Colossians: On Old Stumps and Stubborn Mules

Paul is telling the Colossians that Christians are to be grounded and steadfast to the end... no matter what... never quit! How do we get so deeply rooted?

Colossians 1:9-23,2:6-7
John 10:25-30
Romans 8:30,8:38-39
Philippians 1:6
Ephesians 1:13-14
Philippians 2:12-13
Matthew 10:22
Luke 8:13
1 John 2:19
1 Timothy 4:16
Luke 6:48
1 Corinthians 15:58

For faith is not like mere opinion, which is shaken by various movements, but has a firm steadfastness, able to withstand all the machinations of the hell. John Calvin The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• What are the questions raised when the warning passages are read?
• What are some of the answers?
• What is Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, and how do these realities fit into this discussion?
• What do old stumps and stubborn mules have to do with Colossians 1:23?
• How do we get this deep, persevering faith?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Luke: Like a Stubborn Mule

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Luke 11:5-10,18:1-8
James 1:2-4,5:10-11
Romans 5:3-4,8:25
Mark 13:13
2 Thessalonians 1:4
Hebrews 10:35-36,12:1

We know how uncommon and difficult a virtue is persistence in prayer; and in this our unbelief betrays itself, for unless our first requests are answered, we at once give up hope and also the practice of prayer.

In the parable Christ introduces a widow who gets what she wants from an unfair and cruel judge because she did not stop asking. The point of it is that God does not help His people immediately because in a sense He wants them to tire themselves out with praying.

How then shall the prayers of believers be unfruitful if only they persist in them? Therefore if we are weakened by boredom, if when we have done a little we give up, or if our fervor in prayer languishes because God seems to have deaf ears, let us still be convinced that success will be assured even if it is not yet seen. And in this confidence let us so wrestle against our impatience that a longer delay does not break our perseverance in prayer. John Calvin

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA