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. Here we celebrate the Everlasting Truth of Jesus and the Eternal Word of God.
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 who has been suffering greatly with his health. May the Lord bring his spirits up and help heal him.
- Please keep several friends and other family members in prayer for their trials and tribulations. They have each requested to remain anonymous for the time being. One who is traveling, let’s pray they make it home safely. One who has just recently gotten out of the hospital, may they get well quickly. Another pair who have had serious issues with pain levels in recent weeks and months. May their pain ease sooner rather than later.
- Pray for the economy around this world as inflation and supply chains suffer from extremely high prices for fuel.
- Pray for those who lost their lives violently this week and the families who miss them.
- 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.
* Happy Birthday for my sister Cathy and for her son Seth this past week.
* Happy Birthday for my nephews Anthony and Aaron, whose birthdays were about a week ago.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is for every person who has been brought to harm in the past week be brought relief from pain, sorrow, and fear. We pray in thanksgiving for all the things we have received in our lives through faith, love, and hope. We pray for all those who are traveling this week, including several family members and friends. We pray for all those who have been ill, in pain and suffering, that they be healed and relieved. We pray for an end to war, an end to hate, an end to all the evils and wickedness found in this world. We pray for growing faith, enduring happiness and friendship, love, peace, and more. 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: Jesus I Will Walk With You ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGZ6lBq9Pj0
Sermon: Today we are continuing the first chapter of Colossians. Here we are learning as those who lived in Colossae learned, through the memories of Paul as he wrote in the letter all that he had learned through Jesus Christ our risen Savior. Let’s begin where we left off last week.
Colossians 1:16 KJV – For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
NIV – For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
As these Jewish Christians wandered in the world of the Gentiles, they had to relate everything that Jesus had taught them in ways everyone could at least grasp some form of understanding within. This included giving them a glimpse at the earliest teachings of God’s people, such as the prophet Nehemiah and others.
Nehemiah 9:6 KJV – Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
NIV – You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
Now we’re going to learn about the connection between God and Jesus through the eyes of John the Beloved.
John 1:3 KJV – All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
NIV – Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
This connection is increasingly important to all Christians, young and old, new and knowledgeable in those early days after the resurrection. This is why these gospels get referenced so very often throughout the New Testament. Even the writings of the Hebrew scholars and prophets shares this fact.
Hebrews 1:2-3 KJV – Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
NIV – but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Paul is letting the people of Colossae see the truth of God’s existence through many different sections of the Scriptures because it offers a broader understanding of what true Christianity should be. Judaism at the time was still considered untouchable by Gentiles after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It was a tradition that stretched back thousands of years by that time. It's one reason Jesus worked so hard to break those traditions to share actual godly truth, not hearsay. Jesus, being one portion of the Holy Trinity, is part of a concept that required explanation because none would ever have thought of there being three parts to the whole being that is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. However, each of us has that same concept within our very being. We all have a body, a mind, and a soul. God represents our eternal soul, Jesus and the Holy Spirit represent our spiritual body and mind. Note, I didn’t say physical body. Before all things and by Him all things exist. This is what Paul is sharing with the people of Colossae.
Colossians 1:17 KJV – And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
NIV – He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Of course, we have to remind ourselves of the moment John the Beloved marked as the beginning of everything in his gospel. Added to that, Jesus emphasizes this very fact.
John 1:1 KJV – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
NIV – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 8:58 KJV – Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
NIV – “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Now, to understand what is meant by body, spirit, and soul, we have to get a little more specific. This is exactly what Paul does in this next verse from his letter to Colossae.
Colossians 1:18 KJV – And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
NIV – And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
So, the body of Christ is now in a spiritual sense, as well as a human sense, as the membership of the churches all around this world who worship God and Jesus. Jesus leads the Church, and God recognizes Jesus as the head of the Church, Christians as the body of the Church, and the Holy Spirit as the spiritual soul of the church. We, as citizens and Christians, new, learning, or wise, all are part of the congregation that is infinitely and eternally joined together to glorify the Lord our God and to spread His message through the teaching of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, to further connect everything up, we have to go back to the first King of the Jews, David. Here he is pre-ordaining Jesus Christ as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, our Savior, and Salvation.
