The Miracles

The famous Scottish preacher, Alexander Whyte, was known as an appreciator. He loved to write

postcards to people, thanking them for some kind ness or blessing they had brought to his life. Those messages often brought a touch of encouragement

to a heart just when others needed it most. Appreciation is an excellent medicine for the soul giving. In this section (which is one long sentence in the original Greek), he gives thanks for what

Christ has done in the lives of the Colossian Christians. But he also mentions thanksgiving in

five other places in this letter: 1:12; 2:7; 3:15 and 17; and 4:2. When you recall that Paul wrote this

letter in prison, his attitude of thanksgiving is even more incredible; Like Paul, we should be grateful for what God is doing in the lives of others. As Christians, we are

all members of one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13). If God is strengthening one

member of the body, this helps to strengthen the entire body. If one church experiences a revival touch from God, it will help all the churches. In this expression of thanksgiving, Paul

traced the stages in the spiritual experience of the Colossian believers. They Heard the Gospel

Colossians 1:5 KJV 1900

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Colossians 1:7 KJV 1900

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

The good news of the Gospel was not native to their city.

A Christian brought the Gospel to them; in their case, Epaphras was the messenger. He was a citizen of Colossae (4:12-13), but he had come in contact with Paul and converted to Jesus Christ. This was probably during Paul's great three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10).

Once Epaphras had been saved, he shared this thrilling news with his relatives and friends back

home. Perhaps it would have been exciting for Epaphras to stay with Paul in Ephesus where so

many wonderful things were taking place. But his first responsibility was to take the Gospel to his own home city. (See Mark 5:19.) The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has solved the problem of sin through His death, burial, and resurrection. The word Gospel means "good news." Unfortunately, some people witness as though the Gospel is the bad news of condemnation. I recall one church officer who was more of a prosecuting attorney than a Christian witness.

Though he constantly reproved people for their sins, he failed to share the good news of forgiveness

through faith in Christ. But we can learn a lesson from him. In our witnessing, we should remember to emphasize the good news of the Gospel. (See 1 Cor. 15:1-8.)

In this section in his letter to the Colossians, Paul reviews the characteristics of this exciting Gospel

message. It centers in a Person-Jesus Christ. The theme of this epistle is the preeminence of Jesus Christ, and He is undoubtedly preeminent in the Gospel. The false teachers who had invaded the fellowship in Colossae were trying to remove Jesus Christ from His place of preeminence; but to do this was to destroy the Gospel. It is Christ who died for us, and who rose again. The Gospel message does not center in philosophy, a doctrine, or a religious system. It centers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

It is the "word of truth" (1:5, NIV). This means that it came from God and can be trusted. "Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17). Some many messages and ideas can be called true, but only

God's Word can be called truth. Satan is the liar; to believe his lies is to be led astray into death

(John 8:44). Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6); when we trust Him, we experience life. Men have tried

to destroy God's truth, but they have failed. The Word of truth still stands! Everybody has faith in something. But faith is only as good as the object in which a person puts

his trust. The jungle pagan worships a god of stone; the educated city pagan worships money or possessions or status. In both cases, faith is empty. The

true Christian believer has faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith is based on the Word of truth. Any other kind of faith is but superstition-it cannot save.

It is the message of God's grace (1:6b). Two words in the Christian vocabulary are often con-

fused: grace and mercy. God in His grace gives me what I do not deserve. Yet God in His mercy does

not give me what I do deserve. Grace is God's favor shown to undeserving sinners. The reason the

Gospel is good news is because of grace: God is willing and able to save all who will trust Jesus

Christ.

John Selden (1584-1654) was a leading historian

and legal authority in England. He had a library

of 8000 volumes and was recognized for his learning.

ing. When he was dying, he said to Archbishop

Ussher: "I have surveyed most of the learning that

is among the sons of men, and my study is filled

with books and manuscripts on various subjects.

But at present, I cannot recollect any passage out

of all my books and papers whereon I can rest my

soul, save this from the sacred Scriptures: The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared

to all men' (Titus 2:11).

It is for the whole world (1:6). When I was a young pastor, one of my favorite preachers was

Dr. Walter Wilson of Kansas City. He had a unique way of making old truths seem new and exciting.

