Trinity Bible Church

Colossians 4
June 27, 2007

Prayer

Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Psalm 80:7

Today’s Hymn

Words: Charles Wesley, Psalms and Hymns, 1738.

AND CAN IT BE THAT I SHOULD GAIN?
Click here for tune.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain-
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

‘Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
‘Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
‘Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace-
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray-
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Thought Provoker

God made the animal kingdom full of a great number of noise makers. We teach our children at an early age that dogs barks, cats meow, cows moo, and the lion roars. But only man was created to formulate words and string them together in sentences to express himself in language. The ability to speak languages is one of the ways that God made us in His image. Our God is not a silent God. He is a God who speaks. More than 615 times “God said” appears in the Bible. We find God speaking to Himself, angels, man, and even creation itself! As God created man He gave him the capacity to speak in order to express His praise to God and have fellowship with others. However, when mankind fell in the garden, man’s speech fell as well. With the tongue directly connected to the heart, man’s praises soon turned to profanity (Matt. 15:17-20; Romans 3:10-14; Ephesians 4:29).

Dad’s Study

Today, God’s Word calls all who have been saved by the grace of God to change their manner of speech. In other words your tongue should reflect your heart. A heart that has been seasoned by grace should speak words seasoned by grace (v.6). Back in Ephesians, Paul tells Christians, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29). The word, “corrupt” is too soft of a translation. It literally means “rotten.” Don’t speak “rotten” words. Don’t speak words that are decaying, that have an awful odor to them that attracts flies. These include all forms of profanity along with words that hurt others. Pythagoras rightly concluded “that tongues cut deeper than swords because they reach even the soul.” Instead, speak words of grace that are always seasoned with salt (v. 6). What are words of grace seasoned with salt? Paul describes them in Ephesians as words that edify or build up (Ephesians 4:29b). In other words, put off all profanity and instead speak words to each other and God that are constructive, that build up, instruct, and are uplifting. Paul goes on to say that we must be prepared to speak up and answer questions, that doubters might bring about our faith (1 Peter 3:15).

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Stop and take inventory of the words that fill your daily conversation. Are they “rotten” words full of profanity that hurt others, or are they words seasoned with grace that edify, encourage, and call sinners to Christ through the Good News? Ask God to forgive you for any speech that He describes as “rotten.” Add to your vocabulary today words that build up and encourage your church and family members. Look for an opportunity to extend the Gospel of grace with words seasoned with grace.

Catechism

Question 22

Q. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ as our Redeemer executes the offices of a prophet (Acts 3:22), of a priest (Hebrews 5:6), and of a king (Psalm 2:6), both in his state of humiliation and exaltation.

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Prayer

And blessed be his glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen and Amen (Psalm 72:19). Our hearts cry out for Thy name to be blessed forever! may Your glory fill the universe and may all Your creation bow in humble praise before Thee.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Gregory of Nazianzus (325-390); translated from Greek to English by John Brownlie, Hymns of the Greek Church, 1900.

O LIGHT THAT KNEW NO DAWN
Click here for tune.

O Light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and Heav’n
Are lustered by Thy ray;
No eye can to Thy throne ascend,
Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I might serve in fear;
Above all boons, I pray,
Grant me Thy voice to hear;
From sin Thy child in mercy free,
And let me dwell in light with Thee.

That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may meet homage give;
And pure in heart, behold
Thy beauty while I live;
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And Thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

In supplication meek
To Thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when Thou shalt come,
In love remember me,
And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,
Grant me a humble servant’s place.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly Thee implore;
And let Thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to Thee,
From age to age eternally.

Thought Provoker

Several summers ago our children raised both sheep and pigs for the county fair. Each of the animals had its own pen. The pigs loved to wallow in their giant mud puddle while the sheep were content to graze on feed and fresh grass. We had a hard time keeping the pigs confined. Pigs by nature are rooters. They took their snouts and started rooting under the fence until the tunnel was big enough for the fat animals to crawl loose and roam the neighborhood. When the pigs escaped it was almost as if they called the sheep to come join them. The sheep would ignorantly follow their pathway to what they thought was freedom. Leaving behind the safety of the pen and the loving care of their young shepherds they blindly ventured into the presence of dogs, coyotes, and barren fields. In today’s passage (vs. 8-10), the apostle Paul is warning the sheep of God’s flock not to be carried or led away by those who would lead you from the safety of God’s pasture back into slavery.

Dad’s Study

Just like the pigs led the sheep astray, Paul is giving us a warning today about those who would come and lead professing Christians away from grace back into bondage. There is a need for us to be reminded to be on guard unless we are carried away into error. What snares does the enemy use to lead professing Christians away from the simplicity of the Gospel? Paul mentions three that were effective then and are just as effective today.
1. Philosophy. A philosophy is a search for truth outside the Bible, using human reasoning rather than divine revelation. Today, there are all types of philosophies that are trying to lure God’s people away from the truth. See if your family can identify a few that are common (humanism, materialism, evolution, pragmatism (doing what appears to work rather than what is right), rationalism, and psychology. Paul reminds us that philosophies are vain deceit (v. 8). They appear to promise so much like prosperity, health, happiness, and success but deliver absolutely nothing. 

2. Traditions of Men. The enemy actively seeks to lead astray professing Christians with a mixture of tradition with truth. Traditions that originate from the Word of God are good traditions. However, the traditions of men are damning. Christ condemned the traditions of the scribes and Pharisees who added to the Word of God their traditions. Discuss with your family traditions today that ensnare professing Christians into bondage. Family traditions, church traditions, society traditions are strong magnets that tug to pull God’s people away from Christ. 

3. Rudiments of the World. There are basic elements of the world that the enemy will also use to draw you away from Christ (Galatians 4:3,9). The world is very alluring, even for the children of God. Lot, who pitched his tent towards Sodom, soon found himself inside the gates and actively involved in its life. What elements of the world are pulling at your family to depart from the gospel of grace? The world has its own priorities, dress, speech, entertainment, and morality, all of which are active enemies of the Christian life.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

These are the things that can weaken your faith. These are the things that can draw you away from the gospel of grace. Keep your guard up! Be on the lookout! Warn your family! If you will place your faith in Christ and all of His glorious fullness the philosophies, traditions, and rudiments of the world will pale next to Him. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (v. 9). In Christ you are complete (v. 10)!

Catechism

Question 20

Q. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), who being the eternal Son of God, became man (John 1:14) and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever (1 Timothy 3:16 Colossians 2:9).

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Prayer

Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth (Psalm 89:27). Heavenly Father, thank You for gracing us with a new song. O how it pleases You for songs of praise to be sung of Your Son. may You be glorified as Christ’s name is elevated in Your songs.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Gregory of Nazianzus (325-390); translated from Greek to English by John Brownlie, Hymns of the Greek Church, 1900.

O LIGHT THAT KNEW NO DAWN
Click here for tune.

O Light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and Heav’n
Are lustered by Thy ray;
No eye can to Thy throne ascend,
Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I might serve in fear;
Above all boons, I pray,
Grant me Thy voice to hear;
From sin Thy child in mercy free,
And let me dwell in light with Thee.

That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may meet homage give;
And pure in heart, behold
Thy beauty while I live;
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And Thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

In supplication meek
To Thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when Thou shalt come,
In love remember me,
And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,
Grant me a humble servant’s place.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly Thee implore;
And let Thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to Thee,
From age to age eternally.

Thought Provoker

Discuss together as a family whether the types of songs sung in the church today are a reflection of the spiritual condition of the church. We are living in a time when much of professing Christianity has a depreciated view of the transcendent, sovereign God of the universe. At the same time, many churches have boxed up their hymnals and replaced them with contemporary choruses that are often repetitious, man-centered, and lacking content. The character of the church is reflected in the songs that she sings. The preface of the Trinity Hymnal reminds us, It is well known that the character of its song, almost equal with the character of the preaching, controls the theology of a church. In more than one communion where the preaching has departed from Biblical truth the remnant of sound theology contained in favorite hymns has prevented the spiritual life of the church from becoming entirely blighted (p. v, Trinity Hymnal, Baptist Edition). What kind of songs did the New Testament church sing? We know that Paul exhorted them to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). In today’s passage (Colossians 1:15-20) we are going to see what is believed to be one of the hymns sung by the first century saints. Read through this song as a family and discuss how it is different from much of the contemporary music sung today.

Dad’s Study

There is no mistaking the subject of this hymn; it is a song about Christ. It exalts who He is and His mighty works. What a contrast to much of the Christian music today, which focuses on me rather than Thee. Have your family count the number of pronouns in this passage that refer to Jesus Christ. In the KJV, there are 14 pronouns relating to our Lord. Now count the number of pronouns that refer to Paul or me, the singer of the hymn. Paul refers to I only once, in v. 20, but only to emphasize again the greatness of Christ. When we glorify and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, we glorify the heavenly Father and He is pleased (John 13:31)!

This hymn is rich in the doctrine of Christ. Who is Jesus Christ according to this hymn? How much can we learn about His greatness?
Deity of Christ (v. 15). Jesus is the very image of God (John 1:1, 18 Colossians 2:9; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4). He is the firstborn of ever creature, that is, the One to whom belongs the right and dignity of the Firstborn in relation to every other creature. In short, Christ is God! 

Christ the Creator (v. 16). Because He is God, He is the Creator of all things, including the angels (thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers). Have your children list all the things they can think of that Jesus Christ created, including themselves! 

Christ the Sustainer (v. 17). As God, Christ pre-existed from eternity! He holds all things together. He gives order and life in order to accomplish His purpose with His creation! 

Christ the Head of the Church (v. 18). Christ is not only the Creator; He is the head of the Church. He gives it life and rules over her. He brings growth and adds to His church according to His good pleasure (Ephesians 4:15-16; 5:23-24). 

Christ the Firstborn of the dead (v. 18). The death and resurrection of Christ – He was the first of many who will also be raised from the dead (John 14:19). 

Christ the Preeminent (v. 18-19). As God, Creator, and Redeemer, He and He alone has the title of divine sovereignty in all things. He alone is to be worshipped and obeyed. God’s pleasure from eternity was that the fullness of God’s glory reside in the Son. 

Christ the Reconciler (v. 20). Not only were all things created by Jesus, all things are also reconciled to Him. Paul does not mean that all will be saved (universalism), instead he means that through the blood of Christ, sin has been conquered. Peace was made with God. All things are now restored with God (from heaven to earth). God’s elect will all be saved and all who remain in unbelief will be broken and brought to judgment.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Christian hymns are to be Christ-centered, exalting His person and work. They are to be rich in doctrine. This is why we feature a great hymn of the faith each week. It is important that our children learn the hymns because in so doing they learn of Christ. It breaks my heart that in many churches a whole generation is being raised ignorant of the hymns of Christ’s church. What a blessing it was for me to discover in our hymnal this week, that the hymn, O Light that Knew No Dawn, written by Gregory Nazianzen, was penned in the 4th century! What a blessing to sing hymns that form an unbroken chain of praise back to Christ. Impress on your children the importance of hymn singing. Teach them the great hymns of the faith. Sing these hymns together as a family. may your hearts overflow with joyful praise as you sing of the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ. may your heavenly Father be pleased and glorified!

Catechism

Question 20

Q. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), who being the eternal Son of God, became man (John 1:14) and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person for ever (1 Timothy 3:16 Colossians 2:9).

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