Live a Life Worthy of the Lord
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Today we’re gonna
continue our series
in Colossians
Let’s turn together
in our Bibles
to Colossians 1.
& we’re gonna read
verses 9-12.
Colossians 1:9-12.
& when you find that
in your Bible
pls stand for the reading
of God’s Word.
The Title
of today’s teaching is:
Live a Life Worthy
of the Lord.
In Colossians 1:9-12.
The Scriptures say:
Colossians 1:9–12 (NIV)
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
You may be seated.
Are you living a life
worthy of the Lord?
Are you pleasing
God in every way?
Does God
expect that of us?
& is that kind of life
even possible?
Paul answers
those questions for us
in today’s passage.
& we’ll see:
God’s will for all
His ppl
Is for us to live
a life worthy of Him
& pls Him
in every way.
In this passage
Paul shows us
at least two things
we all must do
to fulfill
God’s will for us
& Live a Life
Worthy of the Lord.
PRAYER
Let’s pray.
Father
we thank You
so much
for every good
& perfect gift
you give us.
One of those gifts
is Your perfect Word
which teaches
us your perfect will
for our lives.
Help us hear
Your truth
& give us
both the will
& the ability
to practice
the truth
thru Your grace.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
[Transition:
The 1st thing
we must do
to live a life
worthy of the Lord is
We must..]
Keep praying for complete COMPREHENSION of God’s will.
Notice in Colossians 1:9.
Paul says
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.
Paul’s reason for praying
For the saints
in Colossae is
bcs He had heard
abt their faith
in Christ Jesus.
Epaphras told Paul
that the Colossians
had heard the true gospel;
They had truly
understood God’s grace;
& their understanding
was causing the gospel
to bear fruit
& grow among them.
& part of that fruit
was the love
the HS produced in them
for all of God’s ppl.
Since the 1st day
Paul heard this
abt the saints
He had never stopped
praying for God’s ppl.
APPLICATION
For the 2nd time
in nine verses
Paul mentions
how he was constantly
praying
for God’s ppl.
& since Paul
mentions it again
Let me say again
what I said
two weeks ago.
God’s ppl
are a kingdom
of priests.
A royal priesthood.
& part of
your calling
& my calling
as a priests of God
is the call
to constant prayer.
Prayer is the work
of all God’s ppl.
& prayer is
the most important work
any of us can do.
The greatest
saints of God
have always understood
& lived by the truth
James teaches us
in James 5:16
James 5:16 (NIV)
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
God’s ppl
have always been
a praying ppl.
Paul was
constantly praying
for God’s ppl.
Later in Colossians
Paul says Epaphras
Was constantly
wrestling in prayer
for God’s ppl.
When we read thru
the NT
We see
the other Apostles
were constantly praying.
& the whole church
was constantly praying.
They all knew
the power of prayer.
So, they practiced
consistent
disciplined prayer.
& if those examples
are not enough
to convince you
of the importance
of constant prayer
Let me give you
two more.
First
The Lord Jesus
prayed constantly
while He
was on the earth.
Look at what
Luke says abt Jesus in
Luke 5:15-16.
He says:
Luke 5:15–16 (NIV)
...news about [Jesus] spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Notice that
crowds of ppl
were coming
to Jesus to hear Him
& be healed by Him.
We wld expect
Jesus to make
Himself available
to these ppl.
But prayer is ministry
We wld not expect
that Jesus wld
leave these ppl
to go and pray.
But that’s what
the Scriptures say
Jesus did.
Jesus often
withdrew frm
the crowds
who were seeking
to hear
& be healed by Him—
Jesus often withdrew
frm ministering to ppl—
So He cld be alone
to pray.
& we learn
a very valuable lesson
frm Jesus’
prayer life.
If God
in the flesh needed
to often be alone
to pray
then how much more
do we need it?
If God in the flesh
often withdrew frm
everyone—
even at times when ppl
needed Him the most—
To private places
To pray to His Father
How much more
do we need to pray?
Prayer is one way
we draw the strength
we need frm the Lord
so we can be effective
in ministry.
Jesus prayed
constantly while on earth
& His ppl
shld pray constantly.
& what is Jesus
doing right now
in heaven?
Paul tells us
in Romans 8:34
Romans 8:34 (NIV)
Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
The risen Jesus—
God in glorified flesh—
Is at the right hand
of God the Father
in heaven.
& He’s constantly
interceding—
He’s praying
for His ppl;
His church;
His body.
Jesus is constantly
praying
for God’s ppl
& we shld do
the same.
One more Person
who’s constantly
praying for God’s ppl
is the 3rd member
of the Divine Trinity.
As Paul says in
Romans 8:26–27 (NIV)
...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
The HS
is constantly praying
perfect prayers
to God on our behalf.
