Colossians 1:9-14

- we're studying the book of Colossians.
- we said that one of our goals for this study should be to gain a
working knowledge of this book so we can think through Paul's
argument/main points -- in an effort to "make this book our own."

- of course the purpose of doing that is to be better prepared to use
these truths in every-day life situations---but you can't use truth
until you know truth.

- so let's quickly review the argument from last week of verses 1-8.

(on white board)

1-2 - Salutation
- note that Paul included Timothy
- called all believers saints
- equated saints (saved ones) with faithful brethren

- verses 1-8 tell some of the things about this church for which Paul
regularly thanks the Lord.

- the key verse in the section is 1:5 - "the word of the truth of the
gospel"
- so the most important thing to Paul about them (or anyone) is
whether they've accepted the gospel, and whether the gospel
is having the intended effect in their lives.

- Paul thanks the Lord for four things:
1) their faith - v. 4a
2) their love - v. 4b
3) their hope - v. 5a
4) their fruitfulness - v. 6

- Verses 7-8 tell that Paul received this report from Epaphras, their
pastor.

- last week we reminded ourselves of the importance of being "gospel
centered" in the sense that, as the Lord brings others across our
paths -- one of our primary concerns to us is whether they've
accepted the gospel
...and whether or not we're working at presenting the gospel in a
way that stresses "biblical faith" as opposed to "easy
believism."

- develop - pray for us in counseling ministry
(possible to fall into a "accept Christ so He can make your life
better" mode)

- now, in verses 9-14, Paul turns his attention to a different facet of
his prayer concerning the Colossians.
- verses 3-8 explained what he thanked God for regarding this church.
- verse 9-14 explain what he asked God for regarding this church.

- so we're talking about "Paul's prayer requests for a local
church."

- before we look at the specific requests--Brian is going to come and
help us focus on the big picture:
INPUT - How is it beneficial to study Paul's prayer requests for another
church?

1) to challenge us about how much we pray for other churches and
ministries.
- why was it so natural for Paul to do this?
- How was he able to be so specific and thorough?

2) To help us identify areas that we ought to give particular
attention to in our own spiritual lives.
- What Paul was concerned about in the Colossians--we should be
concerned about in ourselves.

- this list also helps us to not "major on the minors," or get
"tunnel visioned" and be satisfied with far less than the
Lord would be satisfied with.
- we're talking about a list of "divine evaluators."
- here's things that were important to Paul (therefore we
can assume they were things that were important to the
Lord)
- we then need to ask -- are they important to us?
- how would our lives stack up in each category?

- read verses 9-14.

- let's divide these verses into four areas of request:

I. Be Filled With The Knowledge of His Will

A. the importance of biblical knowledge

- it's not surprising that Paul would pray that this church would
be filled with spiritual knowledge when you factor other
statements God's Word makes about the importance of knowledge.

- cf. Prov. 19:2 - It is not good for a person to be without
knowledge.

- cf. Hosea 4:6 - My people perish for want of knowledge.

- cf. I Cor. 14:2 - Brethren, be not children in understanding.

- please look over at Eph. 4 for a couple of other critical
ideas on this matter of biblical knowledge:

- verse 18 - (our condition as unbelievers) - READ
- thats the condition we bring into the process.

- verse 13-14 - READ - this will happen if we don't grow in
knowledge.

- a good question to ask would be - How does a person grow in knowledge?
1) He must desire it - John 7:17 - "If any man will do his will, he
shall know of the doctrine."

2) He must have the Holy Spirit - I Cor. 2:10-12

3) He must study the Scripture - II Tim. 3:16-17 - All Scripture...

- so the point is that Paul prayed that the people of this church would
be filled with spiritual knowledge.
- now that's not the end of the process--"cf. "knowledge alone puffs up"
- but it is the beginning of the maturing process.

- so that means that it would be wise you and me to ask, "How important
have I made the matter of "gaining spiritual knowledge?"
- do I really desire it - and what is the evidence of that desire?
- do I have the Holy Spirit - have I genuinely trusted Christ?
- am I making a place in my life/schedule for study of the Scripture?

B. God wants us to know His will.

- the way Paul specifically worded his prayer request was - "I want
you to be filled with the knowledge of God's will."

- we need to "camp" on that one for a minute because there's so much
confusion on this matter of God's will.

- normally, when someone speaks about "wanting to know God's will,"
what are they speaking of?
- knowing something about the future.

- the problem with that is, that’s not the way this subject is
normally addressed in the Scripture.
- God's will can be divided into two parts...
- His directive will and His decreed will
- Directive will -- what He wants us to do,
- what He's already revealed in His Word
- Decreed will -- what will ultimately come to pass in
the future.

- the important difference between the two is that only one can be known
in advance.
- I can only know in advance what God wants me to do now, based on
the principles of His Word.

- I can't know the future, and God doesn't want me to know the
future.

- I know that God wants me to be faithful to my wife today - thats His
will for me today. -- His directive will.
- I don't know what my health is going to be like tomorrow - God's will
for my health tomorrow is something He doesn't want me to know. --
that’s His decreed will.

