It is Good to be Full

We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 63.

! In the Scottish Psalter verse in Psalm 63, we're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 8.

! The tune is Jackson.

Lord, thee my God I'll early seek, my soul doth thirst for thee, my flesh longs in a dry parched

land wherein no waters be. Psalm 63, page 295, we stand to sing to God's praise.

Lord, thee my God I'll early seek, my soul doth thirst for thee, my flesh longs in a dry

large land wherein no waters be.

Psalm 63, page 295, verse 1.

As I thy power may be whole, and brightness of thy face, as I have seen thee clear to

forth within thy holy face.

Psalm 63, page 295, verse 1.

Since Bethany's time of the light, my lips be patient near.

Psalm 63, page 295, verse 1.

Psalm 63, page 295, verse 1.

Psalm 63, page 295, verse 1.

Even as with marrow and with fat my soul shall fill it thee,

then shall my blood with joyfulness sing graces unto thee.

When I do thee upon my bed, remember with delight,

and when on thee I meditate in watches of the night.

Then shadow of thy wings I'll join, for thou my wealth must be.

My soul re-follows far than me, thy light hand doth sustain.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.

Our gracious Father in heaven, we come in your name this evening,

thankful for an opportunity again this day to gather in worship.

Thankful for your word to us.

Thankful to be able to sing your praises as we come.

With these words on our lips just now, that we would come with that longing, that desire,

coming into your presence, longing like the dry parched land, to meet with you as our true and living God.

That we would know, Lord, the power of your name in our midst this evening.

For we know that if we are just gathered here by ourselves, if we just come as the people that we are,

just seeking to talk with one another, to say words that maybe just come from our own lips.

We know that in ourselves there is no good, and in us there is no power.

But we thank you that as we come, we come in the knowledge and assurance that when we gather in your name,

that you are in the midst to bless.

And that is what we seek in you this evening, to know your presence with us,

to know in the quietness of our hearts your voice speaking to us,

ministering to us in every need that we have,

ministering to us, Lord, knowing that you have every concern and care that we carry,

sometimes we feel by ourselves that you already know them.

And so that we are not alone, even if we are sitting by ourselves in a pew,

even if no one has said a word to us, even as we have come in.

We thank you, Lord, that your voice is there to speak to us.

And that through it, Lord, we know that you are God and there is no other.

And so we come, Lord, yes, to meet together and fellowship with one another.

But we come especially to meet with you as the living God.

And so, Lord, be pleased to come. Be pleased to be with us, Lord.

Be pleased to hear our prayers, even at this time, and to hear us and encourage us in our hearts as we offer up our praise to you.

And as we read your word and as we share from it, Lord, that your spirit would help us to understand and to hear what God the Lord is saying.

And we do thank you, Lord, that we come with that prayerful spirit, that even as we are gathered here just now,

that it is not just one voice praying, but many, and many in their hearts.

And so, Lord, even quietly just pleading with you and praying to you for so many different things, personal things, very private things to ourselves, perhaps,

but also for our congregation, for our people here, even those who are at home, Lord, tuning in in their own quietness of prayer just now as well,

that we can offer that up together as the fellowship of your people, and that we can come, Lord, with the prayers for all around us as well,

praying for those who would say to us quite naturally that they want no prayer from us, that they want nothing to do with us.

But yet we thank you, Lord, that we can come praying for them, praying for them just as we were, in ignorance and darkness,

and yet praying, Lord, for your light to shine into their hearts, shine the beauty of Christ towards them,

that they might be overwhelmed and overcome by the sense of God and the sense of your power all around us.

For we see it in so many ways. We see it in the creation, in all the wonder of it,

whether it's the beauty of sunny days or even the clouds that come with the rain, the clouds that water the ground and give growth.

We see that just now, Lord, as we see plants and trees and grass begin to flourish.

We see new life in the fields around us. We see a freshness in it in so many different ways.

We thank you, Lord, for every season that you give and give with a purpose, whether it's winter, spring, summer or autumn.

We thank you, Lord, that each of them have a purpose in our life and in our years.

We thank you, Lord, that you have ordained all, that you have created it by your power, through your word and for your glory.

And we pray, Lord, that you would help the world in which we live to know that you are its God, its maker.