So, whenever we pray
We find ourselves
in the company
Of God’s Saints
God’s Son
& God’s Spirit.
We’re surrounded by
a great cloud
of witnesses
who are constantly praying
for God’s ppl.
We’ve been gvn
the great privilege
& the great responsibility
to join them
& change the world
thru our prayers.
So, let’s devote
ourselves to prayer;
Let’s be consistent
in this work.
Now
since we all need help
w/ what
to pray.
Paul goes on
in Colossians 1:9
to tell us exactly
what he was
continually asking God
to do for God’s ppl.
He says
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives...
This does not mean
the saints in Colossae
did not know
God’s will.
They most certainly did.
They had heard God’s will
in the true gospel;
They had been taught
the true faith;
They had received
Christ Jesus as Lord;
They had a
Disciplined
Strong
& Obedient faith
in Jesus.
So, Paul’s not praying
That God wld reveal
something new
to them.
Something they
had never heard bfr.
The Greek word
behind the word
“knowledge”is
ἐpίγνωσις.
It means
To fully recognize
something.
To have a
full understanding
of something.
To completely comprehend
something.
Paul used the verbal
form of this word
Back in Colossians 1:6
Where he said the Colossians
Had truly understood
God’s grace.
So, just as
they had completely
comprehended
What they’d been taught
in the gospel
abt God’s grace
Paul kept praying
that God’s saints
wld completely comprehend
Everything they’d been taught
abt God’s will for them
in Christ.
As Paul says in
Colossians 2:2-3
He was contending
in prayer
for all the saints
Colossians 2:2–3 (NIV)
...that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
APPLICATION
God’s will
for our lives—
& the life of the world—
is wrapped up
in His Son
Jesus Christ.
When we have Christ
we have everything.
When we know Christ
we know everything.
All the treasures
of wisdom & knowledge
are hidden frm
the natural mind.
Hidden frm
the worldly wise.
So, we need
a spiritual mind.
& supernatural help
to completely comprehend
the full riches
of God’s will for us
in Christ.
& notice
at the end
of Colossians 1:9:
Paul tells us
where this help
comes frm.
He says
The complete comprehension
of God’s will comes
to God’s saints
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)
...through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives...
To completely comprehend
God’s will
We need spiritual wisdom
& spiritual understanding.
Both of those thing
are given to God’s ppl
by the HS.
Paul teaches:
this same truth again
in 1 Corinthians 2:12:
He says:
1 Corinthians 2:12 (NIV)
What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
God gives His Spirit
to all His ppl
So that
thru the Spirit of God
We gain a complete
understanding
of what God
has freely gvn us
in Christ.
But this understanding
does not come
automatically
or w/o effort
on our part.
I really wish it did.
I wish
when we were
baptized into Christ
& receive the HS
we wld all just
get the full understanding
of what God gives us
in Jesus.
But the reality is
We need to
keep praying
keep asking God
to give us
complete comprehension
of His will.
& we need to pray this
not just for ourselves
But for all
our brothers & sisters
in the Church.
APPLICATION
So, let me
urge you to do something:
Let’s turn Paul’s prayer
into our prayer.
Let’s pray:
“Lord, fill your ppl w/
“A complete comprehension
“of Your will
“thru all the wisdom
“& understanding
“that the Spirit gives.”
Let’s pray that prayer
over & over
Like Paul did.
He said he kept
asking this
for all God’s ppl.
So, let’s make
that our constant prayer
for God’s ppl.
“Lord, fill your ppl w/
“A complete comprehension
“of Your will
“thru all the wisdom
“& understanding
“that the Spirit gives.”
& as we keep asking:
Let’s remember:
What the Scriptures teach us…
in 1 John 5:14-15.
John says
1 John 5:14–15 (NIV)
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
When we pray
the Scriptures
back to God
We know
w/ absolute certainty
We’re praying
according to God’s will.
God gave us His Word
to show us His Will.
So, when we
turn Paul’s prayer
or any other prayer
in the Scriptures
Into our prayer
We can know
w/ certainty
If we keep asking God
To fill us
w/ a complete
comprehension
of His will
He hears us
& He will give us
what we ask Him for.
Let’s blv that promise.
& let’s keep praying
for a complete comprehension
of God’s will.
& let’s expect God
to give us
what we ask of Him.
So that we can
live a life
worthy of the Lord.
But living a life
worthy of the Lord
Takes more
than just completely
comprehending
God’s will.
When we know
God’s will
we’ve gotta do something
w/ that knowledge.
[Transition: & that brings us
to the 2nd thing
we must do
To Live a Life
Worthy of the Lord.
