A Family with Purpose – Colossians
A Family with a Purpose
Sermon Manuscript | Together Church | Pastor Brandon & Jerry
May 31, 2026 | Series: Colossians
INTRODUCTION
Jerry
In the first two messages, we’ve locked in the theme of Colossians…
Paul wrote Colossians to show the church that God is creating a new humanity through faith in Jesus Christ… and he wanted them to live like they belong to it.
Brandon
This morning, we’ll continue our practice of examining the text within Paul’s theme. Here’s the main idea…
The new humanity is a family with a new purpose.
Last week, we talked family. This week, we build on that by focusing on God’s family as a family with a purpose.
Jerry
We all want to belong to a tight knit family with a purpose. God hardwired that desire into our DNA.
God knows that! So, when God adopted us as His children and invited us into His family, He gave us a purpose as members of His family.
Brandon
How do we know this?
In verse 2, Paul wrote this letter to the saints that were in Colossae.
Colossians 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
In these verses, God addressed this church, members of the new humanity, as FAMILY and SAINTS.
Jerry
Last week, we saw that the new humanity has been born into a new family… we are the family of God.
- God is our Father (the spiritual leader)
- Jesus our older Brother (our chief example)
- And we are all brothers and sisters in the Family of God
This week, we will see that God has a purpose, a mission, for His family.
And we know this is a family with a purpose because of how Paul addresses them. He doesn’t just call them family; he calls them SAINTS.
Brandon
What does Paul mean when he calls them saints?
Today, when we call someone a saint, we’re typically making some sort of comment about a person’s behavior…
- We might mean it sarcastically, “Well, aren’t you a saint?”
- We might mean it as a complement, “Thank you! You’re a saint.”
We typically use “saint” to describe someone’s behavior.
Jerry
But when the Bible uses the word “saint”, it is less about their behavior and more about their identity and purpose.
A saint is a holy one of God.
Something is holy when it is set apart by God for His purpose.
Brandon
For example…
- In the Old Testament, the priests were called holy because they were set apart to serve God in a unique way.
- The utensils and furniture in the tabernacle were also called holy… not because they behaved morally, but because they belonged to God and were reserved for His purposes.
Jerry
Most importantly, in the Old Testament, the Bible repeatedly calls the people of Israel, those in covenant relationship with God, a “holy” people and “saints” of God.
“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)
“Love the LORD, all you his saints!” (Psalm 31:23)
They are set apart for God’s specific purpose.
They are saints… holy ones of God.
And here’s what’s amazing…
Paul takes that Old Testament title and applies it to followers of Jesus Christ.
Paul calls us God’s saints! Why? Because we are God’s family set apart for His purpose.
Brandon
And what is our purpose?
God wants His family to reproduce until the whole earth is full of His glory!
This has always been God’s plan.
He told Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the earth.
He called Israel to be a blessing to the nations.
Jesus told His disciples to make disciples of all nations.
God has always been filling the earth with people who know Him and glorify Him.
Jerry
Jesus, our older brother and example, gives us this specific command…
Matthew 28:19-20
“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Brandon
You weren’t rescued just to sit safely on the sidelines until heaven.
God brought you into His family because He intends to use you.
You are His saints: His called-out ones to fulfill His mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Jerry
Paul knew that when a church forgets who it is, it eventually forgets what it is supposed to do.
That’s why Paul regularly begins his letters by calling the church “saints” – and why he used the word “saints” to describe the church about 60 times throughout his letters.
Brandon
Together Church, we are the new humanity… saints of God!
We are a family set apart to fulfill the purpose of our Father… to go make disciples to the ends of the earth until the end of the age.
BODY
How can our local church stay on mission together as a family?
Jerry
To stay the course, we must…
- Appoint and follow elders who will set the example and lead us to live committed to God’s purpose.
Every family needs leadership if it is going to stay focused on its mission. In the opening lines of Colossians 1, Paul mentions an important leader, Epaphras, by name. What does the text say?
Brandon
Colossians 1:3-8
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Jerry
Epaphras appears to have been the chief elder in Colossae.
He was from the city of Colossae and was discipled by Paul. Most scholars believe he was likely used by God to plant this church.
Brandon
Epaphras’ example and ministry was well known by the immediate church family in Colossae. When Paul mentioned him by name, they immediately nodded their heads.
- They knew he treated them like the family of God.
- And they knew he was a fellow saint, living on mission.
Jerry
Often, when people in the church think about spiritual leadership, they think first about people who are in charge or making decisions.
It’s true that part of God’s appointment for elders in the church is the establishment of godly men who will provide leadership and make decisions.
But that is secondary. The first task of any spiritual leader is to set the example and lead the church to make disciples of Jesus.
Brandon
That means it is not the job of the elders to make all the disciples! God has called elders to set the example and to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
Jerry
Equipping means leading…
- Everyone to use their gifts and resources fulfill the mission.
- Fathers to lead their wives and children.
- Parents to disciple their children together.
- Every believer to grow as a disciple who makes disciples.
Brandon
Historically, churches drifted from their calling as saints when they appointed and followed spiritual leaders who were not committed to setting the example of making disciples.
Jerry
We avoid drifting when we appoint and follow leaders who will set the example and lead us to make disciples.
And we will avoid drifting as saints when we…
- Unite in prayer for our church family to make disciples.
Listen to Paul’s pray in Colossians 1:9-14.
