Colossians: The Freedom of Christ

Sermons – St Bart's Anglican Church

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the fifth sermon in our series on the Colossians. This sermon is “The Freedom of Christ”. Preacher: The Rev’d Adam Lowe. Bible Reading: Colossians 2:16-23

DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Next Steps this Week

BIBLE READING: Colossians 2:16-23

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 day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 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 in restraining sensual indulgence.

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: What could most help you be rooted and built up in Jesus?

WARM-UP

1. Have you ever felt inadequate as a Christian compared to others? Whatʼs the antidote?

2. What are the types of “counterfeit spirituality” that you have experienced?

Read Colossians 2:16-17 (Freedom from the Super-Religious)

1. What does Paul mean by, “do not let anyone judge you”? How might the Colossian Christians have experienced the judgement of others?

2. What were the extra things forbidden and required of the Colossians by those judging them?

3. What does Paul mean by his description of these things being a ʻshadowʼ of the reality in Christ?

4. What are the common sort of ʻrulesʼ that people add to the Gospel today? Have you experienced this?

Read Colossians 2:18-19 (Freedom from the Super-Spiritual)

1. What does Paul mean by, “do not let anyone disqualify you”?

2. What sort of ʻsuper-spiritualʼ things could have been happening around the Colossians?

3. How can these sort of ʻsuper-spiritualʼ things both appeal to our pride and play on our insecurities?

4. What does Paul say about those who endlessly pursue such spiritual experience? What does he mean?

5. What are the common types of spiritual experiences pushed onto Christians as necessary today?

6. Why are such spiritual experiences not necessary for salvation or as a ʻmakerʼ of belonging?

Read Colossians 2:20-23 (Freedom for that which Lasts)

1. What sort of strange practices were happening at the time? How could these be both attractive and ineffective? Do you think we could ever be attracted to such practices today?

2. If we do not belong to this world, to whom do we belong?

3. If we belong to Christ, what do we have freedom from? What do we have freedom for?

4. On what basis does Paul argue that we do not need to follow human commands or traditions to be saved?

APPLY: How can you be on guard against taking up or promoting counterfeit forms of spirituality?

PRAYER

Gracious Father, thank you that it is because of Jesus alone that we can have confidence of eternity with you. Please guard us from taking-up or propagating counterfeit spirituality. In Jesusʼ Name, Amen.

GOING DEEPER

On Your Frontline This Week: How can you pray for the politics of our country & the politics on your frontline?

Listen, Watch, and Read:

• Listen: “A qualified spirituality open under investigation” by William Taylor

• Listen: “Alive with Christ” by Chris Wright

• Listen: “Christ: Realities, Not Rules” by Mike Paget

SERIES Resources:

• Read: St Bart’s Colossians Series Overview

• Book: NIV Scripture Journal for Colossians

• Book: “Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters” by Tom Wright

• Commentary: “Colossians” by Michael Bird (eBook)

• Video: “Letter to the Colossians” by N. T. Wright

• Video: Bible Project Overview of Colossians

• Course: (Paid) “Paul and his Letter to the Colossians” on Udemy

Grow as Families

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Series Resource: “5 Things to Pray for Your Kids” by Melissa Kruger. This resource aims to help guide parents (along with grandparents, carers, and godparents) in praying meaningfully for their child, with biblical grounding.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk

eBook: Watch the eBook