The document discusses several false teachings that were influencing the church in Colossae: ceremonialism, ascetism, angel worship, deprecation of Christ, reliance on secret knowledge and human wisdom over Christ. Paul writes to the Colossians to warn them against these teachings and to remind them that Jesus is the true wisdom and all the fullness of God dwells in Him. The document also emphasizes that believers have died with Christ and their life is now hidden with Him, so they should set their hearts and minds on heavenly things rather than earthly things. It further notes that loneliness can be dangerous and believers have been raised and seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.

2. Colossians 1:7-8 (NIV)
7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow
servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on
our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love
in the Spirit.

3. Ceremonialism
Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV)
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by
what you eat or drink, or with regard to a
religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a
Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the
things that were to come; the reality, however,
is found in Christ.

4. Ascetism
Colossians 2:21 (NIV)
21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"?

5. Angel Worship
Colossians 2:18 (NIV)
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false
humility and the worship of angels disqualify
you for the prize. Such a person goes into great
detail about what he has seen, ….

6. Depreciation (downgrading) of Christ
Colossians 2:2-3 (NIV)
2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart
and united in love, so that they may have the full
riches of complete understanding, in order that they
may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.

7. Secret Knowledge

8. Reliance on human wisdom and tradition
Colossians 2:4, 8 (NIV)
4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by
fine-sounding arguments. ….. 8 See to it that no one
takes you captive through hollow and deceptive
philosophy, which depends on human tradition and
the basic principles of this world rather than on
Christ.

9. Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV)
20 Since you died with Christ to the basic
principles of this world, why, as though you still
belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do
not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22
These are all destined to perish with use,
because they are based on human commands
and teachings.

10. Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV)
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
sensual indulgence.

11. Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds
on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you
died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in
God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then
you also will appear with Him in glory.

12. 1. Where you set your heart –
your senses will follow!

13. 2. How to deal with temptation – 101.
Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV)
20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of
this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do
you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not
taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to
perish with use, because they are based on human
commands and teachings.

14. Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your
minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with
Christ in God

15. 3. When Jesus is all we have,
we find out that Jesus is all we need.

16. Jesus is the image of God
Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation.

17. Jesus, the creator
Colossians 1:16 (NIV)
16 For by Him all things were created: things in
heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by Him and
for Him.

18. Jesus holds all things together
Colossians 1:17 (NIV)
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things
hold together.

19. Jesus is the head
Colossians 1:18 (NIV)
18 And He is the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning and the firstborn from
among the dead, so that in everything He might
have the supremacy.

20. Jesus was fully man and fully God
Colossians 1:19 (NIV)
19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell
in Him,
Colossians 2:9 (NIV)
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in
bodily form,

21. Jesus - the reconciler
Colossians 1:20-22 (NIV)
20 and through Him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making
peace through His blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you
were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behaviour. 22 But now He has reconciled
you by Christ's physical body through death to present you
holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation -

22. Colossians 2:4, 8 (NIV)
4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you
by fine-sounding arguments. ….. 8 See to it that
no one takes you captive through hollow and
deceptive philosophy, which depends on human
tradition and the basic principles of this world
rather than on Christ.

23. 4. Loneliness is a killer
“Isolation is the disease of our day.
Disconnected individuals are everywhere -
dangerous ones even, as the tragic incident in
Las Vegas shows" Rick Godwin

24. Ephesians 2:6 (NIV)
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated
us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ
Jesus

25. Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your
minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with
Christ in God.