A Model of Prayer and Praise

Well, good morning.

Open up with me, if you would, to Colossians.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

If you're using the Pew Bible, it's on page 983.

I kind of wondered where we were going to go in kind of our next sermon series that we're working through.

And having worked through the book of Job this summer,

I'm going to move to the New Testament and kind of pick up the pace, as it were,

in terms of understanding the significance of thanks in prayer.

The significance of thanks in prayer.

Many of you have probably heard about the name D.L. Moody

and what God was able to accomplish through his life in ministry back in the 1800s.

But many of you may not be aware of kind of the humble beginnings of D.L. Moody

and how unexpected really his time of ministry really would have been,

considering where he came from.

D.L. Moody dropped out of school when he was 13 years old.

But he ended up being used by God to inspire students at Cambridge throughout his life in ministry.

D.L. Moody, when he got started, preferred to teach children.

He understood and appreciated the receptivity of their hearts.

And so his focus early on in his ministry was Sunday school ministry to children.

And yet God would use him then to speak to crowds of individuals,

numbering in the thousands, men and women, boys and girls.

And God would use this man in a mighty way.

He was a man who grew up in a farm in Massachusetts.

He came from very meager beginnings, a poverty-stricken family,

a mother who was devout to Jesus, a father who was an alcoholic.

His early life he was one who was given to money, had a love for money,

but the Lord kind of changed his perspective.

And while he was in Chicago wanting to make as much money as he could,

he would be this up-and-coming businessman,

God worked in his heart to change his life

and help him understand the significance of gospel ministry.

He was a man who was led to Christ at age 17 by a man by the name of Edward Kimball.

Kind of a guy in the middle of obscurity,

but used by the Lord through faithful ministry of this man.

Moody would build a foundation of evangelistic crusades

and thousands of people would come

and the newscasters and the media who would show up to these events

were just awestruck at the fact that

how do so many people assemble

when the person up front is speaking at a fourth-grade level?

The ministry of the Word of God that was working and moving through D.L. Moody

and his frailty, his humility, and his dependence on the Lord.

It was while D.L. Moody was in England

and he was there under the ministry of an individual named Henry Varley.

And in that message, Henry Varley would say,

the world has yet to see what God can do

through a man who has totally yielded to him.

And those words inspired D.L. Moody

and he wondered, can I be that man?

Can God use this meager man

to make much of himself in terms of ministry?

And by God's grace, I will be that man.

And so when he died in December of 1899,

thousands of people would come

not to celebrate the one who had fashioned an empire,

who had made lots of money,

but one who had devoted himself entirely to the Lord

and had been used by God in significant ways.

His life really is a clear testimony of what God can do

in the life of an individual, a man or a woman,

who commits themselves,

devotes themselves to faith and prayer,

to thanks and prayer.

And over the course of the next three months,

that's where we're going to go.

That's what we're going to focus on and concentrate on

as we come to the book of Colossians,

this little letter,

and thanks and prayer kind of permeate their way

through this little letter.

And it's my prayer that if God can do this

in the life of an individual,

what might God be able to do

in the life of a congregation,

a life of a people,

a life of a body of individuals

who have joined themselves to this objective.

And I trust, I'm praying,

I want to encourage you for the next three months

that in some way we devote ourselves

to understanding what a life of prayer and thanks looks like

and that we grow in some measure

in embracing these disciplines to ourselves.

I want to propose an experiment, as it were.

I want to see what God might do in my life,

what God might see,

what might do in our church,

what God might do in your community,

in your workplace, in students,

what God might do in your schools,

in your co-ops,

in your home school communities,

wherever you might be.

What might God be able to do

with the people that have devoted themselves

to thanks and prayer?

So for the next three months,

I want to encourage us to commit ourselves

to that in some way.

And as a way to go about that,

we've put together another study guide.

Okay, and I know that we've done this a lot,

but I want, I'm trusting, hoping, praying

that this would be an invitation for us

to participate together.

As you look through the New Testament,

you see that the churches that flourish,

that the churches that God uses mightily and powerfully

are the ones that have one heart,

one mind, one spirit.

And so this is a way for us to come together

in a united way,

to learn what God says,

and to embrace this for ourselves,

for to be part of the conversation of one another,

this fellowship for one another,

encouragement, challenging,

and embracing this together as a group.

