Do you really understand that this life is temporary?
We are all given a finite amount of time here in this world
What you do with this short time is what really matters
Look with me to
Colossians 1:9-12
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;
joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” Col. 1:9-12 NASB
This passage begins with “for this reason”, which is similar to “therefore”
For what reason:
Look at vs 4
“since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;”
Basically, since we heard that you had become a Christian
We have not ceased praying for you
Doesn’t that seem odd, that upon hearing good news Paul says “we are praying”?
They were praying for Spiritual wisdom for new believers
Once you become a believer, how you live matters even more
“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Col. 1:10 NASB
“Walk worthy of the Lord”. All you do now reflects on your Father, God
Lost people act any old way and we expect that because they are lost
Believers need to walk worthy of the Lord for many reasons:
To please Him
To bear fruit in every good work
To increase in the knowledge of God
“strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;
joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” Col. 1:11-12 NASB
The Father has qualified us to share the inheritance of the Saints in light
Walk worthy. We are responsible to honor Him
“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col.1:13-14
For He rescued us!
Without His rescue we would not have hope
This reason alone is enough to walk worthy of Him
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church;
and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Col. 1:15-18 NASB
When we realize all the things that Jesus is, how incredible!
The firstborn of all creation
In Him ALL things hold together
He is the head of the body, which is the church
He is the firstborn from the dead!
Without this we would not be resurrected from the dead.
How do we truly walk worthy?
He will come to have first place in EVERYTHING.
Have you given Him first place in EVERYTHING?
