Well, good morning everyone, nice to see you.
And as always, look forward to chatting with you over tea and coffee.
Please don't rush away.
It's good to chat if you're able to stay.
Turn in your Bibles please to Colossians.
This is the letter we're looking at together this term.
Colossians chapter 1.
Last week we looked at chapter 1 verses 1 to 8 as we saw the beginning of this church
and how he was thanking God for their faith in Christ Jesus and the love that they had
for each other and the hope of heaven to come, this new community of believers.
And then this morning we're going to be looking at verses 9 to 14 which is a prayer, a prayer for the church.
And as we go through this morning, at different points I'm going to turn what we've looked at a section at a time into a prayer.
And the prayer will be on the screen.
You can verbally pray it out along with me if you want to or you can just pray quietly to the Lord.
But we're going to try and turn what we look at at different stages into prayer to make it practical and helpful.
So let's keep our Bibles open at Colossians 1 verses 9 to 14.
I'm going to pray and then we'll look at his words together.
Father, you have given to us all that we have.
There is nothing that we hold dear that is not a gift from you.
Thank you for all that you have blessed us with.
And we thank you that it is your desire to continue to give to your people and to your church
all that we need as we walk the Christian life.
So Father, we come in our weakness, our helplessness.
We come humbly before our great King and ask, give to us, your servants, what we need today.
Help us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Well, if you could ask God for one thing and you knew you would receive it, what would you ask for?
If you could ask for one thing and you knew you would receive it, what would you ask for?
Or suppose somebody comes up to you over tea and coffee and they say to you,
Will you pray for me?
Pray for me this week.
What would you ask that person to pray for you?
Those are good questions to ask because the answer to those questions reveal
what is most valuable to us and what is most important to us.
How we answer those questions reveal what's most important to us.
So what would you ask God for?
Would it be for an increase in your salary at work?
Would it be for better health?
Would it be for a husband or a wife?
Maybe to pass your exams or win your match?
Or what would you pray for?
Well, in our text this morning, verses 9 to 14, the Apostle Paul writes what he is praying for these people.
Verse 9.
For this reason.
So he has been giving thanks for their salvation in Christ, their new beginning.
So for this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you.
Well, we know he prays.
He does so in his other letters.
But what does he pray for?
Well, surprisingly, he doesn't pray and ask,
Lord, make it less stressful for these people.
Or, Lord, give them an easier life so that they're not tired anymore.
He doesn't even ask for better health or greater prosperity.
Paul prays not what we want, but what we most need.
What we most need.
His prayer shapes how we as a church family can pray for one another.
The things that we most need.
There's three things that form our prayer for one another and for the church.
We pray that we would be filled by God,
strengthened with power,
and it to be received in thanks.
So something to be filled by,
something to be strengthened with,
and something to be received.
So let's look at each of these in turn.
First is a prayer to be filled by God.
Look at the rest of verse 9.
We continually ask God to fill you,
fill you with what?
With the knowledge of his will.
That's the prayer.
Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will.
Now, knowing God's will is important to us.
In fact, it's something that kind of strikes a chord with us,
because we think of God's will in terms of our future, don't we?
We say things like,
it's God's will for me to move to Paris.
It's God's will that I should marry you.
It's God's will that I should work here.
It sounds very spiritual, doesn't it,
when we attach things that we desire with God's will.
But I think what we're really expressing is our own personal choices.
You see, God's will is not complex.
It's not something hidden that we have to discover.
It's not some kind of packaged personal plan that God has,
that we somehow have to prise open his hands
to get what God's will is for my life.
No, God's will has actually been revealed to us all.
God's will is what God wants and what God desires.
God's will is God's priority for our lives and for this world.
So you're asking the question,
as am I, well, how do we know what that will is?
What is it that God wants and God's desire?
Well, the primary way of knowing what God's will is,
is by the Spirit through Scripture.
By the Spirit through Scripture.
You see, God's will is revealed to us in the pages of Scripture.
The book that you have open in your hands there now
is the primary and fundamental things
that we need to know for our life and for this world.
That's how God communicates.
It's how God speaks to us.
It's how we hear God's voice.
If you want to be filled with God's desire and God's priorities,
if you want a knowledge of his will,
well, see this book, open it up and read it.
Let me show you God's revealed will for your life.
Have a look at chapter 1, verse 28.
This is God's will.