For when we see how much we've turned away and how much we've rejected you,

how much we see it in our day, Lord, as we thought of this morning,

and yet thankful that your voice goes out, thankful that you still call people to you,

to all ends of the earth, that you have the word preached in every nation, through every tongue, to every tribe.

And yet we know, Lord, that still your word reaches out to people who have not heard it yet.

But we thank you that it never returns empty or void.

And so we pray that that word gone out today would be blessed by you and accomplish great things for you.

And we pray that for this evening hour as well, that you would help us to be still before you,

to know you with us, and to hear our prayers, Lord.

And we do pray for our people here, Lord, thankful for everyone, thankful for your goodness to us,

thankful as we look ahead to the week before us, Lord, that you are with us in it, that you go before us,

that every plan and purpose that we seek to put into place, they're all ordained by you and given blessing by you.

We do pray, Lord, that you will be pleased to meet with us in the week ahead,

when we think of all the different things going on, whether it's groups meeting in the hall or prayer meetings going on,

whatever is taking place, Lord, that you would be pleased to bless.

We think of the WFM, thankful again for them and pray for the meeting tomorrow evening.

We commit the prayer meetings during the week to you as well in Laxdale, here in the hall and in the seminary on Thursday,

Lord, thankful for these opportunities that we have to call upon the name of the Lord together,

to share from your word, to encourage one another and to meet with one another.

We pray, Lord, for the opportunities we have to reach out to our community as well,

to invite people through our doors, whether it's to these services during the week,

to our services on the Lord's Day or to the Friday, the free, the over 55,

so the youth groups, the toddler groups, Lord, we thank you for all of these endeavours

and just pray to see your spirit working in them.

Thankful for every encouragement that you give us, Lord,

and thankful for all who come through our doors and the connections that that builds,

connections that we see growing and developing in different ways

and connections that help us, Lord, to be alongside people in times of need as well.

And so remember those in need at this time.

Remember those who are unwell, some seriously unwell, Lord.

We pray that you will surround them and uphold them and bless them.

We ask, O Lord, that in every tear that's shed or every prayer that's offered,

that you will hear and be near to all who need you in these ways.

Remember, too, Lord, those who grieve and mourn.

We pray that you will comfort us as only you can.

For we thank you that in the midst of mourning,

we thank you that there are times when we know just the peace of God,

that peace that passes understanding.

For when we know the Lord and when we know those who are being called by him home

have trusted in you,

we thank you for the comfort and the peace that that gives.

And we pray, Lord, that those who mourn will continue to know that for themselves.

We pray for our nation as a whole as well, Lord.

We thank you for the wider church.

We thank you for every place that meets in your name today

that proclaims the name of Jesus Christ as Lord

and that calls sinners to repentance.

We pray that you would be pleased to build your church throughout our land

and that in the midst of our nation and all that we're going through at this time

when there's so much confusion and turmoil,

so much anxiety and fear,

Lord, may you hear our prayers.

We pray for leaders,

whether it's our prime minister, our first minister,

our royal family, our governments,

whoever it might be, Lord,

in positions of authority and power,

we ask for your blessing,

your mercy upon them,

to be able to know your goodness

and to be able to know your name as a name that's to be called upon,

a name that's the foundation of our nation and this world,

the cornerstone that is Jesus Christ.

We pray that his name would be praised in the corridors of power

and throughout all our land and to the ends of the earth.

So we think, oh, nations in conflict

and nations with so many different needs,

persecution and famine and drought

and so many atrocities going on

and so many nations around the world

where your people are being put to the sword

in so many different ways.

We ask, oh, Lord, for mercy and grace

in the midst of all of these things.

We do pray, Lord, that you will just hear us now

and continue with us as we worship you,

as we sing your praise

and as we seek your presence.

Lord, may you be pleased to bless all that we do

and we ask all acknowledging our sin before you

and you seeking pardon for all things,

whether it's what we have forgotten to do

or what we shouldn't do at all.

Lord, we pray that you would have mercy upon us

and hear us as we pray in the name of Jesus,

asking all things for his sake and his glory.

Amen.

We'll again sing to Psalm 44.

We'll sing from verse 1 down to verse 8.

Psalm 44, verse 1 to verse 8.

