Intro: I would like to ask a question this morning. What kinds of false teaching are around in our culture that are contrary to biblical teaching?

Horoscopes

Fortune Tellers

Secular Humanism

Eclectic Religions

Critical Race Theory

LGBTQ teachings and rationalizations

Legalistic Religious Systems

Materialism

Idol Worship

More?

Part of my calling as a pastor is make you aware of these teachings. I also need to teach  and preach the truth so you are able to recognize false teachings. We also need to realize that false teaching can be presented in ways the look very attractive and believable.

Would it surprise you to know that Paul faced many of these false teachings in his day? So while he was in prison for preaching the gospel, Paul wrote this letter to the churches in Colossae because they were being infiltrated  with false teaching that threatened to pull people away from the truth and mislead them.

We Need to Know Where We Live

Look at Colossae; 100 miles inland from Ephesus

It was a meeting point between the East and West

Many important trade routes passed through the city bringing with it many different beliefs and philosophies

Look at Lacey

Population 29K

Seasonal Community

Predominately Roman Catholic

Headquarters to the Universalist Church

Predominately White 98%

2% Black, Asian, Latino

Church attendance is generally sporadic

Average commute to work is 34 minutes

Christ Followers Live in Jesus Christ!

One of Paul’s favorite expressions in his writings is, “…In Christ…”

We live in Christ

Our salvation is in Christ

Our identity is in Christ

Our purpose is in Christ

Our life is in Christ

Our destiny is in Christ

We reside in Forked River or what ever town in which you live

The  Theme of Colossians is the “preeminence of Christ”

Look at Colossians 1:15-16

Christ ought to be the center of all we are and all we do

Any teaching that take Christ out of His rightful place of preeminence is false teaching

Any teaching that is based upon bad theology removes Christ out of a place of preeminence

Blended religions and philosophies remove Christ out of the place or preeminence

Closing: The Lord’s table is to remind us of the preeminence of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. It is all about Him, not about us!