A Study In Colossians Series

Above All: A Study in Colossians

Colossians 2:1-5

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

5-08-202

Donna

Our friend Donna was raised in a strong, Jesus-loving house and church. She loved Jesus and thought she was firm in her faith. Until she ended up divorced. She sank into deep depression and really struggled to get back up on her feet.

Enter a couple in her neighborhood. They befriended her and took her in. They invited her to Bible study and did whatever she needed done around her house.

She started attending their church. She said that she was initially very uncomfortable with some of the things that they said and even sang, but they sounded like Christians most of the time and they loved her like no one had before.

She didn’t tell her mother on purpose for a while but it finally came out that she was attending a Mormon Church.

Did her mother go ballistic? No. Did her mother buy her a book to show how far the Mormon faith is from Christianity? No.

Do you want to know what she did? You’ll have to wait until the end of the sermon.

Review

Last week, we learned of Paul’s love for the Church.

We studied:

Paul’s Attitude: He rejoiced in being able to suffer for the Church’s that he loved

Paul’s Calling: He was commissioned by God to preach, admonish and teach the Word to the Gentiles

Paul’s Purpose; To make known the mystery, that Gentiles can be part of of the kingdom

Paul’s Energy: He worked to the point of physical exhaustion but Christ energized his ministry

From these verses we learned we are called to:

Suffer Physically

Serve Faithfully

Share the Mystery

Push the kingdom forward relentlessly

If you missed the sermon, you can always watch it on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or our website.

Turn with me to Colossians 2:1.

Prayer

4. Paul’s Love for the Colossians (2:1-5)

Last week, we witnessed Paul’s love for the Churches in general. This week, Paul will be more specific and share his heart for the churches and believers in the Lycus Valley, particularly those in Colossae and Laodicea.

Paul’s Struggle (2:1-2a)

We affirm God’s people with love

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.…(Col 2:1)

Paul begins with the horizontal - his relationship with these believers. Paul loves them more in his absence than the false teacher do who are present among them.

He wanted them to know the intensity of his concern for them. He is contending for them. This word is where we get our English word “agony.” It can be translated, “I struggle very much indeed.” It’s a word used of Olympic athletes giving 110% at the games.

Paul is currently in prison in Ephesus, 100 miles east of Colossae but he felt the burden of their emotional and spiritual maturity.

He had lead Epaphras to Christ and Epaphras had started the church in Colossae. Paul felt like their spiritual grandfather.

Some time ago, my good friend Genie called me and started the conversation with, “Congratulations, you’re a spiritual grandpa!” I had the honor of being used by God to see Genie come to faith in Christ in college. She had been mentoring a young lady in her church and had seen her come to Christ that night, making me a spiritual grandfather!

Are you are spiritual grandparent?

Not just the believers at Colossae but also those at Laodicea, which was about 12 miles northwest of Colossae and to all who have not met Paul “face to face.”

Laodicea had surpassed Colossae in importance and was known for their financial institutions, textile industries, and medical centers.

Paul had written a letter to Laodicea that has been lost, but probably contained the same warnings against false teaching:

“After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” (Col 4:16)

Paul doesn’t mention Hierapolis here but that was the third important city in the Lycus Valley that had a fledgling church.

How is Paul contending for them? The only way you can when ?you are 100 miles away and in a prison cell - through prayer.

My father-in-law Patrick lives 662 miles from me but he prays for me every morning.

Elnor has arthritis and can do little for her herself. But what she can do is pray. And pray she does, for friends and family, for the nurses and aides, even for the custodians.

Richard Foster, in his classic book on prayer, writes:

“If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is in our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Praying for others is a way of loving others.”