Colossians 2:16-23 | Jesus + nothing = everything!

But the truth is that. Many of us, when it comes to

Christianity, there are some people who want to make up their

own rules. And when we look at Scripture,

when we look at things like Christian disciplines or

spiritual disciplines that the Bible has given us, there's

going to be people that are going to argue with you.

And they're going to be like, yeah, Ricky.

Like I, I do. Believe in prayer, but man, you

can't just pray anywhere. I do believe in the scriptures,

but you got to make sure that there's a specific type of

individual. That will give you the

scriptures so that way you could.

Attain it and understand it, you're not supposed.

To read it for yourself, you're supposed.

To worship on the Sabbath. What are you doing?

Worshipping on Sunday and all. These things, it's like hold.

On a second like, you can't just make up your own set of.

Rules. God lines it out for us and I

would even argue and and what Paul's going to argue about.

Today is that hold. On like with Jesus, there's a

new covenant. So all of those old.

Testament laws, all of them. Old Testament all the Old

Covenant. Stuff that was just.

This massive neon arrow pointing to Christ.

But there's some people are still living this life, walking

around with a set of rules that they invented, and they're

calling everybody out on it. And Paul is going to call them

on their stuff and he's going to say, no, this is this is not.

What what it should be? Infiltrating the church.

So what we're going to do today is we're going to walk through

verses 16 to 23, and Paul is going to.

Really highlight what is. Happening in the.

Church of Colossae. And I think it's important.

I think it's, I think. That the.

Times that we live in right now I.

Feel like there's like a? Resurgence in Christianity.

A lot of people are coming back. To the church.

But in that resurgence, there's. Also a lot of false.

Teaching out there a lot. Of false teachers out there.

I saw one online the other day and this is a prominent pastor.

Big old church in Oklahoma. He stands in front of his his

people and he says in the beginning God created a light,

and that light was. Actually.

Jesus. And I'm thinking like.

Bro you. Are you're saying God created?

Jesus. Like I'm going through the book

of Colossians right now. You're wrong.

So you hear pastors saying stuff like this.

Just to sound nice, but it's not biblical truth.

And what's crazy is because. Of his outfits.

And because of how cool. His church is.

Everybody's feeding into it and they're.

Like wow, that was deep. No, you're wrong.

Jesus always existed. God did not.

Create Christ. Christ is God, so we have to be.

Really cautious and be very careful on some of the things

that we are listening to and making sure that they align with

Scripture. Because the truth.

Is in our culture, I think there's a way that many people

lose their faith and and the way they lose.

Their faith is that they're. Replacing Jesus with other

things. So it's like this.

Thing didn't really work for me so I'm going to.

Replace Jesus. With something else in my life

that's going to make it, that's going to make me feel.

Better you. Replace him with something else.

So you lose your faith, you walk.

Away from your faith, I would even argue based off of first

John, you never had it in the first place.

But I think many Christians don't just replace Jesus.

I think the. Issue is that they displace

Jesus and. When we displace Jesus, it's not

that we are replacing him when we displace him is that we're

moving him around. So you're not getting rid of

him, you're just putting him in a different place and you're

putting him in a different category in your life.

You're making him secondary and you're allowing all these other

things to. Replace the truth of Christ.

And little. Because you have displaced

Christ. You're going to look up and

you're going to be. So far away.

From the truth and you're not going to know what you believe

anymore. So I don't think the issue is

replacing, I think the issue is displacing.

So how do we fight this? How do we fight?

This whole notion that Jesus is enough to save, but he's not

enough to sustain. 'Cause.

Christ is not just mighty. To say but he is your life.

He's what? Sustains you.

He's what grows. You he's, he's who we serve.

And we worship. He's who we want.

He's who we pursue. We can't let other things pull

us away from that. So look at verse we're.

Just going to walk through. This let's look at verse. 16 and

17 in Colossians. Chapter 2 it says this.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

Therefore, do not let anyone judge you.

By what you eat or. Drink or with.

Regard to a religious festival. A new moon celebration.

