Colossians: Pleasing God

Colossians- The Preeminence of Jesus Christ

Lesson Three: Three Truths about Pleasing God- Vs. 1:9-14

Pleasing God is knowing His will (1:9)

Vs. 9a

“For this reason”

Paul was thankful for their clear understanding of the gospel and them living out their faith in love. Since the gospel was bearing these fruits Paul always prayed for them.

We too should pray and be thankful for other believers, especially those who are living out their faith in love.

Vs. 9b

Paul asked that they would be “filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”

This is important because the false teachers were spreading all kinds of false information about spiritual growth. He wanted them to grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding according to the will of God, not the will of man. We will see this more in chapter 2.

Knowledge of God’s will is simply knowing God’s truth.

Wisdom is the application of this knowledge. This is the spiritual understanding we need. Finding God’s will comes through the knowledge of God but to “be filled” with God’s will refers to the application of that knowledge.

Paul’s prayer, as well as God’s will, is that we would live out the truths of scripture. God’s will is not some elusive hidden thing.  God’s will refers to people’s salvation and sanctification. If you are a believer living out the truths of scripture you have found the will of God and have “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” As Prof. Hendricks used to say, “God’s will is found in God’s word!”

Pleasing God is walking in His will (1:10-11)

Vs. 10-11

“walk worthy of the Lord”

This refers to us living our lives as a representative of Jesus Christ.  Remember that Paul thanked them for living as people of faith in Christ. Now he is praying that they would continue. He wanted them to…

“please Him in all respects”

This should be our goal, to fully please God with our lives. That God would look at our lives and be fully pleased with what He sees and how He is reflected to the world through us.

But how do we do this exactly? How do we live lives pleasing to God?

1.    Be fruitful in every good work.

God is pleased when the fruit of good works characterizes our lives because this is why we were saved (created in Christ- Ephesians 2:10).

2.    Increase in the knowledge of God

The knowledge that God wants us to know about Him has been revealed in the scripture. We need to know the scripture to obtain the knowledge of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

3.    Be strengthened by the glorious power of God

We cannot fully please God in our own strength. We must rely on the strength He provides. (Gal. 5:16)

4.    Being patient and enduring with joy

Life is often difficult. We often have no idea of God’s direction for our future. We must trust God and endure this time with patience.

In Romans 8:28 Paul writes, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God...” 

God desires what is good for us and our spiritual maturity. Whatever it is that we are going through, whatever decision you are trying to make, whatever concern you are holding onto…you must trust God and patently endure. It’s not easy and Paul doesn’t infer that it is. That’s why he says to “endure.” 

The blessing is that if we will rely on the “glorious power” of God we can live content and with patience experiencing the joy God intends for us. This is when we are being “fully pleasing” to God.

Pleasing God is being grateful for salvation (1:12-14)

Vs. 12

“giving thanks”

Paul prays that the believers here in Colossae are thankful to God for their salvation. He says that these believers have been…

·      Qualified to be partakers of the inheritance (eternal life and rewards)

·      Will eternally be with other saints in the Light (presence of God or the sphere of where God is – cf. 1 Jn. 1)

·      Delivered from the power of darkness

·      Transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son

·      Received redemption, the forgiveness of sins 

If you cant show thankfulness for all of this than you just cannot show thankfulness. These are some of the greatest truths and promises found in scripture!

How do we show this thankfulness to God?

Keep the context:

1.    Know God’s will by studying and learning the scripture

2.    Walk in God’s will by living out these truths

3.    Be fruitful in every good work

4.    Increase in the knowledge of God

5.    Be strengthened by the glorious power of God

6.    Be patient and endure with joy

7.    Live your life as a response of thankfulness to God for everything you have in Christ!

 

Life of Christ: Jesus is the Messiah

A study of the person and life of Jesus Christ 

Lesson Two: Jesus is the Messiah

Discover: Jesus is the fulfillment of OT prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.

Why should we look to prophecy to identify the Messiah?

Jesus used OT to show He was the Messiah

·      Lk 24:27; 24:44

·      Jn 5:46; 8:56

NT authors used OT to show that Jesus was the Messiah

·      Acts 3:18

·      Acts 17:2-3

·      1 Co. 15:3-4

In the OT there are over 60 major prophecies about the coming Messiah and over 270 variables that were fulfilled in one person, Jesus Christ.

