Scripture Text (NRSV)
Colossians 1:1-14
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother,
1:2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in
Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
1:3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
1:4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love
that you have for all the saints,
1:5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard
of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel
1:6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing
in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from
the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.
1:7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He
is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
1:8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased
praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge
of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
1:10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing
to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the
knowledge of God.
1:11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from
his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with
patience, while joyfully
1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in
the inheritance of the saints in the light.
1:13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,
1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Comments:
Title: "Living on the Relationship Stage"
Three principles of life emerge from the text.
I. (v.4) "Others are talking behind your back" - People are always
observing us. What message are we sending.
II. (v.5) "The focus of your affection determines the quality of your
relationships" - Our relationships are determined by the focus of our
love.
III. (vs.10-12) "The Inside Determines the Outside" - The success of
our exterior relationships is determined by the quality and depth of
our inner spiritual resources.
Submitted by: J. Timothy Mathis, Pastor, First Baptist Church,
Danville, Kentucky, April 13, 2004
Some say Epaphras was the real author of Colossians and the one who
challenged the esoteric faith that developed in the Lycus Valley of
Asia Minor. That he was also the author of Hebrews. Paul's name was
used for recognition purposes.
Shalom
bammamma
The letter to the Colossians was written to warn its readers of
various false teachings. The first part of the letter is an expression
of thanks for the faith, hope, and love that mark this community. It
concludes with a prayer for continued growth in understanding.
Colossians is one of the Prison epistles of Paul. When you think of
that like that, it helps...Like Philippians...These were probably
written in a prison in Ephesus...Because of Proximaty to Churches, not
Rome. When you go back to the orginal greek Bowers lexicon...You was
Paul was such a writer, dramatic style , word placement to draw your
attention, I love the greek word for the Judizers, DOGS, so gritty,
Dogs are unclean phootooey bad...Worse than pigs...Dog eat excriminate...(I
am a hillbilly, so I have heard dogs do this, Eat poop and run
rabbits) MY Daddy had a saying to that effect, he would say beware of
certain people, they'll have you eating poop and running rabbits!
ROTFL...Hillbilly Apostle...
I'll have to go back to my notes from seminary and see if Colossians
is different writing style than Paul's Philippians...to see about
Epapyrus. Timothy 1 and 2 and Titus were written by others...there is
a small polemic fragment is one though...
Luke wrote Luke and the Acts, Luke is a storyteller, drawing you in,
Historical view, that ends with Paul going to Rome. But that story is
incomplete, right...Paul's ministry and beheaded...Do you think
perhaps Luke was planning an Act 2? to Follow His Luke and Acts. Luke
is the prequel, Acts the main, and could there have been a Acts 2?
What happened to Luke, was he martyred? Acts screams sequel!!!!!!!
Just some ramblings...
Clerically, Blonde in West Ohio
There are several kinds of arguments against the authenticity of
Colossians: (1) differences in style from the undoubtedly Pauline
letters, (2) differences in development of theological thought, (3)
the complex character of the erroneous teaching that Paul combats
(could it have developed in Paul's lifetime?), and (4) the close
relation both in style and thought to Ephesians, which is probably the
work of a later Paulinist rather than of Paul himself.
Although none of these arguments taken singly is decisive, taken
together they constitute strong grounds for doubting that Paul himself
wrote Colossians.
People in the pews could care less who wrote Colossians. The question
we always need to deal with a preachers of the Gospel is, "What
practical message does this mean for my life?" It seems to me that
whoever wrote this letter picks on the theme of love. So, don't we
need to be dealing with how we love God and love each other? PH in OH
I recognized that for some of us, in preparing for the preaching on
Sunday, the writer of the Epistle is unnecessary. I hope something is
said during this week that will be useful for them.
For me, however it is relevant. It is part of my ongoing study of
Scriptures, and thus helpful in my preaching. I am concentrating my
preaching right now on the Epistles and will be using them in the next
4 preaching opportunities. I find it fascinating that though Paul's
name was used to send these letters, it is possible to have more than
one person writing the letters, that have become important for the
church and a part of the canon.
