Colossians 1:1-8

Good morning. Hey, this is truth and love I'm thankful thankful to be with you.

Thank you that you decided to join me. Hope you're having a good morning Like I said, this is truth and love and we we get a truth and love from Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15

And and Paul tells us that we're to speak truth and love so that we can grow up in all

Aspects into him who was the head even Christ. So that's that's what we want to do. That's our goal And so I'm glad I'm thankful to be able to spend time with you

In the evenings in the mornings whenever we can get on here and spend time together the floor is always yours ask questions

If you have a comment, leave me a comment. Let me know that you watch There'd be a great encouragement to know that you watch and that you're encouraged

Let's sharpen each other as scripture tells us to do let's encourage each other as scripture tells us to do Would you pray for me?

Would you pray for my family? And if I can pray for you, I Love to be able to do that All you have to do is tighten me and I'll pray for you at the at the end when we finish

But I'd love to be able to pray for you. So let me know you're watching ask questions chat add a comment whatever you'd like to do and Let's pray for each other as we

As we're commanded to do so, let's jump right in and let's spend some time in God's Word together. I Thought what

I would do is I would just continue Right over on to the next book. We finished

Philippians and it's so There's so many other references that probably could come to mind when you're studying but When you just finish a book and you jump into another one

Especially since it has the same author the Holy Spirit, of course first and then

Paul wrote both books You're gonna have some references and I had some references from Philippians that come to mind and of course in the in the post where I Advertised for the video this morning, you know,

I said we're gonna look at Colossians 1 1 through 8 and then

I Put the phrase have this attitude in yourselves or in you and that comes from a

Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 and so what the attitude that Paul has here at the beginning, which is

Basically just gonna be the introduction Reflects and made me think about What he talked about and and his attitude that he had that he want us to have in in Philippians chapter 2

So, of course, you know, it's we're all Everything's about Christ, of course, it's gonna relate it's gonna overlap.

It's gonna work together and So it's cool when you can do that So, yeah, let's start off with Let's read it

Colossians if you want to turn there with me Colossians chapter 1 verses 1 through 8 I'm gonna read it and then we're just gonna work through it and and talk talk with it

Talk about it together and you're always welcome to chime in I love to hear from you

Colossians chapter 1 verses 1 through 8 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by The will of God and Timothy our brother to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae Grace to you in peace from God our

Father we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ and The love which you have for all the

Saints because the hope Laid up for you in heaven of which you

Previously heard in the word of truth the gospel Which has come to you just as in all the world

Also, it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing even as it has been doing in you

Also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth just as you learned it from Epiphras our beloved fellow bond servant who is a faithful Servant of Christ on our behalf in verse 8 and he also informed us of your love in the spirit

Of course, the author is Paul. He tells us at the very beginning and he's he's a puzzle to the

Gentiles He is he is a possible by the will of God that that's so important But it's interesting to to note

When you're studying a book and you want to know the context you want to get all the information that you can so you know Where he's coming from?

What's going on in this situation? so, you know the You're not pulling out of pulling things out of the text that aren't there you're trying to make application for us that that's

I'm gonna be a misapplication because that's not what Was intended by the Holy Spirit. It wasn't intended by the author.

So you Context is so important and there there's so many aspects of context that we should look at We want to look at what words mean we want to look at The verses that come before the verses that come after we want to look at the book

We want to look at the whole Bible and and and and understand what we're reading based on Meanings of words the immediate references around it the whole book and then the whole

Bible and then we also want to Understand and know what was going on in in that day and time

The culture society Geography we want to know You know what was going on in the in the author's life so all those things help us to understand

Forgot to turn on my comments Hey Emily Sorry, I didn't recognize you there.

I didn't have my comments pulled up. Good morning to you Morning, Jacob. Morning Sutton and all the other children

I Don't I'd like to recite all their names, but I don't know that I can

Molly and I can't remember.

I'm sorry. I can't remember but I was close, but good morning Molly Olivia and Braden.

Yes Yes Molly Olivia and Braden good morning to all you guys

I Hope you guys enjoyed the snow yesterday Did did you guys enjoy did anybody enjoy the snow?

It's gonna be one of those that for those that Love to see snow, but then love to see it leave

Bro, what up, bro? If you love to see come and you love to see it leave that was probably your snow

Of course, you probably didn't didn't like the slush you didn't like the mud but you'd like to see it come you like to see it leave for those of you who love snow and Wish it would have stayed for a week and wish it would have been about a foot deep like me

You know, it was beautiful as it came down but it just wasn't enough so we can't every please can't wait

So, uh, yeah, thank you guys for watching Snowball fight in the house

Absolutely That's so much fun If anyone else wants to chime in feel free to do that Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Let me know how you enjoy the snow So With all that being said about context

One thing about Paul and the book of Colossians and the church at Colossae is interesting that we need to know is that Paul Never went to Colossae.

