1/4/19 TREASURE BLOG 22 - DON'T DRESS IN THE OLD RAGS (COLOSSIANS 3:5-9)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – Put to death…the world’s approach to sex
• Tuesday – Put to death…making false gods
• Wednesday – Your old life is dead and buried
• Thursday – Put to death…things that break relationships
• Friday – Don’t live a lie 

2. Community Group/Family Study

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to spend at least 20 minutes every day in prayer and worship out of the bible. I hope you find this devotional helpful toward that end. 

MONDAY – PUT TO DEATH…THE WORLD’S APPROACH TO SEX

Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed…

You’re sitting at home and you wonder if you imagined it…did I see something in the corner of my eye? Then, pandemonium breaks out with people screaming, “A mouse, there, it’s under the…” Now you have to work out how you will kill it or get rid of it! This is like our Christian lives; Jesus has forgiven and renewed us but we are still subject to temptations that we must learn to recognise and put to death – such things don’t belong in our new home! 

Why are we to put things to death?

Last week we saw that we are ‘raised with Christ’ (3:1) Our old self is dead and we are now a ‘new creation’. However, the exhortations in this letter are proof that we are still prone to temptation and sin. This is because we still have what Paul here calls ‘your earthly nature’ (v.5) and ‘old self’ (v.9). Often this is termed the ‘flesh’ (sarx). This is what remains in us that is rebellious to God as Paul writes, 

‘For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other.’ (Galatians 5:17) 

We must learn to walk according to our new nature and keep off what belongs to the old. 

What are we to put to death? 

Today we will look at five sinful approaches to sexual relationships that we are to put to death. 

Sexual immorality – ‘Fornication’ which is sex outside of Christian marriage. 

Impurity – To pollute your new life with sexual sin in act or thought.  

Lust – To allow yourself to become inflamed by sinful sexual desire.

Evil desires – To be eager for what is against God’s will. 

Greed (Covetousness) –  To be greedy for what you don’t have, sexual sin in this case. This is the motive behind all of these sins listed.

Response

Just as at Colossae, our culture is saturated with sexual immorality. It’s in many songs, films, shows, advertisements, philosophies of life. The world without Jesus seeks to make sexual sin attractive, and if we allow ourselves to believe the message, we will develop greed in this area. 

Do you see that it’s the inner ‘greed’ that leads to external ‘sexual immorality.’ We feed the fire of illicit desire through what we think about and what we allow to entertain us. To break the power of sexual covetousness we need to ‘set our minds on things above (3:2) This is to seek to know Jesus and His will.

Everyone has been involved in sexual sin in some way. We all need to ‘put it to death’! What steps do you need to take? Talking to a friend or a leader is a good start. 

TUESDAY – PUT TO DEATH…MAKING FALSE GODS

Colossians 3:5-6 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 

In some countries and cultures, it’s easy to see their worship of idols in the form of statues or images. However, in Christian or secular culture, idols still exist, but we must learn to expose them. 

What is an idol?

An idol is anything that one values or trusts which is not the true God. Paul labels these sinful desires and approaches to sex as ‘idolatry’. They were acting, or being tempted to act, in ways that valued sinful sex above what Jesus wanted for them. What was said to the Romans could be said of them, 

‘They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.’ (Rom. 1:23) 

They were being tempted to worship ‘a mortal human being’ through sexual pleasure and raise it above the lordship of Jesus in their lives. 

God’s wrath against idol worship

The first two of the Ten Commandments teaches us, 

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:3-4)

Nearly all of Israel’s troubles in the Old Testament were caused by idolatry - spiritual adultery; God would bring His ‘wrath’ (judgment) on them because of it. 

Likewise, we need to be inspired by the fear of God. God’s wrath is coming on everyone outside of the forgiveness of Jesus for sins such as these. The true Christian will never face judgement and hell, but we displease God and will be disciplined the Father when one enjoys what He hates! 

