FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST
“THE PRAYER FOR GOD’S CHURCH”
Colossians 1:9-12
INTRODUCTION:
A. Last week we started our study through the letter of Paul to the Colossians
1. Paul began by praising them for their love of Christ
2. He spoke of their faith, love and hope in the gospel
3. And their fruitfulness, in the Lord’s work.
4. There was a joining of hearts as Paul heard about this church: as Paul had written to the church at Rome: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Romans 8:16
B. As we come to verses 9-12 of this first chapter we see Paul launch out into a prayer for the church.
1. In deed it is a great prayer.
2. A couple of years ago God gave me a couple of series outline – which I have not preached yet
a. One was entitled “If I Could”
1) If I could Tell You About My Savior
2) If I could Tell You About My Church
3) If I could Pray for You – this would have been from this passage
b. At the same time I wrote another outline Series entitled “As Your Pastor I Would Like To Express To You
1) The Purpose of the Church
2) The Ministries of the Church
3) The Prayer for the Church, this would have come from this passage
3. So this morning I want to look at this passage as The Prayer For God’s Church.
C. Paul is passionate about this church, so much so that without ever being there he expresses a heart felt prayer for them.
1. It was all based upon what he had heard from Epaphras
2. Paul writes, For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire… Col. 1:9
3. Because they are God’s church doing God’s work Paul prays for them
a. Please remember this is God’s word to His church throughout the ages: if we are God’s people doing God’s work this prayer is for us!
b. Not only is it a prayer for us, it is God’s desire for us, as well!
4. Here Paul prays for them to
a. Know God’s Will
b. Walk Worthy of God’s Name
c. Be Strengthened By God’s Power
D. This is a prayer worth our attention and voice – May our God grant us all that Paul has written and may this be The Prayer For God’s Church – TODAY!
PRAYER
Let us begin our look into Paul’s prayer – The Prayer For God’s Church – by seeing his desire for us to
I. KNOW GOD’S WILL, Col. 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
A. People today are not much different from those of past generations
1. We all look for a purpose in life
2. Some find purpose in human endeavors of social justice, military life, or the corporate world, just to name a few.
3. Some lacking purpose turn to things like drugs, alcohol, sex and any number of other activities to find an escape
4. We instinctively search for purpose because God created us with a particular purpose in mind – to glorify Him
5. This is His will for each of us!
B. So, one of the greatest things we can have is a knowledge of God’s will.
1. It is God’s will that points us to the purpose of life, it is real and personal
2. There is His general will – that which is applicable to all
a. Such as salvation, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
b. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, Eph 5:17-18, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
3. And then there is His specific will
a. For His church – what are we to be doing in regards to His kingdom’s work in our area.
- Presently we are working on providing a Strategic Ministry Plan that will hopefully outline some of His will for us.
b. And then there is His specific will for us as individuals – for instance God’s will for me is that I be a pastor, this provides purpose.
c. What about you?
C. Note What Paul prays for in regards to God’s will
1. First “filled”
a. The essence of this word is to be completely filled or controlled by
b. It is to know what God wants of you and for you: as the church and as an individual.
2. Paul prayed that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will …in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…
a. John MacArthur states that the two words “wisdom” and “understanding” could be synonymous but that there might be a slight difference
b. The Greek word “sophia” or wisdom, being the ability to collect and concisely organize principles (in this case biblical or spiritual ones)
c. The Greek word “sunesis” or “knowledge” being the application of those principles to everyday life.
3. So the prayer of Paul is that the church, and we, might led by the will of God through the knowledge of His principle and application of those principle in life.
D. To realize God’s will for your life you must be seeking Him
1. It is available in Christ: His word is given to us that we might know and have full assurance of His will.
2. We must read His word – be obedient to His word – and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us for both.
- Oh, the reason we have Sunday School and Sunday evening Bible Study is to help us in this endeavor to know and do God’s will
3. In the Life Application Bible Commentary the writer states, “God measures true wisdom and understanding by our practiced obedience.”
4. This prayer of Paul’s, We…pray…that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; It is a prayer for us!
The purpose of knowing God’s will is to bring about a
II. WALK WORTHY OF GOD’S NAME, Col. 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
A. Once we have a purpose in life we may then find meaning in life
1. An individual who determines his purpose in life is to be an airline pilot finds meaning in life by studying about planes and aerodynamics, learning to fly and eventually flying the big one!
2. So, one who finds their purpose in life is to do the will of God should find meaning in life by living for God
3. This is what Paul is talking about when he uses the word “walk” – our life style – what we do.
B. Look at His prayer
1. First he prays that our lives would be worthy of the name of God and pleasing to God
a. Notice the focus – God
b. We are not to be living to make a name for or please ourselves.
c. Here is where many loose meaning in life – they try to make it about themselves!
d. Listen to 1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or what so ever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
- As a side bar, maybe part of the reason people do not want to hear about our God is because we do not show them our God in life?
2. So how does our life, as a church or individually, become pleasing to God? Well Paul prays about that as well: being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
a. First listed, Good works – action!
1) We are to have good works!
2) We are to be involved in the things God would want us involved in, doing the things God would want us to be doing, and ministering to others!
b. Secondly, we are to be Increasing in the knowledge of God – understanding and wisdom
c. This is sort of a circle; As we work for the Lord according to our knowledge of Him, we in turn grow in our knowledge of him and our good works increase.
C. With this in mind let us consider the following questions.
1. Where does the non-Christian world see the Christian on Sunday?
2. Does our community see us active in providing for the needs of others?
3. Do people see meaning in our lives – and if so, what would they say it is?
4. What do they see behind the actions: love, joy, peace, gentleness, longsuffering, goodness faith, meekness, self-control (the fruit of the Spirit) or impatience, necessary duty, envy, self-centeredness, pride, arrogance?
5. Do people see our good works and glorify God?
6. To pray Col. 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; is a worthy endeavor for us.
Paul prays that we have purpose, the will of God and meaning, a walk worthy of God and finally he prays that we might be
III. BE STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S POWER, Col. 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
A. Oh, how we need this power!
1. Paul prays that the church would be strengthened with all might, according to his (God’s) glorious power!
a. Think about it – the power that created the universe (Gen 1)
b. The power that split the Red Sea and the Jordan
c. The power that stopped the sun in its tracks – (Josh 10:12)
d. The power that raised the dead
2. Paul prayed the church would be strengthened with God’s power!
3. It is of this power that Jesus spoke of in Matt 28 when He said all power is given unto me!
4 We do not need the power of men or anything they can provide, we need the power of God to rest upon this place!
B. We need to be strengthened because we need patience and longsuffering (perseverance or endurance)
1. To be pleasing unto the Lord and do His will we will need these two things
2. The two are closely related in the Greek, but
a. Patience may be more specifically applied to dealing with circumstances
b. Whereas longsuffering is applied to dealings with people
3. The church needs both - we need both!
4. And we can have them in joyfulness!
C. Do we need this power? YES!
1. Every day.
2. Do we need this joyfulness? YES!
3. So this is a prayer that we can utter often – not in a ritual manner but with true needful desire!
CONCLUSION:
A. I want to close with the words of Col. 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
1. We know the will of God is that we live a life pleasing to him and in the power of the Holy Spirit
2. We are partakers of the inheritance – in fact joint heirs with Christ!
3. So we can be thankful that God will answer this prayer!
B. Let’s make this The Prayer for God’s Church here at Mascoutah: …that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Col. 1:9-12
C. All “for The Love Of Christ”
