Colossians 1:28-2:3

All right, please take your copy of God's Word out and turn to Paul's letter to the Colossians.

!

I hope not this morning.

I will tell you that I struggled this week with finding the bearing of the text.

Some months ago, I took the time to sit down and break apart the book of Colossians,

leading up to a little bit of a break that I'm going to be taking here in a couple of weeks,

and trying to keep us on pace so we can get to that point.

For those who have volunteered to preach on my behalf and have given them text to deal with,

I want to keep us moving along well.

I certainly could make this into mini-sermons, not just one this morning.

Our text is chapter 1, verse 28, through chapter 2, verse 3.

Isaiah 1:28

And I really, I worked, I mean, I had tons of notes.

I've worked it and worked it and worked it,

and I finally saw that it's really a continuation of our look at Paul's ministry.

And some of this began to coalesce for me this morning at about 4 a.m.

So this is, it's 11 o'clock now.

This is like a 1 o'clock in the afternoon sermon for me.

Hopefully, I'll keep the energy high for you.

Two weeks ago, we looked in Colossians 1, 21 through 23,

where Paul states that he has become a minister of the gospel of reconciliation.

He's now going on to elaborate more on what that ministry looks like.

Last week, we began to look at the ministry itself, and we had two points.

Firstly, the aim of Paul's ministry.

And secondly, the means of Paul's ministry.

So join me in looking at your text, Colossians 1, and let me read to you 24 through 27,

before we get to our text today.

Paul writes,

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,

and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of His body,

that is, the church,

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you,

to make the Word of God fully known,

the mystery hidden for ages and generations, but now revealed to His saints.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery,

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

And so today will be sort of a part two of this as we continue to look at Paul's ministry

and give application from his ministry for our daily living.

Our text for today, Colossians 1, 28 through 23.

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,

that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea,

and for all who have not seen me face to face,

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,

to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding,

and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

This is God's Word to us.

It was written for our good and His glory.

We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises

and obey its commands.

So I'll give you a bit of the outline for today's sermon.

As I said last week, we looked at the aim of Paul's ministry.

Secondly, at the means of Paul's ministry, verses 24 through 27.

Today I'm going to add points to that.

So the third point, or first if you prefer,

would be the work of Paul's ministry.

Fourthly, or secondly, the strength of Paul's ministry.

And fifthly, the aim of Paul's ministry further developed.

An expansion of this idea that we looked back at last week.

Now I'm going to switch into points 3, 4, and 5 so as not to confuse you back and forth.

But that's what I'm doing.

You didn't miss point 1 and 2 unless you were not here last week.

So point number 3.

The work of Paul's ministry.

And we see this in verse 28.

Him we proclaim.

Who is the Him?

It is Jesus Christ.

It was mentioned just before this in verse 27.

Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Him we proclaim.

Paul's driving desire was to proclaim Him,

the hope of glory,

who had done so much on His behalf.

Who had rescued Him from His apostate Judaism.

Who had delivered Him from His sin.

It's Paul's desire to proclaim Him.

Proclaim means to publicly declare.

Here in the Greek, it is a general term,

and it is not restricted to formal preaching.

Not restricted.

All preaching is proclamation.

Not all proclamation is preaching.

And this will be important in just a moment.

Remember that all preaching is proclamation.

Not all proclamation is preaching.

And Paul says,

Him we proclaim.

And presumably, he's referring to himself and Timothy.

If you recall that the salvation of the Colossians,

excuse me,

this letter to the Colossians,

the salutation,

darn you autocorrect,

is addressed from them both.

Verse 1, he says,

I, Paul, and Timothy, our brother.

And this is likely the we he's referring to here.

And there is two aspects of their proclamation.

There's one negative and one positive.

Or stated in the negative,

the warning that he says here.

We proclaim warning everyone.

Some of your translations may say admonishing.

Warning or admonishing.

This is encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment.

This is a warning to flee from the wrath to come,

stated in the negative.

In the positive,

there is teaching happening as well.

