Series in Colosians - God's Grace, Faith, and Love

 

God’s Grace, Faith, and Love

Col. 1:1-8

So let’s begin the lesson by reading the first portion of the text. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.”

 Paul who spoke to each church he started or met with that he was an apostle of Christ Jesus. This was a distinguishing proclamation. For there were only twelve apostles who could claim the apostleship of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:21-22), and Paul as one abnormally called into the apostleship by Jesus personally (1 Cor. 15:7-10). All the others were messengers, those who were sent with the message of the gospel or another message by another person. They couldn’t claim the apostleship of Jesus Christ. This was an issue, for there were men who claimed apostleship but they were not sent by Jesus but by others or themselves. One inference is in 2 Thessalonians 1, Paul had to address a message claimed to have been sent from him but it was not. A false apostle or messenger brought a deceptive word to the church that Paul had to correct.To say all this, Paul took his personal role of being an apostle of Christ Jesus extremely seriously as evidenced throughout all of his time of ministry. For it was God’s will that he was fulfilling in his life. 

Next, Paul addresses the church with Godly gratitude to all whom the letter was being sent, Colossae. So let’s read the next portion of the text, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.”

Paul didn’t go personally to Colossae, but Epaphras, the leader of a Colossian house church, had traveled with Paul, and delivered Paul’ letter. As to the writing of the letter, Paul was in prison in Rome (AD 62). But Paul’s heart was nevertheless enthralled with the faith and love of the Colossian saints for God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and for each other, as well as the work of God, and the faithfulness to the work of the gospel. He greeted them with love as a brother in Christ, as did Timothy, Paul’s companion in the ministry throughout Asia minor. 

And it was with the grace of God and the unsurpassing peace of God Paul commends to them from God the Father. Paul was always thankful for the generous and dynamic working of the Holy Spirit in drawing the gentile world to the Father and to salvation in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Paul always prayed with gratitude because he knew that the work of the gospel was spreading throughout the provinces, cities and villages in Asia minor by the hand and power of God. Faith and love were increasing in the gentile world. And a new concept, a heavenly hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

First, Paul rejoiced in the salvation by grace through faith that had sprung up through the hope that every saint had in the promises through Jesus Christ: He would never leave them, He will sent His Holy Spirit to indwell them with knowledge, truth, and power as they believed the true message of hope, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Application - In today’s world the gospel has been preached in almost every area of the world, in one form or another, by personal witness, through the printed page, and through various uses of technology.

We too can rejoice in the spread of the gospel throughout the world, but as Isaiah spoke by God about the people in the world, they would “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of these people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” As in every generation since the beginning on mankind, there have been people who have heard the Word of the Lord, or experienced His glory through creation, or have received the Word as in the parable of the sower, and in many the Word didn’t grow because of the heart was harden, the ears dulled, or the eyes blinded to the truth. Yet there is still opportunity for people to hear, see, and receive Jesus today, as the Holy Spirit continues to do the Father’s will. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9) And as Paul told the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9)

Last, Paul exhorts the miraculous, the gospel was spread from Jerusalem, Samaria, and now to the world. God sent His grace through the apostles and those who tirelessly work with them. So Let’s read the last portion of the text. “In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.” Paul understood the love and faithfulness of Epaphras, the faithful minister from Colossae to Christ Jesus. Epaphras had ministered the gospel among the city and villages and it was bearing much fruit for God.

Paul commends them on the true understanding of God’s grace. For God’s grace stems from the blood of Christ shed on the cross. Grace is the demonstration of the love of God the Father, His unmerited favor. For salvation came through the atoning work of the Son, Jesus Christ. And grace was manifested through the Holy Spirit and evidenced by the fruits of the Spirit; faith, hope, love, and the greatest of these being love.

Application - Like Paul, let us rejoice in the gospel “...for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Rom. 1:16) and in its bearing much fruit as it is spread across the world. Let us also continue to pray for those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Eph. 6:18), and ask God to increase their faith, hope, and love in Him and in His body the church, as we all eagerly await the blessed hope of the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ and His promises to His Bride, the church (John 14:2-3; Col. 3:4)w

We can all take part in the harvest, we don’t have to be Paul’s or Timothy’s. We can be a witness for Jesus like those in Colossae who shared the gospel in their own neighborhoods. We can be identified by our faith, hope and love for our Lord Jesus Christ and for each other. We can extend the true understanding of the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus Christ that we trust, who moves in us, and we have our beings in HIm (Acts 17:28) and it is in this abiding in Christ that we have life eternal. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation for all those who have not yet received Jesus Christ for salvation. For Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. Thank you. http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com