empty
deceit – gas lighting re: sin and grace, “you will not surely die!” – lies about
God’s character, the Truth, and the Word
o
Remove
the Cross of Christ
§ Not all at once - 1% - over time
§ Often focus on good things – charity,
justice, mercy … but not the cross.
· Hyper spirituality that disconnects
us from neighbors.
§ Focus on temporal – politics, economics,
wars and rumors of war
§ Focus on pleasure – entertainment,
diversions, “opiate of the masses.”
§ Focus on self
§ Whatever it takes to shift our focus
from the cross to anything else
· There is no name given under heaven,
given among men by which we must be saved … than the name of Jesus.
· It is only the cross where we find
forgiveness
o
O.T.
– in light of the cross to come
o
Today
– in light of the cross completed
Colossians 2
– “You have been filled in Christ.”
-
V.
9 says we have received the fullness of God!
-
What
does this mean?
-
Following
verses expand on what this fullness entails
v. 11 – kinda
weird – circumcision – symbolic removal of sin and restored relationship with
God.
-
This
is a spiritual reality that is symbolized in this physical action.
-
Men
and women – elsewhere – heart!
v. 12 – You were
buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Him
-
Death
àResurrection à Life
-
Not
a matter of life and death, a matter of death and everlasting life!
v. 13 – all of
this is because God has forgiven all your trespasses
-
Trespasses
(Lord’s Prayer in Matthew)
-
Church-ese
for sin – crossing the line
-
But
how did this forgiveness come to you?
v. 14 –
Pictures that sin like a debt (Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer) – a bill
you cannot pay
-
Cancelled
-
Set
aside
-
Nailed
to the cross (Τετέλεσται)
Beware that
you do not lose the cross. It is your forgiveness!
-
Lose
the cross through sin – life given to wickedness, rejection of the gift of God
-
Lose
the cross through good – wrong emphasis
-
Most
likely – lose the cross through indifference – acedia / sloth
o
Revelation
– lost first love
Colossians 2
tells us, “Watch out!”
-
Don’t
be taken captive by the world and its ideas.
-
Be
taken captive by Christ
-
Focus
on His Cross: Your forgiveness. Amen.
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