CHRIST THE FOUNTAINHEAD OF LIFE: THE TRUE REALITY

Christ the Fountainhead of Life: Christ the True Reality: 

Colossians 2:16-23 Week 5

"So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality (See Greek Word 'so-mah'). Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." (Colossians 2:16-23 NLT)

Christ is the Reality behind the shifting shadows

Christ is the true reality, substance, or body of every spiritual thing that we see, all of which are shifting shadows. He is the reality of everything seen and one day all seen spiritual truths will be realized, revealed, and culminate in Him; in complete truth in the unseen heavenly realms!

The Greek word for Reality can be translated as Body, Substance, Reality, or True Picture

Greek word 4983: σῶμα

Pronounced so'-mah: the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively:--bodily, body, slave.

Don’t let anyone condemn you, but rather focus on the Reality of Christ who is the 'So-Mah' in the unseen in four ways. 

1. Let Christ be your righteousness. 

I have found that people “try” so hard to be Christian when this is an practical impossibility. I think of the scripture where Jesus says, "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees you can never enter the kingdom of Heaven”. We as the Church have often times tried so vigorously hard to be righteous apart from Christ. We must stop trying so hard. Let Christ be your righteousness! He will stand in the gap for you! He will cover you with his Righteousness! He will clothe you in Holiness! Let Him do it!

"And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things."

People were being pressured in the Colossian Church to act out their piousness, But Paul says that Christ himself is our piousness, He himself is the reality of all things spiritual, the seen, the unseen, and the not yet known! so trust him for those things!

Greek word for condemn here can also be translated to trick or beguile...καταβραβεύω it is pronounced kat-ab-rab-yoo'-o (in its original sense); to award the price against, i.e. (figuratively) to defraud (of salvation):--beguile of reward. Now isn't that interesting that Paul here is asking the Colossians to not be tricked into thinking that you could be pious enough, holy enough, or good enough to attain your own salvation. Don't let anyone defraud you of the salvation that Jesus wrought for you on the cross!!!

We are asked not to let anyone trick us into taking up a righteousness of our own through empty piety. in other words "do not take up a yoke again of slavery"! Jesus has taken all our condemnation in our place!

2. Put your pride in Christ alone

"Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body."

Pride is one of those acceptable sins in the Church. Let me give you a for instance. If your pastor gets up this week in your church and admits that he has been looking at pornography for the past 5 years on his Church computer, he would be fired before he leaves the church that same day. But on the other hand if he gets up there and confesses pride a deep and hurtful pride, you would think like I have many times, “yes brother, I am with you.” We have agreed too many times in this area. We have placed our pride in the wrong things! We have succumbed to the worldly pattern which says that pride in self and accomplishments is ok. This is actually the exact antithesis of true spirituality. This verse shows us that when our pride puffs us up, we are not connected to the head of the body namely Christ. We must turn our pride from self and put our pride in Christ alone! "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God". Also Paul wrote that he "boasted only in the cross". We can also take up that boasting when we turn away from worldly pride. 

3. Receive Christ’s victory

"For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. You have died with Christ, and he has SET YOU FREE from the spiritual powers of this world."

One of the areas of weakness in the Calvinistic, Reformed theological traditions is that of the SPIRITUAL VICTORY that we have in Christ. This Reformed/Calvinistic Camp (of which I am happy camper) sometimes tends to a spiritual defeat perspective. Instead, Romans 8 describes an “overwhelming victory” that we receive through Christ’s righteousness. Many times what I hear in between the lines of these traditions is somewhat of a “woe is me” tone. However this could not be further from the truth! We are OVERWHELMINGLY VICTORIOUS! and We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ! We are made brothers by His own blood, and sacrifice! So my encouraging word is for you to receive and live in that victory, and do not take up the yoke of slavery to sin again!!! 

4. Trust that Christ has destroyed the evil systems of this world (your world)

Christ has destroyed the Evil Systems in the World

"So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.” 

