New Nine Week Series - Paul's Epistle to the Colossians: Living Against the Tide

I hope you will join in Bible study as we read and discuss the book of Colossians. As we study, we want to be especially alert to instruction that informs us as Christians how we are to live in the midst of an crooked and depraved generation (Phl 2:15).

Introduction

Colosse was a market town in Asia Minor - in what is now Turkey. The church in Colosse originated with Epaphras, a Gentile who apparently heard Paul preach the gospel throughout the province of Asia (Acts 19:10). Epaphras believed and returned home, becoming "a faithful minister of Christ" in Colosse (Col 1:7-8) and also in Laodicea and Hierapolis (Col 4:13). (Epaphras is also mentioned in Phm 23.)

At the time of this letter, Epaphras was with Paul, who was under house arrest in Rome (Col 4:12-13). (During this time Paul also wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.) Epaphras had informed Paul of their love and perhaps also of the problems this church was confronting. In response, Paul (along with Timothy) writes with encouragement and instruction.

Week 1 - Colossians 1:1-14

Paul declares himself to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Since the Colossians had not yet met Paul in person (Col 2:1), Paul is establishing his authority.

Paul and Timothy greet the church as holy (set apart) and faithful, calling them saints (those separated from the world and consecrated to God) and brothers. They ask God to bless them with grace (unmerited, undeserved favor) and peace.

Would others think of you as "set apart" - "separated from the world" - "consecrated to God"?

v 3 - We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Here are some tools for living in this world, yet not being of it: prayer, faith, love, hope.

My friend, Beth, recently posed an insightful question: Is it possible that God is allowing our nation to become increasingly wicked and adulterous, more hostile to Christianity, in part because we Christians need to repent? Let's examine ourselves...

• Do you really pray for others? For the president, the governor, our senators; for your church leaders, your family, your friends; for our soldiers, as well as the Iraqis and Afghanis; for the person who was rude to you, for the coworker that seems sour?
• Are you bold in speaking of and demonstrating your faith? What if it might cost you a friend? a job? a lawsuit? (I love the prayer of Jim Elliot: Lord, make us dangerous!)
• Do you really love your brother? Have you looked around at your congregation to see if there is a single mom who could use a night off? A rejected little boy who would love to hang out with you for lunch and a ballgame? An old lady that might like to go out for lunch?

Because we have the hope of heaven, we should be eager to draw nearer to God and to make ourselves of service to others. I could certainly improve in these basics! Let's commit to pray about and work on these three aspects of our walk with the Lord.

Paul said that this hope of heaven is part of the gospel and declared that the gospel was bearing fruit and growing. If you are a believer, you should be growing, too - becoming more fruitful and more productive as you understand more fully the grace of God. The more deeply you recognize just how sinful you are, the more you will appreciate how great is the gift you have received, the more eager you will become to show your gratitude to the LORD in the way you live.

Paul's prayer for the Colossians:

v 9 - ...Asking that you many 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.

His prayer for you would be no different. So how can you participate with God in affirming this prayer?

• Be filled with knowledge of His will - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7); Become a Berean (Acts 17:11)
• In all spiritual wisdom and understanding - Ask God for wisdom (Jam 1:5)
• Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord - Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God (Mic 6:8); Abstain from sexual immorality, love your neighbor, work for your living (I Thes 4:1-12)
• Fully pleasing to Him - Blessed is the man who seeks God with his whole heart (Psa 119:2)
• Bearing fruit in every good work - You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for you to complete (Eph 2:10)
• Increasing in the knowledge of God - Supplement your faith with virtue... knowledge... self-control... steadfastness... godliness... brotherly affection... love. If these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Pet 1:5-11)

v 11 - May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Paul prayed that these Christians would be strong - not on their own power, but with strength from God. We cannot endure or find joyful patience from within our natural selves; we must rely upon God and then thank Him for providing for us here - and thank Him for the amazing inheritance we await: the final deliverance from the consequence we rightly deserve, when we are redeemed, transferred from eternal death into the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ.

(Looking forward to your comments and thoughts on this passage!)