The Purpose-Driven Pastor, III
Colossians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsIn Colossians 2:4-7, we find two passions that every godly shepherd has: a passion for protection, and a passion for progression.
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THE PROBLEM OF PERSEVERANCE
THE PROBLEM OF PERSEVERANCE
It’s hard to stick with things, isn’t it? Every year, it’s an American tradition to make resolutions on New Year’s Eve, in the hope that we will finally implement the changes in our lives that we’ve been meaning to make for years.
“This’ll be the year I stick with that diet!”
“This’ll be the year I take my workout plan seriously!”
“This’ll be the year I learn how to play piano!” And so on.
We’re all pretty well acquainted with this dilemma. For some reason, we just intrinsically have a tough time being consistent with anything! And sadly, doesn’t that tend to be the case in our walk with Christ?
There’s an abundance of Bible plans out there, but none of them seem to be the best fit.
And sadly, doesn’t that tend to be the case in our walk with Christ? There’s an abundance of Bible plans out there, but none of them seem to be the best fit.
There’s a lot of serving opportunities at church, but it seems like our schedules are way too busy to commit every week!
And there’s so many things to pray for, that we get overwhelmed and end up not praying at all! And that’s just a few scenarios among many.
There’s
Now, sometimes, our current season of life may limit us from being as committed to church life as we’d like, and that’s understandable. However, I think we as young believers think too lightly about the dangers of having a limited commitment to our daily walk with Christ.
This danger was heavy on the heart of the apostle Paul, and the solution he gives in his inspired letter to the Colossians is as beneficial for us as it was for the Colossian believers themselves.
Tonight, we’re going to complete our study of what the “Purpose-Driven Pastor” looks like. Here in , we find two passions that every godly shepherd has: a passion for protection and a passion for progression.
Follow along as I read.
4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.
5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
CONTEXT
CONTEXT
So far in Colossians, we’ve seen Paul establish the wisdom of the true gospel from verses 1-23 back in chapter 1. Then, we began looking at the folly of any false gospel, starting in chapter 1, verse 24. Now, we’re at the close of the idea Paul started back in that verse.
Here, in , Paul’s main point was to steer the Colossians away from spiritual deception and steer them towards spiritual direction.
This passage consists of a revealing explanation (), a heartfelt consolation (), and a pastoral exhortation ().
includes a revealing explanation (), a heartfelt consolation (), and a pastoral exhortation ().In this passage, Paul gives the reason for why he is writing the way that he has from 1:24-now. Then, Paul asserts that he finds joy in seeing and hearing about their perseverance in the faith, regardless of whether or not he is with them. Then, as a result of all of that, he charges them to continue to persevere by walking in Jesus Christ, full of thankfulness and devotion to sound doctrine.
In verse 4, Paul gives the reason for why he is writing the way that he has from 1:24-now. Then, in verse 5, Paul asserts that he finds joy in seeing and hearing about their perseverance in the faith, regardless of whether or not he is with them. Finally, in verses 6-7, as a result of all of that, he charges them to continue to persevere by walking in Jesus Christ, full of thankfulness and devotion to sound doctrine.
Here, in , Paul’s main point was to steer the Colossians away from spiritual deception and steer them towards spiritual direction.
All in all, Paul’s main point in writing these verses was this: to steer the Colossians away from spiritual deception and steer them towards spiritual direction.
A PASSION FOR PROTECTION ()
A PASSION FOR PROTECTION ()
With that in mind, let’s look at verses 4-5, where we find the first passion of a true shepherd: a passion for protection… a passion for protection.
4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.
5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
“I say this” is in reference to everything Paul has talked about in the last 8 verses. There’s no pride in his heart when it comes to discussion about his selfless ministry efforts.
Don’t miss the “so that” in verse 4… The whole purpose behind why Paul has spoken the way he’s been speaking is because he doesn’t want the Colossians to be deceived by anyone or anything!
