Clarity: What If I Live? (part 1 of 3)

Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. Your old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. Christ is your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory. So put all evil things out of your life: sexual sinning, doing evil, letting evil thoughts control you, wanting things that are evil, and greed. This is really serving a false god. These things make God angry. In your past, evil life you also did these things.

But now also put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before. You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you. This new life brings you the true knowledge of God. In the new life there is no difference between Greeks and Jews, those who are circumcised and those who are not circumcised, or people who are foreigners, or Scythians. There is no difference between slaves and free people. But Christ is in all believers, and Christ is all that is important.
(Colossians 3:1-11 NCV)


We have all heard the classic question – If you died tonight would you go to heaven or hell?

However, the question on most people’s minds is WHAT IF I LIVE?
There has got to be more to this life than this!

• Think about, and comment on, times in your life when you knew there had to be more to life than keeping your head above water.

• I. Jesus First! in me (Col. 3:1-11)
• II. Jesus First! in my relationships (Col. 3:12-17) week of August 8th
• III. Jesus First! at home (Col. 3:18-25) week of August 15th

I. Jesus First! in me (Col. 3:1-11)
“Since you are risen with Christ, set your mind (affection) on things above!” (Col. 3:1) In other words, let your earthly practice be worthy of your heavenly position. Once you were dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-3), but now you are dead to sin. Christ is in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27), and someday soon that glory will be revealed (Col. 3:4). In brief, Paul says, “Live up to what Christ has done for you!” This simple principle of Christian living is more powerful than all the rules and regulations men can devise. “You are made full in Him” (Col. 2:10); now live out that fullness in daily life.


Oriental, Greek, and Roman religions said little or nothing about personal holiness. A person could bring sacrifices, say prayers, and go away from the altar to commit terrible sins, and nobody would think he or she was inconsistent. 


Not so with following Jesus! The new life within demands a new life without. Since we have died with Christ, we should put to death (“mortify,” Col. 3:5) impure behavior (see Rom. 6:1-23). “Don’t live the way you used to live,” Paul cautions, “the way the unsaved crowd lives. Christ is your life, and you died with Him. Now, let His life show through you day by day.”


In Col. 3:8-11, Paul compares the new life to a change of clothes: “Put off the old sins as you would take off a filthy garment, and put on the new life of holiness.” But notice that we are able to do this because in Christ we have already put off the old man (Col. 3:9); that is, in Christ the body of flesh (the sinful nature) has been put off through His true circumcision on the cross (Col. 2:11). Physical circumcision to the Old Testament Jew meant entering into a covenant relationship with God. Our spiritual circumcision in Christ means the old nature has been put off, and we may now walk in newness of life.

• Don't waste time analyzing the things you want to leave behind! Focus on the person God sees and is transforming through your relationship through Jesus Christ. "Walk in newness of life!"

 “I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”:  You are a new creation. You are a saint. Do not seek to gain control by going somewhere you don’t think Christ will go with you, and then returning to Him with apologies. He never left you!

(Some contents inspired by Warren Weirsbe's Expository Outlines)

Clarity: Smoke and Mirror Alarm (part 3 of 3)

Colossians 2:18-23 New Century Version
Do not let anyone disqualify you by making you humiliate yourself and worship angels. Such people enter into visions, which fill them with foolish pride because of their human way of thinking. They do not hold tightly to Christ, the head. It is from him that all the parts of the body are cared for and held together. So it grows in the way God wants it to grow.
      Since you died with Christ and were made free from the ruling spirits of the world, why do you act as if you still belong to this world by following rules like these: "Don't handle this," "Don't taste that," "Don't even touch that thing"? These rules refer to earthly things that are gone as soon as they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. They seem to be wise, but they are only part of a human religion. They make people pretend not to be proud and make them punish their bodies, but they do not really control the evil desires of the sinful self.

I. Beware of Empty Philosophies

II. Beware of Religious Legalism

III. Beware of Man-made Disciplines

II. Beware of Man-Made Disciplines (Col. 2:18-23)

How the flesh loves legalism: fasting, regulations about food, bodily disciplines. Special religious observances with their regulations make many people “feel spiritual.” “Let no man sit as an umpire in your life” (disqualify you, Col 2:18). 

• What is the flipside of “Let no man sit as an umpire in your life”?

Beware of affected humility, a counterfeit that tries to imitate genuine spiritual humility. There is nothing wrong with exercising discipline in the Spirit of God, to the glory of God; but when it is done in the flesh and for our own praise, then it becomes sin.

While we believe wholeheartedly that believers should not abuse their liberty and become stumbling blocks,

But be careful that your freedom does not cause those who are weak in faith to fall into sin. (1 Corinthians 8:9 NCV) 

we do not for one minute believe that the giving up of certain habits or pleasures automatically makes a believer spiritual. Our relationship to Christ is a living union — He is the Head, we are members of the body. A body functions through nourishment, not rules.