Lineage to His birth

God began to show us who the Messiah would be, and through history, progressively narrowed it down to Jesus Christ.

It starts in Gen 3:15. We learn the Messiah will be the seed of woman. This is significant because all other people are born seed of man.

Gen. 9-10 – Noah had three sons, Messiah comes through the Line of Shem

·      Gen. 12:3 – As a descendant of Abraham we learn He would be Jewish (Mat. 1:1)

·      Gen. 17:19; 21-22 – Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael and God chose Isaac (Lk. 3:34)

·      Gen. 28; 35:10-12 – Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau and God chose Jacob (Mat. 1:1; 2:2)

·      Gen. 49 – Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel, God chose the tribe of Judah (Lk. 3:33)

·      Out of all of Judah’s family lines, God chose Jesse

·      2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Jer. 23:5 – Jesse had eight children, God chose the house of David (Lk. 1:32-33)

Through the OT we learn that the Messiah will be the seed of a woman, the lineage of Sham, the race of the Jews in the line of Abraham, the line of Isaac, the line of Jacob, of the tribe of Judah, and be of the house of David. God progressively narrowed the identity of the Messiah.

His Birth

As the OT ends we have 400 years of silence but then God continues to speak prophecy through an angle in gospel of Luke 1:26-35 where we learn of the Messiah’s divine birth, its time, and who His earthly parents will be. This is more narrowing as God gives us signs and directions to the Messiah.

Then we see the circumstances surrounding the Messiah’s birth fulfilled by Jesus:

Prophecy	Old Testament Prediction	New Testament Fulfillment
The Savior would come as a child.	Isaiah 9:6	Luke 2:11
The Savior would be born in Bethlehem of Judea.	Micah 5:2-5	Matthew 2:1-6
The Savior would be born of a virgin.	Isaiah 7:13-14	Matthew 1:18-25
Kings would bring the Savior gifts and bow at His feet.	Psalm 72:10-11	Matthew 2:7-11
The Savior’s birth would trigger a king to slaughter children.	Jeremiah 31:15	Matthew 2:16-18

 

Do you realize how much this narrows Jesus of the NT to be the one and only possible fulfillment of the Messiah prophesied of in the OT?

Illustration – silver coins in Texas

Using the science of probability scholars of prophecy give the chance that even 8 of these prophecies being fulfilled from the beginning of time to the present age in only one man is 1 in 10^17.  

To help us comprehend this number Peter W. Stoner gives an illustration.

·      Take 10¹⁷ number of silver dollars – this would cover the state of TX two feet deep in silver dollars

·      Mark one and mix it up with all the others, all over the state

·      Blindfold a man and let him travel as far and deep as he wishes

·      Let him chose any silver dollar and give it to you as the one of his choice

· What chance would he have of getting the silver dollar you marked?

·      10¹⁷ – the same chance 8 of these OT prophecies could be fulfilled in one man. Remember that Jesus filled over 60 prophecies including over 270 variables necessary to do so.

This clearly shows not only the divine inspiration of the OT and its prophecies, but also the reality that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and Savior sent by God.

His Death

This is one of my favorites and almost gives me the chills every time I study these passages. One of the most compelling prophecies concerning the coming Messiah fulfilled by Jesus is found in His death.

Psalm 22

Take a minute and read Matt. 27:33-46 and John 19:23-37, two passages that speak to the events surrounding the death and crucifixion of Jesus.

Compare this to Psalm 22

Ps. 22:1 – Matt. 27:46 – My God, My God

Ps. 22:2 – Matt. 27:45 – darkness

Ps. 22:6 – Matt. 27:39-44 – despised by people

Ps. 22:7-8, 13 – Matt. 27:39-44 - surrounded by enemies

Ps. 22:14, 16 – John 19:34, 37 – pierced hands and feet

Ps. 22:15 - Matt. 27:28-30 - thirsty

Ps. 22:17a – John 19:36 – no broken bones

Ps. 22:17b – Matt. 27:36 – look at Him

Ps. 22:18 – Matt. 27:35 – cast lots

Ps. 22:18 – John 19:23-24 – did not tear garment

Ps. 22: 21; 31:5 – John 19:30 – gave up His spirit

If you have taken the time to read through these passages you can probably relate to the chills I mentioned earlier. It validates our faith in Christ as Messiah and Savior. It reinforces the fact that Jesus fulfilled everything prophesied about the Messiah, and many outside of His control. It testifies to the magnificent timing and sovereignty of God working together with the freewill of man. It is an amazing blessing to have this revelation and confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior.

