Derrick Trent - Thank God for his people! (full service)
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Let’s turn together
in our Bibles to
Colossians
chapter 1.
& were gonna read
verses 3-6.
Colossians 1:3-6.
& when you find that
in your Bible
pls stand for the reading
of God’s Word.
The title of today’s teaching is
Thank God!
In Colossians 1:3-6
The Scriptures say:
Colossians 1:3–6 (NIV)
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—
the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel
that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
You may be seated.
Are you thankful to God?
The phrase:
“Give thanks”
in connection w/
thanking God
appears over thirty times
in the Scriptures.
& in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
We’re encouraged to:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
God’s will for us
is that we give thanks
to Him in all circumstances.
God both desires & deserves
our gratitude.
In good times
& bad times.
On the mountains
& in the valleys.
In times of prosperity
& times of poverty
We always
have so much
for which
we can thank God.
& in our passage today
Paul reminds us
of at least three reasons
God’s ppl shld
Thank God!
PRAYER
Let’s pray.
Lord
We thank You
for Your Word—
Your truth.
As the Lord Jesus prayed
we pray now
make us holy
by Your truth—
As You give us both
the will
& the ability
to hear & obey the truth.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
Bfr we talk abt
Why we shld thank God
Let’s first look @
a lesson we learn
frm Paul’s prayer life.
Notice in Colossians 1:3
Paul says:
Colossians 1:3 (NIV)
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you...
Paul was
constantly praying to God
for God’s ppl.
Paul did not pray to
just any God.
Paul prayed to
the One True God—
The God & Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul was constantly praying
to God the Father
for God’s ppl.
& he says this
several more times
in this letter.
In Colossians 1:9
Paul says:
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
...since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives...
& in Colossians 2:1
Paul says:
Colossians 2:1 (NIV)
I want you to know how hard I am contending [in prayer] for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
Notice those words:
“We have not stopped praying for you;”
“We continually ask God;”
“I am contending in prayer for you;”
Paul knew the power of prayer.
So, Paul was always praying
for all God’s ppl.
Last week I pointed out that:
Paul told ppl
to watch him
& imitate His way of life
in Christ.
& a huge part
of Paul’s way of life
in Christ
was persistent prayer.
& if we’re gonna imitate
Paul’s prayer life
Then we need to do
What Paul says
in Colossians 4:2.
He says:
Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Do we fully understand
the importance
of staying watchful
in prayer?
Do we fully understand
What God cld
accomplish thru us
If we wld pray?
Prayer is powerful
Prayer changes things.
Prayer changes ppl.
When we can’t do anything else
We can always pray.
But that does not mean
prayer shld be
a last resort
Instead
prayer shld always be
our first response
to every circumstance.
Bcs the weakest member
of the church
becomes a mighty warrior
w/ the power
to move mountains
When we approach God’s
throne of grace in prayer.
This is why
James encourages us in
James 5:13–16 (NIV)
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
The prayer of the saints—
The prayer of a righteous person
is powerful
& effective.
Prayer has the power
to ease suffering.
Prayer has the power
to heal ppl
frm spiritual
& physical sickness.
Prayer has the power
to save us
frm our sins.
Every righteous person
has access to the
indescribable power
of prayer.
But we’ve gotta get past
the inescapable problem
w/ prayer
Prayer is not easy.
If prayer were easy
We wld have
no problem
Doing it.
We wld not need
these constant reminders
in the Scriptures to
Keep watching;
Keep praying;
Keep asking;
Keep seeking;
Keep knocking;
Prayer is not easy.
But who said
the Christian life
was supposed to be easy?
That’s certainly not
the message of the Scriptures.
Jesus said the road
that leads to life is narrow
& difficult.
& all who
want to be His disciples
must take up
our own cross
daily
& follow Him.
Like so many other practices
of the Christian life
Prayer—
Consistent
Deliberate prayer—
is not easy
bcs it takes discipline.
ILLUSTRATION
Like an athlete
Who devotes their life
to a certain sport;
& practices as much as possible
To bcm the best at it.
We must devote our lives
to the practice of prayer.
Paul put it this way
in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27
1 Corinthians 9:25–27 (NIV)
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Every professional athlete—
No matter the sport—
Any athlete who wants to
compete at the highest level
Must go into strict training.
