1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,840 everybody here this morning as we continue in our study of Colossians. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:10,000 And congratulations to you guys because you made it through the circumcision sermon. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:11,160 And you're here again. 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,160 So it is good to see you this morning. 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,240 And I might say a couple of things that offend some people this morning. 6 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:22,760 So just a reminder, my email is intern at georgiascreekbibus.org. 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,680 You can email me anything you want there. 8 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,760 But as we go to Colossians chapter two, 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,120 I was thinking about the fact that in America, 10 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,960 we're always looking for a shortcut. 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:33,840 Are we not? 12 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:39,120 If there is a cheaper, easier, faster way to do something, sign us up for it. 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,280 Because we're drawn to those kind of things. 14 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,560 I mean, this is the time of year where people start thinking about their summer 15 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,320 bodies and getting ready for summer. 16 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,480 And you know what you need to do to do that is you have to look at your diet, 17 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,360 have to look at the things you're eating, make sure you're exercising, 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,040 go into the gym. 19 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,320 That takes a lot of work and effort. 20 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,440 And so you have that route that you can take. 21 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,200 Or if someone says, or you could just take this pill and you'll lose all the 22 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,800 weight immediately, you're going to take the pill, right? 23 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,840 You want the shorter, faster, easier way. 24 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,120 I'm prone to this myself. 25 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,440 I like a good shortcut with certain things. 26 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,840 I remember I was looking into doing some doctoral work at some point. 27 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,200 And I was looking at different programs and I was trying to figure out which one 28 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,160 I might be interested in doing. 29 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,120 And most of them were going to be anywhere from three to six years to complete. 30 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,280 And there's going to be about $30,000. 31 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,280 So I was just researching, researching. 32 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,120 And I saw an ad for a school that I had never heard of. 33 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:45,040 And the ad said, get your PhD in under a year for $2,000. 34 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:46,000 I'm listening. 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,160 Okay? 36 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:47,480 You know? 37 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,160 So I start looking into this program and turns out it actually was a Christian 38 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,240 college in seminary that was offering a PhD program in one year. 39 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,600 There were just a couple of problems with it. 40 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,160 Number one, no one had ever heard of it. 41 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,400 And number two, it was completely unaccredited. 42 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,680 So I had a choice to make. 43 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,600 I could either go to a legitimate school and get a legitimate degree, or I could go 44 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,600 to some school that no one's ever heard of and basically get a fake degree. 45 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,040 But I would get to be Dr. 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,400 Alex Chapman within one year. 47 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,520 And you can see by your bulletin that I am not Dr. 48 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:22,160 Alex Chapman. 49 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,480 So I did not take that option. 50 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:29,280 But the point is that there is always a right way to do something. 51 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,920 And then there's an alternative way to do something. 52 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:37,160 There's a way that is right and good for us that is going to help us and develop us. 53 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,600 And there's always going to be an alternative that is very appealing. 54 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,880 And that's exactly what Paul is talking about in this passage. 55 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,920 He's warning the Colossians that they've got to make a choice between doing things. 56 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:51,640 God's way or doing things. 57 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:52,960 The world's way. 58 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:59,600 Having to take the right route to God or falling for one of these alternatives. 59 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,360 And this is incredibly important for us to consider in today's world because I have this 60 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:11,160 theory that the world is trying to turn the Christian faith into a Build-A-Bear workshop. 61 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,800 I don't know if you've ever been to Build-A-Bear before, but you walk in and you're faced 62 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,560 with all these choices, right? 63 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:21,160 You can pick any single bear you want and then the beauty of this place, is you can 64 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:22,960 design it however you want. 65 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,340 You can put on it, whatever you want to put on it, you can leave out the things you want 66 00:03:26,340 --> 00:03:27,340 to leave out. 67 00:03:27,340 --> 00:03:29,680 It's your bear, you design it however you want. 68 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,280 I feel like that's what people are trying to do with Christianity today. 69 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,420 It's your faith, design it however you want it. 70 00:03:37,420 --> 00:03:39,520 You can include the things you want to include. 71 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,400 You can exclude the things you want to exclude. 