Intentional Gospel Living - Living in light of the Gospel
lass=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1) 11-4-07…..SBC…..PM Series 2)
“Intentional Gospel Living”
Living in the light of the Gospel
Colossians 1:1-8
Introduction:
Authorship - Paul
City - Colossi
Ø their main industry was wool – wool was taken and dyed a dark red color
Ø at one time Colossi was a very wealthy city
People –
Ø at first the city was made up of Greek and Phrygian settlers
Ø Antiochus III brought Jewish families in to settle there
| Just like ours culture today! |
Ø This settling made the city a city with a wide differing cultural and religious system
- this cultural diversity becomes a major factor in the letter
Application: When you attempt to live in light of the Gospel in the 21st Century, and share the
good news of the Gospel to a world void of God be prepared for opposition.
Ex) messages of tolerance and relativity
Church –
Ø before salvation they were out or harmony with God, idolatrous and enslaved to sin 1:21
Ø This was done to emphasize the superiority of Christ in their salvation 1:5
Ø Forgiveness of sins is a important picture represented in Colossians 2:13, 3:13
Quote: “God…canceled their debt, or signed IOU, but also destroyed the document on which it was recorded.” (O’Brien)
Ø when they were saved they began to bear fruit 1:5-6
Ø Paul is excited and thankful to God for the report he received from Epaphras about the church
Occasion –
Ø probably mainly to refute the false teachers that had come in to the church and were teaching things contrary to the gospel they knew
False Teacher:
- partly Jewish (rituals)
§ partly non-Jewish
§ possible angelic worship
Customary Opening – author, recipients and greeting v1
? - What makes Paul’s openings different than just “Dear Colossi”
A- All of the theological content, the personal nature and pastoral care
A- Paul
1. Apostle – establishes his authority for writing this letter
a- he is going to expose the false teachers so it is important that the people remember that his writing is authoritative
2. Of Jesus Christ – the words mean “sent by” or “belonging to”
3. By the will of God – God chose him for this ministry
Application: God has also chosen you to do His will – Road to Damascas
4. with His associate Timothy – means “co-worker or helper”
Recipients – The Colossian believers v2
1. Theological terms used as description of Colossian believers
a- saints – holy, set apart for God, characterized by godly behavior
? – If Paul wrote a letter to us at Southview would he be able to address like this?
Greeting – Grace and Peace v2
1. Grace – this word describes Paul’s view of salvation
a- no personal work
b- this was the basis for the new life the Colossians now lived
2. Peace – Jewish greeting generally meaning – “well being”
3. The idea is that God is the source of our grace and our peace
Transition: After his apostolic greeting, Paul shows what intentional Gospel living looked like in the life of the
Colossians.
Purpose Statement:
Intentional Gospel living (living in light of the Gospel) should shape our prayers to God and our devotion to God.
#1) Intentional Gospel Living v1-8
Intentional Gospel living includes…
A- A Persistent Prayer Life v3
1- Paul states that the sanctified living of the Colossians caused him to pray a prayer of thanks to God
a- the structure here is of something that is currently taking place
b- Paul is stating that his action of praying is an “action in progress” (Indicative Mood)
2- His thanks was for the Christian growth that had taken place in the lives of the Colossians
a- Paul was regularly and continually thankful for them in his prayers to God
b- The expression “we thank God” occurs frequently in the Pauline Epistles. The term implies both a statement of thanksgiving for what is received from God and an element of praise for God’s character which originated it.[1]
Though it is grammatically possible (with A.V. and A.R.V.) to construe always with praying, it is better to join it with thanking. This is true in view of the immediately following context (verses 4–8) in which reasons for thanksgiving are given, and also in view of I Cor. 1:4; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; I Thess. 1:2; II Thess. 1:3; and Philem. 3[2]
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Application:
1- How much are our prayers revolving around petitions to God?
2- Are we always asking God for something?
3- Try praying without asking God for something and just focusing on His character and goodness to you.
