back to index2017-06-04 Til It's Complete
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Cool, all right, well let's turn our Bibles over to Colossians chapter one. 00:00:16.240 |
And we'll be reading from verse 24 down to verse 29. 00:00:23.840 |
Passage says, words from the Lord here through Apostle Paul. 00:00:27.520 |
"Now rejoice in my suffering for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of 00:00:33.560 |
his body, which is the church, and filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. 00:00:39.480 |
Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me 00:00:43.980 |
for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God. 00:00:49.140 |
That is the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has 00:00:53.500 |
now been manifested to his saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches 00:00:57.880 |
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 00:01:06.160 |
We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that 00:01:13.360 |
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to his power, which mightily works within 00:01:19.400 |
Let's take a moment to pray, ask for God's blessing. 00:01:23.400 |
Our God, we want to pray again, Lord, that as your word is, as we open up your word, 00:01:29.640 |
that God, you would continue to teach us and guide us and lead us by way of your truth. 00:01:36.240 |
But ultimately, Father God, we also pray that you would work so deeply in our hearts and 00:01:43.000 |
For much of the words that we hear, God, perhaps we've heard before, but God, would you ingrain 00:01:48.080 |
them, would you ultimately use it to affect us deeply and cause us to be transformed into 00:01:55.800 |
We thank you, Lord, it's in Christ's name we pray. 00:02:00.520 |
Well, I want to ask you a question here, and the question simply is, have you ever started 00:02:10.200 |
Have you ever began some kind of endeavor, whether small or big, and then found yourself 00:02:18.720 |
There are lots of things that we take strides to accomplish only to give up. 00:02:25.200 |
There are things that are not so substantial and then things that are really important. 00:02:28.280 |
So there are things like, you know, diet and exercise, and we quit on those every year. 00:02:37.460 |
There are things like learning an instrument and trying to strive after gaining some new 00:02:42.440 |
skill, or it can be, again, more substantial. 00:02:46.720 |
There are many of us maybe who started a path of education and we were trying to, you know, 00:02:51.120 |
obtain some kind of degree only to realize, nope, that's not for me. 00:02:55.880 |
Or maybe in work, certain things that are, again, more heavy in weight or whatever it 00:03:04.360 |
In our lives, sometimes we start something and then we realize down the road that that's 00:03:11.840 |
But the thing about it is, the reason why I bring that up is because in each one of 00:03:15.720 |
those moments, there is a decision to be made and that decision is incredibly difficult, 00:03:20.440 |
If you guys have ever been in any one of those scenarios where you've invested, at least 00:03:24.040 |
maybe even like financially, your tuition or something like, you know, tuition for schooling 00:03:28.360 |
or whatever it may be, or you invested yourself into some kind of relationship, whatever it 00:03:32.680 |
may be, trying to decide is incredibly difficult. 00:03:38.120 |
Now, what I'm going to say is this, is that in our minds then, how we make that decision, 00:03:46.440 |
That we all have to consider in trying to accomplish this thing, we have to ask that 00:03:55.000 |
Is it worth me continuing to push myself and is it worth me investing my finances, energy, 00:04:06.200 |
And so that's why sometimes it's not a bad decision to quit because, yeah, sometimes 00:04:10.160 |
circumstantially priorities come into our lives and yes, going to the gym is not worth 00:04:15.360 |
me actually, let's say, doing something more important, whether it be if you're neglecting 00:04:18.760 |
family time and you just want extra family time so you let go of this. 00:04:22.320 |
Those decisions are made, but in the end, what you're deciding is, what is worth more 00:04:30.040 |
In the end, you're trying to decide, is this investment worth it? 00:04:34.520 |
And that is what I would like to challenge us today. 00:04:36.720 |
Today as we read this passage, Apostle Paul is talking about a striving, a laboring, a 00:04:42.600 |
joyful laboring, but nonetheless a still labor. 00:04:46.080 |
He is agonizing over something and the thing about it is he's saying to us really loudly, 00:04:53.680 |
And so today, perhaps it might be something where we're looking at the passage and you're 00:04:57.640 |
gaining some kind of crazy new insight, but perhaps today is more like things that you 00:05:02.400 |
already know, things that you're already striving for. 00:05:08.280 |
There are certain things in our lives, yes, it's okay to decide this is not worth it, 00:05:12.680 |
but there are other things, especially what the scripture is teaching us, we need to see 00:05:21.040 |
We need to make sure that we persevere all the way until not we decide it's okay to quit, 00:05:27.120 |
but until God relieves us of the responsibility. 00:05:30.920 |
And that's why I've entitled this sermon, Until It Is Complete. 00:05:36.200 |
Until it is complete that we have to gain a continual motivation, we have to gain a 00:05:41.640 |
sight, a vision, we have to gain a faith perspective where what we see to be our lot, what God 00:05:49.280 |
has designed for us, what God has willed for us, that these things are so worth it, yes, 00:05:55.680 |
absolutely worth my time, absolutely worth my sacrifice, absolutely worth everything 00:06:05.600 |
I'm going to look at Colossians chapter one, and we're going to actually look at pretty 00:06:13.160 |
I've been doing my devotions through this passage, and these are the things that pretty 00:06:16.280 |
much stuck out to me and I wanted to share with you. 00:06:19.640 |
We're looking at verse 24, and we see Apostle Paul saying this. 00:06:24.720 |
He says, excuse me, he says, "Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake, and in my flesh 00:06:33.480 |
I do my share on behalf of his body," which is the church, "and filling up what is lacking 00:06:40.020 |
Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God, bestowed on me 00:06:47.500 |
