Colossians Ch1v9-14 - A Praying Church

Well, good morning everyone, nice to see you.

And as always, look forward to chatting with you over tea and coffee.

Please don't rush away.

It's good to chat if you're able to stay.

Turn in your Bibles please to Colossians.

This is the letter we're looking at together this term.

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

Last week we looked at chapter 1 verses 1 to 8 as we saw the beginning of this church

and how he was thanking God for their faith in Christ Jesus and the love that they had

for each other and the hope of heaven to come, this new community of believers.

And then this morning we're going to be looking at verses 9 to 14 which is a prayer, a prayer for the church.

And as we go through this morning, at different points I'm going to turn what we've looked at a section at a time into a prayer.

And the prayer will be on the screen.

You can verbally pray it out along with me if you want to or you can just pray quietly to the Lord.

But we're going to try and turn what we look at at different stages into prayer to make it practical and helpful.

So let's keep our Bibles open at Colossians 1 verses 9 to 14.

Colossians 1:9–14

I'm going to pray and then we'll look at his words together.

Father, you have given to us all that we have.

There is nothing that we hold dear that is not a gift from you.

Thank you for all that you have blessed us with.

And we thank you that it is your desire to continue to give to your people and to your church

all that we need as we walk the Christian life.

So Father, we come in our weakness, our helplessness.

We come humbly before our great King and ask, give to us, your servants, what we need today.

Help us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Well, if you could ask God for one thing and you knew you would receive it, what would you ask for?

If you could ask for one thing and you knew you would receive it, what would you ask for?

Or suppose somebody comes up to you over tea and coffee and they say to you,

Will you pray for me?

Pray for me this week.

What would you ask that person to pray for you?

Those are good questions to ask because the answer to those questions reveal

what is most valuable to us and what is most important to us.

How we answer those questions reveal what's most important to us.

So what would you ask God for?

Would it be for an increase in your salary at work?

Would it be for better health?

Would it be for a husband or a wife?

Maybe to pass your exams or win your match?

Or what would you pray for?

Well, in our text this morning, verses 9 to 14, the Apostle Paul writes what he is praying for these people.

Verse 9.

For this reason.

So he has been giving thanks for their salvation in Christ, their new beginning.

So for this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.

Well, we know he prays.

He does so in his other letters.

But what does he pray for?

Well, surprisingly, he doesn't pray and ask,

Lord, make it less stressful for these people.

Or, Lord, give them an easier life so that they're not tired anymore.

He doesn't even ask for better health or greater prosperity.

Paul prays not what we want, but what we most need.

What we most need.

His prayer shapes how we as a church family can pray for one another.

The things that we most need.

There's three things that form our prayer for one another and for the church.

We pray that we would be filled by God,

strengthened with power,

and it to be received in thanks.

So something to be filled by,

something to be strengthened with,

and something to be received.

So let's look at each of these in turn.

First is a prayer to be filled by God.

Look at the rest of verse 9.

We continually ask God to fill you,

fill you with what?

With the knowledge of his will.

That's the prayer.

Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will.

Now, knowing God's will is important to us.

In fact, it's something that kind of strikes a chord with us,

because we think of God's will in terms of our future, don't we?

We say things like,

it's God's will for me to move to Paris.

It's God's will that I should marry you.

It's God's will that I should work here.

It sounds very spiritual, doesn't it,

when we attach things that we desire with God's will.

But I think what we're really expressing is our own personal choices.

You see, God's will is not complex.

It's not something hidden that we have to discover.

It's not some kind of packaged personal plan that God has,

that we somehow have to prise open his hands

to get what God's will is for my life.

No, God's will has actually been revealed to us all.

God's will is what God wants and what God desires.

God's will is God's priority for our lives and for this world.

So you're asking the question,

as am I, well, how do we know what that will is?

What is it that God wants and God's desire?

Well, the primary way of knowing what God's will is,

is by the Spirit through Scripture.

By the Spirit through Scripture.

You see, God's will is revealed to us in the pages of Scripture.

The book that you have open in your hands there now

is the primary and fundamental things

that we need to know for our life and for this world.

That's how God communicates.

It's how God speaks to us.

It's how we hear God's voice.

If you want to be filled with God's desire and God's priorities,

if you want a knowledge of his will,

well, see this book, open it up and read it.

Let me show you God's revealed will for your life.

Have a look at chapter 1, verse 28.

This is God's will.

