Colossians 3:11

Colossians chapter 3, reading verses 9 through 11, our focus this morning of verse 11. Lie not one to another, saying that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, skytheon, bond, nor free. But Christ is all and in all. May God bless to us His sacred and holy word this morning. If you stay at a hotel, they’ll give you an electronic key card to get in your room. Now your key card will only open your own particular room, not anyone else’s. If you have to go from room to room, like if you’re a maid doing various cleaning services, it would be very inconvenient if you had a stack of key cards and, you know, dig through them to find the key card that would open the door you wanted. So maids have what they call a master key card, which will open all. the doors in the whole hotel. If you have a master key card, then you’re not required to have anything else. Paul has been amplifying and strengthening the argument for spiritual renewal, the idea of putting off the old man and putting on the new man that we looked at in verses 9 and 10 in our last study. and in verse 11 he’s strengthening that by adding some additional information. He does this by removing any false ideas associated with either helping or hindering your standing before God. External things, which are deemed to be excellent or honorable, avail nothing regarding salvation. What you need is spiritual renewal. All external things which are considered a hindrance to salvation actually are not if you have Jesus Christ. So the key point here is Christ is all. If you have Christ, you have all you need. Christ is sort of like that master key card. You are not. complete in Christ, as we already studied earlier. He provides all you need for salvation. And so our topic this morning is Christ is all. Now let me begin by saying this. Your national status is of no importance. He says here, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, where either means in Christ, where either means in Christ, after whose image the new man is created or in the new man with respect to this whole matter of salvation, there is no difference of nations with respect to the new man, with the state of regeneration. You must not think that you’re more acceptable to God if you happen to be born a Jew, or rather than if you were born. born a Greek or a Gentile. You might fear you’d be despised if you were born a Jew, or a Greek or a Gentile, and not a Jew. It is true that in the Old Testament, great privileges were associated with those who were Jews. Mainly this, that they had God’s word entrusted to them. And the scripture tells us that the law of the Lord converts the soul. and therefore that was the benefit that they had. The Jews pridefully thought that if you belong to the Jewish nation, it almost guaranteed God’s favor and blessing upon you. It was like it was automatic. And you remember how if you were a Gentile, you were an unclean dog and looked upon as someone who’s all automatically cast off by God and you’re just kindling wood for the fires of hell. John the Baptist had to rebuke such thinking and boasting by the Jews. And think not to yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. He said, why God is able to raise up from these rocks, sons of Abraham. Jesus did also. When he told the Jews, if you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. Abraham’s not your father. Satan is your father. Paul asserts, they which are a faithful, faith the same are the children of Abraham in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 7 that puts a different spin on the whole situation or as he said in Romans chapter 2 he is not a Jew which is one outwardly but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and so it’s not your outward heritage that’s important it is a spiritual change that is important. You’ll recall that Peter it was given the vision of the great sheet, knit at the four corners, full of all kinds of animals in it. And there came a voice saying, rise, Peter, kill and eat. And Peter refused to do so, even though he was very hungry at the time. Peter said, not so, Lord, if I have never eaten anything that is clean or unclean. And he heard this voice saying to him, what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was repeated three times. Whenever God does something three times, you know he’s really emphasizing it. As Peter pondered what this vision really meant, we find that people came seeking him from Cornelius, who was a Gentile. And Peter was told by the spirit to go with these men. It was very unusual for a Jew to keep company with Gentiles. But Peter, following the guidance of the Spirit, goes with them to Cornelius’ house. When he gets there, Cornelius explains why he is called for Peter. He said, we want to hear everything God has commanded you to preach. And Peter says this. God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. All of a sudden, the lights go on, and he realizes exactly what that vision was all. about. So Peter preaches the gospel of the Cornelius’ friends and family members and relatives and God’s spirit falls upon them. God saves these individuals. It was an amazing development that Jewish Christians were very slow to receive and that God could reach out and save the Gentiles like this. That was surprising to them when Jesus preached at the synagogue at his hometown at Nazareth, the people got quite riled up. That’s because he told them how God favored several Gentiles over the Jews. You’ll recall, favor was shown to the widow of Serepta, a city of Sidon, in the days of Elijah, the prophet during a famine, but the widows in Israel were passed over. Favor was shown to the leper, Naiman, Assyrian. But the lepers in Israel were passed over. And when Jesus taught this, explaining God’s sovereignty and His grace and his salvation, the Jews were very round up, tried to kill him. They were thinking they should be the exclusive recipients of God’s grace, and it wasn’t that way. Jesus also taught that in him, both Jews and Gentiles are one. his sheep and they’re all going to be in puts in one fold together in John