Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity

Colossians 1:9-14

Grace Mercy and Peace be to you my brothers and Sisters in Christ, we are quite blessed in our nation that the Lord has seen fit to grant to us the protections that we enjoy that ensure even before our freedom of speech, that the state will not seek to establish any religion. This right has been defended by men and women who have served in our Armed Forces and we give thanks to God, for they are God’s Servants serving not only on behalf of the nation but carrying out a Godly and Good duty to serve their neighbors.

We can forget how blessed we are to live in a nation like ours that from its founding wished to protect the right to religion that all mankind is naturally born with. Now this freedom brought different struggles than our forefathers had faced over in Europe, or those who lived in countries that will not tolerate Christianity, and for that we our Epistle lesson serves as a reminder to us of the importance of knowing our faith and growing in the knowledge of God’s will that we ought to avail ourselves of this opportunity while we can to serve our neighbors as well.

So if you take out your bulletin insert and look there at the first line there

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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

Now will notice that St. Paul has this prayer for the Church in Colossae that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s Will, not just in some, but in all spiritual understanding. This is because the knowledge that comes from God builds up the Church of Christ and strengthens it. For the more we know about what God has done for, we will move further and further away from sin which brings death, and cling to the work of Christ alone. This is a desire that He has not just for this church here but for all Christians.

Now Paul is not the first to pray this for the Church. Paul is merely echoing the Prayer that Christ prayed for the Church as well. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He prayed this.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

It is only when we are united in the Word that we are one, and that is why Christians have learned and treasured the Word of God, for then we have not only united with each other here at the local level, but we are united with Christ. This is why Paul prays this for the Congregation in Colossae, and why Jesus prays this for all believers even you, that you might filled with the knowledge of God’s will and wisdom and understanding. For when one is filled with that what comes next?

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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;

You cannot bear fruits in keeping with repentance without knowing the will of God. For how can you even know what is right, if you don’t know the Word? It is impossible. For the Scriptures themselves tell us that apart from faith, no one does good in God’s sight. This is why Christians go back to the Word and treasure it and keep it with them that way the Word isn’t just left on a shelf. They carry it with them, in their hearts, and in their minds as they study and learn the Word and meditate on the Word

Now I am going to use a word that a lot of people don’t like, but before you say its impossible, or I’m bad at it, or too old or too young that is not the case. The only reason you believe you are bad at it is because you are unpracticed, and because you are unpracticed, you find it difficult. But if you’ve learned a new song, new name, or remember who won the game between the chiefs and the packers, you can memorize. Don’t start big, start small, with a short verse, even the shortest verse and see the blessings that come from meditating on it.

John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

What does it mean that the Son of God wept at the death of his friend? What does it show you about His love for His neighbor, and that He wept at the death of His friend Lazarus, what does it mean when Jesus calls you His friend. Does He not also care for you? Understanding this will help you bear fruit in every good work.

Then the next verse

English Standard Version Chapter 1

being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;

For you will notice that it is not saying that we become strong on our own, or that the strength comes from within us, but we are being strengthened according to His might, for all endurance and patience with joy. Now what about our verse, “Jesus wept” how does it strengthen us? Jesus isn’t against us, but He joined us in our sorrows and our sufferings and wept with us, He came to rescue us, and save us. See there the Son of God weeping as He works to make all things new, that He has not forgotten us, or rejected us, but He suffers on our behalf that we might be free. He weeps not just for Lazarus, and the world, but for you.

He sheds these tears even knowing that His friend will live again. Now how does this strengthen us? When we shed tears waiting for Christ to raise the bodies of those we love? To close our eyes in death knowing that He will bring us through it? It will be Christ who brings them out of the grave. It grants to us endurance in trials and joy knowing that we are not alone the Son of God is with us.

Then look here at the very next verse

English Standard Version Chapter 1

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Why wouldn’t you want to give thanks to God when you consider what He has done for you. It is that great love that Jesus had for Lazarus and for all creation that caused Him to give up His life that the inheritance of Eternal life might be yours in Christ. For you are an heir in the household of God and you will inherit what is meant for the saints, not by what you have done or accomplished, but because the Father has declared you worth on account of the Son.

Now I would ask you to take out a pencil and underline these next two verses on your sheet. Where it starts “He has delivered us”

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.

It is not only the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, who has love for you it is also the Father in heaven, and His love for you has brought you out of the domain of darkness and into the Kingdom that Christ prepared. Now what is that domain of darkness? Is it talking about the end of Daylight Savings time? Because it is dark at 5 o’clock now. No. The domain of darkness is the kingdom of the sin, death, and the power of the devil.

You have been delivered and brought from death to life, because of what we have in the Son of God. For Jesus who wept out of love for Lazarus, and all mankind out of His great love for us freed us from the Kingdom of the Devil where we were slaves unto death and that we might have a home in his Kingdom. So that we might be with Him, He forgave all of your sins and paid off the debt that you owed to God, and has given to you a share in the inheritance of the saints which is a place in paradise.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, I would urge you this week to keep this insert with you and to meditate upon this word, and read it again and again, and remember what God has done for you through Jesus Christ our Lord. You will find each time you read it, that it will stick with you more and more, until you have it committed to memory. In Jesus name. Amen.