Psalms 44:1

O God, we without ears have heard,

our fathers told us so,

what you accomplished in their days,

in days of long ago.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 8 to God's praise.

Psalm 44, verse 1 to 9.

Psalms 44:1–9

Psalm 44, verse 1 to 9.

Psalms 44:1–9

Psalm 44, verse 1 to 9.

Psalms 44:1–9

Psalm 44, verse 1 to 9.

Psalms 44:1–9

We're going to read together in the New Testament

in Paul's letter to the Colossians.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

And we read from the beginning of the chapter down to verse 23.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

Find it around page 1182 of the church Bibles thereabouts.

Paul, we begin our reading of the church Bibles thereabouts.

We begin our reading at verse 1.

Paul, 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.

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,

and of the love that you have for all the saints,

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth,

the gospel which has come to you,

as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing,

as it also does among you since the day you heard it

and understood the grace of God in truth.

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.

And so from the day we heard,

we have not ceased to pray for you,

asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will

in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,

fully pleasing to him,

bearing fruit in every good work

and increasing in the knowledge of God.

May you be strengthened with all power,

according to his glorious might,

for all endurance and patience,

with joy, giving thanks to the Father

who has qualified you to share

in the inheritance of the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we are redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

For by him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

All things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things.

And in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body,

the church.

He is the beginning,

the firstborn from the dead,

that in everything he might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness of God

was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile to himself all things,

whether on earth or in heaven,

making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind,

doing evil deeds,

he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death,

in order to present you holy and blameless

and above reproach before him.

If indeed you continue in the faith,

stable and steadfast,

not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard,

which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven,

and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

And so on.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

And before we come back to this passage,

we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 81.

The Singed Psalms version, Psalm 81,

page 109 of the psalm books.

We're going to sing from verse 8

down to the end of the psalm.

Psalm 81 at verse 8.

Hear, my people, let me warn you,

if you would but listen now.

No strange God shall be among you.

To a false God do not bow.

We'll sing from verse 8 to the end of the psalm,

to the tune Stuttgart we stand to sing.

To a false God do not bow.

I do not do love from Egypt,

your own God, the Lord, and I.

Open wide your mouth towards me,

and your food I will supply.

But my people would not listen,

would not do what I require.

So I gave them up to follow

what their stubborn hearts desire.

If my people would not heed me,

Israel followed my command.

I would soon,

I would soon subdue their enemies,

and against them turn my hand.

For to it the Lord would power,

and their doom would never end.

But with finest we die,

I feed you,

and me from the rock I send.

Amen.

We can turn back to our reading in Colossians.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

We're going to focus on verse 3 to verse 8

together this evening.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

We just read at verse 3.

We always thank God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you,

since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,

and of the love that you have for all the saints,

and so on.

As you read through the Bible,

as you go to the different parts,

whether it's the letters,

as we look at Paul's letters here,

or the Gospels,

or even back into the Old Testament,

do you ever think to yourself,

there's a place,

if I had a choice,

if I could do it,

I'd love to go back,

and be in that place at this very time,

and just see what it was like.

Maybe you've had the privilege of visiting

some of these places in your own time,

whether it's the Middle East,

or different parts of Turkey,

as we see Colossae here,

as part of modern day Turkey,

or Rome,

places in Italy.

Maybe you've seen it as it is now,

but as you're there,

you've thought,

I wonder what it was like to be there

in the days that we read of in the scripture.

Well, I'm sure there's some places

that would maybe be up on the top of your list

of places you might want to go to Jerusalem.

It'd be fascinating maybe just to walk up,

as it is,

up to Jerusalem,

as we read of in the Old and New Testament,

as you see just what it would be like

to go back to those days

and walk up with a crowd

making their way up to the festivals

in Jerusalem.

Or to go to Corinth,

a city that was busy and bustling

in so many different ways,

where the gospel had come,

and yet there were so many challenges in it.

Or Rome,

another fascinating place to see,

and it would have been

to see the Colosseum

and all of these different things

in the day

that we read of in the scriptures.

You can't but wonder

what it would be like.

But where would Colosse come

on your list of places to go?

I'm sure it's maybe not up there

in the top places you'd like to see,

but it's interesting to think

of what these places were like at the time,

because it helps us to understand

the way Paul is writing

and the things that are going on.