He never visited the church at Colossae. So how did this book come about? Why is he writing to the church at Colossae?

How did this book come about? Well, he mentions this gentleman in verse 7 of Epaphras and The reason he mentions him is because a papyrus is the one who?

founded the church He he he heard the gospel. Um, I Can't say 100 % but I want to say that maybe he was he was a follower here at the gospel from Paul I'm not certain on that but I know that he he founded the church in Colossae and At this time as Paul was writing this book he is in prison in Rome and Epaphras has come to him and not only a papyrus, but he is there with Tychicus it's hard to pronounce some of these words

Tychicus and he's also there with an isthmus One thing interesting about Tychicus is that he's the one

That's going to be reading the book. The book is written to the church at Colossae and it's also

Said to be read to the church at Laodicea and Tychicus is going to be the one that is

Reading these books to the church and then an isthmus the interesting thing about him is he was a runaway slave

So what is he doing there? He's there because the gospel The his slave owner was a member of the church at Colossae and so Paul is going to be writing to That church member

Philemon and that's one of our books of the Bible and He's going to be calling for reconciliation with with Philemon and an isthmus and and the church and I just jotted this down because it was it kind of fit together

Epaphras in relationship to the church at Colossae and and and Paul and this situation going on here

Epaphras laid down the foundation of the gospel Tychicus is reading and explaining the gospel through Paul through this book and then an isthmus

Is the example of the gospel and the fruit of the gospel and so I thought that was pretty interesting

So we know that Paul didn't go to Colossae But he's writing to them because of the word the word that's coming from the the messenger

Epaphras And they're going to take this letter back to the church with them

And so how was how was Paul having this attitude? That he's describing in Philippians chapter 2

If you start in verse 4 it says do not merely look out for your own personal interest But also for the interest of others and then verse 5 says have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus so if you flip over to to Philippians Chapter 1 verses

Yeah, chapter 1 verses 15 through 19. Listen to this real quick Paul is of course in prison and There's there's some folks also preaching the gospel

And he's speaking about those folks that are preaching the gospel. He says some to be sure are preaching

Christ even from envy and Strife but some also from goodwill the latter do it out of love knowing that I am appointed

For the defense of the gospel the former proclaimed Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives thinking to cause me distress

Their motive was to cause him distress Isn't that interesting? They're preaching the gospel, but the motive was to cause

Paul Distress in my imprisonment He says what then only that every in every way whether in pretense or in truth

Christ is proclaimed and in this I rejoice. Yes, I will rejoice for I know that this this shall

Turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. So even though they're preaching the gospel and the motivation is to cause

Paul distress Paul is saying Christ is being proclaimed Christ is being preached.

So therefore You know, I'm not concerned that they're they're trying to to get at me through preaching

Christ is being proclaimed. That's the point. That's the objective and and that's the good thing about it

Christ is being proclaimed. So Paul is not concerned about himself and that they're attacking him

He is he is following Christ example that he gives in Philippians chapter 2 where you you don't consider your own interest, but the interest of others first and what's a cool thought about that is

Think about Paul's statement there Put others interest before your own

How does he say it? Do not merely look out for your own personal interest but for the interest of others

Verse 3 regard one another as more important than himself. So we're thinking about we're thinking about others first More important than ourselves

And in our lives, who is the who is the first other? Who should be number one in our lives?

Who's who's gonna be the first other? In our lives the first other and and this has to happen, of course at Salvation We have to Die to our sins die to ourselves and Trust in Christ.

So the first other in our Christ where we die to ourselves and put someone else first is

Jesus Christ, he's the first other and then we're gonna be last and then others of Our brothers, you know in mankind

They're in the middle Christ others and then you know, we're gonna be way last that's the spectrum there

So here in Philippians, um, you know, Paul is in jail And he's thinking of Christ first and so How does he do that?

How does he have that attitude the sim a similar attitude here in Colossae?

Or in relationship to the church at Colossae the Colossian Church. How does he have that attitude? Well, he's he's greeting them.

He's letting them know who he is And he's telling um He's telling who the letters directed to to to the

Saints and the faithful brethren in Christ Who are at Colossae grace to you and peace from God our

Father verse 3. He says we give thanks and He doesn't stop there.

He says we give thanks to God the Father our Lord Jesus Christ praying for you always

That time was no different than than our time if you if you accomplish something great in this world

What did they do for you? And and what? You know, we want to be remembered which is not going to happen for 99 % of mankind after a hundred years after you're gone.

