Colossians 1

Paul begins his letter to the Church of Colossae with his standard, greeting, thanksgiving and prayer.  From his prayer for this young church, we can learn much about how to pray for one another and (in light of this being BYBC week) our Great Adventurers.  If you ever struggle with how to pray for another believer, just turn to the prayers of the Apostle Paul and pray those words.

(1:9) And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding...

Father, I pray that this week would be absolutely revolutionary in the lives of our Great Adventurers (students & adults).  Fill them with your wisdom, with a deeper understanding of who you are, what you want from them and how much the lost matter to you.

(1:10) ...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Lord Jesus, I don't ask simply for great knowledge or understanding, but for changed lives that honor you fully.  You are absolutely worthy of anything and everything and my prayer is that the lives of these servants would reflect that this week. May they please you this week in this offering of worship. May you receive all the glory for every moment of every day.

(1:11) May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy...

Holy Spirit, fill these minister of the gospel of grace. Give them your power so that they can withstand, temptation, heat, tiredness, irritability and whatever else could distract them from what you are doing in these clubs.

(1:12) ...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Father, thank you that the gospel we share with others is also true for us. Thank you for calling us to yourself. Thank you for bringing life where there was only death. Thank you for saving us.

After Paul prays, he starts talking about Jesus. That's exactly what our teenagers are doing. If you ever find yourself running out of words, thoughts, ideas for how to praise Jesus, here are a few...

(1:15-20) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.  For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

In verse 24, Paul makes a statement that bears repeating, especially in light of our activities this week. He writes, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church." 

Huh? What was possibly "lacking in Christ's afflictions"? What is Paul talking about? Here is how one great teacher (John Piper) explains this confusing verse...

• The suffering of Christ was for our PROPITIATION.
• The suffering of Paul is for the Gospel's PROCLAMATION.

Jesus died to purchase a people for Himself. There is nothing to add to that. It is complete. However, Paul's sufferings brought that message to the nations. His willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ "filled up what was lacking" (authenticated, gave credibility to) the message of the gospel.

Our willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ, every sacrifice we make for Jesus, every time we say "No" to self and "Yes" to the Savior, every time we face persecution in any for the fame of His name... we authenticate the message of the Gospel. We "fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ" through our proclamation and presentation of the Gospel to a lost world.

  BOBBY PRUITT  |  Lead Pastor

Bobby was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. He is the youngest of 13 children and was the first believer in his family. He graduated from Columbia Bible College and served in churches in North & South Carolina before coming to Texas in 1994. Bobby and Amy have been married since November of 1990 and have 3 children (Riley, Beau, and Emma Grace).