This sermon was preached at Deer Creek Church, on August 9th, 2026. The text is Psalm 129. You can watch the sermon using the link above, or listen to the sermon below. This is an edited summary.
Open your Bibles with me to Colossians 2:6–15. Paul’s concern is that the people he ministers to would one day stand mature in Christ. In other words, that they would get to the end of their days still being Christians. That concern is our concern this morning.
How do you get there? How do you get to the end in one piece – mature in Christ?
As we follow Paul this morning we will see his heart expressed in three distinct movements that each build upon one another. He says:
- Walk in Christ.
- Walk only in Christ.
- Because only Christ is sufficient.
Walk In Christ
Paul begins the real body of his letter by addressing what has already happened to the church of Colossae. Someone else delivered the message of Jesus to them, and they believed. Paul has been praying for them to know Christ deeply, so that they are not misled by “plausible arguments.” In other words, he wants them to grow in maturity.
All of this leads to verse six, where Paul begins by introducing the first component of Christian maturity:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.
Paul is saying “I want you to know Jesus. I want you to achieve the fullness of knowledge in him. I want you to remain firm. So walk with the Christ you received.”
The idea of walking is very important to Paul. And it should be very important to us. To walk with someone is to keep step with them. It is about relationships and growth. In Jesus’ culture, disciples would be called to walk after their rabbi. When called by a teacher, a disciple would follow them all day, listening to their instruction, going where they go, doing what they do. This was discipleship, and an invitation to follow after their leader to learn from him. This is what we are invited into with Jesus.
Paul then immediately expands his statement. “Walk with Christ, and this is what that means.” Verse 7. Walking with Christ means we are rooted and built up in him. Established in the faith you were taught. And abounding in thanksgiving. Sometimes the language of “walking with Jesus” can feel too vague – allow this to bring clarity.
Walking with Christ means you are rooted down, and built up in him. Your soul is burrowed down into Christ himself. The building of your life is built up off of him. He is your soil. Your foundation. He is the one you depend upon and cling to for all things – the way a tree depends upon its roots for life and stability, so you depend upon Christ. The way a building daily relies upon its foundation to remain standing – so you depend upon the Lord Jesus.
Walking with Christ means you are established in the faith you were taught. The word here carries this idea of being held or confirmed. It's reasonable to translate this phrase as being confirmed in the faith you were taught. There is a faith that was originally taught to the Colossian church. Paul is saying: walking with Jesus means you remain held by those teachings. Walking with Jesus is not just a matter of the heart, but also of the mind. The teachings you received – cling to them!
Finally, walking with Christ means you are abounding in thanksgiving. This strikes at our affections. Knowing Jesus means, according to Paul, that thanksgiving is part of your life. Even more-so, that it abounds in your life. You become less of a grumbler – and more of a deeply thankful person.
If we want to grow in maturity, if we want to get to the end still walking the straight and narrow, we must heed the word of the Lord. His voice is clear, he says: walk with me.
Imagine life as an interstate. Many assume they are simply born already on the road. They go through life, driving this way and that, until one day, Jesus meets them, and they feel as though the journey of their life has come to an end. They became a Christian, and therefore reached their destination. But this is not true! The Bible teaches that meeting Jesus is not the end of the highway, but is rather the on-ramp to a rich, spiritual life with him that finds its end goal in the life to come.
This is a stunning invitation. We so often misunderstand Christ’s message, or fail to appreciate its fullness. Say the right things, believe the right things and one day you see that heavenly city. This is partly true, but partly not. Salvation is not dependent upon your work – but it is not a ticket to ride either. It is something else entirely: an offer of life, an invitation.
Brother and sisters, please hear this. Jesus’ offer of salvation to you is more than just praying a prayer, or saying the right things at some singular point in time. The Holy Spirit invites you into so much more. More than just a moment. He calls you to walk with him, and grow by his side. If you walk with Christ, rooted, established, abounding in thanksgiving, you will truly live. You will make it to the end. You will grow in assurance and understanding of God’s mystery, that is Jesus himself.
