Center of My Belief

February 19, 2012

Philosophy of Donuts• What is your favorite type of donut?

• Why do donuts have holes in their center?

• Could it be that donuts have holes to remind us that they are full of empty calories?

• A typical donut weighs about 52 grams but has only 2 grams of protein – the rest is sugary goodness (200 calories of it).

How can we be satisfied by something that has nothing in the center?

Spiritual Maturity• Speaking of centers, what is the center of your belief?

• Too many people see the Bible as just a book of rules.– In fact, a Barna Goup survey in 2009 revealed that 81% of self-identified

Christians contend that spiritual maturity is achieved by following the rules in the Bible.

• As a result, they feel satisfied with their level of spiritual maturity simply because they’ve followed the rules of the Bible.

• While the rules and the commandments of God are valuable, following them is not the key to spiritual maturity.

• If you are trying to identify the center of your belief as a Christian, following the rules is not it.

So then, what is?

CHOOSE FULLNESSOVER EMPTINESS

Paul directly addressed this question in his letter

to the Colossians. He warned them about false

teachings and empty philosophy and reminded

them about the fullness of God that is available

to all believers through Christ.

FULLNESS

EMPTINESS

Colossians 2:8-158 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy

and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the

elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. 9 For the

entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ, 10 and you

have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and

authority. 11 You were also circumcised in Him with a

circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of

flesh, in the circumcision of the Messiah. 12 Having been buried

with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through

faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Colossians 2:8-1513 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the

uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and

forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of

debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to

us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them

publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.

Philosophy• In verse 8, Paul urged the Colossians to guard against

being taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit.– What exactly is philosophy anyway? – Does this passage condemn all philosophy? – What type of philosophy was Paul warning them about?

• What’s the problem with a teaching based on human tradition?

• Why would Paul call these teachings empty and deceitful?

Fullness• In verse 9 Paul told the Colossians that the entire

fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and [they had] been filled by Him.

– What does it mean to be filled by Christ?

– What does this passage mean to us today?

– Is it comforting to know that ALL the fullness of God’s nature dwells in Christ?

Christ-Centered Teaching• In verses 10-15, Paul gave the Colossians a refresher course on

the gospel. What are some of the things he said that Christ had done for them?– Christ filled them – Christ liberated them– Christ died for them– Christ arose for them– Christ forgave them– Christ redeemed them– Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities for them– Christ defeated the enemy for them

• Knowing and living these truths is the key to living full, satisfying, and doubtless lives.

Thumbprints of False Teachings• Paul gave three identifying characteristics of false teachings

that believers can still use today to evaluate sound doctrine.

1. Human Tradition – Are teachings and writings of human beings given equal or great authority than the Bible?

2. Elemental Forces – Are natural forces such as the move-ments of stars and planets given special significance? Are elements of nature thought to possess special power?

3. Not Based on Christ – Is Jesus seen as one of many prophets or exalted teacher, or as the unique, divine Son of God?

CHOOSE SUBSTANCE OVER SHADOWS

Paul had just described how Christ stripped away

evil’s power that prevents us from really living.

Now he tells us not to give that power right back

to those evil forces!

SUBSTANCE

SHADOWS

Colossians 2:16-1916 Therefore, don't let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink

or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.

17 These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the

Messiah. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices

and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm

and inflated without cause by his unspiritual mind.

19 He doesn't hold on to the head, from whom the whole body,

nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons,

develops with growth from God.

Don’t Let Anyone Judge You• Have you ever felt judged by someone who was more

strict in his or her religious observance than you were? What was the issue?

• How do you distinguish between issues in which a believer needs to give or receive genuine account-ability and the kind of legalism that Paul warned about in this passage?

• Paul also warned the Colossians no to let anyone disqualify them, what do you think he meant by that?

Let No One Disqualify You• Do believers sometimes use

adherence to rules and regulations in an attempt to “disqualify” other believers?

• Who wins if we allow ourselves to be disqualified from service to the Lord?

• How can we keep that from happening?

Keeping Our Heads

• What did Paul mean in verse 19 when he said, “He doesn’t hold on to the head?”

• What happens when a living thing loses its head – wow do we use the figurative expression “He’s lost his head”?

• How can we keep our “head”?

• How can being connected to a community of believers help us “keep our head on straight”?

CHOOSE RELATIONSHIP OVER RULES

Believers shouldn’t judge others or allow others

to condemn them if they don’t follow rituals or

traditions. And as Paul is about to stress, we

must always make sure that relationship takes

precedence over rules.

RELATIONSHIP

RULES

Colossians 2:20-2320 If you died with the Messiah to the elemental forces of this

world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 "Don't handle, don't taste, don't touch"? 22 All these [regulations] refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men.

23 Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

Relationships Over Rules• What do you think Paul’s tone of voice would have sounded

like if he’d been speaking these words out loud?

• What are some situations in which it’s a good idea to abide by “don’t taste, don’t touch” types of regulations?

• Was this what Paul was talking about? How do you know?

• If self-discipline and humility have no value in curbing self-indulgence, what is their value?

Throw Out the Rule Book?• Does this mean there aren’t any rules to live by? Or is it

about Whose rules you live by?

• How do you learn the difference between God’s rules and the “commands and doctrines of men”?

• Christ did not do away with moral law any more than the Wright brothers did away with the law of gravity.

• But, we must not allow man-made laws keep us grounded when God intends for us to fly!

Don’t, Don’t, Don’t!• What does “Don’t try, die!” mean to you?

• What are some rules and regulations that threaten to replace the gospel as the means for salvation and sanctification?

• Why is it crucial for believers not to submit to a legalistic checklist?

• To live doubtlessly, we must keep Jesus in the center of our belief by rejecting any thinking or practice that denies the centrality of Christ.

• We must recognize the importance of sound doctrine, and evaluate all spiritual truth claims in light of biblical truths, which have Christ as their focus and fulfillment.

SUBSTANCE

SHADOWS

RELATIONSHIP

RULES

FULLNESS

EMPTINESS

Center of My Belief

February 19, 2012