We're reading Scripture, God's word.
This is what it says, chapter 1, verse 28.
He, that is Christ, is the one we proclaim,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
That's God's will for your life,
that you would become mature in Christ,
that you would grow in Christ-likeness.
Let me show you another one.
Chapter 2, verse 2.
Again, he's speaking of the church.
You see, that's God's will for us,
that together as a church we would be united together
in love for Jesus and love for one another.
You see, God's will isn't very complex, is it?
It's really quite simple.
We just open up the Bible and read.
That's God's will for your life.
But, to see that will applied to our lives,
and to see our priorities change,
and our desires to match up with God's desires,
we need the help of the Spirit.
Look at the rest of verse 9.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.
You see, the Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding
to apply God's revealed will to our lives.
As we read the Bible, we're learning what God's will is,
we're being filled with his knowledge,
and the Spirit is at work within us,
giving us wisdom and understanding
to apply all of that word
to our lives and to our day-to-day situations.
And so,
our first prayer,
you can follow on the screen.
Father God,
as we read your word,
fill us with a knowledge of what you want
and you desire,
and by your Spirit,
give us wisdom and understanding
to apply your truth
to our lives.
Amen.
So, we ask God to fill us,
and there's a reason,
there's a big reason
why we need to be filled with God's knowledge
and for the Spirit to be at work in us,
so that
we might please God.
Let's look at the end of verse 9.
We'll read that into verse 10.
We continually ask God
to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all the wisdom and understanding
that the Spirit gives,
so that
you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and please him in every way.
So, you see that little phrase,
to live a life worthy of God?
Well, that's to live a life that pleases God.
If you want to live a life that's worthy to God,
it means to live a life that pleases God.
And how we please him
is further explained in verse 10.
Bearing fruit in every good work
and growing in the knowledge of God.
Bearing fruit
and growing.
That's what it is to please God.
In fact, as we read through Colossians,
we're shown what some of this fruit looks like.
The kind of things that we should be doing
if we're to please God.
So, just for example,
have a look at chapter 3, verse 5.
I wonder what you have in your mind
when you think of bearing fruit in every good work.
Something to please God.
Well, here it is.
Some examples.
Chapter 3, verse 5.
Here's a good fruit.
Put to death, therefore,
whatever belongs to your earthly nature.
Sexual immorality,
impurity,
lust,
evil desires,
and greed,
which is idolatry.
That's a lovely fruit, isn't it?
Fight sin.
Put it to death.
Or another one,
verse 13.
Bear with each other
and forgive one another
if any of you has a grievance
against someone.
You've got a grievance
against someone here today?
Maybe your spouse,
maybe your children,
maybe a neighbour.
I don't know.
Do we forgive them?
It's a beautiful fruit.
Or verse 16.
Let the message,
or the word of God,
the message of Christ,
dwell among you richly
as you teach
and admonish one another
with all wisdom
through psalms,
hymns,
and songs from the Spirit,
singing to God
with gratitude in your hearts.
That's another lovely fruit.
That's what we were practising.
That was some of the good work
we were doing
as we gathered this morning.
We were singing songs.
Why?
Because as we sing,
we're not singing just to God.
We're singing to each other
and we're teaching
and we're admonishing
and reminding each other
of who God is,
that he is good,
that he's paid it all,
and that we have access to
a God in heaven.
These are the kinds of fruits
that are to be in display
in our lives.
They're attractive and beautiful.
It is pleasing to God.
But we're not just to bear fruit.
We're also, verse 10,
to grow in knowledge.
And this growing in knowledge
is not just to kind of puff our heads up
and fill as much theology
as we possibly can
and just cram it in
so we've got this big theological head
that's so big
and so deep.
That's good.
But it's really about
putting it into practice.
Growing in knowledge
is obeying God's will
for my life.
You see,
that's the way we please God,
is hearing his word
and doing it.
And so,
to our second prayer,
we pray,
Father,
fill us with a knowledge
of your will
so that we might live
a fruitful life,
putting sin to death,
loving each other,
and encouraging one another
with the word of Christ
so that we please you.
Amen.
Now that's a great prayer,
isn't it?
To be filled by God
and given his spirit
so that we can please him
in our life.
But how are we going to do it?
Because all of that fruit
and all of that knowledge
is difficult.
So here's the second part
of the prayer.
A prayer to be strengthened
with power.
