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*Colossians Series #3*
*A Preacher's Prayer*
*By Bill Denton*
*Introduction*
A. Illustration
My four-year-old likes to say the blessing at mealtimes, usually repeating the same short prayer: "Thank you, God, for this gracious food.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen."
One evening, however, he thanked the Lord for the birds, the trees, each of his friends, and asked God to watch over his family and help them to be good.
I was thrilled that he was finally praying from the heart.
But after the "Amen," he took a spoonful of stew, gasped, then dropped his spoon into the bowl.
"I should have said a longer prayer," he said.
"My food is still too hot."
Catherine Jones, Kerrville, Texas.
Christian Reader, "Kids of the Kingdom."
1.
We need to see the application to life -- some of us should pray longer - life is hot!
2.
One of the lessons is that we need God far more than we realize, until it's too late
B.
Prayer is an interesting subject
1. Luke 11:1 -- Jesus' disciples wanted to know how to pray
1It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”
NASB95
2.
Matthew 14:23 -- Jesus, himself, was a praying man
23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
NASB95
3.
The Bible is filled with passages that tell us that we should be praying people
4.
To me, what is even more encouraging, more instructive, and more motivating is to
read the prayers found in the Bible -- this isn't someone telling me to pray, it's
someone showing me how to pray
a. Mt 6:9ff -- sometimes called "the Lord's prayer" was meant to teach us how
to pray
b.
Jn 17 -- the "real" Lord's prayer - this is Jesus praying, revealing his heart, his
mind, and how these things were expressed to the Father
C.
Paul's prayers are equally helpful - they are the prayers of an apostle ~/ preacher
1.
I find that kind of prayer helpful because preachers must know God and people
2. In those prayers we discover things of primary importance (Col 1:9-12)
*I.
Paul Prayed For The Colossians (1:9)*
A. Paul's prayer is so simple, so basic, and yet so profound for it touches on two things that
are absolutely essential to Christians
1. First, Paul prayed that the Colossian Christians be filled with the knowledge of
God's will
a. the greatest thing we can ever do is to know the will of God
b.
Romans 12:2 -- 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
NASB95
c.
Hebrews 10:36 -- 36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have
done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
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d. 1 Peter 4:2 -- 2so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the
lusts of men, but for the will of God.
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e. 1 Peter 5:2 -- 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not
under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to /the will of /God; and not for
sordid gain, but with eagerness; NASB95
f. 1 John 2:17 -- 17The world is passing away, and /also /its lusts; but the one who
does the will of God lives forever.
NASB95
g. it makes perfect sense for a preacher to pray that people know the will of God
1) his life's work is dedicated to proclaiming God's word and will
2) his life's work is tested by how well he communicates God's will
3) if he loves people, his main concern is to see that God's will is sown
in and bears fruit in human lives
2.
Knowing God's will must be translated into life
a. this is why we sometimes say that the study of God's word must never be just
an academic exercise
1) it is entirely possible for a person to study God's word, and know what
it says about God's will; and be able to quote it, expound upon it, and
explain it, yet not live it
2) God wants practitioners more than he wants academics
b. the key is spiritual wisdom and understanding
1) wisdom = sophia - first-principle insight
2) understanding = sunesis - critical knowledge, deeper insight
B. We need to pay attention to things people prayed for that are recorded in scripture
1. Jn 17 -- Jesus prayed for some truly important things
a. our sanctification
b. our unity
c.
We understand the importance of these because Jesus prayed for them
2.
Do we get the same point from Paul's prayer?
a. Paul prayed for two basic things
1) that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God's will
2) that they develop both wisdom and understanding (which is the fertile
ground of practical application of God's will to life)
b. it is unacceptable, therefore, to settle for living in ways that are inconsistent
with God's will
1) we need to learn better
2) we need to do better
*II.
The Connection Between Knowing God's Will And Doing God's Will (1:10-12)*
A. The direct connection is made and emphasized with two phrases
1. "So that you will walk in manner worthy of the Lord"
2.
"To please him in all respects"
3.
How much clearer could it be that the purpose of knowing God's will and developing
the practical wisdom and understanding to apply it to life must have its purpose
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