Three Pseudo-Spiritualities

Tom Dixon

Colossians 2:16-23

Paul warns the Colossians against three false spiritualities that will move them away from the hope of the gospel. The first is ritualism, where Christians do external acts of service to God without dealing with the internal heart attitude towards Him in order to gain closeness with God. The second is mysticism, a type of of focus on intuition and feelings that become more trustworthy than God's Word. Lastly, there is moralism, the sense of focusing on strict obedience to morals, while neglecting what God desires, like love or compassion towards others. Each of these false ways of relating to God can hinder our ability to stand firm in the gospel.

A Servant's Wisdom in Controversy

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 3:6

The apostle Paul encourages the Ephesian church to have tact and discernment in how they met together. Paul wants the Ephesian women to be lights of God in their culture so he asks them to dress conservatively to fit in. He also wants them to be less vocal because they have fallen prey to false teachers. Outside of this passage, Paul talked about other female leaders that he holds in high esteem.

The Critical Divide

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 2:11-16

The early church has to settle the critical issue about circumcision. Paul and Barnabas were sharply disputing that circumcision isn't needed for salvation, something men of Judea were preaching. Peter declares that people are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The conclusion from this dispute was to not have heavy burdens on the Gentiles and to reject legalism and circumcision, but to abstain from sexual immorality, food polluted by idols, and meat of strangled animals. This would allow for contextualization and not put further barriers for the gospel between Jews and Gentiles. The focus of Christianity should be on the life-transforming power of God's grace, as opposed to man-made legalism. Radical grace should continue to be the focus of our lives as Christians.

The What of the Gospel (Part 3)

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 2:15

Through Jesus' death on the cross, he broke Satan's authority and ensured Satan's ultimate defeat. When people place their faith in Christ, they are able to experience freedom from satanic opposition in their lives. Some of the primary ways that Satan will try and oppose Christians is through accusation, deception, and temptation. Three primary ways we can stand firm against Satan's accusations are: 1) affirming promises of God's goodness and recalling His provision; 2) standing firm on God's complete forgiveness and begin relating to God with confidence in His love for us; and 3) committing ourselves to radical obedience to God.

Paul's First Journey (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

Acts 14:1-28

Paul and Barnabas continue to speak out about the message of Jesus Christ, while encountering hostility from Jews in the area. Paul preaches at Lystra, sharing that God has made Himself known through external general revelation. The world around us reflects the presence of an original designer, as God has made Himself, His power, and intellect clear through construction of our present universe and the complexity of life. Internally, God has also provided people with internal general revelation, such as moral choices, freedom, creativity, and love. The internal and external evidence points to God's hand in creating and sustaining everything and His deep care for those to know Him personally through Jesus. This teaching includes an interview on the evidence for intelligent design and a movie clip about molecular design.

A Servant's Fight

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 4:13

Paul calls us to fight the good fight. We are in a spiritual war, and an ideological battle against Satan and his world system. God has given us the truth of His powerful love and offer of salvation. Our fight is to share this message in a corrupt and jaded world.

Our Pride and Joy

Jeff Gordon

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

The Thessalonians accepted Paul's words as the very Word of God which continued to work in them after he left. As a result, they were persecuted because they were transformed by the Word and lived to serve rather than to be served. Paul intensely longed to see them because he loved them and they were his pride and joy. What is your view of God's Word and what is your pride and joy?\r\n

The Who of the Gospel

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 1:15-23

Paul teaches the Colossian church about the supremacy of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the unique and perfect revelation of God. He is also the absolute owner of the entire universe and the sole redeemer of universe. It's from knowing who Jesus is that we can determine what he means for our lives. In this case, Jesus can save people and reconcile them to God through his work on the cross. Once that happens, as we focus on Jesus, we are able to see transformation in our lives.

The Power of the Gospel to Transform

Tom Dixon

Colossians 1:9-14

Paul prays for the Colossians to understand how their lives can be transformed to please God. Through the transforming power of the gospel, Christians can experience more endurance, gratitude, and a growing fruitfulness in their spiritual lives, all of which are pleasing to God. The means in which God wishes to have this growth happen is through prayer, fellowship, and God's Word. Real transformation in our lives starts and begins with understanding the gospel, or the good news that Jesus died for us so we could know God personally.