72 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:43,800 You can do whatever you want. 73 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,440 If you want to come to church, if you don't want to go to church, if you want to read 74 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:47,720 your Bible, not read your Bible. 75 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,240 If you want to pray, not pray. 76 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:50,580 It's your faith. 77 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,160 Do with it what you will. 78 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:54,240 And that is dangerous. 79 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,240 And that is exactly what Paul is addressing here, because he's 80 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,880 going to tell us that none of these alternative routes can actually do 81 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,800 anything for you and your faith in God. 82 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:09,040 In fact, his whole point is the only way our faith can grow and be nourished is 83 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:10,840 by holding fast to Jesus. 84 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:17,740 The only way our faith can grow and be nourished is by holding fast to Jesus. 85 00:04:18,740 --> 00:04:20,900 These other ways might be appealing. 86 00:04:21,460 --> 00:04:26,020 These other ways might draw you for a time, but Paul wants you to know that 87 00:04:26,020 --> 00:04:29,620 they can do nothing for you in your faith. 88 00:04:30,460 --> 00:04:34,620 And so really the question that I think we should consider this morning is how 89 00:04:34,620 --> 00:04:38,340 can we hold fast to Jesus in a world of alternate routes? 90 00:04:38,340 --> 00:04:39,340 Alternate routes. 91 00:04:40,340 --> 00:04:45,420 How can we hold fast to Jesus in a world of alternate routes? 92 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:50,340 And that's exactly the question Paul is addressing in this passage. 93 00:04:50,340 --> 00:04:54,580 And basically what he's going to do is he's going to show us three dangerous 94 00:04:54,940 --> 00:04:58,180 alternative routes other than Christ. 95 00:04:58,860 --> 00:05:01,700 And the first dangerous alternative is that of legalism. 96 00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:07,300 If you look at verses 16 through 17, it says, therefore, let no one pass 97 00:05:07,300 --> 00:05:11,700 judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to festival or a 98 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:13,460 new moon or a Sabbath. 99 00:05:13,500 --> 00:05:19,780 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 100 00:05:20,260 --> 00:05:23,940 So Paul is going to issue three commands in this passage and each command is 101 00:05:23,940 --> 00:05:26,980 related to one of the dangerous alternatives. 102 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:31,100 And you see the first command here, let no one pass judgment on you. 103 00:05:31,660 --> 00:05:35,260 Specifically, don't let people pass judgment on you with regard to food, 104 00:05:35,260 --> 00:05:38,340 drink, new moons, Sabbaths. 105 00:05:38,980 --> 00:05:43,060 And they make sense if you remember that some of the people who were trying 106 00:05:43,060 --> 00:05:45,860 to corrupt the Colossian church were the Judaizers. 107 00:05:46,020 --> 00:05:47,980 You might say, oh, pastor, who were the Judaizers? 108 00:05:47,980 --> 00:05:53,340 Well, they were a group of Jewish people who were trying to enslave the 109 00:05:53,340 --> 00:05:57,300 Christians to old Jewish principles and laws and regulations. 110 00:05:57,300 --> 00:06:02,580 They were trying to enforce the observance of the old Jewish customs onto 111 00:06:02,580 --> 00:06:03,340 Christians. 112 00:06:03,340 --> 00:06:06,580 One of the main things they were trying to enforce was the observance of 113 00:06:06,580 --> 00:06:08,940 Old Testament dietary laws. 114 00:06:09,300 --> 00:06:10,980 Now you might wonder why they did that. 115 00:06:11,340 --> 00:06:13,100 And you have to think back to the Old Testament. 116 00:06:13,100 --> 00:06:19,020 One of the reasons that God gave the Israelites these dietary restrictions in 117 00:06:19,020 --> 00:06:24,020 the first place was to make them distinct from the rest of the world. 118 00:06:24,060 --> 00:06:24,340 Right? 119 00:06:24,340 --> 00:06:25,820 Israel had to dress a certain way. 120 00:06:25,820 --> 00:06:27,140 They had to look a certain way. 121 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:29,900 They had to eat certain food and not eat certain food. 122 00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:35,660 It was a way to mark them as God's chosen people and make them distinct 123 00:06:35,660 --> 00:06:36,540 from the rest of the world. 124 00:06:36,540 --> 00:06:38,780 They are in the world, but they are not of the world. 125 00:06:38,900 --> 00:06:40,900 That was one of the reasons for the dietary laws. 126 00:06:41,180 --> 00:06:47,420 So God was basically saying to Israel, because you are my people whom I have 127 00:06:47,420 --> 00:06:52,460 saved out of Egypt and rescued you and redeemed you and called you by name, 128 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:53,900 here's how I want you to live. 129 00:06:54,300 --> 00:06:56,620 So because you're my people, go and live this way. 130 00:06:56,620 --> 00:06:56,980 Right? 131 00:06:57,580 --> 00:06:58,540 Here's the problem. 132 00:06:58,540 --> 00:07:03,860 The Israelites reversed that saying from God and they changed the word 133 00:07:03,860 --> 00:07:06,060 because to the word if. 134 00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:09,060 So God says, because you're my people, go and live like this. 135 00:07:09,060 --> 00:07:12,900 Then the Israelites started saying, if you want to be God's people, 136 00:07:13,660 --> 00:07:14,820 go and do these things. 137 00:07:15,540 --> 00:07:21,500 If you want to be saved, make sure you observe all of these laws and regulations. 138 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:27,700 And so the people started viewing the dietary laws as a way of 139 00:07:27,700 --> 00:07:28,700 getting holy. 140 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:33,580 Basically, if you follow the dietary laws, it was a means by which you could 141 00:07:33,580 --> 00:07:38,420 be made holy in God's sight and be in right standing with God. 142 00:07:38,620 --> 00:07:41,300 You might think people didn't actually think this, but of course they did. 143 00:07:41,300 --> 00:07:46,060 Jesus addressed it in Mark seven after he had talked to the Pharisees. 144 00:07:46,060 --> 00:07:49,860 He's talking with his disciples and he said to them, then are you also 145 00:07:49,860 --> 00:07:50,780 without understanding? 146 00:07:51,460 --> 00:07:56,900 Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him? 147 00:07:56,900 --> 00:08:00,820 Since it enters not his heart, but his stomach and his expel. 148 00:08:01,820 --> 00:08:04,420 Thus he declared all foods clean. 149 00:08:04,420 --> 00:08:06,820 So basically Jesus was addressing this issue, right? 150 00:08:06,820 --> 00:08:10,620 The Pharisees said, make sure you're only eating according to the dietary 151 00:08:10,620 --> 00:08:13,620 restrictions because then you'll be clean and holy before God. 152 00:08:13,620 --> 00:08:17,860 And Jesus says, no, that's not how it works at all. 153 00:08:17,860 --> 00:08:19,820 What matters is not what you eat. 154 00:08:19,820 --> 00:08:23,460 What matters is your heart and food cannot corrupt your heart. 155 00:08:23,460 --> 00:08:27,580 So whatever comes out from your mouth, that's proceeding from the heart. 