Hope, Faith and Love
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Maturing in Christ
Colossians 1:3-8 (ESV)
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Sermon Outline
The gospel message of grace produces life that evidences itself in hope, faith and love.
1. Hope
vv3-4 “We always thank God… since we heard…”
v5 “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven”
2. Faith
v4 “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus”
v6 “you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth”
3. Love
v4 “and of the love that you have for all the saints”
v8 “has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”
Prayer of Confession
Our God and Father, we need your grace. Forgive our misplaced hopes. We have deep longings, yet we seek satisfaction apart from you. We have many firm convictions and opinions, yet insufficient faith in you. Our love always falls short. Our actions evidence corruption, and fail to evidence being alive in your Spirit. True grace has come in Christ, so in him we appeal for forgiveness and mercy. Revive us as we look to the hope laid up for us in heaven. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What is the gospel? What are the key components of this message, that is described as “the grace of God in truth.”
What are your deepest desires? What, most basically, do you really want? What do you absolutely need?
What are your hopes? What things do you look to in order to realize those hopes? What are the top 3 things where you think “if I had that, I would be satisfied”?
How is Christian hope “laid up in heaven”? What does that mean?
How is faith the “instrument” of salvation? What saves us? How does one connect with what saves?
What happens when faith is weak? How can your faith be strengthened?
How are faith and love connected to hope? What are some ways hope feeds faith and love?
What changes when you truly believe that God loves you?
Why does the work of the Spirit in a person have to manifest itself in love?
Which of the three – faith, hope, love – do you need to give particular attention to in this season of life?