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Colossians 2:1-17 12-7-

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1. Intro:
1.1. [Andrew Carnegie] The 1
st
one gets the oyster; the 2
nd
gets the shell.
1.1.1. Im sure he was referring to physical things, but I think the principle
can be applied spiritually!
1.1.2. Paul goes for the heart, not the shell of a man!
2. CHRIST OUR TREASURE CHEST! (1-3)
2.1. Vs.1 Great Conflict struggle (/agon !here !e get agony.
2.1.1. An athletic contest which is strenuous & demanding.
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2.1.2. nlarged hearts always know the !agon" #sleepless nights, they
empathi$e, they struggle in prayer%
&
2.1.". Paul had such a passion!
2.1.".1. Story W. E. Sangster once interviewed an applicant for the
Methodist ministry. The man said he was rather shy & not the sort who
would set the ThamesTames! "iver on firestir up the city!. Dr. Sangster
responded: #My dear young $rother% &'m not interested to (now if you
could set the Thames on fire. What & want to (now is this) if & pic(ed you
up $y the scruff of your nec( & dropped you into the Thames% would it
si**le+
,
-...,.-. Sangster was loo(ing for someone /assionate li(e the apostle.
2.2. Vs.2,3 #nit together in lo$e The sense of the $er% carries !/it
the idea of the %ody. (&.T.'o%ertson
&.&.1. 'he billions of cells in our bodies well illustrate this.
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(#G)T
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#ent *ughes+ Col.
"
,ohn -tott
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2.". The .ystery of God is Christ+ / in Christ are loc0ed u1(or hidden
all the treasures(ie. !isdo. / 0no!ledge2
2.".1. 'he (nostics used the word !hidden" for the secrets in their
esoteric#pri)ate% writings.
&.*.&. Paul takes the word from them & claims that in +hrist are found A,,
knowledge & wisdom!
2.".". 'here is no other !'reasury of knowledge"! #-ote the word !A,,"%
2.".3. .swald +hambers said, !/y goal is (od 0imself, not 1oy, nor
peace, nor e)en blessing, 2ut (od 0imself, /y (od!"
2.3. If Christ is: all 4isdo.("+ all #no!ledge("+ / all fullness(5+ /
your co.1lete in *i.(16+ !hy acce1t a su%stitute7 Dont let
Anyone come between you & Christ!
2.3.1. 0ere are * warnings from Paul regarding this3 415 ,et no one
6ecei)e you 4&5 ,et no one +heat you 4*5 ,et no one 1udge you!
3. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU! (4-7)
".1. The 1
st
thief is a !arning in regards to those !ho use 1ersuasi$e
!ords/fine sounding argu.ents.
".1.1. #Melanchthon% !religious arguments taken from human reason."
*.1.&. 7atch out for those !8eligious 9enus :ly 'raps"! #0ughes%
*.1.*. !It is seducti)e, deadly, deceit."
".2. 8aul gi$es us 9 1ictures of Spiritual Progress to 0ee1 us fro. %eing
:ecei$ed2
".". BE A SOLDIER ;oth order / steadfastness are .ilitary ter.s.
".".1. .rder ; speaks of ranks#(eneral to foot soldier%
".".2. <teadfastness = speaks of battle formation. A solid front. A closed
phalana>.
?
".".2.1. 0e steadfast in spite of the attac(s of the slic(<tongued heretics.
3
(ightfoot
3
".3. BE A PILGRIM !al0 To !al0 a%out+ to conduct one=s life(a
continual / ha%itual action.
".3.1. 1:10 #that you may walk worthy of the 1ord% fully pleasing 2im% $eing fruitful in
every good wor( and increasing in the (nowledge of 3od4
".3.2. 4:5 #Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside% redeeming the time.5
*.?.*. 7e are to walk the, +hrist Path, the 1esus 8oad, 0e is 'he 7ay!
".3.3. 2illy (raham said% #6o man can $e said% to $e truly converted to Christ who
has not $ent his will to Christ. 2e may give intellectual assent to the claims of
Christ & may have emotional religious e7periences4 however% he is not truly
converted until he has surrendered his will to Christ as 1ord% Savior & Master.5
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".3.9. @3 A7hen you light a candle do you light it to make the candle more
comfortable, or to ha)e it gi)e lightBA CAnd so you ha)e been lit by
(od, to gi)e off light, not to be warmed & filledD
".9. BE A ROOT root < :on=t %e a tumb!"!!# They ha$e a single
narro! root+ it turns %rittle !/age+ !hich results in a short life+ death+
then are su%>ect to the !ill of the !inds2
?
".9.1. 2e a Palm that bends but doesnt break , be a vine that grows
tightly to the stable oak, be the tree in Ps. 1 that has its roots deep
& near a water source.
".?. BE A B$ILDI%G %uilt u1 To %uild u1+ or u1on.
".?.1. .ur foundation rests on +hrist & in +hrist.
".?.1.1. 9et our growth doesn't disregard the early truths of :.C. for
newer truths;
".?.1.2. Wasn't our 1
st
knowledge of Christ via evangelical truth+
".?.1.". Wasn't our 1
st
concern to tell others. 6ow have we matured past
that+++
".?.2. !establish" E strengthen., make firm.
