 So we have covered Colossians chapter 1 verses 1 to 16. So we'll begin now with verse 17. Colossians 1 verse 17 says, He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. So all spiritual powers that have rebelled against God and which have established themselves as some kind of alternate power, even they, they are being held together only by Jesus. And if Jesus were to withdraw His sustenance, they would be nowhere. So Paul is trying to bring out how absolutely essential Jesus is for everything. I mean nothing can even exist, continue to exist without His sustaining power. So everything is being held together just by Him. So all things were created through Him. They were all meant to be created for Him, for His purposes, for His glory. And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. So even for the planets and the galaxies to continue operating, they are able to continue functioning only if He is sustaining them, holding them together. The same way even these evil powers of the air. I mean the only reason that they are able to wield power right now is because they have been allowed to wield power for a temporary period. But a day will come when you know God will no longer give them that freedom. They will no longer have that permission from Him. And we have a couple of verses which in fact talk about that. Maybe we could actually look at that. If someone could read out John chapter 12 verse 31. John 12 verse 31. John 12 verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out? Okay so Jesus is the one who decides when the judgment is going to take place and when this prince of the world will be driven out. So even though the prince of the air may be thinking that he is very powerful, he cannot even decide his own timeline. You know so God gets to decide. Jesus gets to decide up to what time he is allowed to rule. After that it says very plainly Jesus is speaking and Jesus says you know the time for judgment is going to come. And when that happens he is basically referring over here to his crucifixion. So when the on the cross once he wins his victory the prince of this world will be driven out is what Jesus says. He also refers to this in John 14 30 where he says the prince of this world is coming. As in he is coming now for the crucifixion because he thinks that he can defeat me. And then Jesus says he has no hold over me. So these are all references which bring out the fact that Jesus Christ is supreme. There is nothing above him. There is nothing beyond him. So because of who Jesus is, their focus should be on him. They should be worshipping him alone. They should be living to satisfy him rather than going after these other things which the Jewish people and the pagan cultures have placed on a pedestal as alternate gods. So rather than looking at those things the Colossian believers should be placing their faith in Jesus and you know doing whatever they can to please him to know his will and to please him in every way. So this is basically Jesus status in verses 15 to 17. We looked at his universal eternal status you know always he is the one who made everything. He was there before everything. He created things for his purposes. He will decide how long things are going to last you know. So he is completely in charge in every way. And then this god of gods who is sovereign over everything. He chooses to do something on behalf of humans who are actually living in rebellion against their creator. I mean so think about his status. Think about who he is and the power that you know Jesus wields. And this god chooses to humble himself to an extent where he is going to do something on behalf of the humans who are living in rebellion against him. So he is going to do something now which will he will use his authority his divine supreme authority now to do something for them which will bring them to into a place of supremacy. You know so that's the amazing thing that we see now in the next portion that would be verses 18 to 20. And then in verse 21 onwards he says because of what Jesus has done for you please hold on to your faith in him. So 18 to 20 talks about what this supreme Jesus did on behalf of the church. So if someone could read out just verse 18 here. He is the head of the body of the church who is the beginning the first born from the dead and that in all things he may have the preeminence. That in all things he may have the preeminence. Now you see Jesus always had the preeminence. Okay there was never any doubt about it you know that's been very very clearly explained to us in the previous verses. So he always had the preeminence. Now why is he going through this particular experience to help us to share in this preeminence and be benefited by it. So what he is doing over here verse 18 onwards is being done on behalf of helpless humans. So that they can be benefited and be part of this wonderful you know superiority that he has that they can be part of it and no longer have to suffer as slaves. And so it says over here in verse 18 he chooses to become the head of you know not just the entire creation. He specifically chooses to become the head of this church of this bunch of humans who will not be able to do anything for themselves. And he chooses to humble himself and become their head so that in him they can be raised up their entire status you know would go up to a level. Where they would be seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. I mean look at the level of honour that is being given to people who are living in rebellion against him. It just goes to show the heart of God for people. So it says here this head you know the one