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“What To Pray For A Church” • 4.13.14
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- In a Roman prison house hundreds of miles
away, the Apostle Paul dictates two new letters for two churches, the church of
Laodicea and the church of Colosse.
- Hours of thought have gone into the words
that have were employed, the tone that was chosen, to meet the need of the hour
in that church.
- What better way to begin than with a look
into what he had already been praying for them! Yes, he will lovingly correct
them, but not before he shares his prayers!
- That's the dominant theme over this first
half of chapter 1. We'll examine this section and close with a new prayer list
to consider.
Text
• Colossians 1:1,2 : "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in
Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." : Ancient letters were composed on large papyrus scrolls. Unlike
our modern letters, the author would identify himself at the beginning.
- Paul penned Colossians at about the same time
as he penned Philippians, in the late 50's or early 60's, some 30 years after
his own conversion.
- Even while in prison, unable to travel, Paul
knew that his Apostolic credentials remained firmly intact. He was imprisoned
for preaching Christ's gospel and God hadn't revoked his license!
- He was an apostle, a dignitary of the Lord
Jesus, by or "according to" the desire or wish of God. Nobody had
voted him in. He had not campaigned for the position. He was divinely
appointed!
- As with the Philippian letter, Timothy,
Paul's protege and brother in Christ is also mentioned.
- They addressed themselves to saints, holy
ones and faithful brethren in Christ who were in Colosse. Holiness refers to
being set apart for the Lord, useful for His purpose and plan.
- Every believer in Christ, who has been born
again, is a saint without distinction!
- Additionally, they were marked by their
faithfulness, their full faith issuing in a reliability in the things of the
Lord Jesus. Can something better be said?
- Certainly talent and gifting are honored in
the world, but people who recognize they are holy and seek to live out a life
of faith that others can count on are worth their weight in gold!
- God seeks out those who will be reliably His,
availability trumps ability each time!
- These faithful saints were in Colosse, which
is located in Turkey, south of the Maender river, a few miles east of Laodicea
and 80 miles from Ephesus.
- The area is well known for natural hot
springs which leave carbonate mineral deposits, giving the appearance of a
bright white cotton cloud, complete with stalactite formations.
- The locals near the Lycus River valley call
it Pamukkale, or "the Cotton Castle."
- Also near Colossae was the Roman town known
as Hierapolis, which was a Roman bath town due to the proximity of the hot
springs. This was a luxurious locale in ancient times.
- How did a church get there, as there is no
specific mention of Paul having gone to Colosse in his missionary journeys?
There are several theories.
- Aside from what I have just told you, this
entire region encompassing Laodicea, Hierapolis and Colosse was called
"Phrygia," an area Paul had visited on his second missionary journey.
- Before then, there were people from Phrygia
who were actually present on the day of Pentecost according to Acts 2:10!
- It's possible that those believers went back
to Colosse with first hand information about the church's founding and when
Paul came, he only reinforced what should further be done!
- Others have postulated that this church came
out of the church of Ephesus.
- In any event, Paul speaks to them as he speaks
to each of the churches, greeting them in the Lord's grace or favor and peace.
He would write the same thing to us as well!
• Colossians
1:3-5a : "We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love
for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven," : At the report of the Colossian church, Paul and Timothy were
thankful and prayerful.
- They rejoiced in what God was doing! It was
always a cause for celebration that there was a faithful representative of the
Kingdom flourishing somewhere.
- They gave thanks to God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ. They are the same in essence, but are two distinct persons.
At the end of verse 8, the Holy
Spirit is mentioned as well.
- The word "Trinity" is never used,
but the concept is clearly seen yet again!
- Since the very first day that they heard of
their faith in Christ and their love for the saints they prayed for them,
knowing first hand the challenges that awaited them.
- This alerts us to a few items. First, this
was a church that Paul and Timothy did not begin.
- His concern as an apostle gave him the
authority to speak to this church regardless.
- The second thing we'd consider is the
essential being of this church. A church displays trust in Christ,
acknowledging who He is, lifting high His Name as the Righteous One.
- This is our primary goal for existing. We are
to examine the scriptures in order to bolster our faith in Christ! The church
is an institution that continues our growth in this area.
- You begin your life in Christ by faith. You
nurture that faith and in the end, you die in faith! Every year, you grow to
trust Him more until you understand that you trust Him alone!
- But a church is not a church if it also
doesn't display love for all the saints! One can't love Christ and not love His
people!
