Sermon Tone Analysis

Though the cause of Evil prosper, yet’ tis truth alone is strong …

Truth for ever on the scaffold, Wrong for ever on the throne—

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,

Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

3 - 14 (ESV)

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.

He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossae location - Southern Asia Minor or modern day Turkey as we know it

Who - The Apostle Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Rome.

Remember he was allowed visitors and people to support his need.

He was basically under house arrest.

- Colossae location - Southern Asia Minor or modern day Turkey as we know it

- Who - The Apostle Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Rome.

Remember he was allowed visitors and people to support his needs.

He was basically under house arrest.

Date - 61-62 AD

- Date - 61-62 AD

· Why - Paul had a very deep love for those who had come to believe and he had heard great reports from Epaphras.

He wanted to encourage them and also give them evidence that some of the false teachings they were hearing were something they must guard against

- Why - Paul had a very deep love for those who had come to believe and he had heard great reports from Epaphras.

He wanted to encourage the Colossians and also give them evidence that some of the false teachings they were hearing were something they must guard against

· And again as I pointed out last week the main emphasis of the letter is Jesus Christ and his position as it relates to the universe and the church

Brief summary of Colossians

- And again as I pointed out last week the main emphasis of the letter is Jesus Christ and his position as it relates to the universe and the church

Last time we cover the introduction where Paul uses a Typical Greek opening to a letter where the one sending it is identified

-

Last time we cover the introduction where Paul uses a Typical Greek opening to a letter where the one sending it is identified at the beginning

We are introduced to Timothy.

We are introduced to Timothy.

Co-worker

Co-worker

Timothy had 2 letters written to him from Paul that are captured in the New Testament.

He was converted under the preaching of Paul and his mother and grandmothers were believers

Timothy had 2 letters written to him from Paul that are captured in the New Testament.

He was converted under the preaching of Paul and his mother and grandmothers were believers

There are many points in the 11 verses before us tonight.

There are 7 that I am going to cover over the next 2 weeks

There are many points in the 11 verses before us tonight.

Tonight we are going to cover 3 them that run throughout the entire book of Colossians.

There are 7 that I am going to cover over the next 2 weeks

I am hopeful for your encouragement by Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians in this first section.

Tonight we are going to cover 3 them that run throughout the entire book of Colossians.

I am hopeful for your encouragement by Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians in this first section.

1. Verse 3

a.

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”

v If your taking notes you want to write down 3 things

b.

This continues the greeting but also starts Paul’s expression of his thankfulness for the Colossians and a pray that continues through verse 14.

1) Compelling Faith

c. Very typical opening offered in the Greek letters of Paul’s day.

And follows a similar in most of the other 13 letters written by Paul

2) Compassionate or agape love

3) Confident Hope

d.

Paul gives thanks to God, He knows that it is God who saves and that no one came come to God without his drawing them.

1. Verse 3

e.

The always does not mean that Paul always prayed for the Colossians

1. Paul always give thanks to God when he prayed for the Colossians

b. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”

2. This seems obvious but there are commentators and others that would like us to believe that Paul prayed for all the churches in all the cities when he prayed

c.

This continues the greeting but also starts Paul’s expression of his thankfulness for the Colossians and a pray that continues through verse 14.

d.

Very typical opening offered in the Greek letters of Paul’s day.

And follows a similar pattern to most of the other 13 letters written by Paul

3. I cannot imagine Paul just had a list and went through it every time he prayed, I expect he was much more intentional about his prayer.

f.

There are some difference that I want to point out being and some of the openings of this epistle and his other epistles.

e. Paul gives thanks to God, He knows that it is God who saves and that no one came come to God without his drawing them.

1.

He gives mention to someone else.

“We” this most likely means Timothy like I mentioned before.

In Romans, 1st Corinthians, Philippians and Philemon Paul clearly says “I”.

It is highly unlikely that Paul ever used the plural to refer to himself.

1st and 2nd Thessalonians follows the same “we” and is a very clear indication Paul has a co-author or he has included those with him in his current situation who “thank God” with him

f.

The always in the verse does not mean that Paul always prayed for the Colossians

2. He prays in thanks to God for the people of Colossae who live the Gospel and are fruitful which he mentions later in this passage.

1. Paul always give thanks to God when he prayed for the Colossians

2. This seems obvious but there are commentators and others that would like us to believe that Paul prayed for all the churches in all the cities when he prayed

· We can see there are two things going on here.

3. I cannot imagine Paul just had a list and went through it every time he prayed, I expect he was much more intentional about his prayer.

· Prayer is the activity that Paul and his companions are participating in but they are also “giving thanks” in prayer.

· Paul was a very prayerful man and had I am sure he had many he prayed for, and this included these Colossians who he never meet face to face.

g.

There are some differences that I want to point out that exist between this epistle and some of the openings of his other epistles.

1.

He gives mention to someone else.

“We” this most likely means Timothy like I mentioned before.

In Romans, 1st Corinthians, Philippians and Philemon Paul clearly says “I”.

It is highly unlikely that Paul ever used the plural to refer to himself.

He never thought of himself as above others and considered himself the chief of sinners.

v Paul admonishes me in this simple line of his letter.

2. 1st and 2nd Thessalonians follows the same “we” and is a very clear indication Paul has a co-author or he has included those with him in his current situation who “thank God” with him for the other saints

· I am greatly deficient in this area and fail often to pray for others and for their growth in obedience and faith

3.

He prays in thanks to God for the people of Colossae who live the Gospel and are fruitful which he mentions later in this passage.