I once heard him quote John 3:16 and ask, "If you were to give a gift that would be suitable for the

whole world, what would you give?"

He then listed several possibilities and showed

how those gifts could not suit everybody: books

(many people cannot read); foods (people eat

different things in different parts of the world);

clothing (climates are different); money (not every

culture makes use of money). He came to the

logical conclusion that only the Gospel, with its

gift of eternal life, was suitable for the whole world;

and he was right.

Paul said that the Gospel was bearing fruit in all the world. The Word of God is the only seed that

can be planted anywhere in the world, and it will bear fruit. The Gospel can be preached "to every

creature which is under heaven" ( Col. 1:23). Paul's emphasis was on "every man" (1:28). False teachers do not take their message to all the world. They go where the Gospel has already gone and try to lead believers astray. They have no good news for lost sinners!

If people are to be saved, they must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if they are to hear,

we who are saved must carry the message. Are you doing your part?

It is possible to hear and not believe, even though

the Word of God has the power to generate faith in

those who hear (Rom. 10:17). Millions of people

have heard the good news of salvation and yet not

believed. But those who believe in Jesus Christ

receive from God the gift of eternal life (John

3:14-18).

Salvation is not by faith in faith. A cult of "believism" exists today and promotes faith but

has little to do with Jesus Christ. Even some popular songs carry the message of faith in faith. The modern attitude is, "If you believe, you are safe."

But the obvious question is, "Believe in what?" The

answer: "Just believe!"

Nor are we saved by faith in a set of doctrines.

I have often told the story about the famous

evangelist, George Whitfield, who was witnessing

to a man. "What do you believe?" Whitfield asked.

The man replied, "I believe what my church believes.

"And what does your church believe?" asked the

evangelist. "What I believe," replied the man.

Undaunted, Whitfield tried again and asked,

"And what do you both believe?"

"Why, we both believe the same thing!" was the evasive answer.

Saving faith involves the mind, emotions, and

will. With the mind, we understand the truth of the Gospel; with the heart, we feel conviction and the need to be saved. But the miracle of salvation occurs when

we exercise the will and commit ourselves to Christ that the process is complete. Faith is not mental

assent to a body of doctrines, no matter how good those doctrines may be. Faith is not an emotional concern. Faith is a commitment to resting our belief only in Jesus Christ.

When missionary John G. Paton translated the Bible in the Outer Hebrides, he searched for the

exact word to translate believe. Finally, he dis- covered it: the word meant "lean your whole

weight upon." That is what saving faith is--leaning your whole weight upon Jesus Christ.

Saving faith is grounded in the Gospel (Col. 1:23). It is the Word of God that gives us assurance. As we grow in the Lord, our faith becomes steadfast Col 2:5 and established (Col2:7) .

The false teachers who had come to Colossae tried to undermine the saints' faith in Christ and

the Word. This same kind of undermining goes on today. Any religious teaching that dethrones Jesus Christ, or that makes salvation other than an experience of God's grace through faith, is anti-Christian and born of Satan.

One final thought: the experience of the believers in Colossae was so wonderful that people talked about it! Paul heard about it from Epaphras; the false teachers heard about it and decided to

visit the Colossian assembly to see the remarkable

change for themselves.

You cannot keep silent once you have experienced salvation in Jesus Christ. Is your Christian life the kind that encourages others and makes it easy for them to witness? Is your church fellowship

so exciting that even the unsaved are taking notice?

They Were Discipled (Col. 1:7)

Epaphras did not simply lead the Colossians to

Christ and then abandon them. He taught them the

Word and sought to establish their faith. The word

translated "learned" in verse 7 is related to the

word disciple in the Greek language. It is the same

word Jesus used: "Learn of Me" (Matt. 11:29) or,

in effect, "Become My disciple."

These new believers were in danger of turning

from the truth and following the false teachers.

Paul reminded them that Epaphras led

them to Christ and taught them

the Word through biblical discipleship. The word before (Col. 1:5) probably means "before these false teachers appeared on the

scene." Like the Colossians, we should beware of

any religious leader who does not seek to win lost souls but devotes himself to "stealing sheep" from the Hocks of others.