Paul’s hope in writing this passage, and the letter at large, was to protect the Colossians from any obstacles to their perseverance.
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Why was this necessary? Only because Jesus Himself spoke clearly on how important it is to be precise in our perseverance. In , He says that the path of the Christian is narrow, and many miss the mark.
If you’re anything like me and you’re directionally challenged (which basically just means you don’t know to get anywhere without Google Maps), then you’re entirely and utterly dependent on the directions you’re given by whatever app you use to get from Point A to Point B. So, even if there is a potential for Apple Maps to lead you astray, you just have to exercise faith because your lack of ability means that there isn’t really any alternative!
Make no mistake, in the Christian life, we’re all directionally challenged. Without the sovereign grace of God acting on us, we never would’ve come to Christ on our own, let alone live more like Him! However, where the Apple Maps analogy fails is this: if the directions lead us to the wrong location, the consequences aren’t all that bad. We can usually find a solution to get us back to where we needed to be in a reasonable amount of time. On the other hand, if we’re following the wrong directions on the road to eternal life, the consequences are dire, and most importantly, there’s no guarantee we will have enough time to get back on track.
All that to say, we need to pay all the more attention to the many devices that the devil, the world, and our flesh will throw at us to derail our faith. One in particular? Persuasive arguments from false teachers. Look at verse 4 again: “so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.”
The best definition of this is spiritual deception… spiritual deception. Spiritual deception is very real, very present, and very dangerous. One primary way it can come is through false teachers, such as the ones Paul is warning the Colossians about here in this very verse. Let’s unpack this a little for a moment though.
First, spiritual deception is very real because the Bible says so! You probably weren’t expecting that answer, but it’s the answer nonetheless. If Scripture warns us about something, then we would do well to take it just as seriously as God does.
We’re easily
All we have to do is look at our own lives and it’s easy to see how real of a danger it is. Listen to .
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Spiritual deception not only comes from without, but within! How much of the Word do we hear in sermons every week on Sunday, only to forget most of what we got convicted over by Monday morning? Right now, it may not seem like it’s having much of an effect on us, but in reality, when we harden our hearts to conviction like that, we’re prime candidates to fall prey to spiritual deception.
Second, spiritual deception is very present because it’s going on all around us! Look at all the false teachers in the prosperity gospel movement. How many souls are led astray by the ministries of Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, and others? What about the other movements going on even in conservative Christianity? Denominations that have held the line are beginning to blur that line as the world at large is getting more and more aggressive with homosexuality, loose living, and abortion? If we’re not arming ourselves with what the Bible teaches on these things, then we’re prime candidates to fall prey to spiritual deception.
Third, spiritual deception is very dangerous because we don’t see it for what it is until it’s too late. People wouldn’t pay a shady contractor for a kitchen remodel if they knew he was shady from the jump. It’s hard for us to see deceivers for who they are because deep down, our flesh really wants to like what they have to say! Listen to Paul on this exact issue in .
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
So, now that we know why Paul found it so necessary to teach the Colossians about the reality, presence, and danger of spiritual deception, we naturally want to ask: “Paul, if your main reason for writing was to protect them from a danger that is real but not technically present at the moment, why are you writing so strongly to them?” We only need to look at verse 5 to get the answer.
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5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
Here, Paul concedes the reality that he’s not physically there. He understands the fact that they are 1300 miles apart and that the distance is palpable! But… Don’t you love when the Bible says “But”!? Look at the text again: “But, or nevertheless, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”
Paul’s saying here, “Yeah. I might not be with you all physically, but I’m 100% present spiritually.” What does that presence look like? Extreme joy at the sight of their continued perseverance, which is evidenced by their orderly manner and unshakeable steadfastness in their faith.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
Paul’s intense desire to see their growth and his subsequent delight in their growth sets the standard for what we should look for in a shepherd. It’s the defining mark of ministry! The purpose behind why we speak hard truths to each other, confront one another about sin, and encourage one another to persevere must be from an inward desire to see our brothers and sisters remain firm in the faith. If that’s not our mindset, or the mindset of our pastors, then the same Bible that says is living and active becomes dead and sterile because of lovelessness.