Walk Only In Christ
Paul’s first concern: walk with Christ. Then, in verse 8, Paul introduces his second concern. He wants the church to walk in Christ, and avoid walking with anyone else. Walk only with Christ.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Shifting gears, he commands the church to stay vigilant. In fact, the word translated here at the beginning of this verse is literally the verb “to see!” The idea here is to watch out for something. To keep your eyes open. Watch, that no one will take you captive.
Paul wanted to make it clear then, and God wants to make it clear now, that as we walk with Jesus there are things we must actively avoid. Even more-so, there are forces that seek to captivate us, that we must fight against. Paul clearly states what these things are. Watch that no one will captivate you through philosophy and empty deceit that proceeds from the tradition of man and the elemental spirits of the world. The “elemental spirits” are a reference to the demonic forces present in the world.
There are ideas and systems of belief that come from the mind of mankind, and Satan himself. Paul is saying: watch, that no one will take you captive by one of these hollow philosophies that come from men and Satan. Then, here is the key end of the phrase: But not from Christ. These ideas come from the human mind, or a demonic mind, but not from the mind of Christ.
The word “philosophy” is important. In Paul’s day, there was an entire class of Greeks called “sophists” that spent all of their days in pursuit of wisdom. Their profession was to come up with slick, smart ideas, and spread them to the world. So when Paul warns us against philosophy – this is what he is thinking of. New ideas, smart, intelligent sounding systems and thinkers that glimmer and shine with intellect. Then, things get even worse. These philosophies come from the mind of man, and the mind of Satan himself.
All throughout my life I’ve had a love for philosophy. I’ve always found it fascinating. When I started my undergraduate studies at a Christian university, things only intensified. I was deeply curious about thinkers of the past, like Plato, Aristotle, and others. I thought they were so smart, and so many of their ideas had that glimmer and shine that can be so attractive. One day, I questioned a beloved theology professor of mine on philosophy, asking what he thought about people like Plato, or Aristotle. I’ll never forget his answer. He said “Plato was one of the most brilliant thinkers to ever live. And he was wrong.”
That changed the way I saw things. I realized that, just as Shakespeare once said, “not all that glitters is gold.” This is precisely what Paul is saying. Many brilliant people will come and go, saying this or that. But do not mistake complex sounding ideas, or pleasing concepts for truth.
The Christ you received, walk with him. And only with him. All this extra stuff, the philosophy, the added religiosity, it does not come from him. In fact, it comes from sinful hearts, and demonic forces. Hear this clearly: Satan and his powers want to destroy you by getting you to adopt religious add-ons, and hollow philosophies. So avoid them. Give your ear only to the voice of your shepherd – don’t listen to another’s call.
At the time when Paul was writing, he certainly had a few things in mind. As Daniel has already shown us, Paul wrote this letter largely to confront people within the church that were starting to spread false ideas about Jesus. They claimed he was sort of divine, but not really. We struggle against this empty tradition today, alongside many others. For the last two thousand years we have watched various philosophies, and religious ideas rise and fall, each of them promising something more (and better) than what Jesus offered.
Three hundred years after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, this idea of him being a prophet, but not divine or crucified for the sins of the world was advanced by a small group of people on the Arabian Peninsula, resulting in what we know today as “Islam.” Centuries later, distorted teachings of the Bible would produce movements like the Church of the Latter Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and countless other heretical sects – each promising to in some way improve upon Jesus’ teaching, or offer some hidden wisdom that had long been concealed.
But let me strike closer to home. Plenty today advocate for “Christian” philosophies that fall under this same warning. They are nothing but added religion. Some teach loud and proud, others are quiet and subtle. They say:
“God wants you to be rich and powerful. So you can live like a king and still carry a cross.”
“Hell is not real. We can leave the idea of sin and wrath behind. Jesus came to inspire, not bear judgement.”
“Yeah I believe in Jesus, he helps me, but I also believe in myself. If I manifest hard enough, I can make good things happen.”
“God helps those who help themselves. He would never want us to appear weak, or in need of assistance.”
“Jesus loves me, so he doesn’t care how I live, or how I spend my money.”
“I know Jesus died for my sins – but I should be able to contribute something to my salvation if I work hard enough.”
Yet, the word of God stands before you today with one simple verdict about such systems and ways of life: they are nothing more than empty deceit. They sprout from this world, and are truly demonic. They do not come from Christ. If you want real life, if you want to grow up into maturity – keep watch, that you are not captivated by such things. You might say, “Caleb, I don’t like this part. It’s so negative.” Well, yeah. It’s a warning – that is the point. But Paul does not end here. He carries on.
Because Only Christ Is Sufficient
In verses 9–15, Paul’s plea finds its purpose. He writes to make two things very clear. He wants the church to walk in Christ, and Christ alone. He is passionate and concerned that the people of God would follow his command. Verses 9–15 explain why.
Walk in Christ, and Christ alone. Because only Christ is sufficient.
Verse 9: do not be captivated by such things… FOR! This then gives way into an incredible, beautiful, glorious description of who Jesus is and what he has done.
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands… Having been buried with him in baptism… you were also raised through faith in the powerful working of God… And you who were dead in your tresspasses… God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our tresspasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him.
That is glorious. See what Paul is saying? Only Christ is sufficient. Just look at him. He is fully God! Not godly – actually God! And look at what he has done! He filled you with his own Spirit. He grafted you into his covenant people. He buried you in baptism, and raised you to spiritual life. You were dead in your sin – and what did God do? He made you alive together with him!
He forgave all our sins, he cancelled our record of debt by nailing it to the very cross upon which he hung. He took the record of wrongdoing that has clung to your back for as long as you can remember, and he pinned it to the cross. You can see and feel that. The sin that once burdened your shoulders is now lifted. Where has it gone? It is nailed to the cross. In doing so, Jesus claimed victory over evil itself, shaming Satan and his powers in an act of pure, incomparable triumph.
Paul is saying “O Colossians, what else could you be looking for?!”
O’ Deer Creek Church, what else could you be looking for?
Paul intentionally uses this language of being “filled” in Christ for a reason. Your life is a cup, a vessel. Cups, by their very nature, want to be filled to the brim with some good drink. Everyday that a cup runs empty, or partially filled, is a day of dissatisfaction. Paul is saying: in Christ, you are always overflowing. There is more good drink in your cup than you can even imagine. You need not want for anything. In Christ you are filled to the brim – even more so – overflowing with real life.
All those hollow philosophies of the world, they cannot offer you this. Men and women have tried for thousands of years – but no one can offer more than Jesus offers. No word of his has ever been improved. No system, or ideology has ever approached the pure religion that is found in Jesus Christ. No life has ever held a candle to this Son. He is sufficient.
Imagine a man desperate for a friend. He mopes and mopes, when finally, someone comes along and says: “I have no reason to do this, but I want to be the best friend you’ve ever had.” And the lonely man looks at this person and says to themselves "I’ll keep my options open.” That is what we are like when we allow hollow philosophies into our lives.
This is where it all comes together. If you take the first two points: walk with Christ, and only Christ – but you miss how it all holds together, you miss the beauty of Jesus. In fact, if all you hear is “live like this, don’t live like this,” then all you really hear is “work harder.” But that is not Jesus’ message. God is not here this morning saying “walk with Christ, and Christ alone, or I am going to be angry with you.” Nor is he saying “Buckle down and be a better Christian. Grow up.”
No. Why do we walk with Christ, and Christ alone? It is because we see who he is, and what he has done for us. We walk with Christ because we see him as he is – God himself, who raised us to life in him! We refuse to be captivated by other ideas and philosophies because we clearly see what Jesus has done – he has given us everything!
Brother and sisters, look at what he has done for you – while you were still a sinner. When you see these two things clearly, then you see the Gospel, and you will see that the command to walk after Jesus and Jesus alone, is hardly a command at all. It is, rather, the heart's right response to the divine love of God expressed in Jesus Christ – who is, himself, all sufficient, and has given us all things.
How do you get to the end, made mature in Christ? Deer Creek Church, you look at your savior. You look at who he is. You allow yourself to be captivated by what he has done for you on the cross. And then, with his supreme sufficiency at the center of your heart, you walk with him. And only him. Amen.