Or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the.

Things that are that were to come.

The reality, however, is found in Christ.

So the first thing, Paul? Attacks here he's he's about to

go through. Three separate types of isms.

As we can talk about so last week we talked about how Paul.

Warned the Church of Colossae don't fall into.

Like this fake philosophy stuff? It's hollow, it's man made.

It doesn't sustain you. Be careful.

And then he warns us. But then he ends.

We end last week in verse 15, how Jesus wins.

Jesus won. He went to the cross.

He rose from the dead. We are forgiving.

Forever, and I think in verse 16.

That's where the therefore. Comes in.

So what Paul is going to do is Paul's going to.

Tie this whole. Notion this this whole idea.

This whole truth that Jesus rose.

From the dead and conquered the grave, and now we are free from

our sins. He wins.

He. Defeated darkness.

He defeated evil, therefore do not let anyone judge you.

By what you eat or. Drink.

And what, Jesus? What?

What? Paul is going to.

Attack here is. This whole idea of legalism,

this whole notion of legalism, we hear it a lot in our.

Culture holistic. That's a legalistic.

Church, you're being really, and there's a difference between

spiritual disciplines and legalism.

So I'm going to put the definition.

So I'm going to put that definition of legalism up.

So that way we get a better idea of what legalism.

Legalism is Legalism is the religion of human achievement.

That means that you must work in order for.

God. To look at you and be pleased

with you. How do I?

Become good with my maker. What legalism says is that you

must do you must. Work right, so in.

Legalism. You measure spirituality to the

conformity of man made rules. You're playing with the tooth.

Fairy, you are trying so hard to please man, so that way

yourself. Can feel great about it,

thinking that God's going to look at yourself and say thank

you, I needed that. And that is not what

Christianity is, and that's not what faith is.

But many believers fall into this place of legalism thinking

that what I do. Is going to actually please God

when the truth is because Jesus went to the cross?

Died and rose again. All we have to do is accept the

free gift of. Life and salvation and the

forgiveness of our sins. He.

Did all the work. You don't have.

To do it. And what Ephesians 2 says that

man, we're created. We're we're God's workmanship.

That means that I do because I am saved and because I'm

redeemed. That means that what comes out

of my life. Are all good.

Things I don't do good things, so that way I can become

redeemed. So what Paul is?

Saying is that some of. These guys that were

infiltrating the church. Were focused on two things,

diets and days. That's the easiest.

Way I could explain it, diets and.

Days. So what they were.

Doing Paul says don't let anybody judge you.

I like that he uses judge you because honestly what Paul is

trying to say. Here.

Is that they're using intimidation through judgement?

How many times have? We heard that where like.

I don't want people to judge me. I would go, but I want nobody

judge me. I don't want people to look at

me and judge me. What they're doing is that they

are. Trying to get you to walk and do

certain things a different way and they're using judgement in

order. To steer your life.

One way or the other, and that's what Paul's pointing out.

Don't let nobody judge you. And these false teachers were

coming in mostly from the Jewish sect.

They were coming in and they're like, hold on a second, you're

not adhering to the. Diets of of.

The Old Testament What diet? Live it Leviticus.

Eight, I mean Leviticus 11 how he was looking back, he's like,

hold on, you're not doing a little Leviticus 11, the

Nazarene vowel in Genesis chapter 2 where God tells Adam

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

and Eve to eat of the seeds of the ground and and all.

That stuff like. Like you know you're you're not

supposed to. Eat.

You're supposed to be kosher. How in the world can God be

pleased? With you.

If your diet ain't right, you're not following God's laws.

And what they were doing is that they were adding Old Covenant.

Plus Jesus so you could follow Christ.

Salvation is real, yes. But you must follow the Old

Testament covenant of food, and if you don't do that then it

doesn't count. So what Paul says is like.

Hold on, don't let anybody. Judge you based.

On what you eat and listen, there's a.

Lot these days where people use food.

And they use diet thinking that it enhances their spirituality.

And in my mind, I'm like, have you?

Had. Kindly, I saw the tacos.

