Sunday 02:16:14

Colossians is about the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. It is about the fullness of Christ. It is about how his completeness and fullness. It's also about how Christ's fullness fulfills us. We will see Paul proclaim the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ above all things. He will declare Jesus as The Lord over all creation, the head of the church, the ruler over every power and authority. Because Christ is Lord over all, He is the rightful ruler over our lives. Paul will also describe the sufficiency of Christ, that in him is everything we need. Because Christ is sufficient, he is all we need and we can stop trying to fill up what is missing in our lives. If you have found Jesus Christ, you have found what your life and soul has been missing. These ideas are found together in a key verse: Colossians 2:9-10 Jesus Christ is fully God and he fulfills us. Colossians 1:1-8 introduction, thanksgiving and prayer V. 1 - Paul was an apostle - by God's will, not his own appointment and, therefore, had the authority to write and correct them. He had divine authority, a message greater than any human teaching, and a humility that this was not his own wisdom or authority. Timothy - known to the Colossians. Paul's protege, missionary, pastor. Paul wrote to him as it became clear that he would be killed by the Romans. V. 2 - "holy and faithful" Also "saints and believing brethren" Means "holy" or "set apart" or "dedicated". These are "God's own". Separate from the world, separated to God. "Brothers" points to the fellowship, family atmosphere of the church, and the Father we have in common. We are God's family. "In Christ" very important phrase to Paul. He used it 164 times in his writings. Speaks of our being united with Christ, somehow in the mystery of God, when Christ died, our old, sinful selves died. When Christ arose, we arose to new life. When Christ ascended, we too ascended into glory. when Christ is given his inheritance, we will share it with him. If we could understand all the meaning of this two-word phrase, we would never lack, nor fear, nor seek empty pursuits again. "Grace and peace". Grace denotes the favor of God. Peace in the Scripture is more than absence of conflict. It refers to a wholeness. V. 3 - "we thank God" Thank God for his goodness to you. Paul writes how our attitudes should continually reflect thankfulness to God because he has done so much for us. He is the one thanked, not the believers, because if there is any virtue in the lives of the believes, God did it. V. 4. Paul gives thanks because of the Colossians' faith in Christ Jesus and love for fellow believers. Faith is a dependence on Christ. It is an anchoring in, or resting on Jesus. It is a reliance on Christ. "Love" is the fruit of faith. It is the proof of genuine faith. A sacrificing love for each other. V. 5. "Faith... love... Hope" found together, inter-related. Hope in Christ leads to faith and love. Hope is a glorious reward, like a treasure, stored up in heaven. Knowledge of this hope came from the gospel. The gospel is "truth". Reminiscent of Christ's word's "I am the way, the truth, and the life." V. 6. "All over the world", not that the gospel had been heard all over the world, but that it had taken hold in every society, demographic, religious background that it was preached. It is relevant in every society. The gospel is "bearing fruit and growing" it was spreading and had an impact on the lives of people who believed. V. 7. "You heard it from Epaphras" Paul must not have ever been in Colossae. Epaphras brought the gospel there. He was a native of Colossae. He may have become a Christian when Paul was in nearby Ephesus. He also ministered in Laodicea and Hieropolis. He was imprisoned for the cause of Christ. Epaphras visited Paul in Rome, while Paul was under house arrest there in about A.D. 60. Epaphras told Paul what was going on in Colossae, which prompted this letter. V. 8. "Love in the Spirit" a love for fellow believers, which was an expression of their relationship with the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:9-14 V. 9. Our prayers for others are a test of our dedication to God and our love for others. Paul prays that they be so filled with the knowledge of God's will that they will live in a way that is worthy and pleasing to him. Knowledge should lead to life change. This is not just for options, but obedience. Knowing God's will should cause us to want to live in a way that pleases him. We should not be indifferent to what God's will is, but want to know and follow it. V. 10. We are called to live a worthy life in -fruitfulness (10b), -growth in the knowledge of God (10c), -endurance and patience (11), and -gratitude to God (12). Paul prays for this because this requires our attention and God's power. If this just happened, Paul would not pray for it. This is a struggle for us. It is only possible when we pursue God for it and He empowers us by His Spirit. Knowledge of God and His will - deep comprehension of Who God is, understanding what pleases him. Deep, complete, personal knowledge that is learned through a vibrant, personal relationship with him. Bearing fruit - present tense, meaning continually. Active worship of God, active service for others, active growth as a believer. V. 11. "Strengthened with all power." The power of God at work in us. In Eph., a Paul said this power in us is like the power that brought Jesus back from the dead. This is not by our own effort, but on a dependence on God's strength. Patience and endurance - are passive in our language, but active in Greek, hinting at fortitude or strength. Vv. 12-13. Gratitude - is the final virtue of a worthy life. It is a recognition that whatever is going on in our lives, we have received an abundance from God. However great our troubles, our blessings are always greater. Four reasons to thank God -He qualified us to share a glorious inheritance. -He rescued us from the dominion of darkness. -He brought us into the Kingdom of His Son. -He has redeemed us and forgiven our sin.