You're not gonna be remembered It's just a fact of reality, but but in our hearts and the way we think we want to be remembered

We want to accomplish something. We want to be great. And when you do accomplish something great, what what happens?

What happened then what happens now? They made

Statues And You can think about you know famous ones

David the sculpture of David and and they made you know sculptures and Images of the gods that they worshipped

But you can think of the images of the all the Caesars on the coins that they had you think about Mount Rushmore with our presidents their their images

Carved in the stone that are pretty much Permanent of course over time.

It's gonna it would eventually wear off but putting it in stone Makes it pretty permanent.

So we want to accomplish great things. We want to be remembered We want to be put in stone, but that was not

Paul's attitude Paul was last

Paul was completely last in his heart and his mind. He was last it didn't matter that he was in prison

He was gonna use it opportunity to share the gospel to glorify God and to rejoice in Christ and Proclaim the gospel and sing hymns.

He was going to use the opportunity. He wasn't thinking about himself He wasn't thinking about his his personal the legacy of his reputation he was thinking about the the legacy of the kingdom of God the kingdom of Christ and the gospel and So it didn't matter that they weren't going to Paul's gotta be one of the most most famous people in history and yet It wasn't his goal that we would

Make a monument for him it was it was his goal that the gospel would go forth that Christ would be first and so There wasn't this disappointment that this church formed people are are being saved people are growing in Christ and and Producing fruit of the gospel and yet I didn't do it.

I wasn't a part of it You didn't consult me There was none of this sulking.

There was none of this hurt pride in Paul's ministry Epaphras comes to Paul explains to him that this this church has been planted this church has been started

Christians God is is is saving people and and they are growing and we we need your help

We need some we need a letter from you, you know, whatever the the message was We need something from you

Paul, but here's what's going on Here's what God God is doing and instead of sulking and having his pride heard that he wasn't involved that he didn't do it

Paul is rejoicing and giving he's acknowledging God and thanking God for what

God is doing even even outside of his ministry

Paul is thanking God and acknowledge him for what God is doing and Mmm, you know, that should be our attitude.

We want to see the kingdom of Christ grow We want to see fruit in our individual lives

Grows, we want to see everyone grow spiritually and we want to see the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Christ grow spiritually

It grow in numbers and we should rejoice wherever God is working even even when it's outside of the things that that we are

What we have our hands on just like Paul we want to rejoice and give thanks to God for what he's doing everywhere and in everyone

So that's how Paul is having this attitude that he was explaining in Philippians just another example of Dying to self emptying yourself as he's as he calls it in Philippians emptying yourself having no

Concern for self but for the Savior And that's what he's doing here.

He's so thankful for what God is doing even outside of his his ministry and God is planning and growing a church and he's they're growing in numbers and they're growing spiritually.

So he's thankful He is so thankful for that So, of course

Opening of the letter here is going to be the introduction and so we're gonna be we're gonna look at the introduction to the book of Colossians and it kind of hints at what he is going to flesh out through the rest of the book and so What we have in in Colossians chapter 1 verse 3

He gives thanks to God gives him credit To the church and and it makes me think of when when

Christ is having this conversation with with Peter and you know

Peter says who do you say that or Jesus says who do you say that I am and And Paul says you were the the

Christ son of the Living God and Jesus says And upon this rock,

I will build my church. Jesus says I will build my church And that's the example here where Christ is building his church.

Not not Paul Not Peter not anyone else Christ is building his church and Paul had that knowledge and Paul had that foundation that he and he gave thanks for it

So moving to to verse 4 the first part of verse 4

He's praying for them always and then verse 4 says since we heard of your faith We've been praying for you always since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus so he doesn't just stop with faith just like um

Just like when he says we give thanks He doesn't just stop that we give thanks to God the

Father and he says we we heard of your faith And you don't just stop right there. The faith has to have an object

What are you putting your faith in and so you have to have knowledge of what you're putting your faith in faith is faith is

You can't have your you can't have faith in faith It's not an object that you can have your faith in you and and faith can't be self -produced.

You have to have something outside of yourself that Can can generate what you need for life and Everything that you need and that's something he says of course is

Christ Jesus says we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. And of course that that faith come from knowledge

Um, sorry for the long pause there

I was just looking at some of my notes so Christ This faith that they have was received

Faith has to be received Christ gives it Christ gives the faith so it

Faith that they had in Christ it was received and it was rooted and it was around Jesus and You know, sometimes they're silly if you want to make words

There's a fancy English term for it and I can't recall it right now but when you use words

With the that start the same or sound the same Sometimes it's silly not to do that, but sometimes it helps us to remember truths

About a situation and in this case we we receive faith Where our faith is rooted in and around Christ Jesus And so that's what their faith was and he was thankful for that And and Paul is gonna flesh out what that means what that looks like In chapter 2

