Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love. This ministry shares the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ. It is God’s will that has brought this to be. We wish only that God’s truth will be shared within His words as brought to us by the Spirit as it fills my heart, mind, and soul to be shared with my hands, but with His words alone.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Please pray for Evangelist Cal Jennings’ sister, who has COVID-19. May the Lord bring her spirits up and help heal her. Please keep spirits up for Evangelist Cal as well.
- Please keep several family members in prayer for their trials and tribulations. My husband’s father and uncle are both in need of prayer. His father is losing blood, and all the tests that were run are not leading to answers as to how or where. His uncle has a mass on his lung.
- Pray for the economy around this world as inflation and supply chains suffer from extremely high prices for fuel.
- Pray for a friend, Dena who is still working to discover all the mysteries to her health issues.
- Pray for my brother, who is still having major issues with his health.
- Pray for my employer’s wife, who is still having issues.
- Pray for the ones who have been caught in the massive flooding throughout this world, some of which would be in my hometown.
- Pray for those who suffer from drought, forest fires,
and so on around this world as well.
- Be thankful for each day we live as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and
pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those suffering as a result of the terrors that have occurred just this past week around this world.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is to have the Spirit bring healing to each of our bodies, minds, spirits, and souls. We pray for enlightenment and understanding while studying Your Word. We thank You for these awesome gifts and the many more You have brought us. May our fears be drawn out of us. Help us to see the many gifts Your love brings and the unknown locations it might be found. May our pain and sorrow be eased. May peace be brought from our hearts and shared with others who need it desperately. May Your gifts of love shine through us toward others. We pray for the poor, the sick, the sorrowful, the wounded, and the frightened. We pray for the soldiers, the Samaritans, the children, and the rest. We pray in thanksgiving for every gift brought us. We pray that every tomorrow would bring good things. For each of these we pray in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: There’s Power In the Blood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2VhXwpANgI
Sermon: In the description ahead of the epistle of Colossians, there are the words: “Christ of the Church”, used as a description of the aim for the letter we have worked through these past few weeks. Ephesians focused on the “Body of Christ”, or the Church as we have all learned. Now we are learning more and more about how Jesus Christ should be our complete focus toward reaching eternal life as promised all the way back to the last day Adam and Eve spent in the Garden of Eden. We are closing out the first chapter of this letter from Paul to the citizens at the church of Colossae.
Colossians 1:23 KJV – 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;
NIV – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Continue in the faith, anchored in the truth of Christ, this is what Paul writes to the citizens of the church at Colossae. It’s important to realize that Paul begins the letter in much the same way. Like all stories, letters, there is a focus, and this letter is no different. Don’t move from the truth of Scripture, don’t invent it, or reinvent it. This is something Jesus taught as shared here in these two passages found in the Gospel written by Matthew.
Matthew 7:24-25 KJV – Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
NIV – “Therefore
everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a
wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 24:14 KJV – And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
NIV – And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Added to this is the instruction through the gospel writer Luke in the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 1:8 KJV – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
NIV – But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The power in the blood, as the song says, is more than we could ever understand. The power in the name of God would indeed also be important. This is something that Jesus insisted we realize and recognize in our daily lives, and not to forget this fact. Life is difficult for so many reasons. However, there is always the hope that the Spirit of God will be there to lean on in tough times. Let’s continue with Paul’s letter.
Colossians 1:24 KJV – 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:
NIV – Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Rejoice in suffering, this seems a little counterproductive, but, suffering here on earth is rewarded with peace and comfort in all things when heaven calls us home at the End of Days where Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Those who believe fully in God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, understand that when Jesus called His followers heirs of heaven, we should believe that with every ounce of our being. This is what Paul shared in the letter he wrote to the Romans.
Romans 8:17 KJV – And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
NIV – Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Paul was reflecting on one of the most famous sermons Jesus ever brought, known by many as the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:11-12 KJV – Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
NIV – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Whenever our ancestors, relatives living or dead, would say to count our blessings, there is a very good reason. Paul states this emphatically in his letter to the citizens of Colossae. All of his words and thoughts were stemming from history. We continue with the letter.
Colossians 1:25 KJV – Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
NIV – I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
Jesus ordained the twelve to ensure that the Word was spread far and wide even long after His ascension into heaven. Paul would not be the only Apostle who shared this fact far from his homeland to ensure that the Word endured everything that could possibly happen to the twelve in the years to come. That’s yet another reason for each of us to continue our study of Scripture.
