Learning to Pray with Paul | Colossians 1:3-14; Philemon 4-5

I. THE GRATITUDE OF PAUL'S PRAYER LIFE (vv. 3-8)

    1) Paul thanks God and prays ... for a church, most of whose members he has never met

• Colossians 1:3, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,"
• Colossians 2:1-2, "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face..."

Carson, "We must ask ourselves how extensive our own praying is. Do all our petitions revolve around our own families and churches, our own cherished but rather small circle of friends? Of course, we are primarily responsible for praying for our own circle... But if that is the furthest reach of our prayers, we become parochial [narrow in outlook or scope]... Our prayers may be an index of how small and self-centered our world is."

    2) Paul's gratitude results from paying attention.

• Paul says to Philemon: "[4] I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, [5] because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus" (Philemon 4-5)
• Paul says to the Colossian church (that Philemon hosted in his house): "[3] We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints," (Colossians 1:3-4)

Paul is listening! He is paying attention to others.

• Acts 15:36, "Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.'"
• • Paul cares greatly about their spiritual state!
• Carson, "[I]t will do us good to fasten on reports of Christians in several parts of the world we have never visited, find out what we can about them, and learn to intercede with God on their behalf. Not only is this an important expression of the fellowship of the church, but it is also a critical discipline that will enlarge our horizons, increase our ministry, and help us to become world Christians."

When a fellow believer comes to your mind, what is your first thought?

• Irritation? Annoyance? Jealousy? Bitterness?

What is Paul's first thought? Gratitude!

• Philemon 4 "I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers,"
• Colossians 1:3-4, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith..."

Gratitude for what? Their faith, love, and heavenly hope.

• Paul credits God with their own faith and love.
• Philippians 1:29, "For it has been granted [Dictionary: to give graciously] to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake…”
• Colossians 3:12, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,"

    3) Paul thanks God for the gospel's fruit as it comes through human means (vv. 5b-8)

• Epaphras, after being converted under Paul, brings the good news to Colossea! (Last week's sermon)

 

II. THE FOCUS OF PAUL'S PRAYER LIFE (vv. 9-12)

Spiritual growth is always the dominant concern, over the physical!

• Carson, "Suppose, for example, that 80 or 90 percent of our petitions ask God for good health, recovery from illness, safety on the road, a good job, success in exams, the emotional needs of our children, success in our mortgage application, and much more of the same. How much of Paul's praying revolves around equivalent items? If the center of our praying is far removed from the center of Paul's praying, then even our very praying may serve as a wretched testimony to the remarkable success of the processes of paganization in our life and thought. That is why we need to study the prayers of Paul."
  • See Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles [the pagans] seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

So what does Paul focus on in his prayer?

    1) Paul asks God to fill believers with the knowledge of his will (v. 9)

"[9] And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,"

• This may seem simple, yet it takes "all spiritual wisdom and understanding" in the complicated nature of life to know what is best.
  • Doug Moo, "[This] suggests the ability to discern the truth and to make good decisions based on that truth."<