So I want to encourage you,

I know that several of you are part of Bible studies,

I know that several of you are part of small groups,

I know that several of you have your own Bible reading plans,

and so this is an extra,

but I'm just inviting you to step in in a little way,

maybe step in all the way to embrace this together

so we can see what God might be able to do.

At the end of each of the week's lessons in the study guide,

I put together something called the family corner,

and here's a graphic of that family corner.

And all we're trying to do is have some simple questions

that kids of every age can answer

and invite them to think about the text in a way

that is familiar,

that's accessible for them,

so you can start this family conversation.

It's meant to be a conversation starter.

So even your entire family,

all the way down to your toddlers,

can be a part of this study together

as we're making our way through the scriptures.

And I want to also encourage,

I've put a key verse or two each week,

I want to encourage us as a church

to be memorizing God's word.

And there may be some of you

who might rise to the occasion

in memorizing the book.

Would some of you be willing to try to do that?

Memorize, and especially young people,

your minds are sharp,

memorizing the book of Colossians.

There are 95 verses,

and there's 110 days between now and Christmas

that we can do this.

So just a verse a day.

You can have some cheat days,

because there's some days extra

that you can do this.

And this is something I want to encourage us to do

as a fellowship.

Verse one.

Paul, an apostle,

and I'm going to say this,

and you're going to repeat it after me.

Okay?

So, Paul, an apostle.

Paul, an apostle.

By the will of Christ Jesus.

By the will of Christ Jesus.

Excuse me.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus.

By the will of God.

So let's try that again.

We're learning it together.

That's okay.

That's okay.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus.

Okay?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus.

By the will of God.

By the will of God.

And Timothy, our brother.

And Timothy, our brother.

Hey, look.

You got verse one.

It's there.

It's locked away.

You can coast the rest of the day

and pick it up tomorrow.

So here we go.

We can do this together.

And I believe this will be

a strategic exercise

for our fellowship.

I don't know about you,

but if there are two disciplines

that I struggle in the most,

it's the discipline of prayer

and making sure that it's consistent

and making sure that it's happening

faithfully, regularly, day by day.

And the discipline of thanksgiving.

I'm much more inclined

to look at the dark side of life

and say, ah!

It's terrible!

Ah!

Look at what's happening to me!

Oh!

It woes me!

It's so awful!

And the practice of thanksgiving

in helping to call attention

to the work of God

even in hard things.

Even when things don't go your way,

this is going to be good for us.

And I just want to encourage us

as a fellowship

for the next three months.

Can we do this together?

That's my prayer.

That's my goal.

And here's the promise.

The promise that's contained

in this passage this morning

is Paul will talk about

the word of truth,

the gospel that's come to them.

And listen to what happens

when the word of God comes.

It has come to you

and it's come to a whole world.

It is bearing fruit

and increasing

as it does among you

since the day you heard

and understood

the grace of God and truth.

God's word will

have its way.

God's word will

make a difference.

God's word will change us

if we surrender to it

and come to know it.

And God delights

in that work.

And I trust

that as we're doing this together

over the next three months,

we're going to see

the evidence

in our own lives,

in the spheres

in which we are,

and as a congregation,

how God can use

his word to change us.

Thanks and prayer.

All right.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

I think page 983,

if you're there,

in the Pew Bible.

I'm just going to read

the first couple of verses

as an introduction,

and we're going to see

here in just the outset

of this passage,

Paul will set forth

an example.

We're going to see

Paul's example

kind of shining through.

Just even in his

opening introduction,

what is Paul's example?

What is he calling

the people of this church to?

Notice he says,

an apostle

of Christ Jesus

by the will of God,

and Timothy,

our brother,

to the saints

and faithful brothers

in Christ

at Colossae,

grace to you

and peace

from God,

our Father.

Paul,

an apostle.

Paul was sent.

He was a sent one.

And Paul was sent

by the will of God,

and we see here

Paul's example

of being willing

to be sent by God

and willing to submit

himself to God's will.

His willingness

to hear what God says,

to listen to God's will,

to know what God

wants for his life,

to be sent out

to embrace the cost

and to do it willingly,

to submit himself

to God's will

instead of his own.

I know that Paul

is a familiar figure,

and so to kind of

do a little background

on the apostle Paul

may seem tedious

and maybe unnecessary,

but I think it's important

for us just to remember

who the apostle Paul is

before we even begin

this study.