I hope you have been blessed.

 

Israel Day Four- Discipleship

Today was one of my favorite days so far on our journey through Israel. It was a busy day but we saw and learned some amazing things as we began our tour of Galilee.

We started at Mt. Arbel, one of the places Jesus probably went to for a “solitary place to pray” (Luke 6:12; Mark 1:35-39). It was an amazing hike and an awesome view. We looked over the Sea of Galilee with a beautiful and peaceful view and again saw many of the places we read about in the Bible. 

Hiking this mountain helped me to realize how much effort Jesus put into spending one-on-one time with the Father. In our hectic worlds Jesus demonstrated that we must find time to be alone with God.

We then went to Tabgha, the place where Jesus called His first disciples to follow Him (Luke 6:13-16; Mark 1:16-20). This is a place of calling people to follow Christ. This is also where he ate with the disciples after His resurrection (Luke 24:36-49). It’s a place of calling to discipleship, and a place of glorification that is to come.

From there we climbed to the place were Jesus taught what we refer to as “the sermon the mount” found in Matthew 5—7 (cf. Luke 6:17-49) - (no picture). Jesus taught many things here and one of them was how we ought to pray, often referred to as the Lord’s prayer (Mat. 5:5-15). Holly and I took some time to reflect on Jesus’ teaching and then prayed the Lord’s Prayer in the spot Jesus most likely taught His followers to do so; another amazing opportunity to see and practice the text in real life. It was one of the meaningful times Holly and I grew together as the scripture came alive to us.

We then when to Korazin and leaned about family and community living. The 1^st century church had “Insula,” a family and community living arrangement that caused them to be mutually dependant on one another. The community scripture calls us to have with one another as believers was actually built into the way they lived.  The challenge for us is to live life with Insula. We should design our lives so that we are mutually dependant on one another (Acts 2:42). This community is the way God desires for us to live.

Next we went to Capernaum, the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry (Mat. 4:13-16). Jesus performed many miracles and healings here. It is also the place where Jesus trained His disciples for ministry, both intellectually and practically. 

The question to us is, Who are you discipling? Who are you training to live their life as a servant of Christ?  As I thought through ministry and the guys I meet with I was challenged to do more and train harder. It was a real blessing to see the place where Jesus set up His ministry.

Finally, our last stop was at Bethsaida. This is where Jesus fed the 5 thousand (Luke 9:19-17), healed a blind man (Mark 8:22-26), and the town where Philip, Andrew, and Peter grew up (John 1:44). To picture them on the hills and down in the Sea let your imagination run free, it made these people real and normal. Thinking of ministry and discipleship, Jesus used regular guys from a regular place. It was their faith that made them effective!

If we want to be people of the text, people with an meaningful life for Christ we must be people who live finding time to be alone with the Father, people who are committed to following Christ, people who live in genuine and dependant community with other believers, people who are equipping others to live as disciples of Christ, and people who live trusting Jesus and His word. We learned this today in living color!

Today was a big day…a big, big day!

The Gospel of Love

Colossians- The Preeminence of Jesus Christ

Lesson Two: Three truths about the gospel

1. The gospel includes hope and is the truth (1:3-5)
2. The gospel includes grace and bears fruit (1:6)
3. The gospel grows all over the world (1:7-8)

The gospel includes hope and is the truth (1:3-5)

Vs. 3-4

Paul gives thanks as he prays for the Colossians because he heard of their “faith in Christ Jesus” and their “love for all the saints.”

Paul is not only thankful that they have believed in Christ but also that they are living out their faith and their faith is producing love for all the saints. The Greek as well as the thrust of this section suggests that this is not talking about Jesus as the object of their initial faith in Him as Savior but that Paul is addressing believers of faith in Christ. He is thankful that they are people of faith. People who are living out their faith “in Christ” and this life of faith in Christ is producing love for all the saints.

