A Pastor’s Prayer

Title: A Pastor’s Prayer: The Fullness of a Christian Life

Text: Colossians 1.9-14

Introduction: Last week we spoke of Paul’s gratitude for God’s Gospel: the word of Truth, The grace of God in Truth at work in the body. Today we turn our focus from Gratitude to specific prayer requests Paul has for the Colossians.

As I mentioned last week, this is Paul’s typical opening to a letter: Who he is and who is with him; to whom he is writing; Grace and Peace; then Thanksgiving (which we covered last week) and prayer;

There are two parts to this prayer: he prays that they would be fill and then, that they would walk – that is live the Christian life.

Transition: More on that when we get there. So, let’s get into this. First, Paul prays for his church to be:

I. Filled

exp.: with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding; rd v 9;  Phil 1.7-8; Eph 1.16-23; πληρόω; filled is sometimes translated “accomplished”; that this would be accomplished in you;

ill.: a pianist who has mastered the instrument is called: an accomplished pianist.

app.: Paul is saying “I want you to master this Christian faith” – fully aware of God’s will for your life. You know what that is don’t you? Your sole purpose in life in fulfilling God’s will is this: to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

t.s.: he prays 1^st, that they would be filled with this knowledge in all spiritual wisdom and understanding! 2^nd, he prays that they would

II. Walk

exp.: read v10; περιπατέω – walk circumspectly; living your life with a view around you; let that sink in; Jabari’s Graph:

How we see ourselves and others see us	How we see ourselves, but others can’t see
How we can’t see ourselves, but others can	How we can’t see ourselves & others can’t see either

I think of this part – the part where other’s see us, but we can’t see – I think of that part when I read this. People are watching us and they see us. Even in areas we can’t see that they do.

When I was a 7^th Grader at Spangdalem Air Force base, I used to walk to the base chapel. I wanted to go to church. I knew I needed to go to church. So, I walked from my house in the housing area to the main base. Probably a couple of miles. I know, strange, right? I remember the chaplain telling the story about going to the store to buy some clothes. He went in and tried on some new clothes and then stepped up to look in the mirror. He said there were three mirrors to the front and one in the back – all situated so that he could see himself from every direction. But as he looked, it wasn’t the clothes that got his attention – it was the bald spot on the back of his head. He always saw himself in the mirror with perfect hair. But, from the back, an area he never saw, there was something blind to him – his bald spot.

And he thought to himself that others saw that bald spot and thought of him as a man who was balding. He never thought of himself as balding. But those mirrors, they revealed something to him – brought something to light. Others saw him differently than he had been seeing himself.

Paul says ‘walk’ – live circumspectly – live with the knowledge that others see you, even when you don’t know. But Paul gets more specific… how?

• “In a manner worthy of the Lord.” Here’s what that means: at the end of the day present your life as a gift to him. In Philippians he says, “Live your life worthy of the calling you’ve received.” 2ndly, he says;
• “Fully pleasing to the Lord”; Think about it this way, finding his pleasure in your life;

ill.: Lee Evans, a pastor friend of mine, texts me each Sunday morning and tells me he is praying for me. Robert Wheat, our DOM, does the same thing. That blesses me. This is one of my prayers for me: God’s pleasure – that he would be pleased with me. That’s what Paul prays for his congregation – that they would be fully pleasing to the Lord.

So, this leads us to a very important question: Well, what pleases God? Our text outlines 4 separate areas: rd v 10b;

1. Bearing fruit (in every good work) Pres. Act. Ptc;
2. Increasing (in the knowledge of God) Pres. Act. ptc

exp.: we see in v 6 these same words, except, those words are passive tense, meaning, God brings the growth and the fruit to our lives. Here, the tense is active – that you would actively work at bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge of God.

