Colossians Study (1:4-5)
Colossians Study • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Colossians 1:4 KJV 1900Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Co
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Questions
Who wrote the book of Colossians?
Paul & Timothy
Where was Colossians written from?
Prison (possibly in Rome)
Who was the book of Colossians written to?
To the church in Colosse
What is intercessory prayer?
Answer: To pray on behalf of someone else.
Col 1:3-
Context/Passage
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Main Text
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
“Since we heard”
This again reminds us that Paul probably had never seen most of the believers in Colosse in person but had only heard of their faith.
It also seems as if Epaphras was the one bringing the update from the church to Paul and Timothy. (v7-8)
“faith” v4
Faith is of the most necessary element for the fundamentals of Christain doctrine.
Where there is an absense of faith, there is no relationship with Christ.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is the most ne
Where there is an absense of faith, there is no relationship with Christ.
Faith is what brought the people of Colosse to the place in Christ where they could function as a living, moving congregation called “a church.”
Faith is the beginning of the Christian’s journey, so Paul looks first for a sign of faith and as is always true, faith produces other evidences within the lives of believers.
It is to these then that Paul will then refrence as well.
Question
What is faith?
“To be persuaded”
“faith in Jesus Christ” v4
“IN CHRIST” shows the state of the believer’s faith.
Bring It Home
How many times do you hear people say, “I believe in God.”
The problem with that statement is that there are many gods to believe in.
Are you persuaded?
Believing in God is great, but taking our faith to the next level by having our faith IN CHRIST shows that there is no other God.
Believing in God is great, but taking our faith to the next level by having our faith IN CHRIST shows that there is no other God in which we are trying to believe.
It also says that we are persuaded that what Jesus has revealed about God, life circumstances, and even death is true and worthy of our total trust and commitment.
Are you persuaded?
What about when the doctor’s report comes back bad?
What about when your job moves out?
What about when your cabinets are empty?
What about when the stock market goes crazy?
What about when they are talking of cutting your social security or pension?
What about when the electric bill is due?
What about when your child is giving you fits?
What about when that mountain of debt looks like it may never be conquered?
What about when the corona virus hits your city?
ARE YOU PERSUADED IN CHRIST?
Faith is the beginning of the Christian’s journey, so Paul looks first for a sign of faith and as is always true, faith produces other evidences within the lives of believers.
It is to these then that Paul will refrence as well.
“love” v4
Question
What is love?
Godly Love always looks at least two directions.
It looks vertically upward toward pleasing God and showing Him reverence and affection.
It looks horizontal towards the needs of humanity, first toward the believers and those in the faith and then outwardly toward the community and the world.
Bring It Home
Have you ever had trouble loving someone within the church?
Love that looks upward and outward is what seperates the church from being a typical social club.
“Faith in Christ” will cause you to offer “Love to all the saints.”
“all the saints” v4
This means more than just the family, or even the direct Christian brothers and sisters within the church of Colosse.
It means the other Christian communities being established close enough for Colosse to show love to.
This is what is so incredibile about the church, we have no other reason outside of Christ to love one another.
Challenge
Remember the audience!
God doesn’t call those who all have a common interest.
Challenge
Remember the audience! They were Jew and Gentile.
His message has been preached to the
prince & the pulper
soldier & the slave
father & the mother,
brother & the sister
Jew & the Gentile.
The power of being persuaded in Christ is that we all are brought into union with Him and as a result love one another.
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Question
What are the 3 key words found in verses 4-5?
(Faith, Hope & Love)
Paul calls to mind 3 crucial focal points within the Christian’s life.
1 - being persuaded in Christ (faith)
2 - loving the body of Christ (love)
3 - building foundations of hope in our true home, Heaven (hope)
This is to redirect the thoughts of the Colossian Church off of all that was happening AT COLOSSE and back onto what should be taking place IN CHRIST.
“hope” v5
Hope is essential to the life of the Christian because it will produce an upward focus in place of an inward focus.
This will then bring us to a greater spiritual maturity!
It is hope that we have in God that will aid in our growth in God’s word.
I
Question
What is hope?
A Confident Expectation
Hope is the attitude of the heart and mind that relies upon that which is ahead being greater than that which is present or left behind.
Question
Would you even want to have faith and love if you had no hope?
If this world was the end, you wouldn’t bother living for anyone other than yourself.
“which is LAID UP for you IN HEAVEN”
If our hope is IN CHRIST, and Christ is IN HEAVEN then our Hope should be seen as already in the place where we will one day be.
HOPE IN HEAVEN CANNOT BE SHAKEN BY EARTHLY DISASTERS!
“word of truth”
“ye heard before in the word of truth of the gospel”
Challenge
Remember the audience!
Since Paul had not met many of the Colossian believers in person, he wanted to inform them that what they were preached and taught by Epaphras was the TRUTH of the GOSPEL message he himself and the other Apostles were teaching.
Question
What is the Gospel?
Good News — like the runner bringing back the word of victory
Paul also makes a claim by this statement that the Gospel is TRUTH.
There is room for relativism when TRUTH is the measuring stick.
Bring It Home
Are you striving to center your life on TRUTH?
Question
What are the 3 key words found in verses 4-5?
(Faith, Hope & Love)
Paul calls to mind 3 crucial focal points within the Christian’s life.
1 - being persuaded in Christ (faith)
2 - loving the body of Christ (love)
3 - building foundations of hope in our true home, Heaven (hope)
This is to redirect the thoughts of the Colossian Church off of all that was happening AT COLOSSE and back onto what should be taking place IN CHRIST.
Faith, Hope & Love are so related in the Christian doctrine that you would be better off seeing them as a threefold cord.
Bring It Home
What are you struggling with right now in your faith?
Who are you struggling to love in this season of your life?
Is the enemy attempting to shatter your heavenly hope by beating you down with earthly pressure?
Keep the faith, continue to love, and hold faith!