Book of Colossians - Ch. 2, Vs. 16-23 (10/14/2001)

The Shadow of the Sabbath and Resting in Christ

It was funny this morning. I was watching Russ. He said Can I do what? Jews would do and I said yes, and he was thinking what can I do the Jews do in here and get away with it. That was funny. Colossians chapter 2 verse 18 did we do 16 and 17 last time we start with 15.

Okay, we'll start with 16 then which goes with verse 15 of course. Having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink or in respect of a holiday or the new Moon or the Sabbath days and the word days is not in the Greek.

So it just says or the Sabbath. Which are a shadow of things to come. But the body is of Christ. I've noticed something interesting in in recent days in the Internet and different Bible studies being passed around to try to convince people that they ought to be keeping the Sabbath on Saturday and I even saw one recently that said the mark of the beast is going to be those who worship on Sunday and the mark in the forehead of God's people will be that they worship on Saturday and and Yet this verse says let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink, etc, etc.

Or of the Sabbath it doesn't say Sabbath days. It says of the Sabbath. So anybody tries to judge you for that is not of God it's not it has nothing to do with whether you have the mark of the beast or are the Hand of God on your life on whether you worship Saturday or Sunday either day is fine.

Whichever one as long as you do it unto the Lord. Because the reason that that people would say well, you know, it's it's part of the Ten Commandments. It says thou shall not kill so if if you're gonna emphasize that then how can you leave the part that says it talks about the Sabbath and De-emphasize that well to me, you know, that's a pretty good question.

But the point is that you can't keep any of those Ten Commandments. Because Jesus said that if you hate your brother, you've killed him already. And so the truth is to keep those commandments in the flesh is impossible and what the Bible teaches here in verse 17.

Read that one with me which are a shadow of things to come. But the body is of Christ all of those things that happen in the Old Testament for shadows. They were not the real thing. They were shadows of the real thing.

The real thing is. All of that is in the heavenlies now. I don't want to steal brother Otis's thunder, but. But look over at chapter 3 verse 1. This is the part where he'll be teaching next Sunday. But look what it says if you then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Look at verse 4 when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory. You see that's where you're seated. You're seated in the heavenlies and verse 17 says which are the shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ so the the reality of your Position and of your relationship with God has to do with being in Christ not with keeping the Sabbath.

Doesn't matter if you keep it Saturday or if you don't keep it Saturday if you keep it Sunday because if you're not in Christ. You don't have a Sabbath any day if you're in Christ. You have a Sabbath every day because you're resting in Christ because you're not depending upon your works for salvation.

That's what the whole thing was about. It's a rest from work is what God was teaching. Well, he was gonna teach us that you better rest from all religious works because none of that's gonna save you. We rest in Christ now let's go into verse 18 let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and Worshiping of angels.

Christ Above Angels and the Inheritance of Sonship

I put JW in my years ago. I wrote that in my column here Jehovah's Witness. Because it says worshiping of angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind and Not holding the head that kind of speaks of those prophets.

We talked about this morning in the service. They don't hold the head Jesus Christ. They just go by their own natural understanding of things and where would we be if we went by that we would make such a mess of the Bible and an Understanding of the Lord if we just tried to go with our own understanding and natural abilities to figure things out.

We'd be like they are exactly we might even be more dangerous because we call ourselves Christians, you know. But let's look at this little part here about worshiping of angels. You do know that there are some major religions in the world very thriving religions today.

Even in this country that believe that Jesus is an angel and angelic being who can name one. Who can name another? Right the Mormons Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. Well God foresaw that. If you want to put it in human terms His foreknowledge took care of that to look back to Hebrews chapter 1.

He doesn't get very far into this passage before he takes care of this little problem of believing that We can worship angels. A little little spider. Just floating right out here. I got him. He's in my pocket.

Don't worry. Ha ha ha. Hebrews chat, let's just start with verse 1 just just for the fun of it, but we're headed for verse 4. God who at sundry times I like to read this this way and the Greek says it this way.

God who once upon a time and invert diverse manners. Spake in time past and to the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son. There's a contrast. Whom he hath appointed heir of all things.

So we're gonna start talking about his son here. And they're gonna be a lot of contrasts in this passage contrasting him with all sorts of things such as angels. And he goes on and it says whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds that that's quite a contrast.

By whom he made the worlds. What other angel got to help make the world. There's no angel that I remember reading of that helped make the world or make anything and. So there's a great contrast and look at verse 3.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the brightness of God's glory. He is the express image of God's person and upholding all things by the word of Jesus is power. When he had by himself purged our sins wasn't anybody helping him.

We didn't help him. Our mamas didn't help him. Our preachers didn't help him. The moolahs didn't help him. Nobody helped him. He did it by himself. And that's why you don't put other people on the platform with him.

They didn't help him. They didn't help die. They didn't do any of that stuff. So don't even name their names when you name the name of Jesus Christ when he had by himself purged our sins. He sat down.

