15/10/18 TREASURE BLOG 6 - LIVING A LIFE OF WORTH (COLOSSIANS 1:9-10)

THIS BLOG CONTAINS:

• Community group/family study
• Daily bible studies 
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• For more information visit www.communitychurchputney.com

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY 6

COLOSSIANS 1:9-10 LIVING A LIFE OF WORTH

What is a life worth living? There are still false teachers who will summarise a life worth livings as something like, “doing what makes you happy whilst making the world a better place”.  World famous ‘life coach’ Tony Robbins summarises success, “Success is doing what you want to do, when you want, where you want, with whom you want, as much as you want.” Maybe you have a vision for the good life but is it a biblical vision? This week, let’s allow the Spirit to search us and turn us toward sincere devotion to God and His will in which we find true life. 

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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… 

This passage can be summarised, ‘A life of worth involves knowing and doing’ – knowing God, Knowing His will and then doing His will. 

• If you were to be honest, what do think, you or are you tempted to believe, will give you the best life possible? 
• In Colossians 1:9-10, what does Paul point to as a ‘life worthy’?
• Look again at what Paul says about Prayer here – How is prayer both the way to, and the essence of, a life of worth? 

In order to know God, know His will and live a life of worth, Paul says we need ‘wisdom’ (Sophia – This is theoretical knowledge of truth); and we also also says we need Understanding (Sunesis– this is doing or application of wisdom). Both of these things are ‘that the Spirit gives’ (NIV). This means that a life of worth is knowingand doingtruth as defined by the Spirit in scripture. What could happen if one has an imbalance of knowing and doing, and what facet do you feel is your strongest/weakest?  

RESPONSE

If we want a life that is ‘worthy of the Lord’ we must know and do as the Spirit teaches. During our response I’d like you to reflect on your vison of a life of worth. Let’s consider three questions:

• What aspects of your vision of life are in line with God’s word (His wisdom)? 
• What aspects are not, or you suspect are not, in keeping with God’s wisdom and understanding? 
• What desires do you have that need to be tweaked/refined? 

DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEEK 6

COLOSSIANS 1:9-10 LIVING A LIFE OF WORTH

MONDAY – A LIFE WORTH LIVING IS A PRAYERFUL LIFE

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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. 

i) PRAYER IS THE LIFE WORTH LIVING

A life worth living begins with coming to know God for whom we were created. Without connection to Him we are missing the very foundation and deepest reason for our existence. Prayer is about relationship with God. Without prayer we may be going to heaven but we are certainly not living a worthy life! Prayer is not just a means to an end, it is a means to the end, the end of knowing God in a living relationship. 

ii) PRAY FOR A LIFE OF WORTH

Paul sets us a great example in faithful prayer when he says that ‘we have not stopped praying for you’. He also shows us how we are to pray the very best things for people. He prays that they would live a life ‘worthy of the Lord’. His greatest ambition for them is that they know and give their lives to God and, in so doing, find a life of true worth. In chapter 2 Paul expresses His greatest desire – that they know Jesus and it’s this ambition that overflows into his prayers,

Colossians 2:1-3 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

RESPONSE

Do you see prayer as being a life of worth and not just as the means to a life worth living? Prayer is spending time with God – do believe that knowing God is true life?  Are you praying regularly for yourself, family, church, that they would live a life of worth – with God at the centre? 

TUESDAY – A LIFE OF WORTH REQUIRES WISDOM 

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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. 

‘Wisdom’ (Sophia) is theoretical knowledge of truth. In this context Paul is praying that the Spirit would teach them wisdom that comes from God. The Colossian church was being taught false wisdom which detracted from Jesus. Teaching must be tested whilst endeavouring to notice and keep ourselves from having a critical attitude. We must never dismiss teachers because of their style, dress, accent, gender… It’s also worth noting that listening to one message does not constitute all that they have taught! It’s wrong to reject a teacher because they didn’t cover everything that’s important in each message. However, here are some warnings:

• It’s unbiblical not to have a church home and elders that are the primary voice that you are learning from. (1 Tim. 5:17) 
• All teachers (including your church’s) should cover the full range of biblical doctrines over time, including the difficult things. (2 Tim. 3:16) 
• A church/teacher should give weight, over time, to the things that the bible emphasises. The gospel is the pre-eminent theme and should be woven into all teaching. You should be disturbed by teachers who very rarely state the gospel whilst emphasising miracles, money and power. 

