Colossians 2:1-7
Prison Letters Colossians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.
Struggle: Wrestle
When I hear the word wrestle it has a totally different meaning. I wrestled from 6th grade through 2 years of college. I was reflecting on some of my matches. Some matches were easier than others.
If you wrestled a guy that was not very tough we would call him a fish. That is they would just flop around like a fish.
My senior year I think I only lost two matches the whole year. So senior night I had a fish and I was showing out in front of the crowd. Not good.
My state tournament I lost in the quarter finals in a tough match. Then in my third place match in the final seconds he was taking me down and I reversed him for two points to take 3rd. It was a tough match.
So when I hear the word wrestle then it takes on some real meaning. To wrestle is to struggle to press on to push through.
Paul says I want you to know how great a struggle or wrestle I have for you.
This is powerful prayer. This is an image of someone who won’t let go of God in prayer.
He is wrestling in prayer for them. He is struggling for them.
Those who stick around on Wednesday nights after everything is over and all buses are in we spend time in prayer. Some Wednesday nights we are thankful and other nights in our prayer we are wrestling or struggling for the students that were just present.
The forces of darkness don’t want us to pray. They try to disrupt prayer.
Paul says I wrestle for you and those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me in person.
Arch Bishop Michael Ramsey
A journalist asked him how long he had spent in prayer that morning. Michael Ramsey responded, “About 5 minutes but it took me 30 minutes to get through”.
2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery —Christ.
Encouraged/Comforted:
Means to have courage infused in you
Comfort:
Is the latin way of saying that same thing: to be made strong
2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery —Christ.
We as humans have the capacity to infuse strength and courage into one another. It’s also important to recognize that we are designed for community.
There are times when we need one another. We need to be comforted and encouraged by each other.
Joined together in love.
So that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery - Christ
I am still in awe of Jesus from Chapter 1. (V.15-20)
3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.
All the treasures
Think about a pioneer or explorer who finds a treasure map that has been left behind. They then go and seek to find the treasure that has been hidden. They search and explore.
We have the map. Search and seek.
(Seeker culture in disciple making)
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him (Jesus)
Knowledge is the apprehension of truth; wisdom is its application to life
Seek truth. Seek truth in scripture.
Wisdom is the application of this truth to life.
The truth you discover in the scripture is applied to life.
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.
Grounded in truth and using wisdom to apply it to life and saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments
or
fine-sounding arguments
I think these arguments are not easy to discern. I think the enemy sneaks its way into these spaces.
They are half truths
They have elements of truth in them but they twist the truth.
I think with the age of podcast and youtube videos people are constantly majoring in the minors and working to use this persuasive arguments to distract and divide.
5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.
Paul was not present with them. Why?
He is in Prison so he can’t be with them but he is with them in Spirit. That is through the Holy Spirit he is united with them although can can’t be physically present with them.
He rejoices with how well ordered they are
The idea of soldiers in orderly form. Reminds me of the color guard coming out during the National Anthem. They are orderly and their steps are in order.
and
The strength of your faith in Christ.
He is encouraging them and I love this. I was thinking again about our church and Wednesday night outreach.
I feel like the same could be said for how Wednesday nights work. I am rejoicing in how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.
Last week, boys riding bus and walking home
Altercation after church two weeks ago.
Bus situation
Bus breaking down
Small group leaders
6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.
You have received Christ Jesus, Walk in Him
Stop trying to do it on you own.
Walk forward in Jesus.
move forward in Him
Live out Jesus in your flesh.
Rooted:
Bermuda Grass can go 30’ feet into the ground
Built up
Some garden and temple language here that points us to the New Heavens and New Earth with Jesus for ever in Revelation 21.
