Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 17, 2021

Gospel Supremacy

Colossians 1:1-14

* Background/Context: author, occasion, Colossian “heresy” and theme

1. Don’t hit “delete!” (1-2)

• identification of recipients
• extension of grace and peace

2. Attention! God at Work! (3-8)

• You grow spiritually when you appreciate God’s actions for you and affirm His message to you.

A. Appreciate God’s role as the author of new life. (3-5a)

• gratitude for activity and new existence
• upward, outward and forward

B. Affirm God’s message as the ultimate solution. (5b-6)

• centered in Christ
• word of truth
• undeserved but desperately needed
• productive

C. Assess your present status. (7-8)

• example of Epaphras
• note the progression

3. Praying for Others (9-14)

• Since nothing matters more than God’s honor, pray that the lives of His people may honor Him.

A. Understand the perspective of prayer. (9a)

• unbroken communion
• unceasing support

B. Affirm the priority in prayer. (9b)

• to know God
• ignorance is not bliss

C. Emphasize the pleasure of God in prayer. (10-12)

• life that pleases God
• what it looks like: exhibiting fruit, applying knowledge, appropriating strength, giving thanks

D. Praise the God who qualifies, delivers and transfers. (13-14)

• redemption
• forgiveness

4. So What?

• Cultivate a text-driven perspective.
• Pray in response to and anticipation of God’s word. (Before You Open Your Bible by Matt Smethurst)
• “The pipe of love is often dry because the pipe of prayer is not deep enough.” (John Piper)
• “Sweet hour of prayer…” (William Walford, 1845)