chapter 10. All this emphasis indicates to us the breaking down of the middle wall of petition between Jew and Gentile, that in Christ these things aren’t going to matter. I’ll make this observation. The real question is this. Do you belong to God’s holy nation? As First Peter, 2-9 indicates to us. Now, I rejoice in that I’m an American. I am patriotic in that regard. I think that’s a normal feeling. However, I have a higher joy and remembering that I belong to God’s holy nation, and so should you. That’s more important. Within the gates of New Jerusalem, it doesn’t matter whether you’re Jew or Gentile. It doesn’t matter whether you’re English or Brazilian or Indonesian or Israeli. It’s not going to matter one iota. Have you come onto Mount Zion and under the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem? That’s the question that needs to be asked. Psalm 87, there’s an interesting comment by the Psalmist. He rejoices. along with other people from other nations. And he says this, and of Zion it shall be said that this and that man was born in her, the Lord shall count when he writeeth up the people that this man was born there. Now, my friends, he’s not talking about earthly Jerusalem there. He is talking about the heavenly Jerusalem. Because he mentions other nations in this passage. And the indication is, We’re all born from that city above. We’re all part of that city. So if any person is a believer, even though they be a foreigner after the flesh, whether they’re a Brazilian or Indonesian or whatever, yet in spirit, it’s 10,000 times you’re more allied to a believer than you are to an American unbeliever, it would be shameful to allow your earthly nationality to dominate your heavenly citizenship. So ask yourself, am I a citizen of God’s Holy Nation? Because that’s the only national distinction that really matters. That this man was born there, that we had a spiritual birth from above. You belong to God’s Holy Nation. My second observation is this. Salvation in Christ is not based upon your bloodline. Now, it is a lot. a great privilege to be born in a godly family. And they have a godly line of people who have served the Lord. However, you can’t trust in your family descent as a guarantee that you shall be saved. Look at all the physical children of Abraham. And we know that many of those were not converted, not regenerate people. We should learn this important lesson that salvation is not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but it’s of God. all who believe in Jesus Christ are the sons of God, even though, according to the flesh, Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, as Isaiah 6316 indicates to us. We’re still the children of Abraham by faith. So your national status is of no importance. Secondly, your observance of mosaic ceremonies is of no importance. He talks here about, it doesn’t matter where you’re circumcised or uncircised. Now, circumcision here stands for all those things that are associated with the ceremonial law of God. For the scripture says, every man that is circumcised is a debtor to the whole law, Galatians 5.3. But the scripture teaches in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 6.15. Neither the observation nor the neglect of the ceremonial activities of the law of God is of importance to Christians. Physical circumcision doesn’t change the heart. It’s not true circumcision. Even in the Old Testament, we mentioned this in Duromy 36, and the Lord, Thy God will circumcise Thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live. That’s what’s important. What counts is receiving the circumcision of Christ that we looked at in chapter 2 and verse 11, which is heart circumcision, regeneration. It’s interesting that the Jews, who meticulously kept all the ceremonial law rituals remain for the most part, blind to the salvation of Jesus Christ. Blindness in part, there is a remnant according to the election of grace, but blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. So here are a multitude of Gentiles who don’t have the ceremonial law, and yet somehow, by God’s grace, they come to know the Lord, while the Jews, the majority of them do not. They have the veil over their eyes and do not understand. I want you to turn with me to Isaiah chapter 66. There’s an interesting passage here that’s well worth our time to consider. I want to read the first four verses of this chapter. Isaiah chapter 66 and verses one the four. Thus say it the Lord, the heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you? ye built build unto me. Where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine handmaid, and all those things have been, saith the Lord. But to this man why I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man. He that sacrificeseth a lamb as if he cut off a dog’s neck. He, he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood. He that burneth incense as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their souls delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions and will bring their fears upon them because when I called none did answer, when I spake they did not hear, but they did evil before mine eyes and shows that in which I delighted not. Now the key, I think to understanding this passage is to realize it was quoted by Stephen in Acts chapter 7. And it applies, it seems, to the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD and the planting of Christ’s church around the world. So that we’re dealing with the time of Christ’s kingdom here. It’s expansion. and its growth. And while the Jews gloried in the temple, the truth is, as Stephen indicates, God doesn’t need a temple. He doesn’t need a building made by man’s hands. Heaven is his throne. Is where his glory and rule takes place. Earth is a mere footstool for him. God doesn’t need a temple made by hands now because he’s erecting a spiritual temple. his church and will dwell in the hearts of his people. So with the coming of the law, all the ceremonies of the law are, or the coming of Christ, I should say all the ceremonies of law are now obsolete. They’re done away with. Perhaps