Response

We are all prone to making idols - trusting and valuing other things above Christ. What are the false gods in your life? Is your approach to sex and relationships under Jesus’ Lordship? The devil and our flesh seek to lie to us about God: “He doesn’t mind…He’s changed His mind…His way is not good…” Same Storms wrote, 

'We sin because we enjoy the pleasure it brings. We sin because it feels good. We sin because it brings a thrill to our bodies, fleeting satisfaction to our souls and excitement to the banality and boredom of our everyday lives. We sin because we believe the lie that the pleasure it brings, though passing, is more satisfying than the pleasure obedience brings. Thus the power of temptation is the false promise that sin will make me happier than God can. As John Piper has said, “Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God ”The fight against sin is, therefore, the fight to stay satisfied with God.’ 

It’s time to smash the idols and turn to God who gives true life and satisfaction. 

WEDNESDAY – YOUR OLD LIFE IS DEAD AND BURIED

Colossians 3:7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

Christians are always presented as those who have left their old life behind them. Not by virtue of ‘turning over a new leaf’ but by our union with Jesus in His death and resurrection - the past has gone! It is never taught that one can be a Christian whilst remaining in a life of sin. For example, Paul writes,

‘Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1 Cor. 6:9-11)

The consistent message of the bible is that a Christian is one who seeks to live a godly life because he has died to the old life and has been made alive in Christ,  as we saw in the last chapter, 

‘In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,  having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.’ (Colossians 2:11-12) 

Response

Paul says of you, ‘You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.’ The condemnation and power of sin have been broken in your life, however, don’t put on the old rags, let’s live in our new identity. 

THURSDAY – PUT TO DEATH…THINGS THAT BREAK RELATIONSHIPS 

Colossians 3:8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

If we have died and been raised to life in Jesus, this will affect every aspect of our lives. In verse 5 we saw how our relationship with sex has been revolutionised, now we will see how our relationships more generally are affected. Paul tells us to rid ourselves of such things as these: 

Anger – This is anger that’s ongoing. It’s to hold on to the wrongs that we feel have been done to us. 

Rage – This is the outburst of rage. It’s to allow our actions to be controlled by our passions. 

Malice – To have an ongoing hatred or grudge against a particular person. It’s to want that person to suffer in some way, or certainly not to want blessing for them.  

Slander – This comes from the word ‘blasphemy’. It means to be slow to reveal God’s ways, but quick to speak of evil in our relationships. It’s to poorly represent Jesus in our speech. 

Filthy language from your lips – This is the content of our speaking. No one would offer a glass of water mixed with one drop of sewage to a friend, so why would be offer speech that is not completely pure? 

Response

Let’s learn to love our brothers and sisters, and how we harness our words is vital for this. Take some time to meditate and pray from the following texts, 

‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’ (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) 

‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.’ (Ephesians 4:29)

FRIDAY – DON’T LIVE A LIE

Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 

It’s become popular to wear T-shirts with various statements on them,  'No fear’, ‘sometimes I wake up grumpy, at other times I leave her to sleep’, ‘just do it’ etc. By what we wear, or don’t wear, we are trying to communicate the type of person that we want to be, and the person we want others to think that we are. However, an image is often a lie - it’s a cover-up for our true identity that we are trying to hide.  

Christians don’t need a T-shirt, a tattoo, a flag… we have a new identity in Christ. This is bound up in what Paul means by ‘do not lie to each other’; this is more than avoiding saying false things. It’s more like, Do not live a lie! Do not live the old life, which you have ‘taken off, and which is false to God and your new identity. 

You have taken off the old and put on the new

For you, to seek to be like Christ and obey His revealed will in scripture is not to ‘fake it’, or as Paul puts it, it’s not living a ‘lie’. We hear all sorts of rubbish about being ‘true to myself’  – usually as a justification for all sorts of sin! Whatever else may be going on in your head and heart, to submit to Jesus is your authentic self. It’s your new wardrobe! 

