The Gospel of Christ and Continuing Prayer | Resources
Sermon Text: Colossians 1:9–14
“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (CSB)
Devotional
In John 14:13, Jesus says, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” We Christians have made it a habit to end our prayers with “in Jesus’ name.” It sometimes seems like it has become more of a habit than a recognition of who Jesus is. It can feel like a standard tagline at the end of a prayer – almost a glorified way to say “the end” when we add the “amen.”
When I was personally convicted about this a few years ago, I decided to make an effort to think more about who Jesus is when I pray in His name. I often read scriptures to remind me of who Jesus is. Right before Jesus gives the Great Commission in Matthew 28, He says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is an example of who we are praying to – the person with all the authority to do what we need.
There are a lot of other verses we can think of. Here are some verses I read to remind me of who I am praying to:
Exodus 33:18-23 where Moses asks to see God’s glory. Matthew 17:1-6 is where Jesus is transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. Acts 9:1-19 where Jesus appears to Saul on the road to Damascus. Revelation 1:9-19 when Jesus appeared to John. Now, I will add Colossians 1:9-14 as a passage to read to remind me why we pray “in Jesus’ name.” Amen.
Discussion Questions
1. Summarize Paul’s prayer for this young church. Who are you praying this prayer for?
2. How does knowing God’s will help us live in a way that pleases Christ?
3. What are some of the reasons we are called to give thanks to God in this passage?
4. What does verse 13 teach us about the gospel?
5. In light of this text, what does it look like to obey the prompting of the Spirit this week?
Memory Verse
“He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14 (CSB)