even more importantly, verse three indicates to us how God considers these things. The continuation of these rituals is in an abomination to the Lord. This is why verse three indicates to us about those who killed the ox or the lamb. It’s such an abomination as if they were doing something that would be desecrating under the Old Testament law. These things are gone. These things are done away with. And to go back to these things, it would be a horrible abomination in the eyes of God. So what are you, doing and pursuing the sacrifices and the ceremonies of the law is in effect setting aside Christ’s glorious in all sufficient work, which these things pointed to. Why do we need these things when we have Christ? What does God consider vital now? Your heart condition. He mentions that in verse 2 when he talks about what’s important? The one who has a poor and contrite heart and trembles at his word. The one who fears the Lord, the one who is indeed humble. Are you repentant? You take God’s word seriously. So all the ceremonies in the world can’t replace what has brought to us in Christ. So you need regeneration. You need a heart change. These things are no longer viable. Now, let me make this observation. you need to realize what is important is not the mere observance of external ceremonies and rituals. It’s not physical circumcision. It’s important. It’s the spiritual circumcision. We shouldn’t rely upon some observance, even of a church ordinance, to benefit your soul if your heart has not been regenerated. Because it’s the heart’s regeneration. It allows us to be benefited. by the ordinances. Do not think you gain God’s favor by participating in religious ceremony and therefore a superior neighbor. The question is, are you regenerate? My second observation is this. We should learn a major error here of dispensationalism. There are many who believe that it’s God’s plan for the Jews to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem and reinstate the Old Testament saccharacteries. sacrifices and offerings and so forth. And the priesthood. Now they’ll tell you that since Christ has come, this is just merely a memorial that it doesn’t actually take away sin. All you have to do is read Isaiah 66 and verse 3 here about what God thinks about the reestablishment here of the reestablishment here of the. particular sacrifices since Christ’s coming and providing the sacrifice the final one once for all and you begin to realize how blasphemous it would be for someone to go back to such offerings. Whether you say there are a memorial or not, I always say, you know, the New Testament has always given us a memorial of the work and that’s the Lord’s supper. We don’t need to go back to the old symbolic sense here of all these hidden types and things that are more difficult when we have Christ giving us something that’s more straightforward for us to use. So your observance of mosaic ceremonies is of no importance. The third thing he says, your social standing is of no importance. He talks about barbarian, scythian, bond, or free. Now that are the Romans, you were a barbarian if you didn’t speak their language. language, Latin, and if you didn’t belong to their empire. So if you were a Gaul in France or Belgium, you were one of those barbarians. To the Greeks, they looked upon themselves as refined by their knowledge and their philosophy, you were a barbarian if you weren’t Greek. The Skytheans here were, of all people, the most barbarous. the most unculture. They were the lowest of the barbarians. So he takes the worst case scenario here. The most crude, the most fierce barbarians you could find. He says it doesn’t matter. There was a great deal of slavery in the Roman Empire. He talks about those who were under bonds. He talks about those who were free, who were just citizens. But those in bonds were the property of their owners. They were on the property of their owners. They were the low end of the totem pole, so to speak. Non-slave were classified as regular citizens or Greece or Rome. But in the matter of salvation, your social status is of no consequence. God’s grace doesn’t favor those with high social status or standing. It doesn’t matter whether you have a Ph.D. from Harvard or you’re a headhunter from some Pacific Island like New Guinea or something of that nature. It wouldn’t matter. When God’s grace reaches out, it could save either one. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a blue collar or white collar. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the boss or the employee. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the ruler or you’re just a common citizen. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a master or a slave. None of these things matter. None of them. You remember how Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, who was a ruler of the Jews, highly respected, quite knowledgeable about the law of God. And yet, what did Jesus tell him? The same thing he would tell anyone. You must be born again. It doesn’t matter about your social status. It doesn’t matter who people think you are and looking up to you. Unless you’re born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. He needed the same teaching of the most notorious Jew imaginable. In 1885, major cities in England were cesspools of corruption and iniquity. One form of immorality was mistresses for the upper class and, of course, visits to the brothel for the poorer classes. There was one young woman who was employed in a brothel who became so disillusion with her way of life that she decided she could commit suicide. So one Sunday, morning she made her way to Black Friars Bridge, intending to jump off and end her her sordid life. But passing the New Park Street pulpit chapel, she thought maybe she should go in before she jumped. Maybe there was some final thought that she could gain that would be of help before she met her, maker. It so happened when she went in. Spurgeon, of course, was preaching, and he was preaching on Luke chapter 7 where a woman in the city, which was a sinner, it says, brought an alabaster box of