I'm walking here in the pools
of ancient Hierapolis known
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today as Pamukkale,
the white cotton cliffs.
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This Clift is spectacular
as the water comes from the
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thermal pools and literally
baths the rocks turning them
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to this beautiful
white that can be seen for
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miles and miles around.
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The view is
spectacular, the water is warm.
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This was a great resort
place in Bible times and it
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cause the Romans to build
a fantastic city on the top
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of this hill
known as Hierapolis.
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There is the Gate of
Domitian decorating the entrance
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to the city, there are
various gates and cultic temples
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that were built here, as
well as a fantastic Necropolis.
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Sarcophagi scattered
over all of the hills.
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The Romans took great
interest in the city and built
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a tremendous theater
with incredible acoustics.
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It is one of the finest
preserved theaters today in
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Anatolia, but the reason
people came here was for the
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baths, even today people
come and vacation in the hotels
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surrounding the cliffs.
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They are able to take advantage
of the thermal pools and
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the minerals that
are deposited here.
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We are now going to follow
the water down into the valley
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to the ancient
ruins of Laodicea.
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From there we
will look for the ruins
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of ancient Colossae.
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We have just come down
from the site of ancient
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Hierapolis, those great
thermal pools we saw up on top
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of the cliffs, we have come
down into the Lycus river valley
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to the immense city of Laodicea.
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This was a large city
by New Testament standards,
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wealthy, you can tell by
all the marble that is laying
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around, and the water
from the top we noted was being
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channeled down into the valley.
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This water reached the valley
and was no longer hot nor was
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it cold, it was lukewarm.
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Here we can see some of
the great capital and dentils
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that have now
fallen into the street.
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We can see many of the
fertility symbols, eggs
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everywhere, the symbols of
fertility that were so important
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in this part of the world.
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We have come looking through
these fantastic ruins seeing
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if there might be
some evidence of the cross.
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Here we can see part of the
pediment, Latin inscriptions
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that is written here,
we can see the fertility
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decorations on this pediment.
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We can see all kinds
of fascinating designs.
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And we have come here
looking to see if there is some
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evidence of the cross.
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Pau sent a letter to
the church here, Jesus sent
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a letter to the
church here in Laodicea also.
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As I was wandering around
these ruins, I came across this
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stone, and I want to try
and stand up here because this
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beautiful white
stone we see a cross.
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On the side I saw this stone
and I want to put it on the
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top because we see
that it is a cross.
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Yes there was a thriving
Christian community here.
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Over the hill are the ruins
of the Great Basilica of John.
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Christianity took deep
root, but unfortunately it has
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been broken, it is no more.
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Jesus wrote to this
church that prided itself on its
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wealth, prided itself on
its black garments, that prided
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itself on that fine eye powder.
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He said really you are
poor, and naked and blind.
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Jesus gave a prescription for
this church, He said you must
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buy from Me gold
tried in the fire.
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They were wealthy, as we
walk this immense site we see
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marble everywhere,
marble littering this site.
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Jesus said buy from Me
gold tried in the fire.
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Gold is faith that works
by love, by from Me pure faith
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by surrounding yourself to Me.
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Then He said you need
white raiment, they had prided
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themselves on
their black garments.
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Jesus said you
need white raiment,
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the white raiment
of My righteousness.
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Yes the finest that human
beings can produce, the finest
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robes that we can weave
are just like filthy rags.
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We need the
righteousness that comes as
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a gift from Jesus.
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He promised to give it to
Laodiceans, He said you must
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buy it, we buy it by
surrendering our heart to Jesus.
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Unfortunately, Laodicea
was so content in its wealth,
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in its splendor, in its own
righteousness, that Jesus said
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they were neither hot nor cold.
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We saw the hot water at
Hierapolis, bubbling up out
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of the thermal springs, coming
down the channels and it was
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lukewarm when it
got to the valley.
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Jesus said that the
Christians here were in the same
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condition,
neither hot, nor zealous,
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nor cold against
Him but complacent.
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As I think about
it what a description
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of modern Christianity.
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What a prescription of
21st century Christianity.
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We are rich and increased
with goods, we live in the
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wealthiest time of
history of our world,
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We think we
have need of nothing.
