BLESSINGS OF THE BODY

Colossians 1:1–8 NKJV

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

Main Idea: God saved you to be a part of a body of believers.

Key Question: Are you active with a local church?

1. Notice the blessing of spiritual leaders. (v. 1, 7)

Colossians 1:1 NKJV

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Colossians 1:7 NKJV

as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,

2. Notice the blessing of seasoned saints praying. (v. 3)

Colossians 1:3 NKJV

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NKJV

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

Ephesians 3:14–19 NKJV

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

3. Notice the blessing of saved believers. (v. 4-5)

Colossians 1:4–5 NKJV

since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NKJV

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

4. Notice the blessing of serving family. (v. 6-8)

Colossians 1:6–8 NKJV

which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.