COLOSSIANS 1
11 Outlines
COLOSSIANS 1:1-8
THANKFUL FOR OTHERS
As we begin a series on the Book of Colossians, it is none other
than the Apostle Paul will teach us gratitude. He will show us how to be
thankful to God for others.
We can find our attitude towards other Christians not always
what it should be because:
· Other Christians do
things to hurt us.
· Other Christians do
things that mess up our plans.
· Other Christians are
sometimes people we don’t care for.
· Other Christians
sometimes hold varying doctrinal positions.
When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he was writing to a people
that he had for the most part never met. He’d never been to
And yet, Paul was able to share that he was giving thanks for
those people on a regular basis.
We will learn from Paul how to give thanks to God for others, as
we realize that we can give thanks for:
(Please note that I gave background to the Book of Colossians
and comments on Vss. 1-2 before preaching the outline. You will probably want
to do the same if you are doing a series.)
THE MARKS OF SALVATION
Vs. 3 – Notice that there is no separation between prayer and
thanksgiving. Paul says, “When I pray for you I thank God for you.”
Philippians 4:6 makes it obvious that prayer should always be
accompanied with thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God.
Paul says in Philippians 1:3 - I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
It should be our personal policy not to talk to God about anyone
until we have thanks God for them!
There are certain marks or characteristics that generally
accompany believers which we can thank God for.
· FAITH – Vs. 4
No one is going to heaven without saving faith. We mean faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
We can be thankful when another person, no matter how cantankerous in
our eyes, has made a decision to trust Christ for everlasting life.
1 John 5:12 - He that hath the Son
hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
Rejoice when you can be thankful to God that someone else is
going to join you in Heaven.
· LOVE – Vs. 4
When we are saved we learn to love and appreciate other
believers. We should have a reciprocal love agreement with other Christians. I
am to love other Christians, and they are to love me. I should be thankful for other believers
because I love them.
John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I
give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love
one another. [35] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.
As I am thankful for my physical brothers and sister, I should
also be thankful for my spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ.
· HOPE – Vs. 5
Faith started it all in the past.
Love is what I operate with right now.
Hope looks forward to the future coming of our Lord and Savior.
We can be thankful that others besides ourselves have that
precious hope we are looking forward to.
You and I aren’t the only ones looking forward to the glorious
coming of the Lord Jesus. All Christians have this hope.
Titus 2:13 - Looking for
that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ;
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 - For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. [16] For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord.
The Christian who is sick, the Christian who is hurting, and the
Christian that might not agree without your theology also has the same “blessed
hope”.
THE MULTIPLICATION OF SALVATION – Vs. 6
When the Gospel is preached the Gospel bears fruit.
Not only is their fruit of souls saved, but there are the
“fruits of righteousness.” People start
living Godly changed lives and we can be thankful for that.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the
There is also the fruit of the Spirit that will be evident when
folks are truly saved.
Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23]
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Be thankful when you hear of believers in other parts of the
world. The Gospel is still bearing fruit
all over, although it is more evident in some areas than in others.
THE MESSENGER OF SALVATION – Vss. 7-8
Why did the Colossians have the salvation message?
It was because of a fellow servant in Jesus Christ by the name of
Epaphras.
He ministered the Gospel faithfully to the Colossians.
Christians are saved because of faithful ministers.
People are growing in Christ because of faithful ministers.
1 Timothy 5:17 - Let the
elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour,
especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
Make sure that you give thanks for the “faithful ministers of
Christ” whom you know.
Let’s be thankful for other Christians this week:
THE MARKS OF SALVATION
Faith
Love
Hope
THE MULTIPLICATION OF SALVATION
THE MESSENGER OF SALVATION – Vss. 7-8
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Colossians
1:1-8
BREAKING THE
ICE
Paul was
writing to a church he did not know personally.
Notice how he “breaks the ice” to make these people feel comfortable in
reading his letter.
FRIENDLY
GREETING – Vss. 1-2
Paul wishes
them God’s best, which includes grace and peace.
FRUITFUL
MINISTRY – Vss. 3-6
They were
thankful to God for the fruitful ministry that had been produced among the
Colossians.
FAITHFUL
SERVANT- Vss. 7-8
Paul had
heard from Epaphras, evidently a pastor of that church, concerning the ministry
in Colosae.
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COLOSSIANS 1:9-14
PRAYER LIST FOR OTHERS
In these verses I find a prayer list for others, meaning other
Christians.
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FILLED - Vs. 9
Colossians 1:9 - For this cause
we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire
that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding;
When someone is filled, they are just that, full!
God wants us to be filled with the knowledge of God's Will.
This knowledge of God's will be "in all wisdom and Spiritual
understanding."
