Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
[Intro]
Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul addresses his epistle to the Colossians as “the saints and faithful brothers in Christ” (Colossians 1:2a). He writes this, because these Colossian Christians have been set apart from the world by the Lord to serve and glorify Him through loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and through love and service to their neighbor.
These Colossians are not the only ones set apart by God as saints. You see, every Christian is set apart as holy, and especially here at First Lutheran Church. Even though we are set apart by God, the sinful world around us, along with our own sinful nature, and Satan’s deceitfulness through confusion, each attempt to pull us away from God.
When Paul wrote this letter, the Colossian Christians had been faithful to the Lord, but there were troubles ahead. Despite the troubles, Paul wrote this epistle to encourage those Colossian Christians – and us today – to continue in our faithfulness to Christ.
[Encouragement and Thanksgiving]
Grave dangers were
beginning to threaten the faith of the Colossians. And as it was then – as
is now – these dangers stemmed from false teachings that downgraded the
Person and work of Christ. But knowing the Colossians to be Christians, Paul
begins with the thankful affirmation of Christ’s eternal relationship to the
Father and the benefits for believers as he writes:
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before the Word of Truth, the Gospel, which has come to you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in Truth” (Colossians 1:3-6).
Yes, there were spiritual dangers that the Colossians were facing, but despite that, Paul encourages them to stand firm in Christ.
Before Paul begins with his specific warnings and encouragements, he gives thanks to God. Paul thanks God that the Colossians are believers. From all the reports he had heard, Paul was convinced of the sincerity of the Colossians’ faith and love. He is especially thankful that they are continually giving evidence of their faith in loving concern for one another, which sprang from their sure and certain hope in Christ.
So, Paul writes to encourage them to hold on to the Word of Truth, the Gospel. You see, another word – claiming to be the truth – was trying to gain entrance into their hearts and minds. So, what was this thing claiming to be the truth? It was in fact, human wisdom.
Paul’s point of encouragement to the Colossians was that they possessed the Gospel, the very Word of Truth. That Gospel is universal, and it is all-sufficient. It needs no changes or improvements. It does not need to be supplemented by human wisdom. And when human wisdom leads the Christian, instead of God’s inerrant Word, it deprives the Gospel. Paul’s warning to the Colossian Church is the same warning Paul gives us today.
[Wisdom]
So, what exactly was this human wisdom that was infecting the Colossian Church? Well, the opponents of the Gospel in Colossae boasted a great deal about their supposed “knowledge.” According to their “knowledge,” these false teachers were convincing many of the Colossians that Christ alone was insufficient to guarantee their salvation, so they taught that works of the Law were necessary for salvation, such as Jewish practices, Jewish festivals, and Jewish dietary scruples. These false teachers sought to supplement the ministry of Christ with the works of the Ceremonial Law.
Today, human wisdom has
led many Christians astray into believing that they must do something to
“improve” God’s Word. But how could we “improve” upon perfection? Our human
wisdom certain tries. The reality is: our human wisdom – though given by God
– is marred by sin. So, whatever we may do by attempting to “improve” God’s
Word actually ends up doing the opposite. By adding to or subtracting from
God’s Word, we are usurping God and placing ourselves in His office.
Well, if wisdom does not come from man, where does wisdom come? Job famously asked that question to which he knew the answer: “God understands the way to it, and He knows its place” (Job 28:23). You see, true wisdom belongs to God, who created the world by wisdom and imparted wisdom to His creation. Wisdom was the personal agent by whom God created (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6).
The lack of wisdom that we experience reflects our sinful condition, lacking a right relationship with God. This lack of wisdom is evident because we are out of harmony with the way God created things to be. Therefore, wisdom must be revealed by God “for the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6) if humanity is to gain the knowledge of salvation.
Wisdom became incarnate in Jesus Christ, who is true God – wisdom made flesh. Christ restored wisdom for us by His cross, as His death provides redemption from sin. “And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Thus, divine wisdom is equivalent to forgiveness and righteousness.
As Paul writes about wisdom here, note how he concludes our text. Through the word of the cross, which the world’s wisdom sees as foolishness, this salvific Christological wisdom is revealed “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).