Paul echoes this in the book of Galatians, “the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal. 5:6).

Why do they have faith in Christ and love for the saints?

• “because of the hope” they have in heaven

Remember biblical hope is not simply wishing for something you think may or may not happen. Biblical hope is having certainty and a confident expectation. Believers can have a certain and confident hope because their hope is based on the promises of God.

Where did the church at Colosse hear about this hope?

• “…in the word of the truth of the gospel”

The gospel they received included the certainty of heaven. When we share the gospel we need to share the gospel message of Paul, the biblical gospel message includes the certainty of heaven to all those who believe in Jesus as Savior.

This is important not only because it’s the truth of the gospel but because this hope has what produces the one thing that matters most, a faith that expresses itself through actively and sacrificially loving other believers.

Notice what Paul is thankful for in these three verses: 1) their faith in Christ, 2) their love for the saints, and 3) their certain hope of heaven. These are three things Paul often looks for and praises in believers. Faith, hope and love. Faith, which includes hope, produces love. (1 Co. 13:13; see also Ro. 5:2-5; 1 Thes 1:3, 5:8; Gal. 5:5-6).

The gospel includes grace and bears fruit (1:6)

What is the fruit of the gospel?

First- it’s the salvation of those who hear and believe (knew) in Christ.

Second- it’s the love the hope of the gospel produces in believers.

When did this fruit begin to be produced among the believers in Colossae?

“since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth”

Grace in salvation is the unmerited favor of God to the undeserving sinner who believes. The truth that salvation is by grace, that it’s a free gift, is what produces the fruit of salvation and love. So not only must our gospel contain the certainty of heaven but also the freeness of the gift of salvation.

This is an important point. They did not doubt their salvation or fear loosing it, which are not healthy or biblical motivations that spur one to love. The Colossians were motivated to love others because they truly experienced the love, grace and promise of God in truth. His promise of eternal life to all those who believe in Christ as Savior gave the Colossians a certain hope of the future and the only effective producer of true love.

If we want to promote and encourage love we must take this gospel message to the world. This is what we see in the next verse in the example of Epaphras.

The gospel grows all over the world (1:7-8)

What message did Epaphras learn from Paul and take to the city of Colossae? The gospel of truth- salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ, with the certain hope of heaven.

This gospel is being spread all over the world to all people. This is something we should participate in. Epaphras was considered “a dear fellow servant” because he participated in not only taking the gospel of grace and hope to others but for proclaiming and defending this gospel among the false teachers.

My prayer is that we would first understand the true gospel that produces the fruit of salvation and love; the gospel of grace and hope. Second, I pray we would live out the example of Epaphras by defending and spreading this gospel all to all people all over the world. Third, I pray we would all refresh our understanding of God’s grace and promises and be motivated to live life sacrificially loving others.

Life of Christ: Jesus is God

A Study of the Person and Life of Jesus Christ

Lesson One: Jesus is God - John 1:1-18

Warning - You will need your Bible

Discover: Jesus is the Christ. He is the eternal God, Creator, Light of men, giver of Life, and the Savior.

Do: Realize who Jesus is, receive Him as Savior, and follow Him in awe.

The Word – Vs. 1:1-5, Realize who Jesus is

Vs. 1-2

These verse reminds me of creation. We realize by studying the whole passage that the Word (logos) is figurative for the person of Jesus (1:14, 17).  John is showing the preexistence and full Deity of Jesus. He did not come into existence at His birth and He did not begin along with the rest of creation. Jesus was in the beginning with the Father and has always existed with Him. He is also equal in Deity and unity with the Father. Not only was Jesus with God at creation, He was God. The past tense is referring to the time of creation; Jesus is, always has been (eternity past) and always will be (eternally future) God.

Nature of Jesus

Jesus is 100% divine and 100% human. Theologians refer to this as the Hypostatic Union (cf. Luke 1:30-35, 2:11-20), the miraculous bringing together of humanity and divinity in the same person, Jesus Christ, such that He is fully God and fully man. The divine nature and human nature concur in the person of Jesus Christ with no intermingling or mixing of the two natures.  The one person Jesus Christ exists with two natures in perfect unity yet without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.