Who can say to his stomach, “Start digesting! Stop hurting!” How foolish! Yet people think the Christian life personally, and the church collectively, can be made spiritual by man-made rules and exercises.

We believe in standards (“Love not the world”), but we reject the idea that outward obedience to standards necessarily produces inward spirituality. We are dead to the elements of the world; we are alive in Christ, and Christ is all we need. Obeying man-made religious regulations (Col. 2:21-23) might impress some people as spiritual, but Paul states clearly that these practices cannot control or overcome the flesh. Yes, these regulations appeal to us and might seem to help us develop holiness and superior spirituality, but they are useless as far as God is concerned. The main theme of Colossians: all the believer needs is Jesus Christ. Man-made systems and regulations seem very spiritual, but they are merely worldly principles (Col. 2:20).

This is “kindergarten” living; we must graduate into a higher level of Christianity. Man-made disciplines (asceticism) are attractive, but it is impossible for the flesh to control itself, better itself, or perfect itself.

“You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish.” (Galatians 3:3 NCV)

Our union with Christ is a living union. This life cannot be controlled by man’s laws, but only by the principles that God has put into the body. Only another life can control life, and we have His life within us.

• That sounds good. But, what does that look like?

 “I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”:  The vibrant life of following Jesus Christ is not achieved by abstaining from evil, or succumbing to a false “fear of God” and doing nothing; vibrancy comes from allowing Christ to do something unexpected and impossible through you. 

  

from Warren Weirsbe's Expository Outlines

Let There be Hair!

Gary and Greg with hair? 

Don't miss One Place!

My Place Groups on the Move!

By looking at our current schedule one might assume; those people hate weekends. The simple truth . . . we love weekends! Now that one place is happening on Saturday nights, the my place groups (new name) are moving to mid-week schedules.

• my place Harahan meets on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.
  703 Woodward Avenue (just off Colonial Club)

• my place Metairie meets on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
  3008 Kent Avenue (a couple blocks off Veterans Blvd.)
  next gathering is the 29th

The my place gathering is really the best gathering for your first time. But, if Saturday night is when you can join us, come to one place at 3800 Jefferson Highway (Rio Vista Baptist Church) at 7:00 p.m.

World Premier: One Place!

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. (Acts 2:1)

We prayed for a vision of relationship from the root, or origin of God's love; accordingly, Origins, a simple church was created as God's faithful sought after the root of His love, His simple truth.  We gather to grow in Jesus Christ; we believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It’s a simple truth.

As this expression of God's love began to grow we multiplied our my place groups to maintain the type of intimate experience that Christ had with His small group. 
one place is a weekly gathering of the entire Origins community focused on sharing small group experiences; challenging each other to grow in faith, hope, and love; and being together in one place for prayer.

Please use the comment section to share your impressions of our very first one place.

Clarity: Smoke and Mirror Alarm (part 2 of 3)

Colossians 2:11-17 (New Century Version)
Also in Christ you had a different kind of circumcision, a circumcision not done by hands. It was through Christ's circumcision, that is, his death, that you were made free from the power of your sinful self. When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him through your faith in God's power that was shown when he raised Christ from the dead. When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins. He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross. God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless.
Don't Follow People's Rules
So do not let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about a religious feast, a New Moon Festival, or a Sabbath day. These things were like a shadow of what was to come. But what is true and real has come and is found in Christ.


I. Beware of Empty Philosophies (Colossians 2:1-10)
II. Beware of Religious Legalism (Colossians 2:11-17)
III. Beware of Man-made Disciplines (Colossians 2:18-23)

II. Beware of Religious Legalism (Colossians 2:11-17)
These false teachers had mixed oriental mysticism with Greek philosophy and Jewish legalism — what a mixture! But the flesh loves to be religious, so long as that religion does not have a cross to crucify the flesh.

The Colossian believers were involved in Jewish legalism — rituals, diets, holidays, and so on. “You are going out of the sunlight into the shadows!” Paul cries (Col. 2:17). “You are forsaking the reality (Christ’s body) for the symbol!” Like the child who admires his father’s photo while he ignores his father’s presence, so these Christians had turned from the fullness of Christ to the ABCs (“elements” — Col. 2:8, Col. 2:20) of the world.

When we live sterile, self contained lives, we aren’t doing anything wrong, but sadly, we’re aren’t doing anything extraordinary. If in fact Jesus is living through you, what kind of experience is He having?
In Origins we don’t have a big fancy building. We don’t stake our religious turf with a steeple. We don’t have a big sign with information about our time commitments and staff rosters. We have you!

• Question: What are some of the ways you are filtering out the extraordinary by replacing it with a symbol?