Not this, but this.

Imparting truth in their ministry.

So they're warning everyone

and they're teaching everyone

with all wisdom.

Wisdom can be rightly understood

as a practical discernment.

Taking those things that we see as true

and giving them good and practical application

in our lives.

I like this little equation

that my father has taught me across the years.

That knowledge plus understanding

equals wisdom.

It's one thing to know something.

It's another thing to know

what to do with that thing

that is known.

So you can know

that a tomato is a fruit,

but it's really important to know

that a tomato should not go

in a fruit salad.

Knowing the proper application,

like a BLT,

would be knowledge plus understanding.

And then you're wise about the tomato.

Sometimes my off-the-cuff analogies

just don't play out.

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17,

All scripture is breathed out by God

and profitable for teaching,

for reproof,

for correction,

and for training in righteousness,

that the man of God may be complete,

equipped for every good work.

So how is it that we give

this type of teaching?

This proclamation that they're giving

is being done

by the Scriptures.

The tool that's granted to us,

for us to proclaim,

warning everyone,

teaching everyone,

with all wisdom.

Paul says,

we proclaim,

speaking of himself and of Timothy,

and this certainly,

what he's referring to here,

is the job of church leaders.

There's a work to be done in this way,

this proclamation,

warning,

and teaching.

We can see both aspects,

the negative and the positive,

in the Scriptures.

To warn in Acts 20, 31,

Paul describes his ministry at Ephesus.

He writes,

Therefore,

be alert,

remembering that for three years

I did not cease,

night or day,

to admonish or warn

everyone with tears.

The church leaders

are also supposed to teach.

Paul writes to Timothy

in 1 Timothy 3, 2,

concerning the qualities

of an elder in a church,

that an overseer

must be able to teach.

So it is certainly

the job of church leaders,

but we must be very careful

at this point

that we don't exclude ourselves

from this ministry.

Because while it's the job

of church leaders,

it is also the job

of every disciple

of Jesus Christ.

Remember,

as I said to you before,

proclamation is not restricted

to formal teaching.

This point's driven by Paul

later in the letter,

Colossians 3, 16,

the first part of it,

where he says,

let the word of Christ

dwell in you richly.

Listen to the words.

Teaching and admonishing

or warning one another

in all wisdom.

So if you think that potentially

the text for today

is merely talking about

the responsibility of Paul

and his ministry to the churches,

which I could give you that here,

he certainly broadens

the scope of the exhortation

later on in chapter 3,

verse 16.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you,

you believers,

you Colossian disciples,

teaching and admonishing

one another in all wisdom.

In other places,

Acts 8, 3-4,

we get a great example

of proclamation going forth

from the early church.

This is just after

the stoning of Stephen,

if you are familiar with that.

In verse 3 of chapter 8,

it says,

But Saul,

pre-conversion Paul,

Saul was ravaging the church

and entering house after house,

he dragged off men and women

and committed them to prison.

So this great persecution arose

on the early church

and it caused people

to be scattered.

Listen to what verse 4 says.

Now those who were scattered

went about preaching the word.

A very similar,

not the exact same word here

used for proclamation,

but it carries with it

the idea of gossiping

the word of God.

They were going about

telling people about Jesus

as they were scattered.

Saul, even here,

is used by God

to advance the church

across the known world

of time.

Again, we see both sides

of this stated in the negative

and stated in the positive

for all believers.

We are to warn

or admonish one another.

Paul read to the Thessalonian believers

in 2 Thessalonians 3, 14 and 15.

If anyone does not obey

what we say in this letter,

take note of that person

and have nothing to do with them

that he may be ashamed.

Do not regard him as an enemy,

but warn him as a brother.

We are meant to work together

and minister the word of God

to one another.

We are meant to bring correction

to one another.

Beloved, it is our job

as a church to hold each other

accountable to the standard

of Scripture.

We need to call a spade a spade.

We need to say,

you cannot live in this way

and let me show you

by God's holy writ

why you cannot.