I can also understand that there are many persons in the pews who
would not be interested in the Epistle author, but in my own pastoral
experience, I have met many persons who would want to know this
information. In fact as a young child, I was interested in this
information, and I have found that one of my own children is
dissolutioned right now with pastoral care in the church, and the
assumption that all congregants think alike, want the same thing, and
have the same needs. But he says he knows where he can get his
information; from his mom. I plan to continue looking at the
possibilities of the authors.
I also think, as Robert Jewett suggest, that Epaphras, the pastor in
Colossae was concerned about a particular Gnostic understanding
circulating in the Lycos valley area, and was suggesting that
knowledge of the right angels was necessary even for followers of "the
Way." Epaphras wanted them to know that the Gospel was still intact,
and knowledge that Jesus Christ is the only Way.
Shalom
bammamma
With 4 weeks in the lectionary in Colossians, I decided to take this
as an opportunity for a sermon series. It fits the needs of my
congregation well, emphasizing the relevance of Biblical texts. The
series is titled "Real Life". Real Prayer (this week) Real Power Real
Spirituality Real Holiness
I plan to demonstrate similarities between Paul's prayer for the
Colossians and the Lord's prayer, and how Paul's prayer reflects his
maturity in Christ and addresses the church's needs in the "real
world".
During this week I am praying through our church directory and praying
Paul's prayer for each member of our church.
At the end of the service, we will circle and join hands, pray Paul's
prayer for the person on the left, and then the person on the right.
C-MO
C-MO: What a powerful expression of God's love! Thank you for
sharing... May God bless our endeavors this week. pb in ny
Thank you for sharing the prayer circle idea. I too am focussing on
prayer. It seems that Paul (or whoever) is teaching us to pray. I'm
going with how we pray. I'm going to share what prayer techniques have
been important at my different life stages. And then we are going to
have a time of Thanksgiving, just as Paul gives thanks in the letter.
I am going to include an outline in the bulletin for participation. I
spot so the congregation can write their own breath prayer and lines
for giving thanks for: 1. what God is doing in their life 2. What God
is doing in the world 3. What God is doing in the church
I'll probably include ending for praying for their person on their
right or left. Jen in PA
If you have access to this passage in the Message, by Eugene Peterson,
I would encourage you to read it. It's pretty powerful. It's fairly
long though, so unless someone really needs me to type it here, I will
refrain.
Susan in Wa.
Susan in Wa.
Thanks for suggestion to read The Message version.
I really like verse 11, because of the differentiation between
willpower and God-power.
11: We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the
long haul--not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the
glory-strength God gives.
C-MO
C Mo,
Glad you liked it. I think The Message is wonderful!! I would use it
all the time if my congregation could handle it. But they can't. So, I
use it occasionally, or make reference to it as often as possible.
Susan in Wa.
Thesis: Prayer takes its shape from God's action towards us in Jesus
Christ. Introduction:
- Reflect on how we learn to pray. "Now I lay me down to sleep. . .";
"Come Lord Jesus be our Guest. . ."; "Our Father which art in heaven.
. .." We learn to pray as we hear others pray.
- Consider the different ways of praying - extemporaneous/written
prayers and the debate that goes on around such things.
- Paul gives us a model for prayer which gives us a glimpse of his
relationship to the Colossians and of his theological understanding of
what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Good prayer is rooted in a
proper understanding of God.
1. A Good Report (v. 3-8) We have heard of your. . . a) faith b) love
c) hope (which has come through the word of truth). Report has come
from Epaphras. . .
2. A Constant Prayer (v. 9-11) a) To be filled with the knowledge of
God's will. b) To be holy c) To be strong in God's power
3. A Reason for Thankfulness (v. 12-14) a) Our inheritance b) A people
in the light c) Our rescue from the power of darkness c) Our transfer
into the kingdom d) Our redemption/the forgiveness of sins
Conclusion: What report might be made of our faith? What kind of
prayer do we make? Is it for discernment of God's will - a longing for
holiness - for his strength in us? Do we live life exuding joy and
thankfulness because of what God has done for us?