We must…]
Keep practicing complete COMPLIANCE to God’s will.
In Colossians 1:10
Paul tells us
why the saints
need a full knowledge
of God’s will
thru all the wisdom
& understanding
the Spirit gives.
It’s...
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
...so that [we] may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way...
Our knowledge
of God’s will
must become
practical knowledge.
It must get:
Frm our heads
To our hearts
& then frm our hearts
to our hands
As we strive
thru God’s grace
to obey Christ’s commands.
When we truly
understand who
God is.
& when we understand
God’s will for us
is to make us
like Him
So that we become
by grace
what the Lord Jesus
is by nature.
When we understand
everything God
wills for us in Christ
is only
for our good.
That shld drive us
to live a life
In complete compliance
w/ God’s
Good
Pleasing
& perfect will
for us.
But what does
a life like that
look like?
Paul goes on
to explain
at least two ways
we practice
complete compliance
to God’s will.
[Transition: 1st
We practice
complete compliance
to God’s will…]
By being fruitful in all good WORKS.
In Colossians 1:10
Paul talks abt
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
...bearing fruit in every good work...
The Christian life
shld be a fruitful life.
A life where
God’s ppl
reflect the good character
of our good God
by doing good works.
When we love God
& we love others
That love will
express itself
in every kind
of good work.
Not just some good works..............
But in every
good work.
Not just to some ppl....................
but to all ppl.
Christians shld do good
To those who
are good to us………
& to those
who are not.
To those who love us………
& to those
who hate us.
Bcs that’s what
Our good God
& Father
is like.
& God’s will
for His ppl
is that His children
be like Him.
As Jesus says in
Luke 6:27–36 (NIV)
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.
Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Our good
& gracious God
is always doing good
to everyone.
Not only to those
who love Him
but to his enemies—
to sinners—
who hate Him
curse Him
& mistreat Him.
The God & Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ
is always doing good
to all ppl
including His enemies.
& to be like Him
we must do the same.
& notice:
at the end of
Colossians 1:10
Paul says
as we bear fruit
in every good work
We will keep
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
...growing in the knowledge of God...
God is good.
& God does
good to all.
So, when we do good works
We’re doing God’s work.
We’re doing
what God does.
& as we do
what God does
we gain a deeper
knowledge of God.
Our knowledge
of God becomes
experiential—
practical knowledge.
We taste & see
that the Lord is good.
& we want more
& more of God
& His ways.
But that’s not all.
By bearing fruit
in every good work
We give the world
a taste
of what God is like.
& that shld
awaken their appetite
for more of Him.
This is why
In Matthew 5:16
Jesus tells His followers to
Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
...let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
When God’s children
are engaged
in every good work
We’re shining
the light on
& drawing attention to
The character
of our Father in heaven.
& when ppl see
our good works
It shld lead them
to give glory
to our Father.
Why?
Bcs it’s only
by God’s grace
that we’re able
to practice
complete compliance
to God’s will.
It’s only by God’s power
That we’re able
To be fruitful
in every good work.
[Transition: & that brings us to
The 2nd & final way
we practice
complete compliance
to God’s will.
We do it…]
By being strengthened with all God’s POWER.
In Colossians 1:11
Paul says:
We live a life
worthy of the Lord
& pls Him
in every way by
Colossians 1:11–12 (NIV)
...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
and [keep] giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
The Christian life
is a blessed life.
It’s the best life.
It’s the life every
human being
is created
to live.
But it’s not
an easy life.
It takes endurance
& patience.
We don’t usually
have to endure things
that are pleasant.
& in the Christian life
we will
need to endure
many things
that are not so pleasant.
It’s a life w/
crosses to carry.
It’s a life w/
conflicts to conquer.
There will be
Trials & Troubles.
There will be
Temptations & Tests.
There will be
many things
we must learn
to endure
as we live as citizens
of heaven
in a world
where we’re
not welcome.
Jesus never
sugar coated this
for His disciples.
Jesus counseled ppl
to count the cost
bfr they pick up
their cross
to follow Him
on this difficult road
that leads to life.
In John 15:18-20
Jesus told His disciples
very directly
John 15:18–20 (NIV)
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
& in Mark 13:13
Jesus paints
an even darker picture
of what His disciples
can expect
in this world.
He says
Mark 13:13 (EHV)
You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.
When we choose
to follow Jesus
& live like
the Light of the World
we will be hated
& persecuted
bcs the world hates
the light
& loves darkness.
That’s the battle
for everyone
who decides
to live a godly life
in Christ.
We will need to
endure persecution
w/ patience
& do God’s will
until the end
to be saved.
But we do not
& cannot
Fight this battle
in our own strength.
We can only
patiently endure
all things.
