Sermon Notes
Sermon: Spiritual Progress by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: August 11, 2019
Key Scripture Passages: Colossians 1:24-2:7
Sermon Notes:
Rejoicing Amidst Suffering (Col. 1:24)
As we know, Paul is in prison in Rome when he writes his letter to the Christian church in Colossae. The false teachers in Colossae use that to their advantage in order to attack Paul and undermine his teachings and authority. However, Paul writes to encourage the Colossians and tells them that he is rejoicing in his suffering.
Paul is suffering for three reasons. First, he is suffering because of Christ. It was an honor to suffer for Christ. And Paul actually found comfort in this, because he knew that if he shared in Christ’s sufferings, then he could also share in Christ’s comfort. Christ suffered and died on the cross, but His suffering was followed by His defeat of death, His resurrection, and His glory as He ascended back into Heaven. Paul knew that future glories outweighed any current sufferings (Romans 8). In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18 ESV)
Second, he is suffering because of the Gentiles. It was actually because of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles that Paul had been arrested and thrown in prison. (The story of his imprisonment is found in Acts 21-24, if you want to read more.)
Third, he is suffering because of the body of Christ, the Church. Paul finds comfort in the irony of this. He used to cause suffering to the Church by persecuting Christians, but now Paul works to care for it and is persecuted because of his devotion to the Church. Also, Paul doesn’t ask what can he get out of the church. Rather, in spite of his suffering in prison, Paul continues to pour into his ministry and trying to figure out how much God will let him put into it. Paul’s ministry is continuing and growing. He is still proclaiming the Gospel and teaching about Christ. The Church continues to grow through his ministry.
Paul’s Calling (Col. 1:25-27)
Paul could have compromised and stopped his ministry to the Gentiles. It would have ended his personal suffering and perhaps his imprisonment. However, Paul would not abandon his calling. Paul was entrusted by Christ with a stewardship of the Word of God. Paul knew that he must continue to preach the Word of God in its entirety to all people. F.F. Bruce states, “The word of God is fulfilled in this sense when it is freely proclaimed in the world and accepted in faith; thus it achieves its purpose.”
Paul says the word of God is a mystery. Paul is called by Christ to share that mystery with the Gentiles. Here mystery means that which was hidden but is now revealed by the Holy Spirit. The false teachers tried to use mystery as some sacred, divine secret that only the elite could know. For them, the mystery was the inner secrets of their religion that only a select few were privileged to know. However, Paul counters that: “All the truth of God is for all the people of God” (F.F. Bruce).
The Old Testament prophets knew about Christ, but what they did not know was the time, when the Messiah was coming. The Old Testament prophets knew that God’s blessings and saving grace extended beyond the God’s chosen people, the Israelites. But they did not know how the Gentiles would be included. The Gentiles and the Jews would become one body, the body of Christ. The Gentiles were no longer outsiders, excluded from God’s grace. In fact, Paul was saying that there was no difference between Jew and Gentile in Christ, and the Jews did not like it.
Paul’s Instruction (Col. 1:28a)
The mystery that had been entrusted to Paul, and really to all Christians, is Christ Himself. Jesus Christ is the substance of the message. He is the sources of life and the embodiment of divine wisdom. Everything comes back to Christ. The false teachers in Colossae preached a system of teaching filled with empty traditions, philosophies, and lists of rules. However, Paul preached, proclaimed, and presented a Person, Jesus Christ. Everything centers on and around Christ.
Paul did not just preach or proclaim Christ to all. Paul also warned the people. Similar to how the Old Testament prophets served as watchmen, Paul admonished the Christians when they were in the wrong and would take time to correct or counter false teachings. However, it was not just enough to warn people about the dangers of sin or life apart from God, Paul also taught people about Christ and how to live life under Christ. Paul did not feel the need to introduce “new teachings”. Everything Christians need to know can be found in Christ. He is the source all Truth and Wisdom.