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Yet the reality is, that
when our eyes are touched
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by the Spirit, we
see that really we are
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poor and blind and naked
and in need of everything.
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We are here at the
tell of ancient Colossae.
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It is such a beautiful
setting, so peaceful that we can
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hear the Lycus River in
the distance as it is gurgling
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and making its way past.
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This river begins up on
the hills of Hierapolis,
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those great White cliffs
and it's slowly meanders its way
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down past Colossae.
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As you can see this is
a largely unexplored site.
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Today there is grain
growing on the top of it,
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very unusual for tell.
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We can make out the
edge of the city walls
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around the tell.
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We could see there was a
temple platform on the eastern
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edge of the city, perhaps
that was the main approach.
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We can also make out
the gates into the city and
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their water source.
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Of course the brook close
by provided a source of water
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for growing their crops.
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We can see the farmers working
their fields around here.
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There are orchards,
is a very fertile place.
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We are probably about
9 or 10 miles away from
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Laodicea, that great city
where we visited earlier where
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Paul had written a
letter to, and Jesus had
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written the letter to.
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Although Paul never
came to the site of Colossae,
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he wrote one of his
pastoral epistles to this city.
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To the church
that was located here.
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The city is long gone,
earthquakes have done their work
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on the ancient buildings.
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Today the village is
moved up to Honas upon the hill.
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Many of the building materials
that were used in ancient
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Colossae have been recycled
into the modern village.
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Paul wrote a letter to Colossae.
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He had never visited the
city, but his friend Epaphras
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had brought the Gospel here.
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It appears that Epaphras
was actually from this city and
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he brought the good news
of Jesus as the Christ here.
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He shared, perhaps the
family, friends, coworkers and
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they became believers in Jesus.
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Epaphras also planted
the Gospel in Laodicea and
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apparently up at
Hierapolis as well.
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While Paul never visited
the city, he had heard of the
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faith of these believers,
and while at Rome he penned
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one of his most
beautiful epistles to this city.
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Although Paul had never
actually visited the city,
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he had a tremendous bond
because of his friend Epaphras,
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who had shared with Paul.
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Perhaps they have prayed
together about the saints
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that lived in this city.
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Perhaps they have prayed
about the Gospel that had
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been planted here at Laodicea.
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Paul is concerned and so
from a pastor's heart he writes
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this letter of concern,
sharing with them some of the
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most beautiful
teachings that Paul ever penned
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were sent to this church.
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We don't see dramatic
problems that he had to address
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like developed in
Galatia, the problems over the
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issues of salvation, we
don't even catch a hint of that
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in Colossians, we don't
see some of the problems that
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developed about exclusivity
that we see in Philippi.
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We certainly don't see
the massive problems that
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developed in Corinth and
the letters Paul wrote there.
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We do see a
pastor sharing his heart,
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a pastor encouraging
people that he has never met
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to be faithful in Jesus.
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What a tremendous message
Paul sent to this church.
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Set your mind on things
above where Christ is risen for
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you, don't set your
mind on earthly things.
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We can see the
evidence of the splendid past.
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Here is the base of a
column, there is piece of stone
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that was a pediment.
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We can see a splendid
past here, but the material
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things have all passed away.
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Paul said make your
life count, set your mind,
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your heart, all
the things above.
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Things that will
come for eternity.
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Paul shares some
of his most intimate
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teachings with this church.
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He says to the Colossians,
just as you were taught by
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Epaphras to live in Christ,
so continue to walk in Him.
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Be rooted in
Christ and grow up in Him.
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What a tremendous epistle
on spiritual formation, and yet
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Paul does give one teaching
that is often misunderstood.
00:14:03.39\00:14:07.42
He goes on to say in verse 11.
00:14:07.46\00:14:10.20
Paul says that we were
circumcised, not by the physical
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putting off of the foreskin
of the flesh, but we were
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circumcised in our hearts
by the putting off of the old
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life, he says we were called
to live a new life in Jesus.
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The old life has been set aside.
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Paul uses
another wonderful image,
00:14:38.10\00:14:40.88
Yes the believers here
were baptized down in the Lycus
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river and he says that
you were buried with Christ in
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baptism, you put off that
old life, that old life has
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been buried, it is
gone, it's washed away.