We're reading Scripture, God's word.

This is what it says, chapter 1, verse 28.

He, that is Christ, is the one we proclaim,

admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom,

so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

That's God's will for your life,

that you would become mature in Christ,

that you would grow in Christ-likeness.

Let me show you another one.

Chapter 2, verse 2.

Again, he's speaking of the church.

You see, that's God's will for us,

that together as a church we would be united together

in love for Jesus and love for one another.

You see, God's will isn't very complex, is it?

It's really quite simple.

We just open up the Bible and read.

That's God's will for your life.

But, to see that will applied to our lives,

and to see our priorities change,

and our desires to match up with God's desires,

we need the help of the Spirit.

Look at the rest of verse 9.

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will

through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

You see, the Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding

to apply God's revealed will to our lives.

As we read the Bible, we're learning what God's will is,

we're being filled with his knowledge,

and the Spirit is at work within us,

giving us wisdom and understanding

to apply all of that word

to our lives and to our day-to-day situations.

And so,

our first prayer,

you can follow on the screen.

Father God,

as we read your word,

fill us with a knowledge of what you want

and you desire,

and by your Spirit,

give us wisdom and understanding

to apply your truth

to our lives.

Amen.

So, we ask God to fill us,

and there's a reason,

there's a big reason

why we need to be filled with God's knowledge

and for the Spirit to be at work in us,

so that

we might please God.

Let's look at the end of verse 9.

We'll read that into verse 10.

We continually ask God

to fill you with the knowledge of his will

through all the wisdom and understanding

that the Spirit gives,

so that

you may live a life worthy of the Lord

and please him in every way.

So, you see that little phrase,

to live a life worthy of God?

Well, that's to live a life that pleases God.

If you want to live a life that's worthy to God,

it means to live a life that pleases God.

And how we please him

is further explained in verse 10.

Bearing fruit in every good work

and growing in the knowledge of God.

Bearing fruit

and growing.

That's what it is to please God.

In fact, as we read through Colossians,

we're shown what some of this fruit looks like.

The kind of things that we should be doing

if we're to please God.

So, just for example,

have a look at chapter 3, verse 5.

I wonder what you have in your mind

when you think of bearing fruit in every good work.

Something to please God.

Well, here it is.

Some examples.

Chapter 3, verse 5.

Here's a good fruit.

Put to death, therefore,

whatever belongs to your earthly nature.

Sexual immorality,

impurity,

lust,

evil desires,

and greed,

which is idolatry.

That's a lovely fruit, isn't it?

Fight sin.

Put it to death.

Or another one,

verse 13.

Bear with each other

and forgive one another

if any of you has a grievance

against someone.

You've got a grievance

against someone here today?

Maybe your spouse,

maybe your children,

maybe a neighbour.

I don't know.

Do we forgive them?

It's a beautiful fruit.

Or verse 16.

Let the message,

or the word of God,

the message of Christ,

dwell among you richly

as you teach

and admonish one another

with all wisdom

through psalms,

hymns,

and songs from the Spirit,

singing to God

with gratitude in your hearts.

That's another lovely fruit.

That's what we were practising.

That was some of the good work

we were doing

as we gathered this morning.

We were singing songs.

Why?

Because as we sing,

we're not singing just to God.

We're singing to each other

and we're teaching

and we're admonishing

and reminding each other

of who God is,

that he is good,

that he's paid it all,

and that we have access to

a God in heaven.

These are the kinds of fruits

that are to be in display

in our lives.

They're attractive and beautiful.

It is pleasing to God.

But we're not just to bear fruit.

We're also, verse 10,

to grow in knowledge.

And this growing in knowledge

is not just to kind of puff our heads up

and fill as much theology

as we possibly can

and just cram it in

so we've got this big theological head

that's so big

and so deep.

That's good.

But it's really about

putting it into practice.

Growing in knowledge

is obeying God's will

for my life.

You see,

that's the way we please God,

is hearing his word

and doing it.

And so,

to our second prayer,

we pray,

Father,

fill us with a knowledge

of your will

so that we might live

a fruitful life,

putting sin to death,

loving each other,

and encouraging one another

with the word of Christ

so that we please you.

Amen.

Now that's a great prayer,

isn't it?

To be filled by God

and given his spirit

so that we can please him

in our life.

But how are we going to do it?

Because all of that fruit

and all of that knowledge

is difficult.

So here's the second part

of the prayer.

