Paul’s Pastoral Prayer Part 3: The Distinguishing Marks of a Mature Christian

Introduction

Good morning church family – Turn with me once again to Paul’s letter to the Colossians as we continue our journey through this wonderful letter.

Last week we finished the first part of Paul’s pastoral prayer for the Colossian Church.

In Col 1:3-8 Paul rejoiced over the Colossian church, giving thanks for their embrace of the gospel.

In his prayer, Paul gave us three distinguishing marks of a mature church – faith, love, and hope.

We learned that the Colossians demonstrated their faith in Christ and their love for one-another, and that these two Christian graces rested on the third – Hope!

But Paul didn’t stop there – instead, he went on to explain that all three … faith, love and hope … ultimately find their source in the gospel!

Paul’s mind never strayed far from the gospel and its amazing power, which he went on to develop in vv. 5-8.

In these verses Paul told us five things about the gospel – It is:

1. Truth spoken that is sent to the lost;
2. Effective in its purpose;
   
3. Rooted, or grounded, in God’s grace;
4. Spread by godly messengers; and
   
5. Uniting believers in love, by the Spirit.

This week, in vv. 9-14, Paul embarks upon part two of his pastoral prayer …

His focus in these verses shifts in two ways: First, he moves from thanksgiving to intercession.

Paul will intercede for the Church by appealing to God for their continued growth in the gospel.

This second part of Paul’s prayer proceeds directly from the first because, in Paul’s mind, the Colossian’s good start and genuine progress in the gospel …

Should not lead to complacency, but rather to renewed effort to grow in the gospel.

The second shift is subtle but important. In part one, Paul was giving thanks for the church corporately, or collectively.

In part two, his intercession is for the individual members of the church at Colossae.

By way of his appeal to God, Paul will provide us with the distinguishing marks of a mature Christian.

Did you catch that – he’s still dealing with distinguishing marks, but now his focus is on how those marks are revealed in the lives of mature Christians.

As with part one, Paul sets the stage for his intercessory prayer in vv. 9-10a.

And then in the balance of v. 10 through v. 14 Paul gives us four illustrations of how mature Christians can please God.

These four illustrations represent four distinguishing marks of a mature Christian.

So – What are the four marks? First, he says a mature Christian will …

1. Bear fruit … in every good work – v. 10b;
2. Next, he says that a mature Christian will grow … in their knowledge of God – v. 10c;
3. For the third mark, in v. 11, Paul says that a mature Christian will be strengthened … attaining endurance and patience; and
4. Last, he says that a mature Christian will give thanks … joyously – vv. 12-14.

In this final mark, Paul will also pave the way for his proclamation of the all-surpassing supremacy of Christ in vv. 15-20

To set your expectation, it will probably take us 2-3 Sundays to work our way through all that Paul has to say in this second half of his pastoral prayer.

Follow along with me as I read verses 9-14 – I am reading from the LSB … The Legacy Standard Bible, which is a recent update of the NASB.

Paul’s intercessory prayer progresses in three stages. He starts by announcing his intention to intercede for the Colossians – and then …

Follows this with the content of his appeal in v. 9.

Then in the first part of v. 10, Paul gives us the purpose for his appeal, and concludes with …

The four distinguishing marks of mature Christians in the balance of v. 10 through v. 14.

Let’s look closer at Paul’s announcement and the content of his appeal.

 

Body of the Message

Paul’s Announcement to Intercede and His Appeal – v. 9

The first part of v. 9 connects what will follow with part one of Paul’s prayer.

Paul begins, saying – for this reason also, since the day we heard …

The first question we need to ask is – what reason is Paul referring to? And the answer is found back in vv. 4-6, namely the reason is …

The three distinguishing marks of a mature church …

The Colossian’s faith, love, and hope which demonstrated their embrace of the gospel – since the day they heard [of it] …

The thing that prompts Paul to continue in prayer, now making intercession for the Colossians, was their demonstrated response to the gospel, which …

He wants to encourage by appealing to God for their continued growth in the gospel.

Next note the character of Paul’s prayer; it was unceasing, and it was others focused. Prayer for Paul was a continuous affair.

It was in v. 3 where Paul gave thanks for the Colossians – praying always for them, and …

It continues in v. 9. It was unceasing – highlighting Paul’s constant and deep concern for the Colossian believers.

Further, note how Paul’s prayer is others focused – there is no …

Gimme, gimme, gimme in Paul’s prayer – rather his give-me’s were give them’s.

There is no one way to pray, but Paul does provide us with a helpful framework for our own prayer lives, specifically …

He begins with thanksgiving in vv. 3-8, and then proceeds to intercession in vv. 9-14 – I love what Paul models with this.

We certainly can’t game God, or warm Him up with thanksgiving – but I do think it warms God’s heart when we are grateful for His provision in our lives..

Whether are in a season of trial, or one of blessing!