There is only one place that you are going to get that kind of
knowledge and that's from the Word of God. We should be more excited about
being full of the Word of God than we are excited about being full of food.
Read Psalm 119:97-100
When a person is in the Word
of God:
· He will be wiser than his enemies – Vs. 98
· He will have more personal understanding of how the word applies to him
than all his teachers. Vs. 99
· He will understand more than the “ancients” which were before Him. –
Vs. 100
Of course when one studies,
reads, and meditates on the Word of God, he will be filled with the knowledge
of His will.
Another way a person will be
filled with the knowledge of His will is to be under the teaching and preaching
of the word. 2 Timothy 4:2
A true preacher of the word
will help you be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding because:
· He will preach the Word to you.
· He will reprove (refute) your errors.
· He will rebuke you.
· He will teach you.
· He will encourage you
We can pray that others will
get into the Word and under the teaching of the Word, and that they would
understand the Word.
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FAITHFUL - Vs. 10
That ye might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing...and increasing in the knowledge of God;
What do you think it means to walk worthy of the Lord?
It is to conduct ourselves in such a way that we glorify the Lord and
bring no reproach to his name.
Pleasing the Lord is the most important thing in the world.
Pleasing the Lord should be our daily goal.
The Bible talks much about the Christian's walk. As we practice these
"walking" verses we will walk worthy of Him unto all pleasing.
Galatians 5:16, 22-26, Ephesians 5:2, Colossians 4:5, 1 John 1:6-7
As we are faithful as we walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, we
will increase in the knowledge of God.
It should be our goal to know God better. It was Paul's goal. Philippians 3:10, 2Peter 1:2-3, 3:18
Let us pray for others and ourselves that we will be faithful in our
walk.
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FRUITFUL - Vs. 10
...being fruitful in every
good work...
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
Matthew 5:14-16 - Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven.
Galatians 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do
good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FORTIFIED -Vs. 11
Strengthened
with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
longsuffering with joyfulness;
In order for the things mentioned here to
be true in our lives we must be strengthened by the Spirit of God. Zechariah 4:6
Zechariah 4:6 - Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Remember God’s power is awesome. Revelation
1:8
As God fortifies us, we will be able to
have the following:
·
Patience or endurance
Perhaps Paul's challenge to Timothy is good
here. 2 Timothy 2:3, Psalms 3:6
·
Longsuffering
When we are long suffering we put up with a
lot from the hands of others.
·
With Joyfulness
This is the kicker.
It's easier to be patient and longsuffering
and to grouse about it, than it is to be patient and longsuffering and to be
joyful about it!
People will take notice when you are joyful
through trials.
Nehemiah 8:10 …for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
·
Giving Thanks - Vss. 12-14 – We’ll talk
about this next week.
Pray that others will be fortified by God’s
spirit to endure.
So here is a prayer list for others and yourselves this week.
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FILLED
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FAITHFUL
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FRUITFUL
PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL BE FORTIFIED
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Colossians 1:9-14
A PRAYER LIST FOR OTHER BELIEVERS
PRAY FOR:
GOD’S WILL – Vs. 9
For this cause we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
GOD’S WALK – Vs. 10
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God;
GOD’S WORK – Vs. 11
Strengthened with all might, according
to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
GOD’S WORSHIP – Vss. 12-14
Giving thanks unto the Father, which
hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
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Colossians 1:12-14
WHY GIVE THANKS? or NO
NEED FOR
Some people associate
the giving of thanks with turkey! That's because they eat turkey on
If you are a Christian,
our text gives you three reasons for being thankful.
WE HAVE A RESIDENCE -
Vs. 12
We have an inheritance
with the saints in light.
WE HAVE BEEN RELEASED -
Vs. 13
We have been released
from Satan's kingdom and have been translated into the
WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED -
Vs. 14
We have been redeemed by
the blood of the lamb.
Our sins have been
forgiven.
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Colossians 1:12-19
THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE
This is a worship
service.
Well, did you? Did you
worship?
This is a worship
service. Well, are you? Are you worshipping?
We sang contemporary
choruses and traditional hymns. Did you worship?
We listened to special
music. Did you worship?
We read Scripture. Did
you worship?
We gave an offering. Did
you worship?
We are sharing a message
from God's Word. Are you worshipping?
Psalm 111:1 says, Praise ye the Lord.
I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and
in the congregation.
Have you praised the
Lord with your whole heart?
Psalm 100:2 says, Serve the Lord
with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
This morning have you
served the Lord with gladness? Did you
come before His presence with singing that was on your lips and in your hearts?
John 4:23 says, But the hour cometh, and now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship him.
Have you worshipped God in spirit and in truth
this morning?
Let's face it, there
have been many times in our lives when we have come to church, but have not had
a true worship experience.