So just right there what you see is Apostle Paul saying, "I am happy to be doing what 00:06:58.000 |
He knows the role that God has given him, and he is working hard. 00:07:01.520 |
So what I'm saying is simply just what's obvious is he's motivated. 00:07:07.520 |
So the first theme and the first point I would like us to understand is he's got a joy for 00:07:14.200 |
He's got a joy for his suffering, and because what I'm saying is he's got that joy for his 00:07:19.760 |
suffering because he's got a very clear intention. 00:07:23.000 |
We're looking at the purpose that Apostle Paul is looking at, and he says in verse 29, 00:07:27.000 |
if you scroll your eyes down there, we proclaim, oh sorry, verse 29, "For this purpose also 00:07:33.000 |
I labor, striving according to his power, which mightily works within me." 00:07:39.680 |
So he says very explicitly, "I have a very clear purpose for which I am striving." 00:07:47.000 |
Just scroll your eyes to chapter 2, verse 1, and he says, "For I want you to know how 00:07:51.440 |
great a struggle I have on your behalf and those who are at Laodicea." 00:07:56.280 |
So not only is he just working hard, he actually wants you to know he's working hard because 00:08:00.960 |
what he's going to do is in his own work ethic, he's going to push you, the audience, he's 00:08:07.160 |
pushing the church to pursue that same purpose. 00:08:11.320 |
So the way that you should be thinking about this is kind of like your parents pushing 00:08:17.280 |
I don't know what kind of parents you have, but I'm sure all of your parents want the 00:08:21.280 |
absolute best for you and they'll typically say stuff like, "I want you to do well in 00:08:27.160 |
If you're a collegian sometimes and your parents are really heavy on you and saying, "Quit 00:08:32.720 |
diddle-dying, pick a major, I want you to do well." 00:08:36.440 |
And then they'll always say that phrase, "Do you know how much we had to work to put you 00:08:41.280 |
If you've been supported through, "Do you know how much we worked? 00:08:46.040 |
Honestly for me, I come from an immigrant family, my parents moved, we moved to the 00:08:51.000 |
US back in 1989 and truthfully now I understand better just the move itself was an incredible 00:09:00.680 |
I mean to have young children and just start, just for the hope, like we have never been 00:09:06.760 |
there, we've never visited and we have no promise it's going to be better, but just 00:09:10.040 |
for the prospect that life would be better for you, you are children, here we go. 00:09:15.800 |
Take a huge risk to pack their bags and take the whole family to an area they have no friends. 00:09:20.480 |
And I think about that, I was like, "Would I have ever made that decision?" 00:09:23.200 |
It's pretty crazy and many people don't make that decision, but sure enough they remind 00:09:30.680 |
Every time they're trying to motivate me, they'll remind me, "Do you have any idea what 00:09:36.520 |
And then yeah, they remind me of, "You realize we've been working without vacations and all 00:09:40.360 |
this stuff just for you could have a better opportunity." 00:09:44.960 |
And then that's why I remember when I was telling them, "Ma, Appa, I want to be an art 00:09:51.320 |
And then I pick philosophy and they're like, "No." 00:09:54.320 |
Well I remember during that college years, having that conversation with my parents and 00:09:57.520 |
them telling me, "I want you to know how much we struggled for you so that you take this 00:10:04.160 |
And to tell you truthfully, when I was young, yeah, I looked at that with a sense of like, 00:10:12.280 |
But looking back, yeah, it would have been more noble of me as a young man to realize 00:10:16.640 |
like I have a very unique privilege for our parents to have labored and strived so diligently 00:10:23.440 |
to provide an opportunity for their children. 00:10:26.280 |
Likewise, possible Paul saying, "I want you to know how great a struggle I had for you. 00:10:32.520 |
So the next things I'm going to say to you, you better take seriously, right? 00:10:42.720 |
Now in order to add, not to simply add effect, but in order to gain a Paul's perspective, 00:10:48.400 |
what I'm going to do now is direct your attention to verse three of chapter one. 00:10:51.680 |
So Colossians chapter one, verse three, and we'll work down his mentality and his heart 00:10:58.940 |
So chapter one, verse three, he says, "We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord 00:11:09.080 |
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints 00:11:13.600 |
because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word 00:11:18.120 |
of truth, the gospel, which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly 00:11:23.280 |
bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard 00:11:28.240 |
of it and understood the grace of God in truth. 00:11:31.400 |
Just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bondservant, who is a faithful 00:11:35.000 |
servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the spirit." 00:11:44.400 |
Apostle Paul says, "I've heard of your faith and we're hearing that you heard the truth 00:11:51.960 |
You really took it in to the degree that it's really even taking effect in your life and 00:11:55.920 |
it's being told of that you love one another, that you're bearing fruit and it's increasing." 00:12:04.360 |
I'm talking about the intent, purpose, and the drive of Apostle Paul, and what he says 00:12:08.800 |
is, "You're doing well, and so I'm praying for you." 00:12:14.600 |
"For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased praying for you." 00:12:24.480 |
Because typically, if we're talking about an unceasing, unrelenting prayer, we're praying 00:12:30.760 |
Like if you're sick, like really sick, then maybe we'd say things like, "Man, I'm praying 00:12:38.760 |
But in this scenario, Apostle Paul is saying, "I've heard great things about you and good. 00:12:44.920 |
You're growing, but I'm praying for you day and night unceasingly. 00:12:53.360 |
It's unusual because Apostle Paul has this drive. 00:12:57.120 |
He is not only struggling, laboring, but he's on his knees praying for everybody. 00:13:05.360 |
I always feel an incredible sense of privilege to be a part of our congregation because I 00:13:15.800 |
But understand that we will never be satisfied with just simply, "Good, we're members here. 00:13:23.280 |
And especially if some of you are sitting here thinking, "Well, I try to read my Bible. 00:13:32.440 |
