Sunday Sermon: 5 Steps to Bondage

Last updated on: October 10, 2010 at 12:47 pm by David Hayward

Sunday Sermon: 5 Steps to Bondage 2010-10-10T12:47:52-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I came up with an idea, since I am no longer preaching on a weekly basis, that I would provide a Sunday sermon for my readers… many of whom don’t attend a church themselves. I miss the practice of preparing a message from the Bible. So I’m going to post a little more than a sermon outline every Sunday. That’s my intention right now. It is free for anyone to use if they wish. It is a bit long so you can just read the 5 main points titles or read the whole thing.

Today’s message is from Colossians 2. Colossians is probably my favorite letter in the New Testament. The writer is concerned with the Colossians’ slow decline from a grace-filled life to a religious life dominated by domineering men. As I studied chapter two in depth, I began to notice inherent in the text the Colossians’ slow but certain deterioration into a complete religious and spiritual bondage to the authorities that had imposed themselves over them. I want to outline the five steps from freedom to bondage outlined in this text.

Deception (2: 4): The writer talks about Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He then says, “I am saying this to you so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments!” This is the problem with deception: it is deceiving. You don’t know when it is happening because the arguments are plausible. In other words, they seem true and believable. This is always the first step to bondage. And it begins with and hinges on truth.

Captivity (2:8): The author asserts that our lives should be established in Christ. He warns the Colossians to “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe…” This is why pseudo-truth seems plausible: because it is universally accepted and codified in human traditions. This is where deception moves to captivity because it hooks our allegiances supported by our peers and nourished by our habitual way of doing things.

Condemnation (2:16): Once we are deceived and captivated, then condemnation enters: “Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals…” If we accept pseudo-truth and are captivated by it, when we fail to live up to its lofty and even spiritual expectations, condemnation is the result. We have handed those who have deceived us and captivated us our permission to condemn us when we fail.

Disqualification (2:18): “Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement…” When we fail and disappoint those in religious and spiritual authority over us and receive their condemnation, the next step is disqualification. We are no longer a part of the elite who succeed in their spiritual lives. We are disqualified because we simply cannot live up to the lofty expectations placed over us.

Dictation (2:20): “why do you let yourselves be dictated to…?” When we are told and feel that we no longer qualify as spiritually capable or obedient or successful, then we are reduced to people who blindly obey those in authority over us. We are so afraid of spiritual failure that we will do anything we are told, right down to minutiae of “Why do you submit to regulations like ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, do not touch?” (v.21).

There you see the certain progression from freedom in Christ to complete spiritual bondage to those in authority over us. It begins with a departure from basic truth and ends in being told how to live our lives. Against this overwhelmingly popular progression the writer warns.

Get fine art cartoon prints & original art.
Get my t-shirts.
Get my book.

Please join my newsletter.

Previous Post

October 10, 2010

prayer from the cell: satellite phone

Next Post

October 11, 2010 cartoon: funnel theology

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Simon Nicodemus Zacchaeus Bartimaeus