And that's why we want to just begin

by looking at this evening,

is just to think of Colosseum,

what kind of place it was.

Paul was obviously writing to them,

but it's a place he'd never even been.

And yet the gospel had come to them

and was bearing fruit in their midst.

And Paul is writing to encourage them.

But what kind of place was it?

Well, if you go back

in the history of Colosseum,

the time of Paul's writing to it

was a time when that place

was very much in decline.

It wasn't as vibrant

as it had once been.

And in many ways,

it may sound strange,

but you could almost compare it

to Stornoway.

Colosseum and Stornoway

have things in common.

And what are they, you might ask?

It may not be the weather,

but they've certainly got other things

in common.

Colosseum, when it was founded,

it was founded on industry.

And it was a textile industry

that it was founded on.

It was famous for wool,

and especially purple wool.

And that's what it had thrived on,

that business of textile.

And yet, that was about

three or four hundred years

before Christ came.

But by the time Paul is writing to them,

it's a place that has seen decline.

That vibrant industry

is no longer there.

It's dwindled in many ways.

And people,

as we would see in our own town,

a textile town, if you like,

a place that was vibrant,

has seen a bit of decline.

And you think of many young people

having to go away from here

to the mainland for work

and different things.

Colosse went through that

itself as well.

Places nearby,

Laodicea was a more thriving place

that attracted people away,

that brought work away from Colosse.

They went away to work.

And all of these things were going on

because trade had moved around.

But as Paul is writing to them,

as if he was writing to ourselves today,

these aren't the things

that he's interested in.

What's important to him

is not the economy

or the politics of the place,

but the very fact that

God is in the midst.

That God was there

when the place was thriving and busy.

And that even though

there's a time of decline,

God is still in the midst.

These people are still there.

And so that's why

Paul is writing to them.

And he's writing to them,

even though he's not been there,

he's writing to them

because he's heard about their faith.

Epaphras had come back,

I think from Ephesus it was,

and come back,

shared the gospel with them.

And the gospel had borne fruit

in this place.

And the church was established.

And the people of God

were positive in so many ways.

And yet there were challenges.

There were challenges.

And that's the reality

of the Christian life, isn't it?

When we think of history,

there's always been challenges.

And when we think of our own day today,

even our own town today,

as we look around,

we see vibrancy that was there once,

decline that's there now.

Even in the church,

we see it's so different

to what it once was,

but yet still with the hope

of God in our midst.

And so Paul,

as he's writing to them,

he's writing to encourage,

even though he's in prison,

even though he doesn't know

what the future holds for him,

he's writing to encourage them

because they have something

in common together,

the gospel.

The gospel is in his heart,

it's in their hearts.

It's in the place of Colossae

as it is in Paul's prison cell

as he writes.

We often speak about people

that can be in two different ways

described.

One person can be described

as a glass half empty person.

Somebody else can be described

as the glass half full person.

And we can know ourselves

where we maybe fall into that.

We know the glass half empty

is things are looked at

a little bit more negatively.

The glass half full,

it's got a more positive outlook.

But Paul wasn't either of these.

He wasn't just half full glass.

He was the fullness

of the glass entirely

to overflowing.

And that's what he was seeking

to encourage the church,

whatever it was to be like.

To be a people who knew

God is with us.

Therefore, we don't have to look

at things glass half empty

negatively and think,

well, God can't do.

Or just to be just half full

where we're looking more positively,

but still only halfway.

But to be overflowing.

To be overflowing with that hope

that God is with us.

And that's what we want to think

about this evening.

It's this fullness

that Paul speaks of here.

And when we think of the word full,

it can be looked at both positively

and negatively as well.

It can be looked at

being full of the joys.

We can see that,

but we can also be full of sorrow.

Or we can think of it

full of love

in a positive sense

or full of hate

in a negative sense.

There's this fullness in life.

It's an overwhelming experience,

whether it's in a positive way

or a negative way.

But when the Lord Jesus

is in our hearts,

we have that fullness

that goes beyond anything else.

An abundance of good things.

An abundance that the psalmist

speaks of in Psalm 23,

when he speaks of

the table being set

in the presence of an enemy.

And yet even so,

what does he say?

And yet my cup overflows.

My head, he does anoint.

