Youtor
“A Church Commended” Colossians 118
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The True Church, the Gospel, Commendations, • Correction or Condemnation? • Introduction: From a Church being confused to a Church being commended. This is not that unusual. God has that tendency is His Word. He does to correct faulty ideas and teachings. He wants His children to know the truth. A good example of both ideas is found in the Seven Churches of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. • For instance: The Church at Ephesus (2:1-8). • The Commendation: 2:2 • “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.” The Correction: 2:4 • “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” • I. The Greetings: 1:1-2 (Read) • II. The Acknowledgements: 1:3-8 (Read) • A. The source of his information: (1:4a) • “Since we heard” This wasn’t hearsay or gossip. • Paul sent someone ‘well known’ to the Believers at Colossae (4:12a ‘one of you’). • Paul had not visited this church personally but had heard from Epaphras the good news of their salvation (vv. 4, 7). Epaphras apparently had heard the Gospel of Christ from Paul at Ephesus and had taken this life-changing message back to Colosse (v. 7). **Witnessing ought to begin at home • Illustrated by “The demon possessed man of the Gadarenes” • Mark 5:19 • However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, • and how He has had compassion on you. NKJV • Epaphras gave them the word of the truth of the Gospel (v. 5) in contrast to the lies of the false teachers. The false teachers had a message, but their message had no power to it. They taught about angels, emanations from God, legalistic rules, and bodily disciplines, but their message had no power to transform lives. • Romans 1:16 • “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” NKJV • B. The details of his information: (1:4b-5) What did he learn about them? • 1. Their faith in Jesus Christ (1:4a, 5b) • ‘of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,’ • N.T. Faith 243xs; Believe 148xs; Trust 18xs • Romans 1:17 • For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. NKJV • Our whole experience with God: • *starts with faith • Galatians 2:16 • knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. NKJV • *continues by faith (Every moment we live is to be by faith.) • Philippians 3:8-10 • I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; NKJV • Galatians 2:20 • I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, • who loved me and gave Himself for me. NKJV • *ends with faith. • I Corinthians 16:13 • Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. NKJV • Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe • that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV
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