Jesus is enough - Colossians 2:6-15

Not all that long ago, I upgraded to a newer laptop, one that works with the Apple world which Pastor has created here at Messiah. As I was doing my research and weighing my options, one thought kept running through my mind, I want this purchase to last as long as possible. I wanted to be covered for many years to come. So, I read articles, I compared reviews, I asked people much more techy than I for advice. When it came down to it, spending just a little more to get the better model with the larger hard drive and the newer processor was an add-on I was willing to accommodate.

But the add-ons didn’t really stop there because once I had this piece of equipment, I wanted to keep it extra safe. So then I Facebook marketplaced a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to endure the daily wear and tear instead. I bought a plastic shell to protect the exterior. I got a glass screen protector to keep the display scratch free. I fell victim to the add-ons because they promised me peace of mind. We all like knowing that we’ve done just a little extra in case things go poorly. And while that sort of thinking can make sense in our daily life, does this same mentality follow us into our walk of faith? Without even realizing that we are doing it, do we find ourselves thinking there might be something more we could add on to the Gospel? Not because we don’t trust Jesus, but because more couldn’t hurt, could it? Well when it comes to our salvation, more does hurt. In fact, more is deadly. With Jesus there is no need for more because Jesus is enough.

Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae is a somewhat ambiguous one to most. If you read through Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts, you may notice that the city of Colossae is never mentioned among the places Paul visits. Paul himself outright admits at the start of chapter 2 that he has not seen the saints in and around Colossae “face to face.” Yet here he is writing a letter to them as if they were his very own congregation, saying in vs 5, “though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit.” It seems the church in Colossae was not founded by Paul, at least not personally. Rather, this congregation, in what is now western Turkey, seems to have been led, if not started, by a man named Epaphras.

From the book of Colossians we learn more about this man Epaphras. He appears to be a native of Colossae who, at some point became a Christian and heard Paul preach. Perhaps this was during his long stay in the nearby city of Ephesus. After going home and serving there for a time, a theological controversy arose. So Epaphras goes to visit Paul who, at the time is imprisoned in Rome, to personally give this report and to seek his guidance. In his letter sent back home with Epaphras, Paul speaks very highly of him; which is good, otherwise that could’ve been a very awkward situation, ‘Here take this letter home which says how bad of a pastor you are.’ No, it seems he was not the source of the false teaching in Colossae. In fact Paul doesn’t specifically name the culprit or spell out exactly what they were teaching that was wrong. But he does give us some clues in verse 8, saying, there were things being taught that were “not according to Christ.”

One thing is clear, the Colossians knew who Jesus was. They had been taught the Gospel. They believed that Jesus was necessary for their salvation but now someone was sowing seeds of doubt, ‘Maybe Jesus alone isn’t sufficient enough.’ Paul warns against such an idea saying, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition.” It seems some among these Christians knew their Old Testament well. They remembered how God had given his law to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. They knew more than just those 10 commandments. They knew the civil and ceremonial laws as well. Laws that told the Israelites how to live in society 1500 years prior and how to worship God in the tabernacle and temple. Some of those traditions and customs must’ve attracted some appeal. Afterall, these things were measurables, they presented something tangible to publicly declare your commitment to God. Circumcision seems to have been one example, but it may well have included dietary restrictions and religious celebrations as well. Human reasoning and philosophy was used to rationalize the alleged benefits of these add-ons to more publicly show their commitment to God and to flaunt their merit.

But you know what Paul calls such add-ons? Not harmless extras. Not spiritual insurance. He calls them empty deceits, the rote actions of a spiritually dead body. The fleshly body deceives us into thinking that we, by our own efforts, can contribute something to our salvation. But those Old Testament civil and ceremonial laws were never meant to last forever. They had a purpose. A purpose fulfilled perfectly by Jesus for us. Circumcision, dietary restrictions, and ritual observances were no longer requirements from God. They became completely optional. They carry no spiritual advantage. They gain no extra merit. They bring no special favor from God. In fact, Paul says according to your former ways, strict adherence to our own add-ons means that we are “dead in our sins and still in the uncircumcision of our flesh.” Add-ons are proof that the old sinful flesh is still alive and well within our hearts. The old Adam has not been cut off. And ultimately, a life lived by confidence in the actions of that old Adam guarantees a one way trip to eternal death.

