HOLLOW THOUGHTS - EMPTY LIVES COL. 2:8-23
Ever been poisoned? Food poisoning? You don't want to be. It's awful!
Ever had your mind poisoned? Just a few weeks ago in the US a boy watched an MTV Beavis & Butt-head cartoon showing kids playing with fire. He was fascinated by it and so took a lighter and set their house on fire. His 2 year old sister died in the blaze. Now the family is suing the producers for putting that thought into their little boy's head.
Our minds are like computers. They give us back whatever we put into them. Garbage in. Garbage out. What we think is what we are. Therefore whatever we put into our minds or allow others to put into our minds ultimately determines the direction of our lives.
I. THE CAUTION VS 8
"see to it" = Beware, real danger ahead. Like skull & cross on poison = don't drink.
"captive" = to carry off as booty or as a captive, to kidnap from truth and carry away into the slavery of error.
"philosophy" = a system of thoughts and beliefs which undergird our entire approach to life.
"hollow and deceptive philosophy" = empty, wicked, tricky, seducing deception. So much sloppy thinking around; philosophies that are irrational, contradictory, speculative and hollow.
Eg. Easterna Bloc Countries built on Communism. A trail of slaughter, poverty, bondage. Too late Marx. They're all messed up.
Eg. The western world has grown up on materialism and hedonism. Now it is convulsing and falling apart.
Eg. Generation raised by the Child Psychiatrist, Dr. Spock. Now he admits he was wrong. Too late Dr. Spock. They're all messed up.
Eg. Shirley MacLaine, who claims to have been many different people in past lives, has caused trees to sway, mastered the knowledge of weather control also says she has the power to communicate with the spirit world, elephants and other jungle animals. Unfortunately this golden girl of the new age is having trouble communicating with her own kind. After swearing at David Letterman and walking off his show Shirley was told by Oprah Winfrey, "You just can't go around telling people you are God"
Millions of people biting into the new age lie. Someday when their lives in shambles well be saying, Its too late Shirley, they're all messed up.
In Politics, Finances, Child rearing, Religion and every other area of our lives, hollow thoughts always produce empty lives. And yet people continue to build their lives on lies.
Even professing Christians are being deluded by the new age garbage. Norman Vincent Peale, noted Christian author, now believes in reincarnation and the Hindu philosophy of Karma. He recently endorsed a book called "The Jesus Letters" by Jane Palzier. Apparently, a demon spirit, who identified himself as Jesus, told Ms. Pazier to write this book which totally opposes and contradicts the teachings of the Bible. Yet Peale recommends that everyone read it. He says that God is simply an energy force, a consciousness, and that it doesn't matter whether you believe in the Jesus of Nazareth or the Jesus of Jane.
Peal also endorsed Harold Sherman's occult book, "The Dead Are Alive. They Can And Do Comunicate With You." He calls it a masterpiece.
Dr. M. Scott Peck, author of "The Road Less Traveled," a book on the Christian bestsellers list, went to India and worshipped the Hindu gurus. Although he is a dedicated Zen Buddhist meditation advocate, Peck has been invited to many Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist churches across America. Dr. Peck, a psychiatrist and an M.D., says it is heresy to emphasize the divinity of Jesus Christ.
"See to it that no one (not even famous authors) takes you captive...
How can I know which system of thought is true vs which is deceptive and destructive? Everyone claims to have the truth.
Three characteristics of empty, deceptive philosophy: vs 8
(1) It depends on human tradition
(2) It depends on the basic principles of the world
(3) It does not depend on Christ.
A. Traditions
"tradition" = that which is handed down
Fiddler on the Roof and Yentl show the turmoil and triumph of young people breaking free of some of the restrictive Jewish traditions: matchmakers and restrictive learning. Teens love to throw off the "outdated forms of their parents, culture. When I was a teen I did too.
Are traditions wrong? Some throw baby out with bath.
II. Thess.2:15 Stand firm and hold to the teachings (traditions) we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter
II. Thess. 3:6 Keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching (tradition) you received from us.
I Cor. 11:2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings (traditions), just as I passed them on to you.
Why should these traditions be any different than the others?
