Title: New Wish / Colossians 1:9-12
At the service on the first Sunday of the New Year, we looked at the first part of Paul's thanksgiving under the title "Faith, Love, and Hope." Today we are going to take a look at the first part of Paul's supplication under the title of 'a new wish'. Of course, I have briefly reviewed the entire supplication in the form of a Bible study, but I will tell you in detail for a few weeks from today.
We are now examining Paul's letters to the Colossians as we enter the new year. At the New Year's Celebration Service on the first day of the new year, we looked at Paul's greetings under the title 'New meeting, new greeting'. It begins in the same style as any other letter of the time, but the content is filled with brand new things. Let's hear the voice of Christ Himself speaking through Paul, the changer of culture.
After saying hello, he gives thanks. No, because of the Colossians
I have revealed the contents of my prayer of thanks to me. I thanked God for their faith and love, and I was even more grateful that that faith and love was based on a hope stored up in heaven. Not only that, he is also thankful that the Colossians are hearing this good heavenly message. I gave thanks by reminding them of what the 'words of gospel truth' they had heard and what they did.
Then, according to the book of Colossians we looked at, who are Christians? They are people who bless each other from the first meeting in the name of Heavenly Father. These are the people who approach them while saying, "May grace and peace be with you." I am grateful for the wonderful work of salvation that Heavenly Father has done for our brothers and sisters. He is a Christian who gives thanks to God for giving them faith and love and giving them hope. Christian, who is he? A person who prays for brothers and sisters before the name of God. A person who offers intercessory prayer for each other Dear investigators, this blessed Christian life invites you. Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a new year in which you can enjoy this glorious Christian life.
In today's text, Paul's thanksgiving turns into supplication. Of course, the two parts are closely related to each other. First of all, the beginning of verse 3 and the beginning of verse 9 have a similar atmosphere. They all meet Paul, the man of prayer, and his companions. Verse 3 says, “Whenever we pray for you…” Verse 9 says, “And we also did not cease to pray for you…”
In addition, if you look closely at the two parts, similar terms and concepts are repeated. “From the day I heard it and understood it” (verse 6) and “from the day I heard it” (verse 9). The words “saints” “in the Spirit” (v. 8) and “spiritual” (v. 9) have similarities, and “inheritance in the light” is related to “the hope laid up in heaven.” The repetition of these similar expressions shows that the two parts are closely related to each other. The basis of an inductive Bible study is to examine each word used. This is a very important method, especially in a letter like today's text.
First, let's look at how Paul prayed. "Therefore, we also, from the day we heard it, have not ceased to pray for you, beseeching you." The New Standard Version reads as follows... "Therefore, from the day we heard of you, we also pray for you without ceasing."
Who is praying? Paul is not alone when he says “we too.” Of course, who can imagine that Paul did not pray alone? Paul must have been a man who alone built an altar of prayer before God. But in this case, by saying “we too,” we are implying that Timothy, a co-worker must be present in the prayer. When you are alone, pray alone. But when two people gather, they pray together. If two or three people pray in my name, Heavenly Father has promised to hear me. He said that what you bind here will be bound in heaven, and what you loose here will be loosed in heaven. They had been praying for the Colossians before. However, the news of the Colossians who heard through Epaphra made them pray even more. The news that the saints in Colossae were growing in grace (1:4, 8) made them pray even more earnestly.
Instead of breathing a sigh of relief, saying, 'Now I can stop praying for the Colossians,' this news became a catalyst for gratitude and supplication for them. If you look closely, can you not feel the difference between the way you and I pray and the way Paul prays here? When we hear the news that we are having a hard time, we pray diligently, but when we put out the fire, we diligently disappear. After hearing the news that they were in the midst of grace, I began to pray and thank God for the grace that God had given to the Colossians. Because I was so grateful, the flames of prayer burned even more as if gasoline was poured on a bonfire. The news gave Paul and his companions a new breath of prayer “as never before.”
Just as the news delivered by Epabra gave life to prayer, our prayer group can also heighten the enthusiasm for prayer with new news. That is why we regularly publish the missionaries' news in the weekly bulletin. Fresh news from them, such as freshly steamed buns, can intensify our prayers. Pray at home with your children over various prayer topics published in the weekly newsletter. Pray for missionaries' prayer topics in the bulletin in your district. Then our faith will enter a new level.
“Therefore, we also pray for you without ceasing from the day we heard it.” The apostle Paul firmly believed in “the fellowship of prayer.” His companions prayed for the saints who received the letter. At the same time, he keeps asking to pray for him. Those who believe in the fellowship of prayer are sincere in praying for their brothers and sisters and honest in asking for their prayers.
As the fellowship of prayer continues, it will become easier to communicate by letter. As you fellowship through letters, you will receive not only the news that you are praying for them, but also prayer topics and requests. In many of Paul's letters, he not only reveals that he prays for the saints who receive them, but at the end of the letter, you can see that he is asking for prayer support for me or for us.
Our text today, Colossians 1:3-9, contains Paul's prayer of thanksgiving for the Colossians and his supplication for them: "Whenever we pray for you, we give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. "For this reason we also do not cease to pray for you..." At the same time, 4:3 asks the Colossians to pray for him: "Be steadfast in prayer and watch with thanksgiving in prayer. Pray for God's sake, asking God to open the door for us to evangelize, so that we may speak the mystery of Christ."
Each of the first and second Thessalonians has such a prayer and request. “We always give thanks to God for all of you, and we speak of you in our prayers…” (1 Thessalonians 1:2). “Pray for us, brethren” (5:25). “Therefore, we also pray for you always, that our God counts you worthy of his calling, that he may rejoice in every good and work out the work of faith with power” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified as among you…” (3:1). Although Paul was a minister all his life, the Thessalonian ministry was an unforgettable ministry. As he began to speak of the Thessalonian ministry, his eyes lit up and his heart warmed. Because there the Word ran. "Pray for the same work to happen in us as it is among you."