Avoiding Mindless Living (Part 2)
class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1) 11-18-07…..AM…..SBC 2)
“Avoiding Mindless Living”
Part 2
Read Colossians 1:9-14
Connection to Previous Pericope:
Ø Paul’s prayer / petition to God for the Colossians was that they be clear on what God’s will was for their lives
Ø The point of the previous section is that God discloses a knowledge of himself. It was unthinkable that someone could simply learn to know God. Most truths may be learned; divine truth must be revealed![1]
Ø The aim of v10 then is to show that wisdom cannot just be connected to increasing in knowledge but it must be applied in daily living
Proposition: Avoid mindless living (sin of idleness) by progressively increasing your
fruit-bearing.
Transition: Paul cautions us against the sin of idleness by calling believers to….
1) Walk Worthy v9
Ø Paul’s purpose was clearly ethical rather than intellectual[2]
Ø “Paul’s desire was that their knowledge would lead to righteous living”[3]
Application Questions:
1- Who were Eli’s two sons? Hophni & Phineas (1 Samuel 2)
What can we learn from these two men so that we have more than factual knowledge?
- the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt. [4]
- they lay with the women who lwere serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.[5]
- But they would not listen to the voice of their father,[6]
o Disobedience and wickedness most likely follow an improper fear of God
o God is disgusted with immorality – (romance, pornography, perversion of His intention)
o Parents are responsible for a lack of Biblical Parenting[7]
Ø this is how we must apply Scripture beyond just factual bible quizzing knowledge!
Ø I believe that we will be compelled to have worthy conduct when we see pleasing God in everything as the ultimate end for which we were created
(Source: God’s Passion for His Glory Edwards/Piper)
Ultimate End = (last end) “an end that God values for its own sake and not as a means to some other end”[8]
· Evangelism is a means to glorify God and not an end in itself
· Just like a screwdriver is not an end to itself but a means to fixing things, opening paint covers, breaking into cars
Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: a‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.[9]
Rev 1:8 t“I am the Alpha and the Omega, 4the Beginning and the End,” says the 5Lord, u“who is and who was and who is to come, the vAlmighty.”[10]
Rev 1:10 yI was in the Spirit on zthe Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me aa loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, 7“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,”[11]
Rev 22:13 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and wMy reward is with Me, xto give to every one according to his work. 13 yI am the Alpha and the Omega, the 6Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” [12]
1- First – (Efficient cause) that by which something is made – the maker of something
2- Last – (Final cause) that for the sake of which something is made
Ø The writer’s of Scripture, under inspiration, describe God as the Maker of all things and the purpose for which everything was made
Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or 5principalities or 6powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. [13]
- “the apostle prays that they will please him in every way, an expression that describes not a frightened attitude in the presence of a superior, but behaviour that honours the Lord because it arises out of glad obedience to him.”[14]
Transisition: the more God’s children know him, the more they will also love him; and the more they love him, the
more they will also wish to obey him in thought, word, and deed.[15]
A- For Paul walking worthy in order to please God in everything involved fruit-bearing
1- We must abound in good works, and in every good work: not in some only, which are more easy, and suitable, and safe, but in all, and every instance of them. [16]
Application Questions:
1) Unsaved individual gets saved and begins to grow and we say, “Man, they are growing!”
What would cause us to say that? What do we observe as being growth?
- didn’t talk about the Lord before and now they do
- took the Lord’s name in vain
- reading bible now
- now they pray
- now they come to church
10 years goes by…..these things have become habits….what wasn’t expected before is now the norm
Do we expect more fruit on a mature tree instead of sapling? What reasons are there for that?
- he knows more now
- he has experienced more
According to the text, how does one change from being less mature to being more mature?
(Milk to Meat)
- by increasing in the knowledge of God
Illustration: Who wakes up and writes down the things they don’t want to do and then goes and does them
- when we have a choice our natural tendency will be to do what we love
| Real worship begins in the heart because heart precedes action! |
What should I love? Matthew 6:33
Gal 5:22 But athe fruit of the Spirit is blove, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, cgoodness, dfaithfulness, 23 7gentleness, self-control.[17]
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[1]Richard R. Melick, vol. 32, Philippians, Colissians, Philemon, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1991), 202.
[2]Richard R. Melick, vol. 32, Philippians, Colissians, Philemon, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1991), 203.
[3] Exegetical Paper: Colossians 1:9-14; Luke Akins, p6
[4]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Sa 2:17.
l Ex. 38:8
[5]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Sa 2:22.
[6]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Sa 2:25.
[7] Why then do you tscorn2 my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’[7]
[8] Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory, p117.
a Is. 41:4; [Rev. 1:8, 17; 22:13]
[9]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Is 44:6.
t Is. 41:4; Rev. 21:6; 22:13
4 NU, M omit the Beginning and the End
5 NU, M Lord God
u Rev. 4:8; 11:17
v Is. 9:6
[10]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 1:8.
y Acts 10:10
z Acts 20:7
a Rev. 4:1
7 NU, M omit “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and,
[11]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 1:10-11.
w Is. 40:10; 62:11
x Rev. 20:12
y Is. 41:4
6 NU, M First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
[12]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 22:12-13.
5 rulers
6 authorities
[13]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Col 1:16.
[14]D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition, Rev. Ed. of: The New Bible Commentary. 3rd Ed. / Edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), Col 1:9.
[15]William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 6, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Colossians and Philemon, Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 57.
[16]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996, c1991), Col 1:9.
a [John 15:2]
b [Rom. 5:1–5; 1 Cor. 13:4; Col. 3:12–15]
c Rom. 15:14
d 1 Cor. 13:7
7 meekness
[17]The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ga 5:22-23.