You must be brought

into line with this.

This is the great practice

of church discipline

which happens not just

at a church leadership level,

but it's happening all the time

if we're a healthy

and vibrant church.

We are to warn

those who are around us

who think they're believers

and may not be.

Or those who certainly

are believers,

but they think that they

can persist in sin

and that there will be

no consequence for said sin.

It's the loving and right thing

for us to do with one another.

We are to warn

or admonish one another.

We're also meant to teach.

Jesus gives to us

in Matthew 28, 19-20

what is most commonly called

the Great Commission

where He says,

Go therefore and make disciples

of all nations,

baptizing them in the name

of the Father and the Son

and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe

all that I have commanded you.

This is the mission,

the commission given to the church.

Not just church leaders,

but all of those

who are part of the family of God.

We are to be teaching one another.

I know that many of you

may feel inadequate for such a task,

but all of you have something

to impart to somebody else.

If you are in fact a Christian,

you have the Spirit of God within you.

You are an expression of God's grace.

I need you.

I just can't tell you

how much I need you.

I am in no way

on some kind of a platform

elevated above you figuratively.

I need you.

I need your perspective.

I need to learn

how God is working in your life.

I need to see fresh pictures

of the way that Jesus Christ

is bringing about redemption

in your life.

It is encouraging to me

wherever you are

in your walk with Christ

to see that you're walking.

We need one another.

And this activity,

all of this activity

of admonishing, warning,

and teaching,

and all wisdom

is in order that

they and we

may present everyone

mature in Christ.

This is the goal

of the Christian ministry.

That the saints

would be mature

in their faith.

That they would

properly yield fruit

as a result

of their maturity.

A passage that I hope

is very familiar to you.

Ephesians 4,

Ephesians 4:11–13

verses 11-13.

Listen carefully.

And He, being Christ,

gave the apostles,

the prophets,

the evangelists,

the shepherds and teachers

to equip the saints

for the work of ministry

for building up

the body of Christ.

Until we all attain

to the unity of the faith

and of the knowledge

of the Son of God

to mature manhood,

to the measure

of the stature

of the fullness

of Christ.

And so you'll see

that Jesus Christ

gave gifts to the church

that those leaders

may work

to build up the body

for the work

of ministry,

which is the building

up of the body.

You see the language here.

To equip the saints

for the work of ministry.

What is that work?

For the building up

of the body of Christ.

All of us play a part

into this

until we all attain

the unity of the faith

and the knowledge

of the Son of God

to mature manhood.

This is the desire

of Epaphras.

Epaphras is likely

the man who established

the church in Colossae.

It was not Paul.

It was Epaphras

who probably received

the Gospel in Ephesus

and carried it back

to Colossae.

Look at his desire

in Colossians 4.12.

Paul writes,

Epaphras,

who is one of you,

a servant of Christ Jesus,

greets you,

always struggling

on your behalf

in his prayers

that you may stand mature

and fully assured

in all the will of God.

His great desire

for the church

as he's not with them,

as he's currently

with Paul,

likely in his Roman imprisonment,

is that the church

that he loves,

the place that he's from,

would be mature

and fully assured

in the will of God.

It's probable

that a praxis

actually traveled

to be with Paul

because of the heresies

that are encircling

and are within this church

in this time.

This letter seems to be written

to address these particular things.

We don't know the exact nature

of the heresies,

but likely Epaphras said,

I don't know how to address

these things,

but Paul will know.

Maybe I could get him

to write a letter

and set some of these things straight.

So his great desire

is that they be mature

in Christ.

So the work of Paul's ministry

was to warn and teach everyone

concerning coming judgment

and the way of salvation

in order that those

he ministered to

would become mature

in Christ.

And this is also

the work of our ministry.

You have a part

to play

in the sanctification

of the saints.

We need you.

If you're not a part

of this church,

someone needs you.

A fellowship of Christ

needs you.

There's limited capacity

of individuals.

I don't know how many of you

know me very well,

but something that you

should know about me

is that I'm extremely introverted.