My challenge today was not simply, "Okay, we're fine." 00:13:39.960 |
First Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 1 and 2 say exactly the same thing. 00:13:48.720 |
Apostle Paul here is not satisfied with simply saying, "Good, you heard the gospel." 00:13:53.400 |
No, he's saying, "I'm striving and laboring and pursuing you with an intention and purpose 00:14:03.920 |
What would cause Apostle Paul to keep on praying day and night over a congregation that's already 00:14:14.000 |
Continuing on in verse 9, Apostle Paul says this, "He is praying unceasingly and asking 00:14:20.720 |
that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 00:14:27.000 |
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects, bearing 00:14:32.500 |
fruit in every good work and increasing in," what? 00:14:36.320 |
"The knowledge of God, strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for 00:14:41.800 |
the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father who has 00:14:46.680 |
qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." 00:14:59.000 |
He says very clearly, "I want you to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all 00:15:08.800 |
I want you to increase in the knowledge of God." 00:15:14.680 |
And so this is the next point, to be filled with a true understanding of God. 00:15:21.840 |
To be filled with a true understanding of God. 00:15:25.200 |
The idea here is if you can just imagine with me a nice pretty jar and just fill in that 00:15:31.120 |
with the most delicious, most refreshing, just amazing drink and just filling it up 00:15:40.560 |
Because if there is an amazing, delicious drink, you're not going to just fill it like 00:15:47.600 |
So imagine with me that because that's the kind of picture he's talking about, saying, 00:15:51.160 |
"I want you to be filled to the degree where you're overflowing." 00:15:56.200 |
I want you to be so full that you're overflowing and it's now producing its fruit. 00:16:03.600 |
Now I can sit here and go in detail about the Greek word is plero and all this kind 00:16:09.320 |
But honestly, we understand what he's saying. 00:16:13.400 |
Take that picture, the jar overflowing with this delicious, very expensive maybe, and 00:16:18.840 |
whatever it may be, this refreshing drink you're thinking about, pina colada, I don't 00:16:25.440 |
My question to you is, does that describe you? 00:16:34.400 |
That's at the heart of what the Apostle Paul is going to be talking about here is for you, 00:16:42.880 |
Or is the picture you would most relate with is like, "Ah, you know, the water, I'm 00:16:47.120 |
trying to fill it, but then it evaporates, you know, in my mind. 00:16:51.240 |
It's like, oh, I'm trying to fill it, but there's all these distractions. 00:16:53.640 |
And then half the time I'm like looking the other way and it's just kind of just dribbling 00:16:56.720 |
all over the table, but not necessarily into the cup." 00:16:59.040 |
I mean, what is actually describing where you are right now? 00:17:02.160 |
I say this as an encouragement and challenge to you. 00:17:05.720 |
This is not new for us as an exhortation that we have to grow in the knowledge of God. 00:17:11.480 |
But the fact of the matter is that is going to be the spiritual endeavor and struggle 00:17:17.080 |
which we are going to be laboring and battling and perhaps sometimes stumbling, right? 00:17:23.200 |
And now I want you essentially to take a moment to do self-evaluation. 00:17:28.980 |
Is it that kind of cup where essentially it's been left out, not filled, and so it's all 00:17:32.920 |
crusty because when you leave a drink in there and it evaporates, all you get is residue? 00:17:43.040 |
Now moving aside from the metaphorical, more specifically with God, are you growing with 00:17:49.800 |
Because the fact of the matter is, let me make this point, he is not saying I want you 00:17:56.520 |
He's not just saying I want you to exercise your brain and make sure you're in academia. 00:18:00.760 |
He is saying I want you to know the will of God. 00:18:04.800 |
Specifically he says I want you to know what pleases Him. 00:18:11.320 |
So my question to you is are you growing in Him in a way where it's a growing relationship, 00:18:16.760 |
not so much as like okay, growing relationship, I feel good about Him, but you're actually 00:18:23.000 |
You can anticipate what He likes and what He doesn't like, what He's pleased by and 00:18:29.320 |
You do this all the time with your other relationships. 00:18:31.540 |
If you're dating, I remember the first couple times like in dates or whatever, like you 00:18:35.800 |
just are aware, you're very like in tune with the way that they say things about you. 00:18:39.880 |
So if she makes, you know, like we're dating and I wear an ugly shirt and she's like, oh, 00:18:47.080 |
You know, like you're not going to wear it because you're very in tune with what that 00:18:51.600 |
To the degree, those of you guys who have been in a relationship, after a while you 00:18:54.920 |
go shopping, it's like ooh, they'll love this. 00:18:58.760 |
You know, there was this time when I was at a brother's house and I respect him so 00:19:03.200 |
much as a kind of advanced in age and he's a good father and all this kind of stuff. 00:19:09.440 |
And at the time I was a younger dad, like newbie dad, and I was like, oh, struggling 00:19:16.760 |
When do you know to be, you know, and that's the typical question. 00:19:19.040 |
It's like when do I know to do this and do this? 00:19:23.240 |
Well, the kids are playing and all that kind of stuff and sure enough when the kids are 00:19:26.240 |
playing by themselves and the adults are at the table, all of a sudden you hear the bickering 00:19:33.480 |
And then after a while, one of the children comes over and they've got that really whiny, 00:19:44.000 |
And I'm sitting there like, oh, I wonder what the dad's going to do? 00:19:47.040 |
Because you know, I've been reading those books and the books say like never let your 00:19:50.360 |
child, you know, have tantrums and you got to snip that complaining thing in the butt 00:19:55.280 |
and then the Bible says do all things without complaining and grumbling, especially with 00:20:00.440 |
Like, I don't know what he was, I was anticipating he would say, but I was sitting here thinking 00:20:03.600 |
like, ooh, I think he's going to lay that smack down, right? 00:20:06.440 |