Probably not. That'll enhance your

spirituality real good. Everybody say Amen, right.

No, like I mean it's, but they're going around and they're

claiming specific foods you can't eat certain things, you

can't do that, Rick and really. I get it like.

If if you want your health to be great, awesome, great.

But listen, you could. Be physically healthy but.

Spiritually unhealthy, so it's not about.

Checklist. It's not about what you.

Eat what you. Drink.

None of that stuff is going to draw you.

Closer to God. Honestly, legalism is

dangerously. Deceptive because it's like

this. Inward rebelliousness that we

have in ourselves. That means that listen, I can

live however I want, but externally if I am performing,

good if I am. Holding up to standards and.

Rituals and if I'm eating certain things and I'm serving

the way I should. Serve.

Then God's going to look at me and not really pay attention to

my sinful nature. Legalism does not change your

sinful nature. Legalism doesn't change your

heart. Legalism makes you work.

For it. It's impossible.

And because Jesus had victory on the cross, don't let.

People judge you. Based on the food or drink.

You should let people pull you away.

From what you're trying to do based on these these things and

then Paul goes on. To talk about days, he says

regardless of these religious. Festivals, the New moon

celebration or the Sabbath day. So what are these religious?

Festivals. The Old Testament.

You saw a lot of these that the Jews.

Would keep now they. God gave it to the people of

Israel like I said to. Point to.

Christ, so you have these. Festivals like the Passover,

Pentecost, the Festival of the Tabernacles.

The first fruits. All of these things were to be

celebrated. That's why he mentioned the New

Moon Festival. I was like, why did Paul mention

this specifically? The New Moon Festival was a

monthly sacrifice offered. At the first day of.

Each month. So there were certain

provisions. That you had to give.

To the temple in. Order for your your.

Sin to be cleansed and. For the sacrifices to work, but

all of this stuff. Was done away with because.

Christ. Jesus comes and he obliterates

like he's like, this stuff doesn't matter anymore man.

Hebrews 8 and I'll read it if you want to write it down.

Hebrews 813 By calling this covenant new, he has made the

first one obsolete. And what is?

Obsolete, obsolete and outdated. Will soon disappear.

So legalism is like, no, it's Jesus and and what Paul saying

tonight? No.

It's Jesus that's it. Doesn't matter about all these

things. And I love how verse 17, verse

17 explains this beautifully. Look at verse 17.

It says these are a shadow. Of the things that were to come.

The reality, however? Is found in Christ.

Isn't there's a reality of? Things and there's a shadow of

things in the morning. I'm up early and of course you

guys have kids. Might understand this, but Livy.

Is up early too. And as I'm sitting on the couch

drinking my coffee, reading, just kind of hanging out, I

always open the door to get these this natural light in and

I could. See, I first I hear these little

footsteps, 'cause. She's trying to be sneaky about

it 'cause I'm like you wept way too early, but then I could.

See the Shadow? In front of me of Livy creeping

up from back behind me, I see a shadow of my daughter.

Now when I see my shadow, do I go and hug the shadow?

No. Do I start talking to the

shadow? No.

Why? Because the shadow is not the

reality. The.

Reality is Livy and what? Paul is saying is that all of

these things? All of the all all of these

laws, the festivals, like all the food stuff.

Listen, that is just a. Shadow of the reality.

Who's Christ? Don't.

Focus on the shadow. Don't do the shadow.

You focus on Jesus. He's.

The reality and. When you focus on the shadow, it

takes away from the. Reality and it's a waste.

It it it, it doesn't hold water, it doesn't do anything.

Some you're like well. Ricky, why did God create?

It then so that. Way we could see our.

Massive need for a Messiah because you ain't going to be

able. To do all this stuff.

There's no way. So these.

Things are a shadow of the things to come and the.

Reality is Jesus so. Regarding it and another way to

see this regarding like the whole.

Food. Situation Jesus is the reality

right that it points to. So think about the food

regulations, how in the Old Testament you can't eat certain

things. Shellfish poured all these.