We should never forget that new Christians must

be discipled. Just as the newborn baby needs loving

care and protection until he can care for himself,

the new Christian needs discipling. The Great

Commission does not stop with the salvation of the

lost, for in that commission, Jesus commanded us

to teach converts the Word as well (Matt. 28:19-20).

The New Testament does not teach the

kind of "individual Christianity" that is so prevalent

today-people who ignore the local church and

find all their spiritual food in books, radio, TV, or

cassette tapes. That is what the fellowship of the local church is

all about.

Epaphras was a faithful minister. He not only

won people to Christ, but he also taught them the Word

and helped them grow. He also prayed for them

(Col. 4:12-13) that they might become mature in

Jesus Christ. He loved his people and wanted to protect them from the false doctrines that would destroy fellowship and spiritual development. When danger threatened the church members, Epaphras went to Rome to get counsel from Paul.

The word disciple exists more than 260 times

in the Gospels and Acts, and the verb translated,

"to learn as a disciple" is found 25 times in the New

Testament. Historically, a disciple was not simply a

person who sat and listened to a teacher. He was

someone who lived with the teacher and who

learned by listening, looking, and living.

Discipleship involved more than enrolling in a school and

attending lectures. It meant total surrender to the teacher. It meant learning by living. Perhaps our modern-day medical students or trade apprentices come close to illustrating the meaning of discipleship.

But we who disciple other believers must be careful not to get in the way. We are not to make disciples for ourselves but for Jesus Christ. We must relate people to Him so that they love and obey Him. Epaphras faithfully taught his people

and related them to Jesus Christ, but the false

teachers came in and tried to "draw away disciples."

(Dr. Luke warns about this problem. See Acts

20:28-30. Human nature tends to want to follow men instead of God-_to want "something new" instead of the fundamental truths of the

Gospel.

Now we come to the results of Epaphras' efforts.

They Became Faithful in Christ (Col. 1:6, 8)

The Word of God is a seed (Luke 8:11), meaning

the Word has life in it (Heb. 4:12). When it is planted in the heart, it can produce fruit. (Col. 1:6).

Near King's Cross station in London, England,

there is a cemetery containing a unique grave, that

of the agnostic Lady Ann Grimston. She is buried

in a marble tomb marked by a marble slab. Before

she died, she said sarcastically to a friend, "I shall

live again as surely as a treé will grow from my body.

An unbeliever, Lady Ann Grimston did not believe that there was life after death. However, a tree did grow from her grave! A tiny seed took root, and as it grew, it cracked the marble and even tore

the metal railing out of the ground! There is life

and power in seed and life and power in the Word of God.

When God's Word is planted and cultivated, it

produces fruit. Faith, hope, and love are among

the first fruits in the spiritual harvest. These spiritual

graces are evidence that a person has

been born again. (See 1 Thes. 1:3; Rom. 5:1-4;

Heb. 6:9-12; Eph. 1:13-15; 1 Peter 1:3-9.)

Faith comes through the hearing of God's Word.

(Rom. 10:17).

Our Christian lives start with saving faith, but this is only the beginning. We learn to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) and work by faith (1 Thes. 1:3). Faith gives power to prayer (Luke 17:5-6). Faith is a shield that protects us from Satan's fiery darts (Eph.6:16). Love is another evidence of true salvation, for the unsaved person is wrapped up mainly in himself (Eph. 2:1-3). The fact that these people loved all the saints was proof that God had changed them and given them eternal life. Christian love is

not a shallow feeling that we manufacture; it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts ( Col. 1.8. Rom. 5:5). It is worth noting that Colossians 1:8 is the only verse in the letter that mentions the

Holy Spirit, and it is in connection with love.

This Spirit-given love was for "all the saints"(1:4) and not only for the people of their fellowship. As Christians, we also need to realize the vastness of God's love and share it with all the

saints (Eph. 3:17-19). Believers should be "knit together in love" (Col. 2:2) so that there will be a

true spiritual unity to the glory of God. The bond that unites us is love (Col. 3:14). Uniformity is the

result of compulsion from the outside; unity results from compassion on the inside.Hope is also a characteristic of the believer. Unsaved people are without hope because they are

without God (Eph. 2:11-12). Those outside of Christ have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13). In the Bible,

hope does not mean "hope so." Our hope in Christ is as definite and assured as our faith in Christ. Because Christ is in us, we have the "hope of glory" (Col. 1:27).

