Colossians Lesson 9

OK, we're working our way through lesson nine, which have to do with Colossians chapter two. And we did we started out in verse or in question one relates to Paul's struggle on behalf of the Colossians. What's the struggle? What's the struggle? Now don't tell me that you don't know because you didn't have copies of Lesson. Verse 1 says, For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for those who have not personally seen my face. He hasn't been there. You think that's the struggle? I think it's an effort that they would understand. Understand what? That's the key. What is it he wants them to understand? The mystery. The mystery, that's right.

And notice that you don't have a struggle unless you have opposition, right? I used to have this buddy that said Christianity is not a trip down the flat river in a yacht. I used to think that was pretty funny. But if there's no opposition then there's no struggle.

Now we started last week talking about the mystery and we're going to talk more about that today. He wants them to know and be in enjoyment of what this mystery is. And of course, in chapter 1, when you say, well, what's the mystery? Well, it's Christ in you, the hope of glory. But I think we need to expand on what that is to a great degree. It's interesting how earnest Paul is for the Colossians, how careful he is and how concerned he is about the mystery and not about their salvation.

So remember last week we talked a little bit that the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of the mystery are not the same thing. Anybody want to tell me why or what's the difference? Christ is seated in heaven and we are in Christ in heaven. Salvation wasn't the issue here.

The information was about the mystery. Now, what I want to do, I'm going to jump down a couple of questions and then we'll come back because I want to talk specifically about the mystery. So you're going to do some flipping around in your Bible, so get ready. Go to Matthew 16, 18. And what I'm going to try to do is kind of explain what the mystery is and hopefully how important it is. Because here's the thing. Within the Word of God, Most all the epistles are written to really deal with problems, right? Am I right about that?

What was the problem in Corinth? What was the deal with the Corinthians? They were all Democrats, right? What was the problem with them? They wanted to see if they were following each other. There was, I would say that the problem was indulgence. They took liberty with the grace that they had and that they were very bright people. introduced their own wisdom into the equation. They said we can do as we will and will reign as kings and are saved and we all have these great gifts. You notice the interesting thing about Corinth is that they were the most gifted church but probably the least spiritual. So what was Paul's solution to the Corinth problem? What did he offer? He offered the Lord's table. What he said to them was, how can you be self-indulgent when Christ died for you? That doesn't make any sense. So his instruction to them was, or the remedy was, the Lord's table.

What was the problem in Galatia? Legalism. What was the solution to that? Grace. So the Galatians were bringing in the law to do what? To enhance their position or their righteousness before God. Or traditions. And actually the solution to that was grace, but it was also the fact that they had been crucified. I had been crucified with Christ. Alright, what's the Colossian problem then? Wasn't that Gnosticism? What's that? Gnostic teaching. Well, that's something we would call it, but I mean, what was going on with them? What was the danger that was about to come on them?

Because he says in chapter one, for your faith and your love for one another, it's legendary. But they put angels between themselves and God, didn't they? Christ wasn't all sufficient. That's exactly right. There were two big issues. They were trying to say that they as human beings could contribute to Christ. You see that? We don't have that problem today, do we? And the fact that the other thing was that their flesh could contribute by tradition. Those are the two big issues. What's the solution to that danger? The supremacy of Christ. Would you say the supremacy? I think it's, would you find Christ everything? So let's say, I wish Echo was here. Let's say you're a scientist. Does your scientific endeavors contribute to the church? Contribute to Christ? You sure? You sure? How about if you're really a type A, go for it, kind of guy like Courtney? I'm going to get you back. Does that contribute? What's that? We can't add anything to what he's done. That's right. He's sufficient. That's right.

But Paul somehow sensed that the Colossians were in danger of that being a problem with them. OK, so having said that, in Matthew 16, 18, somebody read that. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Okay, great verse. Whose church is it? Whose body is it? Christ.

Now if you come out of Catholicism like me, that's the verse they based the Pope on. So if you start with that verse, that Christ is going to build his church upon himself, we'll start with that. The next issue is Matthew 22-44. Now we haven't talked about the mystery yet, we're working up to it. Matthew 22-44.

Go. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Okay. Where was this statement made? David. Huh? In Psalms. Where? In Psalms. It's in Psalms, but what's the location of the sitting down? The right hand and the other. And where is that? Heaven. Okay. Heaven is the location of where the Father said, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet.