156 00:08:27,580 --> 00:08:30,180 And so Jesus was trying to get to the heart of the issue. 157 00:08:30,460 --> 00:08:34,900 And so in order to get them to understand that the food they're eating has 158 00:08:34,900 --> 00:08:38,580 no bearing on their standing with God, the Bible says he declared all food 159 00:08:38,580 --> 00:08:40,860 clean, including bacon. 160 00:08:40,860 --> 00:08:42,700 Church, praise the Lord. 161 00:08:43,260 --> 00:08:44,260 We love Jesus. 162 00:08:45,540 --> 00:08:46,940 So here's what you need to understand, right? 163 00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:50,780 Dietary guidelines, they can be helpful. 164 00:08:50,780 --> 00:08:52,100 And I think we all know this. 165 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:57,740 If you drink or if you eat junk food all the time, you're going to feel like junk, right? 166 00:08:58,100 --> 00:09:00,780 So dietary guidelines can be helpful. 167 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:05,940 But Jesus is saying dietary guidelines cannot make you right with God. 168 00:09:06,340 --> 00:09:11,220 Just because you eat clean doesn't mean you're actually clean in God's eyes. 169 00:09:11,220 --> 00:09:14,620 And so Paul was saying, don't let people judge you because of these things 170 00:09:14,940 --> 00:09:17,340 because they have no bearing on your standing with God. 171 00:09:17,940 --> 00:09:20,180 Now, I'll be honest with you. 172 00:09:20,180 --> 00:09:23,580 You're probably not going to get a lot of pushback in terms of dietary laws 173 00:09:23,580 --> 00:09:25,500 that you follow today as a Christian. 174 00:09:26,140 --> 00:09:28,100 But you know where you will get pushback. 175 00:09:28,700 --> 00:09:32,500 Paul says, don't let people judge you based on food or drink. 176 00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:36,300 This is one of those parts where I'm going to offend some people, I think. 177 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:39,500 Certain things you can say in church, certain things you can't say, 178 00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:40,900 certain things make people tense up. 179 00:09:40,900 --> 00:09:42,380 One of those things is alcohol. 180 00:09:42,380 --> 00:09:45,260 Paul says, don't let people judge you based on food or drink. 181 00:09:45,260 --> 00:09:48,300 You say alcohol in a church, people start getting real tense. 182 00:09:48,300 --> 00:09:49,820 People start getting real tense. 183 00:09:51,180 --> 00:09:53,300 There's a lot of tension around that topic today. 184 00:09:54,420 --> 00:09:59,180 And we should say that the Bible is very clear that drunkenness is a sin. 185 00:10:00,340 --> 00:10:02,700 The Bible is very clear that getting drunk is a sin. 186 00:10:02,700 --> 00:10:07,260 The Bible is very clear that addiction of any kind is a sin. 187 00:10:07,260 --> 00:10:11,780 If you are enslaved to anything other than Jesus, that is a sin, 188 00:10:11,780 --> 00:10:14,180 whether it's alcohol or something else. 189 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:17,420 But there's not one place in the Bible that says drinking alcohol is a sin. 190 00:10:19,180 --> 00:10:22,100 If that were the case, we'd have to have a very difficult conversation 191 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:24,260 about Jesus turning water into wine. 192 00:10:24,740 --> 00:10:27,860 And Paul writing to Timothy to tell him to drink a little red wine 193 00:10:27,860 --> 00:10:29,100 for his stomach problems. 194 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:35,140 So drunkenness is a sin, but drinking alcohol is not a sin. 195 00:10:35,660 --> 00:10:39,260 But there are many Christians today who will judge and condemn other people 196 00:10:39,260 --> 00:10:41,780 for their choice about alcohol. 197 00:10:41,780 --> 00:10:44,900 We know alcohol. I mean, one for me personally. 198 00:10:44,900 --> 00:10:47,460 We had a visitor, and I can say this because he's not here, 199 00:10:47,460 --> 00:10:48,580 and he hasn't been here for years. 200 00:10:48,580 --> 00:10:51,620 But we had a visitor who was visiting with this church for a couple of weeks. 201 00:10:51,620 --> 00:10:54,780 He was coming on Wednesday nights, and I had a conversation with him. 202 00:10:54,780 --> 00:10:56,740 He asked me after service one Wednesday. 203 00:10:57,220 --> 00:11:00,140 He said, hey, what's your stance on alcohol? 204 00:11:00,740 --> 00:11:03,500 And I said, well, personally, I don't drink alcohol. 205 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,260 That's a personal conviction of mine. 206 00:11:05,260 --> 00:11:06,540 Also made a promise to my wife. 207 00:11:06,540 --> 00:11:08,340 So I don't drink alcohol. 208 00:11:08,340 --> 00:11:09,300 That's my stance. 209 00:11:09,300 --> 00:11:12,940 But the Bible is not opposed to it. The Bible does not condemn it. 210 00:11:12,940 --> 00:11:16,380 And he had a problem with that because he was a teetotaler. 211 00:11:16,380 --> 00:11:20,500 And he believed that if any church believed it was OK to drink alcohol, 212 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:22,540 well, he was never coming to that church again. 213 00:11:23,620 --> 00:11:25,940 And I said, OK, well, it was nice meeting you. 214 00:11:25,940 --> 00:11:27,940 And pray you find a good church. 215 00:11:28,340 --> 00:11:31,460 But it was something that he was so adamant about, 216 00:11:31,460 --> 00:11:34,220 that he was willing to judge us and condemn us 217 00:11:34,220 --> 00:11:37,620 for something that the Bible does not actually condemn. 218 00:11:37,620 --> 00:11:39,780 So it's like the dietary restrictions. 219 00:11:39,780 --> 00:11:43,620 Drinking alcohol is not a sin, but there should be some guidelines in place. 220 00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:47,060 There should be some boundaries that you draw out for yourself. 221 00:11:47,060 --> 00:11:48,860 But your conviction on this matter, 222 00:11:48,860 --> 00:11:51,620 it shouldn't be enforced on another person, right? 223 00:11:51,620 --> 00:11:53,860 Just because you choose not to drink alcohol 224 00:11:53,860 --> 00:11:57,940 doesn't mean that you should judge other people who do. 225 00:11:57,940 --> 00:12:01,460 This is exactly what leads to judgment, like Paul talks about here. 226 00:12:02,620 --> 00:12:07,460 It's the same thing we see with festivals and new moons and even sabbaths 227 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:08,980 as Paul mentions here. 228 00:12:08,980 --> 00:12:13,060 This is another one of those words where people get tense in church. 229 00:12:13,060 --> 00:12:15,900 Alcohol, money, sabbaths. 230 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:19,420 We're going to hit two of the three today, but maybe money on another day. 231 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:23,140 Here's the thing about the sabbath. 232 00:12:23,140 --> 00:12:25,620 There is not one place in the entire New Testament 233 00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:27,740 that says that Sunday is the sabbath. 234 00:12:28,620 --> 00:12:32,980 The sabbath was always sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. 235 00:12:33,580 --> 00:12:36,700 There isn't a single place in the entire Bible 236 00:12:36,700 --> 00:12:39,820 that refers to Sunday as the day of rest. 237 00:12:41,980 --> 00:12:44,460 According to the Bible, Sunday is the Lord's day. 238 00:12:45,300 --> 00:12:47,380 And actually, the Bible says in the book of Hebrews 239 00:12:47,380 --> 00:12:49,820 that the sabbath was fulfilled in Christ. 240 00:12:49,820 --> 00:12:52,980 And that sabbath rest is a way of life 241 00:12:52,980 --> 00:12:55,620 that we can enter into at all times because of Jesus. 242 00:12:56,060 --> 00:12:58,740 This is what the Bible says in Hebrews 4. 