Legalism says that "you cannot do that" because you will not be holy or acceptable to God. The gospel says, however, that you cannot be holy or acceptable to God. Jesus has done that in our place!!! Therefore, He has destroyed all those rules regulations, and teachings that say we can somehow be holy on our own power. But as Paul says here it cannot help us conquer even one evil desire. This is the greatest news we could receive in the gospel! You cannot do it, so stop trying so hard. He is our righteousness. Put down your empty acts of religion, and receive His perfect righteousness. When I am most tempted to act on my own behalf, I have usually taken my eyes off of Christ. "Let us therefore fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith". We can begin to do that through worship. 

Christ the Fountainhead of Life: Week 2 "What Does Jesus Control?"

Colossians 1:15-23 Christ the fountainhead of Life: Week 2 "What Does Jesus Control?"

I don't pretend to understand Quantum Mechanics but I do know from middle school science that protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge. This makes them attracted to each other. You should thank them for that attraction because I guess if they all of a sudden lost their attractional force one to another we would quickly cease to exist. I guess it would kind of be like the Arnold Schwarzenegger  film The Eraser.

Did you ever see that movie it was pretty terrible, but that ray gun was pretty awesome at making people disappear. I would posit that we are held together by the great loving kindness and mercy of Christ. As we see in our next section of Colossians. "And in him all things hold together". We see today from this passage that Christ is totally supreme over all things down to the very basic building blocks of your life even your protons and electrons. There is not one thing that is out of His ultimate control, careful, and kind watch. 

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister." (Colossians 1:15-23 ESV)

Christ is completely supreme for our good and his own glory in three areas. 

1. He is completely supreme over all Created Things 

-all things we see and even those things and powers that we cannot see are under his careful purview

"15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

All these things were created through him and they are for him."

-What could these things possibly "do" for Jesus that would do anything for Him?

Psalm 19 

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat." (Psalm 19:1-6 ESV)

And what does creation say day after day? It says to everyone everywhere, "I am here look at me, see me, I am God! 

This creation cries to us all that there is a great and wonderful creator that cannot be ignored. You can try to ignore him and fill your life with distractions but he has made everything 'ex nihilo' (from nothing) and we must pay attention! Not only did he create all things but all things will eventually one day return to him for his glory. One day at the end "every knee will bow" either bow voluntarily or involuntarily! This is the length and breadth or his supremacy! 

2. He is also completely supreme over His Church

"18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Whatever your view of Jesus was before now, it was too small. Your view of Him was too small before you read this today! And hopefully after you read this, it will continue to grow! Ekklesia is the Greek word here that Paul uses to describe the assembly or church. And also likewise whatever your view of the church was when you read this today it was too small. The greatness of Jesus Church should continually be growing in your mind! Acts 20:28 says that the Ekklesia is the people whom The Lord has "bought with his own blood". It is all people who belong to him from every tribe, and nation, from all people, from all time! 

And he is the head and Lord of that Ekklesia! 

He is firstborn with preeminence because of his resurrection. 

He is also preeminent because of all fullness of God resting on him. 

He is also preeminent Lord of the Church because he has made peace with everything by his blood
And His Church will grow, until the gospel of Jesus Christ has reached every language, and tribe, and nation

3. He is completely supreme over you and me through the Gospel 

21) And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22) he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23) if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

-we were aliens and completely foreign but now we have victory!!!

-he presents you holy and blameless. Who does he present you to? God himself!

"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV)
Because of Christ's gracious sacrifice for you and I, we can boldly approach His throne, where Christ lives to make intercession for us. At His throne we will receive Mercy and Grace, no longer Judgement and Condemnation. He has the authority to give it, because of His supremacy in Redemption and His authority in the gospel.

Close: Our views of Jesus will always be too small until the day we see him face to face. Until then how are you seeking to worship and make much of Christ? Let your view of Him be always growing! As the famous Dutch Reformer Abraham Kuyper said, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"

Watch this sermon jam from John Piper, and let it help you worship the supreme Christ!

