Sunday School Lesson November 15, 2020
Subject: Committed to Pray
The Point: Commit to pray for the salvation and spiritual growth of others.
The Passage: Colossians 1:3-12
Study The Bible: Colossians 1:3-6a
1). Pray with thanksgiving for other believers.
- We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
- for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all saints
- because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth, the gospel
6a. that has come to you.
Lasting truths from Colossians 1:3-6a
- We should regularly pray with thanksgiving for other believers.
- God’s love for us should motivate us to love others.
- A Christian’s ultimate hope is reserved in heaven.
2). Pray for those who minister and spread the gospel.
Colossians 1:6b-8
6b. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace.
- You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
- and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.
Lasting truths from Colossians 1:6b-8
- God desires the gospel to bear fruit in our lives.
- Each church needs to do its part to help the gospel grow all over the world.
- We need to pray regularly and fervently for our church leaders.
3). Pray for the spiritual growth of believers.
Colossians 1:9-12
- For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
- so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God,
- being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience joyfully
- giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
Lasting truths from Colossians 1:9-12
- We should pray for believers to walk worthy of the believers we know.
- We should pray for believers to walk worthy of the Lord in every respect.
- The knowledge of God will strengthen us in our relationship with him and in our resolve to do His will.
- We should give thanks to our heavenly Father, who has prepared a great inheritance for us.
Live It Out
As you reflect on this session, respond to the following questions.
- What steps can you take to strengthen your commitment to pray for others? Make a list of people and pray for them.
- What does it mean to “walk worthy of the Lord?” (Col. 1:10)? How would you paraphrase Paul’s words?
- Heaven is our home (Col. 1:5). How do we live our lives most effectively in light of this truth?
- Identify people who have been influential in your faith. Thank God for them and send an encouraging note.
Closing Prayer:
“Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died on the cross to forgive me of my sins and rose from the dead to give me new life. I’m sorry for all the wrong I’ve done and ask You to forgive me. I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank You for Your love, forgiveness, and a new life in Jesus Christ. From this day forward, I choose to follow You, In Jesus’ name, Amen”