Psalm 89:27 KJV – Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
NIV – And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
We also see this added to through the words of Paul to the citizens of Corinth in yet another letter.
1 Corinthians 11:1-3 KJV – Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
NIV – Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Paul is teaching the citizens of Colossae how to spread the knowledge and wisdom of God’s Word to all they meet, not just to those who have only a certain amount of knowledge and understanding, but to everyone. It was important to Jesus, while He lived, and even long after He was ascended into heaven, that the Word not be limited to just the Jews, but to everyone who is, was, or will be willing to listen and hear the eternal and infinite essence of Unconditional Love. We see that here in these next verses of the letter to the church in Colossae.
Colossians 1:19-20 KJV – For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
NIV – For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Again, we are referencing back to the gospel of John the Beloved, as well as Paul’s letters to Rome and Ephesus.
John 1:16 KJV – And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
NIV – Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
Romans 5:1 KJV – Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
NIV – Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 1:5 KJV – Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
NIV – he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Ephesians 2:14 KJV – For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
NIV – For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
Paul shares the connection we have through Jesus by His grace, by adoption through Him, and the path to eternal peace. These are all important to people who need the relief, those who have seen far too much pain, sorrow, despair, all of that and more. We know now in a world filled with dueling pandemics, diseases with slight to no cures, famine, drought, oppression, war, and all the rest of the calamities that this world is experiencing now, back then, and however long it will be into the future. There is so much we still must learn to gain the understanding that Peter, Paul, John the Beloved, James, Jude and the rest have taught us in their word and writings. Let’s continue with these next words from Paul’s letter to the citizens of Colossae.
Colossians 1:21 KJV – And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
NIV – Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
All of us have issues with thoughts that can wipe out all sane considerations. This is one of the things that makes it difficult on occasion to absorb the Word the way it is supposed to be heard, read, and thought about. It is why we have to often go through things over and over again to get the concepts to make sense to us both in basic terms and in well honed acts and actions too. We can’t necessarily put these verses into practice in our own personal lives without working to find how they connect us to God in the first place. This is something everyone has had to struggle with at some point in their lives. This is why Paul was very meticulous as he wrote his letters to the citizens thirsting for knowledge and wisdom. We see that in these verses for the citizens of Corinth and Rome.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 KJV – And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
NIV – All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Romans 5:10 KJV – For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
NIV – For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Now, to complete these thoughts for now, Paul has to connect life and death with resurrection. Nobody, unless they were there to see it themselves, understands exactly what resurrection would be. Seriously, the closest most would manage to understand in this regard is through the lifesaving techniques of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation both manually and via a defibrillator, or a baby’s first breath and cry. Putting on our “new clothes” or the ”new person” as Jesus instructed is what all of us need to understand. It’s not as easy as changing our clothes. It’s not just changing our mind. It’s proving that and keeping that fact going throughout our entire lifetime.
Colossians 1:22 KJV – In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
NIV – But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
It’s a seriously long thought process that Paul is carrying us through. However, we all must be willing to embark upon this very same journey. It’s not just saying “I’m Christian”, it’s BEING Christian, in as many ways as possible. It’s purging those seven troubles of lust, enmity, wrath, envy, vanity, shame, and doubt. That’s not easy to do. It’s loving your neighbor no matter what they believe or do. You don’t have to condone their actions, that’s for Jesus to judge. Be hospitable, be forgiving, be honest, because God is always all of those for us, no matter how incorrigible we might have been at one time or another. Life is too short, way too short, not to believe in faith, in unconditional, eternal, and infinite love. These are the last reminders Paul shares to the citizens of Rome and Ephesus for today.
Romans 7:4 KJV – Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
NIV – So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Ephesians 1:4 KJV – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
NIV – For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love
We are His Chosen People, and we have been such since before we became living, breathing, human beings in this world. We can spread His love in all possible ways, and our lives will then prove that His existence has meaning even in this world filled with seven troubles and all the emotions that come with them. 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: Walking By Faith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBl6hw0Z9c8
~ 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.
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