The Inheritance

*** Letter: Letters then as now are easily identified

Colossians 1:1–2 NRSV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Argues against a kind of gnosticism denying the deity of Christ

Wants to deepen the faith of the readers, leading them to maturity

Provides an update for the Christians at Colossae on Paul’s condition

*** NS. So Paul writes, regarding Jesus Christ:

Colossians 1:15–16 NRSV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.

Colossians 2:9 NRSV

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

*** NS. Regarding spiritual maturity, Paul writes (with emphasis on presenting everyone mature)

Colossians 1:28 NRSV

It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

*** NS. Receive and grow, what the next passage focuses on

Colossians 2:6–7 NRSV

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

***NS, Finally the letter reminds the Colossians how Paul and the apostles suffer for the message

Colossians 4:2–6 NRSV

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

Faith, hope, and love

Colossians 1:4–6 (NRSV)

[W]e have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,

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

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.

*** Image: Praise

*** NS. To live with faith, hope, and love as foundational virtues, qualities of life is to live as well-grounded Christians

Prayers for Colossae

Colossians 1:9–10 NRSV

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, 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.

A purpose clause: X so that Y

“Filled with the knowledge of God will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” SO THAT “you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, and you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”

Lives worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him

Fruitful in every good work

Growing in the knowledge of God

Strength and Identity

Colossians 1:11–12 NRSV

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 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

The Inheritance

God’s people have an inheritance, a portion, a share in God’s resources and intentions for the world.

***NS, this is followed by a reminder of the Kingdom we inhabit

Colossians 1:13–14 NRSV

He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

A kingdom

Redemption, the forgiveness of sins

Who would you be if...

You lived by the strength of Jesus and in faith, hope, and love?

If you knew you had an inheritance, a share in God’s future, resources, love?

If you knew the one who loves you stands prepared to forgive you, that you might live in joyful, powerful witness to the goodness of God?