So I'm all waiting and then the child was like really just tight and everything was 00:20:12.960 |
The father just leans over and goes, come here, hey, I understand. 00:20:18.960 |
And you can just see the child just like melt like, and then he just started like a little 00:20:22.840 |
tear, you know, like everything and I was just like kind of flabbergasted and then the 00:20:28.280 |
child just ran off and then it was like everything was okay. 00:20:31.640 |
And I was just like impressed, kind of flabbergasted all at the same time. 00:20:36.400 |
So I had to ask like, oh, how did you think to do that? 00:20:40.840 |
Like when do you, when do you, when do you do, how do you know what you need to do? 00:20:44.560 |
You know, and I was like, I was just asking him. 00:20:46.800 |
And then he was like, and I even said like, you know, like I read in the books, like I 00:20:51.200 |
remember reading this like how to lead your family in a godly manner and all that kind 00:20:55.080 |
And I was like, I remember in the books you got to like really snip that. 00:20:58.600 |
And he was like, he said something profound to me. 00:21:01.360 |
He said, you know, yeah, like I read some of those stuff too. 00:21:03.760 |
And yeah, there's like a lot of good principles and stuff, but I don't know about all that 00:21:13.520 |
And he said, you know, I want to encourage you with something. 00:21:15.920 |
If you want to be a good husband and a good father, you will never stop growing in an 00:21:24.000 |
So just keep understanding and knowing exactly how your children operate. 00:21:28.560 |
Now the thing about it is they keep growing and still like changing on you. 00:21:33.440 |
And I remember just thinking, wow, so simple, but profound, you know, like I was like mind 00:21:39.400 |
But the fact of the matter is like, that's what I'm talking about here is you can sit 00:21:42.880 |
doctrinally and ask like, this is what you do, this is what you do. 00:21:46.200 |
And then you can get stuck asking what's your will for me, God? 00:21:50.000 |
And actually being able to understand what God's will for you is because you don't understand 00:21:56.880 |
And the challenge that I'm asking us to understand is Apostle Paul saying, I want you to understand 00:22:01.600 |
his inner working, his mind, so that you understand what's pleasing to him. 00:22:05.660 |
You understand what's spiritual wisdom, right? 00:22:09.720 |
This is more than just simple like, give me the do's and don'ts so that it'd be a little 00:22:18.960 |
And so Apostle Paul says, this is what I'm striving as for, this is what I'm praying 00:22:29.120 |
We've asked that question multiple times in our lives, like what is God's will for me? 00:22:35.960 |
The scripture is chock full of, and this is the will of God for you. 00:22:39.600 |
This is the will of God for you that you be sanctified. 00:22:42.980 |
This is the will of God for you that you be holy. 00:22:45.400 |
This is the will of God for you that you be so loving because you know God. 00:22:48.880 |
This is the will of God for you that you build his church. 00:22:51.240 |
This is the will of God for you that you be a witness and a glorious light and a testimony 00:22:59.280 |
But here in this passage, what I'm highlighting is that God through Apostle Paul is challenging 00:23:06.040 |
This is the will of God for you, that you know God, that you strive and seek to understand 00:23:12.240 |
Christ, that you strive and seek to understand the person, the Savior by which we claim his 00:23:19.240 |
Yes, we have various things that we endeavor in our lives, and yes, I'm talking about a 00:23:23.000 |
pretty big topic, just the general knowledge of God, but my question of evaluation to you 00:23:28.320 |
is, is this what you're striving for without giving up, seeing it to the end? 00:23:38.840 |
This is the thing that Apostle Paul is saying, "I've labored so hard for you to do. 00:23:43.480 |
I've literally put myself at risk, being threatened, being persecuted so you can have the gospel. 00:23:50.120 |
I want you so dearly then to know Christ through this truth." 00:23:55.440 |
Then our response has got to be, "Then give it to me. 00:23:59.040 |
Are you praying to God, 'God, give me knowledge, not just doctrinal knowledge, not just smarts 00:24:11.680 |
I mean, these are the things you need to be praying for. 00:24:19.520 |
If you go to chapter two, Colossians chapter two, this is essentially all that he says 00:24:26.640 |
He says, starting from verse one, "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for 00:24:31.160 |
you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their 00:24:37.560 |
hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the," what? 00:24:42.600 |
"riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which 00:24:49.240 |
"Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 00:24:53.520 |
I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments, no worldly philosophy, 00:25:02.160 |
He says, "I want you to have a very simplistic goal for your life. 00:25:07.360 |
Seek the treasures in Christ, of knowing him deeply." 00:25:12.360 |
And in that, in that is where Apostle Paul finds his purpose. 00:25:19.860 |
This is God's desire for you to have this understanding, this deep, intimate knowledge 00:25:27.080 |
So we talk about the cup, we talk about being filled, and I want you really to take time 00:25:33.440 |
this morning to think and evaluate, where am I with that? 00:25:37.060 |
To what degree have I been seeking that kind of simplistic desire to know him? 00:25:42.100 |
So that is the kind of knowledge that we speak about. 00:25:48.600 |
If we go from empty cup and we want to look to full cup, how? 00:25:53.400 |
How do we go from not knowing and understanding the will of God to understanding the will 00:26:02.160 |
I could give you the answer that's already in your mind. 00:26:07.460 |
But here I want to talk about something that's really important because this is something 00:26:14.140 |
That in order to know God, there has to be a preemptive decision, right? 00:26:20.560 |
God says in various passages in the book of Psalms and John chapter 6, who does he reveal 00:26:30.860 |
Who does God choose to say, "Here, I reveal and give you the understanding of my heart"? 00:26:36.940 |
There are individuals who've made a preemptive decision. 00:26:40.520 |
That preemptive decision is one who says, "Whatever your will may be, before you even 00:26:50.380 |