A prayer to be strengthened

with power.

You see,

without God,

there can be no spiritual fruit.

There can be no growing.

There can be no obedience.

There can be no pleasing God.

So we come to God

humbly,

admitting our weakness

and helplessness,

and ask him

that he would strengthen us

by his power.

So look at verse 11.

being strengthened with all power

according to his glorious might.

What a great prayer.

To be strengthened

with all power

according to his glorious might.

Now that power,

the power we're talking about here,

is nothing less

than God's creation

resurrection power.

Let's look at what scripture says.

I've got these verses

on the screen.

Here's the first one,

which talks about

God's creation power.

Sovereign Lord,

you have made the heavens

and the earth

by your great power

and outstretched arm.

Immense power, isn't it?

To bring the universe

into existence

and to hold it all together.

God's power,

God's power,

God's power,

God's power,

God's power,

God's power,

God's power,

is the same as the mighty strength

he exerted

when he raised Christ from the dead

and seated him in the heavenly realms.

Isn't that an extraordinary power?

The power that raised Jesus from the dead

and put him into the heavenly realms,

ruling over all people

and all things.

That power

is available

for you and for me.

The power that brought

the universe into existence,

the power that raised Christ,

his glorious might

is at work within us.

Verse 11,

being strengthened with

how much power?

All power.

This is God's full

and complete,

unlimited

and eternal power.

You see,

what God asks of us

to please him in every way,

oh, it's so difficult,

isn't it?

But he makes it all possible

by giving to us

his glorious might.

One writer put it like this,

we are strengthened by God

with the greatest strength imaginable.

And so we pray again,

Father God,

help us to see our weakness

and our helplessness.

We come to you asking

that you will strengthen us

with your power

so that we might obey

your will.

Now this being strengthened

with power

is filled out

in a purpose

and a reason

why we need this power.

And here it is,

so that

you and I

can keep on going.

That we'll keep on

persevering

in the Christian life.

Verse 11,

being strengthened

with all power

according to his

glorious might

so that

you might have

great endurance

and patience.

The Christian life,

it's difficult,

isn't it?

It's tough.

And to enable us

to keep going,

to keep walking

and following Jesus,

we're given his power.

And this is seen

in two ways.

When we receive his power,

look at verse 11,

the end of verse 11,

we have great endurance

and patience.

Because that's what

the Christian life requires,

endurance.

It's not a sprint.

It's a marathon.

We don't just receive

Christ,

we continue

with Christ.

And that's hard

for us

as we go to work

or as we go to our school,

as we live our life out.

There are all kinds

of pressures

which are pushing

in upon us

to conform

not to God's will

but to the world's will.

That I would seek

my will

rather than God's will.

That I would follow

my desires

rather than submit

to God's desires.

That's always

crushing in on us.

And so we ask

to be strengthened

with his power

so that we will endure.

And the Christian life

also requires patience.

We want everything now.

We're an instantaneous culture.

We want our struggles

to end now.

Trials to be over now.

We want all of heaven

and the joy of heaven

now.

Well, longing for heaven

is good.

I hope you are longing

for it.

But we've got to learn

patience.

It's coming.

Verse 5 tells us that.

Doesn't it?

Have a look back up

at verse 5.

He's been talking

about their faith

and love

that spring from

the hope

stored up for you

in heaven

about which you've

already heard

in the true message

of the gospel.

For God's children

we're looking forward

where there will be

no struggles

and there will be

no trials.

But we've got to learn

patience.

It is coming.

And so we pray

for power

and strength

to be faithfully

following

and to do that

patiently.

And so we pray

again

how good it is

to pray

because as we pray

God gives.

Here's the prayer.

Father God

strengthen us

with your glorious

might

the power

that brought

the universe

into existence

and the power

that raised

Christ from the dead

so that we will

endure

in the face

of trials

and have patience

while we wait

for heaven.

Amen.

What a great prayer.

So we ask God

to fill us.

We ask to be

strengthened with power.

But are you sure

God is going to

give you what you

need?

Are you sure

that God our

Father will give you

all that we've been

praying for this

morning?

Well,

I think we can be.

A prayer

to be received

in thanks.

Look at verse 12.

He's been praying

for different things

and then he kind of

changes tack

and he bursts

into a prayer

of thanksgiving.

Verse 12.

And giving

joyful thanks

to the Father.

Why?