Things that it lists. But then Jesus shows up in the

New Testament and he says I'm the.

Bread of life, that. Came down out of heaven.

That's John 641 and he goes if you.

Eat this. Bread, you will never hunger

again. I am.

I am the well of life. I'm the water.

You'll never thirst again. We talk about days.

In First Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 it says that Christ.

Is our. Passover also has been

crucified. Everything is pointing back to

Jesus. So legalism, there ain't no room

for that now. Stay with your disciplines, yes,

but nothing is going to get. You to God, except through

Christ. Now Paul is going to also

address something called mysticism.

So let's go. Put the definition of mysticism

so that way we get a better understanding of what mysticism

is. It's the pursuit of a deeper or

higher subjective, a religious. Experience so the.

Belief is perceived apart from. Human intellect and natural

senses. So a lot of these guys that

were. Infiltrating the church in

Colossae. So you had the.

Jewish sect. But then you also had the

Gnostics and the Gnostics. Had a philosophy.

That came from the Greeks and what the Gnostics.

Believed. Is that the what's?

Spiritual and what's physical must be.

Separated. So that means that the Spirit in

the body cannot be one. That's why Jesus being 100% man

and 100% God. Was such a big deal.

For them, they couldn't believe it.

That's why the resurrection was a big deal for them.

They couldn't. Believe it, but they would also

walk. Around saying.

Yes, Jesus, we have his scriptures, but there's.

Something that I have that you don't.

I have a deeper understanding. I have an enlightenment.

I have heard a word. From some angels, and I've heard

a word from God that nobody else in this room will know about.

And if you want to know what I'm going to tell.

You. I'm going to need you to pay me

10 bucks. Sounds kind of silly but people

were banking on this and honestly I see this a lot in

churches today. Where you have these fake.

Prophets walking around pointing people out and and stay being

Captain obvious and people are falling out yelling Hallelujah

and they're worshipping. God told me you're going to be

hungry today. Hungry for his word?

And it was like, Oh my God, how does he know this?

It says it right here. How do we know this?

Do not let verse 18. Do not let anyone who delights

and false humility and the worship of angels disqualify

you. So first, Paul says to the

legalist. Hey, don't, don't, don't let

them. Don't, don't be intimidated by

them. Don't let them judge you.

But then here the word disqualify means cheat.

It means to rob you. Hey, don't let these guys.

Cheat you? Cheat you out of what?

God's blessing on your life because you've listened to them.

So your reward is at stake here. So how do we know these Mystics?

Well, mysticism operates more on feeling and emotions instead of

intellect and biblical knowledge.

People prey on folks like this and it says that there's a false

humility, actually. This humility is disguised in

actually. Their pride is disguised in.

Humility. So they're coming at you like

I'm a humble servant of the Lord I'm about.

To give you a word. That nobody else knows about.

It's not even in the. Scripture.

God just spoke. To me.

To give it to you. Listen.

That is a false humility because they want you to listen to them,

to feed their pride. Paul is saying.

Don't listen to these people. It's false.

It's a false humility. If it's not in the Scriptures,

if it doesn't align with God's Word, then it's a false word.

So he says there's a. False humility with these guys.

But then it says those who worship angels, be careful.

And this is a hard. Practice for many of us.

It's a hard. Teaching because many of us see

it as something cultural, not just in something traditional.

But the Bible is very. Clear, you don't worship.

Angels, actually, if you look. Back in history, the Archangel

Michael was worshipped and Asia Minor as.

Late as AD. 739 And he was given credit for all these miraculous.

Curses that he helped heal. So people began to worship the

Archangel Michael. And then also there's.

Worship of Gabriel, there's worship of.

These angels like, oh, protect my me or whatever, and you're,

you're praying to angels and Paul is saying don't pray to

angels. You pray to the one that created

them. Who's Christ?

Don't. Do that all through history.

False religions, demonic beliefs have all come from people who.

Claim. To have been visited and seen

angels. How do I know that?

We can look Joseph Smith. He's the inventor of Mormonism

and he. Said that he was visited.