RESPONSE

Personal growth in wisdom (knowledge of truth) is vital - too often one can be advancing at work and our interests whilst remaining ignorant of basic truth and skills to read the bible – don’t be like that! You’re an accident waiting to happen. If you are weak in truth, you will probably fall over!  

1 Timothy 4:7-8Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 

How is your discipline of bible study? Ask the Spirit to motivate and teach you His truth. 

WEDNESDAY – A LIFE OF WORTH REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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. 

Understanding (Sunesis)– this is obedience or application of the wisdom that we have looked at previously. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,  

“Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” 

This simple aphorism has great insight. Many, even the devil, know the truth, what the gospel is, how to pray, what a life of worth is… but we all know there’s a massive difference between knowing in order to obey and knowing in order to refute and counterfeit. Social media is full of people telling each other the ‘truth’, often with needling, hair-splitting, inauthenticity. To see what one believes, according to Bonhoeffer, one must look at a one’s life.  The oracle of Delphi famously said “know thyself”. As we look at our lives we see what we believe; are we really living for true treasure after all? 

RESPONSE

Thankfully, by the Spirit’s grace, as we see our failures, we can repent, ask for forgiveness and ask Him to help us to obey His truth. 

James 1:22-25Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.

Let’s pray as Paul says, for ‘God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 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.’ 

THURSDAY – A LIFE OF GOOD WORKS IS PLEASING TO GOD

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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. 

The message we often hear is that to fully enjoy life one must fulfil our ambitions and passions. Whilst not wanting to completely dismiss this, it’s important that our approach to a fulfilling life begins by asking – what will please God? This is the path the true joy. Paul prays that the Colossians ‘please Him (God) in every way’. That is an amazing prayer and aspiration. I think that many of us have lost the idea that, even as Christians, we can please or displease God. As we see in this passage ‘bearing fruit in good works’ is part of a life of worth that pleases God. 

A FRUITFUL LIFE IS A LIFE OF WORTH

One of the ways we please God is by ‘bearing fruit in every good work’. Paul has given thanks (1:6) that, through the gospel, they are bearing fruit by virtue of the new life that one receives. Paul now makes it a prayer that they bear more fruit. Fruitfulness honours God. Fruitfulness is a life that’s more like Jesus, and is a vital aspect of a life worth living – a life worthy of Jesus’ name and worthy or us. 

A LIFE OF WORTH IS A LIFE OF SERVICE

Paul prays that they bear fruit ‘in every good work’.Here Paul calls our ‘good works/deeds’ (ergō) ‘fruit’. A life of worth is a life full of good works. Works of loving service done by faith to the glory of God.

RESPONSE

Serving God and people is vital to a life of worth and joy. God has good works for you to walk in. Some are common to everyone and some are specifically for you. Read, meditate and pray out of Ephesians 2:10. 

A very practical application is to join a team and serve the church. Talk to a leader about where there are particular needs. 

FRIDAY – A LIFE OF WORTH IS KNOWING GOD

Colossians 1:9-10For 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, 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. 

Yesterday we saw that a life of worth – a life pleasing to God and satisfying to you – involves doing good works as we live lives of service for God and people. Today we will see that a worthy life also involves ‘growing in the knowledge of God’. 

KNOWING GOD

It’s God’s will that we grow in knowledge (Epignósis- exact or full knowledge)of Him. Knowing God leads to deeper love and joy. God wants Himself to be the centre of our affections. This letter is packed with teaching about Jesus that the Spirit wants to teach us.  Growing in knowledge is vital for our health. Paul doesn’t stop praying for them in this regard – he knows that true knowledge is dependent upon the Spirit’s teaching. Jesus said, 

John 16:12-14 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” (See 14:25-26)

Jesus, by the Spirit, is continuing to teach us about Himself, and Paul, led by the Spirit, is devoted to the same goal as we read, 

Colossians 2:3-4In (Christ) whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

RESPONSE

It’s God’s desire that we know and love Him. So let’s also pray for the teaching ministry of the Spirit, as we read in Luke 24, 

Luke 24:45“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”