Paul’s Intent (Col. 1 28b, 2:2-3)
For Paul, his conversion on the road to Damascus was only the beginning of the revelation of Christ. He didn’t instantly understand the full meaning of what Christ told him. It was the same with the disciples of Jesus. Traveling with Jesus for 3 years, the disciples did not fully understand all that Christ was teaching them until much later. The Word of God, Jesus Christ, is revealed to us, but it takes time to get to know Him. F.F. Bruce states: “…in the proclamation of Christ we bring all wisdom within the reach of all, and our purpose is to present each believer before the face of God in a state of complete spiritual maturity. There should be no exceptions; there are no heights in Christian attainment which are not within the reach of all, by the power of heavenly grace.”
There is nothing that I know that you can’t know. There is no special knowledge reserved only for me, because I am an ordained pastor and have been to seminary. God reveals Himself and is waiting for all people, no matter who you are, no matter what you have done or not done, and no matter how much or how little you currently know. It just takes a willing spirit to strive for spiritual progress and maturity. For Paul, conversion is just the beginning of the journey, not the goal. Paul’s intention was to preach, warn, and teach everyone he comes into contact with about Christ and to encourage them forward on their spiritual journey. He wanted them all to stand before Christ as spiritually mature Christians.
Paul offered 4 signs of spiritual maturity in Colossians 2:2-3 (ESV), which states:
“…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Paul’s Prayers (Col. 1:29-2:1)
Paul prayed the Christians in Colossae would be bound together in unity with Christian love. The false teachers placed a great emphasis on knowledge and wisdom. Paul was an intelligent man, and he valued knowledge and wisdom as well. After all, we are to love Jesus with our minds. However, the false teachers were turning knowledge of Christ into games of elitism. F.F. Bruce sums up Paul’s stance: “Over against all those who vied to intellectualize the Christian faith, speaking of knowledge (gnosis) as if it were an end in itself, Paul emphasizes that the revelation of God cannot be properly known apart from the cultivation of brotherly love within the community.” Church, faith community, membership in the body of Christ is crucial to spiritual maturity. God’s love and God’s truth must both be present. You can’t have one without the other.
There are times that we may not feel like praying, and that is probably when we need to engage in prayer the most. Prayer is not about us changing the mind of God, but rather, it is about learning about the mind of God and His will.
Paul was a man of prayer, and he prayed for all Christians, even if he had not met them. Verse 29 states that he toils in prayer. A literal translation of it alludes to how agonizing Paul’s condition is in that he prays to the point of exhaustion. This is not about physical labor but rather spiritual striving. Paul had a good understanding of the universal church and that all Christians made up the body of Christ. Spiritual warfare and conflict that was afflicted on one part of the body would affect the whole body. Paul engaged in constant prayer against this spiritual opposition.
Spiritual Progress and Spiritual Maturity (Colossians 2:4-7)
Not everyone is called to be an apostle like Paul. Not everyone is called to become an ordained pastor of a church or a missionary in a foreign country. However, every single Christian has been given a purpose, a mission by God. We can proclaim the Gospel to people who do not yet believe in Christ, we can strive in prayer, for all people, we can encourage other Christians, we can take care of people with Christ’s love…and the list goes on and on. Both Paul and Jesus took their time to minister to individuals. Even if we just minister to a few, we are helping the whole Church. What is your God-given ministry? Who is in your sphere of influence? How could you tell those people about Christ: either introducing them to who Christ is and what He has done for us or by encouraging other believers in their spiritual journeys with Christ?
Paul feels the urgent need for all Christians to be making progress towards spiritual maturity, and so do I. Why is it necessary to make spiritual progress? In the Christian life, no one stands still. They are either walking forward or sliding backward. Someone who is not walking forward becomes a target for the Enemy. Satan is deceptive and likes to twist words around in order to mix people up and send them in the wrong direction away from Christ.