". . .it is noteworthy that the solid fact of what God has done is
always the 'perch' (so to speak) from which Christian prayer takes its
flight and to which it returns" (C. F. D. Moule, "The Cambridge Greek
Testament Commentary," 1957, p. 48).
Sharing my sermon outline in the hope that it might inspire someone
else. Any feedback will be gratefully received. A Canadian in
Scotland.
Since the authorship of this letter - other than Paul whom the letter
claims to be it author - is pure speculation, how about concentrating
on what the letter says. I am asking my congregation to consider the
following questions: 1. How does God's will fit into our lives? 2. Who
was Paul addressing? 3. How does he address them? 4. What's thanks got
to do with it?? 5. Where did their faith and love come from? 6. What
spawned their hope? 7. What doe the gospel do to those who hear it and
believe it? 8. What good news did Epaphras bear? 9. What is Paul"
prayer for the church at Colosse? 10. Why does he pray that? 11. What
does he hope the result of that prayer will be? 12. What has God done
for them? 13. How did He accomplish that? 14. What is the "kingdom of
the Son?' 15. How are we to be redeemed? 16. What does this redemption
get us? These questions guide us to a very close reading of the text
which in turn points to the truth in this letter which is contrasted
with the heresy that it is fighting. It is God who does the redeeming,
the saving, the empowering. It is not our knowledge, our practices,
our religious efforts, our special position, our anything which earns
us a place in the "kingdom of the Son1!" It is the work done in and
through Christ Jesus that set us free.
Since the authorship of this letter - other than Paul whom the letter
claims to be it author - is pure speculation, how about concentrating
on what the letter says. I am asking my congregation to consider the
following questions: 1. How does God's will fit into our lives? 2. Who
was Paul addressing? 3. How does he address them? 4. What's thanks got
to do with it?? 5. Where did their faith and love come from? 6. What
spawned their hope? 7. What doe the gospel do to those who hear it and
believe it? 8. What good news did Epaphras bear? 9. What is Paul"
prayer for the church at Colosse? 10. Why does he pray that? 11. What
does he hope the result of that prayer will be? 12. What has God done
for them? 13. How did He accomplish that? 14. What is the "kingdom of
the Son?' 15. How are we to be redeemed? 16. What does this redemption
get us? These questions guide us to a very close reading of the text
which in turn points to the truth in this letter which is contrasted
with the heresy that it is fighting. It is God who does the redeeming,
the saving, the empowering. It is not our knowledge, our practices,
our religious efforts, our special position, our anything which earns
us a place in the "kingdom of the Son!" It is the work done in and
through Christ Jesus that set us free.
I've been concentrating on the Epistles for the 4 preaching request
I've received. I've found it interesting to do some research on the
Epistles, the 3 being Galatians, Colossians, and Hebrews. I understand
Galatians to be authentic Pauline, Colossians to be Epaphras, and
Hebrews to be Prisca. All of these Epistles were sent to encourage
churches where these Apostles had formed, led. The congregations, were
struggling with new ideas of how to worship.
The leaders were encouraging the worshippers to keep their
concentration on Christ, and not on the distractions.
In Colossians, the distractions seemed to be the worship of Angels,
the keeping of Jewish holy days, and other Gnostic influence.
My basic concentration is on the Centrality of Christ, Even today,
(and even on this site) a concentration on other issues can deter. I
want to look at these deterants as it effects Christians in their
desire to stay true to Christ.
Next week Colossians 1:15, "What does Christ as the Image, mean to
you.
First Sunday in August Colossians 3, "How have you clothe yourself"
Then the 2 Sundays of Hebrews and the faithfulness of those listed in
Chapter 11 (this I haven't developed yet).
I cannot preach about a text, until I reflect on the background of the
time of the text, so I have some idea of how it was originally spoke
to me. Then I ge a sense of how God is using that text in my life
today.
As I respect the thoughts and direction of those of earlier Centuries,
I also respect the guidance of my fellow co-workers in Christ, and
that God has lead them in a different way. May God continue to bless
you in your ministries.
Shalom bammamma
