Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV)
How to Bear Fruit in Every Good Work
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We
continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives, [a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please
him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great
endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you [b] to
share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from
the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Verse 9: For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for
you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives,
Paul asks God to fill them with knowledge of God’s will “in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding”
It is significant that Paul is praying for knowledge for the Colossians – they were under siege by
people who were telling them that they needed a better knowledge: a gnosis. The Gnostics
were teaching that Christ was a good place to begin but there was so much more they could
know and experience if only they would incorporate the Gnostic system of passwords, rites and
initiations.
These folks were know-it-alls. They were elitists and intimidating, and some of the
Colossians were falling for it…feeling like they were lacking.
Paul’s prayer hit the problem head-on.
The Gnostics word for knowledge was “gnosis”, but Paul used the word “epignosis”
which was closer to “full knowledge”…which was significantly spiritual.
Paul knew that spiritual knowledge is foundational to a sound, fruitful Christian life.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools [a] despise wisdom and instruction.
This knowledge starts with a proper attitude towards God.
Right knowledge leads to right behavior
Romans 1:28
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God
gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
The wisdom and understanding that Paul prays for are inseparable from the knowledge
of God and His will.
When praying for knowledge of God’s will, he is not just praying for them to know what
God wants them to do…it’s bigger
+ Filled with an understanding of God’s entire plan and scope for salvation.
…an understanding for God’s full saving purpose for man
…an understanding how God views us, and His purposes for us in Christ Jesus
Do we really want to know God’s will? You know, it might conflict with ours…
Praying for business…
This knowledge of God’s will only comes by spiritual wisdom and understanding
“Spiritual understanding” references understanding through the Holy Spirit
The scriptures are the primary source of knowledge for the believer as they are studied in the
power of the Holy Spirit. This produces a person whose life, through their actions, bears fruit
and pleases God.
When we pray for others, we often pray for healing, well-being and spiritual growth. Maybe we
should be praying for people to have “knowledge of His will in all wisdom and understanding”
We should be praying that for each other, for our pastors, our family and new believers.
We need to be prepared to be part of the answer to our own prayers too…HOW? Read
and meditate on God’s word.
We need to be able to filter out OUR culture’s gnosis through the filter of God’s
epignosis.
Examples of cultural influence in our knowledge…
Verse 10: …so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing
fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Knowing God’s will and being obedient to it are the only way we’re going to be able to
live a life that even comes close to being worthy of Him.
“Bearing fruit” in every good work – does that describe us?
Pray that your knowledge increases so you can live and follow in the way that God
wants for our lives. When you do that, you can begin to understand God’s will and live a
life that pleases Him…live out the desires He has for us. In turn, you will see God’s will
more clearly.
Obedience to the knowledge of God which has already been received is a necessary and
certain condition for the reception of further knowledge.
In the Hebrew mind, knowledge and conduct were bound together.
From their perspective, a person did not know something unless they did it.
– true spiritual knowledge means ACTION.
- Paul prayed that they walk their talk…DO WE?
These days, people of knowledge, don’t seem to be people of action. (except Gene). And
people of action tend to neglect the pursuit of knowledge.
-an ignorant “soul-winner” who only knows a pattern of tracts through scripture may not
have a thought-through of his own. On the other hand, a Biblical scholar who has never
led a soul to Christ.
WE NEED BALANCE – a profound knowledge should profoundly affect one’s walk.
Any doctrine that isolates the believer from the needs of the world is not a spiritual
doctrine.
The result bears fruit – a constant, ongoing reality.
Why did Paul add … growing in the knowledge of God, again? He knew that once you start to
bear fruit in every good work, you naturally open yourself to “increasing in the knowledge of
God”.
It’s an upward spiral: the more one truly serves Him, the more one increases in the
knowledge of Him…and the more one knows Him, the more one wants to serve Him.
John 7:17 – Jesus made it clear that doing the Father’s will made possible the reception of the
knowledge of the Son.
17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes
from God or whether I speak on my own.
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not
conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Conform to the pattern set before us…die that we might live
We are told to “die to self”, but it’s critical that as we die to self, we grow in understanding of
what it means to die to self…what it means to live in Christ.
Verse 11: being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may
have great endurance and patience
Power of His Glorious might – the power of God - the creation, parting the red sea, the
virgin birth, raising Lazarus from the dead and the resurrection of Jesus.
- with that power, Paul prays that they would have endurance and patience
Paul was praying for them to have the steadfastness that which enables one to hold
one’s position in battle. There were forces in the Lycus valley who were looking to
destroy the Colossian Church.
Paul was praying that they would stand…endure…persevere…remain steadfast…
stay at it.
As Winston Churchill told students at his former school “never give up. Never
give up. Never give up. Never. Never. Never!”
- If you’re going to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, and live a life that please
Him, you’ll need both, endurance and patience.
Endurance is a reference to adverse circumstances. Patience is a reference to difficult
people. Possessing endurance, does not mean one will succeed in patience.
Endurance and patience, when combined together, are beautiful. Of course, they exist perfectly
only in Jesus. Paul knew that, which is why they should be strengthened with all
power according to his glorious might…
The church with “endurance and patience” is a great church…a church that walks in a manner
worthy of the Lord”
Where do we stand with this? Where do you stand with this?
Verse 12: …and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you [b] to share in the
inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light
Now He is starting to talk about our inheritance
We also walk in a worthy manner by being thankful. We cannot walk worthy of God without
joyfully giving thanks to our God for our salvation. WHY? Paul gives 3 reasons:
1. He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of
light. Not through anything we have done. We are now in the realm of LIGHT.
2 Corinthians 4:6
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” [ a ] made his light shine in
our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the
face of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:5
5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the
night or to the darkness.
2. We are rescued
Verse 13: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
We have been rescued!
The 4 R’s of our testimony: Rescue – Renew - Resource – and Release
We have been rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son He loves.
He rescued us from THIS kingdom and released us into His
Stockholm Syndrome – emotional connection with captors
3. Reason 3 comes in Verse 14: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
We have been purchased for a price…fully redeemed and fully healed in Christ. Free from sin.
Summary: Interceding for each other is remarkably valuable…
A church that is growing in the knowledge of Christ and His will, and consequently is walking
worthy of Him, will do great things for Him. Let’s commit ourselves to this…if we haven’t yet,
let’s start now.
PRAY
Scripture References (NIV)
“How to Bear Fruit in Every Good Work”
(slides)
Colossians 1:9-14
Colossians 1:9
Proverbs 1:7
Romans 1:28
Colossians 1:10
John 7:17
Romans 12:1-2
Colossians 1:11
Colossians 1:12
2 Corinthians 4:6
1 Thessalonians 5:5
Colossians 1:13
Colossians 1:14
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