The Inspirational Greeting” - Sermon Outlines. Org



“ The Inspirational Greeting”

CD No._______ Also Album

Time: 4/ 21/ 2010 - Wed. N.

Text: Colossians 1: 1, 2 -

-------------------------------------------------------------------Introduction: Before Paul gets down to the main point of writing the letter Paul gives an inspirational greeting.

Paul, in all of his letters starts off with an inspirational greeting.

These inspirational greetings are two fold. First, he usually describes himself and the recipients of the letter in an informative way, and then he adds something special about the recipients who are receiving the letter.

Paul uses tack and wisdom and love in order to get his recipients to listen.

Have you ever got a letter that you immediately stopped reading and discarded it? Well, I have.

As we look at this greeting, I want us to make practical application to our own lives. You see, when God told Paul to write this letter He knew it would be recorded and place in a book we call the Bible.

God intended for us to make practical application not only to this letter, but every book in the Bible.

I. How Paul Commence

A. Paul’s Spiritual Status

1. His Converted Name

V.1a –Paul, an apostle

In Paul’s pre-Christian life, he was known as Saul of Tarsus, “the persecutor of the Church”.( Acts 7;48; 8:1,3; 9:1)

Paul was called Saul before his conversion experience. After his conversion, he used the name Paul. Paul means small. According to historians Paul was small in statue. However, Paul felt small as a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15: 9 –For I am least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church.

Friend, this is the perspective that we should have of ourselves if we expect to be used of God. John said, I must decrease, but he must increase.

Reminder: The way up in God’s kingdom is down!

Paul was now a changed man. Paul in 2 Corinthian 5:17 talks about a changed life- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Paul, the man who tried to extinguish the Church is now trying to help the church in this letter.

His Converted Name

2. His Commissioned Name

V.1- Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.

a) His Apostle Position

Apostle means “a sent one.”

An Apostle was one that had seen the resurrected Lord. Paul was sent as an apostle to lead the Gentiles to Christ.

All of us are sent and commissioned by God to lead lost people to Him, even though we are not apostles.

We may not be apostles, but we are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is one sent to go in another’s place.

Our Lord is in Heaven and we go and represent him in this walk of life. We are his eyes, feet, hands, and mouthpiece and we will give an account to Him if we don’t represent him in this walk of life.

We are to represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

His Apostle Position

b) His Appointed Position

V.1 –Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God-

Paul was letting the people at Colosse know that he was God called to be an apostle. Paul did not choose this position; he was called to be an apostle.

Ephesians 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.

All true preachers are called to be a preacher. If a person has not been called of God, he needs to choose another profession.

You don’t go off to some school and study to become a preacher.

I am not minimizing studying the word of God or going to a college, I went myself, but I was called of God before I went.

A person who gets into the ministry without the call of God on his life is going to live a miserable life.

Paul’s Spiritual Status

A. Paul Spiritual Son

V.1 –Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother-

Timothy was Paul’s assistant. However, he was more than that to Paul. Paul said that he was a brother. Paul loves to use that word. In V.2 –he says- To the saints and faithful brethren-

Timothy was a spiritual brother to Paul because he was saved and placed in the family of God.

However, Timothy had a special place in Paul’s heart because he led him to the Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2 – Unto Timothy, my own Son in the faith:

When you lead some one to the Lord, you have that strong bond between you and them. You feel responsible in helping them grow.

And the one who you lead to the Lord never gets over you leading them to the Lord. You never forget it.

After Paul led Timothy to the Lord, Timothy did grown and became a valuable assistant to Paul. Philippians 2: 20,22 I have no one like him….as a son with a father he has served with me in the Gospel.

The Colossian Christians perked up when they heard these two names mentioned.

Now, Paul had never been to Colosse and ministered to these people, but He was a spiritual giant in the eyes of this Church.

My, how this letter that came from the man of God, “Paul and Timothy “must have stimulated their spirit.

How Paul Commences

II. How Paul Continues

A. Their Relationship

1. They Were Redeemed

V.2 –To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ-

In Paul’s salutation to the church, note how he describes them as “saints’. Remember these were discouraged believers in Colosse, and although Paul had never met them, his words must have been dynamic.

The term” saints” is drenched with meaning. It simply means” set apart to be holy.

This term has more to do with position than condition.

Even though the term saint has to with position more than condition, we should live up to our name and the lofty position that we have.

If we were set aside to be holy, we should do our best to live a holy life in an un-holy world.

Well, preacher how do we do that? Answer: by living by the holy standards that are laid out in the word of God.

These particular Christians were living up to their name, and if they were doing it in a pagan society as they were living in, we have no excuse for not living a holy life in the world that we live in.

Paul says in V.10- that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing-

They Were Redeemed

2. They Were Related

V.2 – To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ-

Here comes the word brethren again. Paul liked to use that name.

Paul was in Prison in Rome and these believers were miles away, but there was that spiritual connection, “the family of God”.

