Message Notes
Circumspect: The appearance of wisdom
Introduction – Lowertown gathering
Introduction #2 - “Thank you, Moms!”
Outdated rules
Today’s Message:
Be Circumspect: The “Appearance of Wisdom”
Colossians 2:20-23
What is Being Circumspect mean?
BQ: Why are you doing what you’re doing?
Col. 2:20
e.g. “Don’t do ________________!”
Col. 2:21
per(s)nickety scrupulosity
Paul’s evaluation: these rules are human
tradition
Col. 2:22
Matthew 15:1-9
Paul’s evaluation: These rules are useless
Is this that big of deal?
How the church is known by the world
Asceticism in the New Testament
Freud’s understanding of renunciation: It is
impossible to overlook the extent to which
a civilization is built upon renunciation of
instinct.
The false dichotomy of Freud
How the gospel and the Spirit of God give us
the only rule we need!
Gospel Application –
• Are you feeling judged because of what
you are doing or not doing?
• Do you trust the Bible’s warning regarding human rules and traditions?
• How might you move forward today in
the freedom that God gives to walk by
his Spirit and love others?
Scripture Passages
(taken from the New International Version)
Colossians 2:20-23
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental
spiritual forces of this world, why, as though
you still belonged to the world, do you
submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not
taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which
have to do with things that are all destined to
perish with use, are based on merely human
commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations
indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with
their self-imposed worship, their false
humility and their harsh treatment of the
body, but they lack any value in restraining self indulgence.
Matthew 15:1-9
1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law
came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why
do your disciples break the tradition of the
elders? They don’t wash their hands before they
eat!” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break
the command of God for the sake of your
tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father
and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their
father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But
you say that if anyone declares that what
might have been used to help their father or
mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to
‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you
nullify the word of God for the sake of your
tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right
when he prophesied about you:
8 “ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”
Galatians 5:13-18
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called
to be free. But do not use your freedom to
indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another
humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite
and devour each other, watch out or you will
be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not
gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the
Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in
conflict with each other, so that you are not to do
whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under the law.