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COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY 4
COLOSSIANS 1:6-7 THE GOSPEL IS TREASURE THAT GROWS
Colossians 1:6-7In 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.
Philipp Franz von Siebold imported an attractive plant from a Japanese volcano to Holland. By 1850 a specimen from this plant was added to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was a great success with gardeners and seemed to grow anywhere. Japanese Knotweed is a nearly indestructible invasive plant. It cost the UK government, £1.25 billion to control this plant in 2014. It cost £70 million to remove knotweed as they built the Olympic Games velodrome and aquatic centre for London 2012! Paul likens the gospel to a plant that cannot be stopped! It always spreads, it always bears fruit!
1. The Gospel that bears fruit
· Paul points to the gospel as the transformative factor. In verse 5, he calls it ‘the true message of the gospel’ (NIV).How would you outline the gospel message?
There are a number of ways that the gospel message can be summarised. Here is a helpful these three point outline:
1. Who is Jesus? – incarnation– Jesus came from heaven to earth as God and man (1:3, 15-19, 2:9)
2. Why did Jesus die?– substitution for restoration- restoration of ourselves to God and of all creation at the end of time (1:13, 20-22)
3. Response - Faith and repentance– symbolised by baptism (1:4-5, 2:6, 2:12)
· Look at the following texts and discuss what they say about these three points of the gospel: Colossians 1:21-23 John 3:16, Acts 2:32-39, Roman 10:9-13.
2. The Gospel bears fruit
· In verse 4, what ‘fruit’ from the gospel does Paul mention?
· A changed life is a mark of new life, and this new life is a gift, by the Spirit, through the gospel message. What does 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 describe as some of the fruits of the gospel?
Response
· How confident are you in the gospel to save and how is this being expressed in your life?
· How often do you, and how often would you like to, pray for opportunities to share the gospel message?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEEK 4
COLOSSIANS 1:6-7 THE GOSPEL IS TREASURE THAT GROWS
MONDAY – OUR TREASURE CAUSES GROWTH BECAUSE IT IS LIVING
Colossians 1:6-7 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. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ourbehalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Many things that we treasure are inanimate and so stay the same or, as is more likely, decay. Even beloved friends and family age and die – everything is passing. Sometimes one may watch a repeat showing of an old quiz show. At such times we see prizes that were new and modern now looking dated, and I’m sure that most of them are now on a rubbish heap somewhere.
The the gospel message is living? It is a ‘treasure’ that grows in us and in others as we share it. It causes growth because the person in the story accompanies the message. Maybe for a birthday one might buy or gift a biography to a friend; the best we can hope for is that they will be inspired. Jesus’ biography, however, imparts the very life of Jesus. Through the treasure of the gospel we bring Jesus to people; even more extraordinarily, as we hear about Him, He comes and lives in us by the Spirit. As a result, we grow in Christ-likeness.
RESPONSE
There, of course, is something to be said for our effort in regard to our growth in godliness. But, let’s remember that salvation and all growth (sanctification) is a result of Jesus’ life in us. Take a moment to remember and express your gratitude and dependence upon Jesus. Maybe you might like to reflect upon Jesus’ words,
John 15:5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
TUESDAY – THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUIT AND GROWING
Colossians 1:6-7 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. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ourbehalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
The devil wants us to lose confidence in the gospel and God’s merciful plans to save many. Our own story of conversion and transformation is evidence of God’s ongoing mercy and the power of the gospel. Jesus said to Nicodemus,
John 3:8“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
The Spirit continues to blow and cause people to turn to Christ. In this city, this nation and across the globe, God is carrying on His saving work even if we can’t see it. Paul says that it is ‘bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world’. Jesus made a great statement of His ongoing saving ministry,
John 10:14-16“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
However well we think we are doing at seeing the gospel spread, Jesus is continuing to cause people to hear His voice and they will respond.
RESPONSE
Take some time to thank the Lord that His gospel is bearing fruit in salvation and growth throughout every church and every nation. Pick up a map and pray for different nations that the gospel would bear fruit in different nations. Pray for Arad in Romania and the Bethlehem church that we partner with, that they would be encouraged with growth.