243 00:12:58,740 --> 00:13:02,100 So then there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God. 244 00:13:02,740 --> 00:13:04,900 For whoever has entered God's rest 245 00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:08,260 has also rested from his works as God did from his. 246 00:13:08,780 --> 00:13:11,340 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest 247 00:13:11,340 --> 00:13:15,900 so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 248 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:20,540 So the Bible is saying you can enter into the sabbath rest at all times. 249 00:13:20,940 --> 00:13:24,940 You don't need to wait until Sunday or Saturday to enter into that rest 250 00:13:25,180 --> 00:13:27,900 because the Bible is saying you have ceased from your works 251 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:29,060 as God ceased from his. 252 00:13:29,060 --> 00:13:31,660 And so the sabbath was this spiritual idea. 253 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:33,180 There are guidelines, right? 254 00:13:33,180 --> 00:13:36,860 Physically, guidelines, it's good to rest from your work. 255 00:13:36,860 --> 00:13:38,860 I'm preaching to myself here because I don't rest. 256 00:13:38,860 --> 00:13:41,140 So this is a sermon for me. 257 00:13:41,140 --> 00:13:44,180 Guidelines, it's good to set aside time to rest. 258 00:13:44,180 --> 00:13:46,460 It's good to let your body recover. 259 00:13:46,460 --> 00:13:49,820 But spiritually speaking, the sabbath was about us 260 00:13:49,820 --> 00:13:52,780 not having to strive to earn our salvation. 261 00:13:53,140 --> 00:13:56,620 It was about not having to try to work to obtain God's favor. 262 00:13:56,860 --> 00:13:59,700 The Bible says Jesus has already done it all. 263 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:04,540 And if you were in Christ, that rest is available to you at all times. 264 00:14:04,540 --> 00:14:06,940 And so if you're being burdened by sin 265 00:14:06,940 --> 00:14:09,340 or if you're being worn out by religious regulations, 266 00:14:09,340 --> 00:14:14,660 the Bible says enter into that rest that is available to you in Christ. 267 00:14:14,660 --> 00:14:17,700 But of course, people have a problem with this. 268 00:14:17,700 --> 00:14:20,100 I've had many people get angry with me 269 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:23,900 because I do housework and yard work on Sundays. 270 00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:26,500 Because they say it's the day of rest. 271 00:14:26,500 --> 00:14:29,300 There are other Christians who believe you shouldn't go out into the public 272 00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:31,220 to restaurants and stores on Sundays 273 00:14:31,220 --> 00:14:34,620 because you're causing another person to work 274 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:37,020 on what they believe is the day of rest. 275 00:14:37,020 --> 00:14:41,500 And so what we want to say to this is if that's your view, that's fine. 276 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:42,660 We disagree. 277 00:14:42,660 --> 00:14:43,620 But that's okay. 278 00:14:43,620 --> 00:14:46,540 You can have your view and I can have my view, 279 00:14:46,540 --> 00:14:49,700 but you don't get to enforce your view on me 280 00:14:49,700 --> 00:14:51,380 because it's your personal conviction. 281 00:14:51,380 --> 00:14:53,380 Does that make sense, church? 282 00:14:53,380 --> 00:14:55,900 You might say, well, pastor, aren't you just saying 283 00:14:55,900 --> 00:14:59,020 everybody can believe whatever they want about any given topic? 284 00:14:59,020 --> 00:15:01,180 No, not at all. 285 00:15:01,180 --> 00:15:03,740 There are going to be certain topics that we are staunch on. 286 00:15:03,740 --> 00:15:08,460 The virgin birth of Christ, salvation by grace alone, in Christ alone, 287 00:15:08,460 --> 00:15:13,180 the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross, justification by faith alone, 288 00:15:13,180 --> 00:15:16,540 the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the inerrancy, 289 00:15:16,540 --> 00:15:19,100 infallibility and inspiration of Scripture, 290 00:15:19,100 --> 00:15:21,300 the importance of the gathering of the church. 291 00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:23,700 We are going to be staunch on these issues 292 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:28,380 and we're not going to allow deviation because they are necessary and essential. 293 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:30,340 Do we get that? 294 00:15:30,340 --> 00:15:34,940 But on issues, now you can say amen, go ahead, I say amen all day. 295 00:15:34,940 --> 00:15:40,380 But on issues regarding alcohol, sabbaths, new moons, festivals, 296 00:15:40,380 --> 00:15:46,780 these things should all come as recommendations, not requirements. 297 00:15:46,780 --> 00:15:51,340 These things have no bearing on our salvation and on our standing with God. 298 00:15:51,340 --> 00:15:54,820 And so when Paul says not to let others pass judgment on you 299 00:15:54,820 --> 00:15:56,300 with regard to these things, 300 00:15:56,300 --> 00:15:59,500 what he's saying is a brother's personal conviction 301 00:15:59,500 --> 00:16:04,700 should never be mistaken for the Father's command. 302 00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:13,100 A brother's personal conviction should never be mistaken for the Father's command. 303 00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:16,460 Everything that proceeds from the mouth of God we're going to listen to 304 00:16:16,460 --> 00:16:22,700 and we're going to obey because God's commands are good and they are final. Amen? 305 00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:25,980 But the words of our brothers and sisters in Christ, 306 00:16:25,980 --> 00:16:28,860 we want to show them respect, we want to listen to them, 307 00:16:28,860 --> 00:16:31,180 but we're going to take it as a recommendation, 308 00:16:31,180 --> 00:16:34,380 not a requirement if it's on one of these tertiary matters. 309 00:16:34,380 --> 00:16:35,740 This isn't even a secondary matter. 310 00:16:35,740 --> 00:16:39,900 This is tertiary or whatever comes after tertiary. 311 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:44,460 Don't let people pass judgment on you with regard to these things 312 00:16:44,460 --> 00:16:48,140 because the Bible says ultimately these things are a shadow, 313 00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:50,300 but the substance is Christ. 314 00:16:50,300 --> 00:16:55,580 The Bible is directing our gaze past these tertiary issues 315 00:16:55,580 --> 00:16:59,900 to look at Jesus and see that He is the only one 316 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:01,740 who can put us in right standing with God, 317 00:17:01,740 --> 00:17:05,740 not what we eat or what we drink or when we take Sabbath rest. 318 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:07,260 None of that has any bearing on us. 319 00:17:07,260 --> 00:17:08,300 It is only Jesus. 320 00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:10,140 He is the one who makes us holy. 321 00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:11,900 He is the one who grows our faith. 322 00:17:11,900 --> 00:17:14,060 He is the one who nourishes our faith. 323 00:17:14,060 --> 00:17:19,820 We only are going to grow and be nourished by holding fast to Him. 324 00:17:19,820 --> 00:17:23,740 You have to understand that the person who chooses to rest on Sundays 325 00:17:23,740 --> 00:17:30,220 is no holier than those who choose to do a little work on Sundays. 326 00:17:30,220 --> 00:17:31,260 Personally, I'm thankful for that 327 00:17:31,260 --> 00:17:33,180 because I don't know if you all know this about me. 328 00:17:33,180 --> 00:17:36,780 I work every Sunday. 