Sermons from the Epistle to the Colossians

A PRAYER TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

COLOSSIANS 1:9-12

JULY 4, 1999

Perhaps nothing eludes a Christian more than a satisfying, effective prayer life. I've rarely met a believer who would say that he is where he wants to be in prayer. I can only imagine that even in this place today, I am united with believers who long to see an increase in faithfulness and effectiveness in prayer.

Why do we have such trouble with prayer? One reason is that prayer is hard work! It requires much discipline on our part. Developing consistency takes time. It is all too easy to do so many other things, good things, to the neglect of prayer. We can be assured that if we can be distracted from prayer, we will! Another reason must surely be the subjective nature of prayer. We are praying in private to a God whom we cannot see with our eyes, asking him to do things which we often doubt he will do. We even wonder sometimes if he does hear our heart-cries since we are the ones making the audible sounds, not God.

There are some great resources to help us in these and other areas of prayer-concern. I would commend Don Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, E. M. Bound's classic series on prayer, John Bunyan's Prayer, John Piper's Desiring God, and others. These writers address a multitude of concerns on prayer and help us with our discipline and motivation to seek God.

But I want to look at one area of concern in prayer during our time together. Often I encounter believers who have no lack of desire to pray. Instead, the question is, What am I to pray? Do believers simply rattle off a list of names before God's throne and ask, 'Bless this one and that one, give good health over here, provide finances over there'? So much of our praying revolves around heath, finances, and occasionally decisions. There is certainly nothing wrong with praying about these things. But I believe we find the Scriptures taking us into yet another dimension in prayer. That will be our focus this morning. As we take a look at our text, I believe we will be convinced that our prayer for one another in the body of Christ has immeasurable impact on the spiritual health of the church.

To help us think through in this, I want to consider four questions which our text answers: For whom are we to pray? What are we to consider as we pray? What is to be the goal in our praying? What is the impact of our prayer?

With these questions in mind, let us turn our attention to the Word of God.

I. For whom are we to pray?

One of Paul's trademarks in his epistles is the assurance of his prayers on behalf of the recipients. To the Romans he remarked, "I make mention of you always in my prayers" (Rom. 1:9-10). To the Ephesians he wrote, "I...do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers" (Eph. 1:15-16). To his beloved Philippian church, he tells, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all" (Phil. 1:3-4). Our text is similar: "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding."

The Apostle sets an example for us in prayer. "For whom are we to pray?" In Paul's thinking, it was those believers of whom he has heard of the genuine work of God among them. It was a people for whom he sensed
genuine need in their spiritual pursuits. We are reminded that Paul did not establish this church. To our knowledge, he had never preached a sermon in Colossae. Yet he was intimately connected with them as he took on the responsibility of interceding for them and instructing them in the faith. Certainly Paul was busy praying for churches he had established, as the ones in Ephesus and Philippi. But his concern for the work of the gospel and ministry of the church extended beyond his own footprints.

For whom are you regularly praying? If Paul could pray for a church where he had never preached, surely we are motivated to pray for the church where we worship, find spiritual food, and enjoy fellowship. I think that is where we must begin in our praying, aside from personal and family concerns. We must pray for one another as we have witnessed firsthand the gracious working of God among us. The only people I can think of who do not need our praying are those who have "arrived" spiritually. None of us qualifies! So all of us are in need of the prayers of each other in the body. This seems to be the implication in Paul's short statements of how the Christian is to live in relationship to others, be "devoted to prayer" (Rom. 12:12). The exercise of prayer in that context points to prayer for those with whom we are in relationship.

What motivated Paul to pray for the Colossian believers? He heard of the work of God among them! He knew that the gospel had come to them, they heard it, understood it, learned it, and followed after Jesus Christ (1:5-7). But he also knew what they were facing. This young church was being invaded by some who claimed a secret knowledge of divine mysteries, by others who claimed that the key to spirituality was living the life of an ascetic, and yet others who were pushing legalism upon them. Paul knew they needed the understanding to resist such confusing influences and press on into maturity in Christ. So he prayed.

Do you know anyone in our body who may be facing struggles or who is pursuing spiritual maturity or who is facing opposition as a Christian? How about any who long to know Christ deeper or to understand the doctrines of the faith or who are seeking to be faithful witnesses for Christ? Or do you know any who struggle with issues of sin or who have battles with personal discipline or who need to improve in obedience? How about someone lacking assurance? Then pray for these brethren by name and need! These concerns may go beyond our body of believers and should include others the Lord has brought to your attention for prayer.

Are we just to pray for one another once, then forget it? The implication of Paul's prayer is that he prayed regularly for the Colossian believers, "We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask." We know that the Apostle exhorts Christians to "pray without ceasing" and to "be devoted to prayer." We may not know the exact details of his prayer life, but we are assured that prayer was a vital part of his ongoing walk with Christ. And intercession for others was a major part of his prayer life. We also know that he prayed personally and faithfully for the people on his heart.