WEDNESDAY – THE GOSPEL GROWS AS WE GO
Colossians 1:6-7 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. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ourbehalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Christians are like farmers. We are given the living seed of the gospel, but we must sow it if we are to see the harvest that we want. This text is both a promise and a provocation. It’s a promise that God is at work in the world, as Jesus says,
Matthew 24:14“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
However, this text should also convict us from inaction and stir our faith so as to be active in sharing the gospel. Paul could say that the gospel was ‘bearing fruit all over the world’ because he had shared it all over the world! Of course it is only God who can save, but He usually uses people to spread the gospel - the Colossians had heard it through Epaphras (1:7). Paul encourages them in their manner of sharing, ‘Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’ (4:5)
Jesus’ life sets us a great example, and His prayer reveals God’s heart that we get involved.
Matthew 9:35-38Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
RESPONSE
Meditate on Matthew 9:35-38 and then pray in response to how the Spirit inspires you. Pray for your church and Community Group in this regard also.
THURSDAY – THE GOSPEL IS TREASURE THAT CAN GROW MORE OR LESS SUCCESSFULLY
Colossians 1:6-7 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. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on ourbehalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Paul says that the gospel is not only bearing fruit in the world, it is also bearing fruit among them. He is writing to ensure that they remain faithful and fruitful.
Jesus tells us a parable about four types of soil in Matthew 13:1-23 (Luke 8:4-15).
Take a moment to read this parable. The focus is not on the identity of the sower (although it does encourage us to be sowers), it’s focus is on the four types of soil. We are to ask the questions: “which soil am I most like… Which soil do I most want to be… Which do I least want to be and how do I need to respond?” The three soils types are:
1. Those who don’t try to understand the gospel- The path, where the birds ate up the seed.
2. Those who refuse persecution for the gospel– The Rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
3. The worriers and lovers of wealth/won’t trust the gospel– Among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
4. Those who hear the gospel with understanding– The Good soil
This parable contains warning and promise. A promise that their will be different kinds of responses as we share the gospel message, and we are assured of fruitfulness. The parable is also, and primarily, a warning to take care that we hear well; we are to take care lest we become like the the path or the fruitless soils. The Colossians were showing warning signs and Paul is writing this letter to keep them from listening to false teachers and from losing the gospel. Even the fruitful need to be exhorted to remain true to the word of God and the gospel in particular.
RESPONSE
We all have aspects of each soil type. What would the Spirit want to say to you as you read, think and pray from this parable?
FRIDAY – THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT GOD’S GRACE
Colossians 1:6-7 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.
Pauls says, ‘you heard it (the gospel) and truly understood God’s grace.’ (1:6). The gospel is about God’s grace - God’s free gift. Jesus came into the world (incarnation) by grace; He died on the cross (substitution) by grace; He invites us to follow Him by grace - by faith alone.
It is a message that can easily be misunderstood. Paul parodied a potential response, ‘What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?(Romans 6:1) In other words - the gospel of salvation by faith alone is surely going to lead to people saying “I can sin as much as I like because I’m forgiven through Christ and my good works count for nothing”. The false teachers at Colossae were seeking to add to the gospel, maybe in a mistaken desire to protect people and protect from sin. The true gospel of grace, however, is the free gift of righteousness by faith alone - this is amazing! Have you ‘truly understood God’s grace’? Let’s look at Ephesians 2 and consider God’s grace again.
Ephesians 2:8-10For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
A few points on this text:
· We are saved by grace, and this is defined as by faith alone. Salvation is received on the basis of a great exchange – We receive Christ’s righteous life and He takes our sinful life as we put our faith in Him.
· Even our faith is the gift of God! You cannot pat yourself on the back for being wiser, more humble, righteous… than others who turn away from the gospel. No! even your response was made possible by the Spirit of God.
· It’s not by works. Paul underlines this. We need to constantly be reminded of this. This keeps us boasting entirely in Christ rather than ourselves.
· Any good works that we do are by grace and to the praise of His grace.
RESPONSE
Take some time to worship and thank God for His saving grace toward you.
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