Afflictions - Part 2

Okay, we need to put the last four weeks into our mind as we go into Colossians 2:1-7

Christ is the firstborn of all things

It was God’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him

To reconcile things on earth and heaven

To make peace through the cross

To reconcile, make you holy, blameless and without accusation

Therefore, Paul is please to suffer to get this message to everyone

Paul is going to use the term “struggle”

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh, so that their hearts may be encouraged, they having been knit together in love and attaining all the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, leading to the knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:1-3

What is Paul’s struggle:

As we have seen with Paul, the struggle is getting the message out to people

The second half of his struggle is keeping people on message because they are up against competing messages and peoples:

Remember, Paul was sent from Jerusalem to press hard against this new Jewish sect (later called Christians)

That initiative out of Jerusalem did not come to an end

Imagine asking people to believe this new message and they have not met Paul, or possibly any of the other apostles.

KNIT Together…

Which is a difficult thing to do, keeping people together

Let alone in agreement around this new teaching.

MYSTERY is simply Christ…

Why is Christ a mystery?

For the Jewish people, the question remained, how will the gentiles, the nations be integrated into this plan of God

This I say so that no one may deceive you with persuasive speech. For even if I am absent in the flesh, yet in the spirit I am with you, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Colossians 2:4-5

Something seminary teaches you is how much speech in the form of spoken and written has occurred since Christ rose from the dead.

It is not that hard to deceive people these days

Let me give you an idea of how this word breaks down

Prefix is para, same prefix as parallel, something that runs alongside

And honestly, this is all that is required:

I simply put the words of scripture alongside (in parallel) with what I say it means

And like magic…deception is introduced

Use the term in the previous verse…MYSTERY

I can put anything I want alongside that term

And deceive you with something that is not true

SO STAY FIRM!!!

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, having been rooted and being built up in him and being established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

How did they receive it?

They heard and believed it (Col 1:3-7)

Reconciliation, peace through the cross, holy, blameless, without accusation

THUS…STAY ROOTED!

Rooted and established:

Reconciliation, peace through the cross, holy, blameless, without accusation

Remain in the FAITH

Just as you WERE TAUGHT…

(Next week we will see more on this)

And abound in thanksgiving for the above

Afflictions - Part 2