All that we need has been accomplished by Christ on the cross. The circumcision of Col. 2:11 is not His physical circumcision as a child (Luk. 2:21), but rather His death on the cross. Just as Christ’s water baptism was a symbol of His baptism of suffering on the cross (Luk. 12:50), so His circumcision as an infant prefigured His “putting off the body” when He took our sins on Calvary. “Your spiritual circumcision in Christ is far more wonderful than physical rituals!” Paul states. “Why replace Christ with Moses? Why have a physical cutting instead of a spiritual operation on your heart? Circumcision removes a fragment of the flesh from the body, but our identification with Christ puts off the whole fleshly nature.”

All of this is made possible through our union with Christ, when the Spirit baptized us into His body. We died with Him, and we are risen with Him. The Old Covenant laws are now set aside; Satan has been completely defeated (Col. 2:15); therefore enjoy the liberty you have in Christ. “Let no man judge you!” Paul urges (Col. 2:16).

Beware of religious legalism!

• “I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”:  Living under a set of requirements that have already been fulfilled in Christ, keeps us from experiencing faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

from Warren Weirsbe's Expository Outlines

One Place is Here!

Join the whole community of Origins for "one place". It's all about connection, challenge, and communication. "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place." (Acts 2:1) There will be a variety of encouraging, thought provoking, and life changing expressions. You'll never know exactly what to expect at "one place".

Every Saturday at 7 p.m.
3800 Jefferson Highway
(Rio Vista Baptist Church) 

Clarity: Smoke and Mirror Alarm (part 1 of 3)

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Alive in Christ
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.
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. 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. (Colossians 2:1-10)


In this chapter, Paul gets to the heart of the problem and denounces the false teachers. He asserts clearly the sufficiency of Christ for every need. He sounds three warnings, and these warnings are needed just as much today as in his day.
For the next three weeks we will explore Paul’s warnings to the Colossians
I. Beware of Empty Philosophies
II. Beware of Religious Legalism
III. Beware of Man-made Disciplines

I. Beware of Empty Philosophies (Colossians 2:1-10)
So burdened was Paul, he was in spiritual conflict, wrestling in prayer against Satan who was seeking to lead these believers astray. Paul knew how to overcome Satan — prayer and the Word of God.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:11-12 ESV)

He longed to see the saints united in Christ, enjoying the riches of blessing in Him. The false teachers had their fascinating philosophies, but in Christ we have “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).
Any man-made philosophy that has no place for Christ is unworthy of our consideration. We are rich in Him; why lower ourselves to follow man-made doctrines? Let religious teachers come along with their “hidden doctrines”; we have all wisdom hidden in Christ, and we are “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).
Man’s philosophies are attractive. They give a show of wisdom and intelligence, and too often young Christians are “beguiled” by these “enticing words” (Col. 2:4). How tragic it is when young people go off to secular schools and fall prey to man-made philosophies that deny Jesus Christ and the Bible. “Beware lest any man take you captive” (spoil you — Col. 2:8), warns the apostle. How is the believer to overcome these philosophies?

The culture of our time has embraced a very human centered philosophy.

“At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hope I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I'd been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn't say, But you were never a Christian, so you're going the other way from heaven. If so, I am going to reply, You know what? You're right. Fine.”

– Lance Armstrong (currently 2 minutes and 30 seconds off the lead in 18th place in the Tour de France after stage 6)

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first -- rock and roll or Christianity.”

– John Lennon (in all respects a philosopher of the 60’s)

A. Walk in Christ (Col. 2:6).
As you were saved by faith, so walk by faith. As you were saved by the Word, so walk according to the Word. As you were saved through the work of the Spirit, so walk in the Spirit. The Christian life continues as it began, by faith in God.

B. Grow up in Christ (Col. 2:7).
Have roots that dig down into the richness of the Word. Have foundations that are strong, laid upon Jesus Christ. How important it is to be taught the Word of God! Believers fall prey to religious philosophies unless they are rooted in Christ, grounded in the Word, and built up in Bible truth.

C. Make Christ the test (Col. 2:8).
Test every high-sounding religious system by asking, “Does it give Christ the place of preeminence?” Almost every religious system today gives Christ an eminent place, but only true Bible Christianity gives Him the preeminent place.

D. Draw on His fullness (Col. 2:9-10).
Realize that there is no substitute for Christ and that in Him we have all that we need. When believers drift into worldly living, or are taken prey by man-made systems, it is usually because they feel they lack something that Jesus Christ cannot supply. “You are made full in Him!” What a wonderful position we have in Christ!

Empty philosophies show up in different ways. I heard somewhere that when the Greeks got the Gospel they turned it into a philosophy; when the Romans got the Gospel they turned it into a government; when the Europeans got the Gospel they turned it into a culture; and when the Americans got the Gospel they turned it into a business

Beware of empty philosophies!

“I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”:  There is no great new revelation of truth in this world. There never has been. But once, the Truth became flesh and walked among us, and “you have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

From Warren Weirsbe's Expository Outlines