Those of you

who remember

kind of going back

to the birth of the church

in Acts chapter 1,

Acts 1 · chapter mention

here the church

gets started

because of the work

of God

through his word

in Jerusalem,

and thousands of people

come to faith in Christ.

And so from chapter 1

to chapter 7,

we kind of trace

this work of God

working in Jerusalem

to build the church

that's there.

And then there's

this figure named Saul,

and we come to find out

later that Saul

is synonymous

with Paul.

And now Saul

is instrumental

in chapter 8

of introducing

persecution

to the church.

And because of

Saul's work

of persecuting

the church

because of his love

for Judaism

and wanting to stamp

out Christianity,

God actually uses

the apostle Paul

to make the church

spread to the

uttermost parts

of the world.

It's called

the dispersion.

God uses him

instrumentally

in this seemingly

negative way

to get the word

of God

to now spread out

from Jerusalem

into the known world.

God will come

and do a work

in Paul's heart

in chapter 9,

that road to

Damascus experience

where God will

come and will

communicate

to the apostle Paul

and will lead him

to faith in Christ.

And then from

chapter 9

to the end of the book

we're going to see

the explosion

of this church

that's happening

through the life

and ministry

of the apostle Paul.

Really in many ways

the apostle Paul

is an all star.

He's a superstar

when it comes

to this missionary work.

And we see

his missionary work

that's happening

throughout the book

of Acts

but just calling

attention to

what happens

at the beginning

of his second

missionary journey.

You remember

that he has

kind of tried

to go into

Asia

and I'll show you

this map,

okay?

Actually the very

beginning of Paul's

journey,

he goes to

a little place

called Lystra.

That's kind of

in a circle

at the bottom

of the map.

That happens

to be the hometown

of Timothy.

He picks up

Timothy there

because of the

ministry of

his mother

and grandmother

and the confirmation

of the church

that was there.

He picks up

Timothy

and Timothy

now becomes

part of his

missionary team.

So the apostle Paul

wants to go

into the next

logical spot.

He wants to go

into this region

of Asia.

But remember

what happens

when he tries

to go to Asia?

The Holy Spirit

closes the door.

So he's like,

well, fine,

let's go to

Bithynia.

That's kind of

the next logical

place.

And God,

again,

closes the door

so he can't

go to Bithynia.

Instead he goes

to a place

called Macedonia.

And there he is

in Thessalonica.

That's kind of

the second town

in Macedonia

that he goes to.

And God's work

is so mighty

in Thessalonica

that the Jews

who are there

we find in Acts

Acts 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17,

6.

It says,

these men,

speaking of

the apostle Paul

and his missionary

team,

have turned

the world

upside down

and have come

here also.

God's mighty

work through

this man

and his team.

So he gets

kind of kicked

out of Thessalonica.

He ends up

making his way

to Ephesus

and his third

missionary journey

and we find this

in Acts chapter 19

Acts 19:9

verses 9 and 10

speaking again

of Paul's ministry

now in Ephesus.

But when some

became stubborn

and continued

in unbelief,

let me just pause

there for a moment.

The apostle Paul

would traditionally

go into the synagogue

and here in Ephesus

he would teach

in the synagogue

for three months

and the Judaizers

who were there

were not happy.

So they kind of

pushed him out

of the synagogue.

And speaking evil

of the way

before the congregation

he withdrew himself

from them

and took the disciples

with him

reasoning daily

in the hall

of Tyrannus.

This continued

for two years

so that all

the residents

of Asia

heard the word

of the Lord.

Both Jews

and Gentiles.

Now,

do you remember

what happened

on his second

missionary journey?

How he wanted

to go to Asia?

He wanted to go

to Bithynia

and God said no?

And yet the apostle

Paul because

of his heart

to listen

to God's will

and to follow

God's direction

Paul said okay.

Then where is it Lord?

And he ends up

here in Ephesus

and God says

my plan is better

and so what's

going to happen

Paul

is this is going

to be kind of

the seminary

of Ephesus

and I'm going

to allow a number

of individuals

all across Asia

to come here

to this school

and I'm going

to send them

out across

all of Asia

and Colossae

happens to be

one of the beneficiaries

of the ministry

of Paul

to Epaphras

who would then

take that word

of the gospel

to his hometown

to Colossae

and God would

build this church

there in Colossae.

Paul refers

to himself

as an apostle.

An apostle

is a sent one.

It's one

who has been

designated

with this special

role

of sharing

the truth.

sharing the truth

of the gospel

with others.

