Well, good morning. And again,
it's an honor and a privilege to be able to fill in here as
we go through this transition here at First Baptist and to
be able to use what God has called me to, to preach to you and to
teach this morning from God's Word. And last week, just to
review, we covered the last two verses of Colossians chapter
one, verses 28 and 29. And we saw how Paul instructed
us and instructed the church at Colossae to preach Christ.
And he showed the purpose behind it, to present all mature or
perfect in Christ. And ultimately, that he would
persevere for Christ and that we would see his example of the
life of struggle and the life of agonizing conflict in the
life of the believer. And chapter 2 carries in right
from the end of chapter 1. So, follow along with me. We'll
be going through and studying through Colossians 2, verses
1-5. If you're not there already,
and if you need a Bible, there should be one in front of you
in the pew. So, read along with me in Colossians 2, verses 1-5. We read, For I want you to know
how great a struggle I have for you, and for those at Laodicea,
and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts
may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all
the riches of full assurance, of understanding, and the knowledge
of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one
may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent
in body, yet I am with you in spirit. Rejoicing to see your
good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. So again,
just to recap and review a little bit, the setting of this letter
of Paul to the church in Colossae, to the Colossians, Paul is writing
this letter in Rome and he is imprisoned. And this letter is
written to the church in regards to some difficulties which arose
in regards to false teachers that were confronting them and
false teachings of that day. So one thing I want to establish
and set up so we really see what was going on, understand who
were these false teachers? What was being taught? What was
going on during this time? For as we know, there is nothing
new under the sun. And we know that today, we also
are confronted with false teachings. So we see, going back here to
the church at Colossae, these false teachers were known as
Gnostics. And the word Gnostic comes from
the Greek word, which means learned or intellectual. And we can trace
them to the apostolic times as we see them written about by
John, by Paul, by the Apostle Peter. And also historically,
we see them visible from around 120 AD, and we see them disappear
around 270 AD, although their thoughts and their ideas and
their teachings have carried on ever since then. So what did
they teach? What did the Gnostics teach?
Well, they presented a wild philosophy concerning the origin of evil
and the creation of the world and of the person and work of
Christ. So these Gnostics incorporated their teaching with the doctrines
of Christianity, rejecting or corrupting those parts of sacred
writings which most clearly opposed their tenets or teachings, and
many of them were guilty of the most immoral practices. They
also agreed in looking upon all as weak and simple, who interpreted
Scripture in its plain and obvious sense. They affirmed the true and hidden meaning which was possessed by them alone.
They also denied that Christ, many of them, there was two sects
really of the Gnostics at that time, and the large majority
of them denied that Christ had a real body, or that He really
suffered pains and sorrows. and died on the cross, asserting
that He only appeared to do so. They taught that He came only
to teach mankind how to separate the mind from the body and render
the former worthy of being united to the Father of spirits. We also know that they believed
in a deity And we see that if you were following along in chapter
2, where Paul talks about, uses their word, deity, that in Him,
in Christ, the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form, establishing
the God-man Jesus Christ. But their deity, their supreme
being, was clearly not the God taught in Holy Scripture. They
also believed, if you look at Colossians 2.18, they also believed
in worshipping angels. and they ultimately claim the
preeminence in knowledge, that we have the true understanding
of who God is. So as we see, it was everything
but Christ. To them it was found in externalism,
which are traditions or ceremonies. It was also found in mysticism,
their secret hidden religion. And also asceticism, which is
a self-denial of worldly pleasures. So again, in chapter 1, we read
and we see very clearly when Paul writing to the Colossians,
he establishes who God is and who Christ is and the work of
the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. And from chapter
1, we see the Godhead in verse 3. We see the Father and the
Son and he establishes who they are. We see the apostles loved
then as we go along in chapter 1 for the church. And we see
Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Paul's authority
came from the Holy Spirit, came from God Himself. And we see
him lay out the power of God through the work of the Lord
Jesus Christ and His omnipotence as creator and sustainer, as
well as the sacrificial saving on the cross. And we find that
in verses 13 through 23. Paul clarifies his purpose in
serving the church again, as we read a few weeks ago, or last
week, rather. And as we've seen, as we've gone
through Colossians, we've seen that Paul's purpose was to suffer
for the church. That's what he was originally
called to. And that here in Colossians, we see it was to make the word
of God fully known as an apostle to the Gentiles and to kings
and to the children of Israel. So here, beginning in chapter
2, we revisit the great conflict the Apostle Paul had, as we saw
last week in the end of chapter 1, that he had this great struggle,
that he was working with all that God had blessed him with,
his power, for the sake of the church. He was in great agony
for the church. He had a great desire and passion
and love for the church to see them mature and become perfect
in Christ. This sanctification in their
lives. So I'm going to lay out six points
this morning if you're taking notes and want to follow along.