We can only
stand firm
in all the will of God
until the end
as we’re strengthened
w/ God’s power.
This is the power
Paul describes
in various ways as
Mighty power;
Exceedingly great power;
Incomparably great power;
& Glorious power;
It’s the same
death conquering power
God used
to raise Christ
frm the dead
& exalt Him
to the place of
Universal Supremacy
at God’s right hand.
That’s big power!
That power is
beyond abundant!
& that power
is always available
to all of God’s ppl
To empower us
to practice God’s will!
God’s miraculous power
Strengthens us
So we can patiently endure
everything we face
in this world.
But God’s power
does even more.
Thru God’s divine power
at work within us
thru the HS
We’re not only able
to patiently endure
every difficulty
we’re empowered
to give joyful thanks
to our Father
right in the middle
of our most
difficult days!
Thru God’s glorious might
we have the Power
to Praise God
thru our Problems.
Now
maybe you think:
“That all sounds good.”
“But does anybody really
“Praise God thru
their problems?”
Well
let me show you
Paul practiced
what he preached.
In the book of Acts
Luke tells us a story
abt Paul & Silas.
They were in Philippi
preaching the gospel
of the kingdom.
& a slave woman
who had an evil spirit
that allowed her
to predict the future
was following Paul
& Silas
telling ppl:
“These men are servants
“of the Most High God
“& are telling you the way
to be saved.”
After this went on
for a few days
Paul became annoyed
w/ this woman.
& cast the demon
out of her
in the name of Jesus.
Now
when the owners
of this slave-woman
saw that their
way of making
money was gone—
bcs the fortune-telling
demon had left her
& she cld no longer
predict the future—
This woman’s owners
had Paul & Silas
arrested
beaten w/ rods
& chained up
in a dungeon.
So, for the sake
of the name of Jesus
Paul & Silas
have been
badly beaten
w/ rods.
Their backs
are bruised
& battered.
Their feet
are fastened
w/ fetters
in a dark dungeon.
& if there were
ever a time
to be discouraged
& downcast
this wld be the time.
But look at
what Luke tells us
Paul & Silas
were doing
in Acts 16:25.
Acts 16:25 (NIV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Paul & Silas
cld’ve thrown
a pity party.
They cld’ve said:
“The Lord
“must not love us
“or He wld not allow us
“to go thru
“these tough times.”
But that’s not
what they did.
Instead
They were praying!
They were rejoicing!
Singing hymns of praise
to God!
Right in the center
of severe suffering
they allowed
the power of God
to well up in them
& overflow
into joyful thanks
to God.
& you & I
Can do the same.
& you & will
do the same
When we’re
being strengthened
w/ all God’s power.
When hard times
come to Christians
When things don’t go
our way in this world
we can be tempted
to complain
to become discouraged.
& it can seem impossible
to do as Paul says
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16 & 18:
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)
Rejoice always...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Tough times
can make it seem
impossible
to obey this command.
But let’s always remember
this truth.
God will never
tell His children
to do anything
we cannot do
thru His power.
All things
are possible w/ God.
If we’ll keep our minds
& hearts
on things above
& not on earthly things
We will always
give joyful thanks
to God.
If we’ll keep our focus on
The incredible inheritance
our God & Father
has qualified us for
in the kingdom of light—
The glory
that we’ll one day
share w/ Christ.
& if we’ll allow
God’s power
to work within us
then no matter
what difficulties we face
in this world
we’ll always
give joyful thanks
to our Father
as we patiently endure
all things
thru His power.
That’s God’s will
for His ppl.
CONCLUSION
So let me
ask you again:
Are you living
a life worthy
of the Lord?
Are you pleasing
God in every way?
We’ve seen today
that this is
God’s will for
all His ppl.
& that this life
is possible
for all God’s ppl.
If we’ll keep praying
for complete comprehension
of God’s will.
& if we’ll keep practicing
complete compliance
to God’s will
by being fruitful
in every good work
by being strengthened
w/ all God’s power
So we can
give joyful thanks to God
as we patiently endure
all things.
If we’ll do those things:
We will
live a life
that’s worthy of the Lord.
We will pls Him
in every way.
& our great
& glorious God
& Father
will get
all the glory!
So let’s go today
& let’s live every day
In God’s power
So we can
Live a Life
Worthy of the Lord.
PRAYER
Let’s all stand for prayer.
Most gracious
good
& glorious Father
we thank You
for revealing
Your will to us
thru Your Word.
& for the promise
that thru Your power
we can live lives
that are worthy
of You.
& we can
pls you in
every way.
Give us grace
to be obedient
to Your will
at all times.
& to do good
at all times
so our lives
will glorify You.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
THE LORD’S BLESSING
May the Lord bless you