Of course

Paul wasn't part

of the original 12.

He wasn't even

one of the replacements

there in Acts chapter 1

Acts 1 · chapter mention

when Judas

needed to be replaced

but the apostle Paul

he calls himself

kind of an apostle

in kind of a distant time.

He refers to

the ministry

that God has

in his life

to reveal

his truth to him.

We find that

in Galatians chapter 1.

Galatians 1 · chapter mention

where Paul says

for I would have you

Galatians 1

sorry

verse 11

let's start there

for I would have you

know brothers

that the gospel

that was preached

by me

was not man's gospel

for I did not

receive it from man

nor was I taught it

but I received it

through

through a revelation

of Jesus Christ.

So while the apostle Paul

didn't

wasn't a part

of Christ's

early

earthly ministry

there was this

ministry

that God

has

to Paul

sometime later

where God

is revealing

truth

to the apostle Paul

and setting him

apart for this

separate and special

work.

It picks up in verse 15

which is the next slide

but when he

speaking of

God

who set me apart

before I was born

and called me

by his grace

was pleased to reveal

his son in me

in order that I might

preach him among

the Gentiles

I did not

immediately consult

with anyone

nor did I go up

to Jerusalem

to those who

were apostles

before me

but I went away

into Arabia

and returned again

to Damascus

then after three years

I went up

to Jerusalem

to visit Cephas

and remained

with him

15 days.

So there's this

off and on

ministry of God

in revealing truth

to the apostle Paul

in this three year

window of time.

He was set apart.

God had separated

him for a

specific task

an apostleship

to the Gentiles

as it were

and the apostle Paul

was receptive

to God's will

in his life

and Paul will

present himself

as an apostle

and I think

there's several reasons

and I'm just going

to give you a couple.

First,

I think the apostle Paul

in expressing himself

as an apostle

to this group

of individuals

wants to help

establish his

relationship

to this church

of Colossae.

Now we're going

to find this out

once we get to

chapter 2

but the apostle Paul

had never been

to Colossae.

He hadn't preached

the gospel to there

he hadn't planted

this church

and yet here he is

this rich

and deep relationship

this affection

that he seems

to have

for these people

that he's never met

and it's only because

of the connection

they have

with Jesus Christ.

He's an apostle

of Christ Jesus

and here is

a church

and this church

is a church

that is receiving

this ministry

of the word

and they have

also been brought

into community

with Paul

and of course

in community

with God

through faith

in Christ.

So Paul wants

to help establish

this connection

with this group

of believers

and second

he wants to establish

his authority

with them

that he is one

who has been

set apart

by God

to reveal truth

and to help

speak into

their situation.

Third

it helps to affirm

the legitimacy

of their fellowship.

Now here we are

at the very beginnings

of this church

movement

that's taking place

and as we know

what's taking place

in Jerusalem

and then in other places

is the apostles

are the ones

who are kind of

primarily responsible

for establishing

these churches

and yet Colossae

now happens

to be a primary

example of a church

that's been planted

apart from

apostolic authority

apostolic presence

and the apostle Paul

wants to provide

legitimacy

to this group

of believers

not because

of how it was

established

by apostolic authority

but it was established

by the ministry

of the word

and so subsequently

generation

after generation

we're beneficiaries

of the word

and the ministry

of that word

to us

and we're connected

in that way

as well

to the apostle Paul.

Paul was

he was an apostle

by the will of God.

Knowledge of God's will

is going to be

a huge

a huge thrust

a huge theme

through the first

couple of chapters

because

this is a church

that wanted to identify

wanted to have

that secret knowledge

that hidden knowledge

and Paul's like

hey

you don't have to

it doesn't have to

be a secret anymore

because God

has delivered it to you

it's open

he wants his will

to be clear to you

and in verse 9

we're going to get there

next week

Paul will say

we have not ceased

to pray for you

asking that you may be

filled with the knowledge

of his will

God wants his will

to be clear

to be accessible

to be known

and so Paul

becomes an example

an example

of one

who has received

the word

one who has

submitted to the word

and now he's coming

to present

that word again

to this church

but Paul is also

an example

of serving with others

and I just want to

touch on this briefly

Paul was not

a lone ranger

Paul was not

this pioneer

that did things

alone

he wasn't the kind

of guy who thought

well I'm going to

get this taken care of

because look at me

look how great I am

no the apostle Paul

understood the significance

of serving with a team

he recognized

that it wasn't

wasn't inherent

the strength

of ministry

wasn't inherent

to himself

it was a strength

that came

as he would

commit himself

to the Lord

and God would

work through

this team

notice Paul says

in verse 1

an apostle of Christ

Jesus by the will

of God

and Timothy

our brother

Timothy is this

special individual

we were acquainted

with him last fall

we worked through

1 Timothy

the letter

and Timothy

as we saw

was the kind

of guy

who had this

ability

to endear

himself to others

Paul would send

him into the

hardest situations

it seemed

and he was a

consensus builder

but also one

who knew the truth

of the gospel

and was happy

to share it

with those

he served

in Philippians

Philippians 2:19–22

chapter 2

verse 19

to 22

we kind of get

this resume

as it were

as Paul

is commending

his disciple

his son

in the faith

Timothy

he says

I trust

in the Lord

Jesus

to send

Timothy

to you shortly

that I also

may be encouraged

when I know

your state

for I have

no one

like minded

who will

sincerely care

for your state

for all

seek their own

not the things

which are of

Christ Jesus

but you know

his proven

character

that as a son

with his father

he has served

with me

in the gospel

this gigantic

applause

of the apostle

Paul

in affirming

and confirming

this young

son

in the faith

Timothy

and likely

the apostle

Paul does this

because he knows

that eventually

there he is

in Rome

and he's

imprisoned

there in Rome

that likely

he's going to have

to turn the ministry

over

maybe to Timothy

or that perhaps

Timothy

will represent

Paul

and help

to lead this church

at some point

down the road

as he's making

his way

back home

to Lystra

there's no

details given

to us

why the apostle

Paul includes

Timothy

but it's clear

that the apostle

Paul wants

the church

to be acquainted

with Timothy

given the fact

that there may be

some relationship

in the future

the apostle

Paul was not

a one man

team

the apostle

Paul understood

the significance

of working

with others

he set the example

he set the example

of God

working in

and through

others

to be a conduit

of this message

of the gospel

to the world

and then

we find that

he refers to them

as saints

he sets the example

by referring to them

as saints

and you might say

why is that

so important

in verse 2

to the saints

and faithful brothers

in Christ

at Colossae

grace to you

and peace

from God

our father

he addresses

this church

and I believe

he does this

strategically

so he can

call attention

not to something

that is inherent

to them

but is something

that God has done

for them

because as

we continue

in this

little letter

we're going to see

this was a church

that was dysfunctional

as you could believe

it was a church

that was messed up

in so many

different ways

and yet

the apostle Paul

calls them saints

and faithful brothers

to call attention

to the work of God

in their life

not a work

of their own

the word saint

may conjure up

a number of different ideas

the Catholic church

for example

has something called

sainthood

and just recently

just about a year ago

in the previous July

there's a young man

by the name of

Carlo Acutis

who is a teenager

teenage computer whiz

who was kind of

the first millennial

to be sainted

to be canonized

and there is

this process

of canonization

that will take place

in the Catholic church

to call attention

to the unique holiness

of an individual

the first part

of that process

is to recognize them

as a servant of God

and there's

a local bishop

five years after

this individual's death

will investigate

their life

and will document

the different aspects

of their life

that were unique

and he'll report them

to the next person

down the road

the next part of the phase

is venerable

this is where an individual

is found to have lived

a life of heroic

Christian virtue

then you get to the

stage of being blessed

and a miracle

is attributed

to this person's prayer

it must be verified

by the church

and then finally

they're going to be canonized

and a second miracle

must be confirmed

after which the Pope

will formally declare

this person

a saint

well this is not

the sainthood

that Paul has in mind