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You are now a new
person in Jesus Christ.
00:15:03.14\00:15:05.75
Now let's look at the
two images he has used.
00:15:05.79\00:15:07.60
The one was circumcision,
putting off the old nature.
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Cutting off the old life.
00:15:12.43\00:15:14.25
The second was that of
baptism, burying the old life,
00:15:14.28\00:15:18.47
letting it die, letting it go.
00:15:18.51\00:15:21.17
He says that you have
been made full and complete in
00:15:21.20\00:15:24.90
Jesus, as the Christ.
00:15:24.94\00:15:27.13
And then he says in verse 13.
00:15:27.17\00:15:29.24
Paul says that when
you were dead in your
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uncircumcised life, when
you were living that old life,
00:15:52.31\00:15:55.62
that he made you
alive in Jesus Christ.
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Having put off the old
nature, it is as if you were
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buried, as if it was
cut away in circumcision.
00:16:02.81\00:16:05.75
Yes he says.
00:16:05.78\00:16:07.05
Paul says don't get
caught up in these philosophies,
00:16:22.36\00:16:25.26
don't get drawn back into
this mix of Jewish thinking and
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mysticism and cynicism
that was going on your Colossae.
00:16:30.45\00:16:34.76
Paul said that you have
been so completely forgiven
00:16:34.80\00:16:39.08
through Jesus Christ.
00:16:39.11\00:16:40.95
Don't be drawn into
these philosophical ideas and
00:16:40.99\00:16:45.91
practices about
the spiritual life,
00:16:45.95\00:16:48.58
No! you have been
made one in Christ.
00:16:48.61\00:16:51.80
You are just as if
you had never sinned.
00:16:51.84\00:16:54.96
Paul says that we have
been so completely forgiven that
00:16:54.99\00:16:59.00
he even took the written
code with it's regulations that
00:16:59.03\00:17:03.00
stood against us and
nailed it to His cross.
00:17:03.04\00:17:05.99
What is this written code
that Paul said stood against
00:17:06.03\00:17:10.23
us with its regulations?
00:17:10.27\00:17:13.05
Many people misinterpret
this passage, they misunderstand
00:17:13.09\00:17:17.75
this passage
thinking that Paul is talking
00:17:17.79\00:17:20.87
about the Ten Commandments.
00:17:20.90\00:17:22.85
They think that Paul is
actually talking about God's
00:17:22.89\00:17:25.63
moral law, they say the moral
law was against us and that
00:17:25.66\00:17:29.80
Jesus took the moral law
and nailed it to the cross.
00:17:29.83\00:17:33.18
Yet when we read it in
its context, it does not make
00:17:33.21\00:17:36.30
sense that way, for Paul
is saying that we have been
00:17:36.34\00:17:39.67
completely forgiven,
that he even took this record,
00:17:39.71\00:17:43.98
this certificate of debt
and nailed it to the cross.
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Were the Ten
Commandments contrary to us?
00:17:48.30\00:17:51.83
Were the Ten
Commandments against us?
00:17:51.86\00:17:55.36
No, what was against us?
00:17:55.39\00:17:59.30
The word that Paul uses
appears only in this passage in
00:17:59.33\00:18:03.47
the New Testament, it
doesn't appear anywhere else in
00:18:03.51\00:18:07.61
Paul's writings or
any of the other Gospels.
00:18:07.65\00:18:11.10
The word is used in the
Apocalypse of Elijah where an
00:18:11.14\00:18:16.09
angel is seeing recording
the sins of the people in a
00:18:16.13\00:18:21.04
book, in a special book.
00:18:21.08\00:18:23.83
This book then stood as
a testimony against them
00:18:23.86\00:18:29.56
because of their sinfulness.
00:18:29.60\00:18:31.80
Paul says the very record
of sins being kept by an angel
00:18:31.84\00:18:36.98
in heaven was taken to the
cross and nailed to the cross.
00:18:37.01\00:18:42.12
That is how completely
you have been forgiven.
00:18:42.15\00:18:45.82
Even the record of
your sins has been nailed to
00:18:45.85\00:18:49.48
the tree with Jesus.