who was head over all creation he chooses to become the head of the body the church. So it says over here in verse 18 he is the beginning and the first born from among the dead. See he was always the beginning right from the very beginning even before anything existed. He was already there and in him through him beginning started as in things began things were formed and then the universe began to function. So even before there was a beginning he himself was the beginning in the sense he was always there and he gave birth to the beginning. So he is that kind of a God and this God chooses to become something else. He chooses to become the first born from among the dead. Someone who has always been there since eternity he chooses to become a human being and he chooses to taste death on behalf of humans. So that in the same way he rose they too will one day rise you know and have a resurrected body and all of that. So now this one who is from the beginning and who is the beginning this one chooses to become the first born among the dead. It's like such a contrast in one moment you're talking about him being the supreme being over everything over all. And then the very next moment you're talking about this very very infinite eternal high born. You're talking about this first born you're talking about him as being the first born from among the dead. Someone who eternal chose to taste death. Why did he do that? He did not for any kind of personal gain because there was nothing to be gained he already had everything. He did it on behalf of humans and that is the beauty of you know of what he did. So let's look at Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9 you know what it says about him Hebrews 2 9. Hebrews 2 verse 9. It says that for a little while he allowed himself to be made lower than the angels. You see he's the one who created the angels and they were created for him. He chooses to become lower than the angels so that he can suffer death. It says so that he might taste death for everyone. So he chooses to humble himself and become this and in fact become the first born from among the dead. So that in the same what is the term basically mean it basically means he was the first he became a human became our representative and as a human representative. He was the one who successfully rose from the death to become eternal with a resurrected body that will never ever perish ever. So he chose to become that as our representative. So in him through him we will also all of us who place our faith in him we will also be raised up one day with resurrected bodies. So this is something that he has done on our behalf and to accomplish that he chose to make himself lower than the very angels whom he had created. He humbled himself in that way. Okay so that is the point which Paul is trying to make over here when he says that not only is he the beginning he has even chosen to become the first born from among the dead. So that in everything he might have the supremacy in what way might he have the supremacy because he always did have the supremacy. So what aspect is it talking about over here was 19 if someone can read out first 19 19 and 20 both 19 and 20. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to go and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 on semester. No yeah yeah that that's about it. So we see here that God placed all of his fullness in Jesus. It says God was pleased to have all of his fullness dwell in Jesus. Why because through Jesus through the physical body of Jesus God and you know the entire God had in fact would reconcile to himself all things. Whether things on earth or things in heaven by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. So God always had preeminence as the ruler as the sovereign as God as judge. You see that was the kind of preeminence that he held over the entire human race. He would be our judge. He would be the one who would send us to hell but he now chooses to have preeminence over us in a different way. How by allowing Jesus to be humbled to an extent where he would become the sacrifice. And so through Jesus to reconcile to himself all things so that you know these things which are records reconcile to him now. He would no longer be preeminent over them in his capacity as judge but he would be preeminent over them in his capacity as redeemer savior. So it's amazing. He could have chosen to be preeminent in in any way that he wished. He could just say you know these people deserve hell. I condemn them to hell. Let them be gone. He could have just left it at that. But his love for these people whom he had created in his own image his love for them was so great that he chooses to become something else for us. Become the head of the church for us and become the first born from among the dead having tasted death. He who is infinite choosing to taste death. He humbles himself and goes through all of this so that on our behalf he is now reconciling you know the world to himself. And now his preeminence over us is not as judge but as savior as a redeemer. So because of this amazing thing that God chose to do that the supreme ruler has chosen to do for us it says you know hold on to him. That's the encouragement that Paul gives in versus 21 to 23. So if someone can read out 21 to 23. And you who once were alienated enemies in your mind by wicked works. Yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh to death. To present you holy and blameless and a published report reproach in the site. If indeed you continue the faith grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Which you have heard which was