Response

Are we being authentic, living according to our new identity in Christ? Have we thrown into the bin, the lifestyle that we used to ‘wear’? If you are a Christian you have ‘taken off your old self with its practices’. Are you tempted to dress in the old rags of ‘sexual immorality’ (3:5)?  Or to dress again in the stained T-shirt of ‘anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips’ (3:8)? Let’s live, dressed in the new life that has been given to us in Christ. 

2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

DON’T DRESS IN THE OLD RAGS! 

Opener – What clothing have you worn in the past that you would no longer wear and why? 

Read Colossians 3:5-9

Introduction

Last week in 3:1-4 we saw how we have been raised to new life in Christ. Today we begin to see how new life will always result in a new life, because we have ‘taken off’ (like old clothing) ‘the old self’. 

Discuss together

• We are to ‘put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature’. Although we’re ‘raised with Christ’ we still struggle with sin. Share good advice you’ve received on how to put sin ‘to death’? 
• Paul teaches on sexual sin. We’re urged to put to death, ‘sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed’. As we saw in Monday’s devotional, Greed (Covetousness) is greed for sexual sin – this is the motive behind all of these sins. How does what we give our mind to inflame or reduce ‘greed’ for sexual sin? 
• Paul also confronts sinful attributes in relationships more generally. He tells them to ‘rid yourselves of… anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.’ What does each of these mean (See Thursday’s devotional) and how do they destroy church community? 
• Finally, Paul exhorts us, ‘Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices’. As we saw on Friday, this means that we are not to live a lie - we are to live according to the new life we have because we have ‘taken off the old self’! How does knowing that we are ‘raised with Christ’ that the ‘old is gone’ help us to avoid sin? 

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24/3/19 TREASURE BLOG 21 - IF YOU ARE RAISED, DON'T GET TETHERED (COLOSSIANS 3:1-4)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – Since you have been raised…
• Tuesday – Seek the right things
• Wednesday – Trust Jesus’ authority
• Thursday – Trust Jesus’ protection 
• Friday – Have a vision of glory 

2. Community Group/Family Study

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

MONDAY – SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED…

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above…

Identity has a massive effect on behaviour and feelings: You’ve just been told you got the job/you don’t have the job; she will marry you/she will not; you have cancer/you don’t; you are pregnant/you are not… These kinds of things affect our identity and have great impact. Paul says ‘since you have been raised with Christ…’ Knowing that we are raised with Christ will affect everything, including our thinking (v.2), Our future (v.4), Our morality (v.5), relationships (v. 12), What one speaks about (v. 16), Life in the home (v.18-21) etc. But all good behaviour comes out of what we have become - those raised with Christ.

What does it mean to be ‘Raised with Christ’? 

To be raised with Christ is to have been made alive by the Holy Spirit. Through faith in Jesus, we are forgiven and given new life (regeneration). Baptism, as we saw in chapter 2, symbolises what’s happened to us, 

’Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead’ (Colossians 2:12). 

Paul puts it in Ephesians 2, 

‘But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.’ (Ephesians 2:4-6)

Response

No matter how dead you feel. No matter what you or others say about you, if you have put your faith in Christ, you are raised with Christ; these words are true of you, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God…’  (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) 

TUESDAY – SEEK THE RIGHT THINGS

Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 

Different creatures behave in different ways. As those who have been ‘raised with Christ’ and being ‘a new creation’ as we saw yesterday, we are a new kind of human, or to put it more accurately, a restored humanity that’s in process of completion.

In verse 4 He writes, ‘Christ, who is your life’ – our new spiritual life is Christ Himself! He lives in us, and we live in Him. This means that Christians have His nature and His desires. 

Seek things above

Paul tells them to ‘seek things above’ (There’s no ‘heart’ in the greek) and to ‘Set your minds on things above’. This means to seek to know Christ. It’s to put all of our faculties to the goal of learning about and worshipping Jesus. 