Perhaps that is true for
you this very morning.
I have found in Colossians
1:12-19 some verses that remind me how to go about having a true worship
experience.
BE THANKFUL - Vss. 12-14
You will not have a true
worship experience unless you are thankful to God. These verses give us several reasons for
being thankful.
Vs. 12 - The word "meet" in this verse means to qualify
or make fit.
We can thank God who has
made us qualified to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light.
Our inheritance as Christians
is one of being in the light of God's glory for all eternity. Heaven will be a
place of glorious light. Revelation 21:23
Now think for a moment.
You and I were not qualified to be part of the inheritance of light any more
than I was qualified to attend Harvard or Yale!
It is our sin that keeps
us from being qualified to go to Heaven.
It is our God who has
provided forgiveness in Christ so we can be qualified or fit for Heaven.
Vs. 13 - In this verse we are told that God has moved us. And just as Dottie and I were thankful about
the change in housing, we should be thankful about our change in kingdoms.
Before being saved you
were in the kingdom of darkness. Ephesians 2:1-3
It is from this kingdom,
this domain we have been delivered and translated us into Christ's Kingdom. God
has moved us from the realm of Satan to the realm of his dear, or beloved Son.
Vs. 14 - This verse tells us how God made us qualified to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
This verse also tells us
why we have been moved from Satan's kingdom to the
The reason for these
things is the redemption that comes through Christ's shed blood.
When we were unsaved, in
the kingdom of darkness, the
But the Lord Jesus came
to earth and took care of the problem that kept us slaves. He died for our sins. His blood was shed for
our sins. Because his blood was shed for
our sins, He has paid the price that is sufficient for God to be
satisfied. And because God is satisfied
with the payment for our sins, we are set free! 1 Peter 1:18-19
Not only have we been
redeemed, or set free, we have been forgiven.
When we place our faith in Christ as our Savior, God forgives us, based on Christ's shed blood. When He forgives us, He sends our sins
packing!
Psalm 103:12 - As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our
transgressions from us.
If you are a Christian,
you have every reason to be thankful as you worship.
God has qualified you to
be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.
God has delivered you
from Satan's Kingdom and moved you into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
Christ has redeemed you,
set you free and forgiven you.
BE THOUGHTFUL - Vss.
15-18
One of our problems in
worship is we don't think as we worship. As you worship, think or reflect on
Christ. In these verses are some things to consider about Him that should help
you to worship.
Vs. 15 - Christ is the image of the invisible God.
Jesus is the exact likeness of
God.
Jesus is the manifestation of
God.
It is Jesus who shows
who God is, and what God is like.
Jesus shows us a God who is compassionate, righteous,
holy, merciful, loving and a host of other things! Study Jesus Christ and you study
God. Know Jesus Christ, and you know God.
Not only is Jesus the
image of the invisible God, but He is the
firstborn of every creature.
Some people believe that this verse teaches that Jesus
is a created being because it calls him "firstborn".
That just isn't so!
Charles Erdman said - "'Firstborn' here means two
things: priority in time and supremacy in place or position. Christ existed
before the Creation, but He held the rank commonly assigned to the 'firstborn',
the rank of eminence and dominion." Charles R. Erdman, The Epistles of
Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon, © 1966 by W. L. Jenkins, Baker Book
House,
Now think! The Lord
Jesus is worthy of your worship because He was preexistent to, and preeminent
over everything that was created, including you.
Vs. 16 - Jesus is the creator!
God the Father placed the creation of the worlds in His hands. He
created everything.
This verse is telling
us:
If it's in Heaven Jesus
created it.
If it's on earth Jesus
created it.
If you can see it, Jesus
created it.
If you can't see it,
Jesus created it.
If it's an angel of any
kind Jesus created it.
If it's a man or woman,
Jesus created them.
John sums it up
beautifully John 1:3.
Of course, the whole
Trinity was involved in creation. But don't forget that your Savior is also
your creator.
And don't miss the last
phrase of this verse: all things were
created by him, and for him:
Now think!
You were created for
Him! You were created so you would
please God. You were created for His purposes. Are you fulfilling the reason
for which you were created?
And if He hadn't created
you, you wouldn't be here.
If He hadn't saved you,
you wouldn't have the hope of eternal life.
Vs. 17 - Notice first of all, that he is before all things.
Right away, we think of
preexistence. We already saw that Jesus is eternal. So Jesus existed before anything else
existed.
But Jesus is before all
things in another sense.
Jesus is before all
things in rank. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus is before all
things in power. He has all the power in the universe.
Jesus is before all
things in importance. He is God.
No wonder we should
worship Him!
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
He holds everything
together!
Now think!
Jesus is the one who is
before all things, around for all eternity.
He is the one is before
all things as God!