- let's try a test: I give some statements -- and you tell me if we're
talking about God's directive will, or His decreed will.

- Will my car still be running next year? (decreed)
- Does God want me to be a good steward of my car my keeping it well
maintained (directive).

- Back to Colossians 1 - which part of God's will is Paul talking about
here?

- God's directive will.
- this statement has nothing to do with knowing the future.

- it has everything to do with learning God's revealed will for our
daily lives today.
- that's why Paul describes the "knowledge of his will" with the
phrases:
- "all wisdom and spiritual understanding"

- both of those terms have to do with knowing truth and being able to
apply it.
- developing the ability to see life from God's point of view.
- "the ability to collect and concisely organize principles from
Scripture."

- by the way--when it comes to this matter of decision making and the
will of God -- people who struggle the most with "knowing God's will
for them concerning a pending decision" are usually those who have
had very little practice at knowing God's will on a daily basis and
obediently acting on it.

- now let's add one more concept to this and then wrap us this verse:

C. This is something we should be filled (controlled) by.

- Paul says - I am praying that you will be filled with this.

- the word "filled" in the Bible shouldn't call up the picture of a
"glass."
- we're not talking about volume--i.e. - I've "half-filled with
the knowledge of God's will."

- the word "fill" in the Bible often means "controlled."

- when Jesus healed a person on the Sabbath, the Bible says that
the scribes and the Pharisees were "filled with rage." (Luke
6:11)
- the point wasn't that they were full "like a glass is
full."
- the point was - they were controlled by it.

- so the overall idea here is that Paul's prayer request for the members
of this church was that they would be controlled by the knowledge of
God's will.

- let's think for a minute about that matter of being controlled?

- INPUT - what are some things that a person (even a believer) might
allow themselves to be controlled by other than the knowledge of
God's will?

- INPUT - some good questions for us to ask based on this verse?
1) to what degree is this true of me?
2) have I made this issue as important as God would want it to be?
3) what would have to change for this to have a higher priority?

II. Walk Worthy of the Lord In A Way That Pleases Him

- this is a favorite phrase of the apostle Paul's.
- cf. I Thes. 2;12, Eph. 4:1, Phil. 1:27

A. Why the picture of walking?

INPUT - ???

- walk is gradual (as opposed to running, etc)

- walk is something we do daily. (How many days in your entire
life have you gone without walking? -- esp. in bible days-
transportation)

- how we walk is something others observe

- cf. "your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder
than your talk talks."

- the point is - there's clearly a way to tell whether a person is
being filled with the knowledge of God's will" -- just look at the
way they walk.
- now by giving a theology exam
- not by examining their perfect attendance pins

- it's a matter of examining the way they walk.

B. What characterizes a worthy walk?

- INPUT - what does verse 10 say?

- fruitfulness.

- the Scripture makes it clear that those who are truly
believers will be fruitful people.

- John 15:16 - You have not chosen me...

- John 15:8 - "In this is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples."

- INPUT - what kind of fruit do you think Paul had in mind?
Other kinds of fruit mentioned in the Scripture?

- fruit of the Spirit - Gal. 5
- making disciples - I Cor. 16:15
- praise - "fruit of the lips" - Heb. 13:15
- financial giving - Rom. 15:26-28

- I realize it may be a little difficult to evaluate ourselves on the
first point (being filled with the knowledge of His will)
- but it's a lot easier to evaluate ourselves on this one.
- if we're filled with the knowledge of his will--it's going to be
producing fruit.

- cf. buying a show factory, hauling in the raw materials, etc.
- at some point - you have to check the other end to see if any
shoes are being made and shipped out
- activity doesn't equal productivity!!

- are we walking worthy of the Lord in a way that pleases Him and that
produces fruit?

III. Be Strengthened With His Might

- verse 11

- another result of being filled with the knowledge of God's will is
spiritual strength.

- INPUT - how does strength come from the knowledge of God's will,
wisdom, and spiritual understanding?
- knowing what God wants me to do in a given situation produces
courage.

- having a "history" of walking worthy produces strength - cf. David

- knowing God produces strength - I Cor. 10:13

- INPUT - according to this verse, what is the extent of the strength
we can expect as we seek to walk worthy?
- "according to His glorious power"

- INPUT - what are some specific ways according to the verse that that
spiritual strength can and should manifest itself? (patience,
long-suffering, and joyfulness)

- INPUT - why do you suppose those are the areas Paul specifically
mentions? (so easy to "feel powerless" in situations requiring
those characteristics.)

- cf. - INPUT - how do these areas fit into the context (the fact
that Paul was in prison?)

- How would you evaluate yourself in this critical area?
- is there a relationship in your life between points one and two and
point three?

IV. Give Thanks Unto The Father

- the fact that any of these things are even possible are a reason to
give thanks and praise to God.
- making this possible required redemption through Christ's
blood.
- it required the forgiveness of sins.
- it required being translated from the kingdom of darkness to
the kingdom of His dear Son.
- and it required being made fit to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints.

- Men and women who are practiced at thanksgiving are going to find
everything else we're studying much easier to apply.