- "Oh C'mon! It's easy to love
Jesus!" However, we know that we love Jesus when His love emanates from us
toward those that He loves! And hey, you're not that easy to love either!
- Paul continually prays for them because of
the hope, their expectation, laid up for them in heaven. The word "laid
up" speaks of a reservation that awaits a person.
- Because of Jesus Christ, the Colossians and
the CCFians expect something that is reserved for them, safely kept in heaven
for those who trust Jesus!
- Where is that hope discovered? Take a look at
the rest of verse 5.
• Colossians
1:5b-8 : "of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the
gospel, which has
come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as
it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in
truth; as you also
learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of
Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit." : They had heard of heaven in the word of the truth of the
gospel! That's the only message of heaven and hope beyond this world, at least
the only one that is true! That's what changed their lives!
- Pay attention on this point, as this is not
only a statement of fact, but a very real point of correction for the
Colossians.
- They needed to understand that it was THE
truth of THE gospel that had changed their lives! We need to remember that as
well, when other belief systems wrestle for our allegiance!
- The Colossians saw their lives change because
of the gospel, but it didn't stop there! The whole world was hearing it as
well!
- Consider this was without the internet,
television, radio or smoke signals! The people of that first generation were so
radically changed that they couldn't keep it to themselves!
- People who had been saved through Paul's ministry
and through the ministry of the churches that God was planting, were preaching
it and it was bearing fruit! No wonder Paul was thankful!
- This brings us to the man who was both a
beloved fellow servant, as well as a reliable minister. Epaphras was the leader
who had brought greetings to Paul on behalf of the Colossians.
- He was the one responsible for teaching the
gospel to the Colossians. Someone can learn the gospel from you! Ask the Lord
to show you who He wants you to teach!
- Some have suggested that Epaphroditus and
Epaphras are one and the same. I believe they were different people.
- Paul calls him "one of you" in Colossians 4:12, a distinction not
shared with Epaphroditus and Paul mentions in Philemon 23 that Epaphras was a fellow prisoner, literally a
prisoner of war!
- Epaphras was not literally a prisoner with
Paul, but he was under compulsion to fight in the same war that Paul was
ministering in!
- Paul's words regarding Epaphras are as good
of a tribute as anyone could want. He was a fellow servant and a faithful
minister of Christ.
- Paul looked at him and saw an equal, a fellow
participant in the things of the Lord. There was no rank or privilege that one
enjoyed above the other. They both simply served the Lord!
- In the same way, we have different capacities
and offices. Some have a greater range of influence, but we are all servants of
the Lord, available to please God alone!
- He was also their faithful minister, serving
their spiritual needs, praying for them when they were away from one another.
Finally, Epaphras was their champion.
- The word "declared" refers to
providing clear proof and evidence of something.
- Essentially, Epaphras was bragging about the
Colossians and their love in the Spirit, referring both to the love that they
had for one another and for those outside the church.
- It was a love that came from the Holy Spirit
and worked out in them. Love for Christ and love for His church are the first
and greatest proofs of authentic Christian life.
• Colossians
1:9,10 : "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the
Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in
the knowledge of God;" : They were already praying
for the Colossians, but their love in the Spirit caused them to go again to
prayer!
- Paul and Timothy prayed always and here he
says that they do not cease to pray for them! It's one thing to commit to pray
once. It's another to never stop! That was their heart for the church.
- This was their habit! Never believe that
there is any church health apart from a praying constituency!
- There may not be a functional ability to do a
visible prayer meeting during or even before a service, but the commitment to
be prayerful over our church does not necessitate it!
- Paul, Timothy and Epaphras prayed in prison!
When you pray, wherever you pray, pray for me, pray for each other and pray
that the Lord would bring others who need Him here!
- We see that they prayed and what they prayed
for. They asked that the Colossians would be filled, liberally supplied with
the knowledge of His will!
- "Oh, but the will of God is so
mysterious." Is it? Paul calls upon the Lord to give them a storehouse
full of that which helps them to discern correctly the desires of God!
- "Oh Lord, help them to know the way that
they should walk!" I have found that Christians are less burdened by a
lack of knowledge than they are a lack of bravery!
- That's why Paul continues that request,
asking for all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
- Wisdom speaks of intelligence and spiritual
understanding indicates a flowing together. There must be a skillful
application and a spiritual association to circumstances before us.
- There are times when a path seems obvious and
the way flows together to bring us to right decisions in Christ. In that way,
we are driven toward the things that God desires from us.