Now
we’re not talking abt
recreational sports
or weekend warriors—
who play for fun.
We’re talking abt ppl
who dedicate themselves
to become the best athlete.
They’ve gotta sacrifice
to get to
that level.
They’ve gotta follow
A strict
Eating
training
& sleeping schedule.
They’ve gotta devote themselves
to conditioning
& practice.
Athletes discipline themselves
to show up
day in
& day out—
when they feel like it
& when they don’t.
When the sun in shining
& when it rains—
They show up
every day
to practice their sport
for hours.
No excuses.
No compromise.
The same is true
for anyone who
becomes great
at anything.
No matter how much
natural talent a person has
ppl only become great
By devotion;
& disciplined
daily practice.
APPLICATION
& the same is true
when it comes to
our prayer life.
If we want to be great
at prayer—
Which we shld all
want to be
bcs prayer is so powerful—
Then we must:
Devote ourselves
to prayer.
& we must discipline
ourselves
To the daily practice
of prayer.
No excuses.
No compromises.
We need to
set a strict schedule
for prayer.
& when we do
we’ll often find
when it comes time
to keep that schedule
our bodies will rebel.
Our flesh will wine
& cry & complain.
But we’ve gotta
beat our bodies
& make them our slaves.
We’ve gotta learn
to treat prayer
like it’s the most important
task we’ve gotta do
every day.
Bcs....
if we’re children of God
prayer is
the most important task
we’ll do every day.
That’s part of the priesthood
of all believers.
The kingdom of God
is a kingdom of priests.
& as a kingdom of priests
we’re called to
offer prayers
to God
on behalf of others.
So, let’s answer
that call:
Let’s devote ourselves
to prayer.
No matter the opposition
Let’s be devoted
& discipline ourselves
To be persistent in
Praying for
God’s ppl.
Praying for
our family & friends.
Praying for
our government leaders.
Praying for
the world.
Let’s dedicate ourselves
to approaching
God’s throne of grace
w/ confidence
several times a day.
& let’s expect God
to hear us.
Expect to find God’s grace
& mercy to help us
in our time of need.
Expect God
to change things
to change ppl
to change the world
Thru our prayers.
The Apostle Paul had
A prolific prayer life
that we all
shld imitate.
& part of Paul’s prayers
were an attitude
of gratitude to God
for God’s ppl.
Let’s look now
@ three reason
Paul gave thanks
for God’s ppl.
Three reasons we—
shld thank God
for His ppl.
[Transition: 1st
We shld thank God is...]
Thank God for the FAITH of God’s people. (1:4a)
Notice in Colossians 1:4
Paul says
He &Timothy thank God
Colossians 1:4 (NIV)
...because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus...
Paul was so thankful
Whenever anyone heard
the gospel of the kingdom;
& responded to the gospel
By putting their faith
in Christ Jesus.
That’s what all
of God’s ppl
shld want.
We shld want to see
the world
Come to faith in Christ.
But let’s talk abt
what that means?
What does it mean
to come to faith
in Christ Jesus?
First it means:
We need to be sure
We blv in
in the real Jesus.
Bcs there are
countless counterfeits
Floating around in “so-called”
Christian culture.
So many ideas
abt who Jesus is.
What Jesus is like.
& what Jesus expects
frm us.
But there’s only one
real Jesus.
The Church
& the Scriptures tell us
who Jesus is.
& we must blv He is
Who He claimed to be.
So, who did
Jesus claim to be?
He claimed to be
The Christ—
the Messiah;
He claimed to be
The Son of the living God;
He claimed to be
Our Lord
& Our Savior.
& Jesus did not just
Tell us who He is
He proved He is
Who He claimed to be
by rising frm the dead.
The real Jesus is:
The Anointed King
of God’s eternal Kingdom.
He’s the Divine-Human Son
of the Living God;
Our Lord & our Savior.
Those are
the facts abt Jesus—
that’s who
the real Jesus is.
But simply
believing those facts
abt Jesus
does not mean
we have come to faith
in Christ Jesus.