So it's important to understand that the Lord Jesus has been rejected from the earth, so this isn't his place anymore in that sense, and that the work that's going to be done is going to be centered in the heavenlies. Not here. John 3.19 and John 15.22, they go together. I don't think half these people can read English. 3.19? Yeah. And this is a judgment that the light is coming to the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light. What did they do with him? They rejected him, right? And 1522 says, if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sinned. But now they have no excuse for their sin. So the world is under judgment now as much as it was at the time of the flood. Now some of you guys are getting a little nervous because you're pretty worldly. Act 7, 55 and 56. And I hope you're writing these verses down.

No. But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." OK, now, you have the Lord Jesus rejected, he's gone, he's in the heavenlies, right? But here's a man on earth who has just stood up before the Jews and laid out the case for who Christ is. And what was their response? They were going to stone him, right? They won't have, they're going to have nothing to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. So even in glory, they won't accept Him.

But an interesting thing happens here for the first time. What's the interesting thing that happens? What do you see here that for the first time in the Word of God, that this thing takes place that hasn't happened before? What's that? David sees beyond this life into the heavenlies.

He sees into the heavenlies. Right. He saw the man standing. He saw the Lord Jesus standing at the right hand in glory. First time that's ever happened. Kind of a cool thing. It begins to contribute now, it's not the mystery yet, but it begins to contribute to those on the earth and their association with Christ where He is. You see that? Okay. Now, Acts 9, 4.

Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And what's so unique about that? He came from heaven? No. What was Saul doing? He was persecuting the followers. He was running around Israel and the Mediterranean Basin and he was arresting Christians. He had the authority from the Sanhedrin to do it and he was actually killing some of them. And what does the Lord Jesus say to him? He's persecuting the Lord. Why are you persecuting my guys?

No, me. Oh, what does that mean? He's identified with them. identified with them. Now we're getting to the mystery. Those who are on the earth that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ who is in heaven are united. Do you see that? Now the mystery starts to come out that not only are they individually but corporately as a body of believers They are united to Christ in such a manner that Christ would say to Paul, why are you persecuting me? Do you see that?

Now we're getting a real shot at what the mystery is. That Christ has been rejected from the earth, he's in the heavenlies, sitting until the Father makes his enemies his footstool, yet he has a body of human beings who are united to him who are still in the place where he was rejected and they're united. That's the mystery.

Now is that important? Very. Why is it important to you guys and me? Why would that be such a big deal? What does it tell us? That we're united to Christ. Yeah. Well, you know, I have to ask you my favorite question. So what? So what's the big deal about being united to Christ? We don't have to wait to die to be with Him. Okay. We're with Him right now the same as we will be after death. Okay. The sin issue's been dealt with. Sin issue's been dealt with. But how about you? Here, still on the earth physically, but united to Christ there. What's your relationship to the earth? You don't have any. You don't have any. Because the one you're united to doesn't have any.

So in order for you and I to be united to Christ and the heavenlies, we have to be maybe a different kind of a creature? Is that why we don't see the fit? Well, here's the problem though. Take that information and put next to it your desire to contribute to Christ from here. You can't. You can't.

So the point is that what Paul is going to teach, hopefully teach the Colossians is Here's who you are, here's what the mystery is, and the mystery is the thing that's going to keep you protected from trying to add or contribute to who Christ is. Because as we go through chapter 2 and as we've seen in chapter 1, is there anything missing from Christ? Is He not everything? Then why would you want to add to Him or contribute? Do you see how the mystery works?

Now, I must go. I'm thinking that knowing about the mystery is something my simple nature doesn't want me to understand because that's death to it. I'm not going to be paying attention to it and granting its wishes, hopefully, and understanding the mystery maybe helps me, it gives me a joy that I desire then to be in fellowship more because I know where I am and that I'm already united. I'm not trying to be good or whatever. I would change one word of what you said. I would know who I'm with.

Because here's the thing, when you're united to the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, what kind of a relationship do you have with him? Very personal. It should be personal. Intimate. That's what he wants. And if you're going to derive all from him, it's really important that you know him. Intimately, personally, you know about him. It's like a marriage. That's actually not what a marriage is designed to portray. It's the oneness between the body of Christ and Christ himself. There aren't any secrets.

