Category: Community (Page 1 of 92)

We’re now moving from a time when Paul was preaching the Word and teaching the Colossians about some theological aspects of the faith to a time when he is going to instruct and exhort them in how to live; what to do and what not to do; what is godly and what is not.

Today he gets to the heart of the matter of setting our minds on “things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.”

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.

Colossians 2:8 (CSB)

That’s good advice for Christians, especially when our culture seems to be going in all the wrong directions. We can get so tied up in the news and the issues of the day; so many worries and concerns that we forget that we are dead to this world and way of doing things and are united with Christ. We forget that we should be clothed with Him, and so should set our minds on things above where He is, instead of all of these things that are around us. We should be putting off those things of the world, those concerns, those issues. Things like “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness.” We should look at things that divide us and put them off as well because they are a part of this world. We are to set our minds on higher things, on things Above. Because if we are dead in Christ, then we should be dead to this world.

Certainly those things will still affect us and touch us, and we will be hurt by some of them. That is the reality of being still on this side of eternity. But the reality for Christians is that our Home is above and our mind should be on what is Above; not stuck here, not worried here, not concerned with anything here.

We look to Christ and what He has already done for us. That He has already conquered all of these things here – even death itself. So since we are dead to these as well now, let us look to Him. Let us look Above. Let us look on the godly, holy things, the higher things, and not on the things here.

Christ has already accomplished it all for us, for all, forever.

“Thank you, Lord, for conquering all of what is down here on earth, all of the bad that affects us each and every day. Thank you for letting us die to them as well through faith in You. Help us now, Lord, focus not on the things here, but on You and the things above; on how to act in a spiritual way; in a way that is holy; in a way that is pure; in a way that is honorable; and not in ways of our culture and world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Scriptures

• Colossians 3:1-17

Right; wrong. Good; bad. What to do; what not to do.

These have their bigger fulfillment in the question: How do we please God?

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.

Colossians 2:8 (CSB)

That’s what our sanctified hearts want to do. We want to know how to act in a way that is godly.

For that we look to Scripture.

But that can be confusing, too.

The bible has a lot of rules and statutes that are unclear, confusing, or may even seem contradictory – especially when we look at some in the Old Testament. Are we, “New Testament people” supposed to keep those, too?

These were issues the early Church faced, too. Some – especially those who were Jews – were saying that those Gentiles who became believers had to fulfill those Old Testament rules, too.

Paul is having none of it!

Not because they were bad or wrong. Far from it! They were from God so they were (and are) good!

But they have been fulfilled now in Jesus. Those things pointed to the coming of God’s chosen Christ. Jesus took care of all of them on our behalf, so they would no longer stand over us; accusing us; condemning us.

We are now free in Him!

Free from the rigidness of the rules of the OT Sabbath. Free from the laws on what constitutes clean and unclean foods. Free from so many of those things that were meant to being us closer to God but ended up being things that we broke and pushed us away from Him instead.

But does freedom in Jesus mean freedom from to sin?

Absolutely not!

So the question remains: what do we do to please God?

First, if not addressed and repeated in the New Testament, it’s likely not something that must be done. Often, though, even those aspects that are repeated and addressed differently. “do not murder?” is strengthened to “don’t even hate!” “Do not commit adultery” to “do not look lustfully.”

The easy way to get at things is to see that “love God with all your heart, mind, souls, and strength and your neighbor as yourself” still holds. But the dictums of how those play out are more flexible.

Second, we should see our freedom as a means to seek how we can serve Him and others better. Freedom to serve, not be served.

Third, we should take a look at those rules and laws God gave – even in the Old Testament – and ask why God gave them and if doing them would still be good and pleasing to Him. Not of mandate, but of desire in seeking His heart.

Serving God is easy when we do so from a stance of freedom and joyful response, rather than dutiful obligation.

We are free in Jesus!

We are love and serve Him and others in all we do joyfully!

That’s the heart of it!

“That You, Jesus, for fulfilling every point of the Law perfectly and completely for us and for our salvation! Send us Your Holy Spirit so that our heart rejoices at the opportunity to respond to this great gift in loving service to You and others. Amen.”

Scriptures

• Colossians 2:17-23

Being connected to Jesus is not something we usually think about a lot.

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.

Colossians 2:8 (CSB)

We think about believing in Jesus. We think about emulating Jesus. We thank Jesus for saving us. We love Him, but we don’t often think about being united with Him in His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension; that being baptized with Him, being buried with Him, having all of those intimate connections with Him means that we are truly dead to sin.

When we are alive with Him, being united with Jesus also means that we should live like He did by putting off sin, putting off our sinfulness; cutting off that which infects us, which drains us, which pulls us away from God. When we are rooted in Him we can withstand all the winds, all the rains, all the slings and the arrows, all of the things which come against us in this world. We can stand firm because when we’re rooted in Him, He is firm; He is unmovable; He is unchanging; He is steadfast through it all – and because He is and we are united with Him, then there was no other philosophy, no other tradition, nothing else that anyone else can share with us that can compare to that; that can stand up to that. No matter how bad things get; no matter how difficult things are; sin is dead to us because Jesus died to conquer sin. Sin is dead to us because we are united with His conquering of sin – and now all of those things which try to tear us down, which kill and destroy – through faith in Jesus, through uniting with Him, through being rooted in Him; we are now alive with Him, alive in Christ – forever.

“Lord, thank You for suffering, dying, and rising for us; and thank You for letting us be united in You. You, in whom the fullness of the deity dwells; You through whom all of creation came into existence; You who was not satisfied with sin and death and so conquered it for us forever – for all. Thank You, Lord! Help us to act as the rooted ones we are in You. In Your name we pray; amen.”

Scriptures

• Colossians 2:4-15