00:18:49.52\00:18:51.40
Paul then goes on to say.
00:18:51.43\00:18:53.10
He uses that imagery when a
general will conquer a land,
00:19:01.61\00:19:05.71
that he would bring the
King from that land in a
00:19:05.74\00:19:09.69
great train behind him.
00:19:09.72\00:19:11.78
We see this happening in
the arch of Titus at Rome.
00:19:11.81\00:19:15.49
There are all the treasures
in the temple that Titus
00:19:15.52\00:19:19.31
brought back from Jerusalem
to his Imperial capital at
00:19:19.34\00:19:23.10
Rome saying that he
has triumphed over them.
00:19:23.13\00:19:26.47
I have made a
spectacle over them.
00:19:26.51\00:19:28.15
The old devil had invented
death there in the garden of
00:19:28.18\00:19:32.54
Eden, that serpent
had not only given them an
00:19:32.58\00:19:36.46
understanding of
knowledge, but also of evil.
00:19:36.49\00:19:40.30
He brought evil into our
world, he brought sin into our
00:19:40.34\00:19:43.85
world, and he brought death.
00:19:43.88\00:19:46.59
Jesus came to destroy the
one who had very power of death
00:19:46.63\00:19:51.02
by triumphing over it He
entered into it the realm of
00:19:51.05\00:19:55.41
Hades and experienced
all the devil could give.
00:19:55.45\00:19:58.93
Even the second death
and then by His own power
00:19:58.96\00:20:02.41
He came back to life.
00:20:02.44\00:20:05.52
He said no one takes My
life from Me, I lay it down of
00:20:05.56\00:20:10.66
My own accord and
I will take it up.
00:20:10.70\00:20:13.41
Jesus came back to life
breaking the bonds of death,
00:20:13.44\00:20:17.76
delivering those through
fear of death all of their
00:20:17.79\00:20:22.07
lifetime subject to
bondage as Paul wrote
00:20:22.11\00:20:24.63
in Hebrews chapter 2.
00:20:24.66\00:20:26.30
So he made a public
spectacle over the enemy who has
00:20:26.34\00:20:31.26
terrorized people with death.
00:20:31.29\00:20:33.28
All through these lands
we see the fear of Hades,
00:20:33.32\00:20:36.82
we see Pluto as the keeper
of Hades, we see the various
00:20:36.86\00:20:40.76
ways that people have
tried to deal with death.
00:20:40.80\00:20:44.32
Jesus came and experienced
it and defamed its power.
00:20:44.36\00:20:47.97
Paul says that we have
been so completely forgiven that
00:20:49.92\00:20:53.10
even the very record of our
sins was nailed to the cross.
00:20:53.14\00:20:57.60
I have to confess that I'm
not a great believer in the
00:20:57.64\00:21:01.17
Living Bible, although I
read it occasionally for my
00:21:01.20\00:21:04.73
devotions, I am very
careful of it for doctrinal
00:21:04.76\00:21:09.02
purposes, but Dr. Taylor
captures the essence of the
00:21:09.06\00:21:13.27
passage so clearly that
I wanted to read it to you.
00:21:13.30\00:21:17.47
Isn't that powerful!
00:21:46.48\00:21:48.54
He took the very list of
commandments that you have
00:21:48.57\00:21:51.58
broken, that I have broken,
and he nailed to the cross.
00:21:51.61\00:21:55.54
In this way He took away
Satan's power to accuse us.
00:21:55.58\00:21:59.47
Yes, Satan means
the accuser, he is the
00:21:59.50\00:22:03.81
accuser of the brethren.
00:22:03.84\00:22:06.68
Unfortunately there is plenty
for him to accuse most of us
00:22:06.71\00:22:11.31
isn't there? And yet Jesus
has completely forgiven us.
00:22:11.35\00:22:15.11
So don't get caught up
in these other philosophies.
00:22:15.14\00:22:18.63
Don't get caught up in
these ideas of Gnosticism.
00:22:18.67\00:22:21.93
Don't even get caught up
in the Jewish teachings that
00:22:21.96\00:22:25.19
you must do more
than believe in Jesus.
