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Prayer
(Week four of the clampdown due to the Corona Virus)
Colossians 1:3-13
April 19th 2020
Recorded April 14h 2020
Okay, well we left off at verse 3 last week which read
Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Let’s continue on and read from four to sixteen where Paul say
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Alright, let’s jump back to verse 4 where Paul, after giving thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ says:
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
We just read in verses 7-8 that that Epaphras was the one who had informed Paul of the steadfastness of their faith and love which supports this line where Paul says since we heard of “your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have to all the Saints.
“Faith, Hope and Love” are fundamental principles in the Christian walk and for this reason we frequently read of them used together in different epistles.
1st Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
1st Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Of course, Paul says at the end of his epistle on Love:
1st Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
We walk by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us.
We love God and others in the ways that he command, and we have our hope on what is to come as His Sons and Daughters.
These believers at Colosse, according to Paul, had faith in Jesus Christ and had love for “all the saints.”
In these things nothing could be more of a compliment than having faith (the first order of a Christian) and then evidencing that faith in and through the love they had for all the other believers.
Paul then adds at verse 5:
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
In my estimation the first two produce the third, meaning:
In the presence of faith and love there is hope. In the absence of faith and love, there is no hope, or no expectation of a future in the Kingdom of God.
Paul adds at verse 6 and speaking of the Gospel:
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
When Paul says that this Gospel that has come unto them, “as it is in all the world,” the Greek word for world is kosmos, and he means the entire globe here.
In other words, this hope nor the gospel did not come to the Nation of Israel only, but to everyone the world over and it “bringeth forth fruit, as it does also in you, since the day you heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.”
Whenever the grace of God comes to the heart of a person or people the natural result is fruit in their lives, presented as faith, and love.
Paul tells the Colossians that since the day that they hard of this news, and knew of the grace of God, they, like the world when it receives it, brought forth fruit.
This is the end-game of the Gospel – fruit from those who have received it. And that fruit is summarized in one word – love. Agape love.
No love, no faith. No faith, no hope. No hope, no fruit of the Spirit, manifested in
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance . . .
Paul says that the believers at Colosse began to bear such fruit, “since the day they heard of the grace of God. (verse 7)
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
It seems evident that Epaphras was a minister of the church at Colosse – perhaps even a founder of the faith there.
Paul says here “that they had learned from Epaphras the true nature of the gospel,” and he appears to confirm both what he had taught them which directly show apostolic support for it.
By Paul referring to Epaphras as “Our dear fellow-servant,” he is not only giving his endorsement of him but he is also showing that they had a friendship with each other.
There is no proof of this but there is conjecture that there was a group in the church at Colosse that was opposed to Epaphras and the doctrines which he preached.
If so, Paul’s strong expression of support would go a long way to silence the opposition. Verse 8
8 Who (speaking of Epaphras) also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Which we have talked about – however love in the Spirit is different than familial or eros or philos love – it is the love of God that was being expressed among them – which is the love of Christianity at its best. So Paul adds at (Verse 9)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
And once again we are given a set of passages that help us see, as Christians today, what the Apostle Paul prayed and desired for the believers in His day to possess and procure.
What was it that he desired and did not cease praying for them over? Verses 9-13 lays it out for us – and they offer us a really sound template:
Let’s look at these verses as Paul says that his desire would be that “they might be”
filled with the knowledge of his will.
In all wisdom
And spiritual understanding
THAT (verse 10)
They might walk worthy of the Lord
Unto all pleasing
Being fruitful in every good work
And increasing in the knowledge of God
And (verse 11)
Strengthened with all might
According to his glorious power
Unto all patience
And longsuffering
With joyfulness
(verse 12)
Giving thanks unto the Father
Who has made us partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light
(verse 13)
Who has delivered us from the power of darkness
And has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
Those are some amazing words. So, let’s walk through each of these a bit as they sort of create a model.
Having already said that they had proved their propensity for faith and love and hope, Paul builds upon this foundation and says that he prays and desires that they will also be
1. filled with the knowledge of his will.
2. In all wisdom
3. And spiritual understanding
These things mentioned are all in the mind and heart of a regenerated believer by the Spirit.
Filled with the knowledge of His will.
In all WISDOM
And Spiritual understanding.
This is where is all happens with spiritual maturation – by the spirit and on the mind and will and soul of the believers.
I mean what a place to find ourselves in, right? First, to be “Filled with the knowledge of his will.”
Part of our problem sometimes is really knowing what the will of God is in our lives – to understand what he wants for and from us. So, what a blessing to be filled with the knowledge of His will, right? Then . . .
