Colossians 1: The value of vision

APC: 4/2/24

A little over twelve months the elders introduced A CHURCH VISION. That is, a target to aim for. (A preferred future. A biblical description of who God wants us to be. And of what we hope God will do.) Here’s what we decided. Our vision is to be A CHURCH THROUGH WHICH GOD IS TRANSFORMING HIS PEOPLE AND HIS WORLD.

The Bible’s message is that God’s at work TRANSFORMING people. Changing them from ONE thing into ANOTHER. From spiritually DEAD to ALIVE. From selfish, unloving and proud rebels into loving, humble and gentle followers of Jesus, who love God with all their heart. And our vision reflects that we want our church to be A PLACE WHERE THAT’S HAPPENING.

Why have a vision? Because a vision has the power to energise and guide what you do. A vision SHAPES the things you do. As well as helping you decide what you DON’T do. A vision will help you decide what to AIM for. It will help you set objectives, or outcomes. If you want to achieve anything, then you need to AIM AT SOMETHING. It’s been said that if you AIM AT NOTHING, you’ll HIT IT EVERY TIME.

When I first starting thinking about these things, I had RESERVATIONS. It was quite different to the way I’d thought about ministry. I’d been trained that the work of Christian ministry was to teach the Bible, and pray, and tell people about Jesus. To love people and look after them. And that GOD would build his church the way he wanted to. And that all I had to do was BE FAITHFUL. And that’s ALL TRUE.

If someone had asked me WHY I was doing those things – what my GOAL was - I guess I would have said that it was to BUILD A HEALTHY CHURCH. Or to GROW CHRISTIANS TO MATURITY. But I’m not sure I’d ever thought specifically about what that WAS. What WAS a mature Christian? What WAS a healthy church?

But as we began to DO that a couple of years ago. (And look at how the Bible described a healthy church, and a mature Christian.) We realised that one way of summarising it/ was that there are FIVE AREAS that describe a mature Christian, or a healthy church. God wants to transform us into followers of Jesus

1. Who LOVE GOD

2. Who LOVE ONE ANOTHER

3. Who are being SHAPED BY HIS WORD

4. Who are SERVING the church

5. Who are on MISSION for Jesus

And so we decided to focus our efforts on these five areas. (Five OUTCOMES we were going to aim for. Five TARGETS we’d try to hit.)

And so the next question became / HOW do you encourage people to grow in each of those five areas? What should you DO? Which is where MINISTRY TEAMS came in. Each ministry team is a group of people responsible for part of one of those five outcome areas. Such as welcoming, or hospitality, or evangelism, or follow-up, or home groups, or music, or youth, or Sunday School.

And those are the teams we’ve been trying organise and build over the last year.

And, hopefully, what it means is that people now know WHY they serve/ as well as WHAT they do. They can see how THEIR ministry fits into the whole strategy of growing followers of Jesus. (Followers who love God, love one another, are shaped by God’s Word, who serve his church, and who are on mission for Jesus.) Being part of a team also gives other opportunities to train, encourage and support one another. And, hopefully, it means we’re actually MORE EFFECTIVE at growing mature Christians.

But perhaps you’re thinking, “Hang on a minute, Dave!” The vision says that GOD is transforming his people and his world. Isn’t this focussing on what WE do, rather than on God? Isn’t this all too HUMAN-centred? Isn’t it forgetting that God’s sovereign? That HE’S the one in charge, and not US?” And some people DID say that. They said it was TOO HUMAN-FOCUSSED. And wasn’t trusting God. They said that GOD would build his church, and to make plans like this is to work INDEPENDENTLY from God, and not TRUST him.

So what I want to do today is show you from the Bible THE VALUE OF VISION. From Colossians 1 how the Apostle Paul shaped what and why he did things on the basis of God’s GOAL for his church. His future plan. We’ll see that Paul’s VISION didn’t STOP God working, or IGNORE God’s part. In fact, it ENERGISED him, and GUIDED him so he could faithfully work WITH God.

1. Give thanks because God’s at work

Let’s jump in. After a quick introduction, he begins his letter, v3, by GIVING THANKS TO GOD. Why? Because GOD’s AT WORK. Sure, v4, the Colossian church have faith in Jesus and love all the saints. And v5 that comes from the hope they have that’s stored in heaven. But those things have come because of the GOSPEL, v6. The word of truth about Jesus.