Because he has

qualified you

to share

in the inheritance

of his holy people

in the kingdom

of light.

What's the

greatest gift

you could

possibly have?

What do you

dream of

if you were

to receive

a gift?

Well,

if you are

a Christian,

you have

the greatest

gift that

you could

possibly ever

imagine.

You have

the gift

that trumps

every other

gift imaginable.

Did you see it

there in verse 12?

You share

in the

inheritance

of his

holy people.

people.

That

inheritance

is something

we have

now and

it will

be experienced

in all

its fullness

to come.

So what

will it be

like?

What is

this inheritance

going to look

like?

Well,

it's described

in the same

verse as

the kingdom

of light.

That is a

kingdom ruled

by God

where there

is no

darkness,

no sin,

no evil,

no wickedness,

no suffering,

no sickness.

It will be a

life with

Christ for

all eternity

who will

continue to

fill us with

joy and

peace never

ending.

It will be

our forever

home marked

by beauty

and harmony.

This is

God's gift

to you.

can you

think of

a better

gift you

could possibly

have?

This is

your

inheritance.

This is

what is

written for

you in

God's

will.

Now to

share in

this

inheritance

we have

to qualify

don't we?

So what

does that

mean for

me?

Do I

have to

achieve

some

certain

standard

of holiness

to kind

of somehow

get into

the

holy

joe

club?

Do I

have to

somehow

prove

myself

to God

that he

will

accept me?

What is it

I have to

do to

qualify for

this amazing

inheritance?

What do you

have to do?

Nothing

except

receive it

in faith.

Look at

verse 12.

Who's

qualified

you?

The

Father

who has

qualified

you.

The

Father

qualifies

us.

It's not

what we

do but

what God

has done

for us.

He tells

us what

he's done

for us.

Verse 13

He has

rescued

God

has

rescued

He's

rescued

us from

the dominion

the rule

of darkness

and brought

us into

the kingdom

of the

Son He

loves.

Transferred

from a

kingdom of

darkness

into a

kingdom of

light

a kingdom

of love

with His

Son

in whom

we have

redemption

set free

from our

past

our guilt

and shame

and receiving

the forgiveness

of sins.

You see

we were

lost in a

kingdom of

darkness

empty and

hopeless

bound to

the ruler

of this

dark kingdom

Satan

himself

enslaved

to a

life of

sin.

There was

no way

for us

to escape

or get

out of

this

dark

kingdom.

in fact

the Bible

tells us

that we

even had

no desire

to escape.

But God

takes the

initiative

and God

comes and

intervenes

into our

life

through His

Son

and He

rescues

us.

He

makes a

way so

we can

escape

and enter

into a

kingdom of

light.

Enter into

the kingdom

of the

Son He

loves.

He

takes us

from our

self-destructive

hell-bound

life and

gives us a

glorious

inheritance.

We receive

it in

thanks.

And so

we pray

again.

Father God

we thank

you that

you have

qualified us

to share

in your

glorious

inheritance.

Thank you

for rescuing

and redeeming

us and

forgiving us

of all

our sin.

We receive

your gift

with joyful

thanks.

Isn't that

amazing?

Which helps

us to see

that as we

come in

thanksgiving

it leads

to a

humble

confidence.

We receive

in thanks

thanks so

that we

can ask

confidently.

You see

he's not

just stopping

asking God

and then

suddenly going

into a

prayer of

thanks.

I think

it's a

prayer of

thanks to

help us

see that

we can

ask God

confidently.

You see

think of it

this way.

If God

has given

us the

greatest

gift ever

being

qualified to

share in

his

inheritance

how much

more

will he

give to

us all

that we

need as

we wait

for our

inheritance.

If our

inheritance is

guaranteed,

it's stored

up, it's

coming, you

will receive

it, how

much more

will he

give us

everything we

need while

we're waiting?

Or think of

it this way,

if God

gave us the

greatest gift

for which

we never

asked or

desired, but

he gave it

to you, how

much more

will he

give what

we do

need when

we humbly

ask?

If he

gave you the

greatest gift

and you

never asked

for it,

how much

more will

he give

you what

you need

today and

tomorrow

because we

humbly

ask?

you see

sometimes we

view God

like some

kind of

magic genie,

a God

who we

have to

desperately

try and

please and

with some

kind of

magic prayer

formula, we

prize out of

God's hands

the things

that we

want.

Repetition,

same prayer

over and

over again.