00:22:25.22\00:22:28.06
Paul comes to verse 16 and
says, "therefore in light of"
00:22:29.69\00:22:34.30
"this," in light of how
completely you have been
00:22:34.33\00:22:37.26
forgiven in Jesus
Christ by faith in Him.
00:22:37.30\00:22:41.07
Paul says in light of this
do not let anybody judge you
00:22:59.07\00:23:01.95
about what you eat or drink
or your religious festivals,
00:23:01.99\00:23:04.85
or new moons for Sabbath
days for all of these things
00:23:04.89\00:23:07.72
were shadows
pointing forward to Christ.
00:23:07.75\00:23:10.54
But now He is the
reality, He has come.
00:23:10.58\00:23:13.29
Apparently here at Colossae
there were some Jews who had
00:23:13.33\00:23:19.51
become believers in
Jesus, and they were mingling
00:23:19.54\00:23:23.30
teachings of Judaism
with belief in Jesus.
00:23:23.33\00:23:27.26
Now Paul was a Jew, he
left Ephesus to go to Jerusalem
00:23:27.30\00:23:33.29
that he might
celebrate Pentecost there.
00:23:33.32\00:23:36.62
Paul was even arrested
while participating in a vowel
00:23:36.65\00:23:40.70
in the temple at Jerusalem.
00:23:40.74\00:23:43.39
He was a Jew and we have
seen all through his travels
00:23:43.42\00:23:46.55
that he was obedient
to the Ten Commandments.
00:23:46.58\00:23:50.63
Yet Paul recognized
that there was a difference.
00:23:52.62\00:23:56.65
The Gentile Christians
did not have to participate
00:23:56.69\00:24:00.68
in Jewish festivals.
00:24:00.71\00:24:03.26
While he chose to, he said
it was optional because you
00:24:03.30\00:24:07.09
have been forgiven in,
Jesus don't let anyone judge you
00:24:07.12\00:24:10.76
about whether or not you
participate in these festivals.
00:24:10.79\00:24:14.21
There was nothing wrong with
keeping the feasts, there was
00:24:14.25\00:24:17.63
nothing wrong with celebrating
Passover or Pentecost.
00:24:17.67\00:24:20.49
There is nothing wrong
with Christians doing it today,
00:24:20.53\00:24:23.28
but he said don't let
people judge you whether you
00:24:23.31\00:24:26.03
participate in that or not.
00:24:26.06\00:24:28.10
Now somebody may be
thinking, Tony you must be
00:24:28.13\00:24:30.32
stretching this a bit.
00:24:30.35\00:24:31.91
Is that really what
he is talking about?
00:24:31.95\00:24:33.92
Notice is the language
that is used in the 45th
00:24:33.96\00:24:37.60
chapter of Ezekiel?
00:24:37.64\00:24:39.30
Did you notice that?
00:24:53.96\00:24:55.18
It is for the part of the priest
to provide the grain offering,
00:24:55.21\00:24:58.84
the drink offering,
or the wine offering.
00:24:58.88\00:25:02.58
In all festivals,
and all the new moons
00:25:02.61\00:25:06.28
in all the Sabbaths.
00:25:06.31\00:25:08.37
If we compare the list in
Colossians 2 with the list in
00:25:08.40\00:25:12.11
Ezekiel 45, we will
see an exact parallel.
00:25:12.14\00:25:15.77
Paul was talking
about the temple services.
00:25:15.81\00:25:19.36
You see Christians here
at Colossae, Christians in
00:25:19.40\00:25:22.81
Galatia, Christians in Laodicea
and Hierapolis, they had to
00:25:22.84\00:25:26.65
struggle with
different issues than you and I.
00:25:26.68\00:25:31.07
I don't think that you
have had to struggle recently
00:25:31.10\00:25:33.86
about going up to
the temple for Passover.
00:25:33.89\00:25:36.85
While many of us look
forward to going to Jerusalem,
00:25:36.89\00:25:42.17
do we have to go up as
part of our spirit belief?
00:25:42.20\00:25:47.81
No, and yet some are
saying that this was necessary.
00:25:47.84\00:25:52.30
Some were saying it was
necessary to add to our faith in
00:25:52.34\00:25:57.51
Jesus by participating in
the Jewish cultic practices.
