Introduction
Let me begin with a discipleship question: how will you follow Jesus in prayer and dependence on God this week?
Main Points
In this lesson shaped by Calvary Boise's teaching on Free From the Burden of Religion - Colossians 2:11-23 (09/27/2020), Christ invites us to receive truth with humility, practice repentance, and walk in faithful obedience.
Repentance and Renewal
Baptism is such a beautiful symbolic moment where we identify ourselves with the death and resurrection of christ and we're going to read all. About what that symbol is pointing us to this morning in colossians chapter 2 because we're coming across a passage of scripture that tells.
- Very clearly the power of that symbolic moment that we have in baptism and the main crux of the message this morning where this.
- Baptism moment in scripture is going to turn is to remind the believers in this church and our church that baptism does not simply.
- Save us you know in a way from our old walking in darkness the um the depravity of our soul apart from god.
- That is one picture of the way that we are dead to sin and alive in christ but baptism is also that reminder of.
The power of god to save us apart from all of the ordinances of religion and remember that jesus came to call sinners to. Repentance he did that in luke 15 this picture of tax collectors and sinners that he's with and he calls them to himself to.
Prayer and Dependence
He's disarmed the principalities and powers he'd made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them it is finished it's over and christ were. Complete therefore verse 16 let no one judge you in food or drink or regarding to festival or a new moon or sabbaths verse.
- 17 says they are shadow of things to come but the substance is christ then he says let no one cheat you of your.
- Reward taking delight in false humility and the worship of angels intruding into those things which he has not seen vainly puffed up in.
- His fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head which is christ from whom all the body is nourished and knit together by.
- Joints and ligaments and it grows with the increase that is from god he has these two extremes of the pendulum he says do.
Not let somebody judge you on what you eat and how you celebrate the festivals because ultimately they point you to christ the substance. Is christ and then he says don't let anybody cheat you by saying that there's these extra spiritual moments where you can have insights.
Repentance and Renewal
Jesus says moreover when you fast don't be like the hypocrites they have a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may. Appear to men to be fasting assuredly I say to you they have their reward but you when you fast anoint your head and.
- Wash your face so that you don't appear to men to be fasting which means in the dietary regulations in the way that sometimes.
- We fast from food there is a temptation to do it so that people think we're cool so that people think that we're religious.
- And holy and we have our act together because there's something inside of us that thinks that if we can impress people then somehow.
- We're doing well with god we all are tempted in that way that's why sometimes repentance is a message that people reject because it.
Requires you to confess your sins openly which isn't something we really like to do because we're all trying to be pre we're all. Trying to pretend we're better than we are that's why sometimes I get the temptation to worry about what you think as I preach.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.