You see,
without God,
there can be no spiritual fruit.
There can be no growing.
There can be no obedience.
There can be no pleasing God.
So we come to God
humbly,
admitting our weakness
and helplessness,
and ask him
that he would strengthen us
by his power.
So look at verse 11.
being strengthened with all power
according to his glorious might.
What a great prayer.
To be strengthened
with all power
according to his glorious might.
Now that power,
the power we're talking about here,
is nothing less
than God's creation
resurrection power.
Let's look at what scripture says.
I've got these verses
on the screen.
Here's the first one,
which talks about
God's creation power.
Sovereign Lord,
you have made the heavens
and the earth
by your great power
and outstretched arm.
Immense power, isn't it?
To bring the universe
into existence
and to hold it all together.
God's power,
is the same as the mighty strength
he exerted
when he raised Christ from the dead
and seated him in the heavenly realms.
Isn't that an extraordinary power?
The power that raised Jesus from the dead
and put him into the heavenly realms,
ruling over all people
and all things.
That power
is available
for you and for me.
The power that brought
the universe into existence,
the power that raised Christ,
his glorious might
is at work within us.
Verse 11,
being strengthened with
how much power?
All power.
This is God's full
and complete,
unlimited
and eternal power.
You see,
what God asks of us
to please him in every way,
oh, it's so difficult,
isn't it?
But he makes it all possible
by giving to us
his glorious might.
One writer put it like this,
we are strengthened by God
with the greatest strength imaginable.
And so we pray again,
Father God,
help us to see our weakness
and our helplessness.
We come to you asking
that you will strengthen us
with your power
so that we might obey
your will.
Now this being strengthened
with power
is filled out
in a purpose
and a reason
why we need this power.
And here it is,
so that
you and I
can keep on going.
That we'll keep on
persevering
in the Christian life.
Verse 11,
being strengthened
with all power
according to his
glorious might
so that
you might have
great endurance
and patience.
The Christian life,
it's difficult,
isn't it?
It's tough.
And to enable us
to keep going,
to keep walking
and following Jesus,
we're given his power.
And this is seen
in two ways.
When we receive his power,
look at verse 11,
the end of verse 11,
we have great endurance
and patience.
Because that's what
the Christian life requires,
endurance.
It's not a sprint.
It's a marathon.
We don't just receive
Christ,
we continue
with Christ.
And that's hard
for us
as we go to work
or as we go to our school,
as we live our life out.
There are all kinds
of pressures
which are pushing
in upon us
to conform
not to God's will
but to the world's will.
That I would seek
my will
rather than God's will.
That I would follow
my desires
rather than submit
to God's desires.
That's always
crushing in on us.
And so we ask
to be strengthened
with his power
so that we will endure.
And the Christian life
also requires patience.
We want everything now.
We're an instantaneous culture.
We want our struggles
to end now.
Trials to be over now.
We want all of heaven
and the joy of heaven
now.
Well, longing for heaven
is good.
I hope you are longing
for it.
But we've got to learn
patience.
It's coming.
Verse 5 tells us that.
Doesn't it?
Have a look back up
at verse 5.
He's been talking
about their faith
and love
that spring from
the hope
stored up for you
in heaven
about which you've
already heard
in the true message
of the gospel.
For God's children
we're looking forward
where there will be
no struggles
and there will be
no trials.
But we've got to learn
patience.
It is coming.
And so we pray
for power
and strength
to be faithfully
following
and to do that
patiently.
And so we pray
again
how good it is
to pray
because as we pray
God gives.
Here's the prayer.
Father God
strengthen us
with your glorious
might
the power
that brought
the universe
into existence
and the power
that raised
Christ from the dead
so that we will
endure
in the face
of trials
and have patience
while we wait
for heaven.
Amen.
What a great prayer.
So we ask God
to fill us.
We ask to be
strengthened with power.
But are you sure
God is going to
give you what you
need?
Are you sure
that God our
Father will give you
all that we've been
praying for this
morning?
Well,
I think we can be.
A prayer
to be received
in thanks.
Look at verse 12.
He's been praying
for different things
and then he kind of
changes tack
and he bursts
into a prayer
of thanksgiving.
Verse 12.
And giving
joyful thanks
to the Father.
Why?
Because he has
qualified you
to share
in the inheritance
of his holy people
in the kingdom
of light.
