Intro: Washington’s Prayer
Mighty God, we make our earnest prayer that thou wilt keep the United States in thy holy protection, that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the divine author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech thee, through Jesus Christ Our Lord – Amen
This is the prayer of George Washington adapted from a letter he wrote on June 8, 1783.
I am not preaching to you today about the founding of our nation or coming to you to convince you that Washington was a born-again believer in Jesus Christ.
But what is beyond dispute is that our nation was founded on a Christian worldview.
Context of his prayer: The war of Independence has been won, the new government has not been established. Washington is stepping down as General and looks forward to returning to civilian life.
From Washington’s place of influence in this young nation he offers advice and a prayer.
We have the freedom what we fought and died for! Now what?
As you think about the challenges in our nation today, it is easy think that the solution is to go back. If we just had a leader like Washington our problems would be solved.
But the solution is not look back or look left or look right, but to look to up and be filled up with Christ.
Washington’s hopeful prayer for our nations is that it’s citizens would be filled up with Christ. Washington’s prayer is similar to Paul’s prayer.
Paul prays –that this church would be filled up with Christ.
Colossians 1:9-14
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, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Paul’s earnest prayer is the church they would be filled up with Christ
Christ is the Treasure be filled up with HIM!
The Colossians just received the gospel. By faith, they have made God the King of their lives. He rules their hearts
But, as we work our way through Colossians one of the things we will see is that there is a false teaching seeping into church. This teaching elevates some sort of fuller and higher spiritual experience.
It’s as if the Colossians are asking… I know I have Christ, but what else is there? What more is there? I need some spiritual experience or some spiritual discipline to make my life complete
Paul says… No you don’t need something higher or better – You have the Treasure in Christ. What you need is to continually be filled with what have received.
Confusion is seeping into the church, so Paul offers clarity.
Confusion can seep into our lives as well, and into our church.
Clarity is crucial but clarity takes work. I want to begin our time by focusing on clarity.
As we think about being filled up, I want us to do three things
Let’s (1) Clear up confusion so might be filled up with Christ
Then we will talk about the purpose: (2) Be filled up to be poured out
Lastly I want us to be reminded that we are (3) Filled up from God’s abundance
First let’s Clear up Confusion
Paul says, I want you to be filled with a knowledge of God’s will.
To clear up confusion we need to be clear about who is in charge.
The Colossians have received the gospel, so now God is in charge of their lives.
There can be only one ruler. Only one ruling will. God is the ruler of their lives and he must continue to rule in their lives
Illustration: Declaration
Yesterday Aaron read the declaration of independence. It declares independence but it is also a declaration of clarity.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”
King George you were in charge. We have shared our grievances with you, we have negotiated with you, but you will not yield. You have ruled us with tyranny.
Now we are declaring our independence. Let’s be clear, we will no longer be ruled by you. We will govern ourselves.
The Colossians used to be ruled by the tyranny of sin, but now in receiving the gospel they have dissolved bondage to sin and are ruled by God will.
When we hear the words “God’s Will” we think, “God what do you want me to do”, but what God wants, his ongoing will, is to the be the ruler of our lives.
In order to clear up confusion we must be clear about who is in charge and what he wants.
His ruling will – his general direction for every moment of our lives is that we love him and love others. It looks different all the time, but his will does not change.
Being filled with the knowledge of his will means that we are filled up with a growing desire to love others – because he is in charge, his will rules in our lives.
Filled with the knowledge of HIS will – he is in charge – Got it…
What is his Will… love him, love other… got it
That’s pretty clear… get busy DOING that right?
Not exactly, let’s be clear about the nature of being filled.
It is Spiritual in nature.
Filling is from God and it does not originate from the natural world or from our ability.
God has given us the ability to reason, to think and figure things out.
I’m glad that someone figured out how to make fireworks. Fireworks are dazzling but they are just the right combination of the right chemical stuck in a tube and lit on fire.
Fireworks can seem other worldly, but they are just of this nature world… they are something that we can figure out.
Being filled up is not something we figure out. It is not a puzzle to be solved. It spiritual in nature and something that we ask for.
In the movie National Treasure Nicolas Cage is searching for a hidden treasure by looking at a treasure map written in invisible ink on the back of the original declaration.
He has special knowledge, special tools, special skills to find the treasure that the founders kept in secret.
All fiction… There is nothing written on the back of the declaration except the words – “The Declaration of Independence”
God is not playing a game of hide and seek with us. He’s given us plain instructions – If you want to be filled up just ask.
So you are saying – I pray and don’t read my bible?
No I am saying come with an open hand – ASKING and an open bible – LOOKING for what Christ has done.
Jesus said all the Scriptures point to him. He is the treasure, so you must read the bible to know Jesus but knowing Jesus is more than information but incorporating his will and his way into your life.
Your mind can be filled up with biblical facts without being filled up with Christ.
