An Excellent Reputation Series

Introduction:

A. Years ago, one of the powerful figures on Wall Street fell in love with an actress.

1. For many months he was seen escorting her about in the fashionable circles around town.

2. Before he married her, he decided to hire a private investigator to look into her former dealings and friends in order to guard himself against any future problems.

3. Finally, when the report from the private investigator arrived, he read it immediately: “Your fiancé enjoys an excellent reputation. Her past is spotless. Her associates have been above reproach. The only hint of scandal is that, in recent months, she has been much seen in the company of a business man of doubtful reputation.”

4. Ouch! Sometimes the truth hurts!

5. How is your reputation? Do you have an excellent reputation?

B. Today, as we continue our new sermon series on Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we learn that the church at Colossae enjoyed an excellent reputation.

1. In our sermon today, we will be examining verses 3-8 of the first chapter of Colossians.

2. In verse three, Paul wrote: We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…

3. Wouldn’t you agree that this was a great way for Paul to start the letter?

a. Paul says that when he prays for them, he always offers a prayer of thanksgiving.

b. Are there people you always give thanks for in prayer? I am sure there are.

c. Don’t you want to be the kind of person that people are always thankful for? I hope so!

4. The apostle Paul was a great encourager and a good example of expressing thanks.

a. We are going to see why Paul gave thanks for them in the next few verses, and as we will see, there was good reason for his appreciation for them.

b. Paul mentions thanksgiving in five other places in this short letter (1:12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; 4:2)

c. When we remember that Paul wrote this letter while in prison, then his example of thankfulness is even more impactful.

5. Like Paul, we too should be generous with our expression of thanksgiving to God for people and especially about their progress in the Gospel.

6. Before we move on, I want to direct our attention to an interesting phrase in verse 3.

a. Notice that Paul said, “we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

b. Why didn’t Paul just say, “we thank God?” Why add “the Father of our Lord Jesus?”

c. I don’t know for sure, but there are interesting aspects to making that distinction.

d. First, let me emphasize that God the Father is Jesus’ Father - not in the sense of biological origin, but in the sense of relationship.

1. Both God the Father, God the Son and, God the Holy Spirit were co-existent and equal for all eternity – they have no beginning or end.

2. The terminology of Father and Son indicates close relationship, but also a working relationship where the Son submits to the Father.

e. Second, let me emphasize that the statement “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” reminds us that they are two separate Beings.

1. This is part of the mystery of our faith - in our limited understanding, we are unable to comprehend how they can be one and yet be distinctly separate at the same time.

2. That perfect oneness yet distinctness can only exist between spirit beings.

f. So, God the Father was Jesus’ heavenly Father and He is our heavenly Father as well!

C. Let’s turn our attention to the reason that Paul was so thankful for the Colossians.

1. In Paul’s expression of thanksgiving, we are able to trace the stages of the Colossians’ spiritual birth and growth and this is the right pattern for everyone’s spiritual birth and growth.

I. The Colossians Heard the Gospel.

A. Paul wrote: You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace. 7 You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow servant. (Col. 1:5-7)

1. Last week, we talked about the fact that Paul had not planted the church, but that Epaphras had likely become a Christian through Paul’s ministry in Ephesus (100 miles away) and then Epaphras brought the Gospel to Colossae, his hometown.

2. The desire of new Christians should always be to take the Gospel back home to their personal family and friends.

3. The first step in becoming a disciple of Jesus is always hearing the Gospel.

a. It is impossible for a person to believe in and obey the Gospel without knowing about it.