I’m in the book of Numbers in my annual Bible reading plan right now, and I’m struck by just how ungrateful the nation of Israel was – and …

How quickly they wanted to blame God for their troubles and return to Egypt.

I pray that none of us fall into Israel’s pattern, but rather follow Paul’s lead – even when things may not be going as we might desire.

We also see something else from Paul’s prayer life – namely, how much time he is engaged in praying for others?

I wonder – how indicative this is of your prayer life? Are you centered on self or are you more centered on others – esteeming them higher than yourself?

The point is this – It is so easy to make an idol of our needs and completely forget about the needs of others!

So – maybe I can encourage you to choose one person each day this coming week that you can pray for as an antidote to dwelling on yourself.

Implicit in Paul’s asking is how much Paul believes in prayer. As with faith, belief is the heartbeat of prayer. Jesus says it this way in Mark 11:23-24 …

²³Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be [granted] him. ²⁴Therefor I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be [granted] you.

It’s really kind of sad how insignificant prayer has become in the life of the church today …

How far off the church has veered from the focus of the Apostles.

Turn to Acts 6:1-4 and notice how they valued prayer.

I think we have forgotten how central prayer is and must be in the life of the church – so …

I want to encourage all of you to be praying for CCT and for one-another. God both hears AND answers prayer in line with His own heart …

OK – Turn back to Colossians.

Having announced his intention to intercede for the Colossians, Paul now gives us the content of his appeal. In the balance of v. 9 he says …

For this reason also, since the day we heard [of it], we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask … that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding …

OK – So what exactly is Paul asking for on the Colossians behalf?

The short answer is the obvious one – He is asking that they would be filled with the knowledge of His will.

To grasp Paul’s request, we need to understand two things – the first is what is meant by ‘being filled.’

In this context, the Greek word that Paul uses conveys the idea of being totally controlled by something.

In fact, Paul uses this same word in both verb and noun forms five other times in this letter – which is a high frequency for a short letter.

Look first in v. 19 of chapter 1. Christ possessed the fullness of Deity – He was controlled by this aspect of his human nature.

Again in v. 25 we see the word with Paul using it to describe the singular purpose of his ministry stewardship.

Paul was completely controlled by – he was consumed by the preaching of the word of God.

We see the noun and verb forms used together in Col 2:9-10 – Note what Paul says.

Starting in v. 9 Paul presents the all-surpassing sufficiency of Christ – and his starting point is the fullness of Christ’s Deity controlling Him ‘bodily.’

Then in v. 10, he says that the believer is filled by Christ – the implication being that we are, or should be, completely controlled by ‘Christ in us!’

And then in chapter 4 and verse 17 Paul uses the word one last time to exhort Archippus to fulfill his ministry calling – that is to be …

Controlled and consumed by carrying out the work of the ministry!

So – understanding then that being filled means to be controlled – the next question that arises is … Controlled by what?

And the answer to that question is – to be controlled by the knowledge of His will.

The pronoun ‘His’ refers to God, so – we are to be controlled by the knowledge of God’s will.

Interestingly, Paul uses the strongest Greek word possible for ‘knowledge,’ which pairs nicely with ‘being filled.’

Specifically, the word he uses for knowledge has the nuance of full, complete, decisive, or true knowledge.

So, Paul wants the Colossians to be filled – that is completely controlled by the complete or full knowledge of God’s will.

As I said in an earlier message, Christianity is an objective, content filled faith.

Knowledge is not cold, but rather it is the foundation for truth and the foundation for our faith.

The Bible provides us with God’s absolute truth. As we are filled by God’s truth we are in turn consumed by what fills our minds – Am I right? Think about it …

If you were to stop and reflect on your life or, how you may be feeling any at any particular moment, I’m pretty sure you will conclude that …

You are being controlled by what is in your mind – worry, fear, anxiety, doubt – the source of which the Bible says is the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 says it this way …

Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

Jesus says it even more directly in Matt 15:18 when He says …

But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart …

OK – that was the EASY part. Now on to the BIG, and often abused, topic of God’s will.

This topic raises two questions – First, what IS God’s will and second, How can I KNOW God’s will?

Let me begin answering the first question – what is God’s will – by saying what it is NOT!

God’s will is not a subjective feeling or an experience; God’s will is not hidden; nor is God’s will an endless search for the perfect path for your life, that is …

The perfect husband or wife, or the perfect job, the perfect school, or the perfect place to live, which, if you miss it, or choose incorrectly, means …

That you are OUT of God’s will – producing unnecessary anxiety and worry.

Rather God’s will is objective and is comprised of two aspects. The first is God’s decretive or His sovereign will.

This aspect of God’s will represents what He sovereignly purposes WILL happen – regardless of our choices …

Now, a moment ago, I said that God’s will is not hidden – well I was partially incorrect in this statement because certain aspects of God’s sovereign will …

Are not full revealed to us.

Turn with me to Deuteronomy 29:29 …

OK – turn back to Colossians.