This wisdom comes through faith in “the fear of the Lord [who] is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). To truly possess wisdom is to have the gift of eternal life and salvation. Such fear in faith moves and empowers Christians to live a life of wisdom. This life of wisdom is characterized by good works, which is living in a manner worthy of the Lord, well pleasing to Him and increasing in every good work. Now, good works are those things that are pleasing to the Lord, such as the thoughts, words, and deeds that please God, which are fruits of faith.
By faith in Christ, we increase in the knowledge of God and live a God-pleasing life. An important element in a life that pleases God is receiving the Means of Grace, which is the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. As we receive the Means of Grace, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to strengthen us in faith and in the knowledge of God and His will, especially His saving will in us.
You see, it’s all about encouragement. The Holy Spirit uses Paul here to encourage the Colossians to joy and thanksgiving. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is encouraging us this day through joy and thanksgiving to God.
We ought to thank and praise
the Triune God – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – every
day of our lives. We give thanks because, we, who were once disqualified from
salvation, have now become qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints
in light (Colossians 1:12). You see, Christ transplanted sinners from the
spiritual kingdom of darkness, ignorance, and eternal death to the kingdom of
wisdom, life, and light in Jesus, our Savior.
God did this for sinful human beings by one mighty act of love in human history. You see, in the fullness of time, He sent forth His Son into our world of sin and shame. That Son, took on a true human frame and became the substitute for the whole human race. He lived a perfect life to satisfy God’s Law in man’s place and to gain for sinners a righteousness that none have by nature. On Calvary’s cross, He shed His blood and died to pay the penalty God’s perfect justice demanded for man’s countless transgressions of His Law. Then by the bodily resurrection of Jesus, it was declared that the world’s sin had all been paid for. By grace through faith in Christ alone, a world of sinners has been rescued from Satan’s kingdom.
We all receive this grace personally through the Gospel when we believe and trust the good news of God’s perfect salvation in Jesus Christ. The whole world of sinners has been justified in Christ Jesus and this is the central teaching of God’s Word. You see, the primary purpose of Scripture is to bring sinners to repentance and faith in Christ, so that they also share in His perfect righteousness and inherit eternal life. If these truths are lost by “human wisdom” then there is no Christian faith left, and there is no salvation. So, Paul urges the Colossians and us to remember and continually thank God for these saving truths.
[The Lord Provides]
Like Paul before me, I, too, encourage you all to faithfulness. Even when Abraham was prepared to sacrifice His only Son Isaac, he had faith that the Lord would provide a substitute, for which He did. The Lord provided a ram caught in a thicket as a sacrifice. The Lord also provided Jesus as the one and only sacrifice for his and our sins.
In the coming weeks and months, things will be different at First Lutheran Church, but always know this: The Lord provides! At the proper time, the Lord will provide First Lutheran with another associate pastor to work alongside Pastor Welch in team ministry for Christ’s church in this place. In the meantime, the Lord provides through His Word and His Sacrament.
For today’s Divine Service, I selected some of my favorite hymns. And, I was surprised to see that the Senior Choir picked another one of my favorite hymns.
For today’s closing hymn, we will be singing “Built on the Rock.” I enjoy singing this hymn because no matter what happens, Christ never leaves us nor forsakes us. Christ always provides! Some years ago, I preached on this hymn, but I want to leave you with these words from stanza four:
645 Built on the Rock
4 Here
stands the font before our eyes,
Telling how God has received us.
The_altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
And evermore, our Redeemer.
Text: Public domain
We are “in Christ” because of our relationship to Christ. We became one “in Christ” through Baptism. We are strengthened “in Christ” through what the Lord’s Supper gives us: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. We are strengthened “in Christ” knowing that God’s Word is all-sufficient!
Like the Apostle Paul, I, too, give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for placing me as your pastor alongside Pastor Welch these past five years. I thought it would be longer, but it is God’s will that I share the Gospel of Christ at Prince of Peace Lutheran in West Salem, Wisconsin. God has certainly bore fruit here and He continues to bear fruit here through the proclamation of the Gospel – the good news of Christ – which is redemption, the forgiveness of sins!
By faith in Christ, I know we will see each other again! That time will either be in this temporal life, or in life everlasting!
The Lord bless you and keep you always in His grace for which we receive by faith in Christ alone! Amen.
The peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our
Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
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