THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS
(The Unique Characteristics of a Mature Church - October 30, 2022)
Series Big Idea: "Humanity is only complete in God the Son"
Sermon Big Idea: "The key to Christian maturity is consistency in Christ Jesus"
Key Scripture (Colossians 2:1-7)
Have you ever felt stagnant in your Christian faith? Like you're going nowhere? Just doing the same things day in and day out, week after week, year after year? Everyone, even the most devoted believer, has probably felt like this at some point. But this shouldn't be a way of life. Scripture tells us that there are certain things we must do to grow up as individuals and as a church body.
(Colossians 2:1-7)
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery —Christ. 3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. 4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well-ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.
As we learned in Colossians 1:24–29, the church's first great need is a minister who will work hard for the church. The second most important thing the church needs is people who are getting better at following the Lord. The key word is "consistent." People who are mature are consistent. They keep drawing closer to the Lord. Inconsistency is one of the saddest things about the world we live in today. Few people walk with the Lord every day consistently. This is what this great passage is about: the unique characteristics of a mature church. In this passage, there are five. The church needs...
1. A minister who Prays Constantly and Cares about the church
Paul had never seen most of these people personally, but he cared for them deeply and was constantly in prayer for them nonetheless. The word “struggle” here means to strive or agonize. Paul agonized deeply through prayer for this church. Picture an athlete striving to give his every ounce of energy to win the race. This is the same way Paul struggled in prayer for them. It is no different today. The church still needs mature ministers who are giving all they have in prayer for believers all over the world. But prayer is not easy and at times it is demanding and difficult. There are distractions such as strict schedules, wandering thoughts, and emergencies. The main reason why so many Christians and churches are still immature in the Lord is that we don't work hard and suffer in prayer for each other. Prayer and fellowship is the primary way God chooses to bless His church. The duty is ours!
2. Members who possess Confidence and Assurance
The word “encouraged” here means to be strong, strengthened, and established. This kind of strength stirs up confidence and assurance. The truth is that our human hearts long for this. Where does this strength come from? Strong hearts come from love. It comes from being knit together with others in the church in love. People who feel left out, alone, and neglected seldom feel strong. The answer to this heart problem is to be knit together with other believers in love. It is Jesus Christ who reveals God to man. When someone comes to God through Christ, God places His Spirit within them. The Spirit of God instills confidence and assurance within our hearts. When a person understands and acknowledges Jesus Christ, he gains full assurance of God (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
3. Members who Resist false teaching
The word “deceive” in verse 4 means to cheat, seduce, or lead someone astray. How does this happen? With “persuasive arguments.” People are usually misled by logic and reasoning. The arguments are many and include many of the major teachings of the Bible. By this deceiving, they begin to question truth itself and start to doubt. Paul said that all believers are to know that all truth is in Christ and therefore believers are to look for truth in Christ only (Romans 16:17-18). A mature believer is a person who can see beyond the outside appearance and decern the truth.
4. Members who are Spiritually Disciplined
The word “well-ordered” carries a military connotation and means to hold the line unbroken and intact. These believers that Paul was writing to were being attacked by false teachers even as he wrote. But Paul said they were holding the line. Paul always wanted them to know he was with them in spirit even if he wasn’t with them physically.
5. Members who walk Daily in the Lord
To walk in the Lord could mean two things. First, it could mean that these believers were to continue in their faith in Christ. They had trusted in His righteousness and death on the cross to cover their sins and make them acceptable to God. They were to remain in this. They could do nothing to earn this (1 John 1:7). Secondly, people who believed in Christ took him as Lord Jesus Christ. That is, when people believed in Him, they accepted Him as the true Messiah and Lord from heaven. They also accepted Him as the Lord of their lives. So, Christians should walk before Him as Lord; they should keep walking and serving Him as Lord of their lives.
Conclusion:
Finally, the believer should walk with a heart full of thanksgiving. Christ Jesus, the Lord, has done so much for those who believe, so much that it never stops, not even for a second. So, a believer should learn to walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that doesn't stop, one that overflows with praise for the Lord at every moment of the day (Philippians 4:4-6).
“Dr. Charles Weigle (the composer of ‘No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus’) visited Pasadena, California. Early that morning he had an opportunity to walk through some of the famous rose gardens when the full fragrance of the flowers filled the air.
“Later in the day he arrived at the hotel where a Bible conference was being held. As he took his seat, a man turned to him and said, ‘Dr. Weigle, I know where you’ve been. You toured one of our lovely gardens, for I can smell the pleasing aroma on your clothing.’ ‘My prayer is that I may walk so closely with the Lord that the fragrance of His grace will pervade my being. I want them to know by my words, actions, and songs that I have been with Jesus.'
What kind of fragrance do you emit? Can people tell by your words, your actions, and your attitude that you have a close walk with Jesus?
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:
Holman Christian Standard Bible
English Standard Version Bible
King James Version Bible
Christian Standard Bible
Water, Mark, ed. Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
NIV, Archaeological Study Bible, eBook: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture
Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Duane Garrett, and Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
NIV, First-Century Study Bible, eBook: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context
Zondervan, Kent Dobson, and Ed Dobson
WORDsearch. Adult Questions for LESSONmaker. WORDsearch, n.d.
Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. Electronic ed. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1991.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Colossians. The Teacher’s Outline & Study Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1994.
Cole, Steven J. Colossians. Steven J. Cole Commentary Series. Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017.
Garland, David E. Colossians and Philemon. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.
Moo, Douglas J. The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008.
Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.
Soanes, Catherine, and Angus Stevenson, eds. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, eds. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Deluxe Then and Now Bible Maps. Torrance, CA: Rose Publishing, 2007.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.
Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977.
Barnes, Albert. Notes on the New Testament: Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians. Edited by Robert Frew. London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885.
Hoehner, Harold W., Philip W. Comfort, and Peter H. Davids. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Philemon. Vol. 16. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.
Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: William B. Eerdmans Publishing; Paternoster Press, 1996.
Phillips, John. Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009.
Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
Anders, Max. Galatians-Colossians. Vol. 8. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Galatians–Colossians. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009.
Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
Water, Mark. Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible. AMG Publishers, 2003.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009.
Barry, John D., David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
Brannan, Rick, and Israel Loken. The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.
MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Bible Handbook. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003.
MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.
Piper, John. Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999). Desiring God, 2007.
Lucas, R. C. Fullness & Freedom: The Message of Colossians & Philemon. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980.
Radmacher, Earl D., Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999.
Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson, 1992.
Willmington, H. L. The Outline Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999.
Melick, Richard R. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Vol. 32. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991.
Souter, Alexander. A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1917.
Dunnam, Maxie D., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon. Vol. 31. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982.
Bowman, Robert M., Jr., and J. Ed Komoszewski. Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2007.
Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.
Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. The Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
AFTER THE MESSAGE
After hearing today's message there may be a decision you have made and you want a pastor to connect with you. We want to make this easy for you. Just scroll to the bottom of this page and fill out the form and our pastor will contact you in the way you prefer.