Growing up in church, I memorized lots of scripture. I did it mostly for the sticker, the candy, but especially the notoriety.
When you are a teenage boy at church camp and you win a scripture memory award and the girls are clapping for you… you are not filled with Christ. You are filled with self-centered pride cause everyone including the girls think you are something special.
What changed for me? The Holy Spirit gave me spiritual understanding at 19 that I was filled up with spiritual pride. Through God’s providence and my desire for a girlfriend… I ended up at River. I’m glad I found a girlfriend and got married, but I’m more glad that I found people who wanted to be filled up with Christ and not just the facts of Christ.
Open your bible and look for Christ – Open you hand ask him to fill you.
Being filled is also Continual in Nature – Paul says we have not stopped praying for you, we are continually asking that you be filled.
Filling is an ongoing need and should be an ongoing prayer for two reasons.
- We are weak and so we leak
Our bodies are an amazing design. Did you watch the latest US world cup match?
Watching #17 Tillman score that goal on the free kick was quite an impressive athletic feat. Just the right velocity, high enough to clear the defenders but not too high to sail over the goal. We can do amazing things with these bodies
Our bodies are also weak. When we are shaken by the troubles of life we leak. We lose perspective. We get discouraged. We need to be filled again.
- We need continual filling because we still sin.
When we sin we are being filled up with our will rather than God’s will.
So we confess and ask for forgiveness and ask him to fill us again
The ultimate fix for our leaky and sinful selves will come in glory when we see Jesus, the treasure face to face.
In the meantime, we hold this treasure in jars of clay (normal, inexpensive, easily broken jars of clay) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Our need to be filled is no reason for shame, it is an opportunity for God to display his glory over and over again.
Our need for filling is not annoying to God… our need for filling has a purpose.
Be filled up to be poured out.
I’ve been watching several docu-dramas about our nation. I started with the Washington series, moved to Lincoln, and then Ulysses S. Grant.
I have been fascinated with the life of Grant.
One of the characteristics of Grant that set him apart from other Generals in the Civil War was his faithful action. Some people called his approach reckless with no regard for loss of life. Lincoln appreciated Grants aggressive nature. When people were criticizing Grant and wanted to get rid of him. Lincoln said, “I can’t spare the man, he fights.”
While other Generals were filled with excuses, dreams of glory, or filled with caution, Grant was filled the knowledge of President Lincoln’s will – to win the war. Being filled with the President’s will, led Grant to faithful action.
We are filled up to be poured out. To walk worthy
Paul uses several words and phrase to describe this worthy walk
Fully pleasing him – Doing what he wants in way that he wants.
Bearing fruit in every good work.
God brings the fruit, we bring the work.
Back to Grant… he laid out the battle plans, he organized the army but the war was won with countless privates and volunteers laying down their lives on the front lines
Sometimes we can think walking worthy means doing more “meaningful” work.
I will do good work when I have the position of General and not a private. I am grateful that the people in Grant’s army did the work they were given to do. Our country is one nation because people were willing to do the necessary sacrificial work given them to do.
It is OK to have Ambition. If you want to be the General do the work to be the General. We need Generals. We can’t let our ambition keep us from doing the good work God has given us to do today.
All good work is service to God and to our nation.
Next Paul says as you work you will grow in knowledge
Notice the progression with this phrase.
Be filled with the knowledge of his will – do the work – grow in knowledge
If you want to know God better. Ask him to fill you, do the work he gives you, and you will grow to know him better.
As you grow in knowledge what happens next… you are strengthened.
Strengthened for what?
Strengthened to keep walking.
Being strengthened so that you might have endurance and patience as you work
Endurance – there is one of Paul’s favorite words again.
If Paul made stickers to give to the church, I’m certain he would have a sticker that said… Endure Hardship
We do not control life’s changing circumstances, but we can be given strength to endure if we are filled with the knowledge of God’s will.
Do you trust God to strengthen you to endure or when challenges approach?
What challenge is on the horizon?
Sometimes challenges are just doing the next thing. Going to the same job. Changing another diaper – sometime the challenges of life are just enduring the mundane.
Do you trust your plan to navigate the hardship or mundane … Or do you pray, fill me with the knowledge of your will so that I might be faithful
I was with a woman who attends our church as she sat with her husband in hospice. I was challenged by her endurance in a difficult situation. She was working hard to understand her husband as his mind and body struggles to function.
I thought driving home, “If Tiffany was lying in a hospice bed, could I endure like this woman from our church?”
If I’m in that bed, I have every confidence that Tiffany will do fine, but how will I do if she’s in that bed?
I will only have the strength to endure tomorrow’s hardship if I walk faithfully in the strength he provides for the challenges of today.
IF I opt out of today’s challenges, will I have strength for tomorrows?
Paul says – if you are filled you will walk worthy and you will grow and if you keep going you will have strength so that you might endure and have patience.
Patience – sustained endurance especially applied to relationships.
Anyone feel like they are lacking in patience?
I probably live my life in a hurry up mentality.
The other day as I was working on this sermon, I took a lunch break to go and help Conner Sites put together his furniture to get his house ready for his new bride.
As I got there – I thought… I’ve got an hour. Go in, do what I can, get out!
The furniture team consisted of myself, Matt Statler, Conner, Jacob Isaacs and Joel Statler. Joel didn’t have a job so he joined my team. I love Joel, but I was on a time crunch. I have work with kids on projects before and I thought… this is gonna slow me down.
In that moment I prayed Lord fill me up with Jesus. I didn’t pray for patience I prayed – let me build this furniture with Joel in the manner that Jesus would build this furniture if he were doing.
Lord fill me up with you… He did. We built the furniture. I gave Joel instruction. I let him help. Joel was a good helper. I’m not telling you this story to impress you – I’m telling you this story to illustrate the reality that when we ask for filling in normal everyday circumstances, God will give it.
Strength leads to endurance, patience and Joyful Thanksgiving.
Paul is not all endurance and patience. As God fills us we should JOYFULLY GIVE THANKS.
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Last Point – Give Joyful thanks because we are being filled from God’s abundance
Look at all the words of abundance throughout this passage. Be filled with all wisdom, increasing in knowledge, All power (All power from him endless supply of power) all endurance and patience
The Greek word for all or every is used 5 times in these three short verses.
God is not holding out on us. The filling that he provides is from his abundance and it will be enough.
Then Paul breaks into praise and reminds the church all that God has done.
the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and (he) transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He – the father is the focus here.
He qualified you. – He made filling possible
He gave you an inheritance – Part of your inheritance is this family of faith – He filled your life up with brothers and sisters.
Clayton Hicks encouraged me this week as we were working out together at the Y. He said to me unprompted… Rodney you are part of my spiritual inheritance. We are going to share eternity together. I am glad that God has given you to me.
God has filled us up with this a family of faith.
He delivered us – Once you were empty and had no hope
He transferred us – Now you are living under his rule in the kingdom of light – filled with hope.
He gave us redemption –You were once bound with NO freedom but now you are fully free
He forgave us our sins. – You were filled with guilt – he filled you up with grace.
This section is theologically dense – each of these words are packed with rich meaning, but Paul’s emphasis here is on the PROVIDER and not just the PROVISION.
He did all this for us.
Paul, is reminding the church God is not holding out on you – and he will continually fill you – Ask him for on-going filling.
On this July 4th weekend we celebrate our nation. We celebrate the provision of freedom and remember those who provided freedom by their sacrifice.
In America – we have Freedom that others purchased for us with their blood. We can joyfully give thanks because others solemnly pledged their lives.
Here is the last line of the declaration of independence –
for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
These men – did not high five and cheer when they agreed to the declaration. It was a solemn moment as they one by one unanimously voted to support this declaration with their lives.
Our founders did not hold back to secure our freedom.
WE joyfully give thanks because they willing gave their all for our freedom
God is not holding back on us.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
If you ask for filling, he will give it. When he does, joyfully give thanks.
As you pray – hold your hand out asking him to fill you. Remember his filling is not just so you would be full, but so you would be poured out.
As you pray – hold your hand up in joyful gratitude to the one who generously provides ongoing filling.
CONCLUSION:
Last week we started in Colossians and he said – the church has received the gospel and it is bearing fruit and spreading. In our passage today, Paul told the church he wants this gospel you have received to fill you up.
Receiving comes before filling
Today if you have not bowed to Jesus and received him as your once for all Lord and Savior, then filling is not possible for you.
Several weeks ago – we got 5+ inches of rain. What happened? The ground became saturated – the ground was filled up. If you have not bowed the knee to Jesus then your life is like that ground – Saturated.
It is saturated with the guilt of your sin. Before you can be filled, you must be emptied of your guilt. The only way to be emptied of your guilt is to bow to Jesus and ask him to take away the guilt of your sin.
Jesus poured out his righteous life on the cross, so that he could take on our guilt. Receive his forgiveness to that you might be filled with his will and walk worthy of his name.
Ask God to Fill You Up
Keep asking – Daily. Moment by moment. Make it a simple prayer – Lord fill me.
Ask with expectancy and with a heart of gratitude.
When you discover that your mind is not filled up with what God wants, don’t beat yourself up. Empty yourself by asking for his forgiveness.
Do we need to be filled up continually with Christ… yes
The prayer of Washington that I read earlier is read every day at the tomb of George and Martha. It is read as a memorial to the life and will of our first President.
I don’t think George wrote that prayer so that he would be remembered. He wrote that prayer so that the people of this new nation would remember Christ and be filled up.
Filled up with Christ. That is my prayer for myself, for you, for the people in our nation and every nation. – Let’s pray.