And my cup overflows.

What springs up from the hope

that we have in the gospel,

it speaks of here

in verse 5

of the hope of the gospel,

this foundation

that's laid up in heaven for us,

that we have heard

the word of truth,

the gospel.

That's what helps us

to remain full

and to have that focus

on the fullness of Christ

that you see running

throughout this first chapter

as you read

the preeminence of Christ.

There's so much imagery

there for us

as Paul writes to them.

He is the image

of the invisible God,

the firstborn

of all creation

for by him

and all things were created.

This richness here of Christ,

and that's the fullness

that he's speaking of

in these verses as well,

verse 3 to verse 8.

So there's three fullnesses

that we want to know.

That's a word, fullness.

The fullnesses

that we want to speak of,

thankful, boastful, and faithful.

And that's the fullness

that we see in these verses,

verse 3 to verse 8.

So we think first of all

of thankful.

Being thankful.

And you see that in verse 3.

We always thank God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you.

It's rich in thanksgiving.

Not just this verse,

but really throughout the letter

there's so much thanksgiving

that Paul gives for them.

Imagine, or maybe you've had this,

you've had work done

in your house.

Perhaps it's been a major work

that's been done,

a whole rewiring of the house

or a whole new heating system

put into the house.

There's always a little anxiety

that comes with it.

The old is taken out

and the new is put in,

and you're wondering,

will it work?

Will it be efficient?

Will it be as good

as they say it will be?

And I'm sure

if you've had it done,

there'll be others

who will come and say,

oh, you should have done it this way.

You should have gone with that instead.

There'll be all of these

different opinions

coming in.

When does it get to the point

where you know

that it's working?

Only when it's up

and running

and put to the test.

Checking,

double checking,

making sure that

everything's working all right.

And then you get to the point

where you have peace of mind

because you know

it's all working.

Well, the church at Colossae

had gone through a renovation.

It had gone from having no faith

to being a people

who were in darkness

to being a people

who were in light.

A people who had heard the gospel

and they were transformed

by the gospel.

But remembering the kind of place it was,

a place that wasn't as vibrant

as it once used to be,

a place that was in decline,

it was also a place

that hadn't totally abandoned

other religions.

And so those who had been converted

by the gospel

who had come to faith

they faced many challenges.

And the biggest challenge of all

was people saying,

you may have that gospel

but that's not enough.

You need more.

You need more than just that gospel

of Jesus Christ.

You need to bring other things in.

And there's so many different opinions

that are being offered to them.

And so Paul is writing

with this sense of

thanking God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that he is with them.

That he is in their midst.

That through their relationship

that they have in Christ,

that they have

the fullness of Jesus,

the fullness of Christ

in their hearts.

And there is nothing else

that they need.

There is nothing else

that is going to make

a difference to them.

And this is what is so

in giving thanks

to Paul himself

and that he's encouraging them

in their thankfulness

with a swell.

So in the midst

of all the problems

and Paul could have

come down hard on them

in the fact that

they were being swayed

away from the gospel,

but instead he comes

alongside

to encourage them

and to give thanks

for them.

We always thank God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus,

when we pray

for you.

There is this bond.

There is this relationship.

And that's a challenge

to ourselves today as well.

As we think of our own sense

of thankfulness,

are we glass half empty

or glass half full?

Or are we overflowing

with thankfulness?

Do we look at things

with that negative sense?

We have those days,

we have those times,

but do we look around

and give thanks

that God is working,

that God is with us?

Is that our attitude

that we are always

full of thanksgiving

to God

and what he is doing

in our midst,

in our congregation,

in our friends,

in our families,

in our denomination?

Do we have that sense

of thanksgiving,

that sense of thankfulness?

Even as we think

of joining together

on Wednesday evening,

a time of thanksgiving

for God's goodness

to our denomination

over these last number

of years,

there's been reasons

for encouragement.

Yes,

we can look at things

and think,

it's not what we would want,

we can look at it

in a negative sense,

but let's come together

in thanksgiving

that God is with us,

that God hears

his praying people

and God is able

to answer

his praying people.

If we see what Christ

has done for us,

and that's what Paul

goes on to describe

so wonderfully here

in this chapter,

how he has

his beloved son,

as he says in verse 14,

in whom we have

the forgiveness of sins,

if we see what we have

in Christ,

if we see what we have

in him,

there is reason

for thanksgiving.

