The following notes reflect ideas based on the homiletics in "Preach with No Pants" (https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/preach-with-no-pants-john-allen-sermon-on-inductive-250167). It proposes an inductive-deductive five-point outline: Trip, Tension, Twist, Truth, Triumph.
In practice, you would need to add illustrations and subpoints that are relevant to your own heart and audience. If you have additional ideas, or if you try such an outline, please add your thoughts in the "Comments" for the encouragement of others.
Colossians 1:9-14
EXEGETICAL IDEA
Paul prays that the Colossians grow in the knowledge of God's will so that they live worthily resulting in bearing fruit, in a growing relationship with God, in being strengthened, and in joyful thanksgiving.
HOMILETICAL IDEA
Pray for and strive for the "God life" not the "good life."
Or, Find abundant life in pleasing God not yourself.
TWIST
* The "good life" on earth is NOT the abundant life Jesus talked about.
We, humans, find it very hard not to think that a better earthly life is a better life. We automatically value circumstances over character, externals over internals. We believe the things on the outside make us happy on the inside.
Our usual prayers reflect that impulse. In this passage, the most startling idea to me is how much Paul's prayer differs from our prayers. Our prayers are usually "anti-prayers." "Lord, keep 'trouble and suffering' far away from me and mine." While not unbiblical, prayers in the Bible far more often deal with our attitudes and our character, spiritual not earthly things. Likewise, our purpose in life should concern our character far more than our circumstances.
OUTLINE
Trip (Upset)
What are you feeling when you begin each day? What is your wish for the day? Isn't it usually for bad things NOT to happen?
We think that is what the abundant life is, more money, better health, a good job, a happy family, all the difficult people in my life to be gone. But would that really deliver the abundant life we want?
Tension (Provoking the Questions, Opposites of the Truth)
Let's think about the usual thoughts bouncing around in our heads all day. Our lives and even our prayers usually focus on the "good life."
* We spend a lot of time on movies, music, sports teams, social media, on people and their troubles (gossip). We have to spend a lot of time on our jobs (1:10).
* We are uncertain about life. How many times have you said, "Lord, what is your will?" (1:9). We sing with tears in our hearts the Third Day song. "My life...so uncertain...broken...losing hope...Give me a revelation. Show me what to do...I haven't got a clue."
* How many times have you asked God, "Why?"
* We can't seem to please our spouse or kids or boss or ourselves either (1:10).
* We say, "Doesn't God want me to be happy?" and perhaps also say, "This sin makes me happy." (1:10).
* Deep down it's, "I want what I want, and I want it now." (1:11).
* We feel like we're drowning in the overwhelming worries of life (1:11).
* We feel like we deserve the good life and whine because we don't have it (1:12-14). We may worry about being a nobody, about finances, our health, the uncertainties of life, and the evil in the world.
Twist (The Most Startling Idea)
Maybe we have an emaciated, sickly life instead of the abundant life because we're turned around, facing the wrong direction. Have you thought about how different our usual prayers are from the Bible's prayers? It's not wrong to pray for good health and better finances, for example. But we too readily think externals make the internal good, that better circumstances make me happy.
Let's take a look at prayer God really wants to answer. Moreover, this prayer is a great definition of the abundant life as opposed to those wishes bouncing around in our heads.
Truth (Preaching the Bible's Solution)
Make this a prayer for yourself and for others. Also, make it the goal of your life.
We can know God's will. This prayer expresses God's will. Since God does not want puppets, we need "spiritual wisdom and understanding" (1:9).
We need to please not ourselves or other people but him (1:10a). Acts 10:38 says Jesus "went around doing good." Some people just "go around."
By the way, good mental-emotional "boundaries" means we do not please others in a way that is contrary to God's biblical principles as in Galatians 6:2-5, for example. See Cloud and Townsend "Boundaries" books.
That pleasing life results in four experiences. First, like a fruit tree, your life yields more and better fruit of the Spirit in character and conduct (1:10b).
Second, your relationship with God grows deeper. This is not, of course, an intellectual, secret knowledge of God, like the Gnostics claimed, but a personal one, a greater sense of God's love and our enjoyment in him (1:10c).
A third result is strength, power, glorious might! (1:11). Do not be disappointed like many people that this power does not get you more prestige in the world's eyes or authority over all the foolish people around you. God gives you power where you need it most, your "patience and steadfastness" (1:11). Even though you may want to pray this for your spouse, children, friends, and co-workers, start with yourself.
Finally, living according to God's will results in joyful thanksgiving. As the final result, you might say, "If you don't have joyful thanksgiving, then the pipes are plugged, abundant life is not flowing." We are commanded in the Bible, perhaps hundreds of times, to give joyful thanks. Could it be the most overlooked, disobeyed command?
The overwhelming natural reaction to life on this sin-cursed earth is to worry and whine, complain and criticize. In a way, Jesus actually agreed! He told us, "In the world you have trouble and suffering," but "in me you may have peace...take courage — I have conquered the world" (John 16:33).
Look at the tremendous blessings we have to five joyful thanks to God for. We are qualified for an eternal inheritance. We escape from the power of evil into Jesus' kingdom of love, redemption, and forgiveness. These turn our minds from the troubles of life.
By the way, a popular distinction is often made between joy and happiness, the latter from circumstances. While the distinction of the source is good, in fact, this neuters our joy in the Lord! It is purely a happenstance of the English language. Greek has only one word, 'chara.' Therefore, we should be as happy in the Lord as was the man who found the treasure in the field (Matt. 13:44). In other words, the emotion is the same. To substitute words in Philippians 4:4 NIV,
Be happy in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Be happy!
Triumph (The Nugget of Truth)
Don't look for the "good life." Grab hold of the abundant life of Jesus.