What's the
greatest gift
you could
possibly have?
What do you
dream of
if you were
to receive
a gift?
Well,
if you are
a Christian,
you have
the greatest
gift that
you could
possibly ever
imagine.
You have
the gift
that trumps
every other
gift imaginable.
Did you see it
there in verse 12?
You share
in the
inheritance
of his
holy people.
people.
That
inheritance
is something
we have
now and
it will
be experienced
in all
its fullness
to come.
So what
will it be
like?
What is
this inheritance
going to look
like?
Well,
it's described
in the same
verse as
the kingdom
of light.
That is a
kingdom ruled
by God
where there
is no
darkness,
no sin,
no evil,
no wickedness,
no suffering,
no sickness.
It will be a
life with
Christ for
all eternity
who will
continue to
fill us with
joy and
peace never
ending.
It will be
our forever
home marked
by beauty
and harmony.
This is
God's gift
to you.
can you
think of
a better
gift you
could possibly
have?
This is
your
inheritance.
This is
what is
written for
you in
God's
will.
Now to
share in
this
inheritance
we have
to qualify
don't we?
So what
does that
mean for
me?
Do I
have to
achieve
some
certain
standard
of holiness
to kind
of somehow
get into
the
holy
joe
club?
Do I
have to
somehow
prove
myself
to God
that he
will
accept me?
What is it
I have to
do to
qualify for
this amazing
inheritance?
What do you
have to do?
Nothing
except
receive it
in faith.
Look at
verse 12.
Who's
qualified
you?
The
Father
who has
qualified
you.
The
Father
qualifies
us.
It's not
what we
do but
what God
has done
for us.
He tells
us what
he's done
for us.
Verse 13
He has
rescued
God
has
rescued
He's
rescued
us from
the dominion
the rule
of darkness
and brought
us into
the kingdom
of the
Son He
loves.
Transferred
from a
kingdom of
darkness
into a
kingdom of
light
a kingdom
of love
with His
Son
in whom
we have
redemption
set free
from our
past
our guilt
and shame
and receiving
the forgiveness
of sins.
You see
we were
lost in a
kingdom of
darkness
empty and
hopeless
bound to
the ruler
of this
dark kingdom
Satan
himself
enslaved
to a
life of
sin.
There was
no way
for us
to escape
or get
out of
this
dark
kingdom.
in fact
the Bible
tells us
that we
even had
no desire
to escape.
But God
takes the
initiative
and God
comes and
intervenes
into our
life
through His
Son
and He
rescues
us.
He
makes a
way so
we can
escape
and enter
into a
kingdom of
light.
Enter into
the kingdom
of the
Son He
loves.
He
takes us
from our
self-destructive
hell-bound
life and
gives us a
glorious
inheritance.
We receive
it in
thanks.
And so
we pray
again.
Father God
we thank
you that
you have
qualified us
to share
in your
glorious
inheritance.
Thank you
for rescuing
and redeeming
us and
forgiving us
of all
our sin.
We receive
your gift
with joyful
thanks.
Isn't that
amazing?
Which helps
us to see
that as we
come in
thanksgiving
it leads
to a
humble
confidence.
We receive
in thanks
thanks so
that we
can ask
confidently.
You see
he's not
just stopping
asking God
and then
suddenly going
into a
prayer of
thanks.
I think
it's a
prayer of
thanks to
help us
see that
we can
ask God
confidently.
You see
think of it
this way.
If God
has given
us the
greatest
gift ever
being
qualified to
share in
his
inheritance
how much
more
will he
give to
us all
that we
need as
we wait
for our
inheritance.
If our
inheritance is
guaranteed,
it's stored
up, it's
coming, you
will receive
it, how
much more
will he
give us
everything we
need while
we're waiting?
Or think of
it this way,
if God
gave us the
greatest gift
for which
we never
asked or
desired, but
he gave it
to you, how
much more
will he
give what
we do
need when
we humbly
ask?
If he
gave you the
greatest gift
and you
never asked
for it,
how much
more will
he give
you what
you need
today and
tomorrow
because we
humbly
ask?
you see
sometimes we
view God
like some
kind of
magic genie,
a God
who we
have to
desperately
try and
please and
with some
kind of
magic prayer
formula, we
prize out of
God's hands
the things
that we
want.
Repetition,
same prayer
over and
over again.
No, God
isn't like
that.
