Colossians 1:9-14

The Power of the Gospel to Spread “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” Last week: The Power of the Gospel to Spread EPHESUS

Colossians 1:1-14 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you.

Colossians 1:1-14 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Colossians 1:1-14 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:1-14 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” GOSPEL: the announcement of an event that has changed the course of history & a summons to align oneself with this event.

The Power of the Gospel to Spread “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” Last week: The Power of the Gospel to Spread

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing in you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” The power of the gospel in action: Kelly’s story…

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does the gospel effect ongoing change? What comprises a life that pleases God?

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? ? SALVATION TRANSFORMATION

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? ANXIETY THREAT OF CONSEQUENCES SALVATION TRANSFORMATION

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? INCREASED SLAVERY FORCE OF WILL SALVATION TRANSFORMATION

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? SALVATION GRATITUDE TRANSFORMATION

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? SALVATION GRATITUDE TRANSFORMATION “I gave, I gave My life for thee, what hast thou given for me?... I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, what hast thou brought to Me?” I Gave My Life for Thee, 1858

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? SALVATION GRATITUDE TRANSFORMATION “The idea [many Christians] have of grace is this: that their conversion and pardon are God’s work, but that now, in gratitude to God, it is their work to live as Christians and follow Jesus… No, wandering one… The [past] grace to ‘come’ and the [future] grace to abide are alike from him alone.” Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ, p 17-18

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Ephesians 1:16-19 “I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Ephesians 3:18 “ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? FRUITFULNESS FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF GOSPEL GROWING SALVATION ENDURANCE THANKFUL HEART

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform How does spiritual transformation occur? FRUITFULNESS FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF GOSPEL GROWING SALVATION ENDURANCE THANKFUL HEART PLEASES GOD!

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Comes through: Prayer Bible Other Christians Personal encounters

Jonathan Edwards: “As I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been to walk for diving contemplation and prayer, I had a view that was for me extraordinary of the glory of the son of God as Mediator between God and man, and His wonderfully great, full, pure and sweet grace and love and meek and gentle condescension.

“The grace that appeared so calm and sweet appeared also great above the heavens. The Person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent, with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception; which continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour, which kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be what I know not how otherwise to express, empty and annihilated, to lie in the dust and be full of love of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust him; to live upon him, to serve him, and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure with a divine and heavenly purity.” (Edwards, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, p.xxviii)

What constitutes a life that pleases God? Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform What constitutes a life that pleases God?

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10 What constitutes a life that pleases God? 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform “Abide in Me, and I in you… I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit…” John 15:4-5 What constitutes a life that pleases God? 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform What constitutes a life that pleases God? 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform What constitutes a life that pleases God? 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:9-14 The Power of the Gospel to Transform FRUITFULNESS FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF GOSPEL GROWING SALVATION ENDURANCE THANKFUL HEART