Brandon
Colossians 1:9-14
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 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; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jerry
When we read this prayer, it is all about this church staying on mission…
- He prays they would know God’s will
- He prays for wisdom and understanding to do God’s will
- He prays for their walk with the Lord, to fully please Him
- He prays for their labor to bear fruit for God
Brandon
- He prays God would strengthen them to do His will
- He prays God would give them endurance to do His will
- He prays God would give them patience and joy as they do His will
- He prays they would be grateful to God for what He has done for them…
And what has God done for them?
There’s that word SAINTS again. God has made them to share in the inheritance of the saints. He has transferred them from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of His beloved Son.
This is a powerful prayer!
Jerry
Paul’s prayer for these saints sounds different than a lot of prayers we tend to pray…
- When he goes to prayer for this church, he’s not praying for their physical condition or the physical condition of their loved ones to improve!
- He’s praying God would supply all they need to live as saints and carry out the mission of Jesus.
We’re not saying we shouldn’t pray for the difficult situations in our lives and in the lives of those we love. We are saying we need more prayers like this.
Brandon
- We need to pray God would empower us to make disciples.
- Embolden us to share His gospel.
- Protect us from mission drift.
- Increase our love for one another as His family.
- Strengthen us as His saints to fulfill His purpose.
Jerry
When we understand that we are a family of saints, we realize we need God’s power to carry out His will… and that drives us to pray.
Churches stay the course as a family of saints when they pray together like Paul prayed in Colossians 1.
Brandon
And we will stay the course as a family of saints when we…
- Cultivate Authentic Community (communities of love)
Mission drifts in isolation.
Saints stay on mission when they live closely enough together to encourage, correct, and disciple one another.
So, twice in the opening eight verses, Paul commends the Colossian church for their love for one another and their love for all the saints.
Jerry
Paul was not a once-a-week disciple-maker who only preached sermons on Sunday mornings. He developed authentic community with others in the body of Christ. Paul knew from the example of the Lord Jesus that disciples grow into their purpose as saints through studying the Word together, sharing life together, and working together to make disciples. That’s what he did with Epaphras.
Brandon
Each local church in every city in the first century church was a collection of small groups meeting in homes where authentic community could be cultivated.
This came naturally to the early church because their primary example was not a church building and weekend experience model like we have in the 21st century… their primary example was Jesus.
Jerry
No church will remain true to its purpose as saints unless it cultivates authentic community for discipleship through small groups.
Brandon
When it comes to our own leadership, we see our role as teaching on Sunday mornings as an outflow of our weekly investment in authentic community through discipleship.
If we had you raise your hands this morning, several of you would say you’ve been in one of our small groups or in a discipleship relationship with one of us, and almost all of you have been in small group with one or more of the elders of our church.
Jerry
Our elders want to be like Epaphras and Paul. We want to lead the way by our example. But the end goal isn’t that everyone would be connected to us. The goal is to reproduce disciples who can make more disciples of Jesus!
Brandon
Being a church in alignment with God is impossible if only a few of us do it. We are a sum of the whole. Each member of this family has a part to play.
Jerry
Look at your life.
Does your behavior reveal you agree with God?
- What do your finances say about your chief priority?
- What about your schedule and what you choose to fill it with?
- How often do you meet to be discipled and to disciple others outside Sunday and small group?
- Could you even honestly say you are devoted to Sunday and group?
Brandon
As you consider these things, let us remind you of God’s grace…
We don’t become saints by making disciples.
We make disciples because we already are saints.
Aren’t you glad?
This isn’t about your works, it’s about the work God has already done for you to make you His child, His saint.
That’s Paul’s main idea, right? Believe you are the new humanity and LIVE LIKE IT!
Jerry
Our church family is blessed to have so many disciples already living like saints of God!
Let me ask you…
Are you one of them?
CONCLUSION / INVITATION
Brandon
Maybe you are.
If working together as a family to fulfill God’s purpose is your chief mission for your life and your biological family, well done.
Can we encourage you… PRESS ON… continue the good fight.
- Follow the example of our elders… and lift them up constantly in prayer and support as they blaze the trail!
- Depend on God in prayer. Pray our hearts would be aligned with the heart of our Father. Pray we reproduce disciples of Jesus.
- Deepen relationships in God’s Family by cultivating authentic community in a small group. Be discipled and make disciples there. Work together to reach the lost.
If you are one of us, you are the backbone of this local church. Let the Lord encourage you today. Let Him revitalize your devotion, renew your sense of calling, and empower you to fulfill your purpose.
Jerry
If this is not you, would you ask yourself why?
- Maybe you’ve never heard this teaching before.
Now that you’ve heard it, what will you do?
We’re not talking about adding something to your life… we’re talking about your reorganizing your entire life as saints…
Your finances rearranged around God’s mission.
Your kids’ activities taking a back seat to this.
Your schedule adjusted to make disciples.
Your faith to see yourself as a saint in the family of God.
Brandon
- Maybe you have heard this before, but you’ve never yielded.
Will you soften your heart before the Lord today?
Resisting surrender is a form of pride. It is placing our priorities for our life ahead of God’s will.
Remember what God has done for you. Remember how He gave His beloved Son so you could be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light. You are not who you are because of your own goodness… you are who you are because He is good.
Will today be your day? Yield your life to live like the saint and child of God that you already are in Christ!
Jerry
- Or maybe the reason you aren’t living like this is because you don’t know Jesus.
If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, you aren’t a saint… you’re a sinner who is separated from God.
If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, you aren’t a child of God… you are estranged from God and in danger of God’s judgement.
And you aren’t in the Kingdom of Jesus, you are still in the kingdom of darkness.
Brandon
If that is you, there’s great hope for you this morning.