[Transcript represents full sermon's text]

       Beginning in Colossians 2 today, starting in verse 1: “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face” (ESV).

       We begin today with Paul’s acknowledgement of a struggle. A struggle in the work he is seeking to accomplish. The good news is that it’s a positive struggle. It’s not something that is negative or causing him and Timothy to be downtrodden. Where is the struggling coming from? Obviously, it’s coming from an inner love that Paul has toward the believers in Colossae. It seems safe to assume that no one would put that kind of effort in such an endeavor without love. And for the nearby city of Laodicea, Paul also shared that love. Notice he emphasized the work by noting “how great a struggle” it was. Paul was presenting the good news to world, and the believers in Colossae and Laodicea had believed that good news. And Paul wanted to make sure they continue down that path—away from the negative influence of the world from which they had escaped, and that they continued to strive to stay that way.

       Surprisingly, Paul had never met the Colossian believers, nor those in Laodicea for that matter. We can assume, and it will be alluded to in chapter 4, that the two churches had a close connection. That would make sense since they were located about mine miles apart from each other. Doesn’t seem like much to us, and even back then, wouldn’t have been far. We can understand to a further degree than we probably realize what meant Paul meant when he said they hadn’t seen him in the person before. The Colossian believers had no idea what Paul looked like from a physical stance. Though, the same is true with us today. We don’t know what Paul looked like. Of course, there are artistic renderings, especially anglo ones, often used in more formal church settings, which depict Paul. But we know these are very likely to be inaccurate. Too, we might have a picture of Paul from our favorite Biblical T.V. show or movie in which he is depicted. But, truth be told, we really don’t know.

       Continuing in verse 2: “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ” (ESV).

       The first goal of the struggle can be realized as seeking to encourage. To encourage. That’s a good goal. That’s a noble goal. Everyone needs encouragement. Back then. Even now. But the kind of encouragement being discussed, that which is being focused on, isn’t just a general encouragement to make people feel better. It certainly is going to make people feel better—but the encouragement in and of itself has a specific goal. And what’s interesting is that we are taken roundabout back to the mind—to “understanding” and “knowledge.” Paul talked about this at the end of chapter 1, about knowledge. We noted that he mentioned it a couple times. Well, here it is again. The understanding and knowledge though are geared toward Christ. Paul says Christ is God’s mystery. That’s peculiar because we don’t often seem to think of Christ as a mystery. It seems like we already know a lot about him. We know who he is, that he’s God. We know about his birth and earthly ministry. We know about his crucifixion for our sins and then rising from the dead. We know these things. So what is the mystery?

       Before we get into this mystery, let’s back up a little bit and not miss the part of the verse where Paul says of the church, “being knit together in love.”

       It’s a cool illustration, or picture, that is used here—one of which certainly refers to clothing, and how clothing is made. Interwoven. Each thread interwoven into another. And all the threads, each crossing the other, form the whole. It really is the perfect picture of the church. It is how it’s supposed to be. And interestingly, and on more of a sadder note, while the concept makes good sense to us, experientially, it may be more foreign to us in American church life than we realize. That’s because, as Americans, we value independence, and this valuing of independence from one another, to each his own kind of mentality, seeks to promote separation from one another. We would likely look at ourselves more like a chess board with the variety of pieces on it. Not to allude to the game itself, but think of the picture of the board with its pieces on top. We are the variety of pieces, which are different, and have the commonness that we all stand on the board. That’s our foundation. But we are all separate, independent pieces. That’s more likely how we experience church in twenty-first century America. A commonness but also a separation. But this isn’t the picture Paul has in mind.