In Colossians 2:4-7, Paul uses various words and images to describe spiritual progress. In verse 5, Paul uses such military words as “order” and “steadfastness/firmness”. In an army, everyone has a rank or position. Each soldier has a proper place to be and a specific function to do in order for the army to act as one and to stand united against an enemy.
In verse 6, Paul echoes the comparison of the Christian life to a journey or pilgrimage from Colossians 1:10. He tells the Colossians that they are to walk in the Lord by faith and in a manner that is worthy of or pleasing to the Lord. Paul is also reminding them to remain in Christ. The false teachers wanted to introduce supposedly “new teachings or revelations”. However, Paul tells the Colossians that their faith started in Christ and needs to continue with Christ. Christ is sufficient.
In verse 7, Paul uses agricultural terminology talking about being rooted in Christ. Faith in Christ provides stability, especially when faced with uncertainties, doubts, and false teachings. Christians are not to just drift on the wind from one philosophy, church, or teaching to another. Nor are they to be transplanted from place to place. The more rooted we are in Christ, the more that we will be able to discern what is truth from God and what are lies from others. We can enjoy our relationships with Christ. In verse 7, Paul also uses an architectural term meaning to build up. Christians, who are making spiritual progress, should keep adding to the body of Christ, pouring into it with their gifts and abilities. Christians are built up through the Word of God. Satan has a hard time going up against a believer that is rooted in God’s Word.
And because of God’s saving grace, we can feel gratitude towards God about, or perhaps in spite of, our situation in life. Gratitude is another sign of a spiritually mature Christian. As Wiersbe says, “A grounded, growing, grateful believer will not be led astray.”
Challenge: Read Colossians Chapter 2 every day this week.
Sermon: Spiritual Progress by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: August 11, 2019
Key Scripture Passages: Colossians 1:24-2:7
Sermon Notes:
Rejoicing Amidst Suffering (Col. 1:24)
As we know, Paul is in prison in Rome when he writes his letter to the Christian church in Colossae. The false teachers in Colossae use that to their advantage in order to attack Paul and undermine his teachings and authority. However, Paul writes to encourage the Colossians and tells them that he is rejoicing in his suffering.
Paul is suffering for three reasons. First, he is suffering because of Christ. It was an honor to suffer for Christ. And Paul actually found comfort in this, because he knew that if he shared in Christ’s sufferings, then he could also share in Christ’s comfort. Christ suffered and died on the cross, but His suffering was followed by His defeat of death, His resurrection, and His glory as He ascended back into Heaven. Paul knew that future glories outweighed any current sufferings (Romans 8). In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18 ESV)
Second, he is suffering because of the Gentiles. It was actually because of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles that Paul had been arrested and thrown in prison. (The story of his imprisonment is found in Acts 21-24, if you want to read more.)
Third, he is suffering because of the body of Christ, the Church. Paul finds comfort in the irony of this. He used to cause suffering to the Church by persecuting Christians, but now Paul works to care for it and is persecuted because of his devotion to the Church. Also, Paul doesn’t ask what can he get out of the church. Rather, in spite of his suffering in prison, Paul continues to pour into his ministry and trying to figure out how much God will let him put into it. Paul’s ministry is continuing and growing. He is still proclaiming the Gospel and teaching about Christ. The Church continues to grow through his ministry.
Paul’s Calling (Col. 1:25-27)
Paul could have compromised and stopped his ministry to the Gentiles. It would have ended his personal suffering and perhaps his imprisonment. However, Paul would not abandon his calling. Paul was entrusted by Christ with a stewardship of the Word of God. Paul knew that he must continue to preach the Word of God in its entirety to all people. F.F. Bruce states, “The word of God is fulfilled in this sense when it is freely proclaimed in the world and accepted in faith; thus it achieves its purpose.”
