SERIES: FINDING CHRIST IN COLOSSIANS
Message # 1 "The Credentials of the Church"
Intro: In verses 1-2, Paul's opening statement mentions His authority
of apostleship. He also addresses them as saints - faithful
brethren - "In Christ". The mention of "grace" and "peace"
signifies the bonding agent between them.
I. HIS DELIGHT IN THEIR FOUNDATION (vs 3-5a
A) It was a foundation of faith (vs 4a)
1) Acts 16:31 "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" this verse
signifies a foundation.
2) Acts 20:21 "faith towards" this verse expresses a home
3) vs 4 (text) "faith in Christ" expresses "anchored inside"
a foundation on which all our security rests
a home in which all our joys & privileges are realized
an anchor which keeps us safely riding the storms of life
B) It was a foundation of love (4b)
definition of love is:
1) A Christian quality (comes after faith) never knew true love
before. Not sensual, physical love or lust; not family or friend
love
2) A Complete quality (embraces all the saints, even though some
are not very lovable.
3) A Commanded quality (not our choice, should be automatic part
of new nature and personality.
4) A Compassable quality (can't do what you are not equipped to
do ("love of God shed abroad in our hearts")
C) It is a foundation of hope (vs 5)
the word "for" implies the meaning of "through". This hope
possesses:
l1) A calling (if faith and love is right, then we have been called to
that "blessed hope"
2) A Character (not blind or empty hope, but full of all 32,000
promises of God's Word.
3) A consideration (Heb 10:25)
II. HIS DECLARATION ABOUT THEIR FUNDAMENTALS
(vS 5B-8) "the word of the truth of the gospel". The word "truth"
means "basic, vital, underlying, undeniable". This Gospel was His:
1) The mainstay of His thoughts
2) The mainspring of His life
3) The main supply of His services
He was Rom 1:1 "seperated unto the Gospel of God". This Gospel is:
A) The Original Gospel (vs 5) "whereof ye heard before". What
Paul heard on the Damascus road was the original gospel. Not
the new fangled one we here today. It was the old gospel. Not old
as we get old in the body, but old as in "original". Gal 1:6 "if any
man preach any other gospel unto you, let him be accursed"
Today we have the gospel of:
1) Do your best
2) accumulated merit (self esteem, positive thinking)
3) personal worth (possessions, position)
4) ritual observances (catachisms, card signing, group recitation)
All these might flatter or impress, but never can save!!!
B) The Universal Gospel (vs 6) "which is come unto you, as it is
in all the world".
1) universal in that there is no fear of failure
2) universal in that it is not bound by any frontiers
C) The Vital Gospel (vs6) "and bringeth forth fruit"
1) necessary as it was searched out
2) nurturing as it was sent out
3) never ending as it was sounded out
D) The Personal Gospel (vs6) "which is come unto you"
has been and still is, preached to the multitudes, but in the end
result, it absolutely must become personal.
not "one on many" or "many on one" but "one on one"
E) The Powerful Gospel ( "it came", "you heard", brought fruit
it is the dynamite of God unto salvation. Carries with it:
1) the power of the Word that became flesh
2) the power of the Word that is spoken
3) the power of the Word that is written
III. HIS DESIRE FOR THEIR FURTHERANCE (VS 9-11)
He tells them that they are often in his mind, but better still, they are
in His prayers. To think of someone is the least you can do, but to
pray for someone is the most you can do. The church at Colossae
was in the midst of a heathen atmosphere. The appearance of the
word "all" indicates his desire that they be complete.
A) All Wisdom
not mere knowledge of formal or superficial kind
1) It is spiritual knowledge (spiritual understanding is crucial
today. Eph 1:8 "the eyes of your understanding be enlightened"
2) it is growing knowledge (vs 10 "increasing in knowledge")
3) it is Godly knowledge not just a knowledge of His things, gifts,
and blessings, but a knowledge of Him.
a. introduction (when we first met Him) (1st impressions)
b. increase (friendship developing, knowledge increasing
c. intimacy (no longer about each other, but with each other)
B) All Pleasing (vs 10)
don't win the world's smile, and lose the Lord's smile. There is a
military expression: if on active duty, in uniform, in ranks, then be
pleasing to your commander. Your walk, worth, work as a child of
God should be pleasing to your commander. If you are pleasing
yourself, then you are out of uniform.
C) All Might (vs11)
another military expression. A soldier of the army has a weapon
and ammunition. Both are a force, but not nearly the force that
backs him up. A signed blank check has no force if there are no
funds to back it up.
D) All Patience (vs11)
means "stickability" it is the super glue of your relationship with
Christ. It is the power to "keep on keeping on"