Place in Trinity

This is an important lesson on the person of Christ and also to the doctrine of the Trinity. It’s important to understand as we consider the identity of Christ that God exists eternally as one in nature and being, yet as three distinct but equal and perfectly unified persons who even indwell one another yet without ever intermingling or confusing the distinct persons – The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are God as they are divine and share the nature of God’s being, but they at not each other and exist as distinct and separate persons of the Godhead.

Jesus is eternally God.

 

Vs. 3

In the beginning is a reference to creation of earth and everything of it. Jesus was present and is the source of all things created.  Paul reaffirms this truth in Col. 1:15-20.

Jesus is Creator.

 

Vs. 4-5

As God and Creator we learn that In Jesus is Life. This is speaking to spiritual life in relationship with God, not physical life in the flesh. In the Bible, if you do not have a relationship with God through Christ, if you have not been born again, if you do not have the regenerate life of God, you are considered a dead person, even though you are living physically (John 17:3; Eph. 2:1-10; Titus 3:4-8). We will see this more clearly in the next section.

Jesus is the Light – revelation of spiritual life

Jesus is the giver of life – regenerate, born again spiritual life in a relationship with the Father

Jesus is the light of men and the giver of life

 

The Witness – Vs. 1:6-13, Receive Jesus as Savior

Vs. 6-9

We see the ministry of John the Baptist. He came to give a testimony about Jesus as the Christ, the Savior of men, and tell all that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but receive eternal life (3:16).

Christ or the Spirit of Christ, the Light, enlightens every man to the truth that Jesus is the Savior. We learn in John 16:8-11 that the Holy Spirit convicts man of their need of a Savior and their sin of unbelief, the sole think keeping one from being born again and to receive eternal life (3:17-19).  The acceptance or rejection of this revelation will be the basis of each mans judgment.

Similar to John, we are to be a witness to the Light that enlightens people to the truth that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior. Paul explains this in 2 Co. 5:18-20.

 

Vs. 10-13

The response required to the revelation of the Light is to receive Jesus as Savior by believing (being persuaded and convinced of this truth and to trust in or depend on) Him. We learned earlier that eternal life is defined by John as a life in relationship with God, to know Him. Here we have a deeper understanding of this relationship; it is a life lived as a “child of God.” Its not just knowing God but its being a very child of God and all its privileges of love, discipline, and security! Something we will see throughout our study.

Jesus is the Savior.

 

The Revelation – Vs. 1:14-18, Follow Jesus in awe

Since we have been enlightened to the truth and adopted as children of God we should live in light of this glory – in light of Jesus who came full of grace and truth, who came and poured out grace upon grace. We have been set free from the Law of Moses but are now bound to the person of Christ (see Ro. 3--4; Galatians3--5).

Christ, who is “the only begotten God,” has “explained” the Father to us through His life and teaching.

“Begotten” means to be of the same substance of the Father (Jn. 3:16). Jesus was begotten, not made (or created). Being begotten means Jesus shares the same Divine nature as the Father. He is of the same substance and essence of the Father.  That which the Father begets shares the same nature as the Father.  The Father is God and has a Divine nature; therefore, Jesus sharing the same nature with the Father, being begotten of Him, also has a Divine nature.  The term “begotten” affirms and clarifies that Jesus is God. He shares the same substance, essence, and nature as the Father.

Illustration

As a human begets a human and a dog begets a dog, one begets that which is of the same nature as them.  A human begets one with a human nature, they share the same human nature, a human cannot beget a dog.  In the same way God the Father begets God the Son.  God the Father begets that which has the same nature as Him.  The Father is a divine nature and begets the Son with the same divine nature as Him. 

What about the Holy Spirit?

As Light proceeds from a light bulb, the Holy Spirit proceeds from God.  The light is of the same essence as the light in the bulb, yet it is distinct from it. The Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father and God the Son, all share the same essence and substance being God, yet they are distinct in person.

 WOW!

This was a heavy lesson. If you are still with me we are to the main challenge I see in the text. Christ “explained” God, John “testified” of Christ…

We should imitate Christ and testify about Him through who we are and what we do. Let us be people who testify of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ with our whole lives. Let us follow Him in awe!