preached to every creature under heaven of which I fall became a minister. So yes so he says you know so that was your status and what were you you were alienated from God you were his enemies. He was supreme so as judge he should have you know just destroyed you sent you away for judgment. But he who is the beginning chooses to become the first one from among the dead. He chooses to taste death. He chooses to do that why so that through his physical body he can reconcile you and present you holy you know in God's sight without blemish and free from accusation. So he's gone to that extent to be able to present you before God as reconciled as accepted as forgiven. So because he has done all of this continue in your faith established and firm. Don't get tempted away by all these Jewish philosophies you know which are sounding so intelligent and so intellectual. Don't get misled by those Jewish philosophies in the same way. Don't get attracted by all these fascinating mystical you know pagan practices that are going on in your city. You know where people are talking about how they've had visitation with angels and how they have interacted with them and how great mysterious things have been revealed to them which are not known to normal people. Don't get misled by all of these things. Hold on to this Jesus who being utterly supreme humbled himself and becomes you know someone who literally a sacrifice using his physical body to reconcile you people back to himself when he's gone to that extent. Let your focus be on him and it says continue to hold on to your faith in him be established and firm in him. So do not move from the hope which the gospel is holding out. So these are all very very strong words that Paul is using to persuade them to hold on to the truth and not be led away not be misled. So he says you know in verse 24 onwards he talks about how because this is so urgent because this is so important you know he has devoted himself dedicated his life to sharing this important teaching with people. So he talks about that. So if someone could read out verse 24. I rejoice in the sufferings for your sake and in my flesh I'm filling up what is lacking in Christ's applications for the sake of his body that is the church. So he says I am choosing to suffer you know for this gospel because Jesus Christ you know on the cross he accomplished everything that is needed for us to be saved through his physical body he reconciled us. So you know we have we can now be presented blameless before the father. So all this Jesus Christ has done you know what so whatever is required for us to be able to have an in a to have an eternal inheritance all that Jesus Christ has finished accomplishing. Now what is still lacking. What is still lacking is that someone now needs to go and share this information with people right others if they don't even know about it how on earth can they place their faith in Jesus. So what is still lacking is that you need a whole bunch of people going out and proclaiming this and suffering for this gospel because people are going to oppose what is being told. So someone must be willing to undergo all of this because Jesus Christ gave himself up for the for the sake of his body. So someone needs to now share about this. So he says I am now willing to suffer and I am willing to you know in my flesh carry out and participate in Christ's sufferings in the sense that what he has accomplished on the cross. Now I'm going to take that to people. I'm going to make sure that they absorb it into their heart and spirit. I'm going to make sure that they make a firm established you know stand take a firm established stand for Jesus Christ. So he says I am you know striving towards all of this in fact he says in Colossians 129 the very last verse he says to this end I strenuously content with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. So he's not just someone who's just casually sharing these truths and leaving it to know to them to decide whether they want to take it or leave it. You know he's strenuously contending you know contending us in you know what battling with them you know trying to persuade them to believe and hold on you know so he he regards it as being that important. So what exactly is it that he's contending for he explains the things that you know he's working towards what is his goal. This is his goal his basic goal versus 25 to 28. So if someone can read out versus 25 to 28 became a minister according to his stewardship from God, which was given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to a saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28. Him we preach warning every man and teaching every man with all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ's use. So he says you see this is what I have been you know commissioned to do. So you know like we said Jesus Christ did what was needed on the cross for us he completed the work for us on the cross. But now a commission has been given to us a great commission has been given to all believers to take this into the world and to tell people that this is what Jesus has done so that they can place their faith in Jesus. So he says this is the commission that has been given to me. What is the commission given to me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. You know and what is the word of God in all of its fullness. It is the mystery. What is the mystery? The mystery is basically verse 27 Christ in you the hope of glory. The only way you're going to have glory and enjoy it is if you have Christ in you that is your only hope of glory. So it is absolutely important for you to