MPC, 12th October 2003.Colossians 1:24-2:1-23 - "Kidnapped!"
Matt Rowson MPC, 12th October 2003.
Last Monday a toddler was playing in his front yard in Ormeau, on the South side of Brisbane when a man in a gold Commodore pulled up and tried to abduct the him.
A police spokesman said a man, aged in his 60s, approached the two-and-a-half-year-old boy at 8.40am outside his home. But the kidnapping was foiled when the toddler's mother went outside and grabbed her son from the front yard.
Now that was a close call.
The thought of being kidnapped, or of having someone you love being kidnapped, must be one of the most terrifying things you could think of. Just imagine what could have happened if the mum hadn't looked out the kitchen window at just the right time.
Now, being kidnapped might seem pretty unlikely. You might think "it would never happen to me!"
But Paul gives us a reminder this morning that if we think we could never be kidnapped and taken away from the gospel, then you'd better think again.
Over the last two weeks we've seen that the Colossians are in danger from false teachers who are trying to tell them they need more than the gospel, more than a simple trust in Jesus as their Lord if they want to be a real Christian.
Well, in today's passage Paul shows us exactly what it is these false teachers are trying to use to take them captive. And the scary thing is, these predators are alive and well today.
And we need to be on our guard if we want to make sure we're not taken captive!
Paul's just been telling them about how great Jesus is - he is the one who has changed them from being God's enemies, into being God's friends through his death on the cross.
It's this message about Jesus that Paul's on about - and nothing else.
In verse 25 he tells them God has made him the servant of the church, to present to them the word of God in its fullness.
That's what Paul's on about, he's so committed to that job that he's prepared to suffer for it. He says in verse 24, "Look, Jesus suffered this much and I've only suffered this much but hey, I'm prepared to keep suffering for the sake of getting this message to God's people."
That's how important this message of Jesus is to Paul, he'd give his life to make sure people get it.
This good news about Jesus, this "mystery" as Paul calls it - well, it's time to get that message out there. God's revealed this mystery to his people, the faithful Jews who recognised that Jesus was the Christ, and now it's up to them. It's up to people like Paul to tell the rest of the world, the Gentiles, the mystery which as verse 27 says, is "Christ in you, the hope of glory". You see, it's no longer just the Jews who can join in eternal life with God, by receiving Christ as Lord, the Gentiles can too!
The mystery's nothing fancy. It might not seem spectacular, but it's all that Paul cares about. In verse 22 he says what he wants people to know, is the mystery of God, and what is that mystery? Christ, because it is in Christ that we find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
All they need to know is in Christ.
The search is over - they've got it all. As Christians, they're complete.
You see what Paul's saying?
If you know Christ then you've got all you need.
The Colossians are probably thinking yeah, yeah - we know all that Paul - we know about the gospel of Jesus, we've received him as Lord. They're probably wondering why they need to hear this? You might be wondering why do you need to hear this?
Well there's a very good reason why…
Paul says in verse 4 "I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments."
Paul doesn't want them to be kidnapped! He's like the mum running outside to snatch her baby away from danger.
He knows that people are going to say to them, or are already saying to them - knowing Christ is not enough. Having him as Lord is not enough. They might say it's a start but you have to move on to new things to complete you as a Christian.
And we need to hear that too because nothing's changed since Paul's day. People will try to take YOU away from Christ. People will try to tell you that you need something more.
They say that the three most important things in Real Estate are "location, location, location", well it's no different when it comes to Christianity; location is the most important thing and the location is "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!"
Paul says in verse 5, "Look, I can't be with you guys in person, but it's great, I've heard about you guys in Colossae, I've heard that you're standing firm in Christ - that's great - now don't move an inch!
He says in verse 6…
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
How did you start the Christian life? with Christ.
How do you go on in the Christian life? with Christ.
There's nothing secret or complicated about it…
The way IN is the way ON… living with Jesus as Lord.
Now the Colossians need to know this and we need to know this because people will try and relocate you. Paul says no, you've got it all in Christ. Like a tree in good soil, you've been planted in Christ. Don't go anywhere else!
