21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
Theme: Our sinfulness has made us such enemies against God that the drastic measure of Jesus being crucified needed to be taken for us to be reconciled.
Outline: Three realities to understand about your past, present and future life as a Christian, so that you will appreciate and apply the reconciling power of Christ and the Gospel now.
1. What you used to be: Enemies with God in every way. – v. 1:21
2. What you are now: Reconciled to God through the death of Christ. – v. 1:22a
3. What you will be: Presented holy before God. – v. 1:22b
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Theme: Two implications for you to be encouraged by and live out from your knowledge of Christ and the gospel.
1: Recall and Remember Who Jesus is: The Absolutely Supreme Sovereign who is fully God. – v. 1:19
2: See and Seek Jesus as the All-Sufficient Savior through whom God reconciles all things. – v. 1:20
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Theme: Jesus Christ, God the Son, is supreme far above and beyond all things that exist in the entire universe.
Outline: Nine Truths about who Jesus is for you to know and embrace, so that you will see Him rightly and worship Him fully in your life.
Last Sunday, Review:
Truth #1 about who Jesus is – in relation to God the Father.
1. Jesus “is the image of the invisible God” – v. 1:15a
Truths #2-7 about Jesus – in relation to creation
2. Jesus “is the firstborn of all creation” – v. 1:15b 3. All things were created by (or in) Jesus – v. 1:16a 4. All things have been created through Jesus – v. 1:16b 5. All things have been created for Jesus – v. 1:16c
Today:
6. Jesus “is before all things” – v. 1:17a 7. All things are held together in Jesus – v. 1:17b
Truths #8-9 about who Jesus is – in relations to the church (the New Creation)
8. Jesus “is also head of the body, the church” – v. 1:18a 9. Jesus “is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” – v. 1:18b
Conclusion: So that He Himself will have first place in everything.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Theme: Jesus Christ, God the Son, is supreme far above and beyond all things that exist in the entire universe.
Outline: Nine truths about who Jesus is for you to know and embrace so that you will see Him rightly and worship Him fully in your life.
Truths about who Jesus is in relation to God the Father.
1. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. – v. 1:15a
Truths about who Jesus is in relation to creation.
2. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. – v. 1:15b 3. All things were created by Jesus. – v. 1:16a 4. All things have been created through Jesus. – v. 1:16b 5. All things have been created for Jesus. – v. 1:16c
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Redemption
What: A release that’s effected by payment. Freedom, liberation, deliverance.
How: Only by the blood of Christ.
Forgiveness of Sins
What: To send away, put apart, loosing, removal, remission, cancellation of debt, release from captivity.
9 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, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Big Idea: As we purposefully, spiritually pray for one another, God’s Word describes what a life that is becoming more worthy of and pleasing to our Lord looks like.
Outline: Four heart & soul check-ups of a worthy, pleasing life before the Lord that you should evaluate and seek growth in.
Check-up #1: Am I bearing fruit in good works for God? (1:10)
Check-up #2: Am I growing in knowing God? (1:10)
Check-up #3: Am I being strengthened by God, for endurance & long suffering? (1:11)
Check-up #4: Am I giving joyful thanks to God? (1:12)
9For 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,10so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Big Idea: Our continual prayers for one another as Christians should focus on our spiritual needs, for the purpose of our actual lives becoming more worthy of and pleasing to our Lord Jesus.
Outline: The “What” and the “Why” of your continual prayers for each other (1:9-10a)
>What should you pray for other? That they would be “filled with the knowledge of God’s Willin all spiritual wisdom and understanding”. (1:9)
>Why should you pray for this for others? The purpose/goal is so that their actual lives would become more worthy of Christ and pleasing to Him in every area. (1:10a)
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and [g]understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Big Idea: The true Gospel is the basis of the Christian’s faith, love, and hope, and so should be treasured above all other messages we hear in the world.
Outline: 4 Gospel truths we should remember and relish to help us be reassured in our faith in Christ.
The Gospel is objective – it is the same word of truth everywhere (1:5b-6)
The Gospel is comprehensive – it is to be heard, understood, and learned (1:6, 7)
The Gospel is productive – it brings spiritual life and growth (1:6, 8)
The Gospel is undeservedly given – it is the grace of God (1:6e)
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Theme: Christians can and should be thankful to God that true believers have faith in Jesus Christ and love for all other believers, which come from the hope of the Gospel.
Outline: Christians can always be thankful to God for one another because:
True believers have faith in Christ – V. 1:4a
True believers have love for all believers – V. 1:4b
True believers have the hope of heaven via the Gospel – V. 1:5