Yeah chapter 2 through 4 If you want to look at themes and I think

I mentioned before if you look at the the gospel of John John tells us

Why he writes the book and he and in first John John is John is really clear which is

Fantastic for someone like me. He's really clear about why he writes his books and he tells you why he writes his books

So, you know as you read it what to be looking for and and as we're looking at Matthew With Jesus being

King and how to live in that victory We know that Matthew the theme of Matthew is to to prove and to show that Jesus is

King One of the themes here one of the purposes here is

In Paul writing and of course, it's gonna stem from it's gonna stem from the Holy Spirit. It's gonna stem from The Holy Spirit knowing what the church needs it's gonna stem from Epaphras and his message to Paul saying here's what

God is doing, but here's what's going on. You know, we need your advice. We need your insight

Can you write us a letter give us some information? So What Paul writes is gonna stem from the information that Epaphras gives him and Antiochus and so what comes later and what

Paul fleshes out is This this faith that they've received that's rooted and around Christ.

Jesus Should look different Than it should cause us the fruit of it should cause us to look different than the rest of the world it should cause us to look different than than who we were before and It should cause us to look different tomorrow than than who we are today

It should cause our families to look different than than other families. It should cause us to work differently in our

In our businesses and our jobs Every aspect of life should look different and it's going to be different if we submit and yield to Christ In our lives

It's gonna look different than the world it's gonna look different than and when I say the world I mean the the

I'm thinking of biblical terms the flesh the world the world system the the sinful world

But in the world of the kingdom of Christ, it's gonna look totally different And in our the way we live the way we live out our family how we treat each other is going to Almost be unrecognizable to the eyes of Someone who was was not believer a family who who do not have believers in their household

Our family the way we live. Well, it'll be so different. It'll be almost unrecognizable to them

That it's a it's a family structure it's um, it's gonna be abnormal how we live how we our ethics at work

It will be that different It's come it's in complete opposition

Christ and and what he does in us and what it looks like and how it works itself out

It's completely in complete opposition to to the world and how we want to live naturally and how

Satan wants us to live and the work that he's doing completely different and And in the context of this church

There were two things going on You can see this is another thing that that's good about knowing the context you see it in Philippians you can see it in Ephesians you see it in Colossians because these were all

Gentile churches Gentile places but yet There were

Jewish people in these places and as Paul is writing to And and Paul is is a

Jew he's coming from a Jewish perspective But he is apostle to the Gentiles and as he's writing to them.

He's writing to them as Brothers He is speaking of our

Lord our God Our father and he's speaking to them as brethren.

He's using these terms These relationship type terms that they have with one another and it's completely scandalous

In in that world at that time, this is just an example of how how great the the opposites are

Different ends of the spectrum how just how great? the the cavern is between What the the world looks like and what they think it should look like and and what

Christ is doing here in the world They should be separate they should hate each other they should call each other dogs and and never

Never never communicate with one another. In fact If you have to go from point

A to point B and and in between point A and point B The people that you dislike live there you go around it.

That's that's literally what they did but but in Christ Paul is saying we have the same father.

We have the same Savior We're covered by the same blood we are now family not only are we now family he's saying we are one

Two people that call each other dogs that hate each other. They are now one they've been brought together in Christ.

That's why This attitude this new way of life this new way of living is scandalous this faith that they have that they were seen and rooted and and is around Jesus Christ and and Lived out is scandalous and it's gonna look scandalous to the world

How we live how you treat your wife how you treat your husband?

How children how you treat your parents? How how you are as an employee how you are as an employer?

It's going to be scandalous Because it's gonna look so different from the world

And so what you have I say all that to say what you have in the in the church here is

You have Gentiles and you have Jews go into the same church and The Gentiles here at Colossae formerly they were polytheists they they worshipped many different gods and And to them this

Christianity thing This this Jesus thing was cool because they could just add

Jesus to their system They wanted to keep their system and Paul is going to speak to that In this book but they wanted to keep their system keep their religion and just add

Jesus to it and then you and then they wanted to bring that into the church and Then you had a

Jewish side of things who wanted to to maintain Aspects of the law and and and add

Jesus to the religion to the law that they already had or Also in reverse they wanted

Jesus but to complete and and Paul uses some confusing language sometimes about Completing things that were lacking and we'll get to that and discuss those things

But they they wanted to hold on to their law and their work and their religion and And they wanted to have

Jesus and And they thought this this keeping of the law these these doing these rituals and keeping these certain

Certain days and eating the right kinds of food What would be completing the work of Christ?