It's a heart that is already preconditioned, it's prepped, it's primed. 00:26:54.860 |
That should God desire to show you various things of how he wants to bless you, to use 00:26:59.820 |
you, to move in you and work in your life, you're already primed and ready and say, "I 00:27:08.180 |
Because I've made a decision, God, whatever your will may be, I will do it. 00:27:14.860 |
Remember in John chapter 6, he says, "I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, 00:27:23.980 |
This is the will whom sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he's given me." 00:27:28.860 |
That will is Christ who said, "My food, my sustenance basically, the thing I live off 00:27:36.260 |
He already had coming down that preemptive heart, the condition and disposition. 00:27:42.980 |
I will do the Father's will, for that is my reward. 00:27:46.980 |
That's my work, that's my role, and that is my joy." 00:27:53.300 |
So by summary of the first two points, essentially we have Apostle Paul who is laboring and striving, 00:28:01.380 |
working so hard, sacrificing himself, investing himself so that what? 00:28:15.600 |
Those who seek with all their heart, God will reveal. 00:28:26.900 |
So that's the first part, or the first two points. 00:28:30.300 |
As we move down this passage though, I want to ask an obvious question. 00:28:35.740 |
One of these kind of like, you know, it's pretty clear in the passage but we have to 00:28:42.100 |
The question is why the knowledge of God in Christ? 00:28:47.500 |
I could be praying and praying and praying, but I could be praying and praying and praying 00:28:52.540 |
"My prayer for you day and night is for you to be united, for you to have harmony." 00:28:58.740 |
I could be praying and praying and praying that you be more loving people. 00:29:01.340 |
So Paul could have said, "I'm praying and sacrificing that you know love and you understand 00:29:08.140 |
But the question is, why specifically this idea of being filled with the knowledge of 00:29:15.860 |
Again, perhaps something that's going to be obvious from the text, perhaps something that 00:29:20.300 |
we've been reminded of before, but today is a day of motivation. 00:29:23.380 |
Today is a day of saying like, "Let's go with this. 00:29:25.980 |
Let's really strive for the knowledge of Christ. 00:29:33.480 |
Let's not think that someone's going to do it for us, but let's go. 00:29:45.060 |
Because if you think about it, concepts like love, concepts like harmony, concepts like 00:29:51.180 |
peace, concepts even of your own spiritual well-being, they're all incomplete. 00:29:57.820 |
They're all incomplete and actually can be detrimental. 00:30:07.100 |
Because Christ is regularly told us in the scriptures, He is the all in all. 00:30:13.820 |
He is the collective, complete, like individual of God. 00:30:18.260 |
And therefore, if it's not in Christ, if that love is not in Christ, it's wrong. 00:30:25.780 |
If that love, fellowship, community, peace, everything that we're seeking for, even spiritual 00:30:30.860 |
well-being, if it's not in the perfection of Christ, it's wrong. 00:30:36.420 |
If I want intimacy, but I want intimacy from anybody, absolutely sinful. 00:30:44.940 |
That intimacy should be only found in the context of my covenant relationship and marriage. 00:30:49.640 |
If I want to have that companionship, if I want to enjoy whatever it may be, that are 00:30:54.460 |
certain things reserved that God has given to us as good things and blessings, and yet 00:30:59.100 |
I want it outside of the context of God's blessing and the fullness of how God has designed 00:31:08.020 |
It's not just only, "Oops, I missed the mark." 00:31:16.060 |
And what I would like for us to do is see the completeness of Christ. 00:31:20.580 |
See how categorically, thinking of the knowledge of Christ is categorically gigantic compared 00:31:26.740 |
to you just wanting one facet, one blessing, one gift. 00:31:32.660 |
So categorically, Christ is the one who is truly complete, perfect, and therefore in 00:31:41.640 |
And therefore, just as the scripture says, we have to do everything through Him, in Him, 00:31:46.220 |
But let's take a look, starting from verse 13. 00:31:52.300 |
He says this, and again, I just want you to just take note. 00:31:56.700 |
Just take note and let's identify together all that is in Christ. 00:32:00.740 |
The perfections, the gifts, the glories that are in Christ. 00:32:05.180 |
Verse 13, "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us from the kingdom 00:32:13.620 |
"In whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins." 00:32:17.300 |
Bingo, we have two things there, redemption and forgiveness. 00:32:20.380 |
Verse 15, "He is the image of the invisible God." 00:32:27.140 |
Jesus Christ is in fact the image, the icon of God, the exact representation. 00:32:34.780 |
Not to say that He is the first created, that He is preeminent. 00:32:42.100 |
Verse 16, "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible 00:32:45.780 |
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. 00:32:50.380 |
All things have been created through Him and for Him. 00:33:03.580 |
Verse 18, "He is also the head of the body, the church. 00:33:06.580 |
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead so that He Himself will come to have," 00:33:12.740 |
For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him and through 00:33:16.900 |
Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 00:33:21.900 |
Through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 00:33:26.260 |
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind to engage in evil deeds, yet 00:33:30.980 |
He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death in order to present you before 00:33:39.660 |
If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast and not moved away 00:33:43.580 |
from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation 00:33:47.720 |
under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a minister." 00:33:54.820 |
But that long passage, in summary, says, "Look at how complete you will be in Christ. 00:34:09.540 |
And that is exactly what Apostle Paul is going to get at. 00:34:12.740 |
Apostle Paul is saying, "I have a heart for you. 00:34:16.780 |
What parent does not want what's best for their children? 00:34:20.580 |
Parents will sacrifice all kinds of things for their children. 00:34:24.340 |
