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Christ Reigns Supreme: Avoid Philosophical Captivity

Discover the message from the book of Colossians on the supremacy, sufficiency, and satisfaction found in Christ. Beware of falling into the trap of philosophical ideologies that seek truth apart from God. Learn how Christ alone can fulfill your life.

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Christ Reigns Supreme: Avoid Philosophical Captivity

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  1. “Don’t let anything replace Christ in your life”Colossians 2:6-23Message 4 on our series called Colossians: The Supremacy of Christ Sunday, April 5, 2009 Speaker: Doug Virgint

  2. Christ in Colossians Don’t allow anything to replace Christ in your life!

  3. Christ in Colossians • Christ the supreme one (Chapter 1) • Christ the sufficient one (Chapter 2) • Christ the satisfying one (Chapters 3 & 4)

  4. Christ in Colossians • Christ the supreme one (Chapter 1) • Christ the sufficient one (Chapter 2) • Christ the satisfying one (Chapters 3 & 4)

  5. Christ the sufficient one(Chap 2) • Don’t be kidnapped by philosophers (6 - 10) • Don’t be distracted by legalism (11-15) • Don’t be robbed by mysticism (16-23)

  6. Christ the sufficient one(Chap 2) • Don’t be kidnapped by philosophers (6 - 10) • Don’t be distracted by legalism (11-15) • Don’t be robbed by mysticism (16-23)

  7. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) “Hast any philosophy in thee, shepherd?” William Shakespeare (As you like it)

  8. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Philosophy : “philo ” + “sophia ” = “love” + “wisdom” The love of wisdom or knowledge

  9. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Philosophy - searching for truth apart from God Man cannot begin at himself … … and arrive at ultimate reality Francis Schaeffer

  10. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Philosophy - searching for truth apart from God “I am first affrighted and confounded with that forlorn solitude, in which I am plac’d in my philosophy.” David Hume

  11. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Philosophy - searching for truth apart from God Freidrich Nietzsche: -Scorned Christianity as the religion of weaklings “Poised over the abyss, I shiver with the horror of being ‘responsible for everything alive’” - Madness became his only possible freedom “Alas, grant me madness”

  12. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Jean-Paul Sartre: “We were a heap of existences, uncomfortable, embarrassed by ourselves, we hadn’t the slightest reason to be there, none of us, each one confused, vaguely alarmed, felt superfluous in relation to the others” “And I myself … I too was superfluous … I dreamed vaguely of killing myself to wipe out at least one of these superfluous existences. But even my death would have been superfluous.”

  13. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) George Santayana: “A modern philosopher is someone who redoubles his efforts upon losing sight of his goal”

  14. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) The object of philosophy is to discover truth. That is indeed a noble endeavour! But we must submit our philosophy to the authority of divine revelation

  15. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) There were philosophers in Colossae as well: Paul does not name their system of beliefs, nor does he describe it in detail.

  16. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) But there are clear indications in this letter that there was an emphasis on: • ceremonial laws: circumcision (11) dietary laws (16) observance of holy days (16) • mediation of spiritual powers in salvation and creation. These mysterious powers must be placated and worshipped. (15, 18, 19)

  17. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • asceticism: touch not (21) do not handle (21) do not taste (21) severe treatment of the body (23)

  18. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • proto Gnosticism: - matter is evil - between God and us are aeons, which are emanations from Him, some more distant and less holy than others (pleroma) - God did not create matter - salvation comes through increased knowledge (mystery religions)

  19. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • proto Gnosticism: - Christ could not be God and man - God could not have a body - God could not die

  20. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • proto Gnosticism: - a mixture of Jewish legalism and pagan Gnosticism - F. F. Bruce calls it a Phrygian variety of pharisaic Judaism

  21. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • proto Gnosticism: God did not immediately create this world; a series of aeons emanated from Him, each more removed than the last one. Finally one of them, so far removed form God so as to no longer be holy, created the world of matter as a bad joke.

