Renewing Your Hope by Brother Duke Hansen

         This morning, we are going to be reading from the book of Colossians chapter 1. We will start reading from verse 1. I wanted to tell you a little about the church of Colossae. The city itself was at one time economic hub known for its textile production. It was located in the region of Phrygia, which is now modern-day Turkey. The city was also welcoming of many different faiths and beliefs. It also would fuse different faiths together into a new one. This is called religious syncretism. Keep this in mind as we read, because Paul's letter warns about false doctrine.

        Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother.

        2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

        Paul is writing to the faithful and the saints in Christ at Colossae. Saints are Christians born again of the faith and baptized in his name. They are following Jesus' path. We have to follow the scripture in order to follow Jesus.

        There's only one way to tell the truth. There are many ways to tell a lie.

        3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.

        4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.

        5 For the hope, which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.

        Hope is important in life. When you seek hope, you need to have reasons for hope. Our hope is eternal and not temporary. It's what we need to pursue for the next life.

        6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringing forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

        7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

        8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

        We know they are believers; they are saints and spirit filled. Everything in these first 8 verses give us a really good idea of the church in Colossae. View the big overall picture as two diametrically opposed views. There's the world and then there's the truth in scripture.

        9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

        This verse is something all of us should work on. In your Christian walk, you should have spots of memorial. Places where you found God or where you heard from him. Places where decisions were made and courses corrected. Areas where you finally determined a made-up mind. These places of your own personal memorials are established for the renewal of your hope. You can go to that place and feel a refreshing or even a peace. Some of us, or people we know have this blase mindset that things are going to work out in the end. God isn't the author of that. The scripture was written and delivered for a purpose. The process of being born again gets you on the path. Then the real work begins in your spiritual life.

        Why was Paul praying for them to fill with wisdom and spiritual understanding? It's because there a belief that all understanding of the spirit is downloaded with the utterance of tongues.

        We have to put our priorities in the right places. When Jesus asked a question to people, he already know their answer would be no.

        10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

        Are there suffering, loss, and destruction on this path? Yes, they all are. Bad things happen to everyone. We don't care what we have in the flesh we certainly don't do well for our spirit. We produce hurt, pain, and destruction in our flesh. It's what it's designated for. It's hard to produce grace, mercy, and forgiveness in the flesh. It's from knowledge and maturity in your walk.

        How you handle hurt is real. If you allow, God will deliver and aid you in overcoming. The takeaway today is to leave with hope. You have to purpose it. Chase after God and his way and God will do his work in you.

        Let's go down to verse 23 in our reading.

        23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

        The faith isn't merely the admission "I believe in Jesus" it's "I believe in Jesus and follow his commandments". You should continue in the faith, which is is the bible front to back.

        24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church.

        You can't get mad at God without faith. There are those who don't have the covering nor the support behind them as things happen.

        25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God:

        26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints.

        I want you to have passion and memorials in your life. Ask yourself what your next step is in your walk. Build those memorials and renew your hope.

        27 To whom God would make known what the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

        The mystery was the holy ghost which Paul is writing about. You have to be able to handle the wilderness times. Not to be controlled by our anguish and emotions nor think that God abandoned you.

        There is a work ahead of us if we have a people in the right place doing the right things. You are the representation of the gospel.