SPIRITUAL GOALS FOR GROWTH
Col. 2:1-5
INTRODUCTION
George Herman Ruth was in his first major league training camp in 1914 at the age of 19. His first published interview was in the Feb. 1918 issue of Baseball Magazine. Up to that point the most home runs Ruth had ever hit in a single season was 4. Yet he stated that his goal was to hit 60 home runs in a single season. Nobody had ever hit anything like 60 homers in a year. It was unheard of and Babe Ruth was not taken seriously. The most home runs hit in a season at that time was 27. Babe Ruth had a dream and he had a goal and even though no one else believed in that dream, Ruth pursued it. Indeed he hit 60 home runs in a single season and held just about every batting record in the history of baseball.
* Paul loved the church. Though he never met people of Colossae, he was concerned for them.
- Wanted them to know his struggle - Gk. "agon"
* Paul had goals for the church.
- He lists 5 for which he struggled.
I. STRONG IN HEART vs 2
hearts may be encouraged
1. Strengthened From Within
parakaleo = "to call alongside"
- often means to comfort or encourage
- here it means "to strengthen"
- Colossians were facing false teachers - needed strength to
to stand firm in the faith
** SOMETIMES THINK "HEART" = EMOTIONS
- Biblically, it refers to the INNER PERSON, MIND
- Heart is foundation of who you are.
* EMOTIONS RESPOND TO THE HEART (MIND)
- Way to control emotions — through the mind
* THE CONDITION OF YOUR HEART (INNER MAN) AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE DETERMINES HOW YOU LIVE AND HOW YOU FEEL.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. (Prov. 4:23)
Hear, my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way. (Prov. 23:19)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps. 139:23-24)
"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." (Matt. 12:34-35)
* HOW DO YOU DEVELOP A STRONG HEART?
2. Strengthened by the Word of God
- Have hearts filled with Biblical truth 2:7
- You’ll know the truth and the truth shall set you free
3. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit
"that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. 3:16)
- Word encourage = "parakaleo’"
- Holy Spirit referred to as "paraclete" - "strengthener" (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7)
** THE HOLY SPIRIT STRENGTHENS THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO YIELD THEIR LIVES TO HIS CONTROL.
* TRUE INNER STRENGTH IN THE MIDST OF LIFE’S TRIALS AND CHALLENGES COMES FROM BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
- if you are falling apart under the strain - may be an indication you’re facing it in flesh and not in Spirit.
4. Strengthened by the Brethren
5. Strong Hearts Result in Powerful Christian Living
- When strengthened by the Spirit, we’ll be rooted and grounded in love, we’ll know the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God — results in powerful Christian living.
II. UNITED IN LOVE Vs 2
having been knit together in love
A STRENGTHENED HEART IS ONE THAT WILL BE FILLED WITH LOVE.
Sumbibazo’ (knit together) = to unite - it defines "to be encouraged"
1. United by the Love of Christ
"from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:16)
- Unity of the Church is not organizational but organic
See John 17:20-23
2.
A Practical Display of Christ’s Love
- When believers are knit together in love — it is a practical display of the Love of Christ to the world.
Illustrate: - Francis Schaeffer "The Mark of the Church"
In John 13 the point was that, if an individual Christian does not show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right to judge that he is not a Christian. Here (John 17:21) Jesus is stating something else which is much more cutting, much more profound: We cannot expect the world to believe that the Father sent the Son, that Jesus’ claims are true, and that Christianity is true, unless the world sees some reality of the oneness of true Christians.
"endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3)
* EVIDENCE OF LOVE See Col. 3:12-13, Phil. 2:3-8
"put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do" (Col. 3:12-13)
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)
* LOVING SOMEONE IS NOT HAVING FUZZY FEELINGS BUT MEETING THEIR NEEDS.
III. SETTLED IN UNDERSTANDING 2:2c-5
1. A Settled Assurance
- Paul desires Colossians to experience the wealth that comes from a full assurance of salvation
- Without assurance we cannot enjoy our blessings
- i.e. Can’t look forward to heaven if you are not sure you are
going to be there.
Sunesis = understanding = APPLYING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES TO DAILY LIFE.
- When a believer experiences spiritual truth by living it, it becomes truly understood and leads to assurance of salvation.
- Knowing the truth and acting on it brings assurance.
- YOU WILL NOT HAVE ASSURANCE IF YOU FAIL TO APPLY BIBLICAL TRUTH
Truth that finds solid footing in a strong heart and works itself out in love of fellow believers results in deep conviction. That is the basis for assurance.
(John MacArthur)
2. An Indwelling Christ
Mystery of God — Christ in you.
* WE MUST GET FIRM CONVICTION OF WHO IT IS THAT LIVES WITHIN US.
- No person can be a Christian without knowledge of the Deity of Jesus Christ.
* JESUS CHRIST = all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.
* HE ALONE IS SUFFICIENT AND HE LIVES IN YOU
- Gnostics claimed they had secret knowledge of Spiritual things. Paul says when you have Christ you have Everything.
** WHEREVER YOU ARE — WHATEVER YOU ARE FACING, THE ALL-SUFFICIENT CHRIST IS WITH YOU. HIS POWER IS YOUR POWER. HIS LOVE IS YOUR LOVE. HIS RESOURCES ARE YOUR RESOURCES.
IV. WALKING IN CHRIST Vs. 6-7
therefore - builds on what was said previously
* Colossians had received Christ - had settled convictions about His deity and sufficiency, and are standing firm against the attacks of the false teachers — NOW THEY HAD TO CONTINUE TO WALK IN HIM
1. Finishing Strong
- They had started with Christ — grow to finish strong.
- Continue believing the truth and don’t waver.
2. Walking with Christ in Daily Conduct
- Maintaining a lifestyle patterned after His.
Illustrate
Latest fad - wearing bracelet "W.W.J.D." - WHAT WOULD JESUS DO
O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, this is my constant longing and prayer. Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear;
O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art!
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
3. Walking in Union with Christ
vs 7; see also John 15
"Rooted" "Built up" "Established"
* CHRIST IS SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT, GROWTH AND FRUIT.
** WALKING IN UNION WITH CHRIST - MAINTAINING THE RELATIONSHIP — NOT RELIGION.
- go to church all you want - but it’s maintaining the relationship that makes the difference.
V. OVERFLOWING WITH GRATITUDE
- Only one of the 4 participles in vs 7 that is passive. IT IS THE RESPONSE TO THE OTHER THREE.
* BELIEVERS WHO ARE FIRMLY ROOTED IN CHRIST, BEING BUILT UP IN HIM, AND ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH — WILL OVERFLOW WITH GRATITUDE TOWARD GOD.
* PRAISE COMPLETES THE CIRCLE AS WE RECEIVE SO GENEROUSLY FROM OUR GOD — WE RETURN TO GIVE HIM PRAISE AND ADORATION.
CONCLUSION
My brother-in-law owns a world famous fishing tackle store on one of the world’s great salmon fishing rivers... the mighty Miramichi River in NB. The salmon provides a good parallel to the task before us. When the time comes for a salmon to spawn, she leaves the cold turbulent waters of the Atlantic and travels upstream, heading for calm headwaters where she might lay her eggs. However, the journey is neither calm nor peaceful. The salmon must literally jump over rocks and climb waterfalls. From a human standpoint the journey appears majestic. In many places you can see fish jumping and straining against the current. These beautiful, powerful fish single-mindedly pursue their goal, in spite of the cost, unwilling to turn back for any reason.
We must singlemindedly - against all odds - set our goal on spiritual progress.