And we're going to look over this conflict again of the Apostle
Paul. We're going to look over his concern. We're going to look
over his message of comfort, his message of confidence, his
message of caution, and lastly, his cheerfulness. So if you follow along again
with me, we'll look at verse 1 of chapter 2. We read, for
I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and
for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face
to face. So we see this first part of
this verse again, and we see Paul write, I want you to know
how great a struggle. The apostles' conflict was for
the sake of the church, again, as we read last week. And we
see that this letter is written to the church at Colossae and
also Laodicea. knowing that these things were
going on, knowing that these false teachings were going on by the
Gnostics there. We read that in chapter 1, to
the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae in Laodicea
in chapter 1, and also in chapter 4. As Paul sat in prison, writing
this letter regarding the hardship, he expresses with intensity his
great concern for the churches. He wrestled in the spirit for
them in prayer as he considered their struggle. He longed to
be with them, and his heart ached for them, to care for them. Again,
to present them mature in Christ. Secondly, we see his concern.
We read, I have for you and for those at Laodicea, this great
conflict that he had. We recognize early in this letter,
in chapter 1, the thankfulness the apostle had for those in
Christ at the church in Colossae. We read in chapter 1, We always
thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray
for you. Verse 3. Verse 4 says, since
we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 9 reads, we have
not ceased to pray for you. Verse 11 reads, may you be strengthened
with all power. Verse 12 reads, giving thanks
to the Father. Verse 24 reads, now I rejoice
in my sufferings for your sake. We also notice the sacrifice
involved in Paul's ministry. Again, in verse 24-29, Now I
rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and for this I toil,
struggling with all his energy. The great motivation behind all
that he endures is for Christ and his people. Christ is the head the church
is the body. His love overflowed from Christ
as the head into the church, the body. And remember, this
is His calling. Back in Acts 9, the book of Acts
is where we first meet Paul in chapter 7 and verse 8. And we
see his conversion. In chapter 9 we read, Go, for
He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before
the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel for I will
show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So
then now we're here in Colossians and we see Paul in jail, in prison,
suffering for the sake of the elect. In 2 Corinthians 1, verses
3-7, if you'd like to turn there with me. 2 Corinthians 1, verses
3-7 reads, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. who comforts
us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in
Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in
comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for
your comfort and salvation. And if we are comforted, it is
for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the
same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken.
For we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also
share in our comfort. So now we see, and even as we
saw in verse 29 last week, that the suffering was a calling,
was a part of Paul's ministry. But even as last week as we saw,
we see Paul use the word we. And even here in 2 Corinthians,
we see that it involves the whole church. that the suffering, that
the conflict, and even as we go in the next few verses in
Colossians, that this applies to every single one of us. The
power of Christ in him, the Apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit
was evident when he preached the Gospel to all men. And we
know last week in verse 28 that he says, we preach Christ, we
warn everyone, instructing in all wisdom, that we may present
them perfect in Christ. So, his preaching of the Gospel,
which involves warning all men of the wrath of God, which instructs
of what pertains to salvation in God through Christ alone,
through faith alone, by grace alone. And we see God saving
the elect to the preaching of the Gospel. We see that in Romans
1.16 and Romans 10.17. Paul witnessed men and women
who were once alienated and hostile in mind that we read. here in
chapter 1, doing evil deeds. And we see them become qualified,
he says, by the Father to receive reconciliation and redemption
and forgiveness of sins and deliverance from the domain of darkness and
transferred to the Kingdom of the Beloved Son. This was glorious. The idea was
never to get conversions for the Apostle Paul. He didn't jump
into a city and say, who wants to get saved? Come and get it.
Again, as we established last week, that he said that we preach
Christ, warning everyone, instructing everyone, and then we go home.