“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing.”

And specifically, it’s growing fruit among the COLOSSIAN CHURCH. God WORKS THROUGH the message about Jesus. HE grows fruit. He produces faith and love and hope in people. So we should GIVE HIM THANKS.

In all the plans we make, we have to do it IN DEPENDENCE ON GOD. Recognising this is HIS work. Psalm 127 v1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders LABOUR IN VAIN.” We’re WASTING OUR TIME! Depend on GOD, and give HIM THANKS!

2. At work through faithful servants

But notice v7. How did the Colossians HEAR that message?

7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

God worked. But he used PEOPLE. FAITHFUL people. SERVANT-HEARTED people. COURAGEOUS people. People who were ORGANISED, and who made PLANS. And who CARRIED THEM OUT. Because they TRUSTED that God would work THROUGH their words.

Every person who becomes a Christian. (Who moves from death to life. Who’s born again). IS A MIRACLE FROM GOD. And it’s ALL GOD’S WORK. But, almost ALWAYS, there’s also someone God used to LEAD that person to salvation.

3. Pray to know God’s will

And so, v9, Paul PRAYS EVEN MORE. That God would BUILD on what he’d begun. And fill the people in the Colossian church with THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL, THROUGH ALL SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING.

Now just stop and THINK about that for a moment. He doesn’t pray that they’d grow, or be successful, or loving, or healthy, or joyful. Which are all great things to pray for. He prays that they’ll know God’s WILL for them. (What God wants them to BE, and to DO.) That is, that they’ll understand God’s VISION for them. The TARGET. Why? So they can AIM for it. So they can begin working to ACHIEVE it.

And then comes v10-12. Which I think is one of the most complete descriptions of God’s vision of a mature Christian. Verses 10-12 describe what God’s will IS for his people.

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father,

It begins with a SUMMARY. Live a life WORTHY of God. That MEASURES UP. That pleases him in every way. Then some specifics. Bearing fruit in every good work. Growing in knowledge. Having great endurance and patience. Joyfully giving thanks. It’s a complete well-rounded combination of character, and service, and learning, and attitude and resilience. Paul doesn’t just pray for THOSE things. He prays that Christians would KNOW GOD’S WILL, which IS those things.

I wonder if his reason is that, ultimately, the Christian life is A RELATIONSHIP. It isn’t a self-improvement path, or a series of levels to achieve. It’s a life lived for God. It’s PERSONAL. So Paul prays that we’d know what God’s WILL is for us. We exist for HIS pleasure, in response to HIM. Lives that measure up to HIS standards, for HIS benefit. To live WORTHY of him. Does that describe the focus of YOUR life?

What has God done to deserve such total loyalty and honour? (V12 continued)

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Rescued from darkness and death, and brought into forgiveness and freedom and light and life. The kingdom of his Son, Jesus. What an incredible BEFORE and AFTER comparison. No wonder we can joyfully give thanks!

Verses 15-20 have so many wonderful truths in them about how glorious Jesus is. A sermon in themselves. But today, we’ll jump over them. Except to pause for a moment at v18. Which describes what God’s done for Jesus. But notice WHY. God’s VISION for who Jesus will be, and how people will respond to him. V18

18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Can you see it? God DOES certain things/ to achieve his vision of the future. He crowns Jesus as king of the church, and king over death, SO THAT HE MIGHT BE KING OVER EVERYTHING. That EVER knee would bow before him. That’s his vision for Jesus.

Notice the part THE CHURCH plays in this. When we live with Jesus as KING, then we play our part in him being number one in EVERYTHING. To EVERYONE. We MODEL it, and PUBLICISE it. We PREVIEW what it means to others, as they consider making Jesus their king. Our actions and plans and strategies work towards achieving the vision.

Then verses 21 to 23 describe what Jesus has done for Christians. We used to be God’s ENEMIES because of our sin. But, v22, Jesus reconciled us with God FOR A PURPOSE. SO WE MIGHT BE PRESENTED HOLY IN HIS SIGHT AND FREE FROM ACCUSATION. That’s God’s vision for his people on judgment day. (Why God reconciles us NOW). But notice the condition in v23.

23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Paul describes God’s future plans for his people as a MOTIVATION AND GUIDE FOR US TO AIM AT. We need to persevere, and not waver. The value of vision is that it’s a TOOL God uses it to ENABLE his elect to continue in their faith. So let it motivate YOU to continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from your hope. (The hope of being presented holy in God’s sight, and free from every accusation.)