In all wisdom – even better!
It’s one thing to know the will of God but it is an all together different thing to pursue and accomplish it with wisdom, which is defined as knowledge applied.
And not just in all “knowledge of his will applied” but Paul adds, “and in all spiritual understanding.”
What a prayer and desire for others! When I think about it, I don’t think there exists a better desire for others than that they would know the will of God in their lives, with all wisdom and all spiritual understanding! That is a greater prayer than if we were to pray that they have perfect health and great wealth!
For our brothers and sisters, our family and friends to be filled with a knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
So, there is the blessing that Paul desires for them. But to what end? He tells us now, saying:
THAT (verse 10)
They might walk worthy of the Lord
Unto all pleasing
Being fruitful in every good work
And increasing in the knowledge of God
This first line, “that they might walk worthy of the Lord” seems to be sort of the thesis statement and then he explains what that looks like in the remaining three descriptions.
Paul said in Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
He wrote in 1st Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
See, Christians have a call on their lives, as we read in 2nd Timothy 1:9
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
So, there is the desire that we, in wisdom and spiritual understanding, walk worthy of this call, knowing the will of the Lord in our lives.
The word “worthy” really means “appropriately,” which of course is relative to what God wants – that we walk appropriately to what God wants in our lives, meaning what are appropriate actions and responses to His desires for our lives.
I suspect, because of the presence of the holy Spirit in our lives that we all know when we are walking in accordance to our vocation in Him and when we are walking the wrong direction.
But Paul takes the time to describe what walking worthy looks like, adding three key elements:
Unto all pleasing
Being fruitful in every good work
And increasing in the knowledge of God
So, if you want a description from scripture of what it looks like to walk worthy or appropriately before the Lord, Paul tells us right here, and says its:
Unto all pleasing
Being fruitful in every good work
And increasing in the knowledge of God
“Unto all pleasing” means fully pleasing to the Lord. And so, we ask ourselves, if Jesus were with us, if God was looking down on us, what personal attributes would be fully pleasing to Him.
From scripture we are told that God loves in his humans:
Humility
Contrition
Lack of pride and arrogance
Kindness and mercy
All the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit
Things that are not of this world
Love
So, with these characteristics in place, Paul adds:
“Being fruitful in every good work.”
The idea of fruit bearing in every good work is spelled out really well in John 15 where Jesus says:
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
And then the summary verse that is so important:
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
To be fruitful in every good work, to me, is another way of saying that in all the good labors we engage in we seek to be fruitful, meaning, “we seek to bear the fruit of the Spirit in the midst of our good labors.”
In other words, its one thing to build a house for an indigent family, but if during the construction people are bitter and backbiting and mean and gossipy, then the fruit of the Spirit is not manifest – which is the fruit God desires from his children. Get it? So . . .
Unto all pleasing
Being fruitful in every good work
“And increasing in the knowledge of God.”
I am so grateful that Paul (by the spirit) added this to what the call is on the life of the believer as a means to walk worthy of our vocation.
Jesus himself said it best when we said in John 17:3:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
To know someone implicitly describes a number of things that are occurring during the process of the knowing:
There is time spent,
There is communication,
There is observance,
Information is exchanged
Trust is created
And a genuine relationship is had.
When all of these things are present between a person and God, when there has been an increasing knowledge of Him in our lives, there is faith in God, there is love for God, there is hope in Him and His promises, and therefore there is the ability to grow as an individual – by and through this genuine relationship.
God appears to be really pleased with those who desire to understand what he is; what he does; what his purposes are and what he commands.
This knowing comes by and through all those things I mentioned above but it really happens for us when we study His word by the Spirit as it reveals him in this way more than any other means.
At this point Paul adds to the list and says at verse 11:
(verse 11)
Strengthened with all might
According to his glorious power
Unto all patience
And longsuffering
With joyfulness
So “strengthened with all might.” This seems to be the object of Paul’s earnest prayer – that the saints at Colosse in and through all that we have talked about, would be strengthened for the performance of their Christians duty there; to meet temptations and to bear up under the various trials of their lives
“According to his glorious power.”
In other words, not through the arm of their flesh and not through by any human means of the will but by the power of God.
As human beings we can all do some pretty wonderful and powerful things, can’t we? Social media proves that human beings (made in his image and therefore equipped) are capable of some amazing feats of mind, athleticism, creativity, science, engineering, and art.
But the Christian seeks to do things according to his (God’s) glorious power, and Paul adds, “Unto all patience and longsuffering.”