A PASSION FOR PROGRESSION ()
A PASSION FOR PROGRESSION ()
So, in verses 4-5, we saw that the first passion of a godly shepherd is a passion for protection. Now, in verses 6-7, we find the second passion of a godly shepherd: a passion for progression… a passion for progression. Follow along as I read.
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
This “Therefore” tells us that this statement Paul is making here in verses 6-7 is the peak, the mountaintop, the finale to what Paul has been saying up until this point.
It’s also interesting to note that Paul says here, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him...” He’s purposefully emphasizing the reality that the things he is saying and is about to say are nothing new! The Colossians already know the true Christ and the wisdom of His gospel. Their only job? Simply to stick with what they knew and keep sticking with it.
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Gal. 1:9
And, what were the Colossians to do with the Christ they had already received? “Walk in Him.” Short in length, yet massive in impact.
If this idea sounds familiar, that’s because it should. Look back at chapter 1 for a moment at Paul’s prayer in verses 9-14. He’s bringing back the exact same concept! However, this time, rather than expressing his wishes for them in exultation to God, he is expressing his wishes for them in exhortation before God.
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
This command to “walk” has nothing to do with exercise, or physical steps, per se. The idea is more so about your pattern of life, or the way that you live day in and day out. Paul is commanding the Colossians to live in Christ in the same manner that they received Him. This is mainly a call for the Colossians to express what they profess.
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
Luckily, Paul doesn’t just leave us hanging here by saying “walk in Him!” and then dropping the mic on his way to next court date in Rome. Verse 7 is a treasure trove because it gives us the key to knowing whether or not we are walking in Him and whether or not we are walking in Him well.
The first component of that key is at the beginning of verse 7: “having been firmly rooted...”
This idea is pretty self-explanatory: “firmly rooted” simply means firmly rooted. However, it’s the way Paul writes this that is fascinating for us. The function of this is in the perfect tense, which means that this action was initially completed in the past, but is still going on now and into the future. Basically, the Colossians were initially firmly rooted in the past, and those roots are growing deeper.
But it gets even better. Another aspect of this verb is that it’s in the passive voice. Meaning, the Colossians aren’t the ones making this happen! Whoa. So then, who’s actually doing all of this rooting? God Himself.
Basically, Paul is commanding the Colossians to live in Christ, as God continues to deepen the roots of their faith that God planted in them.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
13 Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.
This is such an encouragement to our hearts, isn’t it? At the end of the day, we’re not the ones that make the final call on whether or not we stay rooted in Christ. If we are His, then He will hold us fast. What does Jesus say in ?
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 “I and the Father are one.”
John 10:27-
The second component of walking well is next in verse 7: “and now being built up in Him...”
The idea here is that of “being built up, or constructed.” These divinely-planted roots are not only growing deeper, but they are building.
This verb for “built up” here is in the present tense - it’s active, and it’s going on as we speak! These divinely planted roots are growing deeper and expanding.
Also, this verb is in the passive voice as well. Who is doing the work of building up the Colossians? None other than God Himself again! We’re starting to see a pattern here.
Essentially, Paul is commanding the Colossians to live in Christ, as God continues to deepen and build up the roots of their divinely-planted faith.
4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
The third component of the key to walking well is found in the next phrase of … “established in your faith, just as you were instructed...”
This is a common idea that comes up in the New Testament, but here it means “to make a person firm in commitment, or simply put, to strengthen.”
Just like the last concept of “being built up”, this “establishment” is ongoing and is, you guessed it, performed by God Himself. Overall, Paul is commanding the Colossians to live in Christ, continuing to deepen, build up, and strengthen the roots of their divinely-planted faith.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
There’s a fourth component though, and it’s arguably the most important. The final component of the key to living well is at the end of verse 7: “overflowing with gratitude.”