No, God

isn't like

that.

God is a

generous

Father who

always gives

to us what

is best.

He's not

tight-fisted

or mean-hearted.

Just have a

look back at

the end of

verse 2,

chapter 1,

the last

part of

verse 2.

This shows

us how

generous our

Father is.

Grace

and peace

to you

from God

our Father.

These are

the gifts

he gives

to his

children,

grace

and peace

and all

that we

need as

we wait

our

inheritance.

So we

come in

humble

confidence

knowing that

he will

always give

what is

right and

best.

So we

pray.

Father,

we humbly

ask that

you will

give to

us all

we need

as we

live the

Christian

life.

Please

fill us

with the

knowledge of

your will,

strengthen

us with

all power

so that

we

please

you

in

all

things.

We

receive

these

gifts

in

thanks.

What a

tremendous

prayer.

But you

know what?

This is a

prayer we

pray as

a church.

These

aren't just

individual

prayers.

Look back

at verse

9 there

with me.

He says,

we have

not

stopped

praying

for you.

Paul is

praying on

behalf of

the church.

He is

interceding

on behalf

of these

people.

So this

is a

prayer.

What we've

been looking

at is

our

encouragement

to pray

this prayer

for one

another.

So think

of it

like this.

Imagine

you're on

a plane

going off

to,

because it's

God's

will,

Paris.

Just

imagine.

You're

on a

plane and

suddenly you

experience a

loss of

cabin

pressure.

Immediately

those oxygen

masks just

pop down.

And if

you're sitting

beside someone

who can't

manage a

younger person

or for

whatever reason

they can't

put it on,

it's your

responsibility

to put that

mask on

them so

that they

can breathe.

Well,

aren't there

times when

we are so

overwhelmed

with the

pressures of

life.

Trials,

struggles,

and it

feels like

we've run

out of

oxygen,

we're

choking,

we're

suffocating,

we can't

cope,

we can't

even

pray.

So we

go to

someone and

we say,

will you

pray for

me?

will you

pray on

my behalf?

What a

great request

that we

are a

family,

brothers and

sisters,

who can

pray for

each other

so that

we can

ask God,

our generous

Father,

to give to

our brothers

and sisters

all that

we need.

Fill them

with the

knowledge of

your will,

strengthen

them with

your faith,

and give

them a

renewed

confidence

that they

too can

ask and

they will

receive.

Your

prayers

for

each

other

will help

them breathe

again.

This

week,

we're going

to gather

as a

church

family.

In your

notice sheet

at the

back of

it,

you'll

see the

timetable

there,

or if

you've

got the

book,

as Ralph

was pointing

out,

the different

occasions we

can gather

to pray.

And my

encouragement

to you,

as it is

to myself,

we're not

saying you'll

be there at

every prayer

event,

but just

highlight it,

mark it

off,

plan.

If you

don't plan,

it's not

going to

happen.

Come along

if you can't

be there at

the exact

time,

just come

soon after.

Come when

you can,

leave when

you have

to.

If you're

there for

10 minutes,

15 minutes,

that's fine.

Come when

you can,

leave when

you have

to.

And if

you find

praying

difficult,

and you're

not always

sure what

to pray

for,

so we'll

be using

these prayers

as a guide,

to be

praying for

the areas

of the

life of

the church,

the community

in which

we're in,

and our

mission

partners.

others.

So,

let's

use this

to pray

for one

another,

to pray

and ask

God that

he will

give to

us all

that we

need

as we

live the

Christian

life.

Well,

before we

sing,

let's

pray

together.

our

Father

God,

thank you

that you

are

generous

and

exceedingly

good,

and that

you

always

and only

give

the very

best

gifts

to your

children.

Thank you

for the

gift of

prayer,

that we

can come

and talk

to you

as we

are now,

and ask

you that

the power

you used

to bring

this world

into being,

the power

that raised

Christ from

the dead

and defeated

death

and gives

life,

that we

might have

that power

so that we

would please

you in

every way.

encourage

us to

be people

of prayer

for our

church

family,

especially

for those

who are not

able to

pray or

are going

through trials.

May we

pray on

their behalf,

knowing

that you

will give.

Thank you,

Father,

for teaching

us today.

Amen.

Well, we're

going to

sing.

What a

friend we

have in

Jesus.

He's with

us and

for us,

not against

us.

All our

sins we

can bring

and he

will forgive.

take

fire and

the