I really don't like

being in the spotlight,

literally and figuratively.

It's not really the place

I enjoy playing.

If I've ever insulted you

unintentionally

because I walked by you

on a Sunday morning,

it's because I've recessed

into my head

and I've got something

on my mind

and I just zip right past you.

I don't mean to do this thing.

I don't mean to insult you,

but it's the way

that God has made me.

I have to work hard.

I have to rely deeply

on his grace

to be open

and be with you

and to impart myself to you.

It's a difficult thing for me.

Very small capacity,

I think,

for relationship.

Some of you have more capacity.

For relationship.

Some of you

are incredibly extroverted.

You absolutely exhaust me

with your extroversion.

It's astounding to me.

Absolutely astounding to me.

But what a beautiful picture

of the way in which

God brings us together

and gives us varying gifting.

But whether you're extremely introverted

or extremely extroverted,

we all have some capacity

for deep relationship

because we have

only so much time

in our days.

In deep relationship,

meaningful relationship

takes time.

It's a necessity of it.

We have to work at it.

In an article published

in Psychology Today,

this is a secular article,

British anthropologist

Robin Dunbar

wrote a book called

How Many Friends

Does One Person Need?

And in it,

he argues that

you can only keep friendships

with about 150 people

at any given time

because,

quote,

Don't ask me to explain

what that means.

And,

this in turn

limits group size

where stable

interpersonal relationships

can be maintained,

end quote.

Dunbar says

his number of 150,

quote,

refers to those people

with whom you have

a personalized relationship,

one that is reciprocal

and based around

general obligations

of trust

and reciprocity,

end quote.

There's just only so much

we can handle.

Social media is making

this more difficult for us

because now we have

so many friends.

We're not really,

by this definition,

friends with any of them.

We're very wide

and not very deep

with our relationships

these days.

It makes it very difficult

to be devoted to people

when you feel like

so many people

expect so much of you.

It seems that you just

can't make anybody

happy.

And what I'm positing to you

is that our problem

is that we're extending

ourselves way too far

because some people

don't extend themselves

at all.

There are too few people

in many churches,

including ours,

that do a lot of work.

And it's difficult to do well

because of the limit of time.

But if we would all be involved

and engaged in these processes,

we could easily

manage the load.

This article goes on to say,

our theoretical circle of 150

is not a homogenous social group.

That is to say that it's not 150

and they all interact

just with each other.

Right?

There's a lot of overlapping

in our spheres of influence.

Dunbar explains,

but rather consists of four layers

or, quote,

circles of acquaintanceship,

end quote,

which scale relative to each other

by a factor of three.

I don't know what that means.

An inner core of five intimates

and then successive layers

of 15, 50,

and 150.

Oh, now I know what it means.

With each successive circle,

the number of people included

increases,

but the emotional intimacy

decreases.

You get what he's saying.

You can only be so close

to so few

and you can know these people

on some degree

and you can know the names

of people out here

or recognize their faces.

Right?

But there's a reality to this.

The way that we're designed,

the way that we're geared,

is that we can only do

so much

with so many.

We have to get this.

I can't minister personally

to each and every one of you.

It's an impossibility.

My wife

can't minister individually

to each and every one

of the women

in this church.

It's an absolute impossibility.

And if we try,

we will most certainly

die.

I didn't mean to rhyme that,

but that's the word

that popped into my head.

It's just too,

it's too much.

We get spread too thin.

And there's a great deal

of challenge,

and Sam and I talk about

this much,

that we really feel like

we don't do anybody

any real service

because we're spread too thin.

We can't really devote

ourselves to anybody.

And what that means

for this church

and any church

that you may be a part of,

whether you're a guest here today

or just across your life,

that you need to invest yourself

in people.

So this is the work

of Paul's ministry.

And it's our work

as well.

Let's look fourthly

at the strength

of Paul's ministry.

Verse 29.

For this I toil,

struggling with all

his energy

that he powerfully works

within me.