Otherwise,

we just miss out

on so much.

I was reading

a sad story

about a sportsman

just the other day

who had made millions

during a sporting career,

a short career,

being a footballer it was.

He had got on

so well,

he had earned

so much money,

and during

those great days

when he was making

so much,

he had helped

so many people,

being so generous

to them,

family,

friends,

even strangers.

He had helped

out so many people.

However,

over the years,

addiction

took a hold

of him.

Gambling addiction,

and then drinking,

and all his money

was gone.

He hit rock bottom.

He lost

everything.

And some people

would say

it's his own fault.

And that's the way

many people

looked at him.

But one of the saddest

things he said

was,

of all the people

that I helped

when I had plenty,

not one of them

was there

when I was in need.

Not one of them

came back

with a sense

of thanksgiving

to him

that he had helped

them in their time

of need.

No one.

No one came.

And that's

a challenge

to us

as we think

of our own

thanksgiving

as well.

Are we

thanking the Lord

for all that

he has done

for us?

Are we

thanking the Lord

for his goodness

and mercies

new each day?

Or are we

choosing

to ignore

his goodness

to us

and therefore

in that

ignore others

in their need

as well?

Coming to faith

is not the

end of our

journey

and that's

what Paul

is so encouraging

with here.

He's encouraging

them to grow

in their faith.

They have

learned the

gospel as we

see in verse

7 there

just as you

learned from

Epaphras,

our beloved

fellow servant.

They learned

the gospel

from him.

And then in

verse 10

to walk in a

manner worthy

of the Lord

fully pleasing

in him

bearing fruit

in every good

work

and increasing

in the

knowledge of

God.

It's about

going on.

And

thanksgiving

is what

helps us

to go on.

I think it was

one of the

old Puritans

that had said

the thankful

heart has a

continual

feast.

The thankful

heart is a

continual

feast.

In other

words the

more we are

in thanksgiving

to God

the more we

are thankful

to him

the more

we are feasting

on his

goodness

to us.

So the

first thing

we see here

is Paul

is this

thankfulness.

The second

thing we see

is to be

boastful.

To be

boastful.

And this

immediately

thinks

surely that's

a negative.

Surely that's

a negative

to be boasting

in anything.

Because boasting

is often seen

as something

that's not

good to do.

And we can

think of people

who are boastful

in so many

arrogant ways.

Think of

these people

who boast

in their

riches or

boast in

what they've

done in

life.

They're boasting

in themselves

in so many

ways.

It can be

irritating.

And that's

not the kind

of boasting

that we want.

But what

Paul is

boasting

in is about

something

that for the

people of

God in

Colossae

would not

irritate

them at

all.

But really

encourage

them.

That's

what we

see in

verse 6.

Paul is

full of

thanksgiving

but then

there's

this

thanksgiving

because of

the hope

laid up

in heaven

in verse

5.

Of this

you have

heard

before

the word

of truth

the gospel

which has

come to

you as

indeed

in the

whole

world

it is

bearing

fruit

and

growing.

What is

he boasting

in?

He is

boasting

in the

power of

God.

That the

gospel

is

bearing

fruit

not

just

in

them

but

in

the

whole

world.

And you

can imagine

what it would

be like

for the

people of

Colossae.

They would

have been

thinking about

other places

maybe like

Laodicea

or Ephesus

where

Epaphras

had come

from

and hearing

these great

things that

were happening

Paul has

been there

but he

hasn't come

to us.

Or these

places that

there's so

many more

people in

them.

So many

more things

going on

and yet

Paul is

here coming

to them.

Maybe they

are feeling

discouraged

to remember

what you

have in

your midst.

You have

that same

gospel that

is bearing

fruit in

the whole

world and

you have

it here in

your midst.

And that

is something

to be

boastful

in.

To

rejoice

in.

And they

could have

easily just

focused on

themselves and

become so

insular in

so many

ways and

just have

no thought

for anybody

else.

It's always a

danger when

you're feeling

discouraged or

glass half

empty that

we just

focus inwardly.

Let's just

look after

ourselves.

but what

Paul is

doing here

in

thanksgiving

and then

coming with

his boastful

side as

well,

remember

God is

working in

your midst.