4- Remember to give thanks to God for the things that only God can do – Christian Growth
3- Spiritual growth is impossible apart from the practice of prayer. Just as the key to quality
relationships with other people is time spent in communication, so the key to a growing relationship with the personal God of heaven and earth is time invested in speaking to Him in prayer and listening to His voice in Scripture. [3]
4- The essence of prayer is simply talking to God as you would to a beloved friend—without pretense or flippancy. [4]
Application:
1- The temptation that we face in our prayer life is that our own busyness will crowd out our prayer.
2- For some prayer lacks a respect for God, others believe it to be a time for requesting from God, while for many it is nothing more than an empty routine
3- Let’s make Southview Baptist Church a church that thanks God for the great God He is and one that prays regularly for each other’s growth and walk with God
Transition: Not only does intentional Gospel living involve a persistent prayer life but it also must be evidenced by..
B – Fruitful Faith v4-8
1- Paul is thankful here for the Gospel which is the source of their faith, hope and love v5
a- The Gospel
1. to communicate good news concerning something
2. in a NT context it refers to the message of God as it is revealed through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
3. There are many important aspects to the Gospel
a. redemption
b. reconciliation
c. propitiation – sacrificial atonement
d. grace
e. faith
4. the most important aspect of the Gospel is God
a. GOD IS THE GOSPEL!
b. God’s glory as it is revealed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important part of the Gospel
Application:
Ø thank God for the glory of God in the Gospel and its affects on your own life
Ø we must make sure that our presentation of the Gospel always involves the glory of God as it is revealed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ
Ø our Gospel presentation must be a presentation of God’s salvation by grace alone, through faith alone found in Scripture alone
2- Paul is thankful for the fruit or the results of the Gospel that he saw in the lives of the Colossians
a- the products produced by living in light of the Gospel is faith, hope and love v5
1. faith - their abiding trust in and personal surrender to the Anointed Savior.[5]
2. love – sincere appreciation for others
Ø These two always go together, for faith is ever operating through love (Gal. 5:6). The same Magnet, Christ Jesus, who attracts sinners to himself and changes them into saints simultaneously draws them into closer fellowship with each other. Thus, ideally speaking, every believer enshrines his fellow-believers — wherever they may dwell and of whatever race they may be[6]
3. hope – confidence that God is doing what He said He would do
Ø Hope is being viewed as a treasure that is being accumulated in heaven. This hope is credited to a specific account and the place of the deposit is heaven. A clear perspective on eternity affects the present. The future can be said to determine the present, for what is reserved in heaven for the believer now exercises a decisive influence upon his present conduct.[7]
Application:
1- Christian mental and moral attitudes and activities such as believing, hoping, and loving, always react upon each other. In general, the more there is of the one the more there will be of the other.[8]
2- Does confidence in your eternal home strengthen your faith? Does that faith manifest itself in love for the other believers that you will one day share heaven with?
3- We are a church that due to our size we are very closely connected with each other. Just like a close knit family should be. But, are there others of our church that may be outside our circle that we can reach out to? Keep looking for ways to reach out to those closest to you also.
Conclusion:
1- Intentional Gospel Living is living in the illuminating presence of the good news of Jesus Christ
Is his how you live?
2- Gospel centered living always leads to real fruit bearing in the lives of believers
3- If we at Southview are committed to “Intentional Gospel Living” then we will see the fruit of the Gospel in our own lives and in the life of our church by seeing growth personally and corporately and seeing other come to know Christ as we share the Gospel with them.
Are you willing to commit to this life long journey?
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[1]Melick, Richard R.: Philippians, Colissians, Philemon. electronic ed. Nashville : Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1991 (Logos Library System; The New American Commentary 32), S. 193
A.V. Authorized Version (King James)
A.R.V. American Standard Revised Version
[2]Hendriksen, William ; Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 6)
[3]Boa, Kenneth: Handbook to Prayer : Praying Scripture Back to God. Atlanta : Trinity House, 1997, c1993
[4]MacArthur, John: Alone With God. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1995
[5]Hendriksen, William ; Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 6), S. 47
[6]Hendriksen, William ; Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 6), S. 47
[7] Lamlighters: Colossians.
[8]Hendriksen, William ; Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 6), S. 49