May You Stand Perfect And Complete In The Will Of God Series

MAY YOU STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN THE WILL OF GOD

Colossians 4:7-18

INTRODUCTION

A. This morning we come to the end of the road in our trek through the book of Colossians

1. It was a trip that began on May 31, 2009

2. And will have taken 14 messages to complete

3. I hope you have enjoyed the time we have spent in this small book

B. If you remember we entitled the series – For The Love Of Christ

1. The study was intended to do two things:

a. First I hope you have seen the love of Christ as it relates to the church and to you as an individual

b. Secondly, I hope you have grown in your love of Christ through obedience to His word.

2. Paul has mentioned a lot of things that should have brought the light of the gospel to bear on our day to day life and shown that Christ shines bright through it all.

3. It is my desire for this church and us, as individuals, that we might live our lives For The Love Of Christ!

C. The title of this message, May You Stand Perfect and Complete In the Will Of God, comes from Col 4:12 where Paul is running through a list of greetings and he speaks of Epaphras: Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

1. This was his prayer for the Colossians – this is my prayer for us!

2. So as we close this series I would like to do two things

a. First, we will highlight some of what we have covered

b. Secondly, show the need for one another as we seek to live For The Love Of Christ!

3. So lets go to the Lord in prayer and then see what God will say to us this morning.

PRAYER

Let’s begin by taking a look back at some of

I. HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE HAVE COVERED – For the Love of Christ!

A. In messages 1, 2, 3, and 10 we looked at Paul’s letter as it pertained to and focused on the church proper

1. Paul appreciated the church and recognized them for their love of the saints, blessed them, and prayed for them, Col 1:1-12

a. This was a church that had a heart for God – Paul knew it and so did the rest of the saints!

b. They were a church that was stead fast in the faith, abounding in love and joyous in the hope of Christ!

2. With all this going for them he wanted them to continue in unity, Col 3:14-17

a. A church in unity will have three characteristics:

1) The peace of God will rule over them

2) The word of Christ will dwell in them

3) And the name of Christ will be served by them

b. And so Paul encouraged them in Col. 3:17 …whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

3. Can you imagine such a church?

4. Folks, we don’t have to imagine, we can experience it right here!

5. Think for a minute – is this what Paul would say to us if he wrote us a letter? Even more importantly, is it what Christ sees today in us?

6. If it is not, then there is a cure – repentance

a. We need to repent of our selfishness, our lack of prayer and love

b. We need to make adjustments in our lives that lead us to fulfill the words of Paul in Col. 3:17 …whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

7. It all begins within our own hearts – how are we doing?

B. Then there was the word focused on our personal lives messages 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 & 12

1. We looked at a healthy heart and walk

a. We took note that we can determine our spiritual health by looking at what we do and say.

b. Does it line up with the word of God?

2. Are we set on doing His will and seeking the kingdom of heaven?

3. Is our family functioning as God would have it to be?

4. Are we seeking God’s glory or our own?

5. Now I know that many Christians think this is going over-board, saying something like, “Do you mean to tell me my life ought to revolved around God and His church?”

a. The answer to that question is “YES!”