A Life Worthy of the Lord

Scripture Reading: Colossians 1: 3 - 14 (NIV)

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

9For 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, 10so 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, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Message:  A Life Worthy of the Lord

Paul’s prayer for believers

Paul thanks God for believers, because working with believers gives him energy to do his work

He gets inspiration from fellow believers and in seeing how they practice their faith

Paul prays for the knowledge of the will of God in them, so that they may know where God is leading them in their lives as believers

Also prays for an understanding of what the Spirit is doing among them

Paul is grateful to see a community of believers serving God alongside one another

He receives reports from Epaphras, his associate - good reports of active faith… “told us of your love in the Spirit”

A life worthy of the Lord

Paul prays that they may live lives worthy of the Lord

Bearing fruit in every good work

Growing in the knowledge of God

Being strengthened

Having endurance

Having patience

Thanking God

Respond to this prayer

Paul’s prayer is for you! Take that in!

Respond:  bear fruit, grow in your knowledge of God, find strength in the Lord, keep at it with endurance, be patient  and thank God

Live a life worthy of the Lord