Ahh, but see, that's the sorta thing that those other people do and believe. Like those Buddhists that reduce Jesus to nothing more than a wise teacher and a good moral example. Or like those who place him on the shelf right alongside their countless other deities to “admire,” like those in Hinduism. Or like our Catholic neighbors who insist you work your way to a better standing before God. Or maybe it's the charismatic Pentecostals where assurance is tied to those warm fuzzy feelings of a personal experience with Jesus. Or maybe it’s a bit closer to home here in the South, it's our Baptist friends who must decide if Christ is truly a good fit for their heart.

We shake our heads at all those add-on religions and think, how could anyone be so deceived? But truth be told our old Adam deceives us too. Our add-ons just cloak themselves more “respectably,” more Lutheran even. I sent my kids to Christian day school. I bring my family to every Christmas and Easter service. I read my bible more diligently than others. I’m here most, if not every Sunday. And the deceit of our old Adam whispers in our ear, these are your measurables. Here is a harmless self-worked add-on to show your commitment to God? No, we would not publicly reject grace outright. But secretly we do find peace of mind in the evidence of our sincere faith. We treat our spiritual sincerity as an add-on just in case Jesus isn’t quite enough. But before God, those add-ons are nothing more than the vain efforts of an old Adam. They don’t save. They don’t bring us closer to God. Paul tells us plainly such efforts leave us dead in our sins. They do not free us from sin because our best efforts are never enough to please a holy God.

But pastor Paul doesn’t leave us trapped in despair. He lifts our eyes to overwhelm us with Gospel proclamations stacked up one after the other. There is no shortage of beauty to unpack here, but I’ve been told I’m on the clock, so let’s take a look at just two of them. First Paul takes them back to the basics. He tells them who the object of their faith is. He says, “In him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” Think on that for a moment, the whole fullness of the deity dwelling in bodily form. This is not some vague phrase that leaves us guessing. Bible nerds call this passage a sedes doctrinae, which is a fancy way of saying this is a clear, foundational statement of biblical doctrine. Here there can be no doubt, Jesus is recognized as both true God and true man. This is vitally important for our salvation to understand. If Christ were not true God, then his perfect life and payment for sin would only count for himself. His personal record and obedience would be admirable, but it would not save us. And if, on the other hand, he were not true man, then he couldn’t stand in our place. He could not live under the law for us. He could not suffer and die as the substitute for punishment that our sins deserve.

But Jesus lacked nothing. There are no gaps left to fill in, no deficiencies to be addressed. He doesn’t need our help nor does he ask for it. No add-ons just to be safe. Jesus is enough of both God and man to be our perfect Savior.

So if Jesus is uniquely suited to be our Savior, how can we be certain that our sin really has been taken away. As Paul mentioned earlier, our old Adam has racked up quite a list of trespasses. Like a kid in a candy-store we have done a little of this and a whole lot of that and now there's a steep bill left to be paid. Well, secondly, listen to how Paul describes the payment Jesus offers. He says Jesus has canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Cancelled. Literally the Greek word there means obliterated. Completely done away with. Nothing left behind. A debt was owed, and a debt was paid in full. At the cross payment was written in the blood of the Lamb. Payment that doesn’t just alter our bill. It doesn’t remove the last few most recent items off. It doesn’t just offer a steep discount. The payment Jesus made was enough to cover over your and my sins completely.

That is enough for Paul to say that Christ, and we by association, have triumphed over our enemies. It’s enough for Paul to say that we, because of Jesus, have been raised up to live a new life. Because enough is enough. So let it be enough.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving.” You too have been taught Christ Jesus. You know who he is. You know what he has done for you and because of that let enough be enough. You don’t need to add anything to Jesus. Instead simply walk, be rooted and built up in him. Walking implies forward progress. The life of a Christian is not a stagnant waiting game, it’s a life that moves to ever serve God better tomorrow than we did today. Second, rooted. Roots sink downward before fruit ever grows forth. Paul reminds us to sink our roots deep into the Word to be strengthened and nourished. Deep roots give stability to withstand tempting add-ons that seek to uproot us. When our roots are deep in the Word we will bear good fruit. Third, be built up. We are not solo builders off doing our own thing. We are stones being built on the foundation of Christ placed intentionally to support one another. To encourage one another, to forgive one another as the house of God is built up to the glory of our builder. That’s the sort of life that lets enough, be enough.

So no, not all add-ons are harmless. In some cases more is not always better. When it comes to your faith, don’t accept add-ons, because they will never be enough. Rather rest in the truth that your Jesus is enough. Amen.