For this,

the things that were

aforementioned

in the text,

right?

Him we proclaim,

warning everyone

and teaching everyone

with all wisdom

that we may present

everyone mature in Christ.

To this end,

I toil.

The word toil

means to work

to the point

of exhaustion.

Struggling.

This word here,

we get our English word

for agonized,

derived from the Greek word

for struggling here.

To work

and to struggle

to this end.

What I would say to you

is that no one

can faithfully serve

Jesus Christ

without working hard.

And there's a great deal

of apathy in the church.

A great deal of laziness

in the church.

Christians should be

the busiest people

on the planet

because we work

in weighty matters.

Now,

don't hear me saying to you

that it's not okay

to rest at times.

It is.

It's good and important.

To work hard,

you have to rest

or else you'll run yourself

into the ground.

But we should be

the busiest people

because the things

that we're to be about

have great eternal weight.

They matter

in eternity.

We're not simply

building businesses

and making money.

We're not simply

storing things away.

Stuff that's all

turning to dust.

We're dealing with

eternal things.

We must work hard.

There's a mandate

placed upon us

as Christian people

to do so.

But we must do so

by the strength

that God works in us.

The power of Paul's ministry

was not in his education,

a brilliant man,

or his cultural heritage,

in his preaching prowess,

or in his charisma.

ministries built

on these types of things

are absolutely doomed

to fail

or meet some measure

of success

that's not a measure

that God would use.

Paul relied on

God's energy

that he powerfully

worked within.

And he kind of stacks

these descriptors up.

God's energy

that he powerfully

works within me.

And this doesn't mean

in proportion with.

I work and I labor

in proportion with

the energy

that God gives me.

Paul's not talking

about measures of grace

given in gifting

to the church.

He rather means

I work with

or by means of

in reliance upon

God's power.

The things that I'm doing

don't happen

apart from

God's work

in me.

1 Corinthians 15.10

Paul writes,

But by the grace of God

I am what I am

and his grace towards me

was not in vain.

On the contrary

I worked harder

than any of them

though it was not I

but the grace of God

that is with me.

Philippians 2.12-13

I love these types of texts

that so

he so carefully

weaves together

our responsibility

and God's sovereign strength

in our lives.

Philippians 2.12-13

Therefore my beloved

as you have always obeyed

so now

not only in my presence

but much more

in my absence

work out your own salvation

with fear

and trembling

for it is God

who works in you

both to will

and to work

for his good pleasure.

Sam Storms

in the Hope of Glory

said it like this

Apart from the

conscience

consistent

concentrated reliance

on the power of God

burnout

is a sure

thing.

You try to

operate

under your own strength

for all of this

ministry

that we are

we are meant

to be doing

this call

that's laid upon

our lives

as a body

of Christ

burnout

is a

sure

thing.

So

how do we

consciously

consistently

and

concentratedly

rely

on the power

of God?

How do we do

this thing

that Sam Storms

is suggesting

that we do?

Paul gives us

a clue

to that

chapter 3

verse 16

this letter

to the

Colossians

I mentioned

it previously

let the word

of Christ

dwell

in you

richly

let the word

of Christ

dwell

in you

richly

fam

we need

to be

studying

this book

and knowing

it

I fear

that too

often

this book

is just

a book

amongst

a knot

of other

books

I've got

a whole

study

downstairs

just full

of books

too many

books

to even

handle

my father

gifted me

his library

I've got

books in

boxes

I don't

even know

what they

are

there's

so many

of them

and the

great danger

is that we

put the

Bible up

on that

shelf

with all

of the

others

and we

hold it

in the

same

regard

this is

God's

word

to us

and beyond

that

the spirit

of God

uses the

word of

God

to affect

us

this is

the tool

that he

uses

as Wes

mentioned

previously

the sword

sharper

than a

two-edged

sword

this is the

way in

which the

spirit

affects us

not through

our

feelings

right

but through

the word

of God

knowing

his word

J.I.

