October 26, 2003
Colossians 1:1-14
v. 1 - “Paul, an apostle
of Jesus Christ by the will of God”
Before Agrippa - Acts
26:13-18
God is sovereign - He can
do as He wishes - Ps. 115:3
“But our God is in the
heavens: He hath done whatsoever
He hath pleased”
v. 2 - “To the saints” -
plural used of believers - not just
to people of exceptional holiness or those who
have died that were characterized by exceptional
acts of saintliness.
II Thess 1:10 - saints
described as “all them that believe”
Many have heard or even
sung “When the Saints Go
Marching In” that will not
be in that number.
Matt 8:11-12
If so, it is because they
have not “been filled with the
knowledge of His will in
all wisdom and spiritual
understanding” - v. 9b
John 6:29 5:38 If
you are not a saint, this is
the reason, the flaw, the
missing part of the puzzle
in your life!
“faithful brethren” - Sherman
Jones, in his galshers, with his
Bible and a toothpick”
Faithful brethren may have
been on the Concorde’s last flight
to London this week, but
having class, vanity and money
does not automatically put
you among “faithful brethren”.
The only way to get that
distinction is found in vs. 12-14.
“grace(Divine favor &
mercy)......peace (harmonious
relationships between men,
between nations, friendliness,
freedom from molestation,
quietness, harmonious
relationship between man
and God” - Phil. 4:7
“from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ”
THE SOURCE OF IT ALL!
John 16:33 I John 2:15-17 James 3:14-18
One of these scriptures
that like Alexander the Great
who wept when there were
no more worlds to conquer,
I weep for a different
reason, I have not the vocabulary
to deal with the
situation.
Is. 57:20-21 - partial
birth abortions/re-writers of history
because they have nothing in their agenda that
can replace morality taught in the Old and New
Testaments.
“And the way of peace have
they not known” - Rom. 3:17
v. 3 - “We give thanks” -
Phil. 4:6
“to God and the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ”
not to Buddha, not to
Mohammed, not the sun or
moon or any man, not even
Saddam Hussein, much
less you.
vs. 4-5 - “faith.......love......hope”
Faith - Heb
11:1,3,4,5,6,7,8,13, and all other “by faiths”
Love - the characteristic
word of Christianity - see
how these Christians love one another” -
John 13:34-35 I
John 4:7-8
Hope - the anchor of the
soul - Heb. 6:19-20
“which is laid up for you
in heaven” - I Pet 1:3-9
Reservations - Gatlinburg
-
Mary and Joseph
experienced “no room for them
in the inn” - beware that
you do not experience
“no room for them in the
end”
Matt. 8:11-12
“heard...in the word of
the truth of the gospel”
Rom 10:17 - “faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God”
“take heed how ye hear” - Luke 8:18
“And ye shall know the
truth and the truth shall
make you free” - John 8:32
Isaiah 55:10-11 Matt. 24:35
v. 6 - “Which is come unto
you, as it is in all the
world” - Titus 2:11
“bringeth forth fruit” -
John 15:1-8 - fruit, more
fruit, much fruit
v. 7 - “a faithful
minister of Christ”
v. 9 - “desire that ye
might be filled with the
knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding”
(The Whole Counsel of God)
- Acts 20:27
Results in:
v. 10 - greater pleasingness to God
moral
fruitfulness & spiritual growth
The end of all knowledge
is conduct, be it carnal
or spiritual.
“being fruitful in every
good work” - the goal of
life is fruitfulness -
EVERYWHERE!
v. 11 - patience under suffering
“strengthened with all
might, according to His
glorious power” - It is
the splendor of God’s
revelations of Himself in
which His might is so
conspicuous - Gazing on
this glory, especially in
the face of Christ - II
Cor. 4:6, in His Word - we understand
how that might is engaged
on our behalf and this thought fills
us with invincible courage
and endurance.
Patience is steadfastness
and stout-heartedness under
ill-fortune.
Is. 25:6-9 Good News - Neh. 8:10
vs. 12-14 - thankfulness for the blessings of
redemption.
Rom. 3:24-26 Heb 9:12-14 I Pet 1:18-25
The redemption of the body
- Rom. 8:19-23
Job 19:23-27