Ephesians 3:7 KJV – Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
NIV – I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
God’s Word gives us a mission for ourselves as much as for our children and families in general. Each of us needs to learn what the Word means to us individually and collectively for our families. That’s something that Paul reminds us of in this next verse.
Colossians 1:26 KJV – Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
NIV – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
What is this mystery that Paul speaks of? The mystery is the existence of eternal life, and the fact that the Church that Christ would be, as both the body and head of the same, would in fact bear the mystery because so few actually saw, with their own eyes, the risen Christ, as first He walked out of the tomb He was buried in, and then as He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right side of God our Father. This wisdom is something realized only in the words of those who were there to actually see it. That is what makes it even more important for us to study with careful eyes, cautious minds, and willing hearts. This is where wisdom is born. Paul shares this fact with the citizens of Corinth.
1 Corinthians 2:7 KJV –But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
NIV –No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
1 Corinthians 9:17 KJV –For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
NIV – If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
The human form is a mystery in many ways, as has been proven by the fact that medicine is still learning just how unique each person would be, regardless that we all have the same basic features, blood, tissue, skin, and so on. This mystery is just one of those God would have managed in His creation of this world. When Paul and the remaining eleven Apostles were still living on this earth, the Jews were but a fraction of the human population on this earth. This is a fact that continues even this far into the future. Teaching those who had never met, or even heard of, Jesus Christ, of God and the Holy Spirit, was a serious challenge and that’s something noted in every single Scroll of Scripture after the four gospels. This is what Paul shares here in this next verse.
Colossians 1:27 KJV – To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
NIV – To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Again, Paul is reflecting on history as spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Yet, he also infers toward a verse written by the first King of the Jews, David.
Matthew 13:11 KJV – He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
NIV – He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Psalm 16:9-11 KJV – Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
NIV – Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Paul’s thoughts also incorporate his teaching to the churches in Corinth. His thoughts prove that he wants each of the churches to understand the importance of God’s Word, and of the existence of Jesus Christ and the ability to tap into the truth of God's existence through the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV – Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
NIV – But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
While Paul is teaching within these letters, he is reflecting on life as it was lived even long before Jesus was born. He refers to the premonitions and precursors that were shared by David, Solomon, and so many prophets of God as noted through the entire Old Testament. Preaching has a specific purpose. Each of those who are led to preach need to understand exactly what that would be. This is what Paul is sharing in these next words to the citizens of Colossae.
Colossians 1:28 KJV – Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
NIV – He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
We continue with Old Testament references into the understanding and the ability to take that understanding with our study to lead us to wisdom. There is one who is known as the King of Wisdom. Here are some of his thoughts.
Ecclesiastes 12:9 KJV – And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
NIV – Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.
I find it interesting that the verse here in Ecclesiastes comes with a title of “The Conclusion of the Matter”. At the time of Ecclesiastes, it was King Solomon on the throne of Israel. We know him as the son of King David, first king of the Jews. Solomon had quite a lot to write about in Scripture, as his words are seen in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, as many have been taught. His thoughts about God as a great Teacher, reminds us of Jesus and His walk with the Twelve Apostles as Rabboni, or Teacher, to each of them and all the followers with them.
Ephesians 5:27 KJV – That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
NIV – and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Believers in Christ are many in this world we live in. However, there are so many things we fail to understand in Scripture, no matter how much we study the Word daily. There is so much that the Words written do not share. It is this addition we must learn in our lifetimes. Paul points out that he even then was working hard to keep the Word going the way Jesus insisted His Word would be shared.
Colossians 1:29 KJV – Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
NIV – To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
We have so much to learn through the Word of God in the Scriptures, Old and New Testaments both. Paul taught in many letters to many people in very disparate places around the area known as Asia Minor, and in this case, the city is in Greece, the city of Corinth. By the grace of God is a phrase we have heard many times in the history of faith and faithfulness. This is one of those moments written by Paul.
1 Corinthians 15:10 KJV –But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
NIV –But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Our final verse is through the Gospel shared by Luke. The insight our Savior held in those three short years of His ministry is more and more important as we get closer and closer to the second millennial anniversary of our Savior’s resurrection.
Luke 13:24 KJV – Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
NIV – “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
We have much to learn in the Word of God before that moment comes to be. This is the reason we work so hard to understand His Word, repeating these Scrolls in many methods in order to put them together for our knowledge, to build upon godly wisdom. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fggiDAPiolI
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2022 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the bringers of the light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