No, he said that we may present them mature and perfect in Christ,
that the preaching of the gospel, that the administering of the
gospel involves presenting others, true discipleship, coming alongside
those people who we preach the Gospel and we see God truly grant
them saving faith. These were people, the church
at Colossae here, whose lives had been transformed by the power
of the Gospel. These were living miracles of
God that portrayed His glory. These churches were planted in
Colossae and Laodicea, were visible examples of the power and glory
of God. And with their salvation, the
apostle considered them his family. And we see his care for them
even as his children in all that they did, in all that was going
on, in all the matters of their life. And with their salvation, he
also considered them the brothers and sisters in Christ as his
family. He loved them not only in word, but in deed as well.
He understood the responsibility that was placed into his care
to present everyone maturing Christ. This is why he worked.
This is why he labored. This is why he agonized in conflict
for the church. He loved the church, the people
of God. We also see in verse 1, we see, And for all those who
have not seen me face to face, Now there are some that say that
the Apostle Paul had never been to Colossae. There have been
people that he possibly had never seen as a whole. If that is true
or not, which we're not really searching on, but we know that
he had not seen people there at the church. He had not come
into personal contact with them. He had no idea of who they were. He never sat down and had dinner
with them. He never went to their homes. He never was able to fellowship
with some of them there. And he was passionate about their
well-being. Matthew Henry writes in regards
to this verse, he writes, We may keep up the communion by
faith, hope, and holy love, even with the churches and fellow
Christians, of whom we have no personal knowledge. We can think
and pray and be concerned for one another at the greatest distance,
and may hope to meet in heaven those we never saw in the flesh. Isn't this amazing? This love
that we have been granted by God. And think with me for a
moment. Let's remember again who the
Apostle Paul is. Go back to Acts and let's see
who he is. In Acts 7, we find Paul. Verse
58 was the first time we find the Apostle Paul. His name then
was Saul. He was Saul of Tarsus. Remember
him? We read in chapter 8, verse 1,
that he approved of the execution of Stephen. We also read that
Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house.
He dragged off men and women and convented them to prison.
Chapter 8, verse 3 of Acts. What a testimony of the transforming
power of God in the life of Paul. Where before, he hated Christians. with a deep hatred, sent them
to prison. Involved in executions. And now
we see him have a great concern for God's people. And for those
he had never even seen. The next point we'll look at
is this comfort that he has, this message of comfort that
he has for the church in Colossae. In verse 2 we read that their
hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, He wants
them to know of the great conflict and the great struggle He is
having on behalf of them. Why? So that their hearts may
be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches
of full assurance, of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery,
which is Christ. So we see that their hearts may
be encouraged, being knit together in love. Paul wants the church
at Colossae to know that He is suffering on their behalf, for
them. All that He is enduring is for
their sake. And as a result of this knowledge, He desires at
their hearts. And the word hearts there, we think about hearts.
If somebody says, I want your heart to be encouraged, we think
automatically, in our English language, when we think of heart,
we think of emotion. You're saddened. You're depressed. I want to encourage
your heart. But this is not what He's talking about here, about
the word heart here. It's not about the emotional
state. of the Colossians. This doesn't
mean that there weren't emotional other things that were going
on, but what he's speaking to here, this word heart, is referring
to their mind. In the Old Testament we see,
especially in the Hebrew language, we see it referring to the passion
of desires and thoughts are found in the bowels, we find in the
Hebrew language. And it's very interesting because
And the bowels, really, like, what does that have to do with
anything? But if you think about the first time you were in love,
or think that you were greatly grieved over a saddened... Especially
when you're in love, and you meet that person, and then you
go home, and you can't even eat, right? It's in there, your stomach
is in what? It's in knots. You got butterflies,
you have this, and these thoughts are here. Not that you're thinking
through your stomach, but you see that it involves this bowel,
the inside of you. And again, in Paul writing here
in the Church of the Colossians, we see he's speaking to the heart,
not the emotions, but the mind, as it is the fountain and seed
of the thoughts. He wants their minds to be comforted, to be
strengthened. This is the word for comforted.
He knew that they were enduring spiritual warfare. Remember,
we just talked about all the things the Gnostics were teaching.
And they were just thrown in their face, and they were confronted
with them, and they started to shake and to wobble a little
bit. And He wants them to be strengthened in their minds and
thoughts of the Gospel and who Christ is and the work of God.