  22. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) Modern Gnosticism: Masons, Shriners - with their degrees of knowledge Scientology John Travolta Tom Cruise Priscilla Presley “Ordre du temple solaire” (suicides 1994, 1997)

  23. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) received Christ … walk in Him (6, 7) • “walk” is our present habitual way of living • when we received salvation, all was centred in the person of Christ • we need to continue our Christian life, centred on Christ • we must not allow other ideas to distract us from His person

  24. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • “takes you captive” (8) - from a Greek word that means booty or loot • “empty deception” - deceit, fraud, trick - based on traditions of men - be on your guard! • “elementary principles - a, b, c,

  25. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • “all the fullness of Deity” (9) - here is that word “pleroma” - Christ is not one in a series of aeons, emanations from God - all that God is and all that God reveals is in Christ • “dwells bodily ” - Greek word for “settle down and be at home” - Christ’s body was real !”

  26. Kidnapped by philosophers(6-10) • “in Him you have been given fullness” (10) - Here is that word “pleroma” again (verb) “you have been made complete” (NASB) - Because of the fall, man is incomplete, and we have an emptiness within - Only in Christ are we made complete • “head over all power and authority” - He is not one of these aeons, spiritual powers - He is over them, rules them, created them!

  27. Christ the sufficient one (Chap 2) • Don’t be kidnapped by philosophers (6 - 10) • Don’t be distracted by legalism (11-15) • Don’t be robbed by mysticism (16-23)

  28. Distracted by legalism(11-15) Do we need works of the law to complement or complete what Christ has done for us? NO!!! Because Jesus has given us: a) complete salvation (11-12) b)complete forgiveness (13-14) c) complete victory (15)

  29. Distracted by legalism(11-15) a) Complete salvation: - When Jesus healed, he healed completely - Abraham was completely saved years before he was circumcised. - Circumcision was a rite which confirmed the covenant, and it represented the cleansing of the heart. - True circumcision is … of the heart (Rom 2: 29) - Our salvation is assured because we died with Christ and were raised with him. No need of circumcision!

  30. Distracted by legalism(11-15) b) Complete forgiveness: - We were dead in our sins - We were outside the covenant - B U T … ! - God has made us alive in Christ - God has forgiven us - God has cancelled the act of debt that was against us - God nailed this act to the cross – final death!

  31. Distracted by legalism(11-15) c) Complete victory: - image of a Roman “triumph” - victory parade - these spiritual beings that you want to placate and worship have been defeated! - they have been publically humiliated! - they have no power or authority or claim over us! - Don’t allow them to distract us.

  32. Christ the sufficient one (Chap 2) • Don’t be kidnapped by philosophers (6 - 10) • Don’t be distracted by legalism (11-15) • Don’t be robbed by mysticism (16-23)

  33. Robbed by mysticism(16-23) Should we allow people to judge us (control make us feel guilty) about : - Holy days, dietary rules ? (16,17) No! they are just a shadow. - false humility, angel worship (16,18) No ! They are a form of fraud, of cheating, that can disqualify us. And often a source of pride.

  34. Robbed by mysticism(16-23) Should we allow people to judge us (control – make us feel guilty) about : - asceticism ? (20,21) No! They are temporary – little importance No! They too, are often a source of pride No! They are not effective - do not work! Asceticism is godless … … essentially, we are worshipping ourselves!

  35. Robbed by mysticism(16-23) Furthermore … They cause us to lose connection with Christ ! He is the Head - the source of all growth

  36. Applications • Let’s not allow ourselves to be impressed by philosophers. • Let’s not allow any form of legalism to control us and make us live in guilt. • Let’s not allow any person, or any system of thought, replace Christ. He is the greatest being in the universe. There is no one like Him. And he lives in us – He is our Saviour.

  37. Applications • Do you really know Jesus? • Do you know Him today better than you knew Him last year? – 5 years ago? – 10 years ago? • Do you love Jesus more today than last year? – 5 years ago? - 10 years ago?

  38. Christ in Colossians Don’t allow anything to replace Christ in your life!

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