The false teachers tried to unsettle the Colossian

believers and move them away from the hope of

the Gospel (1:23). But Paul clarified that this

hope is "laid up" for believers in heaven (1:5).

The word translated laid up carries the meaning of

"to be reserved, to be set aside for someone." This terminology refers to money laid up or hidden. The verb tense indicates this hope has once and for all been reserved, and nothing can take

it from us. Not only has this hope (our glorious inheritance in glory) been reserved for us, but we are being kept by God's power so that we can be sure of enjoying heaven one day! (1 Peter 1:1-5)

God Guards us for glory!

What are the relationship between faith, hope,

and love? Love and faith encourage each other. Indeed, the more we love someone, the more we will trust him. We do not trust a casual

acquaintance to the same degree that we trust a

confidential friend. As we come to know God better, we trust Him more, and we love Him more.

But hope also has a valuable contribution to

make. Wherever there is a relationship of faith and

love, there will be a growing hope. When a man

and woman fall in love and learn to trust each other

in that love, their future always becomes brighter.

Paul taught that hope is a motivating power for love and faith: the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in

heaven" (Col. 1:5, NIV).

The blessed hope of seeing Jesus Christ and

going to heaven to be with Him is a powerful

force in the Christian's life. Even the problems and trials here on earth do not move us away from that hope. When we realize the

joy we shall have in heaven, it makes us love Him

more. The fact that we know we shall be with Him

in glory encourages us to trust Him more.

I have noticed that the prospect of future happiness makes people love one another more. Have you ever watched children just before

Christmas or family vacation? The bright promise

of heaven encourages our faith and expands our

love. Then faith and love work together to make the

present more enjoyable and the future more ex-

citing.

The solution to divisions and disputes among Christians is more love and understanding among God's people. The fact that we will be together in heaven should encourage us to love each other

on earth. This is one reason why Christ has already given us His glory within. "And the glory which

Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one" (John 17:22). As the

poet put it: To live above, with saints we love, Will certainly be glory.

To live below, with saints we know, Well, that's another story!

The hope of seeing Christ and going to heaven is not only a motivation for faith and love, but it

is also a motivation for holy living. "And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 3:3). When I was a young

Christian, an older friend warned me, "Don't be caught doing anything that would embarrass you

if Jesus returned!" That is a rather pessimistic view of the promise of heaven, even though it does have some merit. John warns us that if we do not abide in Christ (keep in fellowship with Him

in obedience), we may be ashamed when He re- turns (1 John 2:28).

But there is a positive side to this truth. We should keep our lives clean so that when Jesus Christ does return, nothing will cloud our first meeting with Him. We will enter into the joy and glory of His presence with confidence and love

Peter called this a "rich welcome" into the everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:11

2 Peter 1:11 KJV 1900

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The hope of heaven is also an encouragement in times of suffering (1 Peter 1:4-9). As believers, we

have our share of suffering; but amid trials, we can rejoice "with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

(1 Peter 1:8). When unbelievers suffer, they get discouraged, and they want to give up. But when Christians suffer, their faith can be-

come stronger, and their love can deepen because their hope shines brighter.

How do we know that we have this hope? The promise is given in "the word of the truth of the Gospel" (Col. 1:5). As believers, we do not have to "work up" a good feeling of hope. God's unchanging Word assures us that our hope is secure in Christ. Hope is like an anchor (Heb. 6:19) that can never break or drift.

No wonder Paul was thankful for the believers

in Colossae! God had given Paul "special miracles."

at Ephesus (Acts 19:11). But no miracle is greater

than the salvation of the lost sinner. Through the

faithful witness of Epaphras, God performed

miracles of grace in Colossae.

Have you experienced the miracle of salvation?

If you have, then keep growing and being fruitful for the Lord. The same Word that gave you

life when you trusted Christ would continue to

nourish that life and make you a faithful, fruitful

Christian. Are there any "Gospel miracles" of grace where you live?