God is a
generous
Father who
always gives
to us what
is best.
He's not
tight-fisted
or mean-hearted.
Just have a
look back at
the end of
verse 2,
chapter 1,
the last
part of
verse 2.
This shows
us how
generous our
Father is.
Grace
and peace
to you
from God
our Father.
These are
the gifts
he gives
to his
children,
grace
and peace
and all
that we
need as
we wait
our
inheritance.
So we
come in
humble
confidence
knowing that
he will
always give
what is
right and
best.
So we
pray.
Father,
we humbly
ask that
you will
give to
us all
we need
as we
live the
Christian
life.
Please
fill us
with the
knowledge of
your will,
strengthen
us with
all power
so that
we
please
you
in
all
things.
We
receive
these
gifts
in
thanks.
What a
tremendous
prayer.
But you
know what?
This is a
prayer we
pray as
a church.
These
aren't just
individual
prayers.
Look back
at verse
9 there
with me.
He says,
we have
not
stopped
praying
for you.
Paul is
praying on
behalf of
the church.
He is
interceding
on behalf
of these
people.
So this
is a
prayer.
What we've
been looking
at is
our
encouragement
to pray
this prayer
for one
another.
So think
of it
like this.
Imagine
you're on
a plane
going off
to,
because it's
God's
will,
Paris.
Just
imagine.
You're
on a
plane and
suddenly you
experience a
loss of
cabin
pressure.
Immediately
those oxygen
masks just
pop down.
And if
you're sitting
beside someone
who can't
manage a
younger person
or for
whatever reason
they can't
put it on,
it's your
responsibility
to put that
mask on
them so
that they
can breathe.
Well,
aren't there
times when
we are so
overwhelmed
with the
pressures of
life.
Trials,
struggles,
and it
feels like
we've run
out of
oxygen,
we're
choking,
we're
suffocating,
we can't
cope,
we can't
even
pray.
So we
go to
someone and
we say,
will you
pray for
me?
will you
pray on
my behalf?
What a
great request
that we
are a
family,
brothers and
sisters,
who can
pray for
each other
so that
we can
ask God,
our generous
Father,
to give to
our brothers
and sisters
all that
we need.
Fill them
with the
knowledge of
your will,
strengthen
them with
your faith,
and give
them a
renewed
confidence
that they
too can
ask and
they will
receive.
Your
prayers
for
each
other
will help
them breathe
again.
This
week,
we're going
to gather
as a
church
family.
In your
notice sheet
at the
back of
it,
you'll
see the
timetable
there,
or if
you've
got the
book,
as Ralph
was pointing
out,
the different
occasions we
can gather
to pray.
And my
encouragement
to you,
as it is
to myself,
we're not
saying you'll
be there at
every prayer
event,
but just
highlight it,
mark it
off,
plan.
If you
don't plan,
it's not
going to
happen.
Come along
if you can't
be there at
the exact
time,
just come
soon after.
Come when
you can,
leave when
you have
to.
If you're
there for
10 minutes,
15 minutes,
that's fine.
Come when
you can,
leave when
you have
to.
And if
you find
praying
difficult,
and you're
not always
sure what
to pray
for,
so we'll
be using
these prayers
as a guide,
to be
praying for
the areas
of the
life of
the church,
the community
in which
we're in,
and our
mission
partners.
others.
So,
let's
use this
to pray
for one
another,
to pray
and ask
God that
he will
give to
us all
that we
need
as we
live the
Christian
life.
Well,
before we
sing,
let's
pray
together.
our
Father
God,
thank you
that you
are
generous
and
exceedingly
good,
and that
you
always
and only
give
the very
best
gifts
to your
children.
Thank you
for the
gift of
prayer,
that we
can come
and talk
to you
as we
are now,
and ask
you that
the power
you used
to bring
this world
into being,
the power
that raised
Christ from
the dead
and defeated
death
and gives
life,
that we
might have
that power
so that we
would please
you in
every way.
encourage
us to
be people
of prayer
for our
church
family,
especially
for those
who are not
able to
pray or
are going
through trials.
May we
pray on
their behalf,
knowing
that you
will give.
Thank you,
Father,
for teaching
us today.
Amen.
Well, we're
going to
sing.
What a
friend we
have in
Jesus.
He's with
us and
for us,
not against
us.
All our
sins we
can bring
and he
will forgive.
take
fire and
the