The book of Colossians shows that being connected through faith to Jesus Christ has totally changed our lives:
• We have a new hope.
• We have a new perspective on life.
• We have a new joy.
• We have a new family.
• We have a new way of living.
AUTHOR: The apostle Paul (1:1). Timothy is also mentioned in the opening verse, probably because he was Paul’s closest companion.
DATE: Around A.D. 60. Ephesians and Philemon probably were written around the same time.
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Prison (4:10, 18), probably in Rome. Colossians, along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon, are commonly called the prison epistles.
RECIPIENTS: The Church at Colosse (1:2). Paul had never visited Colosse. Apparently, the church was founded by Epaphras (1:7-8).
THEME: The absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus.
Colossians 1:1-14
[In this sermon series on Colossians, we will not be able, because of time, to fully cover every part of the book. But some of these areas will be addressed in our small group studies.]
I. Christians should be convinced of the TRUTH.
Is there such a thing as absolute truth? For example, is the Bible true and everything that disagrees with what it says false? Less and less people today think so. They say, “If Christianity works for you, that’s good, but don’t tell me that I have to believe what you believe.” It’s considered offensive and intolerant to tell someone of another religion that there is only one way to God. Many people—even people in the church—believe that Christianity is simply one of the many roads leading up the same mountain. But look at how Paul describes the gospel:
• “the word of truth, the gospel” (v. 5)
• “God’s grace in all its truth” (v. 6)
This is where we get the expression “the gospel truth.” “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32).
A. We must KNOW THE TRUTH before we can recognize what is false.
Those who are able to detect counterfeit bills learn everything they can about a genuine bill.
It was Paul’s desire and prayer that the Colossians know the truth because they were facing false teaching:
• “…fill you with the knowledge of his will” (v. 9)
• “…growing in the knowledge of God” (v. 10)
B. We must exercise LOVE and HUMILITY in proclaiming the truth.
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
C. We must LIVE OUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES if we want people to listen to the truth.
“Don’t just tell me; show me!”
II. Christians should be filled with HOPE.
“We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven” (vv. 4-5).
In our culture, hope is a blind optimism without any foundation. Someone might say, “I hope the Leafs will win the Cup this year.” In the NT, hope refers to the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Hope is not wishful thinking; it’s confidence.
The Greek word translated “stored up” carries the meaning of “to be reserved, to be set aside for someone.” The tense of the verb indicates that this hope has once and for all been reserved so that nothing can take it from us (Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, p. 109).
A. We should live as if this life is not all there is.
B. We should think of our amazing future when life doesn’t go exactly as planned.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).
III. Christians should value PRAYER.
Let’s pretend that we were all given a survey this morning that asked the question, “Do you value prayer?” I’m guessing that most, if not all, of us would answer “Yes.” But what if the survey also asked, “How much time do you spend in prayer?” Would your answer to that question reveal that you really value prayer? If you really value your car, shouldn’t you use it? If you really value prayer, shouldn’t you pray?
A. We should pray REGULARLY.
“Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you” (v. 9).
We tend to pray only in emergencies—when we or others are in need, in trouble, or in difficult circumstances.
B. We should pray with PRAISE and THANKSGIVING.
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” (v. 3).
Since we most often pray when we are feeling afraid, anxious, or depressed, we often don’t praise and thank God enough in our prayers. (Some people use the ACTS formula: Adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication.)
C. We should pray for OTHERS.
Paul prayed for the Colossians, and he asked for their prayers at the end of the letter (4:3-4). There should a mutual concern between believers. I should pray for you, and you should pray for me.
D. We should pray for SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT.
Think about your prayers. What do you usually pray about? Based on my observations, Christians most often pray about health, safety, and other physical concerns. (And, of course, we should pray about these things.) But what was is our greatest need? What should be our first prayer request for ourselves and others? I believe it should be the same as Paul’s request for the Colossians: “Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way” (vv. 9-10a). Our greatest need is a spiritual need—to have a growing knowledge of God and His Word that will govern our faith and decisions.
IV. Christians should live a life WORTHY of the Lord.
A. We should do GOOD WORKS.
“…bearing fruit in every good work” (v. 10b).
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
Like the owner of the orchard who plants an apple tree and expects a return of fruit, God expects fruit from every Christian.
B. We should have a GROWING KNOWLEDGE of God.
“…growing in the knowledge of God” (v. 10c).
1. Our knowledge should move beyond the basics.
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).
2. Our knowledge should result in more than just knowing good from evil but in doing good.
Paul does not want his readers to gain knowledge purely for its own sake. Knowledge of God’s will always has ethical implications, because it requires us to bring our daily conduct and thinking into line with it. This reality may explain why many people don’t want to know that will.
C. We should seek STRENGTH to do God’s will.
“…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have endurance and patience” (v. 11).
We need power beyond our own human resources, and the willingness to acknowledge that need. The greatest problem in life is not to know what to do, but to do it—to have the will and the power to act according to what we know.
D. We should JOYFULLY GIVE THANKS to God.
“…joyfully giving thanks to the Father” (v. 12a).
In verses 11-12, patience and joy are linked together. That’s common in the NT. You might know the story of Paul and Silas’s imprisonment in Philippi told in Acts 16. They not only patiently endured the beating, flogging, and confinement; but they were also joyful. They expressed their joy by “singing hymns to God” (v. 25). It’s only thing to be patient; it’s another thing to be patient and joyful.
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Joy, unlike superficial happiness, is not dependent on circumstances and people. Joy is an attitude based on the knowledge of what God has done for us.
What has He done? Paul wrote, God “has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (vv. 12b-14).
I’m going to finish this sermon by taking Paul’s prayer for the Colossians and using it as a model for a prayer for us.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for the hope you have given to us through the death and resurrection of Your Son Jesus Christ. We pray that we may live lives worthy
of all that You have done for us and that we may please You in every way. May Your Spirit work in our lives so that we may be people who are bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of You, being strengthened with Your power so that we might great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to You for rescuing us from the dominion of darkness and bringing us into the kingdom of Your Son. In His name we pray, amen.
DISCOVER THE NEW YOU
A New Look at the Church (Colossians 1:1-14)
AUTHOR: The apostle Paul (1:1)
DATE: Around A.D. 60
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Prison (4:10, 18), probably in Rome
RECIPIENTS: The Church at Colosse (1:2)
THEME: The absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ
V. Christians should be convinced of the _____________ (vv. 5-6).
D. We must _____________________________________ before we can recognize what is false.
E. We must exercise ______________ and ________________ in proclaiming the truth (see 1 Peter 3:15).
F. We must ________________________________________________ if we want people to listen to the truth.
VI. Christians should be filled with _____________ (v. 5).
C. We should live as if this life is not all there is.
D. We should think of our amazing future on our hope when life doesn’t go exactly as planned.
VII. Christians should value ________________ (vv. 3-10).
E. We should pray __________________.
F. We should pray with ____________ and _____________________.
G. We should pray for _____________.
H. We should pray for _______________________________________.
VIII. Christians should live a life ________________ of the Lord (vv. 10-14).
E. We should do _________________________ (see John 15:8).
F. We should have a _____________________________ of God.
1. Our knowledge should move beyond the ______________ (see 1 Peter 2:2).
2. Our knowledge should result in more than just knowing good from evil but in ______________ good.
G. We should seek ________________ to do God’s will.
H. We should ________________________________________ to God.