If there are, see me after class. Do you see that? There's an intimacy here of the body of Christ that's on the earth, that's in a place where he was rejected, an intimacy with him where he is now seated at the right hand of the Father. And there should be this growing personal, I can't find another word that's better than intimacy, with him there. were totally suited out. He said to us that we have been suited out to be the inheritance of the saints in life. What does that mean? That means that I'm now on a place or in a place where I can behold, enjoy, and interact with the Lord Jesus Christ on His level.

I can forget about trying to get Him to come down into my level and fix my problems. Do you see that? I can enjoy Him on his level, were members of the royal family. I've often thought that if you happen to live in England and you were a British subject and your last name was Windsor, who's the Queen? Windsor. Who's the Queen to you? Related to her sister. She's mom, right? The Lord Jesus Christ, who is he to you? Who is he to you? Lord and Savior. Well, but it's closer than mom, I think. You think? I think. Yeah. We're to be the bride. were united to him.

So can you begin to see now why this mystery is so important to be communicated to the Colossians to help keep them from contributions to Christianity? I think this goes back to the understanding of position and condition. If you understand your position You know, where are we? We're positioned in Christ.

And I keep thinking, you know, when we think of all the bad things we do or that we're trying to do or whatever, God still only sees us in Christ. He looks at us and He sees Christ. Because we're positioned in Him, in the heavenlies. And that's what He sees.

And what more, I always think about this, what more do I need to do to make Him want to be associated with me? or to impress him or do anything. If you understand that positionally we're in Christ and that's who he sees, when he looks at us, he sees Christ.

And that's positionally. And then as you understand that, I think the condition here, you start kind of coming together. Because if you understand that intimacy and that, what God has with John 17 and that intimacy, just put yourself in that. And we share that same intimacy. That's the position we have. How does that then begin to relate to your condition?

But it's first understanding the position, and I think that's part of the mystery. We are in Christ, and how does the Father love the Son? And He loves us the same way. Isn't it interesting that with this wonderful information, there is resistance, because Paul says, Now think about this. Here we are, we find out this information about our union, we're suited out to be in union with Christ in the heavenlies, yet we've got this thing called the flesh, the sin nature. Is it buying into this? Nobody better say yes. No, it's not. What is the very character of the sin nature? What does it want to do? It wants to glorify itself. It wants to be noticed. It wants to be part of the deal.

So from God's perspective, how much room is he going to give the flesh? Zero. And so if he doesn't give any space to the flesh, you know in Romans 7 it says that I had not known desire until the law came along and said you can't desire. The one cool thing about the sin nature is that that's what it does, it desires. So God said I think I'll make that illegal. You can't do the thing that you want to do all the time. And as soon as the law comes and says you can't do that, guess what happens? The sin nature says I'll show you about desiring. Did Paul also say the things I want to do I don't do and the things I don't want to do I do? Yeah.

So I want you to understand that there is resistance to the mystery. The interesting thing about the mystery is that how often do we talk about it around here? We talk about identification and grace and position and condition, but we don't talk much about this mystery. And you know what? If I'm Satan, you know what I do? I want to keep it quiet. I don't want you talking about that. Why? Because it means that you're going to allow the flesh to come in and contribute. That's why.

You're going to try to be better. You're going to try to be smarter. You're going to try to be better educated. Or as Courtney said, be a greater contributor. Or you're not going to understand or know your position, so you think there's something lacking. Do you see what I'm saying? So, yeah.

It seems like, I think about this now and then it crosses my mind that I've been a Christian a very long time, this ought to get easier. You know, to stay in fellowship and walk with the Lord and all that ought to get a whole lot easier than it used to be, but it doesn't seem to be doing that. And so recently I thought it came to my mind that verse that says that the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit lusts against the flesh. So there's this going on, I guess, until the day I die.

And which one of those are you? I'm in the spirit. No, which one of those are you? I don't know what you're saying. Neither. You're neither one of those. Who are the two combatants in that deal? Yeah, the spirit and the sinful nature. So you're just a victim. Oh yeah, well I'm glad you told me. Now I've got an excuse. So here's a couple of problems.

How can I, as a believer, have both earth and Christ? How can I have both? You can't. What's that? You can't. Guy's been studying. You can't. You get one or the other. So how can I be on the earth where he is not and how can I reach him where he is in heaven? By dying. Well that doesn't sound like a very nice prospect. Do I have to die? That's your problem. I'll ask the question again. Now think. He's in heaven but he's also in me. And I don't need to reach out to heaven for him. I just need to converse with him. Okay. Every time I ask this question I get criticized. And I'm going to ask it again anyway.

