Well as we turn again once more
to this second chapter in the epistle of Paul to the Colossians
this evening we'll read verses 16 to 19. So Colossians chapter
2 reading verses 16 to 19. Let no man therefore judge you
in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day, or of the new
moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things
to come, but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility, and worship him of angels, intruding
into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshly mind, and not holding the head from which all the body,
by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God. As we consider these verses together
this evening, we should recognize that of course the Jewish people,
the Colossians, and they had been immersed in so many ceremonies,
in the ceremonial law of things they should not eat, things they
should not drink, what they should sacrifice, how they should do
it. All these things have been laid
down very very carefully through the ceremonial law which was
given to Moses so many years ago. And which of course the
Jews had kept up very methodically and very carefully and very thoroughly. But now the apostle is telling
them really that they are now living in a different day a different
age and therefore he just outlines these things because the likelihood
was and probably the truth was that many were being judged because
they didn't keep things as they had done but they deviated from
them and so the Apostle tells us here let no man therefore
judge you in meat or in drink the things that they should eat
the things that they should not eat and you may remember that
there was a whole list in the Old Testament giving the things
that could be eaten and the things which should not be eaten and
therefore he says that no man therefore judge you in meat or
in drink or in respect of an holy day and that of course referred
to the Passover and the other ordinances which the Israelites
had kept very faithfully for so many, many years. But now
there was no need to keep them because they had been superseded
by the great and glorious death of the Saviour. And in those
days they used to keep also a ceremony for the new moon. You may remember
in the life of David, a number of times we were told it was
the new moon and David was expected to be in his place by Saul. But there we are now told This
is not necessary in New Moon's or of the Sabbath days. And of course the weekly Sabbath
days were of course to be kept still. But what he's referring
to here really is the Jubilee on that particular occasion.
It was a very special day as the Jubilee. But this again also
was not to be kept. and therefore they were to be
released from these things which have been so burdensome to them
for so many years and then he goes on to say which are a shadow
of things to come that's what they were there was nothing clear
in them they were only just mysterious things really and they were just
a shadow the Lord gave glorious sight to some to see that which
was hidden under the surface, that which was illustrated by
those wonderful things, especially we can think of the Passover
and the tremendous significance that that had in the slaying
of the lamb and the roasting of the lamb, and the blood taken
and put upon the dinder and doorposts, and the only safety being in
the house having passed under the blood." What a beautiful
picture it was. But it was not now to be carried
out because Christ had become the Passover of the Church of
God. And so he goes on to say, but
the body is of Christ. And so he says then, let no man
beguile you. of your reward in a voluntary
humility, and worshipping of angels, intruding into those
things which he hath not seen. Well, there is, there was, perhaps
there still is, a lot of, we might term voluntary humility,
not really in accordance with the word of God, and people acting
so to be thought of as being very humble, and very gracious. In fact, they were not numbered
amongst the true worshippers, and even in those days there
were those who worshipped angels. And there was no authority, never
had been, and isn't now, any authority to worship angels. And apparently there was a worshipping
of angels. That's why the Apostle here directs
them to this situation. And he says, therefore, intruding
into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshly mind. See how easily we can be puffed
up in our mind, assuming that we're doing good things, godly
things, right things that will impress people. That was really
one of the great things that the Jews did, to impress people. And we have the evidence of it,
of course, in that prayer of the Pharisee, who wanted to be
seen and people to hear what he was saying. He was just puffed
up, really with his fleshly mind. And then the Lord comes and says,
Paul speaks by the Lord and not holding the head, from which
all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment, ministered,
and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." Well,
this is a great and glorious truth, and how blessed we are
if we do hold the head. The Lord Jesus Christ, the great
and glorious Saviour, in Him, of course, are bound all the
body of Christ, every member, the body and every person who
is a true believer is a member of this body of Christ and yet
here the Apostle is telling them and not holding the head they
weren't indeed recognizing the Lord as who he was and not recognizing
there was the Church of God who was joined together indeed knit
together What a mercy it is when God's people are knit together
and we're only knit together through Christ. If Christ is
missing, if Christ is not in the midst, we are not knit together
in Him. And there will then be divisions
and oppositions. And so what a blessing if we
are found holding the head from which all the body by joints
and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together
increaseth with the increase of God. What a wonderful blessing
that is, because we are not serving those things which are corruptible,
but the things of God are incorruptible. They do not change and they will
not change. And we should be really thankful
for that wonderful, wonderful position which we are told exists. And then there will be not something
of this earth, not a reward, a natural reward. there will
be a reward and that reward of course is the crown of glory. Well that surely is something
to graciously anticipate, the wonderful blessing and favour
of God to grant that by His grace we receive this crown of glory
which will never fade away. Difficult for our little minds
to really undertake that, but nonetheless it is gloriously
true. And so may we indeed be found
then holding the Saviour this head of Christ, Christ as the
head from whom all the Church of God feed and are joined together. Christ is the spiritual food
of the Church of God. Nourishment, ministered. What
a mercy it is if we are nourished through Christ. As we are partakers
of Christ, Indeed, if we feed upon his flesh and his blood
in a spiritual sense, as the Lord Jesus said in that upper
room to his disciples, except ye eat the flesh and drink the
blood of the Son of Man, there is no life in you. It's a very
important consideration to be concerned that we do feed upon
Christ, that he is that which we long after, and desire after
more than anything else and recognize the great truth here and knit
together and increaseth with the increase of God, increaseth
with the knowledge of God. May we indeed desire that we
each may grow in grace. and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Well, may the Lord instruct us,
through these words, to cleave to the Saviour, to cleave to
the truth of the Gospel, and to love one another, and not
to be vainly puffed up by our fleshly minds.