By the Angel Moroni. And that in between 1823 and

1827, this Angel would visit him and he was stacked these gold

plates. And that's how he got Mormonism.

And that's how he wrote the Book of Mormonism.

Nobody else saw it, nobody else knew about it.

Nobody. Else in history has ever

experienced. It but for some reason Joseph

Smith got to see this Angel Moroni.

And there this crazy belief. System was birthed out of that

even if you look at other beliefs I mean I could go down

the line with Islam man. Even if you look at Adventist

said that LNG white how the person that was starting that

movement claimed that in 1840. 4 Jesus Christ.

Was going to come back down to earth.

He was going to return. And when 1840?

Four hit. I guess he forgot to read that

Jesus himself said that. Nobody's going to know the time

of the date, but when it did not happen and you could read this

in the historical documentation, it was known as the Great

Disappointment. So then Ellen G.

White, the Prophetess. Goes in and says that then she

claimed that she got visions and this great revelation given to.

Her by God. And that the Church actually

honors her writings alongside the authoritative.

Word of God and they. Uphold them.

Close to God's Word. And what she decided is that,

listen in 1840. 4 Jesus Christ was going.

To start his second phase of ministry, which he's going to

start investigating the. Lives of believers so that.

There's now 7 pillars that we must focus on so that.

Way God will look at us, and by the way, they also believe.

That hell ain't a real thing. Got some, got some revelation

that nobody that does not align. With the word of God.

And yeah, you could believe in your diets and your days and all

that stuff and that's fine, but that's not going to.

Give you closer to God. Only Jesus does that.

And what's even crazier? Is that a lot?

Of these belief systems claim Christ, but they don't claim him

100%. They displace Christ.

So what is Paul? Saying don't let.

Folks with a false humility and people that worship.

It don't let them cheat you and disqualify you and tell you that

you're wrong. For your beliefs because of what

they've. Heard and seen.

How do you know that? Look, Paul.

Walks us out. Look at.

Such a person goes into. Great detail.

About what they have seen. They talk a lot.

They're great at telling. Stories.

And they're they're great. They're great communicators, but

they are puffed up and with idle notions by their unspiritual

mind. That means that this stuff is

not coming from the Holy Spirit. Their mind is the mind of the.

Flesh it has, it is. Not a renewed mind and Paul's

saying that the antidote for. Both of these false.

Teachings is simply more Jesus. You exalt Jesus over the.

Angels You, you, you take him. To God's Word.

For the revelation of God. So if somebody tells you

something, it must match his. Word if it.

Doesn't match his word then they are a false.

Teacher. And it makes no sense.

And I know this is kind of a hard teaching and I'll be

honest, I've had people in my life who have come and have

given me a. Prophetic word they've

prophesied had it happened. Many times, and maybe I would

think there was only twice that it was real, but the other times

there was something in my spirit where I'm like, Nah bro that

ain't it. For honestly it's wrong.

Like you're way off. How do I know that?

Because the Holy Spirit. Inside of me there's a prompting

and because I'm aligning things with.

God's word. So yes, it's real.

We got to be. Careful with these mystical

movements that are coming up in the Church.

Today, be careful. That we don't fall into that.

Now what Paul's going to do is he's going to give an

explanation on how this happens, because these are prominent

teachers. These are not just your

nobodies. These are the heads of the

Jewish culture. These are the heads of the the.

Gnosticism movement, What happened to them?

'Cause it looks like they. Started out great and.

So they how? How did this happen?

Look at verse 19. They have.

Lost connection with the head from the whole body, supported

and held together by its ligaments and sinews.

Grows as God causes it to grow. They have.

Lost connection with the head and who's?

The head of the church, Jesus. Who's the head over?

All authority and powers Jesus. The way that the church grows,

the way that Christianity. Moves.

Is. Jesus and when churches lose the

connection to the head and you start allowing.

The stuff to bleed through. The church will not.

