Developing a Defining Faith and Fellowship

INTRO

A defining life must be a defined life.

Colossians 1:1–14 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 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.

1) Faith Defines Fellowship with Others (vs. 1-5a)

The Church is a vastly diverse group of people from various walks of life and various backgrounds who come together with one uniting focus: Jesus!

Background:

Paul, a Diasporic Jew (Not raised in Jerusalem, Tarsus is about 356 miles from Jerusalem)

Epaphras: Colossian Christian who first brought the Gospel to Colossae

Most likely a tradesman who heard the Gospel

What brought these Greek peoples and this Jewish man together? Faith in Jesus.

Jesus bridges every divide.

Have you known people that weren’t sure you could get along with? You can…if there is a mutual faith in Jesus.

This is why Church strife is so damaging to a witness in the community.

2) Fellowship Develops the Faith of Others (vs. 5b-9a)

As we grow in fellowship with one another, our faith grows.

This is why people need to be engaged in the church.

If you want to grow spiritually, you need to be actively engaging and serving with fellow believers.

When we are in healthy fellowship with one another we are praying for one another.

Fellowship with one another helps you to develop your faith and helps others to develop their faith.

Anyone who says they have a healthy relationship with God but is not engaging with His Church has been fooled by demonic deception.

3) Faith and Fellowship Drive our Relationship with God Deeper (vs. 9-14)

As we grow in our faith and in our fellowship we drive each other into a deeper relationship with God!

As our faith grows and our fellowship grows we are praying for one another, specifically for:

to be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding (vs. 9)

to be strengthened with all power (vs. 11a)

to have all endurance and patience with joy (vs. 11b)

The results is that we bear fruit (vs 10), and give thanks to God (vs. 12)

We also develop a richer understanding that all of this comes from the Father (vs. 12-14)

He is the one who qualifies us.

Remember this when aren’t getting along with someone…they have been qualified by the Father.

He is the one who delivered us and transferred us from darkness to light.

He is the one who redeems us and forgives our sins.

CLOSING

As we remember and give glory to God for the work He is doing in our lives, we must do so together.

It is only in fellowship with one another that we grow in our faith and in our fellowship with God the Father.

Let us stir one another to love and good deeds.