Sermon Tone Analysis

! I.     Alright, let’s go on reading COL 1:24-27

!! A.  In V 24 Paul is talking about Christ suffering for us, but he is also talking about our suffering for Him, which is the body of Christ.

!!! 1.

There will be /persecutions/, but there is also a work that has to be done.

!!! 2.    You will /not/ /lose/ your /reward/.

Even if you give a cup of cold /water/ to someone in thirst, you will not lose your reward.

!!! 3.    /What Paul/ is /saying/ in this verse is that /Christ// is still suffering/.

!!!! a)    However, His suffering is /not/ done to /Him personally/.

!!!! b)    /We/ are the ones that /suffer/ persecution and /we are His body./

!! B.  The definition of the phrase “Fill Up” that I liked, came from the Strong’s Concordance.

!!! 1.

The /Strong’s said/ that /this phrase is referring to the sufferings that Christ went through is not the end of suffering/, /but Paul said that this suffering that is to come would be his desire to come upon him/ and /not the rest of the body./

!! C.Verse 25

!!! 1.

The /KJV/ uses the word /“dispensation,”/ he is /literally/ saying, /“it is by God management/ or /administration.”/

!!! 2.    Of course, /Paul// was God’s ordained servant/, /sent to minister the Word/ of God.

!!! 3.    Now the KJV says, /“to fulfil”/  d  the word of God;

!!!! a)    In the Bible that I was using to prepare this message, said the words /“TO FULFIL”/ would be better translated /“FULLY or FULNESS.”/

!!!! b)    In other words, Paul is saying that /he was given the word/ of God /to preach its fullness to you./

!!! 4.    /Paul/ here is also /dealing with/ some of the /error/ which came /from/ the /Gnostics/.

!!!! a)    Again, the /Gnostics/ said that /knowledge/ was /supreme/ and /they had all the knowledge needed/.

!!!! b)    Paul is saying not so, /I have been sent by God to preach the fullness to you/.

!! D.Verse 26

!!! /1.  //Part/ of what /Paul/ was /sent/ to do was /to preach/ /“THE MYSTERY.”/

!!! 2.    /What is the mystery/?

It is /only/ /found in Christ/.

!!!! a)    By “/mystery/,” he meant something /once/ /concealed/ /but then revealed/.

!!! 3.

This /contrasted/ with the /Colossian heretics’/ notion that a /mystery/ was a /secret teaching known only to an exclusive group and unknown to the masses/.

!!!! a)     The /church/ was /unknown/ in the /Old Testament/ /because it had been kept hidden for ages and generations/.

!!! 4.    Paul says at the /end of Verse 26/, “but /now/ is /made/ /manifest to his saints/:”

!! E.  What is the mystery?

!!! 1.

Some have said that it is the /CHURCH/, and the /church being the body of Christ/.

!!!! a)    And of course this is the /work/ of the Lord /Jesus/ Christ /through/ /His death, burial, resurrection and ascension./

!!!! b)    This could /not/ have been /possible in the Old Testament./

!! F.   This mystery was not that there was something new coming.

They saw that in the Old Testament.

!!! 1.

It /wasn’t/ about the /coming Messiah/.

They /knew/ about /that/.

!!! 2.    It /wasn’t/ about /salvation/ /coming to the Jews/.

It /wasn’t/ even about /salvation coming to the Gentiles/.

They could /read that/ in the /Old Testament/.

!!! 3.    The /mystery was not/ /that //Gentiles/ would be /saved/ /but how they could be “fellow-heirs”/ (Eph.

3:1-6), on the same level with Jews, with no middle wall of partition between them (Eph.

2:12-14 ).

In the Old Testament Gentiles who believed and became a part of Judaism were still considered lower than Jews.

This special union in which there “is neither Jew nor Greek” ( i.e. , Gentile, Gal.

3:28 ) was nonexistent before Christ died and ascended and all believers have been baptize into one body, the body of Christ.

!

II.

Col 1:27-29

!! A.  This is the mystery which was once hid, but now has been revealed.

!!! 1.    Part of that mystery is that Christ is in you.

!! B.  Verse 28, Paul says, this is who we preach about, the Lord Jesus Christ, “warning every man, and teaching every man.”

!!! 1.    He’s warning every man what will happen if they don’t receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and live for Him.

!!! 2.    Now, paul said that he warned and taught in “ALL WISDOM.”

!!!! a)    This is the Greek word “/sophia”/ which literally means “the fullness of wisdom.”

!!!! b)    Many times this is in reference to the Wisdom of God.

!!! 3.    Next in verse 28 he uses the word “PERFECT”, the Greek actually says, “complete” or “Having reached its end.”

!!!! a)    And that is on;y found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

\\ ----

d to fulfil...: or, fully to preach the word

i.e. /id est/ , that is