- Why is this so vital? It's not an end unto
itself. We have this capacity in order that we might walk and to do so
worthily, in light of the Lord!
- We've encountered this word
"worthily" before. It comes from the Greek word "axios"
from which we then get our word "axiom" or "axiomatic."
- There is a necessity to comprehend that our
walks with Christ generally coincide with certain behaviors, while others are
completely out of place.
- Some actions become or suit a Christian life
and others do not! In some instances, those behaviors are quite clear. In
others, there is a difficulty in discerning.
- This is why we need His wisdom and spiritual
understanding! Walking with God is more than a series of "black and
white" decisions!
- There are grey areas that are right for them
but wrong for you! Alternately, certain things are off the table for them which
you have no problem with!
- When we walk wisely and worthily, we bring
God pleasure and are fruitful in what we do!
- Such a life won't just have some of God's
knowledge. No, that knowledge will lead to an increasing, correct, experiential
knowledge of God!
• Colossians
1:11,12 : "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,
for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has
qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." : Paul prays that they would be strengthened, granted power with
all of His power, according to His power!
- It's great to have wisdom and knowledge, but
then if He does not grant us the ability to employ that power, what good is it?
- The Christian life is impossible apart from
the strengthening resource of God! Perhaps you are wondering why things have
been so difficult. You need His strength!
- Why do we need His strength? In order to have
patience and longsuffering with joy! "Wait, I thought that patience and
longsuffering were the same thing!?"
- The word "patience" refers to our
ability to sustain a walk with the Lord despite discouraging circumcstances.
Financial strain, family disorder, employment struggles, etc.
- There are discouraging things that we hear
about and endure personally as we walk. A patient Christian keeps walking with
Christ through them all.
- Patience deals with circumstances, while
"longsuffering" has a more personal tone to it. There are people who
are coming at you personally, seeking to test the authenticity of your faith!
- They are antagonistic, hoping to break you. The
longsuffering Christian never responds with malice or vitriol.
- We need His power to endure both the general
discouragement and the personal attacks. Some can do that with a frown, but
it's the Lord when they can accomplish these things with joy!
- It's no testimony to endure as an Eeyore in
the world! But when your joy is unshakable, there is something that you have
that is supernatural!
- We need His strength to endure with joy and
still be thankful to the Father! What a beautiful statement: We are thankful to
the One who has qualified us!
- He has made us sufficient, rendered us fit,
given us power to complete the task! As such we are partakers of what has been
set aside for those who are in the light of Jesus Christ!
• Colossians
1:13,14 : "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us
into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins." : He has
delivered us. He has rescued us! He is our hero because we were under the power,
the influence of darkness!
- Our lives were dark, our minds were dark, our
eyes were dark. If anyone came to help us, they were stuck in much the same
condition! God reached into the darkness and rescued us!
- He rescued us then transferred us into the
Kingdom of the Son of His love! We were slaves in the Kingdom of darkness!
We're now citizens of Christ's Kingdom!
- It's the Father who did this, through the
vehicle of Jesus the Son, in whom we have. Stop there and consider that you
have nothing apart from the "whom!"
- Christians have this in Him, not in
themselves! In Him we have redemption, a legal payment tendered for the guilt
that incurred and the fate we deserved, paid for by the blood that He shed!
- The payment for your soul demands blood. It
demands a payment. Sin has sold us over to darkness and those who sin will
surely die. That's all of our condition!
- We either accept Christ's payment on our
behalf or we spend eternity paying! It's that simple!
- He gave His precious, innocent lifeblood, to
secure your place and mine, to grant us the forgiveness of our sin debt!
Literally, your sins have been sent away from you!
- Those actions that offend the nature of a
holy God have been sent out into the horizon, never to be seen again or acknowledge
by God!
Conclusion
- What's on
your prayer list this week? Here are 5 areas that the text implores us to pray
for ourselves and for one another.
- Pray that the
Lord would grow your faith in Christ to the point that it issues in a greater
love for Him and His church. (v.3-5)
- Pray that the
Lord would freshly impact you personally with the truth of the gospel and for
it's impact to sweep the globe again. (v.5-8)
- Pray that the
Lord would fill you full of His wisdom and spiritual understanding in order
that your life decisions you make would please Him. (v.9,10)
- Pray that the
Lord would strengthen you to patiently endure difficult circumstances and
people in your path with a joy that communicates divine assistance. (v.11,12)
- Pray that the
Lord would fill your heart with thanksgiving for the legal work of redemption
that assures you of your forgiveness in Christ! (v.13,14)
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