People will try and get you to build on a different foundation. They'll try and move you away from Christ as the foundation which your Christian life is built on. Paul says don't be moved! You're already on the block of land with the multi-million dollar river views. Don't build anywhere else.
If you think you don't have it all, if you think you're still missing out on all it is to be a Christian, then you'll be worried, you'll be frustrated - you'll be dissatisfied, always thinking you haven't quite made it.
But if you know that you already have it all in Christ, then…
instead of being dissatisfied with where you are;
instead of thinking that you have to find a better field of soil to grow in;
instead of looking for another block of land to build on…
Well, you'll simply be overflowing with thanks to God that you already have it all in Christ.
I saw a product advertised a while ago that really caught my eye. It was this fantastic device that you could wrap around parts of your body and it would also plug in to the power point. It sent electrical pulses through your muscles and gave you a workout without having to do anything.
They said that in just 10 minutes this machine could give you the equivalent of 600 sit-ups - without the pain. It promised stunning abs in just a couple of weeks.
It sounded great, but then a month later I saw this exact same product again on Today Tonight, the current affairs show. Apparently the product was not worth the cardboard box it came in. It didn't work at all, and there were a lot of unhappy customers. The promises were HOLLOW. It looked good, it sounded great, but it was DECEPTIVE - it didn't work.
Paul says in verse 8… See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Don't let yourself be kidnapped!
What we're taught can sound good, but it might be hollow and deceptive. Paul says in verse 4 of chapter 2 that these things that will try and deceive you will have fine-sounding arguments. They might not initially sound like rubbish - they will probably look and sound impressive. They'll try and catch your eye, they will be attractive and they will sound convincing.
But we need to be discerning, you need to test everything you're taught. You need to test the Christian books you read. You need to ask yourself…
"Is this what the Bible teaches? Is this all about Christ and what he has done… or is it trying to add to Christ and tell you that you need something more?"
Someone who's a really good speaker, or a good writer can easily impress us. But we need to judge what we are taught and what we read on its truthfulness, not on its attractiveness.
Paul says the things that will try and take us captive are actually hollow and deceptive philosophy. They're based on human tradition and the basic principles of this world - rather than on Christ.
They're saying you need more than Christ.
Don't get kidnapped. Don't let anything tempt you to move away from where you began, from simply living with Jesus as your Lord.
Paul reminds the Colossians again in verses 9 and 10 what he's been saying all along. Verse 9 he says "In Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. That is, Jesus is God in the flesh.
And so if that's the case; if Jesus is God and you've received him as your Lord, then as verse 10 says… "You have been given fullness in Christ."
That is why you mustn't let yourself be kidnapped.
Can you see the privileged position that we're in?
You have… been given fullness in Christ.
Paul couldn't make any simpler, any plainer. If you have Christ, then you are full, and you can't get any fuller than full!
There's an add for Kentucky Bourbon where they finish by saying…
"Kentucky Bourbon. Not the latest thing, the genuine thing"
That's exactly what Paul's saying…
Jesus Christ - not the latest thing, the genuine thing.
Christianity isn't about something new but something old. Paul's saying to the Colossians, and it's the same for us, "don't be taken captive by the latest Christian fad, but stick with the genuine thing - continuing with Jesus as Lord"
The Colossians might be saying…
But if only we keep these rules…
No! you're already full in Christ, don't get kidnapped!
But if only we had this certain gift…
No! you're already full in Christ, don't get kidnapped!
But we'll be more complete if we just…
No! you're already full in Christ, don't get kidnapped!
There's nothing that you need to add in order to be complete as a Christian - if you've received Christ and are continuing with him then you are already complete whether you know it or not, whether you feel like it or not - because it's all about Jesus - he's done it all!
What can take you away? What are the things that try and kidnap us from being satisfied with simply continuing with Jesus as Lord? What are the dangers?
In verses 13-15 Paul is saying that Jesus has done away with the law. The law that God gave God's people Israel has been canceled. All its rules and regulations that burdened God's people have been taken away by Jesus and nailed to the cross.
