Jesus Brings: Purpose and Meaning
Talk 3 of 10 in the series ‘Jesus Brings…‘ at St Andrew’s Cathedral.
Sermon Outline
Ecclesiastes
This book surprises many modern readers for they do not expect to see modern existentialist angst presented in the Bible. Ecclesiastes takes the gloves off and deals with understanding the world – life under the sun – without God. It is not atheistic, in that it acknowledges his presence. It is more agnostic – God has put eternity in our hearts but not in such a way as we can discover him or his plans (3:11). Using only human wisdom the great king seeks for the meaning he can see exists in the world but cannot discover by simple reasoning.
Colossians
Colossae was a town in modern day Turkey. During his extended ministry in Ephesus Paul’s colleague Epaphras, himself a Colossian, took the gospel to the town and planted the church there. Paul’s letter to the Colossians encourages them to so understand the gospel that they will continue as Christians without the distraction of other religions, practices or philosophies.
…asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work
and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Colossians 1:9-10
- The World Brings
- meaningless amorality
- ignorance of our intuition
- Jesus Brought
- the kingdom of God
- witness to the truth
- Jesus Bought
- forgiveness
- reconciliation
- Jesus Brings
- knowledge, wisdom, understanding
- pleasing and fruitful life
- holy and blameless outcome