329 00:17:36,780 --> 00:17:39,340 Sunday is my busiest day of the week. 330 00:17:39,340 --> 00:17:41,660 So if we're going to condemn people who work on Sundays, 331 00:17:41,660 --> 00:17:43,580 we're going to have to move the service to a different day. 332 00:17:43,580 --> 00:17:43,980 Okay? 333 00:17:43,980 --> 00:17:45,980 So the person who works on Sunday, 334 00:17:45,980 --> 00:17:48,620 he's no holier or the person who doesn't work on Sunday, 335 00:17:48,620 --> 00:17:51,500 he's no holier than those who do a little work. 336 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:54,540 The person who chooses to abstain from alcohol completely, 337 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:57,100 he's no holier or in better standing with God 338 00:17:57,100 --> 00:17:59,900 than those who choose to have a drink every now and then 339 00:17:59,900 --> 00:18:03,980 because none of those things have any bearing on our salvation. 340 00:18:03,980 --> 00:18:07,820 So Paul says, don't let people judge you on these matters 341 00:18:07,820 --> 00:18:11,500 because ultimately it's only by holding fast to Christ 342 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:14,140 that you are in good standing with God. 343 00:18:14,140 --> 00:18:17,180 But his second matter or second command here, 344 00:18:17,180 --> 00:18:20,380 it's related to the dangerous alternative of mysticism. 345 00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:23,740 Look at verses 18 and 19. 346 00:18:23,740 --> 00:18:25,820 He says, let no one disqualify you 347 00:18:25,820 --> 00:18:29,020 insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, 348 00:18:29,020 --> 00:18:32,140 going on in detail about visions puffed up without reason 349 00:18:32,140 --> 00:18:34,140 by his sensuous mind 350 00:18:34,140 --> 00:18:36,700 and not holding fast to the head 351 00:18:37,420 --> 00:18:40,860 from whom the whole body nourished and knit together 352 00:18:40,860 --> 00:18:42,700 through its joints and ligaments, 353 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:45,900 grows with a growth that is from God. 354 00:18:45,900 --> 00:18:48,940 So his command here, don't let people disqualify you. 355 00:18:48,940 --> 00:18:51,740 Well, how would they disqualify you? 356 00:18:51,740 --> 00:18:55,100 By insisting that you have to have 357 00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:58,940 the same spiritual experiences that they have had. 358 00:18:58,940 --> 00:19:01,260 And if you don't have those experiences, 359 00:19:01,980 --> 00:19:04,540 well, then you're not actually a real Christian. 360 00:19:04,540 --> 00:19:06,380 That's how they disqualify you. 361 00:19:06,380 --> 00:19:07,980 It happens in a lot of different ways today. 362 00:19:07,980 --> 00:19:10,780 People will say, oh, you've never spoken in tongues? 363 00:19:12,460 --> 00:19:14,860 I guess you're not really a Christian then. 364 00:19:14,860 --> 00:19:17,980 Or you've never heard the audible voice of God? 365 00:19:17,980 --> 00:19:19,580 He's never audibly spoken to you? 366 00:19:19,580 --> 00:19:22,780 Well, either you're not a Christian 367 00:19:22,780 --> 00:19:24,540 or God must love me a little bit more. 368 00:19:25,260 --> 00:19:28,140 Or you say, well, God's never appeared to you in a dream before. 369 00:19:28,140 --> 00:19:29,740 I don't know why He wouldn't appear to you. 370 00:19:29,740 --> 00:19:31,340 He appears to me all the time in dreams. 371 00:19:32,060 --> 00:19:34,140 I wonder what that says about your salvation. 372 00:19:34,860 --> 00:19:36,620 This is how people look down on you 373 00:19:36,620 --> 00:19:37,980 and try to disqualify you 374 00:19:37,980 --> 00:19:40,780 because you haven't had the same experiences 375 00:19:40,780 --> 00:19:41,980 that they have had. 376 00:19:41,980 --> 00:19:44,300 This is exactly what the false teachers 377 00:19:44,300 --> 00:19:45,500 were doing in Colossae. 378 00:19:46,060 --> 00:19:47,820 They were wanting the Colossian Christians 379 00:19:47,820 --> 00:19:50,300 to get involved in mysticism, asceticism, 380 00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:52,380 worship of angels and visions. 381 00:19:52,940 --> 00:19:55,260 And they said that if you didn't take part in these things, 382 00:19:55,260 --> 00:19:57,020 well, you weren't actually a Christian. 383 00:19:57,020 --> 00:19:58,220 You weren't right with God. 384 00:19:58,940 --> 00:20:01,420 But if you would take part in these things, 385 00:20:01,420 --> 00:20:03,420 then not only would you be right with God, 386 00:20:03,420 --> 00:20:05,260 you'd also be super holy. 387 00:20:05,260 --> 00:20:07,580 This is how you become an elevated Christian. 388 00:20:08,140 --> 00:20:09,420 In fact, if you look at your Bibles, 389 00:20:09,420 --> 00:20:12,220 that phrase going on in detail about visions, 390 00:20:12,220 --> 00:20:15,660 that was a technical phrase used at the time 391 00:20:15,660 --> 00:20:18,860 to refer to someone who was being promoted 392 00:20:18,860 --> 00:20:22,460 to the next stage in one of the mystery religions. 393 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:25,260 So when a person is taking part in these mystery religions, 394 00:20:25,260 --> 00:20:27,900 he gets this experience, now they've promoted him. 395 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:29,740 He's a step above everyone else. 396 00:20:29,740 --> 00:20:32,540 And he has more experiences, and now he's promoted again, 397 00:20:32,540 --> 00:20:34,940 and he's a step above everyone else. 398 00:20:34,940 --> 00:20:37,660 This is how you go from being a regular Christian 399 00:20:37,660 --> 00:20:38,940 to a super Christian, 400 00:20:38,940 --> 00:20:41,100 from being just kind of holy 401 00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:42,860 to super holy. 402 00:20:42,860 --> 00:20:45,740 You need the experiences. 403 00:20:47,020 --> 00:20:48,300 And here's what we want to say to that. 404 00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:51,260 Spiritual experiences are good, 405 00:20:51,260 --> 00:20:54,220 and they can be good, and they can be helpful. 406 00:20:55,020 --> 00:20:57,420 But we must never be dependent on them 407 00:20:57,420 --> 00:20:59,420 for our standing with God. 408 00:20:59,420 --> 00:21:01,740 And yet I think how many Christians 409 00:21:01,740 --> 00:21:03,340 are there like that today? 410 00:21:03,340 --> 00:21:06,300 How many Christians today are feeling empty 411 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:07,980 in their spiritual lives? 412 00:21:07,980 --> 00:21:10,380 And they want more than anything for God 413 00:21:10,380 --> 00:21:14,140 to breathe new breath into their spiritual life. 414 00:21:14,140 --> 00:21:17,020 But instead of seeking God through His Word 415 00:21:17,020 --> 00:21:19,980 and through prayer, what are they looking for? 416 00:21:19,980 --> 00:21:22,620 They're looking for an experience. 417 00:21:22,620 --> 00:21:24,460 They want to hear God speak to them. 418 00:21:24,460 --> 00:21:25,900 How many Christians do you know who say this? 419 00:21:25,900 --> 00:21:27,660 God, I'm going through this trial. 420 00:21:27,660 --> 00:21:28,940 I'm going through this hard time. 421 00:21:28,940 --> 00:21:30,780 I just want to hear you speak to me. 422 00:21:30,780 --> 00:21:32,380 I want you to reveal yourself to me. 423 00:21:32,380 --> 00:21:33,100 Do something. 424 00:21:33,100 --> 00:21:35,260 Bring about a sign, a wonder, a miracle. 425 00:21:35,260 --> 00:21:36,300 Anything. 426 00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:38,220 Just let me know you love me 427 00:21:38,220 --> 00:21:39,980 and that you care about me. 428 00:21:39,980 --> 00:21:41,980 God, I want to hear from you. 429 00:21:41,980 --> 00:21:43,980 Well, church, I mean, we've said this before. 