Does that picture arrest? That is a rest and that's what your Sabbath is. Your Sabbath is resting in Christ right now at the right hand of God's throne on the throne. It is right hand in Christ resting.

That's the whole shadow of the Sabbath. Picture this and we don't need to do the Sabbath because we are living it. We what the Sabbath shadowed. We're in the midst of we are in Christ right now as you sit here.

You're not really here. Only your body is here. The new man is connected to Christ as if you are one By the Holy Spirit and you're seated at the right hand of God. Hallelujah. That is powerful. That's powerful against sin.

That's powerful against temptation and so He is seated there by himself. He purged our sins then he sat down the work was done. It was finished on the right hand of the majesty on high in verse 4 begins to attack the doctrines of the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons and He says it this way.

Being made so much better than the angels now. How can you both be an angel and be better than an angel at the same time? That defies any logic we would have so it proves right there the first phrase proves He's not an angel.

God. Jesus is not a created angelic being. He's greater. He is so much Greater so much better than the angels as he had by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they have. His name is not to be listened.

How can you put? Buddha and Muhammad in the same sentence. With Jesus Christ when God will not even allow the angels to be named with him. You see He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

They don't get to sit on the platform with him. You go up there and those angels are not seated at the right hand of the Father with Jesus Christ, but He goes on for unto which of the angels said he at any time thou art my son.

You see this is very plain. I mean, I don't understand. They must have clipped Hebrews out of their Bibles. I know the Jehovah's Witnesses just changed it. They just changed their Bible and call it the New World translation.

To which at any time did God ever say to any angel thou art my son this day have I begotten thee? There is no other entity. There's no angel. There's no human. There's no animal. There's no rock. There's no creation.

There is no other entity Other than Jesus Christ who was ever begotten of God. Everything else was created by God. There is a huge difference between being birthed and brought forth where Jesus said I have proceeded forth and came out from God and He was saying that to the Pharisees who all believe they were children of God.

He's pointing out a contrast. He's saying yes, you're the children of God. You're all wonderful creations of him. But I am begotten of him and he is the only one no other angel to what other angel did he ever say I've begotten thee and Again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son.

To what angel did God ever say that and again? See again and again, he gives all these proofs that it's not true that this doctrine is not true. And again when he Bringeth in the first begotten into the world.

He saith and let all the angels of God worship him. So if he's an angel, how could the angels worship him? They'd be worshiping themselves. None of it makes any sense. And of the angels he saith who maketh his angel spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.

But under the Sun he saith thy throne. Oh God is forever. So when God speaks of angels, he says I will make you be ministers in a flame of fire. Which is pretty good. But when he talks of Jesus Christ, he says your throne and God calls him God.

Do you see this the father says your throne? Oh God to what angel did the father ever call an angel God? What a proof. I mean you couldn't have more proof than this. It just hits it again and again with more and more proofs.

But into the Sun he saith thy throne. Oh God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows and Thou Lord in the beginning Has laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands.

They shall perish but thou remainest. This is Jesus and they all shall wax old as doth the garment and as a vesture. Shalt they fold. Thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same.

Now listen, there is only one being that is immutable. There's only one being that is unchangeable and that is God. And here God himself says that Jesus is the same. Everything you created will change.

All of the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll. But thou art the same and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels saith he at any time. Sit on my right hand. Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation? That's all. An angel is as if to say that's all but see when you compare it to G to Jesus. It is it's a small thing what the angels do is a small thing compared to Jesus it's a big thing compared to us, but but it's a small thing now the Angels were sent to be ministering spirits to those of us who are heirs of salvation.

So we do have angels just like brother Raymond said that day when he gave his testimony. We do hand out. It was so sweet the way that big old man said. I figured he'd get up here and say I want to tell you about angels.

To say but he said I want to tell you about my angel. In that time he wasn't talking about Sharon usually he is when he says that but he was talking about one of these ministering angels, so there we have an awesome proof.

Against the heresy that Jesus is a created angelic being. So now let's go back into Colossians. Well these people that worship angels. Intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.

He's just like they're worshiping things. They don't know anything about that. They've never seen and they're using their fleshly natural mind to figure it all out. Well, where is that gonna take it? It just can't take you anywhere that's worthwhile and They don't hold the head so they don't have Jesus Christ.

They don't have his mind. They don't have the mind of Christ. So they misinterpret everything they see from which all the body by joints and bands. Do you see how we're connected together all of us? We one reason we have to have unity is that we have no other choice.

We're connected just as the body is connected by cartilage and ligaments and muscles and they're all connected together. The muscles are attached to the bones and so forth just that same way those of us who are of the body of Christ.

We are put together with bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increasing with the increase of God. What a neat little phrase that is that could be a sermon some day couldn't it? Look at that.

Increasing with the increase of God. Well, look if you're connected to each other and we're all connected to the head who is Jesus Christ. Who is seated resting at the right hand of God? Then we increase with the increase of God.

