Our Church's One Distinctive (Col 1:15-2:23) Intro: What does our church stand for? "It is possible for a man to win quite a reputation as the manager of a delicatessen for reformed gourmets, producing theological rarities which are unobtainable elsewhere" (E. Donnelly, "Baxter: a Corrective"). Our one distinguishing doctrine: See 1:17-18.
Exposition 1. "Colossian Heresy?" (2:4-23) Paul condemns anything which moves us away from faith & practice which are ours in Christ
2. Christ's Sufficiency (1:15-2:3) Is there anything you need that you haven't already received from Christ? Why look elsewhere for these buzzwords: fullness, completeness, maturity, mystery, wisdom, philosophy?
Application: - No self-imposed religion, doctrines & commandments of men (2:8-23) - Practical holiness (3:1-9) - Social, racial, economic unity (3:10-11) - Love, kindness, applying Christ in relationships (3:12-15) - Biblical worship, esp. in the Psalms we sing (3:16) - Expressly Christian vs interfaith ministry (3:17) - Wives submitting to husbands, children noticeably obedient to parents. Family-integrated church (3:18-20) - "Reformed world-&-life view" about our labor in the world (3:21-4:1) - Corporate prayer (4:2-3) - Clear & full proclamation of gospel of Christ w/o omiting critical parts like judgment & repentance (4:4) - Walking wisely, speaking graciously to those outside (4:5-6) - Ministering in, for, thru visible church vs parachurch discipling & evangelistic ministries (4:7-17)
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