|
 Colossians Study - Part 4. The lesson on November 4, 2007 continues with the fourth lesson
in Colossians. In chapter 1 we have been looking at the prayer that Paul was saying to the church at Colossae, and it has three import parts.
Part one is the statement in verse 9 when he is praying that you would have a “full knowledge” (in the Greek it’s “epignosis” (ep-ig'
-no-sis); which means recognition, i.e. (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement) of the Lord’s will. Part two of this prayer is
regarding our walk. He says in verse 10 & 11 that he wants us to “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all
patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” Paul talked about the power of God in Ephesians 6:10-11…” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Don’t think that you can do it
on your own. We get the power of God from the scriptures and that is the armor that guards us from the wiles of the devil. Part three of this prayer is
stated in verse 12, where we are to be thankful unto the Father. Thankfulness is such an important aspect of our Christian walk. Paul wrote
about this in Philippians 4:6… ”Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God.” Thanksgiving is such an important part of our prayer life… as it says in Col. 1:12…“Give thanks unto the Father, who has made us fit, who
has made us acceptable, to be partakers of the inheritance of the holiest of all in light.” The actual translation of this
verse says “saints”… but we emphasize here with this translation that we are members of the body of Christ, who have
been raised and seated with Christ in the heavenlies far above. We are not looking for a kingdom here on this earth. We
are not looking for heavenly Jerusalem to come down on this earth because we have been placed in the same place as His dear Son.   Click here to listen now. You may also want to  download the handout
for review while you listen. Be sure and review all of the audio lessons on Colossians.
 Be Ye Thankful. In the Colossians study, we saw that the Apostle Paul was expressing that
we be thankful for everything the God the Father has done for us in His son Christ Jesus. We
often take that for granted and forget that we should be thankful. What is being thankful mean
? Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary contains the greatest number of Biblical
definitions given in any reference volume. Webster considered "education useless without the
Bible". Noah Webster believed that the Bible and Christianity played important roles in the lives
of a free people and its government. "In my view, the Christian religion is the most important
and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be
instructed.... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the
basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people...." If we look “thankful” up in Noah
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, we find: thankful - THANK'FUL, a. Grateful; impressed with a sense of kindness received, and
ready to acknowledge it. We have so much to be thankful for! Paul understood this and if you look at all the scriptures
where he expressed “thanks, thankful, thanksgiving” you will see he understood this truth. In 1 Timothy, 2:1-4, we are told
that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks should be made for all men especially for kings, and all that
are in authority. Why? We find out in verse 4. God desire is that all men would be saved and come to the knowledge of
the truth. John 14:6 (KJV) says “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.” Noah Webster understood this when he said “No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian
religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people...." Thank God
for Christ! And thank God for the veterans that protected the freedoms we have here in America… the freedom to read
the scriptures, and study them so we are approved unto God. The lesson on November 11, 2007 celebrates Veterans Day. Click here to listen now. You may also want to download the handout to review while you listen.
 Colossians Study - Part 5. The audio lesson for November 18, 2007 is Part 5 in this
Colossians study. The lesson discusses why Paul is praying for them in Colossae for we see
they are having problems and we see Paul’s prayer in verse 9. Colossians 1:9 (KJV) “For this
cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”
Usually you don’t pray for a cause unless there is a complication that comes along with that
cause. When we have a cause there is a reason, and the reason explains the problem that underlies that cause. From
Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 we see him identifying that they be filled with knowledge, that they walk worthy, and be
strengthened with all might. The hardest thing for Christians to realize is that you must be strengthened from the Lord and
not rely on your own strength. We must understand, believe, and acknowledge what Christ has given us and be
strengthened from God. God’s might was demonstrated in His resurrection of Christ when He raised Him from the dead.
This is the same power that He wrought in Christ as was told in Ephesians 1:19-20 “And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” You have been forgiven of your sins!
God’s has forgiven you! Christ died for you and took away your sins and sits with God as the mediator between God and
yourself as stated in 1 Timothy 2:5. God is satisfied with the blood offering of Christ for us to be reconciled to God as it is said in Colossians 1:21-25. Click here to listen now. You may also want to download the handout for review while you listen.
 Colossians Study - Part 6. Colossians 1:24-29 puts before us one of the most important aspects
of our calling today and it is impossible for us to recognize this calling apart from the teaching of Paul.
Starting with verse 24, Paul is explaining the suffering he personally endured that was told to him by
God when he was converted on the road to Damascus. God said to Paul that he would suffer some
things for my sake which he is now referring to in verse 24. From the time Paul was converted in
Acts 9 through Acts 28, he had suffered many things for the hope of Israel… but that suffering
changed at the close of Acts because Paul was given a special ministry that was hidden in God,
before the foundation of the world. In Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Titus, Philemon, 1 & 2
Timothy, Paul was acting only for the body of Christ to propagate the Mystery as is referenced in
Colossians 1:25. Much of this message from Paul is overlooked by Christianity and much of this is
ignored by lumping it in with what has been promised to Israel. The fact that Christians overlook this calling is a sad thing
because God has given to us, as the body of Christ, a unique calling and unforeseen ministry in the world. Let’s take a
look at what this ministry is in Colossians 1:24-25 (KJV) “24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that
which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:25 Whereof I am made a
minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;” There are four
points to call out from verse 25: 1. Paul’s ministry as a minister. 2. A dispensation of God was given specifically to Paul. 3.
This Dispensation was given to Paul for you, and 4. This message completed the Word of God. So what is this
dispensation that Paul was given to preach to the Gentiles? Paul calls it “The Mystery”. Colossians 1:26 (KJV) says “Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” Click here to listen to the audio lesson for November 25, 2007. You may also want to learn more about The Mystery, which is your calling today. This lesson is part 6 of the study in Colossians. You may review all of the lessons in this series here. Be sure to download the handout for review while you listen.
|
Audio Lessons for this Month