Parents won't even see it as a sacrifice when they give finances for what their children 00:34:29.180 |
And in that same way, just as every good parent wants their children to succeed, go through 00:34:32.940 |
school and get a good education and have a good family, well, Apostle Paul is going to 00:34:44.060 |
And I'm going to give you the exact way I know how for you to be complete in Christ." 00:34:48.940 |
And so that when you actually understand all that you have in Christ, you too, in natural 00:35:04.340 |
Everything that I'm looking for, all that I'm searching for is here." 00:35:08.420 |
And that's why Apostle Paul and other pastors of Scripture, do you remember Ephesians chapter 00:35:11.860 |
1, he will say, "Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord, who has blessed us with every 00:35:21.420 |
In Christ, you've been blessed with every blessing you can think about. 00:35:29.800 |
In Christ, you have all that you need and more. 00:35:31.680 |
But to tell you honestly, as I was going through these passages, I started thinking and thinking 00:35:39.040 |
And I will confess right now, this is kind of like open confession, an open mic. 00:35:51.060 |
Do I feel like I have all the blessings I have in Christ? 00:35:55.780 |
But at the same time, I feel a level of maybe like wanting, still needing, still desiring. 00:36:03.060 |
You feel levels of disappointment, still wanting more. 00:36:06.060 |
I have Christ, but I'm still looking for what I'm looking for. 00:36:09.180 |
And that's why so many people, especially the millennials are going out. 00:36:12.620 |
They say, "I have Christ, but I'm still trying to find my identity, still trying to find 00:36:17.660 |
I'm still trying to find that thing which will satisfy." 00:36:23.100 |
They go out trying to experience things, but they still don't understand you will not find 00:36:31.380 |
You're not going to have Christ plus something and then that will feel sufficient. 00:36:34.580 |
No, it's going to be Christ and nothing and you will be sufficient in the Lord because 00:36:42.780 |
He is the one who will give us the redemption we need, the forgiveness we need, the deliverance. 00:36:56.260 |
And so it is a bit sad, but I do feel a pervasive generational sentiment that they might claim 00:37:01.960 |
the name of Christ, but they have this feeling of, "I still haven't found what I'm looking 00:37:07.060 |
But what's more, if we really believe this, if we believe with the Apostle Paul that Christ 00:37:12.820 |
is tremendously, categorically the greatest treasure of all, which Apostle Paul is going 00:37:19.220 |
to get at, so I want to read it with us actually. 00:37:21.900 |
Please go back in your Bibles to Colossians chapter 1 verse 24. 00:37:26.020 |
And starting from 25, that section we're looking at, look at what he says, "Of this church 00:37:31.460 |
I have been made a minister according to the stewardship from God, bestowed on me for your 00:37:36.180 |
benefit so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God." 00:37:40.020 |
So he's like, "I'm going to see this thing to the end. 00:37:42.220 |
I'm going to fulfill my ministry and I'm going to preach. 00:37:45.840 |
It's this mystery that's been hidden from the past ages and generations that has been 00:37:53.500 |
Brothers and sisters, this is a glorious treasure, hidden treasure. 00:37:58.860 |
It's been hidden from ages and this is a unique privilege given to you." 00:38:04.140 |
And then he says this, "To whom God willed to make known what is the what? 00:38:10.020 |
Witches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." 00:38:16.220 |
All that I've just described of Jesus, the one who gives you redemption, the one who 00:38:20.380 |
gives you forgiveness, the one who is the creator, the one who is the sustainer, he 00:38:29.100 |
He desires to take place and have his presence in you, to move in you so much so the apostle 00:38:33.820 |
Paul later on in Galatians chapter 2 will say, "I no longer live but Christ in me." 00:38:40.340 |
He wants to be close, the God of the universe. 00:38:48.700 |
And yet again, as I go through this passage and I was doing my devotions, I was just so 00:38:57.900 |
So rich and yet so difficult to let go of the trash of the world. 00:39:03.980 |
Have you guys seen those TV episodes of hoarders? 00:39:08.780 |
These individuals who start mounting like newspaper, trash bags, like doggy biscuits, 00:39:16.900 |
And I saw this one episode where this lady had pounded up so high, it blocked the front 00:39:22.020 |
door and these people had to rescue her from her house. 00:39:25.180 |
They pulled her out through the window and once they started taking things out, they 00:39:28.420 |
realized they had over like 10 tons of trash. 00:39:36.700 |
Because there's like rats everywhere and cockroaches and like everything is so disgusting. 00:39:42.300 |
Well, you know why I share that with you is because that's not so far from Christians 00:39:47.900 |
who know better but cling so dearly, cling so dearly to the trash of this world. 00:39:53.140 |
If we truly believe we're rich in Christ, there should be a sentiment by which it's 00:39:59.060 |
Now I understand in reality, in the way that we work on our hearts, it's not easy. 00:40:04.020 |
But if we believe Christ to be so valuable, it should be easy. 00:40:10.220 |
Have you guys ever seen Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? 00:40:18.300 |
Well, for those of you guys who don't know the young people here, it's a TV show, Will 00:40:22.500 |
Smith, troublesome child, lives out in Philly. 00:40:25.220 |
He gets in trouble so he gets sent out to Uncle Phil. 00:40:27.900 |
Uncle Phil happens to be a judge and so he's really rich. 00:40:32.300 |
So Will, who's a troublesome child, decides to play a prank on Jeffrey. 00:40:37.500 |
He decides to make him think that he won the lottery by filming the previous week's lottery 00:40:43.740 |
So Jeffrey's sitting there watching and he realizes like, "Oh my gosh. 00:40:50.820 |
And then all of a sudden, Jeffrey just changes. 00:40:53.220 |
And he looks over and he grabs this like fancy bottle and he just drops it. 00:40:59.140 |
And then all of a sudden, he goes on this like montage of like, "I quit. 00:41:08.180 |
It's one of these kind of more funny and hilarious scenes that I saw on that TV show. 00:41:15.780 |
If you believe that instantaneously through your faith in Christ, you have been afforded 00:41:20.300 |
