Here’s my sermon outline for Colossians 1:3-14 “Paul’s Prayers” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville, IL.
AUDIO here.
Colossians 1:3-14 “The Prayers of Paul”
Intro: Experience of praying with a godly, mature Christian; edified, instructs us to pray and we learn about God.
-Paul’s prayer—edifies, instructs us to pray and teaches us about God!
M.I.: Through the gospel we have hope of eternal life and forgiveness of sins.
I. Through the Gospel, we Have Hope of Eternal life (3-8)
Different views about afterlife: no afterlife; we decide; everyone goes to heaven.
-Bible: we all will live on, but some will be in heaven and others in hell.
-Gospel: We have hope of eternal life, as a gift through Christ.
-We see this in Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving for the Colossians Faith.
-Paul Gives Thanks for the Colossian Christians (3)
-It is right and good to give thanks for other Christians
–QUESTION: How often do you stop to give thanks for other believers? For CCF?
-Are you grumbler or grateful? Complaining or Content?
-The Reason Why Paul Gives Thanks: The Gospel Has Reached them! (4-8)
-Paul rejoices that the gospel has come to Colossae, as it has born fruit of new spiritual life.
-GOSPEL: “word of truth…grace of God in truth”
-GOOD NEWS about God from God concerning how we might be right with God!
-It is bearing fruit all over the world, and in Colossae, through conversion to Christ.
-3 Signs the Colossians are genuine Christians: faith, love, and hope (4-5, 8)
1 Colossian Christians have FAITH in Jesus (4a)
2 Colossian Christians have LOVE for other Christians (4b, 8)
–NOTE: Holy Spirit empowering Christians to love (8)
3 Colossian Christians have HOPE of eternal life (5)
-This hope is real, because it is based on the GOSPEL!
–Jesus: ‘I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.’ Jhn 10:18
CHALLENGE OF NAPERVILLE: Temptation to find our hope elsewhere.
-Other hopes: bank account; retirement; nicer home/yard; children’s success in sports/academics
-These hopes can become louder than the hope of heaven; can feel more relevant.
QUESTION: Where are you finding hope these days?
-Has your hope shifted away from eternal life through the gospel to something else?
SEE AGAIN: In the gospel, we have hope of eternal life—better hope (1 Peter 1:3b-4)
-Also: the Colossians can have confidence in the gospel they received (5b-7)
-Notice all the ways Paul assures them that the gospel they heard from Epaphras is the one he is speaking about
-‘Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel’; which has come to you,’ ‘bearing fruit and growing…as it also does
among you’, ‘since the day you heard it,’ ‘and understood the grace of God in truth’
-WHY does Paul spend some much time doing this?
-Because false teaching can erode our confidence in the biblical gospel. It can leave us rattled.
-False prophets say we need to follow them and their visions; claiming they have Bible to support them
-Colossian Christians can be assured we have real gospel, because they have heard the apostolic gospel
-This gospel was shared from Epaphras to them, and share from believers to others today.
-We too can have confidence, because of the apostles’ teaching.
*SUMMARY: Through the gospel, we have hope of eternal life and we can be confident in this message!
2. Through the gospel, we have forgiveness of sins (9-14)
2 Errors we must avoid regarding forgiveness of sins.
1. It’s not a big deal= ‘My job is to sin and God’s is to forgive,’ =Don’t worry about sins.
-Popular sentiment, but overlooks the fearful and real justice of God: God will punish sin!
-Judgement Day: All will give an account and justice will come to pass.
2. I can have forgiveness of sins only if I accomplish it through religion.
-Possible error at Colossae—‘don’t do this…do this…’; RULE-KEEPING
-Roman Catholic: earn our salvation through good works; mass; confession;
-The true gospel is different from both—here we learn how we might experience forgiveness of sin by grace.
-This comes about at the end of Paul’s second prayer, a petitionary prayer Paul makes for the Colossians
-Prayer in 2 main ideas: 1. God would show them how to live a godly life; 2 God would empower them to live it out.
1. May God show you how to live a godly life (9-10)
-How does God want me to live? ‘you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding’
-“knowledge of will”=explained inàso as to walk in manner worthy of Lord
-Knowledge of how to live a godly life!
-Godly life=fully pleasing to him; bearing fruit in every good work; increase knowledge of God
CLARIFICATION: This is not a prayer for guidance on particular decision, but how to life a God-pleasing life
-We need God to show us how to do what is right—marriage, singleness, work, money, recreation.
-APP: Pray this for yourselves and others—God show me how to do what is right in this situation.
2. May God EMPOWER you to live a godly life (11-12a)
–SURPRISE of the text! NOTICE: “11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might,”
-What would expect the next line to be? Plant churches; do impressive things; miraculous healing
-What do we need God’s power for? “for all endurance and patience with joy”
-Keep being a Christian, daily/ordinary faithfulness, with joy and thankfulness
-Impossible in our own strength, but possible by God’s strength
-APP: We NEED God if we are to follow and obey God, and God will help us follow Him!
-I’ve seen God answer this prayer in difficult moments and temptation.
–Pray this for yourself! ‘God empower me to live a godly life’
-To turn from lust; complaining; coveting; anger and rage
–Pray this for those your believing children and those you disciple.
3. This is the God to whom we are praying and this is what the Colossians Have Experienced (12-14)
-“Qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light”
-WORLD CUP TEAM—competency to qualify you; -HEIR OF BILLION DOLLAR ESTATE—child and in the will.
-Colossian Christians—qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
-‘Inheritance’: ‘hope in heaven;’ eternity with God—FUTURE.
-‘qualified,’: by God through the gospel. For Christian who are now ‘saints in light’
-‘Delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,’
-God has delivered the Colossian Christians—and us—we are in the domain of darkness
-Imagery of ExodusàGod rescuing people from Egypt
-We can’t save ourselves, but in the gospel experience God’s mighty rescue!
-Colossian Christians are TRANSFERRED to kingdom of beloved Son
-Kingdom of God: God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule
-Already and not yet reality to this.
–NOTICE: Kingdom of beloved Son.
-Jesus is the BELOVED SON! And He is the king, our gracious king.
–APP: Behold the SUPREMACY of Jesus, the King who is the Son of God.
-‘in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
-“redemption” is the purchasing of a freedom, a release.
-Redemption explained in final phrase: “the forgiveness of sins”
-Accomplished at the Cross: Col 2:14.
BEHOLD: The SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST: Through the gospel we have forgiveness of sins!
-All of our sins are forgiven, as an act of the gospel.
-FAILURE of New Spirituality and other religious movements: cannot give forgiveness of sin.
QUESTION: Are your sins forgiven?
-If you have not trusted in Christ as your lord and Savior, then they are not.
-If you have trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, then they are!
APP: 1. Let’s pray like Paul: THANKSGIVING; GUIDANCE FOR HOLY LIVING; POWER TO LIVE IT OUT
2. Let’s rejoice in the God to whom Paul prayed: through the gospel we have hope of eternal life and forgiveness of sins!
