Sermon Tone Analysis

We are continuing our study of Colossians this morning, in Colossians chapter 2. Please open your bibles with me.

As we look at chapter 2, we need to keep in mind the whole context of this letter Paul wrote.

Who had taken the gospel to the city of Colossae and founded the church there?

Epaphras.

Colossians 1:7.

Later, Epaphras went to see Paul and shared about some people who were teaching another gospel, who today we would call gnostics.

They taught that Jesus was not fully God, and that he was also not fully man.

True Christians need to come to know the true God through a hidden knowledge that the gnostic teacher could pass on to them.

This was a secret wisdom that would lead to an enlightenment which would free them to be truly spiritual.

So far, we have seen Paul giving encouraging words, and a lot of truth to the Colossians.

So far, he has not directly challenged the gnostic teaching.

Rather he has simply given the true gospel, that Jesus is fully God, and that salvation comes to us through him.

We also saw Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers.

I challenged us all to be praying this for one another, and for all believers.

and how does the Father qualify us to share in the inheritance?

And who is that Son that he loves?

Why did he have to make peace through his blood to reconcile us to God?

This is how Paul gave gentle, encouraging instruction to these believers who were having their faith challenged.

He prayed for them.

He reminded them of the true gospel, and just who Jesus really is, fully God, the One who is over all.

Then, last week, we saw our purpose as Christians in this world.

And that purpose is to proclaim Christ, the hope of glory!

Now, today, we pick this up in chapter 2.

Here we will see Paul express the goal he has for the believers in Colossae, and everywhere.

We will also see how Paul was currently going about working toward that goal.

First we will see how Paul was currently working toward the goal, and then we will see what the goal is.

We know that he proclaimed Christ, admonishing and teaching.

For the Colossians, and for us, that came through his letter.

But what else did Paul do?

What did he do primarily?

For this is just a letter.

What did he do all of the other days when he was not writing this letter?

How did he daily work toward the goal?

Paul was contending

What does that mean?

agonizing, wrestling, struggling

for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

How was he wrestling...

He was not with them…

He was under house arrest, chained to a soldier unable to go anywhere to engage with them or with those opposing them

Remember the setting for Paul:

Apparently Epaphras came to see him, and share the news of the church with Paul.

In this verse we also see the same term for wrestling…

How were Paul and Epaphras wrestling?

What are the schemes?

Did God really say?

Division and factions in the church

We have a real enemy, going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, as Peter warned us.

Paul knows that.

He knows the real enemies are not our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but the spiritual forces that are trying to introduce false teachings, trying to get us to question the Lord and his word, trying to get believers divided and creating factions over things of this world, and not of his word.

Satan’s schemes are the same today.

We have a real enemy.

And we need to wrestle against him.

This is how Paul wrestled.

This is how he agonized and worked hard for the good of the church.

We have already seen glimpses of Paul’s prayer ministry in Colossians.

Paul’s emphasis on prayer...

How did Paul Pray?

We already saw some of his prayer, the prayer I challenge us all to incorporate in our prayers for one another.

At this time, Paul also wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus which is in many ways, parallel to the letter to the Colossians.

In Ephesians we get even more glimpses into how Paul wrestled in prayer.

As we read these prayers, look for what might be the goal of his wrestling in prayer.

What was he contending for?

What was the goal?

We can see it in the prayers, and Paul spelled it out in Colossians.

Goal: They be encouraged having been knit together in love

encouraged why?

confusion

discouragement

encourage how?

being united - being brought together, can be used of an argument being brought together to a logical conclusion, or of parts of a body being brought together as one

People are longing for:

companionship

validation

affection belonging

meaning

purpose

identity

relief

This can be found in Christ, and in his body as we love one another.

Knowing Christ’s love enables us to love...

Encouraged in heart being knit together so that they may have full assurance of understanding

full assurance.

Christ’s love gives us the full assurance of our acceptance in him.

His love gives the assurance that the Father has reconciled us to himself.

Christ’s love gives us the full assurance that we have been given and inheritance in his kindgom of light!

Full assurance of understanding so that they may know the mystery of God—Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

mystery - God’s wisdom.

Found in his word.

Not inaccessible.

It is there for those who seek. and those who seek will find it is in CHrist!