stay in Christ Christ in you is your only hope of glory. And that is why he says we are proclaiming him admonishing people to follow him so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. So you need to please him in every way you need to bear fruit for him only by doing that you know will you become fully mature. And then you will be presented to him without blemish. So you see it's all interconnected all these things are lines of thought you know that he kind of brings out they're all connected. It's all supposed to make one single point that your only hope of glory is Christ in you. So let him live in you richly let him be supreme and sovereign in your life. Don't get misled by all these other teachings rather pursue Christ and choose to please him alone. You know that's basically what Paul is saying. So he continues this line of thought in your next chapter. So coming to chapter two if we can look at verses one to five. Someone could read our Colossians chapter two verses one to five. And for I want you to know how great a struggle. I have for you for those that love love to see out and for all and not see me face to face. That their hearts may be encouraged being made together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery which is Christ. And who are hidden in all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I see this in order that no one may dilute with you with plausible arguments for though I'm absent in God yet I'm with you spirit. You're chosen to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Yeah. So he says you know in the previous chapter here he already said you know I'm contending not strenuously contending you know that you will know Christ. And so he says I want you to know how hard I'm contending for you know how hard I'm struggling for you. And this is my goal and he goes on to again mention those three things you know faith love and hope. So he says what is my goal my goal is you know hope that you will be encouraged in your heart. And my goal for you is love you know that you would be united in love and what is my goal my goal is that you know that you would have faith. What kind of a faith you will have the full riches of complete understanding in Christ. So you will really know everything about him and you will know him personally so that you will be willing to trust him totally and submit to him and please him in everything. So your faith will be a faith which is based on a complete understanding of who Jesus is his utter supremacy. What he has done for you you know in reconciling you through his body in having understood all of that because he says you know it is in Jesus that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are there. You know all these fine sounding arguments which I mentioned in verse 4 these fine sounding arguments don't get deceived by them because the actual treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Jesus Christ. He is the one who can actually bring you the life that you're meant to have and so he says you know I've heard that you're firm in your faith and I'm glad that you're doing that because it is so important that you should you know have these things. You should have a complete understanding of Jesus and hold on to him. So he talks about that and then he goes on to verse 6 yeah if someone can read out verse 6. Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. 6 and 7. You didn't build up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught abundantly and in thanksgiving. He says over here continue to live your lives in him, root it and built up in him. Now who is the one who actually sowed the seeds of the gospel over here in Colossae? It was Epaphras. You know we get to know that in Colossians chapter 1 verse 7 where we are told it's Epaphras is the one who came and he sowed the seeds of the gospel. Now the seeds which he sowed were genuine seeds of the gospel. They were in Colossians 1 verse 5 I think it says is the true message of the gospel you know. So the seed which he sowed was a true seed. It was the true message of the gospel which he sowed and so now the plant which is going to come out is going to be a genuine plant. It's going to be a genuine church which is going to emerge out of these seeds. So the believers who are now growing out of these seeds which were planted they are going to be true believers who will really be established and firm and hold on to Christ and please him in every way and bear much fruit. So it depends on what kind of roots there are down there at the bottom. If somebody who has sown the gospel you know in a particular place has not really presented a complete understanding of Jesus Christ and what we are meant to have in him and what kind of a life we are meant to live because of what he did. If someone has not really established and made clear all of those facts those seeds which are begin to grow they bear a very substandard crop because these people have not really been rooted in exactly who Jesus is. They have not fully understood and been given a complete knowledge of all that you know is involved in following him, submitting him, trusting to him, enjoying the full authority that we have because of who we are in him. If these things have not been made clear to them they are not very rooted. It's very sad. I mean it's not their fault. The person who did the sowing has not done a faithful sowing. They just gave a very lighthearted gospel message and so these poor people who are now developing out of that gospel message don't really know all the facts and so they live very weak defeated lives. They are not very rooted. So it is