Paul says the word of God is a mystery. Paul is called by Christ to share that mystery with the Gentiles. Here mystery means that which was hidden but is now revealed by the Holy Spirit. The false teachers tried to use mystery as some sacred, divine secret that only the elite could know. For them, the mystery was the inner secrets of their religion that only a select few were privileged to know. However, Paul counters that: “All the truth of God is for all the people of God” (F.F. Bruce).
The Old Testament prophets knew about Christ, but what they did not know was the time, when the Messiah was coming. The Old Testament prophets knew that God’s blessings and saving grace extended beyond the God’s chosen people, the Israelites. But they did not know how the Gentiles would be included. The Gentiles and the Jews would become one body, the body of Christ. The Gentiles were no longer outsiders, excluded from God’s grace. In fact, Paul was saying that there was no difference between Jew and Gentile in Christ, and the Jews did not like it.
Paul’s Instruction (Col. 1:28a)
The mystery that had been entrusted to Paul, and really to all Christians, is Christ Himself. Jesus Christ is the substance of the message. He is the sources of life and the embodiment of divine wisdom. Everything comes back to Christ. The false teachers in Colossae preached a system of teaching filled with empty traditions, philosophies, and lists of rules. However, Paul preached, proclaimed, and presented a Person, Jesus Christ. Everything centers on and around Christ.
Paul did not just preach or proclaim Christ to all. Paul also warned the people. Similar to how the Old Testament prophets served as watchmen, Paul admonished the Christians when they were in the wrong and would take time to correct or counter false teachings. However, it was not just enough to warn people about the dangers of sin or life apart from God, Paul also taught people about Christ and how to live life under Christ. Paul did not feel the need to introduce “new teachings”. Everything Christians need to know can be found in Christ. He is the source all Truth and Wisdom.
Paul’s Intent (Col. 1 28b, 2:2-3)
For Paul, his conversion on the road to Damascus was only the beginning of the revelation of Christ. He didn’t instantly understand the full meaning of what Christ told him. It was the same with the disciples of Jesus. Traveling with Jesus for 3 years, the disciples did not fully understand all that Christ was teaching them until much later. The Word of God, Jesus Christ, is revealed to us, but it takes time to get to know Him. F.F. Bruce states: “…in the proclamation of Christ we bring all wisdom within the reach of all, and our purpose is to present each believer before the face of God in a state of complete spiritual maturity. There should be no exceptions; there are no heights in Christian attainment which are not within the reach of all, by the power of heavenly grace.”
There is nothing that I know that you can’t know. There is no special knowledge reserved only for me, because I am an ordained pastor and have been to seminary. God reveals Himself and is waiting for all people, no matter who you are, no matter what you have done or not done, and no matter how much or how little you currently know. It just takes a willing spirit to strive for spiritual progress and maturity. For Paul, conversion is just the beginning of the journey, not the goal. Paul’s intention was to preach, warn, and teach everyone he comes into contact with about Christ and to encourage them forward on their spiritual journey. He wanted them all to stand before Christ as spiritually mature Christians.
Paul offered 4 signs of spiritual maturity in Colossians 2:2-3 (ESV), which states:
“…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
- Encouragement – Their hearts would be made renewed by the comfort found through encouragement. Encouragement brings out the best in people while shallow sympathy can make people feel worse.
- Unity in Love – A mature Christian is a peacemaker and contributes to the spiritual unity of the church. However, an immature Christian will cause trouble and be divisive.
- Enrichment – Mature Christians do not complain about what they don’t have. Rather, they make use of whatever resources they do have.
- Assurance – A mature Christian has assurance that they are a child of God. They engage in prayer and Bible study regularly, and they grow in their relationship with and understanding of Christ.
