Colossians: Shadows and Substance

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Talk intro:

We’re continuing our journey through the book of Colossians today and as a reminder Paul is writing to a relatively new group of believers to help them understand 2 important truths. 1. He’s telling them who Jesus is and, 2. What difference He makes in their life.

So far Paul has been revealing a ‘formula’ of sorts that goes like this: The Godhead is completely in Christ and Christ is in us so we are complete in Christ.

He is trying to help them see that Jesus is above all things including their gods and religious systems and in the last couple of weeks we have looked at how He fulfills all of the demands of the law and specifically how everything merges together at the cross.

Today we’re going to look at some of the specific concerns that Paul had for these new Christians and their new life in Christ

Turn with me to Colossians 2:16-19 and let’s read it…..

I’m going to start off by saying a little about what this passage isn’t talking about. It’s not talking about the ongoing debate about whether or not it’s better to be vegan or carnivorous. It’s not talking about whether or not Christians should drink alcohol. Guidance for those types of things will come later on in Colossians.

What Paul is talking about here are the things that were likely to come up as they began to encounter those who were of the Jewish faith who would try to judge them based on these things. Paul understands that the Christian faith is the fulfillment of what the Jewish religion, and religion in general is a shadow of.

Said another way the Hebrew religion of the OT points to and symbolizes what was fulfilled in Christ. The Jews were the chosen people of God and the requirements of their religion were given to keep them holy in a corrupt world. The law was what set them apart as different and unique.

We are the holy people of God because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross and in us by the Holy Spirit and His Word and Paul is driving that point home in the remainder of this chapter.

There are two things that he wants us to be aware of.

In verse 16 is a warning about Jewish dietary laws and keeping the Jewish festivals and Sabbaths. And in verse 18 he is a warning about the Jewish mystics who would try to persuade them of a higher ‘spirituality’ of worship like the angels of God.

Paul is saying that the old traditions and the new ‘higher spirituality’ won’t make you complete. The first two were kind of old school and the other one was a new thing. Isn’t it funny how some things never change? Doesn’t it seem that someone is always trying to get us to either go back to the ‘good old days’ or telling us we’re missing out on some ‘new thing’?

That’s the picture in vs. 16 and 17. When I stand here there’s a shadow. Which one is real, me or the shadow? They’re both real but only one is me. A shadow tells you that I’m here but the shadow isn’t me. The Jewish law and religious practice was the shadow that Christ emerged from.

Jesus was revealed as the substance that the shadows of old religion hinted at. Paul doesn’t say that the Christian faith has nothing to do with the Jewish religion; he’s saying it is the fulfillment of what they sought for.

In verse 18 Paul warns them not to get cheated out of their reward, or their faith in Christ. Isn’t it funny how people will hint around that you’re really missing out because you’re not in the latest so called ‘move of God.’ I could list several of them and I’ll never forget some of the looks I got when I told some people I had no desire to jump in.

I mean seriously, if we already have it all in Christ why on earth do we need to run all over the country to try and find some new thing? That’s Paul’s point He warns them not to chase the shadows of ‘higher spirituality.’

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that some of them aren’t genuine moves of God, they just might be. However I know that God isn’t limited by distance and if He wants to move that way everywhere He will. Until then I’ll just be "satisfied" with Jesus and the fellowship of His church and rejoice for those who are experiencing a special move of God.

I will share this observation though. It seems to me that every single ‘move of God’ ends up being derailed by the very thing Paul writes in verse 18 and 19. Those involved seem to become puffed up as evidenced by their exaggerated claims and each and every time it becomes more about preserving and propping up the thing that is happening than it is about Jesus. I don’t think there’s anything quite as sad as watching people try to hold on to and extend something that God has let go of.

They have become so absorbed by their feelings they can’t stand to let go and usually they equate their spiritual growth to how they feel. It’s so inward focused and based on whether or not I’m feeling a particular thing.

I am all about a faith that captures my entire being; body, mind and spirit. I want to feel my faith but my faith and growth isn’t determined by that it is accomplished in holding on to Christ and in my connection with you. Our spiritual growth is dependent on receiving nourishment from the head, who is Christ, and being knit together with each other.

When Christ died on the cross the law of God was fulfilled for us and we were set free from the law of sin and death. When we have Jesus we have it all.

Paul’s warning to them and to us is that we hold fast to Jesus and resist the temptation to chase the shadows of old, dead religion and the shadows of the next new thing. When we hold on to Jesus and we have everything we need!