June 29, 2025
Nishinasuno Church
Sermon Manuscript
Preacher: Pastor Akiko Sano
Sermon Title: “Prayer That Leads to Glory”
Scripture: Colossians 1:9–12

Today’s Theme: Prayer
This letter was written by Paul to the church in Colossae—but Paul had never actually visited Colossae. The believers there were gathered through the ministry of Epaphras, who had become an evangelist in Ephesus. Colossae was a small town, with its own small congregation. Yet this is not merely a story from two thousand years ago—it is a letter from God to us.

What we have here is an “intercessory prayer” for the Colossian church. It is also the “Word” by which the Lord Jesus intercedes for us before the Father. All of you here at Nishinasuno Church are present in this biblical scene. Together, we open God’s letter. Let us joyfully place our hope in the Lord, and let us pray for one another.

Colossians 1:9
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”

Paul learned of the situation in the Colossian church through a letter from Epaphras—the one who brought the gospel to them (see Colossians 1:8). Paul himself had not passed through Colossae on his missionary journeys; rather, Epaphras, having heard the gospel from Paul, went to Colossae and preached there. When Paul heard that false teachings were infiltrating that young church, he and his companions immediately began to pray. They were confident that their prayers were heard by God.

Paul’s first petition is found in verse 9: that the Colossians would “fully understand God’s will.” When we pray, God reveals Himself to us—this is a gift given to those who hear His Word. The Word is both God’s speech and His will. That we have been given a heart to pray means we have also been given a heart to know His will.

To be “filled with the knowledge of His will” (literally, “to be filled in His will”) means that through prayer—both the one praying and the one prayed for—God’s will saturates our hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, we come to know God Himself.

Again in verse 9, Paul asks for “all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” He prays that the Colossians may, “by the power of the Holy Spirit, gain deep and accurate insight into God’s will.” This was absolutely vital, because their hearts were vulnerable to false teaching—teaching that “boasts in human achievement.” Such teachers would acknowledge Christ’s atonement on the cross, yet say, “That alone cannot satisfy our hearts; we must add human knowledge of God in order to be truly fulfilled.”

When we speak of being “filled,” the world often equates it with mere satisfaction. But to be filled by God—with the Holy Spirit—is something far deeper: it is to receive His peace. We too have prayed for others in distress. Even when circumstances do not change as we’d hoped, we sense that God has heard our prayers, and our hearts find a quiet peace. That is what it means to be “filled by God.”

Human reasoning, however, confines God to the limits of our imagination—and then concludes, “It could not have been God on the cross, and there is no way He rose on the third day.” Human wisdom thus trends toward rejecting God and the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, reveals God’s will, and unites us with Christ.

Colossians 1:10
“So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

To “walk worthy of the Lord” does not mean performing impressive deeds or merely living morally. It means trusting in Christ’s salvation on the cross. When we believe, “The cross was for me,” Jesus comes to dwell in our hearts. Every day we walk with Him, and that life of good works pleases the Lord.

Yet we often reflect and wonder, “I believe, but have I done things that do not please God?” That very awareness leads us back to Him in a prayer of repentance. This cycle of walking with God, slipping, repenting, and bearing more fruit in our faith is exactly what delights Him.

Although the name “Jesus Christ” has not yet appeared in these verses, the foundation is this personal faith: “We belong to Christ.” As Paul addresses “the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ” (Colossians 1:2), so this message goes out to us here—brothers and sisters of Nishinasuno Church united with Christ. When we walk worthy of the Lord and bear fruit, we begin to “know God more deeply,” plunging into the richness of Christ’s salvation. Such knowledge transforms how we live and think, centering us not on ourselves but on Jesus, believing that He lives in and through us.

Colossians 1:11
“Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.”

“The power of God’s glory” means the Lord Jesus Himself. Verse 13 speaks of “the power of darkness,” the sinful world we once inhabited from birth. Jesus’s cross transformed that darkness into light—salvation’s gracious gift. We who believe are upheld and strengthened by God’s glorious power, which manifests as patient endurance in a broken world.

Though Jesus endured mockery, scourging, and piercing to accomplish our salvation, He extends forgiveness even to those who scourged Him. That is divine forbearance—yet we often struggle to show even a fraction of that patience and mercy. Still, despite our failings, Jesus’s patience and mercy embrace us and welcome us into glory.

Colossians 1:12
“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

The Colossians—and we—already dwell in the Kingdom of Light, heirs of God’s kingdom just like those who have gone before us. Though false teachings sway them and conflicting information shakes us, we remain placed in the grace and blessings of Christ’s atoning work. By grace we are heirs of God’s kingdom, directly united to our Savior Jesus.

Prayer turns our hearts toward gratitude and praise. Where does prayer lead us? What do we ask for? Let us seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that we may receive the wisdom to know these answers and keep our spiritual eyes open. Prayer is an act of praising and thanking God—let us engrave this in our hearts and pray.

Prayer

O Father of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ,
We give thanks for Your Word.
Grant that we may always turn our hearts toward the Lord Jesus in prayer.
As we continue our journey of faith, keeping prayer and the testimony of the Lord in our hearts, please guide us.
We deeply thank You for enabling us to offer today’s worship and for the abundance of Your grace.
We offer this prayer in the name of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.