And we

live in a

place, a

location and

even a

culture where

family is

important,

where friendship

is important

and very

strong and

is a great

thing.

But it

can also be

a barrier,

a barrier

to going

beyond

ourselves

and to

loving

others.

We can

be so

comfortable

loving our

own family,

loving our

own friends,

loving the

people that

we've grown

up with or

gone to

school with

or work

with.

We can

be so

comfortable

in these

things and

forget

others.

Those who

come through

our doors,

who we

don't

recognize or

are different

to us,

or those

who don't

even darken

our doors

at all.

We think

that we

have nothing

in common,

that we

have nothing

to say.

And yet

the gospel

is what

they need.

And Paul

in many ways

is reminding

the church

at Colossae

of what

they have

in their

midst.

The gospel

that has

come to

you as

indeed in

the whole

world,

it is

bearing fruit

and growing

as it

also does

among you.

He's saying

to them,

you are not

alone.

That I

have people

everywhere,

all over

the world,

who are your

brothers and

sisters in

Christ.

We can

boast in

this, in

the greatest,

in the right

sense of the

word, that

we rejoice

with thanksgiving

and boasting

that this

gospel is

bearing fruit.

do we

rejoice when

we hear

as we

have

updates,

even within

our own

denomination,

as we

are given

updates of

what's

happening in

other places,

as we

hear of

conversions,

as we

hear of

new members

in our

own

presbytery,

our own

islands,

we rejoice,

we boast

because God

is working

in the right

sense of

boasting.

or boasting

when we

hear of

new churches

being planted

or elders

and deacons

being made

or new

students coming

into the

seminary or

whatever it

is, it's

boasting in

the right

sense of

giving thanks

to God

that he is

in our

midst, that

the gospel

is bearing

fruit.

But it's

always with

that caveat

as Paul

says to

the Galatians,

may I

never boast

except in

the cross

of our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

That's

where boasting

comes from,

that Christ

has done

it.

We boast

in his

finished work

because that

is the

work that

is bearing

fruit.

There's

always a

danger of

jealousy or

a negative

attitude coming

through in

all that we

do.

It's been

there down

through all

the generations.

You find it

in Scripture,

you find it

in every

generation of

God's

people,

the danger

of jealousy

and rivalry

and all of

these things.

But what

Paul encourages

here is that

boastful nature

of rejoicing

that the

gospel is in

everything,

that we see

glory for

God in.

Whether it's

here,

whether it's

in our

nation,

whether it's

to all the

ends of

the earth,

to all

different people,

we can rejoice

that the

gospel is

bearing

fruit.

We boast

in Christ.

So we

have thankful,

we have boastful,

and then

finally we

have here

faithful,

being faithful.

And what

we see

here is

faithfulness

is at the

heart of so

much here

too.

We see

the

faithfulness

of Paul,

who is

remembering

the church

at Colossae,

who is

giving thanks

as he's

praying for

the church

at Colossae.

There is

that faithfulness

of him.

There is

the faithfulness

of Epaphras,

as it speaks

of in

verse 7.

Our

beloved

fellow

servant,

he is a

faithful

minister

of Christ.

on your

behalf.

And they

have the

people.

In verse

2 it

says,

to the

saints

and faithful

brothers in

Christ at

Colossae.

There is a

sense of

faithfulness

right throughout

all that is

taking place.

And

faithfulness is

such a key

feature for

any Christian's

life.

Faithfulness

towards God,

towards his

word,

towards prayer,

towards his

people.

It is a

life of

faithfulness.

And no

matter what

is going

on around

us, we

remain faithful

and sure

and steadfast

in the

Lord.

When you

look at the

Old Testament,

you find so

many of

God's people

who were

faithful in

the midst of

very challenging

periods.

We think of

Jeremiah we

were looking

at this

morning.

So many

of the

people are

turning away

from God

and yet

Jeremiah was

faithful,

faithfully

proclaiming

the message

that God

gave.

And you

see it

as you

look in

the book

of Hebrews

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11,

that great

book of

faith,

and those

who were

faithful to

God in

the midst

of all

kinds of

situations.

Situations

that seemed

absurd,

situations

that seemed

crazy to

others around.