Packer said

well the

holy spirit's

ordinary way

of working

in us

is through

the working

of our

own minds

and wills

he moves

us to act

by causing

us to see

reasons for

moving

ourselves

to act

read that

last sentence

to you

again

he moves

us to

act

by causing

us to

see reasons

for moving

ourselves

to act

that we

know the

scriptures

that we

have an

eternal

perspective

that we

see things

from where

God

stands

that we

recognize

who he

is and

how he's

working

in the

world

we have

this

biblical

world view

not one

that's caught

up in the

momentary

pleasures

but in the

long lasting

in the

eternal

things

it makes

it easy

for us

to make

decisions

about

our money

as an

example

I want to

store it for

myself

Trevor

in heaven

if I

know this

to be

true

the

spirit

works

it in

me

he

changes

my

desires

to

desire

the

things

that

God

desires

he wants

me to

gain more

of him

to know

him

more

that one

day I'll

know him

forever

we gotta

know

the

scripture

we have

to make

ourselves

available

for the

application

of the

scripture

in our

lives

and I'll

talk a

bit more

about our

minds

and hearts

in the

next point

to further

drive the

point of

Paul's

labor

chapter 2

verse 1

he writes

for I want

you to know

how great a

struggle I

have for you

that word

struggle again

and for

those at

Laodicea

and for

all who

have not

seen me

face to

face

again

Paul had

never

visited

the

Colossian

church

he also

had not

the

Laodicean

church

and there

were others

right

the gospel

was having

its effect

apart from

Paul

God was

moving and

working in

the known

world

apart from

Paul's

ministry

but he

finds himself

having a

struggle for

them as

well

right

having a

great and

deep concern

for the

church

I want to

show you a

wonderful

scriptural

example of

this

if you

will turn

with me

to 2nd

Corinthians

chapter 11

I'll

begin reading

in verse

23

are they

servants of

Christ

I am a

better one

he says I

am talking

like a

madman

he is

making

tongue

in

cheek

comparison

I'm

talking

like a

madman

with far

greater

labels

far more

imprisonments

with countless

beatings and

often near

death

Paul lays

out for us

the suffering

of his

ministry

verse 24

five times

I received

at the hands

of the Jews

the forty

lashes

less one

three times

I was

beaten

with rods

once

I was

stoned

three times

I was

shipwrecked

a night

and a day

I was

adrift

at sea

on frequent

journeys

in danger

from rivers

danger

from robbers

danger

from my

own

people

danger

from

gentiles

danger

in the

city

danger

in the

wilderness

danger

at sea

danger

from

false

brothers

in toil

and hardship

through many

a sleepless

night

in hunger

and thirst

often without

food

in cold

and exposure

and then here's

what I'm leading

us to

verse 28

and apart

from other

things

there's the

daily pressure

on me

of my

anxiety

for all

the churches

you see the way

in which he

toiled

and struggled

Paul was

spending himself

for the sake

of others

we see at the

beginning of

Romans chapter 9

Romans 9 · chapter mention

that Paul wishes

that he himself

would be accursed

cut off from the

blessing of Christ

that his

brothers

the Jewish

people

would know

the glory of God

in the face of

Jesus Christ

this deep

yearning

longing

desire

for the good

of others

in the church

and those

who are yet

to be counted

in the church

do we

yearn

in this

way

Paul worked

hard by the

strength of

God

and we

also

should work

hard

to warn

and teach

everyone

concerning

coming judgment

and the way

of salvation

in order

that those

who we

minister to

will become

mature in

Christ

and we

should most

certainly do

so by

meditating

on the

strength

that God

graciously

supplies

fifthly

the aim

of Paul's

ministry

further developed

last week's

point one

verse 25

chapter one

Paul says

to make

the word

of God

fully

known

and I

posited to you

that the purpose

of God

in history

and Paul's

aim in ministry

rightly so

is that the

gospel of

reconciliation

spread to

all the

peoples of

the world

in order to

yield

God centered

Christ