So they wanted to hang on to the law They wanted to hang on to works and and have Jesus and Paul is saying

Neither one of those work and you can't bring either one of those into the kingdom of God into Christ Church You can't have that and so when you have faith when your faith is received rooted and around Christ You got to get rid of all those things and you got to get rid of the things in in your life that you want to Keep in addition to Christ That's going to keep us looking

Similar to the world and not scandalous to the world the more we shed of ourselves the more we shed of the world and It will be evident how we treat each other in our relationships and in our families in our workplace wherever we are

The more we shed ourselves of self and the world system and how it works and the more we look like Christ The more scandalous it will look to the world

And Paul's going to continue to flesh that out and look at that As we go through the book of Colossians chapter 4 the second part of chapter of chapter verse 4

The Second thing that Paul points out that he heard we've been praying always for you since we've heard your faith in Christ Jesus He's and the love which you have for for all the

Saints and of course that goes back to Philippians chapter 2 death to self means loving others putting the interest of others first Emptying yourself dying to yourself

Allows you to love and this was this was the fruit that they were bearing that they were they were dying to their selves and Therefore they were able to love one another and Paul says

I'm Commending you I'm thankful for I'm encouraged to hear about your love he says for all the

Saints and There's that scandalous part again. You're not just loving one group

Christians, you're not just loving your kind and Being in and being segregated.

They they love their kind and and these this group they love their kind. That's not what he's talking about This all word is is scandalous.

We have a mixed culture mixed people group church and They have love for all the

Saints and that can only be produced In the gospel from the gospel a faith received rooted and around Christ is

Where that's produced? And of course, this is the second way that they that we and they

Are gonna look scandalous and gonna look different From the world and Paul's gonna flesh this out as well

Mm -hmm Later on in Colossians chapter 3 and I kind of gave a quick outline real quick, but it's pretty cool

That you can do this and to help us to understand What's going on in the passage?

So as he flushes this out listen to this outline Real quick from Colossians chapter 3 once you get to starting in verse 10 and 11

He's gonna speak of the oneness in Christ Colossians 3 verses 12 through 14.

He's gonna speak of the love of Christ Colossians 3 verse 15 He's gonna speak of the peace of Christ Colossians 3 verse 16.

He will he's gonna speak of the knowledge of Christ Colossians 3 verse 17. He's going to speak of the actions of Christ And so as he flushes this out where he's he's commending them.

He's he's Saying that he's thankful for what he's hearing about their love for all the

Saints He's gonna begin to flesh out what this this new life in Christ should look like as He goes through Colossians chapter 3

Verse 5 Colossians chapter 1 verse 5 Because of the hope

Putting verses in here makes it so choppy So, let me let me read verse 4

Leading up to verse 5 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the

Saints. Mm -hmm Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven of which you previously heard in the word of truth the gospel

Hope and I kind of jotted down Because faith we looked at faith. Mm -hmm

And here we have hope And they sound similar and and this this may be a rough definition.

If you have a better definition, I'd love to hear it I love to add it to my notes, but I was thinking about faith and love and and how similar they sound and are

But in my mind as I was studying this I jotted down that faith is is a present reality and Hope is a future expectation

Faith and hope are related But faith is going to be a present reality and then hope is going to be a future expectation

And and so what is what is the hope here that he's talking about? This hope that they have he says it is laid up in heaven in other words all their stock

All their investment Is put in one place you've heard you've heard people say don't put all your eggs in one basket because the the stock market has its ups and downs and It's so volatile.

You don't want to lose everything that you have But you can do that in Christ. You can put all of your investment and lay it up in heaven and Put all your eggs in one basket

And you can do that with hope For with for three reasons

They they do that based on the knowledge of what it is of What heaven is what that means and What it produces so so this hope causes them to lay up or Put all their investment everything that they have in heaven in Christ Because of their knowledge of what it is and what it produces

Colossians chapter 3 You know, we just spoke of Colossians chapter 3 verses 10 through 17 if you go to the beginning of Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 3 we're

Paul's course teaching us to how to flesh this out What the Christ what the new life of Christ looks like and he's beginning

Chapter 3 telling us that we are to be heavenly minded He tells the

Philippian Church It reminded me of course of Philippians again, but if you're in Philippians chapter 3 verse 20

He says for our citizenship is in heaven from which we also Which also we eagerly wait for a

Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform The body of our humble state into a conformity with the body of his glory and there's that What it produces kind of thing

By the exertion of the power that he is even to subject all things to himself

So, you know this consistent message our citizenship is in heaven. This is what it produces

And so you can you you have hope Church of Colossae. This is what I hear

This is what I hear of what God is working in your heart that you you have such a hope in Him that you you've laid up Your treasure in heaven your investment everything that you have.

It's been laid up in heaven And you can do that because of your knowledge of what it is and what it produces and then

Colossians chapter 3 Kind of fleshing it out and we'll do that more when we get to it.