You think

of Noah

building an

ark when

there was

no sign

of water

or rain

or anything

and yet

he was

faithful,

he listened

to God.

You think

of Daniel

and his

faithfulness

in the

midst of

great

challenges

when he

was being

told to

bow down

to the

king

instead

of God

with the

very threat

of his

life and

yet he

was faithful

to God

and was

blessed.

Faithfulness

is so

important.

Epaphras,

it wasn't

easy for

him and

yet he

was faithful.

He was

faithful with

the gospel

that he

had heard

himself and

he brought

it to his

beloved brothers

and sisters

here in

Colossae that

they might

hear of the

wonder of

this Christ.

He was

faithful and

all our

faithfulness is

built on the

fact of Jesus'

faithfulness to

us and what

he has done

for us.

we can be

faithful because

he was

faithful for

us.

He did

all for

us.

And so

as Paul is

writing to

this church

at Colossae

to be

thankful,

to be

boastful,

to be

faithful,

it's all

for Christ.

It's all

for him

that he

might get

glory and

that the

gospel would

go on

bearing

fruit.

And that's

what it is

for us

too, to

remember what

we have in

Christ and

that we

would be

thankful for

all of that,

that we

would be

boastful,

that we

would be

encouraged that

God is in

our midst and

that we would

be faithful in

serving him

and in all

that we do

for him.

There was a

story told

about a

man who

was a

clerk in a

small hotel

in a

town in

America.

And this

night, a

stormy night,

heavy rain

outside, an

elderly couple

arrived at

the hotel.

They came in

through the

door and

they came up

to the

clerk at

the reception

and asked

if they

could have

a room.

And the

clerk at

the desk

said,

I'm sorry,

but we're

full.

And I

know for a

fact that

all the

towns,

all the

hotels in

the town

are full

as well.

Then he

said,

but I

can't

send you

back out

into the

rain.

How about

would you

stay in

my room?

He had

his own

room in

the hotel.

You can

stay in

my room

and I'll

stay out

at the

desk

through the

night.

The

couple

hesitated,

but the

clerk insisted

that they

would stay

in his

room.

The next

morning,

when the

couple were

leaving,

the man

came and

paid his

bill.

He had

stayed a

night in

the hotel,

therefore he

was wanting

to pay

for the

room.

And the

man said

to him as

he was

departing,

you're the

kind of

man who

should be

managing the

best hotel

in the

United States

has to

offer.

Someday I'll

build you

one.

And the

clerk at

the desk

just laughed

it off,

thought nothing

else of it.

Until a

couple of

years later,

a letter

arrived from

this elderly

man.

outlining

and remembering

that he

had been

so faithful

to them

as a

couple and

letting them

stay in

his room

that night,

inviting him

to come to

New York,

that he had

something to

say to

him.

And so

the man,

the clerk,

the ticket

was there,

he took it

and he went

to New York,

he was met

by this elderly

man who

took him

to this

brand new

building,

a brand new

hotel,

and said,

that's mine.

And I

want you

to manage

it.

He hadn't

forgotten the

kindness of

that man

when he

needed him

and he

invited him

to be

the hotel

manager.

And so

he did.

Well,

remember who

it is we

are to be

faithful to.

Even in the

least of

these things

as the

scripture

describes it,

the least

of these

things you

have been

faithful to

me and

there is

great reward.

When we

are faithful

to Christ,

even in the

least of

these things,

we remember

who we're

serving,

we remember

what he's

doing,

that he is

building not

a hotel,

but a

kingdom,

his kingdom,

and that

people are

being called

into his

kingdom,

to be part

of his

kingdom.

Through the

least of

the things

that we

do for

him,

we are

to be

faithful.

And when

we are

faithful,

he

blesses.

That's the

encouragement

that Paul

is giving to

the church,

to the people

at Colossae.

They may be

small,

they may feel

discouraged,

they may have

their challenges,

they may not

know where

things are

going,

but he is

reminding God

is with them.

And with

God, we are

to be thankful,

thankful for

all of his

people, for

all that he

is doing.

We are to be

boastful,

boasting in the

right sense,

that the

gospel is

bearing fruit

all over the

world, that we

are part of

that, and

to be

faithful, to

be faithful in

all that we

do for him,

even the