What's more important? Christ in me or me in Christ? How many think it's Christ in me? Christ in me? I do. How many think it's me and Christ? I think me and Christ, Galatians. No, you can't. Both are true. Sort of like it comes first. Where's your home? Where's your home? And so, is it important that Christ is in you on the earth? Yeah. But what's more important? It's where you are. Where are you? I mean Christ in the heavenlies. So wouldn't it make sense that I probably ought to spend some time finding out what it's like there?

Does that make us no earthly good? Actually it does make you earthly good. Because you're now somebody on the earth who's a representative of Christ and you're a greater benefit to the earth than anybody else. Not that that's your focus. What does that say? It's important for us to know that we are in Christ in the heavenlies. And it's not just a saying. You remember last week when I said, well, what's the mystery? And you said, Christ in you, the hope of glory.

And that was the end of the conversation. That's as far as our understanding went. One of the problems you have in a body of believers like we have is that we learn all these Christian buzzwords. And so when questions are asked, you just come out with the buzzword.

And the guys on Tuesday are driving nuts because they're the greatest bunch of buzzword users I've ever been around. I make them explain every time. You know, it's like when Luke Jenkins had been down in Sunday school with the kids for about a year, he had every answer was, well, Luke, what's it on his answer was Jesus. I said, well, Luke, you know, it ended on Jesus. We all do that.

We get the buzzwords down. It's like shop talk. Those of you who work in the field you're in, there's shop talk. Isn't there? There are certain words that you use all the time that mean things to you within the sphere of influence that you're in, and people outside wouldn't understand. Well, it's the same thing here.

So you hear, like Bruce just did a little while ago, you gotta die. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Hopefully you know more about it than just that phrase. So the mystery is being associated with Christ in glory? Yeah, but still being here physically, yeah. And the association with Christ in glory is the big issue. What was his question we didn't hear about? That was the question. The mystery is we being associated with Christ in glory.

We're positioned in Him. Our focus is in Him. And as we go through Chapter 2 now, what's He going to lay out to us? He's going to begin or He's going to continue to magnify the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can see who He is. And then He's going to make this really cool statement. He's going to say, you're complete in Him. Isn't that neat? So that you're not, we may be here on the earth. Why are you here still? What are you here to do as believers? What are you really here to do? more than that.

We are the ambassadors of the reconciliation. So if you're an ambassador of the reconciliation, who do you represent? Christ himself. So I would say, to the devil's chagrin, that Christ is more present on the earth today than he ever was when he was here before. Because you and I are the representatives. We're the ambassadors. We're the ones that represent him. And you can't represent him by contributing from the flesh.

Or by doing a bunch of really cool ritual stuff. It's just an observation that in my life I've always thought of the church as being this organization like our Holly Hills Bible Church. And we're a part of this earthly organization. We're a heavenly organization, really. Yes, we are. We're a heavenly organism, united to the Lord Jesus Christ there. Okay, back to question two.

Why did their hearts need to be encouraged? Why did their hearts need to be encouraged? Because people like the Judaizers were coming in and captivating them with their worldly theories. Yeah, I don't know if it was so much the Judaizers here They didn't really need an outside influence. We don't need outside influences.

Because we all have sin natures, we're thinking, oh, there's got to be something I can contribute, or I can appear to be holier, or I can go study and memorize something, and with my mind I can contribute. Do you see that? It's a very subtle thing. Is there anything wrong with that? Okay. Did everybody hear the question? This is a great question. She said, is there anything wrong with that? Trying to be good? Yeah, trying to be better. I'm going to answer that by asking you two questions. Did God help you to be saved? Okay, second question. Will God help you live the Christian life? I would certainly... I mean, I'd lean on him to do that. So who's he helping? He's helping me. You, the flesh? The flesh gets the result of it. What is the Christian life? What is it? What is it? What's that? So the Christian life is Christ living his life through you, right?

Do you need his help? No, you don't. And he isn't going to help you. When you say, help me, do you have You're implying that you have something to do with it. I have something to do with it, or that I'm really weak and I need him to sort of come and boost me along. He helps me become saved, or I save myself, which that's not true. That's exactly right. He didn't help you to get saved, he saved you. He did it. All of it. He's not going to help you live the Christian life, he's going to live it through you.

