Colossians

Introduction

We have taken an extended break so we should review what we did previously: Jesus called the Church into existence in Matt. 16, but the Church was formed on the day of Pentecost when, after Peter’s sermon, 3,000 were baptized (Acts 2). Eph. 4:12 tells us that the purpose of the Church is for the training of its members to do the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the collective of all who believe and have given themselves to Christ. It is in our life with Christ, by the training of the Church, that we are called to grow into the full knowledge of Christ, becoming fully mature (Eph. 4:13). Now, the work of the ministry is three-fold: 1) to serve and not be served; 2) to preach good news to the poor (this includes the work of justice in the community); and 3) to seek and to save those who are lost. This is the work that Jesus did, and it is the work he now calls us to do. However, it is the responsibility of the Church to train its members to do this work. For example, here at Mt. Olive, this is the work of the C.E.D. and the Missionary Society. The Church consists of leaders, who according to Acts 6, have the primary responsibility to serve the congregation. By leaders serving the needs of the congregation, this frees the ministry to focus on prayer, and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4). While the Church consists of leaders, it also consists of members; and it is to the responsibility of members that we turn our attention to tonight. To do that, we will be looking at the book of Colossians. Primarily, 1:9-10 which says: For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.

What Paul speaks of in Colossians is not necessarily the leaders of the church, but of the ministry of the church itself. It is in this that we can look and examine to understand how we as a church – each member – should be. However, to fully explain what Paul is saying in these verses, we will look more broadly at the whole book of Colossians.

I. How are we filled with spiritual understanding?

a) First, the admonition of Paul is to devote ourselves to prayer (4:2). The source and means of our growth and maturity in Christ is our prayer and devotional life. The more time that we spend with God, the closer that we will grow to God and the more time that God will have to conform our lives in God’s likeness.

b) Paul directs us to who Christ is in 1:15-20. We are to become “grounded,” steadfast (as Paul says in v. 23) in the knowledge of this because our faith and our hope is contained in this knowledge of Christ. And the more that we are assured in this, the more we will be filled with spiritual understanding.

c) Speaking of those both in Colossae and in Laodicea, Paul says: “I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (2:2-3).” Christ is the mystery of God, but that mystery has been revealed to us. The more that we are grounded in the knowledge of him (1:15-20), not only is more of the mystery of who he is revealed to us, but the more we will be filled and grow in spiritual understanding.

II. How do we walk worthy of the Lord?

a) Now, one could say that we are never worthy of the Lord, but by grace we are both saved and called to lead a new life. This new life begins with both a rejection of, and a turning from our old life. In 3:3, Paul reminds us that we have died (the old life that we had) and that we are now hidden with Christ in God. Therefore, we must put away all the things we once did (3:5-9).

b) This new life also means that we are to seek the things of God in our lives. “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (3:1-2).” We have died both to our old lives and to the desires of this world. The things of this earth (money, lust, material things, greed, etc.) and the desires for them are no longer a temptation for us because we are dead to these things. Because we have died to these things, we can set our minds to the things of God and towards living a godly life. As we put off or put to death the things of this world in 3:5-9, we are to put on (clothe) the things that are of God (vs. 12-15).

c) The word “walk” means far more than just a means of transportation, putting one foot in front of another. It references how one lives their life daily. How you live and what you do each day is your walk. When you lived your life by and according to the world and the “ruler of this world (Satan – Jn. 12:31),” your walk reflected that. However, now that we are raised in Christ, our walk should reflect that as well. Putting on the things of God as listed in vs. 12-15 will cause our walk to reflect our new life in Christ. And, we should always keep in mind this: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (v. 17).” If whatever we do is done in the name of the Lord Jesus (it is a contradiction to commit a sin in the name of the Lord), then our walk will be worthy of the Lord.

d) To “walk” in this way – that in both word and deed we do all in the name of the Lord – will also increase our growth in knowledge and spiritual understanding (1:9). We can never grow in the Lord as long as our hearts and minds are set on the things of this world. To truly grow and mature in God, we must die to this world and set our minds on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

III. How do we grow in the knowledge of God?

a) Again, Paul tells us to devote ourselves to prayer (4:2). Everything begins with prayer and our devotional life with God. Without this, nothing else spiritually can take place in our lives.

b) Paul is concerned that the Colossians would not be deceived either by false teachings or false teachers. “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ (2:8).” Notice that Paul says that they are to be “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught (v. 7).” They had been taught the mystery of Christ and Paul wants to warn them not to be dissuaded from that teaching. Of course, no teaching – no matter how true or effective – is helpful to us if we do not avail ourselves to it. For the Colossians to have been grounded in the knowledge of the mystery of Christ, they had to avail themselves to the teachings of Paul and others. Now, having been taught, Paul warns them not to be dissuaded or turned away from that teaching.

c) This knowledge – to know – is also an assurance. It comes from our growth in our prayer and devotional life. It comes from our “walk” each day and as we “put on” the things of God. And, it comes from being grounded not just in the mystery of Christ, but in what we have been taught of him. In all of this, we know, and have this assurance. This knowledge itself grows each day as we continue to practice these disciplines (prayer, walking/living, and grounding ourselves in teaching). The more we do these things each day, the more we grow in the knowledge of God.

Next Week: Ephesians 4:12-14; Colossians

Questions for the week:

1. How are the Colossians doing the work of the ministry?

2. How are the Colossians building the body of Christ?

3. How are the Colossians growing into maturity in Christ?