Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: There's an Elephant in the room

Paul is writing to the Colossians because there is an “elephant in the room.”

There is something going on--- something which Paul, Timothy, Epaphras, and the Colossians are all well aware of.

You wouldn't know it from reading this introduction, but it is nonetheless there.

But before we can dive into the substance of Paul's letter and find out just what the Issue and conflict facing the church is, we need to first examine the broader context in which it was written.

The book of Colossians is usually referred to as one of Paul's “prison letters”-(meaning we think Paul wrote it from prison-- probably in Rome).

So sometime in the AD 60’S-- Paul and Timothy are writing to the church in the relatively small town of Colossae.

One thing that makes this letter so unique is the fact that we have no evidence that Paul ever met the believers in Colossae.

Rather, we see in v.7-8 that a man named Epaphras was a minister in Colossae and told Paul all about this church, and reported on its current state.

Clearly there's a lot of really good stuff happening at the Church in Colossae!

They are responding to the good news of Jesus, growing in faith and love for one another, and doing all the things that faithful followers of Christ should be doing (1:8, 2:5)......

But there is an elephant in the room….there is a very serious issue looming on the horizon, creeping its way into the community.

It probably hasn't fully embedded itself within the church yet, so there is still time to address this issue before it goes any further.

This letter serves as a warning to stay vigilant, be prepared, and fight back against the false teaching that so many find appealing.

Scholars call this false teaching “the Colossian Heresy.”

It has such an ominous name-- and the truth is we don't know exactly what it is.

But we do know that at its core, when you boiled it down and looked at the root of this false philosophy, it taught that faith in Christ alone was not enough.

While Believing in Jesus was a good start---It was lacking something… it was what we will call “Christ & Theology”-- meaning that they accepted an idea of Christ, but they wanted something else.

They felt as though they needed to add something to make their faith complete:

Secret knowledge /wisdom

Religious practices/ ceremonies/ laws= legalism

Philosophies

Mystical experiences/ The occult/ magic

Syncretism: the blending of- Jewish/ Pagan/ folk religion/ magic/ & Christianity

So this is the underlying context of Paul's letter to the Colossians.

This is Elephant in the Room.

While the first 8 verses we are studying do not directly address this looming heresy.

The temptation of blending our culture and faith--- It nonetheless serves as the reason for and purpose of this letter---

As you and I know--Clearly, there was an issue with how many in this community understood who Jesus was.

The Jesus you and I worship is certainly Not Lacking!

So to counteract this false knowledge of Christ, Paul prescribes a full knowledge of Christ.

And that is why the book of Colossians gives us one of the fullest, most profound, beautiful, glorious pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ and his all sufficient saving grace…..

*** So with all that being said, let's look at the text this morning, and ask the Lord to open our eyes and hearts to the message he has for us today.***

Introduction 1:1-2

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father

This is about as straightforward of an introduction as we could imagine.

Paul and his co-worker Timothy are writing to the “saints” at Colossae, “the holy and faithful” Followers of Christ (v.2).

Here Paul identifies himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”

Apostle: “special messenger”--- This title carries great weight-- it conveys the idea of mission, special authority, and responsibility.---

And we know that Paul is not a special messenger of political ideology/ or philosophy/ or pure religion-- But of Jesus Christ and his good news!

“By the will of God” --Paul reminds the Colossians that he has been designated by God, commissioned by God, Sent by God himself-- to speak and act with special authority.

As such his words carry weight.

The Colossians can trust what he has to say.

Next we see in v.2 a very important clarification of Paul's audience:

This verse may be translated as “To the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae.”

There are 2 “Spheres”-- 2 states of being-- that are being communicated here:

First off, they are “In Colossae”-- they are from Colossae, living, breathing, and existing in the city.

Just as we are living in Lorena, or Hewitt, or Waco Texas.

While they are “in Colossae”-- working, going to school, owning property, doing business, raising their family,--they also are “in Christ.”

This phrase “in Christ” is of the utmost importance.

Their status “in Christ'' is their primary sphere of existence.

Our status “in Christ” must not be overlooked.

As Paul says in the book of Philipians “Our citizenship is in heaven” not of this world (3.20).

Later in Colossians chapter 3, he says that since we have been raised with Christ, we must “set our hearts and minds on things above”-- not on the things of the earth--- “For we have died, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1-3).

And as Jesus reminds us over and over again in the Gospels, his kingdom is not of this world.

(Jn 18:36), We as Christians-- those of us “in Christ”, are members of this Kingdom.

Therefore, if you remember the elephant in the room, -- the temptation of Syncretism/ blending faith in Christ with their culture--- Our status in Christ is a reason to reject this very idea!

They must not find their identity in where we live/ their culture/ or even the ways of this world.

“In Christ” is much more important than “in Colossae.”--

Christ's kingdom is greater than the earthly kingdoms.--not

limited to a city like Colossae.

Furthermore, in v.2, Paul practices what he preaches.--

The Gospel message-- He calls the Colossians “Faithful Brothers and Sisters in Christ.”

It is nothing short of miraculous that Paul, a devout Jew for all his life, calls a group of gentiles he has never met “brothers and sisters In Christ” (notice that sphere!).

As we are well aware, the Jewish people kept themselves separate from the gentiles.

They were very proud of their “otherness” -- the way they were “set apart.”

Yet Paul completely rejects any notion of superiority and prejudice--- and dramatically demonstrates the power of the Gospel.

The power of Primarily residing “In Christ.”

This is an example of the uniting, peace-bringing power of the gospel.

This is just one consequence and result of the good news-- peace among mankind.

Strangers, those once alienated, estranged, and hostile to one another now United in Christ.

In peace.

The rest of our text today, continues in this spirit of demonstrating the wonderful power of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Thanksgiving (v.3-5)

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you.

Looking now to v.3 we move from Paul's Greeting to Paul's Gratitude.----But

there is more to this gratitude than meets the eye.

Remember, Paul is writing this letter from Prison.

We typically find portraits of Paul, “sitting peacefully at a desk by candlelight, quill in his hand, with a thoughtful look on his face.”

Instead imagine Paul chained and shackled, malnourished, beaten and bruised by Roman guards- maybe even other prisoners.

Perhaps he is under house arrest, uncertain of his fate, or perhaps he is laying on the ground of a cold, dark, prison.

From here, Paul writes his letter to the Colossians-- and lets them know just how thankful he is….

Not how sad/ depressed/ discouraged/ or regretful-- but thankful!

There are many reasons Paul thanks God from the confines of prison.

But at the top of his list is the wonderful life transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ, evident in the lives of God's holy people.

Notice how this thankfulness manifests itself through his constant prayer life.

Do you and I have this same attitude of thankfulness?

If we say we do-- are we proving our thankfulness by the way we pray?

He says, “I always thank God for you-- the holy/ Faithful Saints in Colossae, because of the way you have received and believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Indeed, he is grateful because he has received word of the way in which they have become living proof of the good news.

The proof-- the evidence of the gospel is in the way the Colossians live.

Characterized and identified by the 3 Christian virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Cor 13:13).

He has heard of their “faith”= even under the threat of false teachers, the Colossians have anchored their faith in the Lord.

What's more: Not only have they responded to the Gospel, and placed their faith in Christ, but Paul and Timothy give thanks because this Church is known for their love.

Their “love for all God’s people.”

You see, “empty” faith produces at best nothing, and at worst “bad fruit.”

(selfishness, jealousy, anxiety, hate).

But True faith, rooted and anchored in the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ alone, produces Love!

But wait: there's more!