so absolutely important how we sow the gospel. What kind of a gospel are we sowing? Because if the true message of the gospel like Epaphras is supposed to have conveyed the true message of the gospel if there are people who sow that kind of seeds then the church which comes out of that will be very deeply rooted in Christ. So that is why he says over here in verse 6, may you continue to live your lives in him rooted in Jesus and also if you have that kind of roots then what's going to come out is going to be very strong and established because the roots are deep, the roots are genuine, the roots are strong. And so whatever comes out that church is going to be a really strong building because you have different kinds of images used over here. You have plant images and you have building images but we get the point right when the root, the foundation is strong. Then what comes, the building which comes out, the believers who are coming out of that, the lives that they are leading will be lives that are built up in Christ, strong and solid in Christ. On the other hand if a weak gospel has been sown then the building which comes on top is very, very weak which is why we see churches where the only area of interest seems to be what blessings can we get out of God. What prayers can we pray so that he will prosper us more in this world. What can we do so that our status in this world, in the eyes of the world will increase. So because that's the kind of gospel that has been shared with them and that's why that's the kind of plant which has come out. Weak believers whose focus is on the world and whose focus is not on pleasing Christ in everything. So they are bearing fruit for the world but they are not bearing fruit for Christ. So it becomes so vital that every person who is sowing the gospel sows the correct gospel because the correct gospel doesn't sound very pleasant to the ears. You see if I were to go to someone and say if you come to Jesus, Jesus will take away all your problems and he will make you rich and you will see yourself established in life. Oh that sounds like such a wonderful gospel. But is it all of the gospel because you see the entire true gospel is that he is saving you from the wrath and judgment of God because you are destined for hell. And so this wonderful, merciful God came down to the earth and took your punishment upon him and now he is giving you a chance to start a new life with a clean sheet. So live to honor him. Yes it's going to involve persecution because people are not going to like it. They will mock you, they will make fun of you. But hold on to this Jesus because there is an eternal reward awaiting you and while you are on this earth, yes life will be tough but he will take care of all your needs because he is for you and he is rich. Out of his spiritual riches he will provide for you and take care of you and you will be blessed. It is a tougher message. It doesn't sound as pleasant as the other gospel but it's the true gospel and we are establishing people who are going to be strong, a strong building. So it is so important what kind of a gospel we are sowing and Epaphras wonderful man that he was, he and his people planted the true gospel and out of that the Colossians were growing up into a good church and therefore it was false hope that they would not be easily led away by all these other fancy philosophies that were kind of creeping in and so he goes on to touch upon those things. Maybe we can read out verses 8 and 9, maybe 8, 9 and 10, yeah 8, 9 and 10 if someone could read out. Be aware and let anyone take you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, body and you are completing him who is the head of all principality and power. Yeah so he says over here these other teachings which are going around, they are empty deceit. They are promising a lot, they make it sound like as if you're going to have a very full and wonderful and complete life but actually it's going to be a very empty thing. You know you may feel very nice in your mind because you know they're giving all these fine sounding arguments and you'll think oh wow now I'm so knowledgeable. But when it comes to actual living you're going to have such an empty meaningless life because your life is not centered around Christ and so he calls it empty deceit. There is no power over there to live a holy life and there is no truth over there. So there's neither truth nor power so it's both empty and it is deceitful. So and he refers very specifically to two things he talks about human traditions and you know what has been read out to us in that particular translation. It talks about the basic principles. If you look at the Greek it actually talks about the elements, the basic elements. So the basic elements can refer to basic principles or it could actually refer to the elements, the natural elements as in fire and water and what is that earth and wind. Yeah so this is the fundamental elements. So it could be referring to the Jewish philosophies and it could also be referring to the pagan kind of practices that were going on where people were kind of delving into the supernatural. They wanted to know more about the elements, the spiritual forces which they believed were controlling the natural elements and they kind of wanted that kind of power and so they would try to make contact with these spirits and there was a whole bunch of stuff going on. So he says all those things are empty because you may think that you're becoming very powerful and very knowledgeable and all of that but when it comes to actual everyday living you will not be living a life that pleases God in