Grow if it grows. It's going to become ineffective

and I'll be honest with you. Ever have a small church that's

Kingdom effective than a large church that's Kingdom

ineffective? Jesus only had 12 disciples and

they changed the world. But imagine, the more people

that knew Christ, the more people that came to Christ, the

more people who are changing families and sharing the gospel

and making disciples it. Changes the world.

Around us and that's what we're after, but we can't get there.

If we lose. The Head and the Lordship.

Who's Jesus? He wants the.

Body to grow together. And without the head, it don't

work. The tendency for human nature.

Let's just kind of have an honest conversation.

Is that we move from objectivity to subjectivity we.

Shift our focus from Christ because we want an experience

instead. And sometimes as you're growing

in the in the Word, you're growing in the faith.

You. Start kind of claiming things

like I didn't feel it, I'm having a rough time, it's not

going the way I want. That is not Christianity.

That is US wanting a specific way, a specific pass, and a

specific experience to. Fill us.

And if we're not? Careful, we're going to start.

Seeing things subjectively instead of sticking the.

Truth, so instead of Christ. We want an experience.

Instead of truth, we want emotion, and instead of faith we

want feelings. Be.

Careful on what you let lead you.

And Paul is giving us these warnings and Paul is saying,

man, you got to watch. Out because the way that you

live life your life. Is not a roller coaster.

Of faith. It's not peaks and valleys where

Jesus only shows up in the peaks and he's not with you in the

valleys. No, the beauty of Christianity

is that. Regardless.

If you're in the peaks and the valleys, Jesus is.

There, He's with us, God with us.

Jesus is with me, He's with you. So when life gets.

Hard. He's with you.

When life is going great, he's with you.

And listen, that's what you hang your hat on.

And if you're not careful, you can't fall into mysticism,

because then you're going to start operating on how you feel.

Instead of what the truth of God says and.

You're going to forget. That Jesus is with you.

Praise. God, man, like I'm telling you

and I and I think we. All have to I have.

To remind myself that that even in the hard times, even things

don't work. Out listen, there's days where

you get. Home from a day of work, you're

like. What the heck was that?

That was crazy. I can't have.

Another day like that. Like.

This I just, I just like blank out, but I have to remind myself

like, Lord, I don't know what you're doing, but I know you're

with me. It's hard sometimes life is

hard. Sometimes things happen that

are. Difficult, but Jesus is with.

You don't forget that and don't let anybody cheat you from that.

Just don't feel it. So, he says.

Don't let anybody judge you. Don't let anybody intimidate you

because you're not legalistic. Don't let anybody cheat you.

Because you. Think you don't know certain

things of the Bible? And then the last thing Paul

addresses is something called asceticism.

So let's go put that definition of a cynicism.

It's pretty much. Spirituality that's lived by a

life of. Rigorous self denial.

So what people that practice the cynicism?

Believe is that listen if. I if I am poor and if I'm

struggling, if I cause myself pain, I am punishing the flesh.

And when I punish the flesh and when things are hard, if I make

things hard for my life, then God is going to be more pleased

with me. We started seeing the shift as

monks would leave places and then they would go and live

these lives, struggle, and they would do it in the name of

asceticism. If you go to other countries,

especially in Easter, you'll see people walking around whipping

their backs. To the to the place where

they're bloodied, you see people.

In other religions, Pierce their bodies, hang themselves to show.

That they have defeated the flesh guys.

All of this stuff takes place. And.

People purposely struggle so that.

Way they can say that they're holier than thou, and that's

not. What the Bible?

Says remember like Jesus even called this out.

What Jesus talked about fasting. He pretty much said don't put on

gloomy faces like the hypocrites do, for they neglect their

appearance in order to be seen fasting by men.

They go. Around and they're like they

claim that they're fasting that's why they're weak when

they give they try to do it in public squares.

Jesus is saying you don't have to do that don't do that and

Paul is addressing it now just for time's sake.

We'll run through look at verse 20.

So since so Paul goes. Through these three, right?

He he talks about them, he says since you.

Died with Christ to the. Elemental spiritual forces of

this. World.

I gotta pause there. Real.