Let me suggest a couple of things out of this as practical help. First, seek to maintain a regular pattern of daily prayer. This may necessitate a set time and place where you lay others' needs before the throne of grace. You may have to be somewhat flexible in your scheduling, and that is okay, just know that prayer is a disciplined work. It will require your diligent, conscientious attention. If you don't make plans to pray, you probably won't! Second, keep a prayer journal or prayer list of those whom you want to pray for on a regular basis. This will serve as a reminder of the needs others have and the people for whom you have utmost concern. You will likely pray for some people that you may not know very well, but you are impressed of the Lord to intercede for them. Writing down their name will serve as a reminder to keep them in prayer. May we have that same attitude as that of Samuel when he turned over the reigns of Israel to their new king, "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you" (I Sam. 12:22).

II. What are we to consider as we pray?

In analyzing the content of Paul's prayer for the Colossians, you realize that he was keenly aware of the trouble they were facing in light of his prayers. "We...pray for you and...ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." The essence of the content of his prayer was that the Colossians might understand truth and upon understanding it, apply truth to their lives.

This church began during the Apostle's third missionary journey. Shortly after this, Paul made his way to Rome where he was imprisoned for a couple of years and wrote this epistle. The church was very much in its formative period, practically still in infancy. With its youthfulness, they also had the propensity to be swept away by false teaching or at least influenced to head in a direction that would have damaged the fragile fellowship of this congregation. The problem of incipient Gnosticism, folk religions, religious syncretism, legalists, and ascetics bombarded these young believers. So what did they need? They needed to "be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." They just needed to know the revelation of God.

The Greek of the text implies 'May God fill you with the knowledge of His will' (this is evident by the use of the passive voice). They would not be filled with such knowledge by their own keen minds, but by the gracious working of God among them. Most scholars believe that there was a group in Colossae who claimed to have a special "knowledge" (Greek, gnosis) of the mysteries of God. They were spiritual elitists, who liked to wave their claim boastfully before these struggling believers. Without this "knowledge" the Colossians would fail to have eternal life and communion with God, they insisted.

Paul's prayer is both comforting and instructional. What they needed was not a special knowledge of mysteries, but simply to "know God." So he prays that the Lord might make himself known to the Colossians. They did not need the initiation of Gnostic-like mysteries but a knowledge of the revelation of God in Christ. The prayer was that they might become God-consumed and God-directed in their thoughts. It was a desire that their grasp of all God had done for them in Christ might fill their minds.

It is important to remember that whenever the New Testament writers addressed problem situations or distressing circumstances, they always pointed the church back to Jesus Christ and the gospel. It was in seeing Christ afresh and re-living the glories of the gospel that they would be strengthened to persevere (e.g., I Thess. 1-2; I Tim. 6:11-16; II Tim. 1:3-14, 2:8-13, 3:1-17; Hebrews 2:1-18, 12:1-2, etc.). The knowledge of which Paul prayed, was a "personal knowledge" as opposed to something merely intellectual. It was a knowledge that was to be applied "in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." In Hebrew thought, wisdom was "skill in living." It was the application of knowledge or spiritual insights into all the issues of daily life. The Greek word for understanding means 'to put together the facts, drawing the necessary conclusions, and applying them to the relationships of life' (sunesis). So his prayer was for the understanding and application of the revelation of God to their lives. Truth was to permeate every part of their lives.

Does anyone you know have this same need for the knowledge of God and its application to life? Then you have a prayer already set before you to pray for others. There is certainly nothing wrong with borrowing a biblical prayer to pray on behalf of others! By utilizing Scripture in prayer, you certainly do not have to wonder if you are praying in the will of God. Use biblical prayers to help guide your intercession.

Look at the pattern. Paul took the time to consider what the believers at Colossae were facing and prayed accordingly. He went beyond their physical and material needs to give intense thought to their spiritual lives. As we are involved in relationships in the body of Christ, as we pay attention to the needs in one another's lives, as we listen to the burdens on each other's hearts, then we will plenty to consider as we pray.

Here is an exercise that you may find helpful. Write down the names of ten people in this church family. Then ask the Lord to show you what their spiritual needs might be. You may need to talk with these people or listen to what they are saying about their lives. As you recognize the spiritual needs, jot it down. Then continue regularly in prayer for these believers, perhaps utilizing the prayer of our text or another one to guide your praying.

III. What is to be the goal in our praying?

Do we want to see anything happen as a result of God working in answer to our prayers? Paul was quite specific. He gave the Colossians the content of his prayer for them, but also set forth the intention of his prayer: "so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." He certainly was not trying to hem the Lord in on how he might answer his prayers. Instead, Paul's goal in prayer helped to shape the content of his prayer. There were certain practical realities he wanted to see in the lives of these believers. In order for it to happen, they needed to be filled with the knowledge of God in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

First, he wanted to see their ethical behavior affected. The idea of "walk" as used in the New Testament, always refers to behavior. It is your ethical, moral life in day-to-day existence. Rick Melick points out that the term was "synonymous with obedience to the grace of God" [NAC--Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 203]. When we are living the Christian life, our ethical behavior is affected. Christ said that believers are "salt" and "light" in the world, terms which refer to the ethical dimensions of our lives. We are not to just fill our heads with great truth. That truth is to show up in our business dealings, social relationships, financial lives, family relations, and our tongues.