But um In verse 1 and let's look at it real quick verse 1

It says if then you have been raised up with Christ keep asking

Keep seeking the things above where Christ is Seated at the right hand of God so we can lay up We can put all our stock in Heaven because We know that's the place of all authority, right

If then you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above Where Christ is seated at the right hand of God the right hand of God is a place of authority the the throne of David where Jesus sits as King where he rules and reigns so heaven is a place of all authority

So therefore we can put all of our eggs in one basket we can invest everything in there we can lay up Just like the church at Colossae.

We we can lay it up and put it there and Trust it because that's the place of all authority.

There's there's no authority greater anywhere else. So there There's no partly partly invested here partly invested there.

There's none of that In Christ, that's where all the authority is second

Verse to set your mind on things above Not all things that are on the earth so we can we can trust this investment because we're putting it in a place that is

Eternal his kingdom is forever It's never going to end and you see that in verse to say your mind on things above Not things that are on the earth the things that are on the earth.

What are they described as dust? They're here to take on tomorrow. They're they're wither and die.

They're they're temporal But the kingdom of God heaven is eternal. His kingdom is forever so our investment is

Where all the authority is our investment is? In a kingdom that's forever never going to end we don't have to worry about that bank shutting down It's always going to be there and then point number three and verse number three

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God so we can we can trust

Putting our investment Laying it up in heaven Because it's a place of authority

It's a kingdom that never ends. It's never gonna run out. It's never gonna die. It's never gonna close and We can trust in what it produces

This is the only place that produces life and fruit and since we're using

Financial terms not only does it produce life and not only does it produce fruit, but it does so with interest

You see the language See the language that Paul uses back in Colossians 1

In Verse 6 which has come to you just as in all the world as also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing

Constantly bearing fruit increasing so we know where life comes from we know what heaven produces It produces life and it produces fruit and it produces it with interest it increases and it grows so we can we can trust

Putting all our eggs in one basket and we can see that in Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 3

And then that that last statement is so important and and I drew circles and arrows in my notes

That last statement in in verse in verse 5 of Which you previously heard in the word of truth the gospel or the truth of the gospel so What is the point of that statement is

We want to focus on the the truth of the gospel So we know what the gospel is but what is the the truth of the gospel is the only place is the only place that can produce these things and Produce them in this way

So this kind of faith this kind of hope this kind of love the truth of the gospel is

That the gospel is the only place that you can find these things the only place that can produce these things the only place and so which is another reason why to Lay up Lay up Your treasure in heaven have all your investment in heaven because it's the only place

The truth of the gospel is it's the only place that you can turn to for what you need for life

Let's look at verse 6 Verse 6 says which has come to you just as in all the world

Also, it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing even as it has been doing in you

Also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth

So this is gonna go by pretty quick. So what I want to do is just emphasize and Kind of make it choppy so that we understand the point of the verse so The gospel is

Constantly bearing fruit and it's increasing since you first heard it and Number two understood it so they had to hear it and they had to understand it and Once they heard it and understood it it began to bear fruit constantly and Increase so so what do they hear and what do they understand?

so that it could Start constantly bearing fruit and increase So what they heard and understood was that at the end of verse 6?

The grace of God in truth the truth is that the gospel is grace from God It's not of oneself that when it started

Sorry, I can't read my own handwriting sometimes and was able to grow is when you acknowledge the source so The truth is the gospel is the grace of God That's what the gospel is.

So they they heard the gospel and understood it. So what is the gospel? It's that the grace of God is from God they would have never produced fruit and And of course it can't increase and it can't constantly be growing if it didn't start to begin with But but to be able to have life and produce fruit

You've got to understand the gospel. It can't be produced on its own and just like we said

Having hope laid up in heaven There's there's only one place to lay up hope

Because it's the only source of life You can't produce life you can't produce fruit from anywhere else not from within ourselves

Not based on the faith of your your father mother your grandparents, you know, they went to church.

So I'm good. You can't have that attitude. There's only one source for you to go to to have life and produce fruit and That's the truth of the gospel

That it's a grace of God that it comes from him And so Paul is is ending this introduction here.

This the same way he starts it and how did he start it? It didn't hurt his pride

He didn't sulk that God was working Outside of him to start a church in Colossae.