We're attached. Whatever the Lord does wherever he leads we go. We're the body. He's the head. He's the mind. He's the brain and he moves us and we do his will and we increase that way. Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world.

See you're dead with him because you were in him on the cross. Why then as though living in the world? Are you subject to ordinances? Why do you why do you place yourself subject to? Pharisaical minds, why do you get involved in a church that says we have standards here and here's the rules.

You've got to dress this way. You've got to go here. You can't go there. You got to do this. You got to do that. Why do you do that if you're attached to the head? Are you with me? Why do you need that if you're in Christ seated in the heavenlies, why do you need rules?

You're above the rules. You're above even the Ten Commandments now. Most people would think that was blasphemy. But it's the truth the Ten Commandments were just a shadow of what it would be like to have God's laws written in your hearts.

Which is where we are. So why do you become subject again in my greatest fear? I guess as a pastor I would ever have is if something happened to me and you went out looking around trying to find another pastor.

Which probably be better if the Lord raised one up from right here. But if you went out looking for another for a hireling and you brought one in and about four weeks into it He says now here's our standards.

I'll be Visiting you from heaven saying oh, man. Why do you subject to ordinances like touch not don't touch that don't taste that don't handle that. Which all are to perish with the using after the Commandments and doctrines of men.

The Show of Religion Versus Spiritual Reality

Which things have indeed a show now see they look spiritual this is always a problem when you just baby. Christians have this problem many times and. And it's it's almost excusable with them. But when you find someone's been saved for many years and they're still having this problem it's really sad is they want to appear spiritual more than they want to be spiritual and.

So they touch not they taste not they handle not they've got all these rules and they make sure everybody knows what rules they live By and then if you don't live by those rules your carnal and I'm spiritual.

That's a baby. And we got a lot of baby pastors because we got so many pastors putting these rules on the people. Trying but you know why because when their buddy pastor comes and sit on the platform.

He's looking at the people he's embarrassed if they don't look holy. And so he says which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship a show. What does it mean? It's a show it it it's a show of will worship.

Hmm. Make believe it's a show. It's a movie it Makes your mind feel really good, you know takes you off away from reality. It's a show of will worship and humility and neglecting of the body. I'll neglect my body so it'll make me appear to be spiritual.

Let let the hair grow the beard just walk around is the bet most spiritual people look like this. Till I haven't there's some under that shirt. I wear blousy shirts for a reason. Okay. Not In any honor to the satisfying of the flesh which things we have a show.

And it's no honor to it, but it satisfies the flesh feels good to the flesh there. You have a description of most religion in America. Right there and and I'm not picking on any denomination. It cuts through every you know, the it's a show.

The Pentecostals have their show of Glee and gladness and dancing around and there's some real ones in there. But the Baptists have their show of the standards and I'm keeping these rules and then there's some real people who do it for the Lord.

There so but but there's just big shows everywhere and that's what all this is talking about in the whole passage. Deals with shows. One show is a group of people that believes that Jesus is an angel.

So they're worshiping a created being. That's pretty stupid. You know, it'd be like worshiping each other almost. And so I believe. Isn't it beautiful how the Lord crossed? I mean the the word cross references itself and you go over into Hebrews and it just totally.

Just line by line blows away the false doctrine of Jesus being an angelic being so today We've had all kinds of scriptures that dealt with different opinions that men have of Jesus who is who is Jesus?

Who is this man Jesus Christ? Is he a prophet? Is he a good man? Jesus himself didn't let him call him. Why do you call me a good man? Why do you call me good? There's none good, but one and that's God.

Why'd you call me good? See, but today everybody just wants to call him good. He's good man. So is Muhammad. So Is this angelic Jesus that the Jehovah's Witnesses and they didn't invent him and Harris?

He's been there since 2 ,000 years ago. That's why it's dealt with in Hebrews. What was that called? Nasta? No, which group was it that thought Jesus was created back back then the Gnostics? Should have looked that up, but I didn't I expect.

Expected for the bill to know visit the Gnostics. I don't think that's it, but I'll have that for you next Sunday but there it's an old heresy goes all the way back and and Apostle Paul dealt with it in the book of Hebrews.

The Hidden Life in Christ and Freedom from Human Ordinances

Well, let's stand and have prayer together and I'm going to leave this Wonderful passage starting with chapter 3 verse 1 through 4 with brother Otis next week. He got the really good passage coming up here next week.

It's the answer to all these problems. Being seated in Christ in Christ in the heavenlies. That's the answer. Lord, thank you for the scriptures. You gave us today thank you for the way you have taught us the way you are teaching us and That you come along beside us and you give us the only Gospel there is the Word of God and Lord the only group in the world that has that kind of religion that is given by the The paraclete the one who comes alongside and teaches by the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for that go with us and protect us and guide us give us your wisdom in these days that we live in surely the last days protect our children give with them strong faith and We ask you to bring us back together safely in Jesus name.

Amen.