Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
The comedian Jeff Foxworthy has made millions telling redneck jokes.
I am embarrassed at the number of them I know:
You might be a redneck if your porch caves in and it kills 5 dogs.
You might be a redneck if you mow your yard and find a car.
You might be a redneck if your famous last words are “Hey Y’all watch this!”
Perhaps not as funny, but almost as ridiculous, is the way that some people believed that rituals were the way to the Kingdom of God.
In our study of Colossians, we see in chapter 2 that there were those that believed rituals and religious practices were key in earning their place.
The Colossians believed that mysticism, moralism, and martyrdom were necessary elements to be a good Christian.
Paul, on the other hand, demonstrated that it was a relationship with Jesus that was necessary.
Teaching on Colossians 2:16-23
In an effort to understand the difference, I want to offer you a bit of teaching on the verses found in and then give you a little preaching in the form of application.
I am going to read each verse then discuss as we go.
We will begin with .
Paul emphasizes in earlier that because of what Christ has done in His death on the cross, we free from being judged on our participation in rituals and any diet that was set up for the Jewish nation.
The religious festival, New Moon celebration and Sabbath Day were referring to the great annual festivals, the monthly celebrations and the weekly rituals that took place on the Sabbaths.
The “shadow” refers to the practice of Judaism with its rites and rituals.
These were good and noble things but fell short of the reality which is Christ.
This reminds me that Jesus is the real deal.
Colossians 2:
Paul is reminding his readers that they are already members of the body of Christ and they do not need to let anyone tell them differently.
He is also saying that a believer does not have to experience a particular style of worship or a mystical approach as was the practice at that time.
There was an emphasis in worshiping angels which if you look at it closely, is nothing more than idolatry.
People were looking at creation instead of Creator.
They were constantly being supernatural in their worship and were in reality making idols.
Scripture speaks to this rather bluntly.
Exodus 20:
We also see in where John is told not to worship an angel:
Revelation 22
The people in Colosse were taking that which was due to be given to Christ and giving it to the angels.
In other words, they were worshiping angels instead of God.
The second part of states “Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.”
What this amounts to is a mystical experience of imaginary fantasies.
These mystics would dwell on what they had seen in their visions.
The problem would be that these visions would not line up with the word of God.
Pride would be at the bottom of these errors which would lead to corruptions and evil practices.
There would be no humility present.
It would be this is what I know .
The Head refers to Christ who alone gives life and growth to that life.
Paul is teaching there that true spirituality does not come from being in compliant with laws, which is only a show, but by through a connection with the reality, which is Christ.
Jesus described it this way:
Growth comes for you and I as we are branches to the Vine of Christ.
It is not what we do, it is Who we receive our growth from.
Colossians 2:20-
The Colossians, and us, are reminded here in these verses that we are free fro the rituals of the Mosiac Law.
We have that freedom because of and through Christ!
Galatians 5:1
Christ has abolished the old law.
Colossians 2:2
The old law focused on perishable material things instead of that which is eternal.
Notice the descriptive words that are in these verses:
“Human commands” and teachings would imply that they are not of God.
“Self-imposed worship” indicates self-chose service meaning “I am going to do this because I feel like it and I will get the ‘atta-boy’ as a result.”
The “false humility, harsh treatment of the body, and the phrase “lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” is basically saying, “you are doing whatever feels good for you to do.”
What looks like rigorous discipline is in fact nothing but self-indulgence.
Application of
How do you know if you focus more on rituals and regulations rather than on Jesus?
You might be ritualistic if you think that showing up for worship every Sunday makes you right with God.
Church attendance is important and it is helpful in one’s Christian walk.
But coming to church will not more make you a Christian that going to Bill’s garage will make you a car!
You might be ritualistic if you spend more time arguing about what you are against than what you are for.
The ritualistic person loves to argues.
They believe they are to defend God and legislate rules.
They make that come before the Gospel.
A ritualistic person is not about love but about rules.
You might be ritualistic if you think God needs you on His team.
I believe that if God had a refrigerator, He would have our picture on it.
As our Heavenly Father, God loves us.
But God does not need you and me for His work to be done.
He is very capable of accomplishing His work without us.
However, He wants us to join Him in His work.
You might be ritualistic if you don’t repent of sin because you don’t have any “serious sin.”
The ritualistic person has a reputation to uphold.
Repentance in their eyes is a sign of weakness.
That person may say I have not sinned, I have not murdered or stolen.
I am nothing compared to that other guy.
But the fact is that any sin is a big deal.
Isaiah
1 Johnk 1
You might be ritualistic if your salvation is based on works and not on Jesus.
If you ask non-Christians why they should go to heaven, inevitably they will say something to the effect of “I am a good person and I do good things.”
Ephesians 2
Ephesians
Acts
Romans
There is nothing that you and I can do outside of believing and having faith in Christ that will get us saved.
We can’t make it, we can’t earn it, we can’t wish it, we can’t grab it.
It is by grace and grace alone.
You might be ritualistic if you think people should conform to a certain lifestyle before they can be accepted as a “Christian.”
Do you get cleaned up to take a bath or do you take the bath and get cleaned up?
Remember the story of Zacchaeus, the wee little tax collector that climbed up in the sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see? Jesus called him out of that tree and said, “I am going to your house.”
The Bible says:
Luke 19:
This man was brought into the redemptive arms of Jesus but ole Zach was still a sinner.
The Apostle Paul had his Damascus Road experience and was a changed man.
He went from prosecuting Christians to starting churches all over the world.
He wrote in the book of 1 Timothy:
Notice the tense of that last phrase: “…of whom I am the worst.”
I am.
Not I was.
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