Are You Experiencing All that Christ Has to Offer?

A wise man will hear and increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. -Song of Solomon

In the epistles of Paul, we customarily find him telling his readers what he prayed for on their behalf. So it is in his epistle to the Colossians, though he had not met many of them personally, he had heard of their faith and love (Colossians 1:3-8). Which, in turn, prompted him to pray unceasingly for them.

For what did he pray? The answer is found in Colossians 1:9-14. And by closely studying this passage we can learn not only what Paul desired for the Colossians but also what God would desire for ALL Christians, including us today!

As we examine this prayer of Paul, let's do so with this in mind: This is what God desires of us as well! First, God desires that we be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL IN ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING (Colossians 1:9).

Notice some key words in this verse:
1. "FILLED"
a. Not just a small measure
b. But satiated, with a full measure
It is not God's desire that we try to "just get by with as little as necessary."
2. "THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL"
a. This is what God desires us to be filled with
b. The Greek word for "knowledge" in this passage is EPIGNOSIS
1) Knowledge which is the result of practical and personal
experience
2) I.e., not just academic or intellectual knowledge
c. Thus, our knowledge of God's will is to be something we have come by through practice and application in our lives
3. "IN ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING"
a. To possess a knowledge of God's will in ALL WISDOM requires
prayer (James 1:5)
b. To possess a knowledge of God's will with SPIRITUAL
UNDERSTANDING requires reading the word (Ephesians 3:3-5).
-- Therefore, prayer and Bible study are essential elements for
the Christian!

Why is being filled with such knowledge so important? Because God's people have always been destroyed by a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). It is essential to our renewal in becoming like Christ (Colossians 3:8-10). Is this prayer being answered in OUR lives? Are we doing anything to assure that it is?

Next, you will notice from Paul's prayer that it is evidently God's desire that we have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him (Colossians 10-14).

This is the objective of being filled with the knowledge of God's will.
1. To conduct ourselves in a manner WORTHY of the Lord (Ephesians 4:1)
a. The Lord we serve, and the calling we have received, is certainly a "worthy" one!
b. Our conduct should be one to honor Christ, not shame Him!
2. To conduct ourselves in a manner FULLY PLEASING HIM
a. There is conduct which displeases Christ (Luke 6:46).
b. But conduct coming from one who is first FILLED with the
knowledge of God's will is more like to FULLY please Him!
(note the play on words)

Conduct worthy of the Lord , fully pleasing him, is one way which we are:
1. "being fruitful in every good work" (verse 10)
a. Not just "one", but "every" good work (cf. Timothy 2:14; 3:1
b. For this we have been "created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10)
c. Why? So that God may be glorified (Matthew 5:16)
d. What sort of good works (cf. Matthew 25:37-40; James 1:27)
We should ask ourselves, "Are we being fruitful?"

2. "increasing in the knowledge of God" (verse 10)
a. We need to grow in the knowledge of God HIMSELF, not just His will (c.f. Jeremiah 9:23-24)
b. How can one truly know God? One can truly know HIM:
1) Through CREATION (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1-18-20)
2) Through inspired REVELATION (e.g., the Psalms and the Prophets)
3) But especially through JESUS (John 14:7-9; Colossians 2:9)
We should ask, "Are we daily increasing in the knowledge of God?"

3."strengthened in all might, according to his glorious power" (verse 11)
a. It is God's desire that we be strong in our our daily living for Him (2 Timothy 1:7-8)
b. There is "glorious power" available to the Christian, of which Paul often wrote, such as:
1) He experienced it in his own life (Philippians 4:3)
2) He wanted others to know about it (Ephesians 1:15-20)
3) He identified it with the working of the Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16)
4) He describes its greatness in Ephesians 3:20
c. What is the purpose of such power? Notice (in your Bible text):
1) "for all PATIENCE and LONGSUFFERING with JOY" (is this not the "fruit" the SPIRIT is supposed to produce? (c.f. Galatians 5:22-23)
2) I.e., so that even as we experience trials in this life, we may do so with joyful perserverence!
We should ask ourselves, "Are we experiencing this strength which God gives to those who do His will?"

4. "give thanks to the Father" (verses 12-14)
a. Christians should always have the "attitude of gratitude" (Thessalonians 5:18)
b. In our text, Paul mentions several REASONS TO BE THANKFUL. These are:
1) God has "qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" (c.f. 1 Peter 1:3-5)
2) God has "delivered us from the power of darkness" (c.f. Ephesians 2:1-5)
3) God has "translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love"
a) In Whom we have "redemption through His blood"
b) In Whom we have "the forgiveness of sins" (c.f. Revelations 1:5-6)
We should ask, "Are we ever giving thanks to the Father for these wonderful blessings?"

In conclusion, here are some things to think about this message.
1. Such was the prayer of Paul for the Colossians; what can we learn from it? We can learn:
a) What God desires of us as well!
b) What kind of conduct that is necessary to be fully pleasing to the Lord!
2. May this prayer of Paul be one:
a) That we ask for OURSELVES
b) That we ask for OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS
c) And, that we desire for ALL!
3. Have you been "QUALIFIED" to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints?
a) Has God "DELIVERED" you from the power of darkness?
b) Has He "TRANSLATED" you into the kingdom of His Son?
Friends, let me leave you with these final words. Through his obedient faith (Hebrews 5:9) and baptism into Christ (John 3:5; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38) on your part, God is willing to do so to you today!

God bless you!

Vivianne