the sainthood

that Paul is referring to

does not owe

their status

to personal

holiness

and performance

but it looks

to Jesus Christ

as the only one

who can ever merit

the kind

of standard

that God

would desire

it's not about

personal achievement

it's about the work

of God

and what Christ

has accomplished

through his perfection

he calls them saints

and faithful brothers

to draw attention

to what Christ

has accomplished

for them

in spite

of them

it's important

for a group

of believers

who were brought

up thinking

that they had

something to achieve

and maybe you've

come from that

that Christian

background

that you have

come to think

that you owe

God something

that there's

something for you

to do

in order for God

to recognize you

and to show

kindness to you

but the apostle Paul

sets the example

by helping us

understand

there's nothing

that we bring

to the table

except a heart

that is willing

to receive forgiveness

a heart

and life

that's willing

to embrace

the righteousness

of Christ

so once Paul

sets the example

now we find

in verse 3 to 8

we find his

thanks in prayer

Paul's thanks

in prayer

and I think

this is an example

too

he becomes a model

to this church

right at the very

beginning

of what's really

important

in verse 3

he says

we always

thank God

for you

excuse me

we always

thank God

the father

of our Lord

Jesus Christ

when we pray

for you

notice that

Paul's thanks

is to God

thanks in prayer

are essential

but it's important

to remember

and the apostle Paul

understood the significance

of thanks being

to God

and this was something

that was true

of the apostle Paul's life

we see this

in almost every letter

the apostle Paul wrote

Romans 1

8 to 10

first

he says

I thank my God

through Jesus Christ

for all of you

because your faith

is proclaimed

in all the world

for God

is my witness

whom I serve

with my spirit

in the gospel

of his son

that without ceasing

I mention you

always in my prayers

asking that somehow

by God's will

I may now

at last succeed

in coming to you

and then to the church

of Corinth

in 1 Corinthians 1

4

he says

I give thanks

to my God

always for you

because of the grace

of God

that was given

you in Christ Jesus

in Ephesians

1 15 and 16

he says

for this reason

because I've heard

of your faith

in the Lord

and your love

for all the saints

I do not cease

to give thanks

for you

remembering you

in my prayers

to the church

of Philippi

in Philippians 1

3 and 4

I thank my God

in all my remembrance

of you

always in every prayer

of mine

for you all

making my prayer

with joy

then in 1 Thessalonians

1 2 to 3

we give thanks

to God

always for all

of you

constantly mentioning

you in our prayers

remembering before

our God

and Father

your work

of faith

and labor

of love

and steadfastness

of hope

in our Lord

Jesus Christ

this I believe

is the secret

one of the secrets

to the Apostle Paul's

fruitfulness

in ministry

he was a man

who understood

that if God's work

was involved

that God's work

would prevail

so he submitted himself

to pleading

for God

to do the work

that only God

can do

in the lives

of those

that Paul shared

the gospel with

and he's thankful

for this church

he's thankful

for this church

in spite

of their deficiencies

he's thankful

for this church

in spite

of their theological

shortcomings

and they're significant

matter of fact

as we work

through this

the heresy

that was kind of

making its way

through Colossae

and through Asia

and through this church

was kind of like

a foundational

salvific

kind

of problem

where

we're kind of

cut across

the grain

of saving faith

and yet Paul

was still thankful

for them

they were dependent

on human tradition

this church

was bound up

in legalism

this church

appealed

to mysticism

and worship

of angels

they also seem

to have a problem

with purity

we're going to find

in chapter 3

Paul says

put to death

sexual immorality

impurity

passion

evil desire

anger

wrath

malice

slander

obscene talk

and lying

what kind of church

is this

is it possible

is it possible

to be thankful

for a church

like this

and Paul says

yes

it's

it was not

a model church

but Paul is able

to be thankful

because he's thankful

to God

that's the key

he's thankful

to God

you see

the apostle Paul

knew

that what was

happening

in Colossae

was not

Epaphras' work

it was not

Paul's work

it was God's work

and so as God

was working

in the hearts

and lives

of these individuals

the apostle Paul

could thank God

for that work

and he could

entrust the matter

to God

to know that

when God

begins a work

that God will also

complete the work

so he could be thankful

for this church

to God

in spite of all

the deficiencies

because he knew

that God was going

to continue

to carry it through

but notice

he's also thankful

for the word of God

he's thankful

for the word of God

we see that

in verses 4 to 6

notice

since we heard

of your faith

in Christ

in the love

that you have

for all the saints

because of the hope

that is laid up

for you in heaven

of this you have

heard before

in the word

of truth

the gospel

which has come

to you

and is increasing

in the whole world

it's bearing fruit

in increasing

as also does

among you

since the day

you heard

and understood

the grace

of God

in truth

did you catch that

the apostle Paul

it's easy to see

