Coming Up: Sonday November 2, 2014
Colossians 1:3-14 - Christ Brings HOPE
Read: Colossians 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
“Thank You.” These two words have an incredible place in each of our lives. They are some of the very first words we teach our children. They are the words we remind them to say for years to come. They are words we often forget to sincerely express to others. They are words we long to hear from those we love and those we serve. They are words we use for those who give us comfort and help in difficult times of life. They are some of the most basic words in our society and yet some of the most important.
It makes sense then that Paul would start his letter to the Colossians with a note of thanks. He begins by encouraging the Colossian believers and telling them that he and Timothy always thank God when they pray for them. Notice what they are thankful for in vs 4. They are thankful for the faith of the Colossians in Christ Jesus and the love that they have for all the saints. As Paul begins his letter, planning on correcting the Colossians about a few matters, he begins with thankfulness for the work of God in the believers.
This isn’t the only place we see this. Paul does the same thing when he writes his first letter to the believers in Corinth. The church in Corinth is in a shambles. There are divisions in the church (ch 3), believers are engaging in blatant sexual immorality (ch 5), they are suing each other (ch 6), they are making a mockery of the Lord’s Supper (ch 11) and more! The Corinthian church is a mess and Paul is writing to correct them and rebuke them. But notice how Paul starts his letter in vs 4: “I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.” Paul is thankful for the work of God, even in this deeply divided, deeply troubled church.
Paul’s approach to other believers is a powerful challenge to us today. We are so quick to notice where other believers fall short. Within our churches we criticize one another and are quick to judge other believers who we deem less spiritual than ourselves. We look around at other churches in our community and we are quick to dismiss believers who don’t believe exactly the same as we do. We write off whole denominations that don’t fit into our mindset about Christianity. What if instead we began with thankfulness?
Even in those who we disagree with we can often see God at work, bringing about faith in Himself, growing them in knowledge, wisdom and love for other believers. There is much work of God in other believers that we can be thankful for, even if we disagree.
This isn’t to say that what we believe isn’t important. Paul clearly thought that it was important enough to write letters and fight those who opposed the gospel. We too ought to stand for truth where necessary. But let us do so from a position of thankfulness for the work of God in the lives of others.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
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Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Thank God for His work in the lives of other believers. Think of those believers who you disagree with and thank God for His work in each of their lives. Pray that you might be an encouragement to them and that you would seek to build them up, even if you disagree.
The way that we treat other believers in Christ is a powerful witness to the world. They see a church that is deeply divided and fights within itself. Will we show them something different?
1. What are some ways that we might express our thankfulness for God’s work in the lives of other believers?
2. How do you think you could disagree with another believer and still do so from a position of thankfulness for God’s work in them?
Intro: Hearing someone say thank you for something you have done is a wonderful thing.
Share: A time when someone thanked you for something you had done. How did it make you feel?
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.
Intro: Hearing someone say thank you for something you have done is a wonderful thing.
Share: A time when someone thanked you for something you had done. How did it make you feel?
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.
Read: Colossians 1:3-4 Who does Paul thank in these verses? It is just as important to say thank you to God for all the things that He has done. What is Paul thankful to God for? How do you think this would have made the people reading the letter feel? What things can you be thankful to God for in your life?
Pray Together: Thank God for some of the things that you listed above. Pray that He would help us to always be thankful to Him.
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