Second, he wanted to see their aim of life affected. This is indicated by the phrase, "to please Him in all respects." Pleasing God was the aim of our Lord. He always sought "to do the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8:29). It was this same aim that the Apostle carried forth as he instructed the churches. He told the Ephesians that they were to "walk as children of light...trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord" (5:8-10). You always want to please the one you love. This means we evaluate the decisions of our lives in light of this one great truth, 'Will it be pleasing to the Lord?' Will my decisions honor the Lord and bring glory to his great name? Let me show you how can affect us. What will happen in the church where every member is consumed with pleasing the Lord? That congregation will have such a display of unity that no amount of advertising could come close to promoting the beauty and wonder of the gospel which brought it about.

Third, he wanted to see their Christian service affected. As these believers had a better grasp of the revelation of God and applied it to their lives, it would be evidenced by fruitful Christian lives: "bearing fruit in every good work." The phrase, "in every" is in the emphatic position in the Greek. I think that lays stress on how the Apostle desired to see these believers so filled with a passion for God that everything they did manifest something of God's glory and grace. "Bearing fruit" is in the present tense, so it implies that your fruit never goes out of season as a Christian. After describing the very essence of the Christian life later in this epistle, Paul wrote, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (3:17). In a similar vein, he told the Corinthians, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31). Fruit-bearing implies that evidence of God's grace in our lives shows through our service and actions toward others.

Fourth, he wanted to see their understanding of God affected. This is really making a complete circle. In order to see the lives of the Colossians affected, they needed to be filled with the knowledge of God. Consequently, such knowledge would overflow to affect their ethical behavior, the aim of their lives, and their Christian service. All of that would further increase their knowledge of God! "Increasing in the knowledge of God" suggests a steady growth in our personal grasp of the revelation of God. As we serve the Lord and grow in grace, our capacity for understanding more of God increases. The more we know about God, the more we want to know more. The more we serve him, the more we are consumed with the passion of knowing him. Paul let's the Colossians know that those who claimed to have arrived at some mysterious knowledge of God have failed to see that our knowledge of God is "increasing" rather than plateauing. We have a finite capacity for grasping the infinite God. Yet as we grow, he increases our capacity to know him.

Do you think in terms like this for your own spiritual life and also that of your fellow believers? Let us investigate in our own study of the Word the fulness of the Christian life, so that our goal in prayer will reflect Christ-honoring aims for our fellow believers.

IV. What is the impact of our prayer?

I suppose there is no way to gauge the impact of prayer in our lives. I would not even venture to propose some rigid scale of "prayer impact." However, in light of our text, I think there are some things that happen as God works among his people in answer to prayer. After praying for a fulness in the knowledge of God so that the radical affect of divine revelation would fill every aspect of the believer's life, Paul's certainty was that these believers would be "strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might [better, 'according to the might of his glory'], for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." I believe this points to two specific results which transpire in the believer's life: power to persevere and thanksgiving for grace.

First, the strength and power which Paul mentions are the same Greek word, dunamis. It is a play on words. Using the passive voice, it might be translated, 'that you might be empowered [by God] with all power'. The power was grounded in the inherent, sovereign strength of God's glory. In other words, Paul was saying that God himself, by his own unlimited power, is going to strengthen you so that you might persevere in the trials before you.

Strength and power were not given for show, but to enable the believers to "endure" [steadfastness, hupomone] whatever afflictions and circumstances that came their way and to "patiently" deal with whatever relationships they faced. I call it perseverance. For the ability to keep pressing on in circumstances and relationships, even when they are difficult, comes through the strength given by the Lord. It is those who are seeking to walk with the Lord and serve him that are best prepared to persevere through trials. I think that is the over-arching aim of his prayer. As they grew in the knowledge of God and consequently, grew in faithfulness, passionately serving him, then they would find the strength to persevere. Here perseverance is viewed as more a normal result of our walk with Christ rather than anything we force ourselves to do. In the crucible of life, as believers seek to walk faithfully, the Lord grants the strength to persevere.

Second, the whole attitude of the believer who has been on the receiving end of so much from the Lord is one of thanksgiving for grace. The emphasis in thanksgiving is focused upon the believer recognizing that it was the Father "who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." It was not our own good works or righteousness which qualified us to be partakers of the divine inheritance. It was the gracious activity and pleasure of God. How do you know when a believer is growing in grace and the knowledge of God? When he finds himself continually pointing back to the grace of God that has brought him thus far and will ultimately give to him the inheritance sealed by Christ. Thanksgiving for grace keeps the believer walking in humility and divine dependence.

Conclusion

What a delightful picture of the Christian life! 'Ah, but that is impossible', someone might say. That is all the more reason to beseech the God who knows no impossibilities on behalf of one another in the body of Christ, that we might be filled with the knowledge of God in all spiritual wisdom and insight, so that we are inflamed with a passion for him in everything we do, with the result that whatever comes our way, we persevere and give thanks.

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