(We’ve seen God’s vision for his people NOW – v10 – to live a life worthy of the Lord and to please him in every way. And we’ve seen God’s vision for JESUS – v18 – that in everything he might have the supremacy. And we’ve seen God’s vision for his people THEN – v22- to be presented holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.)

4. I rejoice in what was suffered for you

And then in v24 Paul finally turns to himself. And how all this affects HIM. And, at first glance, it sounds like nonsense.

24 Now I REJOICE in what was SUFFERED for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

Paul’s ministry all over Asia and Europe has meant he’s been beaten and stoned, and whipped and abandoned and shipwrecked and hungry and lonely. But he can still REJOICE! How? Because he’s suffering FOR A PURPOSE. It’s FOR THE CHURCH. Just like JESUS suffered to bring the church into existence.

Paul suffers to take the MESSAGE of Jesus to the world. In v27 he describes that message as a “GLORIOUS MYSTERY, which is CHRIST IN YOU, the HOPE OF GLORY.”

What a wonderful vision to inspire and strengthen him! (Christ in you!) That Jesus would come and live with human beings all over the Gentile world. Thousands of little temples containing the presence of God himself. A foretaste of eternity. When we’ll be WITH GOD COMPLETELY AND ETERNALLY. The GLORY of THAT vision makes Paul’s suffering seem SMALL, and unimportant, by comparison.

And so, v28-29, we come to Paul’s ministry plan. His strategy, mission and objectives that are guided by his vision. (What he’ll DO, shaped by what he WANTS TO SEE HAPPEN). Can you see them?

28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

WHAT does he do? He proclaims Jesus. And WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Specifically? He admonishes. Which is about correcting what’s wrong. And he teaches. Which is about instructing in what’s RIGHT.

5. To present everyone perfect in Christ

But he’s not just furiously and randomly DOING things. Why’s he doing it all? What’s his MISSION? His central activity? To present everyone perfect (or mature, or complete) in Christ. His life’s work is preparing people for that final presentation before Jesus. Rebuking their sin, guiding them, teaching them God’s commands, challenging, correcting, loving, praying for them.

And, so what’s his VISION? What does he want to see? EVERYONE. PERFECT. IN CHRIST. Every single person God’s chosen standing before him at the end of time. Male and female, young and old, rich and poor, successful and failures. Perfected, mature, Christ-like. Humble, shaped, hopeful. Content. Victors who’ve finished the race. What a glorious picture to motivate and inspire and guide and energise!

And that’s what it does for PAUL. Look at v29.

29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

“For this goal, I WORK.” He strenuously strives for it. Which sounds exhausting. But notice where his energy comes from? From GOD. It’s not JUST Paul, and NOT God. And it’s not about Paul just letting GO, and letting GOD. Paul works, but in God’s strength. It’s a PARTNERSHIP. A literal translation says “I work hard struggling, according to HIS energy having energised in me in power.”

That’s what God’s calling US to, this year. To STRUGGLE so that people will presented to God PERFECT in Christ.

But how do you DO that? How do you work hard on the ONE hand. While at the same time allowing God’s power to work in you? First, from v9, we need to recognise that all we do is to please God. We need a knowledge of his will. The Christian life is a RELATIONSHIP. We can never separate “WHAT WE DO” from a personal walk with God, living a life WORTHY of him, to PLEASE HIM. ALONE.

Second, we need to recognise that our lives are not lived in our own strength. Any fruit we bear, v10, is DUE TO GOD. We need to remind one another to have an attitude of humility and dependence on God.

Third, that will naturally flow into PRAYFULNESS. Both GIVING THANKS TO GOD, v3. And REQUESTING things. V9.

FOUR. Focus on the vision. Everyone presented perfect in Christ. Or as we’ve expressed it. “A church through which God is TRANSFORMING his people, and his world.” Keep it BEFORE YOUR EYES. Let it guide and motivate you.

And finally, Be faithful to the means. God’s plan is to use YOU to grow his church. ALL of us.

So LABOUR, struggling with all HIS energy, which powerfully works in you.

So that, v20, God might reconcile all things to himself through Jesus. And that in everything, Jesus might have the supremacy. Amen.

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