an inherent sense with God, you have the maker and the power of the maker in you, you believe 00:41:26.460 |
that this world has nothing to offer you beyond what Christ can offer you, and you actually 00:41:30.740 |
believe that, you should be willing to say to the world, "I quit." 00:41:36.100 |
It doesn't make sense for a butler to be like, "I know you guys boss me around. 00:41:44.180 |
I won the jackpot, but I guess I'll have to stay." 00:41:50.140 |
And that's what I'm challenging us with today. 00:41:52.820 |
If we truly understand and appreciate the knowledge of Christ and we understand the 00:41:55.980 |
completeness by which God has designed for us to find our sense of all of that identity, 00:42:01.980 |
purpose, satisfaction in Christ, then that mentality will actually enable us to have 00:42:10.980 |
It will enable us to have that victory over this world. 00:42:13.940 |
Now the sad fact of the matter is we do seek for the plus. 00:42:23.780 |
We do sometimes seek for Christ and the addition. 00:42:27.540 |
And what's really interesting is in this last week, I just wanted to talk about it because 00:42:37.820 |
Some of my students had a conversation with somebody. 00:42:40.020 |
This generation is seeking for something a little bit outside of Christ, but still close 00:42:46.700 |
Very specifically, there is a generational move right now. 00:42:49.820 |
There is a movement going on right now called the New Apostolic Movement where there is 00:42:54.780 |
a desire to experience the Word of God and an experience with God that is supernatural 00:42:59.260 |
to the degree where an individual has come up to me and said, "You need to have a prophecy 00:43:10.100 |
Now I'm going to say, "Yeah, every time I open this up, every word is the voice of God." 00:43:15.460 |
But there has been movement to say, "You need to hear. 00:43:21.300 |
Let me give you this special knowledge God has given you." 00:43:26.500 |
And in my mind, that is nothing more than exactly what the people of Colossae are struggling 00:43:31.740 |
The reason why Epaphras gave and went to visit Apostle Paul was because Colossae, the church, 00:43:37.980 |
although they were striving, were being attacked by heresy, mysticism, Gnosticism. 00:43:43.600 |
You have to have the special knowledge we have to really experience God. 00:43:51.060 |
And so in this day and age, that stuff still exists. 00:43:53.580 |
It's an age-old tactic of our enemy to make you think you need to have some kind of special 00:44:03.040 |
You might not be sitting there thinking, "Oh, I want God to audibly kind of like, I don't 00:44:09.500 |
Gordon, you know, from Power Rangers, where his face like appears and says, "I'm speaking 00:44:15.000 |
Maybe you might not be personally wanting that. 00:44:19.360 |
But from confession of mouths of many people, I know that when people hit plateau and when 00:44:23.480 |
they're stagnant, they want some kind of miracle to come. 00:44:27.120 |
They want some kind of special attention from God to work and stir them. 00:44:32.160 |
And that's why the things like the crazy end of the charismatic movement sometimes ends 00:44:36.480 |
up being so popular, because what do they provide? 00:44:43.480 |
And my admonition to you is here and now we learn there is going to be a sufficiency of 00:44:49.160 |
knowing the person of Christ, and there is going to be no perfection and satisfaction 00:44:53.200 |
in your life through mystical experience, but rather the intimate personal knowledge 00:45:00.380 |
There is something simplistic about Christianity, and that simplicity comes from a pure, loving 00:45:15.780 |
And so I give that challenge to you, and now as we can start to conclude, I want to challenge 00:45:21.800 |
If you do believe this, that Christ is the greatest value of all, He is the hidden treasure, 00:45:26.760 |
hidden from long ago, but now revealed to us. 00:45:28.960 |
Yes, the many Jewish people before, they had a veil, and they only saw in part, but now 00:45:33.400 |
it's been revealed, and you have the privilege of understanding all this. 00:45:37.400 |
If you believe this, you can't get away from the example of Paul, who was struck so deep 00:45:48.360 |
I am both bound by obligation, and it is my reward, it's my joy. 00:46:01.780 |
So my admonition is this, many of us are struggling for myself, me, to be consistent, growing, 00:46:08.840 |
and loving Christ, but now the challenge is, not only are we to do that for ourselves, 00:46:13.480 |
but the challenge is to have the heart of Apostle Paul, who says, "I want to see this 00:46:18.360 |
Every single individual in the church, so what does he say? 00:46:20.520 |
Let's take a look at that last part of the passage, verse 28. 00:46:27.480 |
Apostle Paul says this, he says, "We then proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching 00:46:33.460 |
every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ for this 00:46:40.080 |
This purpose of presenting every man complete in Christ, he says, "I labor," and that word 00:46:47.000 |
"I agonize even to the degree of exhaustion." 00:46:50.680 |
He says, "I'm striving according to his power, which mightily works within me." 00:46:55.320 |
He's teaching, he's proclaiming, he's admonishing, rebuking, everything that he can do in the 00:47:05.040 |
This is the greatest purpose Apostle Paul has attached to his life. 00:47:08.520 |
"I will exhaust myself to see you complete in Christ." 00:47:14.080 |
Because that is the greatest treasure of all. 00:47:16.040 |
"If I love you, that's what I'll do for you." 00:47:21.880 |
It is not just the role of the pastor, the elders, the deacons, and people who are leaders 00:47:27.520 |
and small group leaders to admonish, teach, and present every man complete. 00:47:32.840 |
Scripture, I'm not even going to give a specific risk because every single book of the Bible 00:47:38.600 |
will say certain things to a certain thing as one. 00:47:40.960 |
Pray for each other, confess to each other, correct each other, admonish each other, speak 00:47:45.480 |
truth to each other, sing psalms to each other. 00:47:47.800 |
The ministry of presenting one another complete in Christ is the ministry of us all collectively. 00:47:54.760 |
I want you to turn over to Ephesians chapter 4, verse 12 through 13. 00:48:04.760 |
Apostle Paul is going to say that God has so designed the church to fulfill this purpose, 00:48:10.240 |