".?.". !in the faith" = Fou started in faith, continue in faith. Fou started in
+hrist, continue in +hrist.
".?.".1. #&n our $uilding) &f to $e $uilt up is our foundation% & to $e
esta$lished is our re<$ar that strengthens our $uilding % then faith is the
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&nnuals of &.er.+ ;illy Graha.
?
#ent *ughes+ Col.
&
cement of the whole $uilding.5
".@. BE A RIVER a%ounding to o$erflo!(the 1icture of the %an0s of
a ri$er
*.G.1. .)erflow with (ratitude!
".A. *ere are 3 G's today+ that !ill 0ee1 you fro. to.orro! going astray2
".A.1. 2e Grounded#root%, Growing#built up%, & Grateful#thanksgi)ing%!
4. LET NO ONE CHEAT YOU! (8-15)
3.1. Bur 2
nd
thief is .an<.ade 1hiloso1hy / tradition.
3.2. Cheat you (ead you off as %ooty.
3.2.1. Theodore Roosevelt said, !I think there is 1 Huality worse than
hardness of the heart, & that is softness of the head!"
3.". 8hiloso1hy ((o$e of !isdo. 8aul !asn=t o11osed to 1hiloso1hy
1er se. *e hi.self !as a lover of wisdom.
3.".1. 8hiloso1hy in itself is not har.ful+ %ut godless 1hiloso1hy is a
failure.
=.,..... There was a dangerous $lend of :udaism% enticing mysteries of Eastern
mysticism% & 3ree( philosophy. >.>.0ruce!
3.".1.2. They would try to pull the Colossian $elievers into the #deeper5
things;
3.".2. The i.1ortant thing a%out 1hiloso1hy is its (ri)i*.?3od or man+@
3.3. C.1ty :eceit < C.1ty tric0ery.
3.9. Traditions &gain not !rong in the.sel$es. ;ut the e.1ty
traditions of Colosse=s false teachers !ere !rong.
=.A. #Some people are so in need in seeing something that they will loo( till they are almost
$lind% yet they never catch a glimpse of anything real.5 0arnhouse!
3.?.1. C/any shout3 do this techniHue & youll gain your health, follow
these steps & (od will make you rich, at this type of food, dont
drink that, ladies wear dresses instead of pants, wear head
co)erings, bapti$e in the name of 1esus only, 6ont wear Iewelry,
!your church has drumsB"D
+
3.@. ,s.- Dullness The fullness of the Godhood is in Christ(C.anuel
God !/us2
3.@.1. &n :esus divine omnipotence moved in a human arm4 &n :esus divine wisdom
was cradled in a human $rain4 &n :esus divine love thro$$ed in a human heart4 &n
:esus divine compassion glistened in a human eye4 &n :esus divine grace
poured forth in human lips. 1loyd Cory!
3.A. ,s.1. Eou are Co.1lete in *i. Co.1lete or deficient7
3.5. Vs .13 = 0ow many trespassesB !all".
3.5.1. & read the story recently of how 1ouis B&& of >rance treated his enemies after he
ascended to the throne. 0efore coming to power% he had $een cast into prison and
(ept in chains. 1ater when he did $ecome (ing% he was urged to see( revenge $ut
he refused. &nstead% he prepared a scroll on which he listed all who had
perpetrated crimes against him. 0ehind every manCs name he placed a cross in
red in(. When the guilty heard a$out this% they feared for their lives and fled. Then
the (ing e7plained% DThe cross which & drew $eside each name was not a sign of
punishment% $ut a pledge of forgiveness e7tended for the sa(e of the crucified
Savior% who upon 2is cross forgave 2is enemies and prayed for them.D
3.16. Vs .15 = !triumphing o)er them" = A general leading his capti)es chained
to his chariot wheel. #A.'.8obertson%
5. LET NO ONE JUDGE YOU! (16-17)
9.1. The "
rd
'o%%er legalis..(21
9.1.1. 0e steals your liberty in +hrist & makes you li)e by religious
regulations instead of by (ods (race!
9.1.2. 8eter called it a yo0e u1on the nec02
9.1.". 8aul used it to !arn the Galatians (9F1 #&t is for freedom that Christ has set us
free. Stand firm% then% and do not let yourselves $e $urdened again $y a yo(e of
slavery.5
9.2. *ere are so.e ti.eless 1rinci1les gi$en to the 'o.an church %y 8aul
in cha1ter 13 of 'o.ans.
8.-... Christians shouldn't Euarrel a$out opinions .!
8.-.-. Christians are personally accounta$le to 3od for their actions .-!
8.-.,. Christians are not to stum$le others wFtheir li$erty .,!
8.-.=. Christians must have li$erty in what they do .=!
/
8.-.8. Christians are to do what edifies your $rother .G!
8.-.A. Christians should for their wea( $rother sa(e a$stain from certain practices -.!
8.-.H. Christians are to do only what can $e done wFo self<condemnation --!
8.-.I. Christians are to follow the e7ample of Christ% who did not live to please self..8).<,