       It appears this is, to a greater extent, the experience, the picture Paul is referring to here, of more collective societies within Christianity. This is something that most Americans, then, would be unfamiliar with. Indeed, it seems to be more prevalent in a the more communal types of churches, ones of which a more communal focus is in play. To provide a specific example, this was the experience spent during the course of a year with an anabaptist church in northeastern Ohio. It was an Amish-Mennonite church to be specific. One of the practices of the church was, during Sunday morning service, at one point the men would break up into a couple groups, and the women also into a couple groups, to study the Bible. So, Bible study would actually occur within the church service, right there, on Sunday morning. And individuals would share their thoughts on a certain passage, while at the same time discussing how it ties into experiences they perhaps faced during the week or whenever with whatever it was. It was a cool practice that lended to a deeper fellowship, one that emphasized commonness and promoted love among the members.

       What are some ways that modern evangelical churches can work toward “being knit together in love”? And going back to the text, we can derive from it that of the use of knowledge. That’s what Paul is talking about here. He’s talking about understanding and having knowledge of Christ. And for us, as twenty-first century Christians, obviously that comes from our use of the Scriptures. That’s how we try to understand Christ more and more, through study and application of the Scriptures. So, any way a church promotes the studying of the Scriptures together would be a good way to fulfill what Paul is emphasizing here, in “being knit together in love.” Probably most commonly used are small groups—often outside Sunday morning services. That’s good. That’s the point. But it’s also important on Sunday mornings aside from conducting services, to perhaps even have small groups, Bible studies, classes, whatever, that work to achieve this goal. This could be what is needed to get someone new seriously interested in the Bible for the first time, and one of which has participation with other people, and isn’t limited to just sitting and listening to a sermon from a distance.

       Paul goes ahead and elaborates on the mystery of Christ in the statement: ‘in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3, ESV).

       Remember, back toward the beginning of Colossians 1, Paul talked about the knowledge. And we said that knowledge lays the bedrock, the foundation of our understanding of life as a Christian. This then includes God’s will for us, as Christians. And over time, we increase in this knowledge, as we learn more, as we grow more, as we experience more. Now, in this verse, Paul is pinpointing or specifying where actual true or real knowledge lies, and that is in Christ. Christ’s consciousness we might say, his way of being. Indeed, when he was here on the earth, having took on an earthly, human body (which he keeps for all eternity), he demonstrated for us the ultimate attitude we are to have. That’s an attitude of love. That’s the overarching attitude. He healed the sick, cast out demons, even raised the dead, and all of this was on the physical level. The material level, or worldly level. Things which pertained to this life. On the spiritual level, he proclaimed the Gospel—the fact that all can be saved from their sins and brought into right relationship with God. A real relationship with the God of Universe which he himself demonstrated in his own life through his constant praying.

       We see glimpses into these hidden treasures in the Scriptures. What first comes to mind is Jesus’ baptism by John in the wilderness. It is an outward symbol that displays a hidden truth. And this is the model we have followed in our own lives, so as to share in the mystery. The outward confession of faith to demonstrate our new relationship, or relationship we’ve had, and the fact that we’ve been cleansed from our sins. The outward demonstration reveals the greater, hidden truth. God’s wisdom and knowledge. The same thing can be said for the communion service, where the bread and the cup are taken, that which our Lord did first with his disciples before his crucifixion. It is the inward examination followed by the external bread and cup. A glimpse into Christ’s wisdom and knowledge. And yet again, for the Mennonite listeners, the man’s lack of head covering, and the woman’s covering. An external symbol for the woman of which may not be entirely clear to the world. Christ’s hidden wisdom and knowledge.

       Why bring up external things? Because they are just that, external, and they clearly demonstrate truths, and these are truths that some teachers, both in Paul’s day and certainly in our day, seek to work against. Let’s talk about this. We talked a couple weeks ago in regard to the early form of the teachings of Gnosticism, which were being developed in the first century in places like the city of Colossae, and Paul had to work against these people. One of their points was that the external body was bad, was evil. The conclusion was then drawn that Christ himself did not reside in a physical body since God himself would not dwell in something that is evil, So, it is the denial that Jesus came in the flesh, or that he was only temporally in the flesh. But we know, or should know by now, that Jesus, even to this day, dwells in a human body. Right now, in Heaven, he is in his human body, and will be in the body for the rest of eternity. It is a permanent condition, and it is not the body that is bad. God created the human body. God created Adam from the dust of the ground, and he formed Eve from from his rib. The body is very good. It is the sin nature, our own rebelliousness against God, that is bad, that is evil, Not the body.