Do not seek earthly things

There are so many bad and good things that distract us from Jesus. We are encouraged to seek worldly pleasure, luxury, status and, as was the case for the Colossians, worldly religion based upon ‘human tradition …rather than on Christ’ (2:8). 

Response

‘Since you have been raised with Christ…’ are you using your mind and time to its best use? Are you growing in knowledge and blazing affection for Jesus? Are there time and mind robbers that you need to kill? Are their disciplines that you need to start? Let’s finish by Meditating and praying out of Jesus; words,

‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ (Matthew 6:33) 

WEDNESDAY – TRUST JESUS’ AUTHORITY

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God

There are many reasons why, as we saw yesterday, we do not give our best to seeking to learn about and grow in love for Jesus:

Fear – I can’t give time to this, I’m juggling too many balls already! 

Authority – I choose what I do with my time and mind. 

Inadequacy – I don’t have the intelligence to learn about Jesus and the bible. I’m too ill-disciplined, dyslexic, disorganised…

All excuses are answered in our verse today.

Christ is seated at the right hand of God

Firstly, He is ‘Christ’ –  He loved you so much as to come and die for you. He wants you to know and love Him. He’s for you in this. 

He is ‘seated at the right hand’ – This reveals His equality with God. Jesus has all the power that you need to learn about Him. He gives His Spirit to teach us. If you are thirsty to learn, He will teach you. But, He also has authority over you. Your choice not to learn is rebellion against your Lord! 

Response

Many of us are stressed out and close to breaking point. The answer is to give more time and energy to ‘setting your mind on things above’! why would you give your life to holding your life together rather than coming to the one who holds the universe together? Jesus’ encounter with Mary and Martha confronts all of us in our “I’m too busy, tired, unable…” to learn attitude. When Jesus came to their house. We read in Luke 10, 

‘Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.’ (10:39- 40) 

Jesus’ response to Mary’s complaint about her sister is challenging, 

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (10:41-42)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ…let’s make sure that we all make our ‘one thing’ the right thing!  

THURSDAY – TRUST JESUS’ PROTECTION

Colossians 3:1-3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 

There is a horrific account of the death of the actor, David Niven’s, first wife. They were playing sardines (a type of hide-and-seek) when she went to hide in, what she thought was a cupboard, only to be killed by falling down the stone steps to the cellar! The point is, what you ‘hide’ in can save or kill you! 

We are ‘hidden in Christ in God’. This speaks of our secure position. Our lives and salvation are in His powerful and loving care. 

When a nuclear bomb goes off it makes all the difference as to what you are ‘hidden’ in! You are hidden in Christ – God’s perfect holy judgment will ‘passover’ you. Death cannot touch you. The devil cannot touch you. Nothing can separate you from His love and salvation! 

Response

Our verse says that ‘you died’. In Christ, you have died. The sentence of death for your sin has been carried out, never to be repeated. You are now ‘hidden with Christ in God’. Take some time to meditate and worship out of these texts, 

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

FRIDAY – HAVE A VISION OF GLORY

Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

C. S. Lewis’ book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, opens with a dedication, 

‘To Lucy Barfield. MY DEAR LUCY, I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realised that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say…’ 

This ‘too old for fairy stories’ attitude can infect us with regard to what Paul says here about the Christian’s final hope, and the hope of the renewal of all creation. We are too grown up and busy to think on death and Jesus’ return…we’ve got more important things to think about, let alone work toward it! 

When Christ appears you will appear in glory

Romans 8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

If you are a Christian, it’s because God predestined, called and justified you. But, it carries with it the guarantee of glory. You will be renewed entirely, in a new creation, living eternally in the very presence of God. Our lives in this world that have the background noise of death and sin; let this vision of hope excite and soothe you. 

Response 

The restoration of all things is what Jesus ultimately died for. This is where everything is heading. In response: 

Think – Thinking on these ultimate things will make true treasure our goal. Meditating on our hope will make us immune from despair or from setting our hearts and minds on earthly things. 