that at the very

beginnings of this

we would tend

to run to

well Paul

is celebrating

this work of faith

he's celebrating

this love

for the saints

he's celebrating

this hope

for heaven

and we would say

well look what God

is doing in this church

and that is true

we need to understand

though

that God is doing

this work

through his word

that he doesn't

credit

that Paul doesn't

credit

the people

so much

as accrediting

the power

of the word of God

to bear fruit

and increase

as it always does

faith is anchored

in Christ

they do have love

that pursues

the saints

they do have hope

that looks forward

to heaven

these qualities

are true

but the apostle Paul

wants to draw attention

to the progress

of the word

the power

of that word

to do

the work

that's intended

to do

you've heard

this before

and Paul

draws attention

to the significance

of hearing

notice that in verse 4

Paul is thankful

that they heard

that he heard

of their faith

in Christ

in verse 5

this church

had faith

love

and hope

because they

heard the word

of the truth

of the gospel

in verse 7

they learned it

it was made known

they heard it

from Epaphras

in verse 8

the apostle Paul

draws attention

to hearing

of the church's

love

for him

in the spirit

all of these

significant things

that the apostle Paul

is hearing

because it's a

it's a work

that happens

through the

ministry of the word

of God

maybe you've heard

the famous quote

of Francis Assisi

it's accredited him

he says

preach the gospel

at all times

and when necessary

use words

have you heard that before

meaning

let your actions

speak for themselves

the apostle Paul

would say

that's not enough

the ministry

of the word

is not only

important

it's essential

the ministry

of the word

is vital

it's only

through the ministry

of the word

can God

ever change

a life

Romans 10 17

the apostle Paul

will say

so then faith

comes by

hearing

and hearing

by the word

of God

so this

this church

was changed

yes

but it was changed

by the ministry

of the word of God

and that's what

the word of God

does

that's what it

will always do

to a life

that has submitted

itself

and yielded itself

to the work

of the word

in their life

Peter will say

in 1 Peter

1 23

having been born again

not of corruptible seed

but incorruptible

through the word of God

which lives

and abides forever

for all flesh

is like grass

in all its glory

like the flower

of grass

the grass

grass withers

the flower

falls

but the word

of the Lord

remains forever

and this word

is the good news

that was preached

to you

it's the word

of God

that will change

it's the word

of God

that will

help to

provide this

regenerative

work in our life

to draw us

to spiritual

life

in him

the gospel

is dynamic

and this church

is a beneficiary

of that ministry

of the word of God

just like the rest

of the world

has been

and I love how

Paul puts it

to Timothy

in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 2:8

chapter 2

verses 8 and 9

when he says this

remember

Jesus Christ

risen from the dead

the offspring of David

as preached

in my gospel

for which I am suffering

bound

with chains

as a criminal

but the word

of God

is not

bound

what an encouragement

the apostle Paul

is stuck in prison

he's chained

to the walls

or in prison

somehow

he is unable

to get out

he's unable

to spread

the message

of the gospel

but that doesn't matter

because the word

of God

is unleashed

the word of God

can't be hindered

the word of God

will have its way

and our confidence

in the word of God

is what will

allow us

to enjoy

the benefits

of that work

in our lives

in that work

in our families

in the work

wherever we are

God does his work

through his word

and finally

we find Paul's

thanks for the spirit

his thanks for the spirit

verses 7 and 8

says

just as you learned

it from Epaphras

our beloved fellow servant

he is a faithful

minister of Christ

on your behalf

and has made

known to us

your love

in the spirit

Paul is rejoicing

to God

because he sees

the evidence

of the spirit's work

in the lives

of these individuals

by the way

it's a work

that only the spirit

can produce

the fruit of the spirit

is love

joy

peace

it's a work

of God

in our life

and as the apostle

beloved apostle

John will say

in his letter

in 1st John

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

7 and 12

he'll talk about

the significance

of love

in confirming

and establishing

us

as a people

of God

beloved

let us love

one another

for love

is from God

and whoever

loves

has been born

of God

and knows God

anyone who does

not love

does not know God

because God is love

and in this

the love of God

was made manifest

among us

that God sent

his only son

into the world

so that we might

live through him

and this is love

not that we

have loved God

but that he

loved us

and sent his son

to be the propitiation

for our sins

beloved

if God

so loved us

we ought also

to love

one another

no one

has ever

seen God

if we love

one another

God abides

in us

and his love

is perfected

in us

this love

in the spirit

this spirit

empowered

love

of this church

is showing up

and the apostle

Paul is celebrating

that work

in their life

because he knows

that God

is the one

who's done it

I want to pray

for us

I want to close

in just a song

and a challenge

and then I'll dismiss you