See, when we look to and lean on God’s glorious power, we are automatically placed in a place requiring patience and longsuffering – because the recourse to fix things, and retaliate for things, is shut down. Because we are looking and waiting on Him and His power, right?
And so, Paul is wise in connecting God’s glorious power to patience and long suffering.
And joyfulness – which is another demand on our lives – to wait patiently and joyfully on the Lord to act.
Now Paul adds at verse 12-13:
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
We note that the “thanks” is given unto the father. Why? Paul tells us, and says:
“. . . which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
I think it’s fitting that Paul writes of Giving thanks to the Father. This is not the first time nor will it be the last.
From what I can tell, the scripture always instructs believers to give thanks to God the father in Jesus name and I had trouble coming up with an instance where people are instructed to thank Jesus in God’s name.
We recall that the chapter here opened up with Colossians 1:3 reads;
“We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Ephesians 5:20 says: Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
We will read in Colossians 3:17
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
1st Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Giving thanks to the Father is another mode by which we may “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.”
Here, however, the particular point which Paul makes is that thanksgiving was warranted because
the Father . . . which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: and (verse 13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
It is interesting that scripture points out the Father has done this. In other words, in verses 12-13 Paul addresses the thanks due to the Father for what he has done, and then in verse 14 -16 he shifts and speaks of Christ and what He has done.
But these first two verses (13-14) are first directed at giving thanks to the father, which, Paul says
“hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”
The word used here (translated meet) better means, “has made us sufficient, to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.”
The word sufficient conveys the idea of having sufficient or enough to accomplish anything. And the verb is not found anywhere else in the New Testament.
In the end, I think this word speaks directly to God, through the loving works of His Son Jesus Christ, who has made us sufficiently acceptable or fit for the kingdom he will soon describe.
God has done this, not ourselves, God – and he is to be thanked.
He has made us “sufficient to be partakers of the inheritance” an inheritance set forth for those who are His, who have relationship with Him, who have desired him. This inheritance for His heirs is located in or with the inheritance of the Saints of Light.
His Kingdom, where God and Christ dwell, where there is no day or night or sun or moon, as God and Christ are the light of it is this inheritance.
He has made all of us sufficient to inherit that Kingdom of the saints in light. In verse 13 Paul calls this “the Kingdom of His dear Son,” or more fully,
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
This is a kingdom of light, as opposed to the kingdom of darkness in which they and we formerly were.
That kingdom of His dear son exists literally as the New Jerusalem on high but radiates here in the hearts and minds of those who are His.
In the East, and particularly in the Persian Empire, which is todays Iran, there prevailed early the belief that there were two great kingdoms in the universe–that of light, and that of darkness.
We find traces of this opinion in the Scriptures, where the kingdom of God is called “light,” and that of Satan is called “darkness.”
These are, of course, figurative expressions utilized all through holy writ but they convey important truth.
Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of holiness, knowledge, happiness; and all these are found in the kingdom over which God presides, and of which Christians are the heirs.
Accordingly, we find the word light often used to describe this kingdom – and even God Himself.
We read in 1st John 1:5 that God “is light, and in him is no darkness at all,”
In 1st John 1:5; of Christ, that he is “the light of man,”
In John 1:4; that he is “the true light,”
Joh 1:9; that he is “the light of the world,”
The angels of that kingdom are “angels of light,” 2Co 11:14.
And those who compose that kingdom on earth are, according to Luke 16:8 1st Thessalonians 5:5 “the children of light,”
And all of the descriptions of that kingdom in heaven represent it as filled with light and glory, (Isa 60:19; Re 21:23; 22:5.)
Again, God, according to Paul and to whom we give thanks, has
delivered us from the power of darkness
And has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
As opposed to light, darkness is the emblem in scripture that belonged to the kingdom of Satan. It’s characteristics are displayed in the properties of
sin;
error;
ignorance;
disease;
death;
misery;
woe;
blindness;
and hell (or the covered place)
It had control over that former age, and the kingdom of darkness continues to have reign over those who have not come into His glorious light.
Outside the New Jerusalem are realms of dark, as described by the parable of the King and the wedding feast, and Paul rejoices over the fact that the Colossians had been delivered from such darkness and into the Kingdom of His marvelous light, which he synonymously refers to as:
The kingdom of His (God’s) dear son.
At this point, though we will not cover these verses today, Paul begins to speak of God’s dear son, and says:
Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
We will stop here but obviously have some excellent verses to talk about next week here in Colossians.
Hey if you enjoy learning the word of God with us and know of a seeker or two who might be interested in the same, pass our info on to them. And thank you.
PRAYER