       Now it’s not just that, but the cults in Paul’s time, which continue in our time, sought to promote their own hidden wisdom and knowledge. Become a part of their group, and become part of the elite. Become endowed with the secret treasures of hidden wisdom and knowledge. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Coming to mind is the example in our day and age of the Free Masons. The problem isn’t the external help they may provide. No one is going to argue against that. Rather, the problem is the secrecy—the secret meetings, the exclusiveness. Only for members who are given secret knowledge to live out their lives. “Come on, what is wrong with that?” someone might ask. It is understanding of how the world works, a behind the scenes understanding, which doesn’t include Christ. It is a Christ-less understanding of the supposed true ways, the ways of wisdom and knowledge, of which Christ isn’t necessary. That’s the problem because that’s impossible. What is meant is it can’t be true, or entirely true. There may be elements of truth, and undoubtedly there are, for all appealing error contains elements of truth. But when one aligns with these types of groups, one aligns with power they probably don’t want to be aligned with. And in doing so, can cause varying troubles for themselves in their lives, and in their children’s lives.

       Colossians 2, verse 5: “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments” (ESV).

       As just discussed, it has to be plausible. Let’s take another example, perhaps a more familiar and popular one in our time. Evolution. The theory of Evolution which has seemingly been made a fact. People seem so convinced that evolution is how creatures have really come to be as they are today. In order for this theory to take precedence, it has to seem “plausible” as Paul said. What does plausible mean? It means that it is something that sounds like it could be true. The varying aspects seem to line up. In the case with evolution, scientists are so convinced. This is made people in the general population very convinced. The diagrams that show the human evolution of the human. That from the animal, like the amphibian, to the cave man, to what we have nowadays in our physical expression. It all looks reasonable; it seems right. And yet, with a little understanding from our Lord, with just the basic understanding that Jesus, when he was here on the earth, believed in the creation account that involved Adam, we can understand something different. Just that little bit of information dispels the whole thing. All that evolutionary work—all down the drain. It sounds like it could be right, and yet the vast majority of it isn’t right. How this makes Pauls verse come alive, that in Christ is “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

       The bottom line, whether we are considering Freemasonry, or Evolution, whatever it is, is that to the basis for the real foundation of the truth is found in Christ. Found in Christ. That’s the solid ground one can stand on. That’s what dispels the plausible arguments. And if we back up to what Paul said referring to believers, “being knit together in love,” we understand that we are in the right place. Have you ever noticed that that’s what a lot of secret knowledge seems to lack? Just consider. With Freemasonry, women aren’t even included. Half of the equation is gone. There can’t be true fellowship in the group without the inclusion of women. Or Evolution, where is the love in that? It’s a scientific theory, and has nothing to do with love. And yet, it’s supposed to explain why we are the way we are, and yet, has no real way of describing the most essential attribute of the human, and that is love. The evolutionist would probably just say that love is attachment, or simply an emotion. But a lot of people would agree that love is much more than that.

       Paul basically appeals to love in the next verse, when he says, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ” (ESV).

       Notice the importance of Paul being present with them. And while he couldn’t be in his physical body, for he was locked up in Rome recall, yet he could be with them in spirit. This was true love, love on the Apostle’s part for the church. A good cross reference passage to this is found in 1 Thessalonians 2. Let’s read it, starting in verse 17. It says, “Since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us” (ESV). Note the phrases, “in heart,” “more eagerly,” “and with great desire.” One can see the Apostle’s love for the Thessalonians, and it was no different here for the Colossians. In the case of the Thessalonians believers, Paul says that it was actually Satan who hindered him from coming to visit with them. That should sound familiar, for it also describes Paul’s condition in writing this letter to the Colossae believers. And, as an aside, note that Satan actually hinders something God wants accomplished. Certainly God wanted Paul to visit with the Thessalonians and the Colossians, but Satan hindered it. In the same way, it can be observed then that Satan could hinder us in this or that.

