July 13, 2025 Sermon Notes

When the Apostle Paul thought of the church in Colossae, his heart was

filled with gratitude. It wasn't their size or status that moved him, but the

beautiful transformation the gospel had worked in their lives. This small

church was a source of joy because it was alive with the three essential

fruits of the gospel: faith, love, and hope.

Their faith wasn't just a belief in history; it was a deep trust in Jesus as their

personal Savior and Lord. This genuine faith produced a powerful love—a

love not for a select few, but for all the saints, offered freely and without

favoritism. This is the kind of love we are called to, a love tested in real

relationships with the people around us.

But what fuels such a sacrificial faith and love? Paul tells us it springs from

hope—the confident expectation of the reward stored up for us in heaven.

This hope is the fuel in our spiritual tank. When life is hard and our love

wears thin, the promise of our eternal home gives us the strength to

endure with patience and joy. Like a small, temporary treasure can give us

patience for temporary annoyances, our eternal treasure in heaven

empowers us to overcome life’s greatest challenges.

This hope causes the gospel to bear fruit in us, making us more like Jesus.

It’s not about numbers, but about spiritual transformation. Paul prayed for

the Colossians, not because they were weak, but because they were strong

and he longed for them to grow even more. He prayed for them to be

filled with spiritual wisdom, to live lives worthy of the Lord, and to be

strengthened with joyful endurance. May this be our prayer as well: that we

would be a church, no matter our size, with a big heart—anchored in faith,

overflowing with love, and powered by an unshakeable hope in heaven.

Level Cross