exalting

churches

to make

the word

of God

fully

known

verse 2

and 3

are an

expansion

of this

that their

hearts

may be

encouraged

being knit

together in

love to

reach all

the riches

of full

assurance

of understanding

and the

knowledge

of God's

mystery

which is

Christ

in whom

are hidden

all the

treasures

of wisdom

and knowledge

there's a

phenomenal amount

to be said

about those

two verses

and I'm

going to

pick up

some of

that in

next week's

sermon

to lead us

into our

next text

but briefly

concerning

these two

verses

this morning

Paul has

this desire

this aim

of his

ministry

that their

hearts

may be

encouraged

the heart

is the

inner person

the very

center

of our

lives

and how

does this

relate to

what has

been

previously

stated

verse 28

him we

proclaim

warning

everyone

and teaching

everyone

with all

wisdom

that we

represent

everyone

mature

in Christ

it's

connected

to

this

proclamation

the warning

and the

teaching

which are

things that

come into

our

minds

and affect

who we

are

the mind

and the

heart

are never

divorced

from each

other

you need to

get this

straight

the mind

and the

heart

are never

divorced

from each

other

the proper

view of

man

is a

dichotomous

view

we have

the external

and the

internal

beloved

please don't

understand it

any other

way

right

too often

Christians try

to separate

the mind

and the

heart

there are

whole

denominations

that

very

largely

worship

feeling

experience

both

should be

true

both

should

be

at

play

but

the

two

should

never

be

divorced

from one

another

let me

give you

a couple

of

examples

from the

scriptures

proverbs

4

23

says

keep

your

heart

with

all

vigilance

for

from

it

flows

the

springs

of

life

some

translations

say

guard

your

heart

with

all

vigilance

how

do

you

do

this

type

of

thing

with

your

mind

psalm 26

2

prove

me

oh

lord

and

try

me

test

my

heart

and

my

mind

god

used

paul

for

the

strengthening

of

the

church

the

encouragement

of

their

hearts

the

strengthening

of

their

hearts

acts

18

23

luke

records

after

spending

some

time

there

referring

to

antioch

paul

departed

and

went

from

one

place

to

the

next

through

the

region

of

!

Galatia

and

Phrygia

strengthening

all

the

disciples

and

God

uses

us

for

the

very

same

purpose

with

all

the

things

that

we've

said

before

this

proclamation

this

warning

and

this

teaching

in order

that

we

may

present

one

another

mature

in

Christ

our

hearts

are

encouraged

our

hearts

and

minds

!

strengthened!

He

goes

on to

say

that

they

would

be

knit

together

in

love

or

united

together

in

love

and this

aorist

verb

helps

explain

the

main

verb

of the

sentence

which is

that they

may be

encouraged

the

strengthened

heart

and mind

is one

filled

with love

the

properly

encouraged

heart

is one

filled

with

love

in

fact

love

is the

necessary

balance

of a

strong

mind

many

of us

know

those

people

who

get

their

knowledge

before

their

maturity

love

seems

to come

with

the

maturing

process

and

they

go

picking

fights

about

unnecessary

things

many

of us

are like

babies

learning

to walk

because our

heads

are just

so big

and heavy

Wes

mentioned

Graham

earlier

it's a good

example

not walking

quite so well

sometimes

because his

head

causes him

to fall

over

John

MacArthur

said

Christianity

is not

mindless

enthusiasm

but neither

is it

lifeless

intellectual

orthodoxy

there's a

healthy balance

to be found

in this

and Paul's

desire for

them

is that

they would

have

hearts

encouraged

minds

strengthened

and they

would be

knit

together

in love

in the

high priestly

prayer

Jesus

prayed

for

Christian

unity

these

hearts

knit

together

John

John 17:20–23

17

verses

20

through

23

let me

invite you

to turn

there

with me

this is

enough

text

for you

to see

it

for

yourself

I would

always

invite you

to turn

with me

anywhere

I go

but for

the sake

of time

I try

to roll

through

some

things

John

17

beginning

of

verse

20

I do

not ask

for

these