Quick remember. All of these belief.

Systems if they point away from Christ or demonic.

That's what this. Word is the elemental.

Spiritual force of the world. These are not.

Beliefs that Jesus gave us. Why?

As though you still. Belong to the world.

Do you submit to these? Rules so if you are.

Founding Christ. If you claim that he died for

you. If you claim.

That you have the holy. Spirit, why do you still follow

these? Rules And then Paul says don't

handle it, don't taste it and don't touch it.

Don't even dabble in it. And don't be curious, listen.

If you're not thinking about going through the front door,

don't get on the porch. Don't mess with it, man.

Just just ignore it. Just stay focused on the

reality. Whose Christ?

And not the shadow? Don't mess with it.

Don't Jack with it. And then Paul says in verse 20.

Two these rules which have to do with.

Things that are all disdained to pair, destined to perish.

With use are. Based on merely human commands

and teachings. All this stuff don't come from

the Holy Spirit or don't come from God.

It comes from man. Now some people might argue,

well Ricky, isn't the Bible written by man?

But it's inspired by the Holy Spirit.

All of this stuff is. Man made.

Inspired by Pride Inspired. By self love, inspired by

productivity so that way you could get the applause.

These teachings are human commands.

These teachings don't mean anything according to the

commands and doctrine of man. That's one aspect that legalism,

it's a doctrine that promotes. They use it as a.

Doctrine that promotes. The laws of God but yet feeds

the pride. Of man makes no sense and this

wrap this thing up look at verse 23 such regulations I.

Like how he says that laws. Regulations.

Look. Look at the language that Paul's

using here. Such regulations indeed have an

appearance of wisdom. With their self-imposed worship,

their false. Humility and their harsh

treatment. Of the body, but they.

Lack any value and restraining sensual indulgence, so think.

About this, all this stuff. And he's warning us.

It has the appearance. Of wisdom.

It looks like wisdom. It shows up like wisdom, but

it's not wisdom. It's fake.

It's like me taking ramen noodles and putting some

Parmesan cheese in it and calling it fettuccine Alfredo.

Rachel's like, no, it might taste like fettuccine Alfredo.

My point? Rachel's like, get that out of

here. But that's what that's what he's

saying, all of these. Things are disguised and he's

calling it something else. There's another analogy with a

chicken sandwich, but I'm going to leave that one alone.

All right, so. A lot of it is.

Self-imposed worship. So who's getting the credit by

doing all this stuff? You God doesn't get any of the

credit. Nothing points to Jesus.

Everything points to my performance and how I did and

what people think about me. It feeds your pride, which also

says a false humility and then harsh treatment of the body.

That's the whole asceticism piece.

Listen, you're hurting yourself, not just spiritually but

sometimes physically as well. They lack value.

They lack value. That's how we wrap this thing

up. Man, I love like what Jeremiah

213 says, broken cisterns that hold no.

Water. That's what this is.

So just two more points and we're.

Out of here. So let me give you 2 equations.

My first equation. Jesus plus whatever it is.

Equals nothing. Jesus plus fill in the blank.

Nothing. You could add.

Legalism in there. Jesus plus my works.

Jesus plus my going to church. Jesus, plus my money giving.

Jesus plus whatever it is. If I'm trying to.

Get right. With my maker and I'm adding

things to my relationship. With Christ.

Listen, that gets you nowhere real fast.

I think actually there's four things and I'm not going to put

this on the screen, but I just want us to think.

About the text that we read. It's just kind of reflecting on

it, you know why these things don't work when you try.

To add it to Christ. Number one, it doesn't refrain,

it doesn't restrain the flesh. It actually feeds it, so you

still have to deal with this. Concept of simple nature.

So if it does not address your sinful nature, it's never go.

You're always going to be fighting it instead of being

free from it #2 it highlights pride, but it highlights pride

and it calls it humility. It's a pig with lipstick.

On it. So you're trying.

To like, be all humble. But honestly, it's just feeding

your ego and your pride because it doesn't point to Christ, it

points to you #3 I think is the most important.