Live – Setting our minds on our hope will help us to live lives that are congruent with this. It will stop us from giving our lives to things that will be burnt up. It will keep the church from giving herself to a mission that does not aim to save people from the coming wrath of God! 

2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

IF YOU ARE RAISED, DON’T GET TETHERED 

Read Colossians 3:1-4 

Opener – What are the things that burden people and what particularly burdens you in life?   

Introduction

We are all burdened by different things at different times. On top of pressures that come from everyday life, there are dark spiritual forces seeking to rob us of joy and steal our trust in Jesus. Jesus, however, wants us to set our minds on Him - His way of salvation, His power and love so as to live in the new life that we have. 

Discuss together

• 3:1-2. What does it mean to have been ‘raised with Christ’? (See Ephesians 2:4-7 also) 
• 3:2. Why is it vital to ‘set your mind’ on ‘things above’ and what are these things? 
• 3:1. Paul says that ‘Christ is, seated at the right hand of God’. This speaks of Jesus’ divine power and authority. How does ‘setting our minds’ to know about Jesus’ power help to relieve our burdens?
• 3:3. We read that ‘your life is now hidden with Christ in God.’ This points to our security: He is always protecting, we can never be lost. How does this help to relieve our burdens? 
• 3:4. We are told that ‘When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.’ This is assuring us that all who are Christians will experience final resurrection and new life in a restored creation when Jesus comes. How does having this joyful vision help us give our lives to what’s important? (See Romans 8:18-19 and 2 Timothy 4:1-2 also) 

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18/3/19 TREASURE BLOG 20 - LIVE IN THE FULNESS (COLOSSIANS 2:8-23)

CONTENTS

1. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – What is fullness? 
• Tuesday – You are circumcised, buried, raised with Christ 
• Wednesday – Jesus disarmed your enemies
• Thursday – Come out of the shadows
• Friday – Living in true freedom

2. Community Group/Family Study 
3. Outline of the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ devotional method

You can listen to the message at: Link for audio content

For more information visit: www.communitychurchputney.com

1. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

These daily devotionals follow the ‘Come to Jesus daily’ devotional method (See the last page of this for a fuller outline)

This week’s devotional is based on Paul’s words from Colossians 2:8-23

MONDAY – WHAT IS FULLNESS IN CHRIST? (2:8-10)

We all want a ‘full’ or ‘complete’ life. These words will conjure different visions: for you, the full life may be a domestic vision of family and children; it may be an adventurous life of skydiving and travel… We can all be taken captive and pursue what is actually a hollow life. For Christians, the centre-point of the complete life is, or should become, the person of Christ. Paul writes, 

‘See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.’ (Colossians 2:8-10)

What is fullness in Christ? 

‘Fullness’ could also be translated ‘complete’. Fullness means a number of things including:

• Having Christ! Knowing the true and living God. This is the most important element. (2:9) 
• In Christ, we are made spiritually alive (regeneration). Consequently, we have a new heart by the Spirit, from which our life of love and obedience flow. (2:11-12) 
• Our sins are forgiven and removed through Christ (2:14)
• Dark spiritual forces have no power over us (2:15)

Live in the fullness

Amazingly, this is not something that we are to pursue, it is our possession already - ‘in Christ you have been brought to fullness’!

There’s more that could be said, but the point is, why go back to your old life or religion when Jesus is and offers such fullness? As Paul tells them, ‘See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy’. 

MEDITATION ON COLOSSIANS 2:8-10

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

Anyone who is a Christian has been ‘brought to fullness’ in Christ. Our faith in Him (in His death and resurrection for sin) has made us ‘complete’. Whatever one thinks that they need, it is all found in Jesus. Through the cross we are reconciled to the one who is ‘head over every power and authority’ - God is on our side, we are in His family. In Christ we have also died and have risen to new life; the gospel is not just that Christ died and rose again, it also includes the fact that you and I have died and rose again in Him. We have new life and a new heart for God. 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

“Lord, you desire to be central in our lives. You say,  ‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…He is the head over every power and authority’. You say that "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8). May I never ‘lose connection with the head’ - with you Lord. Keep filling my heart with greater and a greater appreciation and trust in you.” 

