If we will stay connected to our head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and place our hearts on things above, we can overcome every problem.

Hello Redemption Church. Thank you to everyone who has gathered with us this Sunday afternoon. And thank you to everyone who gathers with us online. Praise the Lord!

My name is Chris Fluitt and I am so ready to bring you the Word of God today.

We are in our 7^th week studying the book of Colossians. Please turn with me in your Bibles and Bible Apps to Colossians 2.

Colossians

While you are turning to the 2^nd chapter of Colossians I want to promote our next sermon series. Watch this.

I want to believe… but

We will be taking a short break from Colossians to talk about this important topic. Sometimes we struggle to believe because our beliefs are wrong. Please make plans to be back with us next week and bring as many friends as you can with you.

Colossians

But for today we are back in Colossians 2.

Can anyone remind me what the theme of the book of Colossians is?

Christ is Supreme

Let’s begin with verse 18 of Colossians 2.

Colossians 2:18 (NIV2011) Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

Colossians 2:19 (NIV2011) They have 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.

Colossians 2:20 (NIV2011) Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:

Colossians 2:21 (NIV2011) “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?

Colossians 2:22 (NIV2011) These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

Colossians 2:23 (NIV2011) Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Colossians 3:1 (NIV2011) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Let’s clap our hands for the word of God.

Outline

• Hints to problems in Colossae V 16-23


• Gnostic Angel Worship V18


• Connection Problems V19-22 


• Look above V23-3:1

I want to remind you of problems in the city of Colossae.

#1 Persecution had imprisoned Epaphras (who we think is the Colossian Church founder)(We covered that in week 1)

#2 Christianity is the minority in this area.

#3 A culture of Gnostic religion was prevalent.

#4 There was judgment & division over religious traditions like dietary restrictions & Sabbath. (Col 2:16 )

Now Paul addresses a serious problem in verse 18.

Colossians 2:18 (NIV2011) Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

Do not let anyone JUDGE YOU or DISQUALIFY YOU.

2 verses earlier Paul instructs us – DO NOT LET ANYONE JUDGE YOU… Now Paul instructs – DO NOT ANYONE DISQUALIFY YOU…

Disqualify you. This Greek word also is translated as defrauded – to illegally obtain through deception.

It also suggests the idea of an umpire depriving you of a prize by declaring you unworthy. That is interesting.

It would be like after the Superbowl victory, the referee takes away the championship from the winning team and gives it to the team with fewer points…

and steals this championship based on a strange technicality… like the winning quarterback’s shoelaces were not standard white.

Now I have to point out here that there are Christians who don’t believe you can be disqualified from the prize. But Paul is very clear here that it can happen, so don’t let it happen.

Do not let anyone judge you… Do not let anyone disqualify you. In both situations there are those who would place themselves as your authority. They set themselves up as your authority when they judge you. They set themselves up as your authority when they stand as your umpire and declare you unworthy of the prize.

Redemption Church, who is our authority? Who is the head of power & authority? Who is the firstborn of all creation and created all things and holds them all together?

Trouble starts when we allow a different authority to judge & qualify.

Only Jesus should be your judge – He is the righteous judge. Only Jesus should qualify you – He declares your worth by dying for us on the cross. Christ is supreme!

Colossians 2:18 (NIV2011) Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

False humility & the worship of angels. Without naming Gnosticism, Paul seems to be describing it as the problem.

Gnostics were filled with false humility, because they held the secret knowledge of the universe and used this as a leverage point to gain honor, notoriety, & wealth. Gnostics also worshipped angels and the reason why is interesting.

Gnostics believed that God was too high to worship. They thought that God could never be touched by humanity and that our worship would mean so little to him that He would never receive it. So they turned instead to worship lower spiritual beings – angels.

Your worship reaches God. Scripture declares your worship is like a sweet smelling fragrance that reaches God. Throughout scripture we see God showing up as people worship Him.

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