Colossians Part 2

Every time in Colossians, I have found one, and I said, “That’s singular.” Before he finishes the sentence, it’s plural. Shirley said it could go either way, but as you kept reading, it became very obvious it was plural. I agree with Shirley. At that point, it’s individual until he keeps going on in the sentence, and it’s not singular anymore, and Colossians will usually do that. Whose book is this? Thank you very much, brother. That gives cross-references there.

Okay, now, I’m going to attempt to do something that is extremely difficult. I’m going to attempt to communicate things that cannot be communicated. We’re going to take chapter one. Thank you very much. We don’t give applause to those who read.

I call on you, Holy Spirit, either today or someday, somewhere along the line, this weekend or 10 years from now, to open the hearts, no longer to open the spirits of the brothers and sisters here and give them a revelation of the church. Not just that she is, but all that she is. Be thou my help. Amen.

Until this very hour, everyone who has ever picked up the book of Colossians has read it for their own selves. When theologians pick it up, they pick it up to find doctrines either to buttress what they believe or to create what they believe. What we have never done is to read it from the viewpoint of the church. When we do that, we get a totally different book. A book so astounding, and I confess to you again that it is impossible to communicate. I’m going to do the best I can, but I will fail.

Now, last night, we went through the story. But right now, I want you to appreciate a prison cell. I want you to know that Paul has already said to Tychicus, I’m going to write some letters. I want you to take them way down there to Asia Minor to three little obscure towns full of Gentiles who hardly know the Lord. Now, put yourself in Paul’s place. Here are churches that are probably young, and they are probably weak. According to my own theory, that’s the reason Epaphras went to Rome, was to get help.

I sit down in that prison, and I have chains on my hands. I’m thinking about a church that’s as far away as Atlanta is to Chicago, and they need help. First, the very fact that I’m thinking church, not individual, makes it unique because today’s faith thinks individual. Do you understand that? Even when a pastor stands in the middle of a church building and preaches to his people, he preaches an individual gospel. He nor they, generally speaking, understand a corporate anything. If you don’t believe that, go to church next Sunday and listen to the preacher. He’ll probably say something like, “Oh gosh, it’s been so long, Gene.  If you’ll walk on the sunny side of the street, be positive and so and so and this and that and the other, then God and you will, and here’s an illustration of somebody who did that, and it was wonderful to walk on the sunny side of the street.” Amen. Don’t forget to come back next Sunday.

It’s an individual gospel, do you understand? I don’t know if we’re capable even here in this room, at least in the first round of plummeting the depths of the corporateness of brothers and sisters in that day. How interwoven the church was with the individual Christian life. Saints, that does not mean you give up your individuality. Just forget that. My gosh, we’ve had 1700 years of individuality; maybe we should tilt back a little bit. I don’t even care if we go over, but I’m not sure we can. If I can even get to the middle, I’ll be pleased. I really doubt I can, but I’m gonna give it a try.

The thought of those people as being one, the thought of that man in that prison of those people in Colossae being one person. That’s the first thought I have is first of all, what would I write to them? And second of all, I’m impressed with the fact that Paul is thinking corporately, not individually. Now, the third thing that I consider, this is the third thing, is that if I had written this letter, it wouldn’t look like this. I would say you need to pray three hours a day. No, I’ve never been that bad off. You know why? Because I don’t pray three hours a day. Have you heard my rule of thumb as to how far to follow a man? Whatever he preaches, it doesn’t matter. Don’t pay attention to what he preaches; follow him up to the point that he does what he preaches. You understand? Don’t worry, you won’t get too bent out of shape doing that.

This book never ceases to amaze me. I can’t find what I’m looking for, my own mind wanders away, and I begin to think individually. And I realize, Lord, what is it I have overlooked and do not see? I’m going to read this thing. Chapter one, stay with me, let’s see what we can find. Okay, this is the Edwardian version, and it’s not all that good. I’m not bragging about this thing. Oh, maybe this can come up; I can only see writing about 8 inches, maybe 12? Is that as far as it’ll go? Let’s not take it any further. I don’t want it to fall. Okay, and therefore, I have to get right down on it; I still can’t see it. Well, and it sounds like I’m illiterate or semi-literate. Now, that’s not true. There was a time in my life when I could read, but it’s long past.

Paul, a sent one, and that means, the reason it’s capitalized is it’s not a transliteration, as the word apostle is, it’s a translation, sent out by Christ. My being one sent out was by the will of God, and with me is my brother Timothy, and this book is written not to a holy one, but to holy ones, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who gather in Colossae.

Now, before I go any further, I want you to do something for me. Now you’re going to have to get into this, okay? When I raise my hand like this, I want you to say, “Amen.” That’s who we are. Would you do that? And when I do like this, I want you to repeat what I said, and you’ll probably know what I’m about to say because I may say it two or three times so that you can repeat it perfectly. Okay? All right, Amen. That’s who we are. You got that? Say it. That’s no good, Amen. That’s who we are. Okay, everybody says it. All right, that’s too much. Wonderful. Good enough. All right. And repeat what I said. Repeat what I’ve said. Wonderful. Wonderful. All right.

Okay, first, I want to talk about the word grace. It is an obsession with Paul. Don’t think this is some ministerial benediction; this is a legalist who found freedom. He wants you to live in freedom, and he wants you – plural – to live in freedom. Are you with me? Paul wants you to live in grace. You, as a body of believers, are to live free. Good enough, I just thought I’d say.