In love, we read, being knit together in love. This word agape
in the New Testament typically refers to divine love, holy love,
what God prefers. He says, my struggles are for
you. And Paul is saying, I care for you to be encouraged. And
God's love is what unites all of us together. And I am with
you in spirit, he says. What is the importance of this
love, being united in love? Do we consider us as the people
of God that we are united in love? In Colossians 3, a few
chapters ahead, verse 14, we read, And above all these put
on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And this was our Lord's desire,
wasn't it? In John 17, verse 21, in his high priestly prayer,
we read that they may know that the church, the people of God,
that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me
and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world
may believe that you have sent me. And this love unites us together
in Christ. Galatians 328 reads, there is
neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. This is this uniting,
this bonding that comes together is through the love that we have
from the Father. sending his son to die on behalf
for the sacrifice, as a sacrifice, to pay the sins and the penalty
of it for us as his people. We move along to the next point,
Paul's message of confidence. We read his confidence, his message
of confidence to them was first in faith. And we read that in
verse two again in the second half of it, when we read, to
reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and
the knowledge of God's mystery, which is in Christ. As he desires
that they be strengthened in their minds and be united in
love, the Apostle Paul also wants them to understand completely,
understand the whole picture, this full assurance of understanding,
the whole picture with full certainty and confidence of the sufficiency
of Christ, in which there's infinite wealth. And we'll talk about
what that wealth is in a moment. This understanding and knowledge
of who Christ is cannot be discerned by man apart from God. It is
granted to the elect so that they can believe in Christ Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 4, verses 3-6,
we read, And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only
to those who are perishing. In their case, the God of this
world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them
from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves,
but Jesus Christ is Lord. With ourselves as servants for
Jesus' sake, For God who said, let light shine out of darkness,
has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Acts 26, verse
16-18 we read, But rise and stand upon your feet, for I had appeared
to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness
to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which
I will appear to you. delivering you from your people
and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their
eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the
power of Satan to God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins
and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." And
again in John chapter 17 verse 3 we read, again in Jesus' prayer
we read, and this is eternal life. that they know you, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. And again,
in 2 Peter 1, verse 3, we read, His divine power has granted
to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through
the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence. The Apostle Paul wanted the church
at Colossae to understand and to know the complete picture
of what God has done through Christ. that Christ is the God-man,
and that His sacrifice was sufficient, and that He is sufficient as
He rose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of the
Father. He also wanted them to have this confidence in Christ,
because which is in Christ, we see in the next verse in Colossians
chapter 1, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. And we know that in Romans chapter 11 verse 33, we
read, Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable are his ways? I want you to turn with me. Keep
your place in Colossians chapter two there and turn with me to
first Corinthians chapter two quickly. First Corinthians chapter
two, we'll start off in verse six. We read, Yet we do not speak
wisdom among those who are mature, a wisdom, however, not of this
age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. But
we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined
before the ages to our glory, the wisdom which no which none
of the rulers of this age has understood. For if they had understood,
for they have understood it would not have They would not have
crucified the Lord of Glory, but just as it is written, things
which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have
not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for
those who love him. For to us, God revealed them
through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things,
even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts
of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even
so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the
Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely
given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught
by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining
spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does
not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him, And he cannot understand them, but they are spiritually
appraised. But he who is spiritual praises
all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who
has known the mind of the Lord that he will instruct him? But
we have the mind of Christ." So with this confidence that
the Apostle Paul wants the church at Colossae to have in Christ,
knowing that in Christ, This is where we have the hidden treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. And this word for treasure here
is the place in which good and precious things are collected
and laid up. So where is this place in which good and precious
things are collected and laid up? It is in Christ. In Christ
are all the riches man could ever be satisfied with. And they're
not found in things of this world. It's not in possessions. It's
not in property. It's not in money. It's not in
people. but it is found in Christ. In
Christ, all the abundance of wisdom and knowledge of God dwell.
It can only be found in Christ. And the Gnostics at this time,
they believed that they had the knowledge. They believed that
they could separate mind from body and that they could, by
denying things, earthly pleasures, that they can have the knowledge
of who God is. That they didn't need Jesus Christ. They didn't
need the wisdom of Jesus Christ. We have it in ourselves. And
they were presenting it to the Christians of that day in that
church in Colossae. In 1 Corinthians 1.24, we read,
"...but to those who are called by the Jews and Greeks, Christ,
the power of God and the wisdom of God." He is the Word of God,
as we read about in John 1. 1 Corinthians 1.30, we read,
"...and because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to
us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption."