430 00:21:43,980 --> 00:21:45,660 If you want to hear from God, 431 00:21:45,660 --> 00:21:49,260 we have this wonderful book that God has written. 432 00:21:49,260 --> 00:21:51,420 And it is literally the words of God 433 00:21:51,420 --> 00:21:53,980 recorded and preserved for us. 434 00:21:53,980 --> 00:21:55,980 I'm always amazed, by the way, 435 00:21:55,980 --> 00:21:57,980 of the amount of Christians who say 436 00:21:57,980 --> 00:21:59,660 they want to hear from God 437 00:21:59,660 --> 00:22:01,420 and have God tell them what to do 438 00:22:01,420 --> 00:22:02,860 when they're not even obeying 439 00:22:02,860 --> 00:22:04,700 what He's already said to do. 440 00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:07,260 But that's a different sermon for a different day. 441 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:08,700 We'll get there. 442 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:11,740 But the point is, people are becoming dependent 443 00:22:11,740 --> 00:22:13,740 on these spiritual experiences. 444 00:22:13,740 --> 00:22:17,420 I can't truly believe that I'm in good standing with God 445 00:22:17,420 --> 00:22:20,380 unless God does this, unless He speaks to me, 446 00:22:20,380 --> 00:22:21,820 unless He gives me a sign. 447 00:22:21,820 --> 00:22:23,180 And that's dangerous, church, 448 00:22:23,180 --> 00:22:26,300 because experiences were never intended to do 449 00:22:26,300 --> 00:22:28,300 what only Jesus can do. 450 00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:31,660 Spiritual experiences are meant to point us to Jesus 451 00:22:31,660 --> 00:22:34,140 and make much of Jesus. 452 00:22:34,140 --> 00:22:37,100 And without Jesus, they're just empty. 453 00:22:37,100 --> 00:22:40,140 I remember spending a bunch of... 454 00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:43,180 my whole youth growing up, my whole teenage years. 455 00:22:43,180 --> 00:22:45,180 I went to a bunch of youth camps, 456 00:22:45,180 --> 00:22:47,180 and many of you probably did as well. 457 00:22:47,180 --> 00:22:50,140 And for me, it was the same thing every single time. 458 00:22:50,140 --> 00:22:54,140 We'd get together, we'd sing a bunch of powerful songs, 459 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:56,140 you'd get called up in the moment, 460 00:22:56,140 --> 00:22:58,140 and then here'd come a preacher 461 00:22:58,140 --> 00:23:00,140 with a really powerful, convicting message, 462 00:23:00,140 --> 00:23:03,180 and every time I would feel convicted from God, 463 00:23:03,180 --> 00:23:05,180 every single time. 464 00:23:05,180 --> 00:23:07,180 And every single time I would say, 465 00:23:07,180 --> 00:23:09,180 okay, this is it, this is the time. 466 00:23:09,180 --> 00:23:11,180 I'm making a decision for Christ, 467 00:23:11,180 --> 00:23:13,180 I'm getting committed, my whole life is changing. 468 00:23:13,180 --> 00:23:17,180 Right here, right now, I'm going to live for Jesus, 469 00:23:17,180 --> 00:23:19,180 because I'm called up in the moment, 470 00:23:19,180 --> 00:23:21,180 I'm feeling the experience, 471 00:23:21,180 --> 00:23:23,180 and then as soon as I got home, everything went away. 472 00:23:23,180 --> 00:23:25,180 Why? Because I wasn't in the moment anymore. 473 00:23:25,180 --> 00:23:29,180 I wasn't called up in the experience of it all. 474 00:23:29,180 --> 00:23:31,180 And I desperately wanted to feel that again. 475 00:23:31,180 --> 00:23:33,180 I mean, many of you know what it's like 476 00:23:33,180 --> 00:23:35,180 to have that spiritual high 477 00:23:35,180 --> 00:23:37,180 where you feel like, man, God has been in this place, 478 00:23:37,180 --> 00:23:39,180 and you chase it, and you chase it, and you chase it. 479 00:23:39,180 --> 00:23:41,180 And so that's what I kept doing throughout my entire youth, 480 00:23:41,180 --> 00:23:45,180 chasing one spiritual high after another, 481 00:23:45,180 --> 00:23:47,180 like a drug you're looking for his next high. 482 00:23:47,180 --> 00:23:49,180 And I just wanted to feel that again. 483 00:23:49,180 --> 00:23:53,180 And it wasn't until I was alone in my room, 484 00:23:53,180 --> 00:23:55,180 reading my Bible, 485 00:23:55,180 --> 00:23:59,180 that God finally revealed Himself to me, 486 00:23:59,180 --> 00:24:01,180 and convicted me of my sins, and saved me. 487 00:24:01,180 --> 00:24:04,180 It didn't come in the midst of a great spiritual experience. 488 00:24:04,180 --> 00:24:07,180 It didn't come in the midst of some powerful sermon 489 00:24:07,180 --> 00:24:09,180 or some amazing music. 490 00:24:09,180 --> 00:24:12,180 It came sitting alone with my Bible, 491 00:24:12,180 --> 00:24:14,180 reading the Word of God. 492 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:17,180 You see, church, I think this is the point Paul is making here. 493 00:24:17,180 --> 00:24:19,180 We need to make sure we're not more focused 494 00:24:19,180 --> 00:24:21,180 on seeking a spiritual experience 495 00:24:21,180 --> 00:24:24,180 than we are on seeking Jesus. 496 00:24:24,180 --> 00:24:26,180 We need to make sure we're not more focused 497 00:24:26,180 --> 00:24:29,180 on seeking a spiritual experience 498 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:33,180 than we are on seeking Jesus. 499 00:24:33,180 --> 00:24:35,180 The Bible warns us here 500 00:24:35,180 --> 00:24:37,180 that an over-fascination with these things 501 00:24:37,180 --> 00:24:39,180 tends to give us a big head 502 00:24:39,180 --> 00:24:41,180 and makes us puffed up. 503 00:24:41,180 --> 00:24:43,180 I've had all the experiences. 504 00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:45,180 God's done this for me. 505 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:47,180 God has allowed me to hear His voice. 506 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:49,180 God has revealed Himself to me in a dream. 507 00:24:49,180 --> 00:24:51,180 God's done this, God's done that. 508 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:53,180 And you start to think you're a little bit better 509 00:24:53,180 --> 00:24:55,180 than other Christians who haven't had these experiences. 510 00:24:55,180 --> 00:24:58,180 And if you'll pay careful attention 511 00:24:58,180 --> 00:25:00,180 to people who get called up 512 00:25:00,180 --> 00:25:02,180 in all of these experiences, 513 00:25:02,180 --> 00:25:04,180 you're going to notice something. 514 00:25:04,180 --> 00:25:06,180 The experience is typically not about Jesus, 515 00:25:06,180 --> 00:25:09,180 it's about the person who had the experience. 516 00:25:09,180 --> 00:25:11,180 And what tends to happen after that 517 00:25:11,180 --> 00:25:13,180 is everybody looks to the person 518 00:25:13,180 --> 00:25:15,180 who had the experience 519 00:25:15,180 --> 00:25:17,180 rather than Jesus 520 00:25:17,180 --> 00:25:19,180 for all the answers. 521 00:25:19,180 --> 00:25:22,180 That's why one of the most popular categories 522 00:25:22,180 --> 00:25:24,180 of Christian book and movie today 523 00:25:24,180 --> 00:25:27,180 are the heaven tourism books and movies. 524 00:25:27,180 --> 00:25:29,180 It's basically people who claim 525 00:25:29,180 --> 00:25:32,180 that they have gone to heaven and come back. 526 00:25:32,180 --> 00:25:34,180 Is there any way to verify this? 527 00:25:34,180 --> 00:25:36,180 No, none whatsoever. 528 00:25:36,180 --> 00:25:38,180 But I've noticed something interesting, 529 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:40,180 and maybe this is just because 530 00:25:40,180 --> 00:25:42,180 I ruffle feathers occasionally, 531 00:25:42,180 --> 00:25:44,180 if you ask any questions at all 532 00:25:44,180 --> 00:25:46,180 about the people who claim to have these experiences, 533 00:25:46,180 --> 00:25:49,180 Christians treat you like you're the heretic. 