every way, you will not be bearing any fruit and if you do that and you're no longer holding on to Christ you would have lost the hope which Christ is offering. So he says do not take that kind of a risk and so he says because you remember what I have said to you he says in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. So if you're placing your trust in Christ all of the deity lives in Christ. So by placing your trust in Christ you're placing your trust in God and that's the best thing to do. Why? Because in Christ you have been brought to fullness. So the entire full life that you are meant to have it can only be had in Christ. It cannot be had apart from Christ. So you have been brought to fullness in Christ is what he says. If a person wants to have a full and complete life that life is possible only in Christ. So we see Jesus in fact touching upon the very same thing earlier when he was speaking to his disciples. Maybe you could actually look at that. John chapter 10 verses 7 to 10 because what he says in what Jesus says in John 10 7 to 10 is so much in line with what with the point that Paul is trying to make over here. John 10 7 to 10. John 10 7 to 10. So Jesus again said to them truly truly I say to you I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep do not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me he will be saved. I will go in and out and find pastor. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. That should be enough. So it says over here Jesus says you know I am the door of the sheep. I am the gate of the sheep. If the sheep want to go in and out and find pastor and have a full life that is only going to be possible through me. He says that there are other thieves other robbers you know once who want to steal the truth away from the people. They want to they don't want the sheep to enjoy the truth. And so they come and they tell other things. They teach wrong things. But my sheep the ones who really have placed their trust in me. They will not listen to those things is what Jesus says. Because only those who enter through me they are the ones who will be saved. And it says you know they will come in and go out. That basically is talking about the freedom. You know when you're a slave you're stuck. You can't go in and out and you know enjoy your pastor. You're stuck in slavery. But Jesus Christ has set us free so that we can come in and go out and find pastor as we wish. And we will have a full life. He says you know I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. On the other hand what about the thieves and the robbers. They only come to steal and kill and destroy their teachings. Even though the teachings sound very very advanced and very very pleasing to our ears. In reality what they are doing is they're trying to steal and kill and destroy our life. So that we will not have fullness. That we will not reach the completeness and abundance that God actually wanted for us. And so keeping this in mind. He says you know let us focus on Christ. Because Christ has done something which none of these other philosophies can do for us. What has he done for us versus 11 and 12. Something very similar to what was already said in Philippians you know. So versus 11 and 12. Verses 11 and 12. In him also you are circumcised through a circumcision made without hands. By putting off the body of the flesh. But the circumcision of Christ having been buried with him in baptism. In which you were also raised with him through faith and powerful working of God. Who raised him from the dead. Yeah so now he's more specifically talking about the false philosophies of the Jews. Because now he's you know coming to this point about circumcision. He says these people talk about circumcision. They talk about Jewish rituals. They talk about the heritage which they have had since centuries. They talk about all of that and it sounds like fine sounding arguments. It all sounds so good. But look at what Christ has done. He is the one who actually has done the perfect circumcision. It says you have been circumcised by with a circumcision that is not done by human hands. A human hand only does a physical circumcision. You on the other hand what kind of a circumcision has Christ done to you. At the moment of salvation your whole self your entire old self was cut off, crucified. Finished. I mean imagine no human can ever do that. Where you know when you literally cut off the entire old self and crucified so that it no longer can it trouble you. You now become a new creation who are no longer a slave to sin. And now who have the complete freedom to choose to walk in the spirit and be led by the spirit and be able to live a different life. I mean who can ever do that kind of a circumcision. You know they can talk about circumcision and they can preach nice sounding sermons about circumcision. But no human religion will be able to do this what Jesus Christ has done. Because he at a spiritual level he literally cuts off the old self. He literally crucifies the old self finishes it off and through the Holy Spirit births you into a new creation. Now that's a divine act of God and it's possible only through faith in Jesus Christ. And so he says don't go after this human you know rituals which will not be able to do what Jesus Christ has done. The level at which he has operated imagine he has completely changed the person into a new creation. Where the old self has been totally cut off finished annihilated. So that is what Jesus Christ has done. And so because of that you are now going to be able to live in a life that is pleasing him in every way. You will be