That’s a good word for us – God brings the growth and increase, but we have a responsibility to be active in that process.

app.: Whereas God’s Word is sufficient in itself (Heb 4.12) to bring about it’s own growth as we share –– But, at the same time, our growth comes through our being active in good works, active in expanding our knowledge; studying, reading, memorizing; we do good works, and God will bless with fruit; we become active in learning, gaining a knowledge of God and he brings the increase and growth in our maturity;

So, in their walk, he prays for them…

1. Bearing fruit
2. Bringing growth and,
3. Being strengthened

exp.:  rd v 11; w/ strength; empowered with all power; according to his might; For a specific purpose – endurance and patience; I think about little David: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

ill.: As we hear about religious persecution around the world – like what I mentioned last week – that is why new converts, with very little knowledge of God’s Word, can become powerful witnesses during their suffering and persecution in Muslim countries and restricted countries. They have very little of God’s Word, in some cases only a page. In other cases, only what they remember from a meeting.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹ He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. ³⁰ Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; ³¹ but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

t.s.:in your walk

1. Bearing fruit
2. Bringing growth
3. Being strengthened and 4^th,
4. Giving Thanks

exp.: rd v 12; because he has:

• qualified us – to share in the inheritance!
• delivered us from the dominion of darkness!
• transferred us into his kingdom!

exp.: all by the redemption that comes by his blood, the forgiveness of our sins.

Paul is praying for The Full Life: πᾶν ^– all. 5x’s;

Wow… what a beautiful prayer for those people… I want to pray this prayer for you that you would experience this fullness in your life! But before I do, let me share a story with you…

Illustration: Os Guinness – The Call – From Suicide to Purpose;

The Title this morning is A Pastor’s Prayer: The Fullness of a Christian Life

Conclusion: a Pastor’s prayer:

• Fill them Lord, with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding.
• May they walk circumspectly, in a manner worthy of this calling and title as Christians – knowing that others are watching, but most concerned that You’re watching. May their walk bring you pleasure, bear good fruit, and bring about the spiritual growth in knowing you more.
• Strengthen them Father, with the power that comes from you. May they know the immeasurable greatness of your power toward us who believe. May they be strengthened to endure with all patience.

Give them thankful hearts. Cause them to truly comprehend their qualification through Christ – their deliverance from sin and their redemption through the blood of Christ.

A Pastor’s Gratitude

Title:  A Pastor’s Gratitude

Text: Colossians 1.1-9a

Introduction: Testimony of a pastor’s struggle. 2 Corinthians 11.16-28 – and beside all these, I face daily my concern for the churches. I can’t say I’ve struggled in any of the other ways Paul has mentioned, but I see in this last verse, he has struggled like me.

The Pastor’s Heart. Who can grasp it? maybe his wife? His kids? I’m thankful for Paul’s expression of his mind and heart throughout Scripture. Time and again he lets us in on what he’s thinking and feeling. His struggles, frustration, and even on his gratitude and prayers. BTW: that’s the title of my blog page (The Pastor’s Heart) . I don’t really blog, I just post my sermons. There are some activities and photos, like when I go climb mountains in Colorado, but for the most part, it is my sermon in semi-manuscript form from Sunday. The Pastor’s Heart.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives us a look into the Pastor’s Heart: His gratitude, His Passion, His Prayer, His Concerns, His Struggles, etc. As we open this letter this morning, our passage today follows a basic opening pattern for his letters: Opening with Greetings and Salutations. In most all of his letters to churches, he moves straight to thanking God for these people, every letter, except Galatians. And then to a prayer for them.

A couple of side notes as we begin:

• Paul did not start the church in Colossae. He never ministered in the Lycus Valley. (2.1); Like Romans, he is writing to people he knows, but he, himself, did not start that church.
• The book of Philemon is closely connected to this one.
• Revelation 3 – The Church at Laodicea and Heiropolis;

Read 1.3-5a; His Gratitude is based on what is being heard; What is being heard is the Gospel! rd v 5b-6; ‘since you heard it’; Let’s break this down: he first says his gratitude is based upon their having heard the Word and responded to it; How is that again? They heard the Gospel and responded in Faith! Two phrases for the Gospel: The Word of Truth and the Grace of God in Truth

Transition: So, Paul’s gratitude is in the impact the Gospel, the Word of Truth has had on them…

I. The Word of Truth

exp.: And look how he breaks this down; we see the familiar triad of the Christian Religion: Faith, Hope and Love; 1 Cor 13.13 – so now faith, hope and love abide…; 1 Thess 1.3 – ² We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, ³ remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.; Let’s look at how Paul uses them here: rd v 3ff