I use that term quite frequent; I say how are you doing brother or sister so and so.

You see, a saved person has two families. They have a natural family and they have a spiritual family.

When we leave this walk of life, one might be separated from their natural family forever if our loved ones are not saved, but we will be with our spiritual family for eternity.

So, Paul makes that bond immediately by calling them brethren.

It is a bonding name for a child of God.

Their Relationship

B. Their Residence

V.2 –To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colosse-

Paul did not establish the church at Colosse. In Colossians 2:1 –for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.

It seems that Epaphras did. V.7 – As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Jesus Christ.

Epaphras was a native of Colosse and moved back there after his conversion. It is believed that the church was founded in the home of Philemon who also lived at Colosse.

Colosse was their geographical location. Colosse doesn’t exist today. We would not be speaking of it except for the fact that there was a church in that place.

The most important thing happening in the world today is what God is doing in the Church.

At the time of the writing, it is believed that Archippus was the pastor of the church according to what Paul said in Chapter 4:17 –And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.

Paul’s correspondence with the Colossian church was due to the visit he received from Epaphras while in Rome. Epaphras traveled more than 1,000 miles to inform Paul of the heretical doctrines in Colosse.

The false teaching was a mixture of Judaism, Gnosticism, Greek philosophy, and Christianity.

If the devil can’t destroy a church from without, he will try to do it from within. He will have his Satan tic workers to move into the church to misinterpret the bible, especially the part that deals with the true way of getting saved.

Paul will be dealing with their problems in this letter.

Their Relationship

Their Residence

Their Reliability

V.2 – To the saints, and faithful brethren in Christ-

“Faithful” is defined as “trusty, faithful; of those who have proven themselves to be faithful-

In every aspect of their Christian service these Colossians had remained consistent.

The sincerity of their holiness produced stability in their work, something that we lack today.

Now, there probably was some that was not steadfast and faithful, but on the whole they were known for their faithfulness.

I Corinthian 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain.

Paul tells them to be steadfast and unmovable.

We have too many Christians who are not faithful and steadfast.

They allow the least little problem cause them to want to give up.

There are a lot of preachers that are not steadfast. They just jump from church to church hunting that perfect church.

I have got news for Christians and those kinds of preachers; you will never find a perfect church because they are not any.

One of the qualifications for a pastor and deacon and all stewards is that they be found faithful.

1 Corinthian 4:2 –Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Paul’s further reference: V.23 –If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel-

Paul says, if ye continue & grounded and settled, and not moved away.

This is Satan’s main goal after a Christian gets saved. He knows that he can’t get their soul, so he tries to keep them from being grounded and settled, and he wants them to continue to be moving because he knows that they will never grow and be effective for Christ and will not have a proper witness for Christ.

How Paul Commences

How Paul Continues

III. Notice How Paul Climaxes

A. Paul Mentions The Description Of Their Resources

1. Paul Mentions The Marvelous Resource Of Grace

V.2 –2nd phrase- Grace be unto you-

Grace always comes before peace.

Grace is something unearned and undeserved.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God.

. Grace Is What We Are Saved By

Ephesians 2:8 –For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

John Newton wrote:

In evil long I took delight

Unmoved by shame or fear.

Till a new object struck my sight

And stopped my wild career.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

. Grace Is What We Are Strengthened By.

. Grace Is What We Are Sustained By.

The Lord tells us in 2 Corinthian 12:9 –that his grace would be sufficient.

God also invites us to come to the throne of Grace.

Aren’t you glad that there is a throne in heaven, and from that throne grace is dispensed?

LISTEN: Hebrews 4:16 –Let us therefore come unto the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in time of need.

What these Christians needed more than anything else at Colosse was grace to help them through their difficult situation. So, Paul was reminding them about the precious heavenly resource of grace which was at their disposal.

Paul Mentions The Marvelous Resource Of Grace

2. Paul Mentions The Marvelous Resource Of Peace

V.2 – 2nd phrase- Grace be unto you, and peace-

Romans 5:1 –Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God though our Lord Jesus Christ.

Before we got saved there was that enmity between God and man.

However, when we get saved and are justified by faith, then we have peace with God.

Then, when we have made peace with God we experience the peace of God “according to Paul in Philippians 4: 7, this peace passeth all understanding.

When we receive GRACE in the MIDST OF OUR STORMS, it will bring PEACE in our lives, in the midst of our storms.

Paul Mentions The Description Of Their Resources

B. Paul Mentions The Dispenser Of Their Resources

V.2 – Last phrase- from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace is a HEAVENLY commodity that can’t be bought on this earth by any amount of money.

Grace and peace is dispended from heaven by our Father and our Savior to help us live in a place that is not our home and in a world that is anti God. But God’s grace and peace is going to help us get through this old world that we live in.

Conclusion:

1. Paul wanted his readers to know that he was called of God.

2. Paul wanted to stress about our spiritual family.(brethren)

3. Paul wanted to stress about our spiritual resources.( grace & peace )

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