534 00:25:49,180 --> 00:25:51,180 Well, who were you to question their experience? 535 00:25:51,180 --> 00:25:54,180 That was their experience that God gave them. 536 00:25:54,180 --> 00:25:56,180 You're in no position to try to say 537 00:25:56,180 --> 00:25:58,180 that they didn't have that. 538 00:25:58,180 --> 00:26:00,180 Okay, all right. 539 00:26:00,180 --> 00:26:02,180 I'm just trying to ask some questions here. 540 00:26:02,180 --> 00:26:04,180 I know there was a very popular book 541 00:26:04,180 --> 00:26:06,180 written many years ago now 542 00:26:06,180 --> 00:26:08,180 where a three-year-old boy claimed 543 00:26:08,180 --> 00:26:10,180 that he died and went to heaven. 544 00:26:10,180 --> 00:26:12,180 And he came back 545 00:26:12,180 --> 00:26:14,180 and his father wrote a book 546 00:26:14,180 --> 00:26:16,180 of all the things that he saw and experienced. 547 00:26:16,180 --> 00:26:18,180 There was even a movie made about it. 548 00:26:18,180 --> 00:26:22,180 And I might have problems with this in general, 549 00:26:22,180 --> 00:26:24,180 which is a couple things to point out 550 00:26:24,180 --> 00:26:26,180 that are worth questioning. 551 00:26:26,180 --> 00:26:28,180 The biggest thing that concerned me, 552 00:26:28,180 --> 00:26:30,180 besides the contents of the book, 553 00:26:30,180 --> 00:26:32,180 was the fact that after the book came out 554 00:26:32,180 --> 00:26:34,180 and after the movie came out, 555 00:26:34,180 --> 00:26:36,180 this three-year-old boy, 556 00:26:36,180 --> 00:26:38,180 who was probably five or seven at the time, 557 00:26:38,180 --> 00:26:41,180 was paraded around on national television, 558 00:26:41,180 --> 00:26:43,180 going on every talk show. 559 00:26:43,180 --> 00:26:45,180 His father had people who were writing to him, 560 00:26:45,180 --> 00:26:48,180 and they were asking a three-year-old boy 561 00:26:48,180 --> 00:26:52,180 questions rather than looking to Jesus 562 00:26:52,180 --> 00:26:54,180 for the answers. 563 00:26:54,180 --> 00:26:56,180 So he goes on this talk show, 564 00:26:56,180 --> 00:26:58,180 and the talk show host says, 565 00:26:58,180 --> 00:27:00,180 you claim that you saw Jesus, you sat in his lap. 566 00:27:00,180 --> 00:27:02,180 Can you tell us what Jesus is like? 567 00:27:02,180 --> 00:27:04,180 You know, I'm thinking, 568 00:27:04,180 --> 00:27:06,180 if you want to know what Jesus is like, 569 00:27:06,180 --> 00:27:08,180 read the Bible. 570 00:27:08,180 --> 00:27:10,180 Because the Bible is the revealed word of God, 571 00:27:10,180 --> 00:27:12,180 and the Bible says that Jesus has been revealed 572 00:27:12,180 --> 00:27:14,180 perfectly in his word. 573 00:27:14,180 --> 00:27:16,180 So you don't need to talk to a three-year-old 574 00:27:16,180 --> 00:27:19,180 who has a totally unsubstantiated claim 575 00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:22,180 to ask him what Jesus is like, read your Bible. 576 00:27:22,180 --> 00:27:24,180 But they're asking, what's Jesus like? 577 00:27:24,180 --> 00:27:26,180 What's the Holy Spirit like? 578 00:27:26,180 --> 00:27:29,180 What's the end going to be like when the end times comes? 579 00:27:29,180 --> 00:27:31,180 And they were looking at him for these answers, 580 00:27:31,180 --> 00:27:33,180 and I'm thinking, God has already answered 581 00:27:33,180 --> 00:27:36,180 all of these things in Scripture. 582 00:27:36,180 --> 00:27:39,180 It was one of my favorite theologians of all time. 583 00:27:39,180 --> 00:27:43,180 He said, if new revelations agree with the word of God, 584 00:27:43,180 --> 00:27:45,180 then they're not necessary. 585 00:27:45,180 --> 00:27:47,180 And if new revelations contradict the word of God, 586 00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:49,180 then they're wrong. 587 00:27:49,180 --> 00:27:51,180 So you don't need new revelation. 588 00:27:51,180 --> 00:27:54,180 You have the perfect word of God. 589 00:27:54,180 --> 00:27:57,180 And so we need to be careful not to elevate these experiences 590 00:27:57,180 --> 00:27:59,180 over the authority of God's word. 591 00:27:59,180 --> 00:28:01,180 Do we see that, church? 592 00:28:01,180 --> 00:28:04,180 We need to be very careful not to elevate the people 593 00:28:04,180 --> 00:28:07,180 who have these experiences over Jesus. 594 00:28:07,180 --> 00:28:10,180 And we need to make sure that we don't let people 595 00:28:10,180 --> 00:28:13,180 try to disqualify our faith 596 00:28:13,180 --> 00:28:15,180 just because we haven't experienced 597 00:28:15,180 --> 00:28:18,180 the same things they've experienced. 598 00:28:18,180 --> 00:28:21,180 And just because you haven't had the same experiences of others 599 00:28:21,180 --> 00:28:25,180 does not make you any less a Christian than they are. 600 00:28:25,180 --> 00:28:27,180 Because at the end of the day, 601 00:28:27,180 --> 00:28:29,180 you don't need these spiritual experiences 602 00:28:29,180 --> 00:28:31,180 to grow in your faith. 603 00:28:31,180 --> 00:28:33,180 You don't need these spiritual experiences 604 00:28:33,180 --> 00:28:35,180 to be nourished in your faith. 605 00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:38,180 The Bible says you need to hold fast to Jesus, 606 00:28:38,180 --> 00:28:40,180 and He will nourish your faith. 607 00:28:40,180 --> 00:28:42,180 He will grow it. 608 00:28:42,180 --> 00:28:45,180 And there's one final dangerous alternative here 609 00:28:45,180 --> 00:28:47,180 related to asceticism. 610 00:28:47,180 --> 00:28:49,180 If you look at verse 20, 611 00:28:49,180 --> 00:28:53,180 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, 612 00:28:53,180 --> 00:28:54,180 why? 613 00:28:54,180 --> 00:28:56,180 As if you were still alive in the world, 614 00:28:56,180 --> 00:28:58,180 do you submit to regulations? 615 00:28:58,180 --> 00:29:01,180 Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch, 616 00:29:01,180 --> 00:29:04,180 referring to things that all perish as they are used, 617 00:29:04,180 --> 00:29:07,180 according to human precepts and teachings. 618 00:29:07,180 --> 00:29:11,180 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom 619 00:29:11,180 --> 00:29:14,180 and promoting self-made religion and asceticism 620 00:29:14,180 --> 00:29:16,180 and severity to the body. 621 00:29:16,180 --> 00:29:19,180 But listen, church, they are of no value 622 00:29:19,180 --> 00:29:23,180 in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. 623 00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:26,180 The ascetics were a group of people 624 00:29:26,180 --> 00:29:29,180 who advocated for severe punishments to the body 625 00:29:29,180 --> 00:29:33,180 in extreme self-denial 626 00:29:33,180 --> 00:29:37,180 in order to bring about holiness by brute force. 627 00:29:37,180 --> 00:29:39,180 Basically, they said, 628 00:29:39,180 --> 00:29:42,180 if you did all these things, if you followed all these regulations, 629 00:29:42,180 --> 00:29:44,180 if you disciplined yourself in this way, 630 00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:46,180 then you were guaranteed to be holy 631 00:29:46,180 --> 00:29:49,180 and in right standing with God. 632 00:29:49,180 --> 00:29:53,180 Basically, do these things and the result is guaranteed. 633 00:29:53,180 --> 00:29:57,180 And yet we know that it's not a guarantee, right? 634 00:29:57,180 --> 00:30:01,180 Because how many people do you know in your life personally 635 00:30:01,180 --> 00:30:06,180 who were raised in a very strict religious household, 636 00:30:06,180 --> 00:30:09,180 whose parents brought them to church every single time 637 00:30:09,180 --> 00:30:11,180 the doors were open, 638 00:30:11,180 --> 00:30:15,180 whose parents enforced religious principles in their household, 639 00:30:15,180 --> 00:30:19,180 who lived a very simplistic, minimalistic lifestyle 640 00:30:19,180 --> 00:30:22,180 only for their child to walk away from the faith entirely 641 00:30:22,180 --> 00:30:24,180 as they got older. 