He gave thanks to God. He acknowledged God for what God was doing in other places and so Paul was ending this introduction here or this part of the introduction the same way he starts it by acknowledging

God and giving glory to God because If there is if there is fruit growing if there is life being produced if there is fruit increasing

It's only because of the grace of God It's only because God is there

God is doing it and God is working it's all of him and That's the truth of the gospel

It's it's not a bus it's the work of God and that's it and there's there's one thing

I wanted to point out about verse 6 and when I'm able to I do enjoy pointing out some controversial things and Having discussions about those controversial things so feel free to To talk to me about these controversial things if it if it's controversial to you

But Paul says something interesting here, and I don't know if you called it when we and when we looked at it when we read it

But he says What this is in verse 6 which has come to you

Just as in all the world what has come to them verse 5

Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven of which you previously heard the word of truth the gospel the gospel which has come to you just as in all

The world how is that controversial?

Well, it's controversial because It has to do with in times has to do with in times theology eschatology the last things and so one of the

In the most popular today the most popular in times

Theory in times system says that All the gospel has to go out through all the world

Before Jesus will come back the rapture the church will happen. So the gospel has to go out there all the world at all every single

I don't I don't know what the The details are and it's probably different with with every person every

Pastor scholar whoever I don't know if every person that is alive has to hear the gospel

I don't know if it's every every people group Has to hear the gospel, but the gospel has to go out to all the world first Before Jesus will come back and So that's one of the things that we're we're waiting on Before Jesus will come back before Jesus will rapture the church.

So how was that controversial? Well, first of all, first of all, where did it where does that come from?

Where does that come from? Most of our end times Theology Eschatology comes from Matthew chapter 24

If you if you ever hear your pastor reference Matthew chapter 24 Go open up your

Bible when you get home read Matthew chapter 21 22 23 24 read

Revelation 20 Read Daniel chapter 9 and and you just read it.

Just read it Don't Don't put into it what you what you heard earlier in the sermon don't put into it what you've heard in the past Don't put into it what you want to hear out of it.

Just just read it Just read those texts Matthew 21 22 23 24

Revelation 20 Daniel chapter 9 just read those texts and and read it as if He's writing it to you as if you're the audience of that book in the first century or in the

Old Testament with Daniel But Matthew chapter 24. This is where it comes from Matthew chapter 24 verse 14 and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations and Then the end shall come

So there there's our promise there's a promise from Jesus That this this gospel shall be preached to the whole world

To be a witness to all the nations and then the end shall come. So what makes that controversial?

Paul says Colossians chapter 1 verse 6 starting in verse 5

Which you previously heard in the word of truth the gospel Which has come to you just as in all the world

So, why don't we hold to an eschatology In times theology

That says we're waiting on the gospel to go to the whole world Then Jesus will come back or Jesus will rapture the church

When Paul says the gospel has gone into the whole world Well You know if if I have a pastor listening

Which I probably don't Or if you go to your pastor and or you go to someone that that holds to that particular in times theology and They know how to or they are already familiar with some

Greek some original language let's look at the words because you know, let's look at their meanings because You know, the the words can mean different things so he he probably means something one thing here and he means something different there and That's absolutely true

Words do have meanings and there's different Greek words for the word world in John chapter 3 for God to love the world

The Greek word is cosmos in Matthew The Greek word for world there is oikomene

Two different Greek words for this and the English translation uses the word world.

Isn't that interesting? So it can mean totally different things, right? Paul could mean

Something different than the whole world. We're looking for the gospel to go to the whole world Which is not what oikomene means in Matthew 24 14

Jesus could have said cosmos and Then we could have said it's to go to the whole world

But let's let's just say whoever you talk to says there's different Greek different Greek Words for the word world and it he's meaning two different things.

We're waiting on the gospel to go to the whole world and And you know, this is just a one -off this isn't a one -off and it can be explained away problem with that is

Is that you have Romans chapter 1 verse 8? I don't I don't know if you want to take notes I'll read them slow, but but look them up after you read

Matthew 21 22 23 24 Revelation 20 and and Daniel 9 Look up these references

Romans chapter 1 verse 8 Romans 16 verse 26 first Thessalonians 1 8 2nd

Corinthians 2 14 Colossians chapter 1 verse 23

Colossians chapter 1 verse 6 and 1st Timothy 3 16 and And Maybe we could explain it away in some of those verses

But not in all those verses Some of those verses are explicitly clear

That Paul meant the gospel has gone out Into all the world.

There's your car. There's your controversy for today So ponder on that think about it

Why am I holding to an eschatology? That's looking for the gospel to go out to all the world

Before the rapture happens before the Jesus comes back when Paul And one two, three, four, five six seven places in the

New Testament Says it's already happened Just something for you to do your own study on Something for you to think about there's your controversy for today and then to wrap it up the last two verses

So he addresses Epaphras the the you know leader founder of the church.

They're the messenger just as you learned it from Epaphras so he's he's confirming and He's encouraging them that they have a they have a good founder

They have a good teacher this guy that brought the message to you Just just as you learned it from Epaphras.

He's our beloved fellow bond servant He is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf.