00:25:57.55\00:26:02.69
Paul said no, it is not
necessary for Christians,
00:26:02.72\00:26:05.66
it is optional.
00:26:05.69\00:26:07.37
Don't let anybody judge you
about whether you participate
00:26:07.40\00:26:10.94
in that or not, for you
have been completely forgiven
00:26:10.97\00:26:14.47
in Jesus Christ. He says.
00:26:14.50\00:26:17.34
Paul says to not let anybody
judge you in meat or drink,
00:26:25.57\00:26:28.75
festivals, new
moons, or Sabbaths.
00:26:28.79\00:26:31.93
It is very interesting
that actually seven Sabbaths in
00:26:31.96\00:26:36.26
the annual calendar of Israel,
they were tied to days of the
00:26:36.29\00:26:42.09
month, not days of the week.
00:26:42.13\00:26:44.47
You see the seventh day Sabbath
would come every seventh day
00:26:44.50\00:26:49.70
on what we know
today as Saturday.
00:26:49.74\00:26:53.09
Even today the Jews
still celebrate the Shabbat.
00:26:53.13\00:26:56.36
Paul celebrated the Shabbat,
Jesus celebrated Shabbat.
00:26:56.39\00:27:01.70
John celebrated Shabbat.
00:27:01.73\00:27:04.63
But there were seven annual
Sabbaths not tied to a day
00:27:06.86\00:27:10.25
of the week but tied to a
different day of the month.
00:27:10.28\00:27:13.51
Paul says don't let
people judge you about whether
00:27:13.55\00:27:16.75
you keep them or not.
00:27:16.78\00:27:18.22
In Leviticus chapter 23,
when Moses discusses the day
00:27:18.26\00:27:21.90
of atonement, he said that
there would be a Sabbath of
00:27:21.94\00:27:25.40
the first day of the
month, and a Sabbath on the 10th
00:27:25.43\00:27:28.75
day of the month, obviously
this cannot refer to the
00:27:28.79\00:27:32.07
weekly Sabbath because
they are 10 days apart.
00:27:32.10\00:27:35.45
There were seven annual
Sabbaths that roved through
00:27:35.49\00:27:38.69
the week like your
birthday that are tied to
00:27:38.73\00:27:41.93
days of the month.
00:27:41.97\00:27:42.94
Paul says to not let
anybody judge you about whether
00:27:42.95\00:27:45.91
you keep those are not,
for we have been fully forgiven
00:27:45.94\00:27:48.98
in Jesus Christ and
it is not necessary to
00:27:49.01\00:27:52.52
participate in these festivals.
00:27:52.55\00:27:54.54
Paul writing to the church
here at Colossae says that
00:27:54.57\00:27:59.64
we have been made one in
Christ, therefore as we receive
00:27:59.68\00:28:04.71
Jesus Christ as Lord,
so we should live in Him.
00:28:04.75\00:28:08.41
So from Colossae we have
to take our journey now and go
00:28:08.45\00:28:12.71
on, but we wish you God's
blessings and pray that He
00:28:12.74\00:28:16.97
will watch over you.
00:28:17.00\00:28:18.68
Father in heaven as we
study this powerful passage of
00:28:18.71\00:28:22.58
Colossians written by
Paul to a church he never met
00:28:22.62\00:28:26.68
personally, yet his
heart was bound close to the
00:28:26.71\00:28:30.74
Colossians when he
heard of their faith.
00:28:30.78\00:28:32.40
Lord I pray that you
will help us to be rooted in
00:28:32.43\00:28:36.30
the faith, to grow up in You.
00:28:36.33\00:28:38.37
I pray that You will help
us to set our minds on things
00:28:38.41\00:28:41.92
that are above, on Jesus
Himself may that be true in our
00:28:41.95\00:28:45.34
lives both today and every
day for the rest of our lives
00:28:45.38\00:28:48.73
we pray in Jesus name, Amen!
00:28:48.77\00:28:51.55
And so from the green fields
of Colossae, as the sun sets
00:28:51.59\00:28:56.61
here by the tell, we
wish you God's blessings.
00:28:56.64\00:29:00.52