If we truly blv
That the resurrection of Jesus
Proves He’s
God’s Divine Son
& the Anointed King
of God’s kingdom
Then we will submit
to Jesus
& obey Jesus
as our King.
That’s what it means
To have faith
in Christ Jesus.
As Paul puts it
in Colossians 2:5-7
Colossians 2:5–7 (NIV)
...though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
The Christian faith
is built on
the firm foundation
that Jesus Christ
is Lord.
But we must not only
blv He is Lord
We must receive Him
as our Lord.
& then we must continue
to live the Christian life
Submitting to Jesus
as our Lord.
So, to have faith
in Christ Jesus means:
We recognize Jesus
Is the King
of God’s eternal kingdom.
We submit to Jesus
as the King of our lives.
& we strive to live
a disciplined life
thru God’s grace
as we obey
our King’s commands.
Paul was thankful to hear
That the Colossians
had that kind of faith
In Christ Jesus.
He thanked God for the faith
of God’s ppl.
& we shld too.
We shld thank God
When ppl:
Hear the gospel
of God’s kingdom;
& blv Jesus is
the King of that kingdom;
& receive Jesus
as their King;
They turn away frm
their lawless lives
& give Jesus full control
of everything.
We shld be thankful
bcs every time that happens
another precious person
Is Rescued frm
the kingdom of darkness;
& Relocated to
the kingdom of light;
Another precious person
is being recreated
In the image of God.
Another precious person
is freed frm
the addiction of sin
& is gvn the hope
of a new life now—
& of eternal life
in Christ’s eternal kingdom.
So, w/Paul
let’s thank God
For the faith of God’s ppl.
[Transition: & let’s also thank God
For a 2nd reason]
Thank God for the LOVE of God’s people. (1:4b)
In the 2nd part of
Colossians 1:4
Paul tells the saints at Colossae
that he & Timothy are thankful
Colossians 1:4 (NIV)
...because we have heard...of the love you have for all God’s people—
If we’re God’s children
We will have love
for all God’s ppl.
This is not
a natural love.
It’s a supernatural
love.
A love that’s produced
In the God’s children
By God’s HS.
As Paul says in
Colossians 1:8 (NCV)
[Epaphras] also told us about the love you have from the Holy Spirit.
When we’re born again
& become children of God
The HS
Fills us w/
the love of God.
He radically changes our hearts.
He cuts out
that heart of stone
& gives us a heart of flesh.
& that new heart
Beats w/ a deep love
for God’s ppl.
The ppl we once
had no desire
to be around
Become our dear
brothers & sisters
in Christ.
Ppl we used to hate
Are now ppl
we want to hug.
Ppl we used to avoid
are now ppl
we adore.
This is bcs
we all have
a supernatural love
gvn to us
frm the Spirit of God.
& like Paul
We ought to thank God
Every time we hear abt
The love
our brothers & sisters
in Christ
have for his ppl.
Bcs it’s God’s love
That drives his ppl
to pray for us.
It’s God’s love
That drives God’s ppl
to be patient w/ us.
It’s God’s love
That drives God’s ppl
To be kind
To be compassionate
& to do good to us.
It’s God’s love
that drives God’s ppl
to lay dwn their lives
for us.
& to treat us how they
want to be treated.
Every good thing
God’s ppl do
for one another
& for everyone else
we do
bcs of God’s love.
So, let’s Thank God
for the faith of God’s ppl
& the love of God’s ppl
[Transition: & finally
Let’s thank God
For a 3rd reason.]
Thank God for the HOPE of God’s people. (1:5-6a)
In Colossians 1:5
Paul describes
the faith & love
of God’s ppl as
Colossians 1:5 (NIV)
...the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven...
We all need hope
right now.
Your neighbor
needs hope.
Your coworkers
need hope.
Everyone you talk to
or see this week
needs hope.
& we Christians
can thank our God & Father
that He’s gvn us
a glorious hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s a living hope
in a living Lord & Savior.
A hope that’s
stored up for us
in heaven.
Paul tells us what this hope is
in Colossians 1:27.
Paul says our hope is
Colossians 1:27 (NIV)
...the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The hope of glory
Is the hope of the riches
God’s faithful ppl will inherit
in the glorious kingdom
of God’s Son.