The second half of Deut 29:29 perfectly introduces the second aspect of God’s will – which is called His preceptive or sometimes His revealed will.

And where do we find this aspect of God’s will?

In the BIBLE, of course. And this is what Paul is referring to in v. 9. He wants the Colossians to be controlled and fully consumed by the …

True, complete, and decisive knowledge of God’s will as it is revealed to us in the Bible.

There are many elements of God’s revealed will that we could cite …

For example, it is God’s desire that all people be saved (2 Pet 3:9); or that they be filled by the Spirit (Eph 5:17-18); or that we grow in our sanctification (1 Thess 4:3).

But based on the preceding and following context in Colossians, Paul’s specific interest is that they be filled with …

The word of truth, the gospel – back in v. 5, and that …

They be filled with the all-surpassing supremacy of Christ – which is where Paul will go next after he finishes his pastoral prayer … starting in v. 15!

Well – that was a mouthful. Let me wrap this section up with two cross references …

Turn first to Proverbs 1:7 …

So, the fear of the Lord is where knowledge begins. But what is the end goal of knowledge?

Turn to Ecclesiastes – the next book after Proverbs – Chapter 12 and verse 13-14.

OK – Turn back to Colossians v. 9 where Paul closes
v. 9 with this …

… in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

I want to say two quick things about this. First is to note that the knowledge of God’s will is spiritually apprehended. That is …

Unbelievers cannot fully grasp it – they may know it academically, but they do not know it fully … it does not control them.

Paul makes this clear in his first letter to the Corinthians – Turn to 1 Cor 2:12-16 …

OK – Turn back to Colossians v. 9.

So, what is spiritually apprehended? Two things: Wisdom and understanding.

Both of these words are modifying the preceding phrase – the full knowledge of His (God’s) will …

They each speak to the nature of knowledge.

In Paul’s mind, knowledge is never just the compilation of facts – this is the world’s knowledge, as we just read …

Rather Paul’s “knowledge” is applied knowledge – which he calls wisdom.

It is the kind of knowledge that is characteristic of mature experience and sound judgment in one’s day-to-day affairs.

Wisdom implies the idea of something we have seen before and, based on that past experience, we can apply to current situations as they arise.

Understanding on the other hand, speaks to the way that we use knowledge for specific analysis and decision-making.

As we approach various problems or situations in life, we process them through  a biblical knowledge grid …

We search the Scriptures to see if God’s word has a relevant precept or command to direct our steps. And if not, then we are …

In the territory of using our volitional will – that is, we are free to choose a wise course of action.

OK – so that finishes up verse 9.

We will close our time this morning by looking at the motivation for Paul’s appeal recorded in the first part of verse 10. Let me read this again …

¹⁰so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please [Him] in all respects …

Having announced the prayer and then giving us the content of his appeal, in verse 10, Paul provides us with the purpose for his request.

Again, we see this recurring theme with Paul. He doesn’t want knowledge just to have it in our memory banks. Rather …

He wants us to use our knowledge of God’s will to a specific end or, purpose.

And that purpose, simply stated, is transformation. Paul wants the knowledge of God’s will to transform the Colossian’s believer’s lives.  AND …

The transformation he is after is two-fold.

The first is lives that honor and glorify God. Paul calls this walking – which is figurative for our day-to-day life – in a manner that reflects the God we serve.

Paul says it this way to the Corinthian church – in 1 Cor 10:31. You don’t have to turn there; I will read it for you. Paul says …

³¹Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God!

The Westminster shorter catechism says it this way …

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Well Paul states the second part of the catechism a bit differently, but I do think Paul wants believers to enjoy God …

Instead of enjoying God, Paul’s emphasis is to …

Please Him – in ALL respects! – Not some respects, not most respects … but in ALL respects. Stated differently, Paul says …

We are to please God in everything we do! No equivocation. Paul sets a high bar – and we will fall short – but we aim for that bar, nonetheless.

How do we go about doing this – well, first, by being filled with the full knowledge of God’s will, and then…

Submitting to His will in cheerful obedience!!!

Paul is a MASTER at constructing these marvelous truths.

The idea of being pleasing to God is not a new idea – Paul has broached this subject in two letters that precede his letter to the Colossians …

Turn with me to 2 Cor 5:9-10 …

OK – one more. Turn with me to Eph 5:8-10.

 

Conclusion

OK – we will stop here today. Paul has given us so much to chew on in these opening verses.

He has announced his prayer of intercession and in so doing showed once again his deep concern for the Colossians by his unceasing prayer on their behalf.

He has given us the focal point of his appeal – that they would continue their good start by …

Growing in the full knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

And then, he has provided us with the purpose for his appeal – that they would live God glorifying lives embodied by …

An aspiration and aim to please God in EVERYTHING that they do.

We will pick it up next week looking at four illustrations Paul gives us for pleasing God …

And these four illustrations will profile the distinguishing marks of mature Christans.

Feel free to read ahead!!

Let’s pray …