August 3, 2003 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Colossians 2:1-10

This passage is a mirror of the teaching and the heart of Jesus. These verses are just oozing with the oil of annointing. Paul has just finished chapter one by explaining that the works he's performing are mighty, but he makes it very clear that its not him. He's only the vessel carrying the oil. Are you absorbing the oil of annointing? And how?

(v.1-3) For I would that ye knew what great conflict (great concern, care, or worry; ag-one' in the Greek) I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Here we have Paul waiting to appear before Caesar; everything he knows about the situation is telling him that he'll soon be dying a horrible death, but what's he doing with the time he has left? He's sending this letter a thousand miles away to a tiny church that he's never even been to, and he's letting the congregation there know that he's agonizing over their condition! Doesn't this remind you of the agony of Jesus in Gethsemane, knowing the hour of suffering was upon Him, and yet praying the prayer of intercession for His disciples in John 17? Doesn't this remind you of the agony on the cross? Jesus didn't let agony get in the way of His teaching. He taught from the Psalms, to anybody that would hear Him, as he hung there dying. His great physical and emotional agony on the cross didn't stop Him from ministering fruitfully to the criminals beside him ("Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."), and to the Roman guards ("Truly this was the Son of God."). Paul's ministry to "captive" audiences proved very fruitful as well. With a lamp kept full of the oil of annointing, even in the worst of situations, Paul would always see the opportunities to be a witness for Christ, and then he was always willing to seize the opportunities.

The churches that Paul expresses great concern for here, Laodicea and Colossae, were only a few miles apart, and very close to the time this letter was written both of them were destroyed by an earthquake. History tells us that Laodicea rebuilt, but not much is known of what happened to Colossae. Even though the site was rediscovered and identified almost 170 years ago, the Turkish government still hasn't allowed any digging there.

Paul's fear for the weak foundation of these two churches was borne out in more than one way. In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, Laodicea is the last of the seven churches to be addressed by Jesus, and it has the unenviable distinction of being the only church about which Jesus had nothing good to say. These people may have been planted in good soil, spiritually speaking, but Paul knew their taproot hadn't yet reached sufficient depth to anchor them against the approaching winds of false doctrine, generated by men who would come into the church and complicate or cloud the simple, clear message in God's Word. This warning still applies today, even to my words. In verse two, Paul speaks of the church's need to be "knit together in love," the very base of Christianity, having an abundance of confidence flowing from our "acknowledgement," (here we go again) our "epignosis" of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. Again, "epignosis" isn't what you learn on your own, its what you learn through the Holy Spirit. To Christians who keep their wicks trimmed and their lamps full of oil, there's no mystery, except possibly the mystery of why people reject the Truth. This is why Bible study is so important. Nothing in my life, nothing in your life, nothing at all in any of our daily lives is more important than learning the Word of God and keeping your lamp ready.

(v.4-10) And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (cut that sentence out and display it proudly on the refrigerator of you heart) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (make a note to read Ephesians chapter 6 here)

To be in Him is to be complete, to be complete is to know Him, and to know Him is to study His Word. Lord willing, we'll begin studying a new book here on Wednesday, August 20th, at 6:30 pm (Deuteronomy). You might be saying to yourself, "Deuteronomy? That's Old Testament boring stuff!" Well, while the book of Colossians is an excellent way to learn about Jesus in four "easy" chapters, the book of Deuteronomy covers the last few days in the life of Moses; the deliverer, the intercessor, the savior of God's chosen people, the children of Israel. Moses was a type, a foreshadowing of our Deliverer, our Intercessor, our Savior, Yeshua. When Jesus had fasted forty days in the wilderness, there's no doubt He was in a weakened physical and mental state, but as Satan tempted Him three times (with more than all of us put together will ever be tempted with), Jesus immediately met each temptation with a quote from the book of (you guessed it) Deuteronomy! As we reflect on these things and prepare our hearts to take a seat at our Lord's table; where we honor the memory of the price He paid on our behalf; paid in full for us, who are exceedingly and shamefully unable to meet the cost; as we do this, as we remember that He thought enough of us to die in our place, let's observe that He also thought enough of "boring old Deuteronomy" to quote from it again and again. As we prepare our hearts to be one with Him as a body, I pray that His Spirit reveals to us now all the excuses we use to avoid studying His Word.