to be complete in Christ, that every single member would rise from the low standard that 00:48:16.080 |
perhaps sometimes we have to the standard of God. 00:48:18.600 |
In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 12, it says this, "And he gave some as apostles, some 00:48:23.760 |
as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors, some as teachers for the equipping 00:48:28.360 |
of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ until we 00:48:34.760 |
all attain the unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature manhood, to 00:48:40.880 |
the measure and stature which belong to the fullness of Christ." 00:48:46.240 |
Brothers and sisters, this is our philosophy of the ministry. 00:48:48.640 |
We are not simply okay that you sign off on a piece of paper and say, "I'm a member," 00:48:59.880 |
Our Savior Jesus Christ would not be okay with that. 00:49:03.080 |
God wants us to mature in every increasing fashion. 00:49:07.560 |
God wants us to grow step by step from stature to stature. 00:49:11.800 |
God wants you to strive for more even beyond what you think is possible because yes, it's 00:49:15.960 |
true, if with you it's not possible, but with God, he will transform you, and that's 00:49:23.400 |
Truthfully speaking, there are moments when ministry is tough and it's frustrating. 00:49:29.440 |
I've been a Christian for 10 years, and I just feel like, "Dude, man, you should 00:49:34.120 |
There are times when people are just resistant. 00:49:35.800 |
There are times when people, they have weak will. 00:49:37.640 |
They're like, "Yes, yes, I would like to, but I can't." 00:49:41.160 |
There are times the way we think, and it's just all over the place. 00:49:49.280 |
So many things in terms of the stuff that goes in our minds hinder growing in faith 00:50:02.040 |
If it was predicated on my know-how to counsel and disciple you, then yes, none of this would 00:50:09.400 |
However, we are being taught today and being motivated, but Christ is truly the fullness 00:50:15.160 |
He is the revelation of mystery, and once more, the various passages that we looked 00:50:21.500 |
He is the perfection of God's truth, and therefore, God can perfect all of you. 00:50:27.120 |
God can radically perform the sinner who is unwilling to bend. 00:50:32.600 |
God can transform if you guys struggle with imagination, fantasy, and controlling your 00:50:41.520 |
I take that as a huge level of confidence to do ministry. 00:50:49.600 |
All the time sitting and praying together, all the time looking at the scripture, none 00:50:56.080 |
Because my perfect Christ can perfect all of us, amen? 00:51:01.200 |
That's where the confidence lies, and so Apostle Paul says, "For that purpose, I struggle. 00:51:05.880 |
For that purpose, I strive and I labor and I beat myself up almost." 00:51:10.920 |
We began this sermon by talking about worthy causes we shouldn't give up, worthy causes 00:51:16.100 |
we shouldn't just let go by the wayside because we have other higher priorities or because 00:51:20.640 |
we just feel like we don't have the confidence or just because we feel like we lost motivation. 00:51:25.400 |
Here and now, Apostle Paul is teaching us worthy causes, seeking completeness in Christ, 00:51:32.000 |
and then seeking the completeness of brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:51:35.320 |
Can I share with you personally a little bit here? 00:51:41.880 |
The last couple of months have been really busy, and I just want to thank all of you 00:51:46.160 |
because truthfully speaking, I have felt incredibly encouraged being at our church. 00:51:51.480 |
Through some of the craziest times of our church, like literally the craziest times 00:51:54.800 |
of our church, I really felt like, "Man, the church is together and we were striving." 00:52:00.960 |
I also thank you guys because some of you guys have come up to me and said, "Man, Pastor 00:52:07.800 |
I understand what you're saying, so thank you for considering me. 00:52:14.640 |
Some of you have gone even overboard and been like, "Hey, you're doing too much. 00:52:23.080 |
Personally sometimes I bought off way more than I can chew, and I do need a delegate, 00:52:26.160 |
and I do need to trust other brothers and sisters to do the work and all that kind of 00:52:31.200 |
However, we all understand too that here and now, as I was looking at what Apostle Paul 00:52:42.240 |
He is agonizing and struggling to see the church complete in Christ. 00:52:47.400 |
To that end, I never want to have an attitude. 00:52:49.600 |
I never want to end the day of doing church ministry, of working with people and meeting 00:52:54.240 |
with them and say, "Maybe I just did too much today." 00:53:06.200 |
I never want to have this attitude before God, "God, I just have too much." 00:53:11.480 |
Because these are things so worthy that probably it is the right scenario that all of us feel 00:53:17.280 |
a level of struggling and combating and laboring and agonizing to see our brothers and sisters 00:53:23.400 |
and the ones we love, our church, collectively complete in Christ. 00:53:28.720 |
I hope the words of God today in this passage, chapter 1 and 2 of Colossians, inspired and 00:53:32.800 |
challenge you to keep persevering and never give up on that which you already know. 00:53:39.120 |
Let's seek Christ with all our hearts and let's make sure our brothers are doing the 00:53:45.520 |
Heavenly Father, we want to thank you so much for the exhortation and challenge today. 00:53:52.480 |
God, we thank you so much because you're so patient and gracious with us and you keep 00:54:02.200 |
We want to hear from you and we want your help to make sure that we make the effective 00:54:06.360 |
change in our lives and we want your help to really walk with perseverance. 00:54:10.480 |
And we want to grow in the knowledge of Christ, Lord. 00:54:13.320 |
We want to know him more, to be intimate with him, to understand his heart because truly, 00:54:18.560 |
Lord, that is what is to us our reward and what's sweet. 00:54:21.760 |
Father, I ask that you would help us though because we confess there are many distractions. 00:54:29.440 |
We see sometimes our sin combat that path and that desire. 00:54:34.300 |
So God, would you work in our hearts through your spirit to make sure that those hurdles 00:54:38.400 |
are overcome and God, that we might live a life truly that is pleasing unto you. 00:54:43.200 |
Father, we thank you and devote this time to you.