       Whether or not Paul really thought he would get out of prison, he seemed to have the hope. Consider in the verse he said, “rejoicing to see your good order and firmness of your faith in Christ.” So he hadn’t given up hope, It safe to say that Paul was a big hoper. He had lot of hope. Recall, he was the one who talked about faith, hope, and love with the Corinthian believers. And hope is a good attitude to have in general, right? It wards off depressive thoughts, right? The presence of negative thinking comes for a spirit that lacks hope—one of which doesn’t see much good happening in the future. And yet, Paul in his unfortunate circumstances, even those which were directly caused by Satan himself, still retained hope. And even though he couldn’t be with the Colossians on the physical level, yet he had them in his heart and on his mind. We are familiar with this. We are aware of what it is like to be away from a person, the family, or a group of individuals, like a church, and still wish to be with them.

       In fact, this was the experience when departing from the church that was afore to mentioned, the Amish-Mennonite church. After getting to know the church members more and more, and various individuals on a more personal level, it was difficult. Lots of quality time had been spent eating at their homes, spending one on one time with friends, and the like. It certainly is true that the commonness shared, that of being serious about the Christian life, the Christian journey, had caused a mutual connection that was from the heart. That's what it looks like Paul is referring to among the church. And though he had never met this group of believers, the Colossians, he loved from afar, a love that was based on that shared commonness. And as he discussed in chapter 1, he prayed for the them. What better way could there be to connect to someone, or a group of people “in spirit,” right? Especially when we believe that our prayers are having a direct impact, actually making a difference which will materialize in the physical realm.

       Undoubtedly, what Paul wanted to see with his eyes when he got out of prison was the tangible results of his prayers. Again, he says, “rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.” This good order and firmness of faith would definitely be helped along by these prayers. Good order is necessary for success; that seems so obvious. Yet, people often go against order and still try to be successful. It seems so unreasonable to try that and yet people do it. They do it all the time. Yet, what Epaphras has laid out for his group of believers (remember Epaphras was the founder of the church), what he has laid out, which could have come from Paul’s ministry, for we aren’t really sure, but wherever he originally got his information, his church order information, the church seems to be headed down a good path. And Paul desires to see this. It’s what every minister of a church desire to see—good order among the members. That that which is being taught is actually being followed. That lives are being helped. That they are being improved. That there is a closer relationship with God among each of the members. This is what the minister wants. This is certainly what Paul, Timothy, and Epaphras wanted.

       And there is also that “firmness of faith” which Paul mentioned. A firmness of faith among the body of believers. Faith comes in proclaiming what is good. There’s no doubt about that; we understand that. That’s what Paul spent the majority of his time doing. But it also comes from warning, like was discussed in chapter 1, and from dispelling that which isn’t true, like was talked about today. That also was part of Paul’s job, and with the great threat that was present, and still is present, it is necessary. That’s also part of the minister’s job, whether he likes it or not. Satan has power, and he seeks to use that power against the church. And he seeks to use that power to prevent people from even believing in the message of the cross, from believing in Christ’s death and resurrection from the dead, in his payment for people’s sins. That’s Satan’s greatest victory, right, when he can do that? Unfortunately so. But really, at the end of the day, for the hearer—for the one who actually gets to hear the message, it is his or her choice. It’s one’s choice whether to believe in the Gospel message or not, whether to join in the church in having that firmness of faith in Christ.” Anyone can have it. Anyone can decide to build their house on the rock instead of the sand. That’s the beautiful thing. It’s never too late. One can start right now.

- Daniel Litton