Power in the Pulpit | Colossians 1:1–14

Introduction

Paul’s Calling (Verses 1-2)

Verse 1

Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

The word apostle means one sent out. In the New Testament it is often used as somebody that saw the risen Christ and had been sent out by Him.

There are no apostles today.

Paul did not see the risen Christ as other apostles did, but saw a vision that stopped him in his tracks.

by the will of God

Exposition: Paul was stopped on the road to Damscus while going to try and stop the spread of Christianity. He didn’t know he would become the greatest missionary of all time.

Application: We don’t ever know what God has in store. It is truly up to Him.

Verse 2

Exposition: The word saints means Holy Ones. To be Holy is to be set apart. It is to be different. Paul is acknowledging that those that belong to Christ Jesus that make up the church are set apart and faithful. The word brother is really just a term that means anyone that is a part of the family of God.

Transition: We see Paul starts out by identifying who he is. He also humbly shows that he has the authority to write these things and to be listened to. It is not by his will, but by God’s. Once he does this, he goes into the body of the letter.

Thankfulness for other believers (3-8)

Verse 3

Exposition: Paul doesn’t say sometimes thank God and he doesn’t say if we remember to pray for you. He is saying we always give thanks and we regularly pray for you.

Application: Right away Paul is setting a standard. He and his associates regularly pray for these believers. How often are we praying for one another? How often do you pray for other teenagers that are walking with Christ in this hostile world.

Verse 4

Exposition: Paul has never visited or met these believers. This wasn’t a church Paul started. But yet he has heard of their great faith. Their faith in Christ and the love that they have for one another is so great that Paul is hearing about it in the Roman prison he is sitting in.

Application: What would it look like for the Maynard Baptist Church youth group to be known in this way. What if the people at Monroe County Middle school and Mary Persons High School knew that the people of Maynard Baptist Church loved Jesus and loved other people. what a testimony that would be. But the only way that is going to happen is if our focus is beyond this world.

Verses 5-8

Exposition: The reason they are living this way they are is because they have place their hope in heaven. Their focus isn’t in earthly rewards, but on what is coming in the next life.

Application: If our focus is on what is going to come in this world, our motives become selfish. We will find ways to do what is best for us and limit the amount of hard or turmoil we receive. We may not take up for the person being bullied because we want to be popular now. We may not tell people about Jesus because we are worried about what people will think in the present. We may not be willing to go on a mission trip or sacrifice time to do things for God because it impacts what we are doing now. But if our focus is on heaven we don’t worry about that because we are focused on what is to come.

Exposition: This hope is what the people of Colossae had heard about and had changed their lives. But this whole world is hearing. The gospel at this point had spread from Jerusalem to Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy and likley into Egypt, North Africa and Persia as well. As far as they had knowledge of the world, there were people there who were turning to Christ.

Application: Who’s your one exercise. The world was being changed through personal evangelism.

Exposition: The believers had heard in this way from Epaphrus.

Explanation: Paul’s strategy and how it worked.

Exposition: And Paul isn’t just giving a history lesson, he is speaking of his thankfulness

Transition: So Paul is thankful for the faith that the believers in Colossae have. He is thrilled that the gospel is spreading the way it is. But he also understands the reality of being a believers and the challenges that come with it. So he changes his focus.

Prayer for other believers (9-14)

Verse 9

Paul is praying through for them. Not letting it fade over time.

He understands that to do the things of God, people must know and understand the things of God.

Verse 10

Walk means way of life.

Verse 11

The power to do the things of God

Endurance-refusal to be daunted by hard times

patience- refusal to be upset by perverse people

Verse 12

Continuing to give thanks that this is even an option for the believers

Verse 13-14

domain is authority or power. Christ has brought us into His kingdom

It was done because we have been redeemed. Word means liberated or delivered. Have received forgiveness of sins.