The mindset that I need help is exactly what the Colossians were having a problem with. Do you see that? If they understood the mystery, they wouldn't ask God for help to live the Christian life. Now, they would go to the throne of grace and seek mercy in the time of need, but that's not the same thing as helping me live the Christian life.

Does that make sense? Did everybody pick up on that or do you want to argue with me about it? You can, you're free to do it. What's that? Repeat that, some of us who are older need to be told. No, it's not you're older, you're just Baptist. Think about it, you guys spent decades in a church that told you go and ask God to help you be better, right? Isn't that in essence what they were telling you? And there's a difference? And then she went to the Baptisters. What's that? And then she went to the Baptisters. Then she went to the Baptisters.

Does everybody understand that God didn't help you be saved? That he did it all? So if Christ is in you, then you live that life, right? Is that what you're saying? Okay, then that's the next question. If Christ is going to live His life through you, what's your responsibility?

To let go and let Him do it. Not quite. Just to trust Him. Just to trust Him. To believe Him when He tells you. Your whole job is to believe Him. When you read Paul's epistles, you are never going to find any phraseology that says, oh, get on your knees and pray to God to help you do A, B, and C. He says, no, you guys should know. I'm giving you the mystery. I've given you identification, position, condition, grace, all of it. Your job is to believe. Believe. Trust him. That's your whole job. Did I get that far yet? Do I have question four? I'm going to do three and then we'll do four. I think I've got enough time.

Why is it critical that believers know and understand the mystery of God? Josiah just gave us the answer. Why is it important that you know? Say that again? Because we need to know that we are united with him in Christ who is in heaven. That's good. Anybody else? Well the text says that they would not be beguiled with enticing words. That's right.

Being deceived and what was going on. Why is it important to know? Why is it critical that believers know and understand the mystery of God? Because if you don't know and understand, you can't trust and believe. You hear what he said? If you don't know and understand, you can't trust and believe.

Donna. Well, and that's who you are. That's exactly right. And in this particular case, the preservation of the intrusion of the flesh on the Colossians was the mystery. That was what was going to protect them from trying to contribute to their Christianity. Does that make sense? So, knowing and understanding seems to be really critical within the Christian life, doesn't it? Would the Lord Jesus Christ God the Father and the Holy Spirit wants you to be ignorant? Well, maybe I ask it another way. Did the buzzer go off? No. One did? Okay.

Is it important as Christians to have really strong feelings? Pentecostals probably say yes. Well, I think so. What's more important than that? the knowledge of the Word of God and to know and understand. So the Holy Spirit has been sent by the Lord Jesus Christ in the name of the Father to do what? To wise us up. To reveal to us what the truth is. About what? About who? The Lord Jesus Christ. Where? In glory.

So as you get knowledgeable and you begin to settle down and trust Him, what happens? The flesh doesn't intrude as much as it otherwise would. Because you don't trust your feelings, you trust the Word of God. That's an important point. That kind of takes the weight off of us. It does. And that's the whole idea.

What's that? Worship. What about worship? Emotionally or intellectually? Everybody hear the question? No. She's saying what about worship? Do you worship God intellectually, emotionally? I think it's all of yourself. You mean the flesh? Your whole being. It's to be unified in worship.

Why would you worship God? Why do you even do it? Everybody seems to have something in them to worship. Why do you worship him? Because he loved us first. That's a pretty good answer. Because he deserves it. Not because you're trying to impress him about how cool you are as a Christian. Because he deserves it. And he has proven to you he deserves it.

Isn't there something in human beings to worship? Everybody worships somebody, even if it's idols. I just heard the second buzzer. The problem I have with worship is I think a lot of it is fleshly. And why is it always around music? So you don't get to teach as long. I don't have to teach as well. Hey Donna, what's Karen Jenkins' thing about worship music?

7-7-7? 7-11. It's 7 verses 7 times what? For 7 minutes. For 7 minutes. That's worship. Okay, we're going to pick up at question... who asked about question five? That's what we'll pick up next week, okay? Let's close. Dear Father, how we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ and how thankful we are that you have shown us that in Him are all the treasures that we would ever need about anything, Father. And so we look forward to continually growing in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we pray in His precious name. Amen.