I Cor. 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. Not "traditions of men" "human traditions" but Christ centered / based. Many religious traditions are nothing more than human traditions.
Matt 15:2,-14 Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat! And Jesus replied, "Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?...You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition" Of them Jesus said, "Leave them, they are blind guides. If the blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Cultural, family and religious traditions are OK as long as they are recognized as such and held loosely. Danger: they evolve into untouchable, unmovable creeds equated with the 10 commandments. If inflexible they not only breed rebellion but they also twist our focus.
Gal. 1:14 Paul's testimony: "I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But...God called me by his grace and was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him..." (not traditions)
If a tradition or a teaching contradicts Christ it must be abandoned immediately. If a tradition or a teaching goes beyond Christ, even if it does not violate scripture, it must be held loosely - very loosely.
B. Principles
"elementary teachings of the world", "the basic building blocks of human teaching or reasoning" "the ABC's of life" - Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?
Where did we come from? Evolution vs creation. Most scientists so committed to evolution they won't even look at the documented facts for a young earth. Illust. Scientists sent samples of dinosaur bones to be dated. Didn't tell where from. 6,000 years old.
Why are we here? to please self and be happy vs. to glorify God
Where are we going? reincarnation, annihilation vs. heaven or hell.
What we believe about these 3 big questions sets our course for life & eternity.
C. Christ
Hollow, deceptive philosophy does not depend on Christ. It avoids him at all costs. Our Secular, pluralistic society says we must be open minded and accept all teachings, all, that is, except Biblical Christianity. Illust. Library book on Dinosaurs. How extinct? 20 wild theories but flood not even mentioned. God says a proper understanding of Christ and his Word is absolutely essential to knowing truth in every realm. Build on: "Christ Jesus as Lord" (vs 6)
Redbook Magazine article "the Startling beliefs of our future ministers" results of survey taken among several major Denominational Seminaries. They asked, Do you believe in...
Q. A physical resurrection? A. 54% No.
Q. Virgin Birth of Christ? A. 56% No.
Q. Literal Heaven and Hell? A. 71% No
Q. Deity of Christ? A. 89% No
Q. Man is Separated from God at birth? A. 98% No / not concerned
Q. Second Coming of Jesus Christ? A. 99% No
Any wonder why churches are all messed up today and in many places dying? We are in a much more dangerous situation than the Colossians. The hollow thoughts of the world have so permeated our thinking that we are in serious danger.
II. THE CORRECTION vs 9 - 15
Why beware of these hollow philosophies? Why build life and thinking on Christ Jesus as Lord? 3 reasons:
A. Our Trouble Without Christ
Regardless of what philosophy a person holds to he / she has one thing in common with every other human being. We are all less than perfect. We've got a spiritual disease that is terminal.
vs 13 = we were dead in our sins with a dirty sinful nature. vs 14 = The law with its written code and regulations was against us confirming our desperate condition. We were standing before the eternal judge with a long black list of foul, capital offenses. He could have thrown the book at us. We were in big-time trouble without Christ.
B. Our Triumph With Christ
1. He triumphed over our sin vs 13,14. He took it, nailed it to the cross, paid for it in full. He removed it as far as east from west. He hit the Divine erase button and it can't be retrieved.
2. He triumphed over our sinful nature vs 11,12
Not just pig out of mud but love of mud out of pig. Not just sinner out of sin but love of sinning out of sinner. New heart / nature
3. He triumphed over Satan and every other power. vs. 15
Image of a conquering king leading enemy captives, chained and humiliated before cheering crowd.
C. Our Treasure In Christ
vs 3 = all treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. vs 9,10 Fullness of God in Christ.
Paul uses this term, "fullness" to show the all sufficiency and absolute supremacy of Christ. He is the God of creation. All the fullness of Deity, all that God ever was and is, is in Christ.
"and you have been given fullness in Christ."
Mind boggles to comprehend. How put ocean in a tea cup? The fullness of Deity, that everyone is longing for, is in Christ. And this Christ, who is in us, is our hope of glory, our assurance of the glorious presence of God with us, in us.
See why there is no need to lean on human traditions or philosophies?
Traditions exhaust you; Philosophy empties you; Only Christ enriches you.