ointment and an anointed Christ’s feet, and she stood there weeping and washing his feet with her tears and wiping them off with her hair, and she took her precious ointment and poured it on his feet. Spurgeon began describing how this woman was a notorious public sinner and how she found forgiveness in Christ, the Savior, and how much she loved the Lord. And that’s why she’s washing his feet. That’s why she’s drying it with her hair. That’s why she’s pouring this precious ointment on him. Because he had forgiven her so much of the blackest of sins. And while Spurgeon was preaching, the heart of listening was melted to tears and repentant of her sin was brought to salvation in Christ, knowing that this woman in the scripture was forgiven so much that she could be forgiven so much. Did it matter that she was a harlot? There were other people in that congregation that heard that sermon and weren’t saved by it that were unsaved. God reached out. It didn’t matter. He reached out in his grace to save this woman in all her corruption. Let me make this observation. The blessing of salvation in Christ is this. God takes you just the way you are. He takes you just the way you are. You don’t have to reach a certain standard in order for God to save you. You don’t have to, like, I have to clean up my act. I have to live a certain way and then God will save me. You don’t have to convert to Judaism and observe all the ceremonial rituals to be saved. It doesn’t have to. matter about your social standing. It’s not as if, well, I’ve got to reach a certain social standing, then I can be safe. You can be the most crude, uneducated barbarian there is, even a lowly slave. Like an Esymus, who actually carried this letter, it seems, to the Colossians, from Rome, from Paul, and God reaches out and saves people as he did him. Just go to Christ the way you are. he is the friend of sinners. Come on to me all you that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest, is the message of scripture. Fourthly tonight, or this morning, and lastly, you are told what is of importance. But Christ is all, and he’s in all. Here’s the conclusion of the matter. Christ is everything to you. In the matter of salvation, You are complete in him. Colossians 2.10, we’ve already looked at it. Christ is the alpha and omega, or as Calvin said, he’s the whole ship from bow to stern. He’s everything. Your healing lies in his stripes. Your life lies in his death. Your pardon lies in his suffering as your representative. Christ is your wisdom. Christ is your righteousness. Christ is your sanctification. Christ is your sanctification. Christ is your strength, your riches, your peace, your comfort, your joy. Christ is the giver of grace. Christ is the giver of glory to you. Whatever you lacked in privileges or eminence, he abundantly provides. You might think, well, I’m a Gentile. Yes, but you’re made a true member of the Israel of God by Christ. For they that are their faith of the children of Abraham, you’re grafted in. You might say, well, I’m uncircumcised, yes, but are you not granted the true circumcision, which counts even more, the one of the heart not made with hands. But I’m a barbarian. Doesn’t matter. You are given a divine philosophy and scripture on our made citizens of heaven. You might say, well, I’m a bond man. Yes, but you’ve been given freedom of spirit. Christ has set them free. Who were one. slaves and given them from, freed them from their spiritual bondage and given them freedom. Maybe you’re a poor man. Yes, but you’re spiritually rich, and you have treasures in heaven. All these things, you see, are overcome by knowing Jesus Christ. So Christ is everything to you. And notice also, Christ is in you as a believer. He’s in all. The gracious possession that’s spoken of here is the work of the Spirit who is called the Spirit of Christ. It is the spirit, which is the means of forming Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whatever nation, social status, or cultural condition, Christ is in you as a believer. You’re part of his body. You’re part of the universal church. This makes each one of Christ’s people precious to Him. You’re a child of God. and this means all believers are to be considered brother. It’s interesting. If you look at Colossians 4 with me real quick here, when he speaks of Onesimus here, and he speaks to the church, with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, but he’s a slave. Doesn’t matter. He’s your brother in Christ. You see how his status is Elisimus. elevated in Christ, and so it doesn’t matter. All believers are considered brother. So Christ is in you as a believer. Now let me make this observation. You should appreciate the glory and excellence of Christ. Of whom else could it be said that he is all? Who can compare to Christ? Who else can satisfy the needs of everybody who comes to him? It doesn’t matter whether they’re Jew or Jesuit. whether they’re circumcised or uncircumcised, whether they’re barbarian or culture, whether they’re a slave or free, it doesn’t matter. He takes care of all the needs. Worship him with all your hearts and rejoice in him and be always thankful to him. Find perfect happiness and comfort in Christ. Never think that you need something in addition to Christ. And then another observation is this. Your safety and blessedness as a believer is found in Christ. Christ is all. And if you can say Christ is mine, then you have all you need. You’re complete in him. You lack nothing. Anything you may think you lack, he has it for you. Do you know anything about the joy of knowing Christ? Do you know anything about having all your spiritual needs satisfied through the Savior? If you have not the Savior, then you would be naked and poor and miserable, spiritually destitute. But come as a sinner. Confess your spiritual need and finding Christ the perfect Savior. That’s the message. When you possess a master key card, you need nothing else. It will open every door in the hotel. In the same manner, if Christ is all, you need nothing else. be satisfied with him. Let us ask for the word of prayer this morning.