Colossians: Christ the Fountainhead of Life Week 1

Colossians: Christ the Fountainhead of Life Colossians 1:1-12 Week 1

Have you ever had a great shower? that shower in the morning that just wakes you up and is so refreshing that you didn't want to get out. That shower is refreshing because that shower head is the source to you of wonderful hot water refreshment! Oh yea makes me want to take a shower right now? Just as that shower head is the source of that nice shower, Jesus is the fountainhead like a shower in the morning when your butt is dragging. It gives life it starts me off like wow what a beautifully awakening thing. The gospel is Jesus in his supremacy, his knowledge,many things good or worthy of praise ultimately come from Him, and will return to him as a fragrant offering of praise. He is like the shower head or the fountainhead that awakens us to everything. I am going to do a series on Colossians, and in it I will seek to show you that he is the source of all life. Lets have a look

Objective statement: we all can be deepened in gospel awakedness by seeing and savoring our positional status in Christ the fountainhead of life as seen in Colossians 1:1-14. Or first position in the gospel is...

Position #1. We are GREETED in the Gospel: 

I love the German culture of greeting. Every time I talk on the phone with German family or see them they greet me. It is awesome at first I did not know what to do with a greeting, But after a while I learned that they are just thinking about you America is not a culture of greeting and maybe should be. "Gruß Gott" in the south of Germany is a typical greeting it literally means Greet God! What a greeting! The point of sending a greeting is that you know that people are thinking about you. The gospel of Grace and peace means that God himself is thinking about you!!! He is sending His Grace and Peace to you!!! Paul starts off there. You must start off there. You must know that God himself is greeting you!!!

What are the greetings of the gospel. How does the gospel arrive to us? 

-Grace to us from God: undeserved, unearned, favor and kindness

-Peace to us from God: that passes all understanding. And in Christ God has made peace between us and God. whereas before there was animosity or wrath, but He has greeted us in the peace of the Gospel through Christ!

His greeting goes...

1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2) To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 

Position #2. We are made THANKFUL and AFFECTIONATE in the Gospel 

Have you ever noticed how American pop culture is not a culture of affection, but a sort of schizophrenic emotionally backward culture. Every reality show must have at least one emotional breakdown in a tirade, or a weepy mess.

And then when someone has a real emotional moment of compassion, hope, joy, affection, by way of a real emotional response, they are lambasted or at least feel obligated to apologize for their 'unprofessional meltdown. What a double standard! We encourage immature emotional tirades, and handcuff people from real emotional connection. The gospel however is a totally counter-cultural thing. We are freed from emotional dependence and immaturity into a freedom to be truly thankful, and affectionate. Paul is "always" thanking God for the people at Colossae, and expresses a deeply affectionate posture toward them and those involved in their "love in the Spirit"

He writes...

3) We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4) since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6) which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7) just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8) and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 

3. We are QUALIFIED in the gospel: 

Christ through his death on the cross qualifies us to be brothers with Him! 

After Jesus resurrection he tells the women at the grave to go tell his 'brothers' that he is alive and "I ascend to my father and your father"

"Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her." (John 20:15-18 ESV)

Paul describes our Qualifications in the gospel this way...

9) And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11) May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12) giving thanks to the Father, who has "QUALIFIED YOU" to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13) He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

QUALIFIED: 

G2427: ἱκανόω

Pronounced hik-an-o'-o

to enable, i.e. qualify:--make able (meet)

Because of Christ we are qualified and enabled to become His brother and to share in the complete inheritance that he will enjoy...
Romans 8:17 says "And Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering"

In closing we see deepened in Gospel awakedness by understanding our positions in the gospel better we are...

1) Greeted by God in the gospel, 2) We are made Thankful and Affectionate in the gospel, and 3) We are Qualified By Christ to stand before God  and He gives us everything we need in the gospel. If this were all the gospel that God would have given to us, it alone would be enough However, the extent of the gospel goes, deeper, richer, wider, and higher than we could ever imagine. And so we rest in this little revealed goodness, knowing it is only the tip of the iceberg of the glorious riches in Christ.feel free to respond to His goodness as revealed in the gospel by worshiping with the song below...