Complete in Christ MIRACLES AT COLOSSAE Colossians 1

Complete in Christ “MIRACLES AT COLOSSAE” Colossians 1: 3 -8

Complete in Christ Colossians 1: 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. 1. ARE YOU A THANKER?

Complete in Christ Colossians 1: 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints. 2. THEY BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST

Complete in Christ • WE ARE NOT SAVED BY FAITH IN FAITH. • WE ARE NOT SAVED BY FAITH IN A SET OF DOCTRINES. • WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

Complete in Christ Colossians 1: 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints. 3. THEY LOVED THE CHURCH

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 5 -7…the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf… 4. THEY HEARD THE GOSPEL

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus I. THE GOSPEL IS CHRIST CENTRED

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 5…you have already heard about in the word of truth. II. THE GOSPEL IS THE WORD OF “TRUTH”

Complete in Christ • John 17: 17 (NIV) …Your word is truth. • John 8: 44 (NIV) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. • John 14: 6 (NIV) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 6 All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. III. THE GOSPEL IS THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S GRACE

Complete in Christ Two words in the Christian vocabulary are often confused: grace and mercy. God in His grace gives me what I do not deserve. God in His mercy does not give me what I do deserve. Grace is God’s favour shown to undeserving people.

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 6 …All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing IV. THE GOSPEL IS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD “If you were to give a gift that would be suitable for the whole world, what would you give? ” • John 3: 16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant. 5. THEY WERE DISCIPLED INTO CHRIST

Complete in Christ • The word translated “learned” here is related to the word disciple in the Greek language. It is the same word Jesus used: “Learn of Me” in Matthew 11: 29 or, in effect, “Become My disciple. ” • The word disciple is found more than 260 times in the Gospels and Acts, and the verb translated, “to learn as a disciple” is found 25 times in the New Testament. In that day, a disciple was not simply a person who sat and listened to a teacher. He was someone who lived with the teacher and who learned by listening, looking, and living.

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 6 “All over the world this Gospel is producing fruit and growing. ” 6. THEY BECAME FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

Complete in Christ • When God’s Word is planted and cultivated, it produces fruit. Faith, hope, and love are among the first-fruits in the spiritual harvest (see Rom. 5: 1– 4; Eph. 1: 13– 15; 1 Thess. 1: 3; Heb. 6: 9– 12; 1 Peter 1: 3– 9).

Complete in Christ • Colossians 1: 5…the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel.

Complete in Christ V 5 FAITH • Faith comes through the hearing of God’s Word (Rom. 10: 17). • Our Christian lives start with saving faith; but this is only the beginning. • We learn to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5: 7) and

Complete in Christ V 5 FAITH • We work by faith (1 Thess. 1: 3). • It is faith that gives power to prayer (Luke 17: 5– 6). • Faith is a shield that protects us from Satan’s fiery darts (Eph. 6: 16).

Complete in Christ • V 5 FAITH • V 5 LOVE • V 5 HOPE • 1 Peter 1: 3 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Complete in Christ APPLICATION 1. Remember what it was like when you first heard and believed the gospel? FIRST LOVE 2. Is Jesus Lord of your life? 3. Are you basing your life on the TRUTH?

Complete in Christ APPLICATION 4. Never forget that the Gospel is Good News! • • Grace - getting what I don't deserve Mercy - not getting what I do deserve 5. Remember: the Gospel is for the WHOLE WORLD!

Complete in Christ APPLICATION 6. Christianity is a Relationship not a set of beliefs - We believe in Jesus. Have You? 7. Is your life marked by a growing Faith & Love springing from the certain Hope? 8. We are always learning Disciples? Are you a disciple – a discipler, what have you learnt?

Complete in Christ