3. IN – What does it teach about you and God’s people?

Paul encourages us, ‘See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.’ We and our friends are vulnerable to distraction from Jesus. This verse speaks of two ways: teaching that is not based on the bible and demonic forces tempting us away from Him. Take a moment to pray for yourself, friends, Community Group etc. that they would stay true to Jesus. 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Our faithfulness to Christ will cause us to live in the ‘fullness’ that is ours in Him. Our lives will overflow with joy and hope. Let’s remember that a healthy relationship with Christ is good for us and it’s also good for our non-believing friends, and that’s why dark spiritual forces would want to discourage and distract you. 

TUESDAY – YOU ARE CIRCUMCISED, BURIED, RAISED WITH CHRIST (2:11-12) 

Peer pressure, loving status, guilt… will make us all behave in all sorts of peculiar ways! The Colossians were being pushed to keep various religious rules, derived from different religious or spiritual philosophies. they were being urged to undergo circumcision (the cutting away of the male foreskin). Circumcision was a physical sign that the Jews belonged to God, and, so it was being taught, for this church (mainly non-Jews) that to belong to God, they should undergo this rite. Paul counters this,

‘In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.’ (Colossians 2:11-12) 

Spiritual circumcision by Christ

Paul says ‘in Him you were also circumcised…by Christ’! Circumcision involved cutting away flesh, but ‘spiritual circumcision’ – that done by Christ, is the cutting away of our old life.

Your baptism points to your new life

Paul then adds that The ‘cutting away of our old life’ was achieved through our burial and resurrection as symbolised in baptism. 

Live in the fullness

You have fullness in Christ. You don’t need to undergo religious hardships to make yourself a new person. Jesus has made you new - your old self has been buried and you are raised as shown in your baptism.

If you have not been baptised, do so, declaring that your old self is gone and your new self has come.

MEDITATION ON COLOSSIANS 2:11-12

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

“I have been made new in Jesus. His death and resurrection are my death and resurrection. Unlike circumcision (a sign of being a part of God’s people) which was done by human hands, my salvation from first to last is your work, Father.” 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

It’s God’s will that we are baptised as a symbol of our death and resurrection in Jesus. If you are a Christian, it’s helpful to remember your baptism and remember the deeper spiritual reality that it points to. 

3. IN – What does it teach about you and God’s people?

This text has two approaches to encourage our brothers and sisters. Firstly, to those who are falling back into sin, remind them that their 'whole self ruled by the flesh was put off…’ Their old sinful life is gone so why would they go back to it? Secondly, those who are feeling weak, remind them that they are strong, they ‘were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God’. 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Pray for your list of non-believing friends, that they would be ‘raised him from the dead.’

WEDNESDAY – JESUS HAS DISARMED YOUR ENEMIES (2:13-15)

‘Enemies’ come in all sorts of forms: fear of sickness, loss of income, the future of our children, death, war, spiders… These can all have great power over us. On top of this, there can also be the fear of the supernatural: God, gods, spirits… do they hate me, are they working against me, what will they do to me when I die, how can I appease them and make them work for my good…? How does one ‘disarm’ these kinds of enemies? Paul writes, 

‘When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.’ (Colossians 2:13-15) 

Who are our true enemies?

Paul speaks of two great enemies: the ‘Charge of our legal indebtedness’ (the list of our sins that will send us to hell) and ‘powers and authorities’ (demonic spiritual forces). Whether one realises it or not these are against us and are our biggest problems! 