None of this stuff is going to forgive your sins.

You're still going to have. The weight of.

Sins on your back. You're going to still try to

figure out how am I going to be forgiven from this?

How do I know I'm not forgiven from it?

Because you're trying more and more.

So that way God will. Forgive you.

And lastly, it's going to leave you feeling frustrated, angry,

anxious and tired. Frustrated, angry, anxious and

tired. I've talked to a lot of people.

That have fallen into legalism and the one thing I never hear

is. Oh, I feel great.

Here is. I'm stressed out, I'm

frustrated, my anxiety through the roof and I'm.

Depressed. Why?

Because there's. Nothing that you can do.

There's nothing that you can do for God to love you more.

They love you less. Jesus is the only thing that you

can do and to accept him and to make him Lord of your life.

Because there's another equation.

I want to end this with. Jesus plus nothing is

everything. Jesus plus nothing equals

everything. Everything you want in life is

in Christ. How freeing does that feel that

I don't have to do, I don't have to perform?

I don't have to try so hard for Jesus to look.

Down at me and call me his son, and even when I fall back into

my sin and even when I fail him, he still accepts me with open

arms because I'm. Covered by His grace.

So I don't go back home thinking, Oh my gosh, now I have

to go pray again. I'm have to go tell somebody

what I did. No.

Jesus says I love you to restore you and.

On the same side, 4 things Why? Why does this make sense?

Is number 1 he. Gives us the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says that the Spirit of God abides.

In our hearts. So that means that as I'm living

my. Life Jesus, his Spirit is.

Abiding in me that means that I am not living out of frustration

because I cannot frame restrain my flesh.

I'm actually leaving, living in abundance and in freedom because

He renews and refreshes my soul. Daily.

He abides in me, He abides in my heart number. 2 because I have

true. Identity in Christ, that means

that I'm able to live in humility.

Pride feeds those. Who don't know who they?

Are. Because you're trying to earn

approval from someone that doesn't matter and the only.

Approval that you. Need in life Listen, the only

approval that you need in life is with your maker who's.

God, if you just. Said I can't do anything.

For God to approve? Absolutely right, Because Jesus

did it. And you know how?

God is approved. How God?

Looks at us and is, is, is. Happy with us and.

Then loves us. Because he sees Christ in you.

That's the hope of glory. He doesn't see your works.

Because if you're going to flex on your works, you better flex

on the stuff that you don't do either.

You better count it all, but Jesus gives us our true

identity. And because I'm truly found as a

daughter and as a son of the Most High God.

And because I know. That God is happy and he he's

approved with me through Christ. I don't have to try no more, and

because I don't have to try no more, I don't need people to

give me an applause in order to make myself.

Feel good. Humility comes out of three My

sins are forgiven. Not just forgiven, but they're

forever forgiven. And the last thing is.

I have joy. I have freedom, I have peace,

and I'm constantly being rejuvenated.

By the Holy Spirit, life is hard.

The Spirit's with me, He rejuvenates me.

I sin, I ask for forgiveness, He forgives me, I continue and I

keep. Going and he's.

Developing me as I continue to live this life on this world.

What we call sanctification, legalism, asceticism, mysticism

has nothing to do with your sanctification.

Because what that? Does is that that pulls you all

the way back to. Righteousness, which you don't

have, and the only way for me to.

Start the process. Of sanctification is through the

principle of adoption, which God makes us his son and.

Daughter through Jesus Christ. And when you become a son and

daughter of the Most High God, you are forgiven forever, and He

begins to restore you, renew you, and to walk with you and

build you, and then live in this world until you retrieve

glorification and in glorification.

We get to be with our father. Thank you because you're so good

and you're kind. You're loving.

So Lord, I pray God that if there's individuals here today

that have displaced. You in their lives, there's

individuals. God that that are.

Seeking and they're trying other things.

Spirits speak to their hearts. That you make yourself known to

them. Spirit, we have your word.

Jesus, we thank you for this time.

We thank you for your goodness, your love and your kindness, and

we probably.