He says in verse 16…
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Are you a Jew? No. So you were never under the law in the first place - so why go there? But the crazy thing is, I think this is still be a big trap for Christians, it was in Paul's day and it still is today. We're experts at making up laws for ourselves, of making up rules, Paul says in verse 24 that these rules do have an appearance of wisdom. It's because I think we just can't let go of the fact that we don't have to do anything. It might not be something we deliberately do - but we like to think we have made a contribution somehow, that we can do something to make ourselves, more spiritual, more acceptable with God. But we can't! That's the difference between other religions and Christianity. David Cook, my principal at Sydney and Missionary Bible College, used to say all the time that the two most important letters in the English alphabet are N and E. Because other religions are about what you can DO… but Christianity is about what God has D-O-N-E… DONE!
Another way we can be kidnapped these days is in thinking we need to have a certain spiritual experience to really make it as a Christian. A special touch from God to unlock some great blessing or feeling or power.
It's appealing because it's spectacular, it looks impressive.
You might have had pressure from others who make you feel like you're missing out if you don't have a particular spiritual experience. But what Paul is saying in these verses is that if you are being told you are missing out. If you are being told that you need to experience something else if you want to have all that God has on offer, then what Paul is saying makes it clear that they are wrong. Paul says if you have Christ you are already full and you have it all.
God is not hiding special secrets and fullness from you, and making you search and strive to find them. With some of us missing out because we didn't search in the right place.
Remember verse 10… "and you have been given fullness in Christ."
It's something that he has already given you.
Don't be kidnapped by those who try say you need something more.
What Paul says doesn't sound fancy - you might even say it sounds dull compared to what others want to offer, but what Paul says is the truth. Whether you feel like it or not, you've already been given fullness in Christ if you're following Jesus as Lord.
In Verse 18 Paul says "don't let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions."
It's a shame that Christian book shops are full of books that make you think you're missing out on all it is to be a Christian unless you have this certain gift, unless you experience this special touch from God, unless you discover this hidden secret to fulfillment and blessing. If you just buy my book I'll tell you how to unlock the parts of your Christian walk that you're missing out on.
Why is it that out Christian book shops are full of those books? It's because if we haven't grasped that we already have it all in Christ, then we'll never be satisfied. We'll be searching for more, thinking that we're missing out. Why are there hardly any books saying what Paul says in Colossians "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fulllness in Christ!"
It's not… you will have fullness - if you buy this book,
It's not… you can have fullness if you would just have a bit more faith, if you search for this experience.
I think it's incredibly sad that so many Christians are deceived by fine-sounding arguments into thinking that they're missing out, that receiving Jesus as Lord and continuing with him as Lord is not enough.
Don't be deceived says Paul. Don't let yourself be kidnapped.
Paul says that those who boast about their spiritual visionary experiences have actually lost connection with head, with Jesus.
Paul describes that kind of person in verse 19 saying… He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
Growing up on a chicken farm I've seen first hand what a chicken with it's head cut off does. It goes crazy and runs wildly all over the place, bumping into things - it's lost connection with the head.
Paul is saying to the Colossians "Don't you lose connection with the head, with Jesus. Because it's by staying put in Jesus that we continue, it's there that we grow.
Paul says don't be deceived - you don't need to add anything to receiving Jesus as Lord. Simply continue with Jesus as Lord.
If you've ever found yourself in that situation, or if find yourself there sometime in the future, remember God's words through Paul. Because these words are truth…
If you have Jesus as your Lord, then you've already been given fullness in Christ, so don't let anyone kidnap you, but continue with Jesus as Lord.
A number of years ago during a Bible study I was part of, we were all given a scrap of paper. On that bit of paper we each had to write down a score between 1 and 10 that described where we felt our relationship with God was at.
Some people put down a 3/10, a couple put down a 4, 5 or 6, can you believe someone even put down an 8/10. What score would you give YOUR relationship with God? Well after we had done that, we were all told to cross that out, turn the paper over and write 10/10.
If Jesus is your Lord then have fullness in him - and you can't get any better than 10/10.
Don't let anyone kidnap you and make you think you need more, no matter how good it sounds. Instead, just as you received Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him.