Colossians Part 1

I. Introduction

A. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall as Paul wrote those heartfelt, power filled letters to the churches. Under house arrest Paul wrote to a church he didn’t personally know, the church at Colossae.

B. Context -

Paul writing to this young church to battle some heresy that was attacking the nature of who Christ was. It was a mixture of greek mysticism, philosophy, and Jewish legalism.

On top of that the city will endure an earthquake in the near future that would destroy everything. The Holy Spirit knew the Colossians needed supreme focus on the supreme being to endure.

C. Paul believed, if we just get our theology right concerning Christ, and put Him first, the rest of our lives would follow.

QUESTION: What would come of our lives if Christ was really supreme? What areas of your life is Christ not center and first? What if we had supreme focus?

I want you to imagine you are writing this to your children or grandchildren who will have to withstand false teaching about Jesus (just a good prophet, not the only way to God) and a natural disaster. What would you say?

D. Prayer of Paul for the Colossians….1:9-14 - This wasn’t just a greeting, this prayer was the work of Paul to set a spiritual climate for growth!

E. Filled to be Fruitful - 1:9 - He prayed for them to be filled with a deep knowing of Christ through wisdom and understanding that comes from Holy Spirit.

“Understanding” - Revelation of who Jesus is! (ie. He was the most non-anxious person in the room.)

“Wisdom” - How to live out that revelation in character and action. (ie. We don’t react in the flesh but respond in the Spirit.)

Disciple of Jesus - Be with Him, Become like Him, Do what He did.

II. Prayer for Supreme Fruit

A. Prayer for Growth - 1:10 - This is both growing in Christ’s nature and His work of making disciples.

Fruit is visible. (James 2:18)

Fruit reflects the nature of the tree. (Matthew 7:16-20, Matthew 12:33)

Fruit exists for someone else’s benefit. (Galatians 5, 2 Corinthians 4:15)

B. Prayer for Strength - 1:11

Strengthened with all power according to His might.

“Power” - the power He put in you to perform a deed. Invading supernatural power like what raised Jesus.

“Might” - His ultimate power over the cosmos. The ability to hold the universe in perfect balance.

So that you have great..

“Endurance” - walk through the chaos of fallen context.

“Patience” - all the while bearing with other’s weaknesses.

Think of Jesus on the sea of Galilee with enduring peace in the storm and patient with the lack of faith around him. (Matthew 8:23-27, Matthew 14:22-33)

C. Prayer of Thankful Joy - 1:12

No matter how chaotic it gets; the pressure from culture to change Jesus or natural disasters, you have an inheritance and you belong to the Kingdom.

Stay above the circumstance with the one who makes the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:10 (NIV) 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times,”

Jesus will bring his kingdom fully and there will be a new heaven and earth where we will rule as a kingdom of priests.

III. Conclusion and Invitation

A. Pray through the Passage