We’ll share in the glory
of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Right now
as Christ lives in us
& among us
in the Church
We’re receiving some
of the riches
of the blessings
of Christ’s kingdom
in this present age.
But in the age to come
Our hope
will be fully realized.
When Christ appears in glory
We who are
faithful followers
of Christ
will also appear w/ Him.
& we’ll be like Him
bcs we will see Him
as He is.
When the kingdoms
of the world have become
the kingdom of our God
& of His Messiah
& He reigns for ever & ever
We who have
faithfully followed Christ
will reign w/ Him.
& our loved ones
who have gone on
to meet the Lord bfr us
will be there too.
We’ll all get
new & glorious bodies
that are like
Christ’s glorious body.
Those & many other blessings
Are part of the hope
of glory
we have in Christ.
& notice in Colossians 1:5:
Paul tells us:
Where we hear abt
this hope.
He says
This is the hope
Colossians 1:5–6 (NIV)
...about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.
The word gospel means
“Good news.”
God’s ppl
have good news
to tell the whole world.
Thru the message of the gospel
God calls everyone
To come out of
the kingdom of darkness.
To come out of
living a life that’s
ruled by Satan
& sinful passions
& ends in misery
& eternal death.
Come out of
that life of sin.
& enter into
& inherit the kingdom
of light—
The kingdom
of God’s Son.
In this kingdom
we find:
The only way
to a new life
in this world
& eternal life
in the world to come.
In the kingdom of God
Satan & sin
are no longer
our masters.
In the kingdom of God
our past is erased;
our sins taken away;
& we become a new person
w/ a new nature
when we’re united
w/ Christ in baptism.
In the Kingdom of God
As we learn to
love God
& love our neighbor as ourselves
by serving one another
we’re becoming
like God
in true righteousness
& holiness.
& we’re laying up treasures
for ourselves in a kingdom
That will last forever
in the coming age.
We see things
every day that remind us
how fragile the things
in this world are.
& how fragile
our own lives are.
Things ppl spend
many years building
can be wiped out
in a matter of minutes.
Our lives can be
cut short at anytime
& all our plans
in this world
will come to nothing.
So, building our lives on
& pinning our hopes to
the things of this world
is like building a house
of sinking sand.
It doesn’t take much
For it all
to come crashing dwn.
We need to be sure
We build our live
on a more sure hope.
We need a hope
that can never perish
Spoil
or fade.
& thank God
We have such a hope.
This hope is
stored up for us
in the kingdom of heaven.
Thank God
When Christ comes again
in glory:
We who
faithfully follow Jesus
will be richly rewarded
for everything
we did in the name
of the Lord.
That glorious hope is ours
Thru faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, as God’s ppl:
Let’s keep reminding ourselves
Our hope is not
in this world.
We’re citizens of heaven.
We’re seated w/ Christ
in heavenly places.
Our hope
is the hope of glory.
Our hope is
stored up for us in heaven
Where Christ is
Seated at the right hand
of God.
Our hope is that when Christ
Who is our life appears
We also will appear w/Him
in glory.
& what a glorious day
That will!
Thank God
For the HOPE of God’s ppl.
CONCLUSION
As we close:
We facem
many difficult days
in this world.
But as God’s ppl
Let’s not allow ourselves:
To bcm disillusioned.
Or discouraged.
Or discontent.
Let’s turn our attention
away frm the fleeting
things we can see.
& focus on
the forever things
we cannot see.
Let’s focus on
giving thanks
to God.
Thank God
For the faith of
God’s ppl.
Thank God
For the love
of God’s ppl.
Thank God
For the hope
of God’s ppl.
For those
& a million more reasons
Let’s follow Paul’s pattern
& let’s continue
to Thank God.
PRAYER
Let’s all stand
for prayer.
Father
we have so much
to be thankful for.
Everything we have
is a gracious gift
frm the hands
of a good Father.
In a world that is
so dark
help us to keep our eyes
on the light.
To walk in the light
& be a witness
to the world.
The Lord’s Blessing:
May the Lord
Bless you
& protect you.
May the Lord
Make His face shine on you
& be gracious to you.
May the Lord
Turn His face toward you
& give you His peace.
In Jesus name…Amen.