And here in chapter 1, You see back in Colossians 1, verse 19,
we really see Paul lay out who Christ is to really stand against
the teachings of the Gnostics of that day. We read in Colossians
1, 19, for in Him, for in Christ, all the fullness of God was pleased
to dwell. This is the mystery of God. The
Apostle wanted the Colossians to be confident in their knowledge
and understanding of Christ. Knowing the truth was their only
strength against the teachings that they were facing. Paul wanted
them to know, believe it, trust it, and rejoice in the fact that
God had granted the knowledge and understanding of who Christ
is. Next, we see his message in the
next point of caution to them. He wants them to know who Christ
is. Know that He is suffering on
behalf of the elect. And then verse 4 we read, I say this in
order that no one may delude or deceive you with plausible
arguments. People are trying to persuade
you to turn from Christ. That the Word of God is not enough.
Christ is not enough. But it's found in you. And they
presented these arguments to them to persuade and to deceive
them. And we see why the Apostle Paul
is so adamant about the truth. There are people that are attacking
the sheep, the people of God. He understood that there were
false teachers who were attempting to persuade the church at Colossae
and lead them astray by filling their minds with confusion or
doubt about the sufficiency of the Word of God. You see, this
is nothing and should be nothing new to us. We see this today. These same ideas, these same
teachings, we see them today. Think about it. There is a familiar
storyline with the Gnostics here that's similar to the Bible.
There is a claim that we have the only possession of true knowledge.
That we have interpreted it the correct way. And then you throw
in a few additional works to gain salvation, what you can
do to gain enlightenment and salvation, as well as the doctrine
that the Holy Bible has been corrupted. It's not sufficient
enough. And then you top it off with
a different Jesus taught in Scripture. Does that sound familiar? Many
of the cults that we see today, and sadly, many of the teachings
we find in evangelical Christianity. We turn on the TV nowadays and
turn to some of these channels that have these church services.
We see people today who claim that they can become like God. Not gain knowledge of God, but
you can become God yourself. and teachings that you can do
something to gain salvation that if you just do X, Y and Z, that
you can gain salvation. So this idea of these teachings
in those days, Paul was very adamant about standing against
and representing the truth of God, which was entrusted to him
to present again, all mature and perfect in Christ. And what
does Paul say in Galatians 1, 8 and 9? He says, but even if
we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary
to the one we preach to you, let him be accursed. As we have
said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you
a gospel contrary to the one you receive, let him be accursed.
This word for accursed is anathema. And this word anathema means
doomed to destruction. This is very serious. When the
gospel of Jesus Christ, when the true gospel is opposed, and
they begin to teach other ways to God, the Apostle Paul knew
it was a very serious thing. And he wanted the church to understand
this. And that he was suffering for their sake. That I care for
you. I long to be there. I want to teach you. I want to
help you understand who God is. The God that has
granted you faith. And I want to see you grow. He was in great conflict over
this heresy that had come upon the church at Colossae. And he
was warning them, cautioning them, that there are wolves among
the sheep. He established the truth once
again and urged them to turn from this error and again trust
in Christ. But in light of these circumstances, the apostle was
cheerful for the opportunity to re-establish the church at
Colossae in the true gospel. In verse 5 we read, For though
I am absent in body, Yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing
to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ."
Here, he really is displaying what
it is to be a true minister of the gospel, a faithful minister. This was the responsibility of
the apostles that was placed into his care. We read in Acts,
remember, that he was called to suffer for the church. This
is what God called him to do. He understood that these are
God's chosen people who are being confronted, the people of God
who are set apart and called to be holy if He is holy for
the sanctity, for the holiness of the church. The apostle understood
this and depended on God's power to work it out in his life. He
stewarded well all the resources God had poured out upon him for
the sake of the elect. He wasted no time. He wrote this letter under inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. That's why we see this passion
and this authority. This is not worked up by Paul
himself. This is God in him. And this
was on his mind as he sat in chains, as he sat in prison.
There was no time out for the Apostle Paul. He fought and he
strived with all that was within him. He knew that he was going
to suffer. That was nothing new to him. And he fought and strived for
the people. How? And we read later in Colossians
chapter 3 that he set his mind on things above, not on things
of this earth. He didn't focus and he didn't
want them to focus on the things that were presented. Put your
minds and focus your minds on Christ. And as he sat in jail, he was
rejoicing. over this opportunity to help
the church so that they stand rooted and firm in the gospel. He desired to see the church
display the fruits of true saving faith through godly discipline,
orderly condition, and a firm foundation. He didn't want to
see them be wobbly in Christ. Well, I don't know if this is
true. Maybe this is true. He wanted them to stand firm.