And He is the one that
holds things together.
Not only does He hold
the universe together.
But He holds this church
together.
He holds your family
together.
He holds your life
together.
Even when you think
things are falling apart, He is holding things together. Isaiah 41:10
Vs. 18 - What happens when a person is decapitated? A person who
is decapitated is dead! Why? Because the body needs the head in order to
function. You can function without legs or arms but not without the head.
The head is necessary
because it gives direction to the body.
The head contains the control center.
Christ is the head of the
church, which is His body. He is the one who gives direction. He is the one who
is the control center. He is the source of the church's power. Without Christ in control, the church, for
all practical purposes is dead, useless.
Each Christian is part
of the body of Christ, the church.
Christ is your head. Christ is the one who should give you direction.
Christ is the source of your power. Without Christ in control in your life, for
all practical purposes, you life is dead, useless.
And notice Christ's rank
again. He is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead
He is the first person
to raise from the dead never to die again.
He is superior to all
those that will rise from the dead.
He is first in rank over
all those who will rise from the dead.
And notice God's
purpose, that in all things he might have
the preeminence. Philippians 2:9-11
Now think!
The Christian should
already be bowing his knee in submission and confessing Christ as Lord.
As you worship, Christ
is to be preeminent in your thoughts.
As you do anything,
Christ is to be preeminent in your life.
BE THOROUGH - Vs. 19
All fullness is found in
the Lord Jesus.
All that is God is found
in Jesus.
And it has pleased God
that this fullness should reside in us. John 1:16
If the fullness of God though Christ is
already in your life, should you not allow the fullness of Christ to control
your life?
I mean, what is better,
you controlling your life, or God controlling your life?
We should be thorough in
worship, allowing Christ to have full control.
Paul's prayer for the
Ephesians (Ephesians
You will be filled with
the fullness of God if you are thorough.
Thorough in yielding to
His will - Romans 12:1
Thorough in confessing
your sin - 1 John 1:9
Thorough in requesting
the filling of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
Worship isn't complete
unless it is total or thorough.
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COLOSSIANS 1:12-20
A COMPARISON
It is all too easy for us to
forget just how wonderful our Lord and Savior is! So, using Colossians 1:12-20, I want
us to make a comparison between Him and us!
Hopefully this will help us
to appreciate the Lord Jesus
WE'RE SINNERS. HE'S SAVIOR Vss. 12-14
Paul was explaining to the
Colossians how he prayed for them.
One of the things Paul prayed
was that the Colossians would be thankful.
Vs. 12 - Those who are going to Heaven are saints. God in his wonderful plan
devised a way, that we as sinners, could be made meet or fit for a Heavenly
inheritance.
Vs. 13 - Why did we need God to find a way to make us fit for Heaven? Because of our sins, we are actually born as
members of the Kingdom of darkness.
It is important to note that
at salvation we were delivered or translated from one kingdom to another.
The word
"translated" means deported from one kingdom to another. Often
defeated people are deported. We were deported as well when we trusted
Christ. But our deportation is really a
promotion from this black kingdom of darkness and into the
Vs. 14 - Here is the reason why we as Christians have been transported from
the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light.
We have redemption!
Redemption means to pay a
ransom and set one free!
Our debt was a sin debt!
Someone had to pay the debt,
the ransom to set us free. Christ did this. Romans 5:6-9
It is this redemption that
has set us free and transported us from the
Of course, the redemption
that has made us free has made us free now!
We don't have to wait to go
to heaven in order to be free from sin's power. John 8:36, Romans 6:14
And we are told in this verse
14 that with this redemption comes forgiveness.
Colossians 2:13-14
WE'RE CREATURES, HE'S CREATOR Vss. 15-17
Colossians 1:15 - Who is the image of the
invisible God
God is not playing
"hide and seek".
God is not trying to hide from
mankind.
He wants mankind to know
Him.
The way we know what God is
like is by knowing what Jesus is like. Jesus is the "image" of the
invisible God.
An image is an exact
representation and revelation. John 1:14, Hebrews 1:3, John 14:8-9
He that has seen Jesus has
seen the Father.
Jesus shows us a God who is
compassionate, righteous, holy, merciful, loving and a host of other things!
Study Jesus Christ and you study God. Know Jesus Christ, and you know God.
Colossians 1:15
Some people believe that
this verse teaches that Jesus is a created being because it calls him
"firstborn".
That just isn't so!
Charles Erdman said - "'Firstborn' here means two things: priority in time and
supremacy in place or position. Christ existed before the Creation, but He held
the rank commonly assigned to the 'firstborn', the rank of eminence and
dominion." Charles R. Erdman, The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon, (Grand Rapids,
Michigan, Baker Book House, 1966), p. 52