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Asking God for Things

Sunday, August 13, 2023
Pastor Jojo Ma

Weekly Bulletin | Worship Lyrics

Colossians 1:9-15

 

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I.          A Powerful Prayer [v9]
II.        A Worthy Walk [vv10-11]
III.       A Godward Gratitude [vv12-14]

I.         A Powerful Prayer [v9]
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

Gnosticism: Physical = Evil / Spiritual = Good

For many of the Colossian believers, many of whom were babies in the faith, they were intimidated, they were made to feel lacking, and also very insecure in their salvation in Christ.

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Phil 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.

Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

D.A. Carson and the 4 steps to losing the gospel in a church:

1) It’s accepted —> 2) Then it’s assumed —> 3) Then it’s confused —> 4) Then it’s lost.

Charles Spurgeon: “The very blood we bleed should be bibline.”

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

II.        A Worthy Walk [vv10-11]
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

Col 2:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.

Col 3:7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

There is a vital connection between what we know and how we walk or live. That is an important connection for Paul. The New Testament affirms that truth is for life, that the learning is for living.

It’s head and heart. It’s knowledge aimed at love and obedience. Be like Paul who knew a lot of Bible and treasured his Savior Jesus.

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, A.W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy, R.C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God, Wayne Grudem’s Christian Beliefs, Matthew Barrett’s None Greater.

11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

If endurance has to do with hard circumstances, patience has to do with difficult people. Be patient, suffer long with them. Have a patient and gentle spirit. And do all this with a deep and abiding joy that comes from knowing Christ.

III.      A Godward Gratitude [vv12-14]
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Lk 17:15-18 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

C.S. Lewis: “Nature is mortal. We shall outlive her. When all the suns and nebula have passed away, each one of you will still be alive. Nature is only the image, the symbol; but it is the symbol Scripture invites us to use. We are summoned to pass in through nature, beyond her, into that splendor she fitfully reflects.”

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I.          A Powerful Prayer [v9]
II.        A Worthy Walk [vv10-11]
III.       A Godward Gratitude [vv12-14]