Jesus has disarmed our enemies

Jesus has dealt with both enemies! Our sins (‘our legal indebtedness’) have been ‘nailed to the cross’. Secondly, demonic spirits (‘powers and authorities’) because of the cross, have lost any basis to accuse and condemn us. The following text expresses well Jesus’ victory and how we are to live in our freedom, 

‘For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.’ (Revelation 12:10-11)

MEDITATION ON COLOSSIANS 2:13-15 

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

“You say ‘He forgave us all our sins’. ‘All’ sin - past present and future have been dealt with; as you say, ‘having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us.’ My list of sins against you stood over me and condemned me before you. I had no means of cleaning away such indelible stains! But you have saved me. you have obliterated the memory of my sin, as you say, ‘he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.’ I praise you for such freedom in you” 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

“You are the Saviour: ‘When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ.’ You did it, and when I was in sin and powerless!” 

3. IN – What does it teach about you and God’s people?

“Father, you have ‘disarmed the powers and authorities’. Demonic powers have no power over me. They may accuse me and try to make me feel rejected and fearful. But I can and will stand strong in Jesus’ power”

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Our friends are dominated by ‘the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient’ (Eph. 2:2).  I know that through my prayers, and my obedience to what you say, my friends can experience freedom from slavery. 

THURSDAY – COME OUT OF THE SHADOWS (2:16-19)

Shadows may fool you into thinking they are the real thing, but they are not. You may jump out from under the piano’s shadow, but not the piano after it lands on you! The Colossian church were in danger of following shadows rather than the real thing - Jesus. Paul says,

‘Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.’ (Colossians 2:16-19)

What are shadows?

Here, ’Shadows’ refer to aspects of the Old Testament that point to (prefigure) Jesus; these include Jewish laws on food, drink and use of days. Hebrews says it well, ‘The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves.’ (Heb. 10:1).

Come out of the shadows to live in fullness

In Jesus, we have fullness (see Monday’s notes ). We don’t need to keep laws on food, drink and use of days or do sacrificial duties (asceticism) for a complete relationship with God. Paul says ‘do not let anyone judge you’ in regard to these things; another way to say it is, ‘don’t let anyone condemn you through failure to keep the rules’! 

He also adds ‘do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you.’ Again, we can take ‘disqualify’ as ‘condemn - in other words, don’t let people tell you that you are not saved (condemn you) because you have not had their prescribed kind of spiritual experience. 

We need to stop basing our relationship with God on good works, performance, or experiences - which is to live in the shadows; We need to come out into the fullness of salvation by grace alone that is offered to us through Jesus alone.

MEDITATION ON COLOSSIANS 2:16-19

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

As in this text, people can make us feel condemned (rejected by God) because we don’t live up to their rules or have not had the same spiritual experiences. Often they don’t mean to affect us in this way but it reveals a weakness in ourselves - we are not secure in the gospel and love of God, and we need to be or we will easily fall into misery, people pleasing or legalism (seeking to earn salvation). 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

It’s not obvious to every Christian that the only person to be worshipped is God. We don’t trust or worship saints, Mary, angels, icons, … As Paul says elsewhere, ‘For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.’ (1 Tim. 2:5) 

3. IN – What does it teach about you and God’s people?

Let’s look out for legalism in ourselves and church family. It’s not that traditions or routines or discipline are wrong; the problem comes, as it easily does, when we make our salvation and God’s favour dependent on them, rather than entirely on the cross. Paul put it very sternly, 

‘But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.’ (Gal. 4:9-11) 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

How and why does a church grow? Growth is dependent upon Jesus and remaining connected to Him, as Paul reminds us, ‘They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.’ (Colossians 2:19) 

FRIDAY – FRIDAY – LIVING IN TRUE FREEDOM (2:20-23) 

The art of living the Christian life is to know your new identity now that you are a Christian and to live in the light of that. Paul writes,

‘Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.’ (Colossians 2:20-23)

The Colossian problem was not a desire to sin but to be holy but in the wrong way! They felt that to be friends with God one had to add to Jesus’ salvation by including ‘rules, do not handle, do not taste’ and ‘harsh treatment of the body’. Paul says, if one wants to improve as a Christian these things, ‘indeed have an appearance of wisdom’. But, In fact, all efforts to be a better Christian that are not centred on Jesus, ‘lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.’ 

Living in true freedom

How, then, does one grow and improve as Christians? It begins by knowing what Jesus has done for us:

• 'In Christ you have been brought to fullness’  - God is in you, you are forgiven, loved etc. (2:9) 
• ‘In him you were also circumcised…not performed by human hands.’ – Your old sinful nature has been removed and you have a renewed heart (2:11) 
• ‘You have been 'buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him.’ –  Your old life is buried, you have resurrection life in you. (2:12) 
• ‘He forgave us all our sins’ - In Christ, your sin is completely dealt with, without our works, but by our faith in Him alone. (2:13) 

It’s not that we no longer need to put effort into being better (holy); in the next chapter Paul will urge us to ‘Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.’ (3:5). The difference is that Christians move forward from a place of ‘fullness’ – having new life, forgiveness, love and security; we move forward from a place of inner desire and love born of the Spirit; we move forward prayerfully depending on the Spirit; and we move forward not toward things ‘based on merely human commands and teachings,’ but toward what God reveals in His word and in the way God reveals in His word. 

Finally, anyone who knows their failings and has a desire to grow must rely on Jesus and receive His grace through His church community. Let’s take warning from what Paul says, 

‘They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.’ (Colossians 2:19)

A living faith and relationship with Jesus, and devotion to a church community provides the Spirit’s power for true spiritual freedom.  

I’ve not included a meditation for this day because I think that there is enough to be thinking about in the notes already provided. 

By all means, feel free to do your own meditation on Colossians 2:20-23 (see the last page for help). 

2. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

‘Live in the fullness’ 

Read Colossians 2:8-23

Introduction

Opener – ask the group to share “What things do you believe give a full or complete life?” 

We all want a ‘full’ or ‘complete’ life. We will define the ‘best life’ in different ways. Without Jesus, however, we are all being taken captive to pursue what is a hollow life. For Christians the way to a complete life is, or should become, knowing Jesus. As Paul says,

‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness (made complete). He is the head over every power and authority.’ (2:9) 

This is a complex passage and we will only focus on certain elements. Use the study notes (available on the website also) if you want to go deeper. 

Discuss together

• What do you think it means to say that Jesus gives a full and complete life? (See Monday’s notes if you need help)
• Jesus gives you a full relationship with God, what aspects of your relationship with God do you struggle to accept and why? (for example - He’s with you, He forgives you…)
• In verses 8, 10 & 15, Paul speaks of dark spiritual forces that seek to steal our fullness; how do they do this and how should we respond? 
• 2:16 & 18 – People can make us feel condemned (rejected by God) because we don’t live up to their rules or have not had the same spiritual experiences. How can and how should we deal with feelings of condemnation? 

3. THE ‘COME TO JESUS DAILY’ DEVOTIONAL METHOD

This structure can be used to aid you in your devotions. 

Begin by thanking God for salvation/the gospel (GC); Worship Him (UP); Pray for Christian friends and yourself (IN); Pray for your non-believing friends (OUT). As you go along, God will remind you of Bible texts; turn to these, and pray/worship out of them. 

This structure can also be used for Bible meditation. As you read, pray that God would speak. As He highlights something in the text, use the following questions to help you meditate, worship and pray out of the Bible: 

1. GC (Gospel–Centred) What does the text say about Jesus?

• What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him, and how will you now worship and pray in response? 

2. UP – What does it say about God?

• What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…how will you worship and pray in response?

3. IN – What does it teach about you and God’s people? 

• What does is it say to or about you? 
• What does it teach about God’s people – how He thinks of them, how we are to treat them? 
• Is there anyone that you particularly want to pray for? 
• Pray for members of your Community Group, church, etc.

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers? 

• What does it say about non-believers and God’s mission?
• What does this inspire you to pray or do in response for non-believers or problems in the world more generally?  
• In this section make a commitment to pray through a list of non-believing friends that God has put into your life. 

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