That means he he loves you Church of Colossae, he loves you. These are faithful servant he has your best interest at heart and then verse 8 says and he also informed us of Your love in the spirit

I'm just curious I'm probably way off but It'll be interesting though, you know

He's already addressed love once So, you know, what does he I guess I guess he's just in informing them letting them know that He he has informed us of your love

Epaphras is the one who informed us of your love in the spirit But what it made me reflect on and what when what it made me think of What have we looked at today

We we hear it we've learned it in the Gospels Faith hope and love

That's what we hear in the Gospels And that's what we've looked at here. I don't know if you picked up on that but in in verse 4 and 5 faith hope and love and Then what is the next part the greatest of these is love

He brings up love here at the end Just like in in that passage where we're learning about faith hope and love that the greatest of these is love and that's that's going to be the distinctive

Between us and the world is our love for one another You know, we we're not

We're not conservatives First we're not liberals first Republicans first Democrats first Americans first we are

Citizens our citizenship is in heaven our King is

Christ and What he works in us is love and So what we do is going to look different Than what goes on in the world and This week this year has been a good

Good example of what the world looks like and how the world behaves and What Christ produces in us?

So I hope that was encouraging to you. Hope that was helpful if it was I'm just trying to reach out to our community with the

Word of God with the gospel of Jesus Christ If you want to share the video That'll be awesome.

That'd be great. But it's just to it's just to reach people for Christ and with a message of the gospel and If I can if I can speak to anything that interests you love to be able to do that just let me know

Um Anything that that you want to join me get involved with me and do anything love to be able to do that Definitely want to pray for each other and if I can pray for you, let me know if I can do that as well so let's let's pray and We'll wrap things up this morning father.

We thank you for allowing us to spend time together in your word being sharpened growing in the spirit

Father will you will you work these things in us that we may Constantly grow constantly bear fruit and increase

And be these people that that are described here So that we look different than the world and we are a testimony to your glory to your grace

We give you praise we worship you we thank you because of your grace because of the truth of the gospel that says that Everything comes from you

Apart from you there's nothing apart from you we can do nothing and so we give you all

Acknowledgement, we give all give you all credit. We give you all glory and we worship you

We thank you Christ for coming and Taking our place

Thank you for taking the wrath of God on our behalf Thank you for saving us and reaching out to us when we could

Not reach up ourselves Thank you for calling us your own

Giving us faith granting us repentance You are worthy of worship as revelation says worthy is the lamb that was slain

Father we want to pray for all the folks that are battling

Sickness this morning. I know My parents are battling sickness

I See that we have a brother that brother Larry that is battling sickness

Right now we want to pray for for these that you will give them strength and healing if it be thy will and strengthen their families

And encourage them I'm thinking of the lady

On Facebook and her husband that watched the show and join us sometimes going through Cancer treatment and chemo.

I pray for her and I lift her and her family up to you Trying to recall others

The The students Recently that lost a teacher due to the

COVID and at the charter school We pray for that family.

We lift up the students and we pray for the gospel To be heard. Oh, we do pray for our our nation

In the sense of health that you would help us through this and We are

We're fragile and I pray that As tough as we want to be sometimes.

I pray that you would Open our eyes to the fact that we are fragile and life is fragile

And we want our children to be saved. We want our spouses to be saved We want our family to be saved.

We want our friends to be saved And so father help us to see how fragile life is and the importance of the gospel

And how short life is Father I pray for Those in authority.

I have my personal opinions But your word says that you

Put Kings in place and you remove Kings So father nothing happens without your involvement

So we trust in you Despite Who is in power

Who were whoever the ones are that are making decisions? We trust in you we

We ask you to help us and give us wisdom and give us strength to do what is right

To do the things that you've called us to do as as Sojourners here on this earth.

We know our citizenship is in heaven. We are We are members of the kingdom of God we are members of your kingdom

But as sojourners here on this earth We ask for your help and wisdom in making decisions and doing the things that that we need to do for Our communities our states and in our country

And help us to stand for truth stand for justice And do it with love and help us to do it with wisdom and we pray for all our emergency workers

That go out in the snow go out in the ice go out in the heat have to See some horrible things

We pray for their safety We pray that you give them strength and courage

And we thank you for for them Thank you for working in their heart the desire to serve their community and We thank you for the blessing of allowing us to be here this morning and to Pray to you and spend time together

And we ask all these things in Jesus name. Amen Thank you guys for watching

I really appreciate it. I'm sorry that I Ramble on so long, but I just enjoy spending time in God's Word and I hope hopefully it's encouraging to Some of you out there.

I hope you have a good day Remember that Jesus is King go live in that victory and let's continue to go out there together and proclaim the gospel