Closing Season: A Prayer for the Church

Closing Season, Message One

Colossians 1:9-14.

ETS: Paul prayed that the Colossians believers would walk worthily of God.

ESS: I want the hearers to know my heart: that they walk worthily of God.

OSS: [MO: Ethical] {SO: I want the hearers to be assured of my prayers for them.} Cognitive: I want the hearers to know that I am praying for them, as Paul prayed for the Colossians. Affective: I want the hearers to feel my heart towards them and the desire I have for their spiritual growth. Psycho-motor: I want the hearers to commit to living lives worthy of the Gospel.

PQ: What are the specifics of Paul’s Prayer?

UW: Specifics

Intro.: “What He’s done; what He’s done; all the glory and the honor, to the Son- my sins are forgiven; my future Is Heaven- I praise God, for what He’s done” (Passion)

Breakdown of COL: Early parts establish the belief and doctrine for believers: their identity and who they are in Christ; the second half establishes what the believers are to do and how they are to live in response to who they are in Christ.

TS: Let us examine together the specifics of Paul’s prayer for the Colossians now:

NOTICE: Before studying the specifics of Paul’s prayer, let us examine a contextual observation: Paul opens verse 9 with, “For this reason also”- which causes the readers to ask, “for what reason?” Paul is praying on behalf of the believer’s hope found in Jesus that spurred them on to faith in Jesus and love for one another.

Paul prayed that God would grant the believers spiritual wisdom.(Vv. 9-11a)

So that the believers might walk worthily of the Lord, fully pleasing Him:

Bearing fruit in every good work

growing in the knowledge of God

being strengthened with all power (according to God’s might, not man’s)

So that the believers might have great endurance and patience

I pray that God would grant to you spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you might grasp the purpose behind your life and salvation. The knowledge of God is followed by the works of God.

Paul prayed that the believers would give thanks to God for what He had done. (Vv. 12-14)

God has enabled believers the sharing in the inheritance of the light- eternally.

He has done this by rescuing believers from the domains of darkness

He has done this by transferring them/delivering them/returning them to the Kingdom of Jesus.

Jesus provides redemption and forgiveness.

I pray that you would give thanks to God because He has enabled you to experience eternity through Jesus- through whom He rescued you from darkness and brought you into His Kingdom- giving redemption and forgiveness.

CONCLUSION:

[1] I want you to live a life worthy of God. What hinders you?

[2] I want you to give thanks to God for what He has done. What hinders you?