Sermon Notes - Colossians 1:24-29 - Littleby Baptist Church - May 15, 2022

1.      The verses we looked at last week countered Gnostic beliefs, but more importantly they tell us a lot about our Jesus.

a.      Jesus is the image, the representation of the Father.

b.      He existed before creation began.

c.      Everything in heaven and on earth, was created by our Lord and Savior.

d.      All things work and continue to exist through Jesus.

e.      The head of the Church.

f.       The first to receive an immortal body.

g.      Given the name above all names.

h.      He is connected to the Father.

i.       Jesus is the only one capable of reconciling humankind with the Father.

j.       While we were sinners, our Lord died for us.

k.      Through Him we are made holy, faultless, and blameless.

l.       Our job is to grow in our faith, to strive to understand who Jesus is, and what He did for us.

2.      A lot of great information about Jesus in 9 little verses.

a.      There is no way the Jesus Paul knew, the Jesus who saved us, could be as small and as insignificant as the Gnostics were making Him.

b.      There is no way that He could be as irrelevant as the world states today.

c.      Our Jesus is way more than we can comprehend.

                                                    i.     But that does not change the fact that He loves us and died for us, in Hope that He can spend forever with us.

3.      Colossians 1:24

a.      This statement can be confusing.

b.      Sounds like Paul is saying that he is finishing the work that Jesus started.

c.      That would imply that Christ’s work was insufficient.

d.      Hebrews 10:10-14

e.      Jesus perfected forever those who are sanctified.

f.       He paid the complete price; no work of Paul’s is needed.

g.      It was and is all Jesus.

h.      What Pual is telling us is that Jesus provided salvation.

i.       Paul is continuing the work of serving others.

j.       He is giving of himself, suffering, for the greater good of the Church.

k.      A reminder to us that our faith in Christ is not all about what we get out of it.

l.       We are to serve others; we are to give of ourselves… falls in line with Loving Others as we do ourselves.

4.      Colossians 1:25

a.      I have become its servant…

                                                    i.     Servant to the Church.

                                                   ii.     Servant to the word of God… to make it known.

                                                  iii.     Not partially known, but fully known by those who seek God.

b.      By God’s commission…

                                                    i.     Jesus appeared to Paul and then sent Ananias to speak to him and pray over him.

                                                   ii.     Acts 9:15-16

                                                  iii.     God commissioned Paul to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

                                                  iv.     He was called to make the Word of God fully known to pretty much anyone and everyone.

5.      Colossians 1:26

a.      The Gnostics believed that the only way one would achieve gnosis that leads to salvation was through some mystical experience.

b.      Paul was saying that the full knowledge of God, the mystery has been made known to the Saints.

c.      The mystery of salvation was once concealed, buried in the old covenant.

                                                    i.     Hidden for the ages and generations.

d.      But through Jesus it has been revealed.

e.      Through the work of the Holy Spirit the mystery is now known.

f.       The Gnostics believed only a select few, and exclusive privileged group would know the secret.

g.      The Truth, the true path to Salvation through our Lord Jesus was made known to all who believe.

h.      It was made known to the Apostles.

i.       It was made known to the many who saw Jesus resurrected and heard the teachings of Peter and others.

j.       It was made known to the Saints of the Colossian church.

k.      It has been made known to all who believe.

l.       The Mystery is the fact that all who believe, Jew, Gentile, king, or pauper are grafted into the family of God.

m.    Ephesians 3:6

n.      Nothing matters except that we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, that His death paid for our sins, and that our faith in Him gives us a new life.

o.      Any who profess that Jesus is Lord and repent of their sins are given this mystery of the ages that has been revealed to all the saints.

p.      Faith allows all to be grafted into the family of God.

6.      Colossians 1:27

a.      God wanted the Gentiles to know that they were not on the side lines any longer.

                                                    i.     Gentiles were encouraged to follow the OT Law, just in case as it could not hurt their chances.

                                                   ii.     With Jesus, that changed, faith in Him brings salvation.

b.      He wanted to gentiles to know that… they are no longer without Hope.

c.      They are no longer separated from God.

d.      If they believe they are given the glorious riches… ‘which is Christ in you.’

e.      No longer separated.

f.       2 Corinthians 5:17

g.      If ‘anyone’… believes they are made a new creation through Christ being in them.

h.      They are given the Hope of Glory, the Hope of sharing in the glory that is meant for Jesus.

i.       The Hope of spending an eternity in Glory that cannot be taken away from those who follow Jesus.

7.      Colossians 1:28

a.      We proclaim Jesus… we make Him known every way we can.

b.      Warning and teaching everyone… no limit on who should hear about Jesus.

                                                    i.     People we may think already know; they need to hear.

                                                   ii.     People some may think are too far gone; they really need to hear.

                                                  iii.     They need to hear about the love, and they need to hear that time is of the essence.

                                                  iv.     We do not know how long we have on this earth. We do not know when the church will be taken up. Time is of the essence.  

c.      With all wisdom, so that all will be mature in Christ.

d.      Hebrews 5:11-14

                                                    i.     Each believer is responsible to grow from milk to solid food.

                                                   ii.     It is how we grow as believers.

                                                  iii.     It is how our eyes are opened to the false teachings around us.

e.      The power of the Holy Spirit helps to open our eyes, guide us and help us to grow as followers of Jesus.

                                                    i.     It is all part of the Sanctification process.

                                                   ii.     Part of how we go from being a sinner with no desire to serve God to one who does what we can to draw near to our God.

8.      Colossians 1:29

a.      We don’t learn by osmosis.

b.      It takes effort as the teacher and the student.

c.      We do what we can, but the true power that connects the dots, that changes our lives, comes from God.

d.      Philippians 4:13 – Good use of this verse.

e.      We grow as Christ followers through the one who gives us strength.

f.       We are able to share the Word with others, understand so that we develop a greater knowledge, and to teach… all because of the strength of Jesus.

g.      It is not by what we can do, but by what He does for us and through us.

9.      Paul was countering some harmful Gnostic beliefs in these verses.

a.      There is no hidden path that can only be found by a mystical experience…

b.      The path of Salvation that leads to glory has been made known, it is Jesus.

c.      It is not a truth that is held tightly by only a select few, the truth of Jesus has been around for almost 2,000 years and is available to all.

d.      Through THE Truth that is found in Jesus, all are saved. Jew and gentile alike.

e.      There is only one path to Jesus, not the many that the devil would like us to believe.

f.       There are not difference variations of the truth, there is only one truth which is the Word of God.

g.      One of the key things we all need to remember, is to strive to grow in wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus.