October 20 , 2024 Welcome to Trinity !
Sermon Title : Love Letters : Rooted in Christ , Overflowing with Thankfulness Rev . Chris Neikirk
Basic Theme : “ Love Letters ” is a sermon series exploring Paul ’ s transformative encounter with God on the Damascus Road and how it shaped his heartfelt letters to early Christian communities . Each sermon delves into themes of grace , redemption , and the power of God ’ s love as revealed through Paul ’ s writings . “ Love Letters ” emphasizes how Paul ’ s church planting efforts laid the foundation for the early church and shaped the trajectory of Christianity . Paul ’ s Epistles serve as timeless “ Love Letters ,” guiding and encouraging all believers in their faith journeys .
Sermon Snapshot ( Key Points ): In his letter to the Colossians , Paul emphasizes the deep foundation believers have in Christ and the resulting gratitude that fills our hearts . This is one of Paul ’ s most encouraging “ Love Letters .” Paul praises the Colossians ’ faith and prays for the spiritual growth , urging them to live lives worthy of the Lord . Paul encourages them to continue on Christ , being rooted and built up in Him , strengthened in faith , and overflowing with thankfulness . As believers , we are called to ground our lives in Christ , recognizing that as we grow in Him , our hearts naturally overflow with gratitude and express the love and grace of God .
So What ? Are you rooted in Christ ? Are you confident in your faith ? Does your heart overflow with gratitude and thanksgiving ? Is your love for God evident to others ? If not , what needs to change ?
Scripture : Colossians 1:3-14 , 2:6-10 ( NIV )
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We always thank God , the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , when we pray for you , 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God ’ s people — 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you . In the same way , the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world — just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God ’ s grace . 7 You learned it from Epaphras , our dear fellow servant , who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf , 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit . 9 For this reason , since the day we heard about you , we have not stopped praying for you . We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives , 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way : bearing fruit in every good work , growing in the knowledge of God , 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience , 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father , who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light . 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves , 14 in whom we have redemption , the forgiveness of sins .
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So then , just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord , continue to live your lives in him , 7 rooted and built up in him , strengthened in the faith as you were taught , and overflowing with thankfulness . 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy , which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ . 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form , 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness . He is the head over every power and authority .