Paul’s Prayers (Col. 1:29-2:1)
Paul prayed the Christians in Colossae would be bound together in unity with Christian love. The false teachers placed a great emphasis on knowledge and wisdom. Paul was an intelligent man, and he valued knowledge and wisdom as well. After all, we are to love Jesus with our minds. However, the false teachers were turning knowledge of Christ into games of elitism. F.F. Bruce sums up Paul’s stance: “Over against all those who vied to intellectualize the Christian faith, speaking of knowledge (gnosis) as if it were an end in itself, Paul emphasizes that the revelation of God cannot be properly known apart from the cultivation of brotherly love within the community.” Church, faith community, membership in the body of Christ is crucial to spiritual maturity. God’s love and God’s truth must both be present. You can’t have one without the other.
There are times that we may not feel like praying, and that is probably when we need to engage in prayer the most. Prayer is not about us changing the mind of God, but rather, it is about learning about the mind of God and His will.
Paul was a man of prayer, and he prayed for all Christians, even if he had not met them. Verse 29 states that he toils in prayer. A literal translation of it alludes to how agonizing Paul’s condition is in that he prays to the point of exhaustion. This is not about physical labor but rather spiritual striving. Paul had a good understanding of the universal church and that all Christians made up the body of Christ. Spiritual warfare and conflict that was afflicted on one part of the body would affect the whole body. Paul engaged in constant prayer against this spiritual opposition.
Spiritual Progress and Spiritual Maturity (Colossians 2:4-7)
Not everyone is called to be an apostle like Paul. Not everyone is called to become an ordained pastor of a church or a missionary in a foreign country. However, every single Christian has been given a purpose, a mission by God. We can proclaim the Gospel to people who do not yet believe in Christ, we can strive in prayer, for all people, we can encourage other Christians, we can take care of people with Christ’s love…and the list goes on and on. Both Paul and Jesus took their time to minister to individuals. Even if we just minister to a few, we are helping the whole Church. What is your God-given ministry? Who is in your sphere of influence? How could you tell those people about Christ: either introducing them to who Christ is and what He has done for us or by encouraging other believers in their spiritual journeys with Christ?
Paul feels the urgent need for all Christians to be making progress towards spiritual maturity, and so do I. Why is it necessary to make spiritual progress? In the Christian life, no one stands still. They are either walking forward or sliding backward. Someone who is not walking forward becomes a target for the Enemy. Satan is deceptive and likes to twist words around in order to mix people up and send them in the wrong direction away from Christ.
In Colossians 2:4-7, Paul uses various words and images to describe spiritual progress. In verse 5, Paul uses such military words as “order” and “steadfastness/firmness”. In an army, everyone has a rank or position. Each soldier has a proper place to be and a specific function to do in order for the army to act as one and to stand united against an enemy.
In verse 6, Paul echoes the comparison of the Christian life to a journey or pilgrimage from Colossians 1:10. He tells the Colossians that they are to walk in the Lord by faith and in a manner that is worthy of or pleasing to the Lord. Paul is also reminding them to remain in Christ. The false teachers wanted to introduce supposedly “new teachings or revelations”. However, Paul tells the Colossians that their faith started in Christ and needs to continue with Christ. Christ is sufficient.
In verse 7, Paul uses agricultural terminology talking about being rooted in Christ. Faith in Christ provides stability, especially when faced with uncertainties, doubts, and false teachings. Christians are not to just drift on the wind from one philosophy, church, or teaching to another. Nor are they to be transplanted from place to place. The more rooted we are in Christ, the more that we will be able to discern what is truth from God and what are lies from others. We can enjoy our relationships with Christ. In verse 7, Paul also uses an architectural term meaning to build up. Christians, who are making spiritual progress, should keep adding to the body of Christ, pouring into it with their gifts and abilities. Christians are built up through the Word of God. Satan has a hard time going up against a believer that is rooted in God’s Word.
And because of God’s saving grace, we can feel gratitude towards God about, or perhaps in spite of, our situation in life. Gratitude is another sign of a spiritually mature Christian. As Wiersbe says, “A grounded, growing, grateful believer will not be led astray.”
Challenge: Read Colossians Chapter 2 every day this week.
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