642 00:30:24,180 --> 00:30:26,180 Too many to count, right? 643 00:30:26,180 --> 00:30:29,180 We know people personally like that. 644 00:30:29,180 --> 00:30:32,180 It's because those regulations cannot bring about the result 645 00:30:32,180 --> 00:30:35,180 that you're hoping for. 646 00:30:35,180 --> 00:30:37,180 They have the appearance of wisdom, 647 00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:39,180 and I'm not saying these things are bad. 648 00:30:39,180 --> 00:30:43,180 They might be good, but they can't actually address the issue 649 00:30:43,180 --> 00:30:45,180 which is our heart. 650 00:30:45,180 --> 00:30:48,180 So you can make a bunch of religious rules, 651 00:30:48,180 --> 00:30:51,180 but you can't change a person's heart. 652 00:30:51,180 --> 00:30:54,180 And just because you participate in these religious activities 653 00:30:54,180 --> 00:30:58,180 doesn't mean that you're actually holy inwardly. 654 00:30:58,180 --> 00:31:02,180 So Paul's point here is just because you act religious 655 00:31:02,180 --> 00:31:07,180 doesn't mean you're actually righteous. 656 00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:10,180 Just because you act religious 657 00:31:10,180 --> 00:31:15,180 doesn't mean you're actually righteous. 658 00:31:15,180 --> 00:31:17,180 Amen, church? 659 00:31:17,180 --> 00:31:19,180 I think we all know this, right? 660 00:31:19,180 --> 00:31:21,180 Because we like to come to church, we like to play church, 661 00:31:21,180 --> 00:31:23,180 we like to get dressed up except for me, 662 00:31:23,180 --> 00:31:25,180 and we put on our nice suits and jackets, 663 00:31:25,180 --> 00:31:27,180 and we all like to come and we have the appearance 664 00:31:27,180 --> 00:31:31,180 of being very religious. 665 00:31:31,180 --> 00:31:33,180 Just because you wear the coats 666 00:31:33,180 --> 00:31:35,180 and the dressings of religion 667 00:31:35,180 --> 00:31:39,180 doesn't mean that you have a heart of righteousness before God. 668 00:31:39,180 --> 00:31:42,180 You can change your behavior for sure, 669 00:31:42,180 --> 00:31:46,180 and you can try to be the most moral person on earth, 670 00:31:46,180 --> 00:31:49,180 but your behavior is not the ultimate issue. 671 00:31:49,180 --> 00:31:51,180 Your heart is the issue, 672 00:31:51,180 --> 00:31:57,180 and these religious rules can do nothing to address the heart. 673 00:31:57,180 --> 00:32:00,180 You can think about it like this. 674 00:32:00,180 --> 00:32:02,180 If someone were to come and tell me 675 00:32:02,180 --> 00:32:05,180 that eating meat was a sin, 676 00:32:05,180 --> 00:32:08,180 I'd been a lot of trouble. 677 00:32:08,180 --> 00:32:12,180 Because Anna will tell you that I eat meat 678 00:32:12,180 --> 00:32:14,180 like doctors say you should drink water. 679 00:32:14,180 --> 00:32:17,180 Okay, so I'm constantly, I'm basically a carnivore. 680 00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:19,180 So if someone were to come to me and say, 681 00:32:19,180 --> 00:32:22,180 hey, eating meat is a sin, 682 00:32:22,180 --> 00:32:24,180 I'd been a lot of trouble. 683 00:32:24,180 --> 00:32:27,180 But if God says it's a sin, then I'm going to avoid it, right? 684 00:32:27,180 --> 00:32:29,180 Here's my question to you. 685 00:32:29,180 --> 00:32:32,180 Is my desire to eat meat going to magically go away 686 00:32:32,180 --> 00:32:35,180 because someone told me it's a sin to eat meat? 687 00:32:35,180 --> 00:32:37,180 No, right? 688 00:32:37,180 --> 00:32:39,180 You can say, hey, it's a sin to eat meat, 689 00:32:39,180 --> 00:32:42,180 so you're not allowed to touch it, handle it, taste it, 690 00:32:42,180 --> 00:32:44,180 see it, smell it anymore. You can't do it. 691 00:32:44,180 --> 00:32:46,180 These are your new rules. 692 00:32:46,180 --> 00:32:48,180 Is my desire going to go away? 693 00:32:48,180 --> 00:32:51,180 No, because a bunch of religious rules 694 00:32:51,180 --> 00:32:54,180 cannot take away the desire that's in my heart. 695 00:32:54,180 --> 00:32:57,180 That is something that only God can do. 696 00:32:57,180 --> 00:33:00,180 And so I need God to come into my heart and change my heart. 697 00:33:00,180 --> 00:33:03,180 I need God to come into my heart and give me new desires 698 00:33:03,180 --> 00:33:06,180 that are in line with His will and His word. 699 00:33:06,180 --> 00:33:09,180 I can't do that myself. 700 00:33:09,180 --> 00:33:13,180 And submitting to a bunch of religious rules can't do that either. 701 00:33:13,180 --> 00:33:15,180 So I want to say to all the parents this morning, listen to me, 702 00:33:15,180 --> 00:33:18,180 it is good to bring your children to church 703 00:33:18,180 --> 00:33:21,180 as often as humanly possible. That's good. 704 00:33:21,180 --> 00:33:24,180 And it is good to raise your children in a Christian household. 705 00:33:24,180 --> 00:33:28,180 It's good to enforce Christian principles and regulations 706 00:33:28,180 --> 00:33:33,180 in your house. But don't ever think that just because you do those things, 707 00:33:33,180 --> 00:33:36,180 the result you're hoping for is guaranteed. 708 00:33:36,180 --> 00:33:39,180 A lot of parents fall into this habit and they say, 709 00:33:39,180 --> 00:33:41,180 well, I'm doing all the right outward stuff, 710 00:33:41,180 --> 00:33:43,180 so therefore God's just going to save my kid. 711 00:33:43,180 --> 00:33:46,180 Parents, you need to pray for the salvation of your children. 712 00:33:46,180 --> 00:33:48,180 Don't get comfortable just bringing them to church. 713 00:33:48,180 --> 00:33:51,180 Don't get comfortable just sending them to Jordan 714 00:33:51,180 --> 00:33:54,180 to Ashley or Vicki or bringing them in here and say, 715 00:33:54,180 --> 00:33:57,180 let the preacher save them. I can't save anyone. 716 00:33:57,180 --> 00:33:59,180 Don't get comfortable doing all the outward stuff 717 00:33:59,180 --> 00:34:01,180 and neglect the thing that really matters. 718 00:34:01,180 --> 00:34:04,180 Pray for the salvation of your children. 719 00:34:04,180 --> 00:34:06,180 Pray that God would change their heart. 720 00:34:06,180 --> 00:34:08,180 Pray that they would see the glory of Jesus. 721 00:34:08,180 --> 00:34:11,180 Pray that they would desire to follow Jesus and serve Him 722 00:34:11,180 --> 00:34:13,180 and give their lives for Jesus. 723 00:34:13,180 --> 00:34:17,180 Religious regulations can't bring about the change we hope for. 724 00:34:17,180 --> 00:34:21,180 It is only by holding fast to Jesus. 725 00:34:21,180 --> 00:34:24,180 So if you want your faith to be nourished this morning, 726 00:34:24,180 --> 00:34:26,180 if you want to grow in your faith, 727 00:34:26,180 --> 00:34:29,180 then you need to hold fast to Jesus and not fall 728 00:34:29,180 --> 00:34:31,180 for all of these appealing alternatives 729 00:34:31,180 --> 00:34:34,180 because they cannot take you to God. 730 00:34:34,180 --> 00:34:36,180 Legalism just leads to judgment 731 00:34:36,180 --> 00:34:39,180 and over-fascination with spiritual experiences 732 00:34:39,180 --> 00:34:42,180 leads to pride and submission to religious rules. 733 00:34:42,180 --> 00:34:44,180 It gives the appearance of wisdom, 734 00:34:44,180 --> 00:34:48,180 but it can't actually stop the indulgence of the flesh. 735 00:34:48,180 --> 00:34:50,180 Jesus said in John 14.6, 736 00:34:50,180 --> 00:34:53,180 I am the way, the truth, and the life. 737 00:34:53,180 --> 00:34:58,180 No one comes to the Father except through me. 738 00:34:58,180 --> 00:35:02,180 And so if you want to come to the Father, 739 00:35:02,180 --> 00:35:05,180 if you want to be in right standing with God 740 00:35:05,180 --> 00:35:07,180 and have a heart that is pleasing to Him, 741 00:35:07,180 --> 00:35:11,180 then hold fast to Jesus and Jesus alone. 742 00:35:11,180 --> 00:35:13,180 Amen?