The Christian’s experience on this side of glory will largely consist of perseverance in the lifelong battle against our flesh, the world, and the devil. We need all the help we can get in this battle, because it’s got eternal impact if we lose! So, we have to be diligent to use every resource the Lord gives us to succeed by His grace, and one of the crucial means of grace in our lives is the local church body.
When we think of persevering in the faith, our minds probably don’t initially go to a lack of thankfulness as the problem. But Paul’s did. Why? Because it’s the secret to applying everything Paul has said thus far! Thankfulness is like the Krabby Patty formula. With it, we are able to obey Paul’s command, not to just walk in Christ, but to walk in Him just how we received Him.
Think back to when the Lord first saved you. You were utterly lost in your sins. There was a sense of hopelessness. There was despair. There was powerlessness. But God, rich in mercy, revealed Himself to you through His Word, whether it was preached, or shared with you by a friend, or found by you while reading the Bible. And then He saved you from your sins! He gave you a new heart! He gave you a new mind! I remember that moment so vividly in my life. I remember the overwhelming gratitude and thankfulness that I had for what the Lord had done for me.
But, that fades, doesn’t it? We get seasoned in the Christian life and we start to graduate from that thankfulness, don’t we? We learn some theology, and all of a sudden we’re no longer the new kids on the block, eager to learn. We grow stale, and proud, and we feel like we’ve arrived. Paul’s words here cut me to the core because it’s something I struggle with so much! I so easily forget what the Lord has done for me and continues to do for me.
So what’s the remedy? Remember Him! Remember His works! Remember His ways! Declare His glory! Listen to David’s words on this exact thing in .
10 All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
12 To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
Combine that with the three previous acts of grace that God is performing in us already: we are “firmly rooted”… we are “being built up”… we are “established”… All by God, and even more incomprehensible is that He does all of these things and more for His will and good pleasure. Listen to :
3 But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
And He chooses to save us and sustain us. Isn’t that cause enough to make us overflow with thanksgiving to Him?
WHAT NOW?
WHAT NOW?
Our time is running short. Let’s look back on all that we’ve learned.
The Christian’s experience on this side of glory will largely consist of perseverance in the lifelong battle against our flesh, the world, and the devil. We need all the help we can get in this battle, because it’s got eternal impact if we lose! So, we have to be diligent to use every resource the Lord gives us to succeed by His grace, and one of the crucial means of grace in our lives is the local church body.
We’ve discovered two passions that every godly shepherd should have from the pages of Scripture in . The first, from verses 4-5, is a passion for protection. The second, from verses 6-7, is a passion for progression.
So what now? What do we do with all of this? Why should we care about this stuff, anyway? I’m not a pastor, so what’s the big deal? I’ll give two suggestions, or better yet, exhortations, for you to leave with.
1) RUN FROM THE LIES.
1) RUN FROM THE LIES.
What is a lie? Simply anything that isn’t in line with what the Bible says. What if you don’t know what the Bible says? Then go find out! We saw last week from that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. So, if we get to know Jesus through His Word, then why don’t we sprint towards Him with all that we have?
Every other religion and world system and ideology leads to pain, hurt, and unmet expectations. Worst of all, it leads to eternal death. So run from the lies, and run towards Christ. If you confess, He is faithful to forgive, says. Which leads to suggestion 2.
2) RUN TO THE LIGHT.
2) RUN TO THE LIGHT.
Where is the Light? A better question is, who is the Light? None other than Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I’ll close with these words from the gospel of John.
John 3:
14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
Eternal life is there for the taking. All you have to do is repent and believe. If you’re with us and you have it, then hold on to it with all that you’ve got. And, if you’re with us and you don’t have it, then what’s stopping you? Seize the opportunity, for today is the day of salvation. Let’s pray.