• It is Established through Faith

exp.: A person’s new life in Christ is established through Faith; Eph 1.3-15; Romans 10.17; Faith comes by hearing; v 6; Paul is grateful to God for the Word of God being sown in them; rd v 7 – 8; here in is how it happened; Epaphras was saved under Paul’s ministry (probably in Ephesus); Epaphras then is called to the Lycus Valley (evidently his home), where he in turn shares the good news he’s heard; they hear (the Colossians) and respond in Faith; and evidently, Laodicea and Heiropolis; Question: How does Paul know? Rd v 4b;

• It is Expressed through Love

exp.: A person’s new life in Christ is then expressed through Love; specifically, for who? For the sain\ts; We pounded on this last week as I talked about the importance of relationships, so I don’t want to stay here too long, but as a reminder: There is nothing more important in the church than our relationships; So, the Good News is established through Faith, Expressed through Love and 3^rd,

• It is Endured through Hope

Rd v 5a; our hope is not just in this moment…walking with Christ in this life…no, our hope is in heaven; and unto this end, we endure;

t.s.: So the Gospel is established through Faith, expressed through love and endured in our lives because of the hope we have; Paul uses another phrase to describe the Gospel; rd v 6c;

II. The Grace of God in Truth

exp.: it has come to you – this Grace of God in Truth; and look at the effects he lists of the Gospel: as indeed; καθώς appears three times – as indeed, as it also, just as; a marker, the 1^st marker is :

• It is Evangelizing the World; rd v 6ab

 The Result:

• It bears fruit and
  • It brings growth; seen in our love, service and fellowship.

Ill.: an incredible event is taking place around the world today as many are coming to Christ in other countries. Under fierce persecution, stories are coming out of China and Iran and Turkey and North Korea, and in many other countries where the Gospel is not welcomed. Thousands of folks are getting saved. I have a friend who takes a group of folks to Turkey every year about this time. Iranians have a massive celebration – I think it is there new year, but not sure about that. They travel to Turkey because they can’t drink alcohol in Iran. Well, it’s against the law to witness to someone from Turkey, but you can evangelize people from other countries! Each year, hundreds and hundreds of Iranians come to Christ.

Continue with me: rd v 6c-7a, the 2^nd marker is

• It is Equipping the Saints – you, heard it, understood it, learned it; the word ἐμάθετε ^‘learn’ is the word and in the now form it is translated disciple. You heard it, you understood it, you were a disciple of it; the third maker is right there; rd v 7
• The Example is Epaphras; he heard the Word of Truth, believed and as a servant, went to his own people to share with them this Good News.

app.: So, Paul is grateful to God for the Gospel’s impact on the lives of the Colossians and I can relate;

Can I make an appeal to you? No longer can we present the Gospel the way we used to: Tell me about the time you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

ill.: Some years ago a man came to my office looking for help; he was at his wits end. He had made many poor decisions and ended up a mess; I told him he needed to turn his life around and give his life to Jesus; I began to present the gospel and he said: Oh, I’ve already done that. I said you did? He said, yep! And he told me how he prayed this prayer and got baptized. But then he went on living like he was. He never went back to church, etc. What was a mess!

app.: Listen, Jesus isn’t something you check off on a list. I think we’ve missed stressing the point of the word ‘commitment’.

t.s.: The Sinner’s Prayer isn’t some sort of ‘abracadabra’ magic phrase that makes you a Christian. It is statement of conviction and commitment to follow Christ.

Take-a-Ways to Consider:

            Have you Established the gospel through Faith in your life?

            Is it Expressing itself through Love for the saints?

            Are you Enduring through the Hope that you have? 

Are you going further and Evangelizing the World?

            – seeing fruit and growth

            Are you being Equipped or Equipping the Saints?

            Are you setting The Example as Epaphras did?

Nothing brings more joy to the heart of a pastor than to see just that in his children: 3 John 4 – I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

I enjoy seeing folks I’ve worked with through the years walking with the Lord, seeing the fruit of their faith and growth in their lives. Travis, Shawn & Shannon, Amy, Julie, Mike & Jamie, AJ & Wende, Jason & Merrilea; Courtney; Melissa; And the list goes on… There are some from my military days and I wonder how they’re doing – we’ve lost touch, I hope and pray they’re still walking with the Lord – enduring.