And if you think these words used here, godly discipline and
firm foundation, If you think about those of you who have been
in the military, you think of boot camp, and you think of the
things they teach you, you don't see this going on when they form
a line. You see everybody lined, posture
straight, uniform, everything presented the way it should be.
And this is what Paul is calling them to do. Stand firm. Stand
up. Understand who Christ is. Understanding what you have learned,
what you've been trained in, what you've been taught. Now stand
firm in it. This made me think of, even as
we sang this morning, Jesus is our firm foundation. It made
me also think of another hymn. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly trust in Jesus' name." Where does that last part
go? How does it go? On Christ, the
solid rock I stand, all other ground is what? Sinking sand. Stand on Christ. Stand firm. He is a rock. And this is what he's calling
them to. So in closing, we see that this role of the apostle
to care for the church, in all his circumstances, he was in
jail, in prison. And these jails weren't like
the jails we see today where they have it nice. You can go and eat whenever
you have your own food to eat. You have a library to go check
out. You get playtime in the yard. They can get a college
education now in jail. But he was sat in chains. in
dungeons, in dirt. And I'm sure there was a lot
of animals and things running around there with him. He didn't
have a new laundered pair of clothes. Probably wasn't fed
that often. And he sat there rejoicing. Happy
for them. To me, it blows my mind. I can't even... Really? And this
is what we're all called to do? Lord, please work that into me.
Teach me. Help me. Because I have circumstances. Now I'm not even in jail. I'm
not even locked up. I have all my rights. And I still
find myself without this joy. Because it was for the joy and
the glory of Christ. Set your mind on things above.
Set it on Christ. Put it on Christ. Put off these
doubts. Put off this worrying. Put off
this sin. And look to Christ. This is the
role of the Apostle, but also every faithful minister of the
Gospel. Especially pastors and elders. Those who lead the church.
Turn with me to Acts chapter 20, quickly. Acts chapter 20,
verses 28-30, we read, Paul exhorting the elders at the church of Ephesus,
and this applies to all elders, both of that time and today,
he says, pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the
flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care
for the church of God which He obtained with His own blood,
We have been purchased with the blood of Christ. I know that
after my departure, fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing
the flock. And from among your own selves
will arise men speaking twisted things to draw away the disciples
after them. Therefore, be alert. 2 Timothy 1, verses 1-5. We read Paul speaking to Timothy
and he's charging him and he says, "...in the presence of
God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the
dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word.
Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort
with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people
will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears. They will
accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. and
will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into
myths. It is the role of the Apostle
here, it is the role of elders, it is the role of pastors to
guard the flock from false teaching. They are to pay careful attention
to all that we are learning and from whom we are learning it.
Remember, we are sheep. We are the flock of God. We are
sheep. What is the natural tendency of a sheep? Of a lamb? As to
what? wander, to stray. I don't know
if many of you have been over here to Coyote Hills before. Last summer, or two summers ago,
I was over there riding my bike around. And there's sometimes
you'll see a flock of sheep out there grazing through. And there's
some shepherd, there's somebody around there that gathers the
sheep, making sure they're okay. But I was riding my bike one
time around the trail, and I was on the back side of the trail,
and I'm riding my bike, and good thing I was Not too close to
the edge, because I probably would have gone off myself, but
I just saw this sight that just popped out, and I'm like, what?
It just didn't go. And I saw this lamb at the very
edge of the cliff that went down into this pond of water. And
I'm like, what is he doing here? This is no place for a sheep
to be. All the other ones are over here.