able to bear fruit. These are things which Christ has done for you. So let your faith remain in Christ rather than you know going after all of the other worldly things. So in that context he talks about you know in verse 14 onwards. He says people are going to be telling you oh because you are not following the Sabbath you are disqualified from the kingdom of God. People are going to say to you that you know because you are eating unclean foods. Oh you know you no longer are a part of God's kingdom. Don't let them disqualify you by telling you all of those things. Because you are no longer under the control of you know those old elements the basic principles. The basic elements that are controlling the world and how it operates. You are no longer under the control of those things. You are under Christ and Christ has the power to give you eternal life. So don't let anyone tell you that you know you are being disqualified. No rather you are the one who has Jesus Christ. And so in Jesus Christ you will be able to have eternal life. So you don't have to worry about your future. You don't have to worry about you know your secure inheritance in heaven. So do not be misled by all of these false teachings. You know it's the point that he tries to make. So in that context he talks about what Jesus Christ has done. Maybe if someone could read out verses 13, 14 and 15. Yeah 13, 14, 15. And you've been dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He has made a life together with him having given you all trespasses. Having wiped out the hand with writing of requirements that was against us. Which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way. Having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them. I am think over them in it. So he says earlier you were in legal debt to God. God had asked you to follow certain laws. You broke those laws. So now you are in legal debt. So because of your legal debt you deserved punishment. But what did Jesus Christ do? He took all of your legal debts. He nailed them to the cross. And on that cross he paid the punishment on your behalf. So every single debt was paid for on that cross. And all of your legal debts were nailed over there. He paid for it. Now because of what he has done. You see you are no longer under the control of these powers and authorities. Which were enslaving you and controlling you before. You know they had authority over you earlier. But now after Jesus Christ has finished paying the debt. He has disarmed them. Which is what it says in verse 15. All these powers and authorities no longer have any power over you. They have no authority over you. So they can no longer continue dictating to you and saying. You need to follow this procedure. Only then you will be able to enter the kingdom of God. You must follow these particular rituals. Only then God will have favor upon you. You have no authority over you to make you do certain things. Why? Because you are no longer under them. These things, these powers and authorities were disarmed. Earlier they were enslaving you. But now the debt has been paid. So they can't enslave you any longer. Now you are under Christ. And that is why he says in... I think... He says you know why are you even following these things when you are no longer even under them. Can't find the verse. You don't... Yeah, verse 20. Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world why as though you still belong to the world do you submit to its rules? Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. And he says these rules which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with you are based on merely human commands and teachings. You are not even under the control of these things anymore. The power of these things was disarmed. So now you are under Christ. So you don't even have to follow any of these rituals is what he says. So yeah, so I think that just kind of sums it up. I mean I could not go into every single verse but I just try to bring out the basic essence because these people were saying these false teachers seem to be saying that if you worship the angels and if you show false humility by observing the Sabbath by keeping the fast and doing all of that then that will earn you God's favor. But you people are no longer under this entire old system. The old powers and authorities do not even have any control over you. So rather than listening to all of those things choose to stay under Christ because Christ is the one who has made secure your eternal inheritance. So you really have something joyful to look forward to. So be united in love. Continue to place your faith in Christ and please him in every way and then you will be presented blameless before the Father, mature in Christ when the time comes is what he is telling them. So let's just quickly close with the word of prayer. Lord, we just thank you so much for all the things that we could learn in today's class. We pray O Lord that you would remind us of these truths so that we can apply them in our lives. Fullness O Lord is in you. The full life that we are meant to live is actually to be found only in Christ. So we pray that we would make you supreme over everything else. We will be careful not to place anything above you and allow that to be on the pedestal. Rather we pray O Lord that we will honour you and allow you to be supreme over everything in our lives because then we can have a full life in you. Help us O Lord to remember these things and practice these things in our everyday lives. Thank you Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you so much and we will meet again next class. Thank you.