IT'S TIME TO GROW UP

SERMON SERIES: IT'S TIME TO GROW UP

BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

MESSAGE 1: GOD WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE ALIVE

Colossians 1:1 - 8

The main purpose of every Christian should be to become all God wants them to be---IT'S TIME TO GROW UP! The book of Colossians is about growing up. Some of us have further to go in this spiritual journey than others, but all of us must have the required characteristics Paul writes about in this passage.

Colossians was written to the church at Colossae (koh-law'-see) in ancient Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), about 100 miles east of Ephesus. The church was probably founded during Paul's three-year ministry at Ephesus (A.D. 52-55; Acts 19:10-30). During that time, a man named Epaphras (Ep'-uh-fras) apparently traveled from Colossae to Ephesus, responded to Paul's preaching, and returned to start a church in Colossae.

Paul wrote Colossians during his first imprisonment in Rome (A.D. 60-62; Acts 2816), when he also wrote other prison epistles: Philippians, Ephesians, and Philemon. He wrote Colossians to confront the attempts of some believers to combine elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christian doctrine. In Colossians, Paul presents Jesus Christ as the absolute authority and the complete sufficiency for becoming all God wants us to be. Paul is telling us IT'S TIME TO GROW UP!

God wants His church to be alive, and Paul gives us three requirements in this lesson.

I.

A SAVING FAITH

v. 2-4

A. This letter is written to saints at Colosse. The word translated saints

(Hagios, hag' -ee-os) means "set apart," or consecrated," to God.

B. Grace and peace be unto you from God.

1. Grace - God's unmerited favor and supernatural empowerment.

2. Peace - inner tranquility.

C. Experiencing God's grace results in peace, from God. However, we are

responsible for maintaining our peace, from God. if we don't have peace

from God---inner tranquility--even during life's storms, we are not

growing up as Christians.

D. Paul constantly prayed for other believers. He let the Colossians'

believers know that he always prays and thanks God for them.

E. Paul compliments their faith in Jesus Christ. This refers to the saving faith

of accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

God wants His church to be alive with A SAVING FAITH!

II.

A STEADFAST HOPE

v. 5-6

What is "hope"? It is not a mere expectation and desire, as in Greek

literature, but includes trust, confidence, refuge in God, the God of hope.

A. This hope is laid up for us in heaven. The word translated laid up means

"reserved" hope.

B. As Christians, we have a long, long "spiritual chain" with an anchor on the

end of it. The anchor is secured inside the veil in the Holy of Holies in

heaven. We have an unbreakable, unshakeable connection to the very

throne of God (Heb. 6:19). Just as an anchor keeps a ship from drifting

away during a storm, so our hope keeps us from "drifting" in our faith

during the storms of life.

God wants His church to be alive with A STEADFAST HOPE!

III.

A SUPERNATURAL LOVE

v. 7-8

A. Epapras had told Paul and his associates about the Colossians ' love

in the Spirit.

B. The presence of love in the Spirit, or supernatural love, in our lives is the

confirmation of saving faith. Jesus made this clear in John 13:35.

C. "With that statement, Jesus gave the world the right to judge us by our

love."

D. To love in the Spirit is to allow God's love to flow through us.

E. As the Holy Spirit uses God's Word to purify our hearts, we begin to love in

the Spirit more and more.

SERMON SERIES; IT’S TIME TO GROW UP!

MESSAGE: GOD WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE ALIVE

1. A Saving Faith

2. A Steadfast Hope

3. A Supernatural Love