What are you doing over here? And it took months and years,
and even now as I share it with you, to see this image again
of what the natural tendency of the sheep is to wander. And
then you find them sometimes by this cliff in danger. We have
to remember that the Apostle had a responsibility. Our elders
have a responsibility. And the responsibility is not
to the congregation first. It is to Christ first. They are
accountable to Christ First, because if they're accountable
to Christ, and if they're called to flock, care for the flock,
and if they are faithful to Christ and look to Christ, then they
will be faithful to oversee and to look over the sheep. It's
not the other way around. John MacArthur writes, the basic
task of the church is to teach sound doctrine. It is not to
give some pastor's opinion, recite tear-jerking illustrations, raise
funds, present programs and entertainment, or give weekly devotionals. In
Titus 2, verse 1, we read Paul writing to Titus, but as for
you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. In 1 Timothy
1, we read these verses, as I urged you when I was going to Macedonia,
remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not
to teach any different doctrine. So we see when sound doctrine
isn't taught consistently, some people will turn and wander into
vain discussion. They are led astray by new ideas
that may come along. They desire to be teachers of
the law, we read in First Timothy, without understanding either
what they are saying or the things about which they make confident
assertions. Titus 1, 9-11, we read, he must
first hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may
be able to give instruction and sound doctrine, and also to rebuke
those who contradict it. MacArthur writes again, if sound
doctrine isn't taught, the people will gravitate toward teaching
that is not sound. Just like that lamb, just like
the sheep will wander. And we read that word sound doctrine
there, And that word, sound doctrine,
is the same word we have for hygienic in the English language,
which means what? To be healthy. In Ephesians chapter 4, it talks
about how God has given some to be apostles, evangelists,
pastors, teachers. Why? To build up the church,
that they may grow. And it comes from the sound teaching.
This is what Paul wanted to do. He wanted to teach them the truth.
You're being confronted with lies, with heresy. I want you
to know the truth. He didn't come and say, okay,
I'm going to draw a diagram of all the things that they do wrong.
See, it doesn't even match up. He brought the truth to them
and knew the truth would set them free of these things. The
truth would give them the wisdom and knowledge. In Christ is found
all wisdom and knowledge. And in His Word, it is sufficient
enough. Spurgeon once wrote, He said, if a crooked stick is
before us, you need not explain how crooked it is. Lay a straight
one down by the side of it, and the work is well done. Preach
the truth, and error will stand abashed in its presence. If elders, if pastors follow
the plan that is laid out, we read in Timothy, we read in Titus,
we read in Peter, we read here in Colossians, as the Apostle
Paul is living it out himself, If they follow what is laid out
for the faithful ministry, those are faithful to minister, that
those that lead the church, as 1 Peter 5, 3 reads, that they
may be examples to the flock. That is why they're doing it.
That is why when we hear, what are you listening to? Oh, some
things that may come across in conversation. That doesn't sound
that matches up with Scripture. So let's talk about this. Let
me show you what the truth, what God has said about it already.
Why all this concern? Why are you always on my back?
Why are you always making sure what I'm listening to, what I'm
watching, what I'm hearing? Why? Because they've been called by
God to oversee and care for your soul. And in so, they're being
examples. Oh, so-and-so, man, he's always...
So I'm watching this. Maybe I should check if what
this guy is saying is true. They're setting the example for
us. Because our natural tendency is to stray. So God, His grace
and mercy, has established the church to function in this way. So, in closing, a few things
to consider. Do you recognize the struggle that you may have in your life?
And is that struggle and that suffering, is it for the sake
of the gospel? Or are you afraid to share the
gospel? Do you consider the church throughout
the world Do you care for the church here, for the people of
God? Do you love them? Do you express that love to them? How about the world, as we see,
Paul? Not knowing people here at the church at Colossae, and
loving them, and caring for them, and concerning for them. How
often do you pray for our brothers and sisters overseas, in third
world countries? Brother Brian was gracious enough,
and we thank him for bringing that message a few weeks ago
the persecuted church. Do we pray for them? Do we remember
them as we are instructed? May we recognize that as God's
children, we are united and considered one in Christ. This has changed
our outlook and attitude to those around us. Do you doubt if you
are truly right with God? Where or what are you looking
to gain confidence that you have true saving faith? Is it in Christ? Are you going to the Word? Or
are you looking from within and seeing if I'm living a good life,
if I'm doing enough works, if I'm living well enough to gain
this right standing with God? Or is it in Christ and His righteousness?
Are you alert and aware of the false teachings that you encounter?
Do you have questions about some of the essential doctrines from
the Word of God? Have you ever discussed them
with the elders? As we study the Word, we will
grow and we will learn to stand firm against false teachings.
And ultimately, the desire of the Apostle Paul was to see us
walk in faith. To walk. No longer, he says in
some of the letters, to feed you with milk. He wants to feed
us meat. We want to grow. We can't just
live off of milk. Did you know that this brings
this walking by faith, this studying, this wanting to know more of
God and desiring to understand not only the essential doctrines,
but understand who Christ is and His power and His work. Did
you know that this brings much joy to those that are placed
over your care? To the pastors, to the elders
of this church or wherever you may be. It is my great desire
And I know it's the great desire of many here to see us grow deep
and be rooted in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Let us pray.