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People in the Kingdom of Light

People in the Kingdom of Light. Colossians 1:1-14. PAUL’S EPISTLES FROM PRISON. Acts 28:16-31. Paul’s (first) Roman imprisonment. Colossians 4:3,18 Letters: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians. The Church in Colossae.

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People in the Kingdom of Light

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  1. People in the Kingdom of Light Colossians 1:1-14

  2. PAUL’S EPISTLES FROM PRISON • Acts 28:16-31. Paul’s (first) Roman imprisonment. • Colossians 4:3,18 • Letters: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians

  3. The Church in Colossae • Lycus Valley: 200 km inland from Ephesus, in Province of Asia (Western Turkey) • Paul not personally known to them (Col 2:1) • Founder of the church: Epaphras (Col 1:7), who still cared for them, though in Rome with Paul (Col 4:12) • Churches of the area: Laodicea, Hierapolis (Col 4:13)

  4. Reason for the letter • Word taken from Epaphras to Paul • Some ‘correction’ required. • Not an ‘angry’ letter, like Galatians. • Issues: Was Christ enough? (compare Galations, ‘Was faith enough?’

  5. I. The GreetingCol 1:1-2 • The writer(s): Paul (and Timothy) • The recipients: saints (TNIV: God’s holy people) and ‘faithful brothers’ (brothers and sisters) in Christ, in Colossae • Possibly a circular letter (Col 4:16) • The ‘set’ greeting: Grace and peace

  6. II. Thanksgiving and PrayerCol 1:3-14 • The Structure: two sentences in Greek • First Sentence: vv 3-8. Thanksgiving for the believers • Second sentence: vv 9-20 • Prayer for believers. vv 9-14 • Supremacy of Christ. Vv 15-20

  7. A. The ThanksgivingCol 1:3-8 • THE FOCUS: PEOPLE

  8. I. Qualities of Colossian Believers. Vv 4-5a • FAITH in Christ Jesus • LOVE for all the saints • Rooted in HOPE ‘laid up for you in heaven’

  9. Biblical root of hope: PROMISE/WORD • Romans 4:18 ‘Abraham in hope believed…. • Romans 4:21 ‘…being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.’

  10. 2. It is a WORKING GospelCol 1:5-6b • WHERE has it been working? • Colossae: local, personal • Around the world: universal • WHEN has it been working? • From the day it was heard and understood • HOW has it been working? • By GRACE alone. • In TRUTH • Both are by DIVINE origin and authenticity

  11. 3. It is a PREACHED Gospel: Epaphras the faithful ServantCol 1:7-8 • Paul’s beloved ‘fellow-servant’ (sundoulos) • Christ’s ‘faithful minister’ (diakonos) • He taught Colossians the gospel (v 7) • He told Paul of their ‘love in the Spirit’ (v 8) • The point (in this letter): Epaphras and Paul taught the same Gospel.

  12. B. The PrayerCol. 1:9-14 • Its DURATION (v 9) • It BEGAN when Paul first heard of their faith. • It CONTINUED daily (‘we have not stopped praying for you’). Compare v 3 ‘We ALWAYS thank God’

  13. It’s ContentCol 1:10-14 • A. LIGHT: that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will. • SOURCE of light: ‘all spiritual wisdom and understanding’ • GOAL of light: to live (lit. ‘walk’) a life worthy of the Lord. • Fully pleasing to him. • Bearing fruit in every good work. • Increasing in the knowledge of God.

  14. Content (continued) • B. POWER: that you may be strengthened with all power…. • SOURCE of power: God’s own glorious might • GOAL of power: that you may endure and have patience. • C. JOY: joyfully giving thanks to the Father • Who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. • Who has rescued us from the dominion of darkness • Who has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

  15. CONCLUSIONWhat can we learn? • From PAUL, the writer • His concern for the churches • His concern for the truth of the Gospel. • His unceasing prayers for the churches. • His pastoral help to the churches. • His encouragement to a pure faith

  16. CONCLUSION (continued) • From EPAPHRAS the faithful evangelist • His faithfulness as a ‘fellow-servant’ (co-labourer) • His faithfulness as a ‘minister of Christ’ (servant/ deacon) , to teach the Gospel • His continued care, even after he left Colossae. • His linking of the church with Paul, when he sensed there might be a problem.

  17. CONCLUSION (continued)WE TOO ARE CALLED TO BE: • A people of LIGHT –- filled with the knowledge of God’s will • A people of POWER – strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, SO THAT we might have great endurance and patience. • A people of JOY – giving thanks to the Father.

  18. The DESTINY of the new PEOPLE OF GOD • QUALIFIED to share in the inheritance of his people in the kingdom of light. • RESCUED from the dominion of darkness • BROUGHT INTO the kingdom of the Son he loves.

  19. Paul’s Epistles from Prison • Acts 28:16-31. Paul’s (first) Roman imprisonment. • Colossians 4:2,18 • Letters: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians

  20. The Church in Colossae • Lycus Valley: 200 km. inland from Ephesus, in Province of Asia (Western Turkey). • Paul not personally known to them (Col 2:1) • Founder: Epaphras (Col 1:7), who still cared for them, though in Rome with Paul (Col 4:12) • Churches: Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis (Col 4:13)

  21. Reason for the letter • Word taken from Epaphras to Paul • Some ‘correction’ required • Not an ‘angry’ letter, like Galatians • Issues: Was Christ enough? (compare Galatians, ‘Was faith enough?’)

  22. I. The GreetingCol 1:1-2 • The writer(s): Paul (and Timothy) • The recipients: saints (TNIV: God’s holy people) and ‘faithful brothers’ (brothers and sisters) in Christ, in Colossae. • Possibly a circular letter (see 4:16) • Grace and peace

  23. II. Thanksgiving and PrayerCol 1:3-14 • The Structure: two sentences in Greek • First Sentence: vv 3-8 Thanksgiving for believers • Second Sentence: vv 9-20 • Prayer for believers (vv 9-14) • Supremacy of Christ (vv 15-20)

  24. A. The ThanksgivingCol 1:3-8 • The focus: people

  25. 1. Qualities of Colossian believers. Vv 4-5a • FAITH in Christ Jesus • LOVE for all the saints • Rooted in HOPE ‘laid up for you in heaven’

  26. ROOT of HOPE: PROMISE • Biblical hope: always based on promise/Word of God • Rom 4:18 ‘Abraham in hope believed….’ • Rom 4:21 ‘being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.’

  27. 2. It is a WORKING GospelCol 1:5b-6 • WHERE has it been working? • Colossae: local, personal • Around the world: universal • WHEN has it been working? • From the day it was heard and understood. • HOW has it been working? • By GRACE alone • In TRUTH. • Both are by DIVINE origin and authority.

  28. 3. It is a PREACHED Gospel: Epaphras the faithful ServantCol 1:7-8 • Paul’s beloved ‘fellow-servant’ (sundoulos) • Christ’s ‘faithful minister’ (diakonos) • He taught them the gospel (v 7) • He told Paul of their ‘love in the Spirit’ (v 8) • The point (in this letter): Epaphras and Paul taught the same gospel.

  29. B. The PrayerCol 1:9-14 • It’s DURATION (v 9) • It BEGAN when Paul first heard of their faith. • It CONTINUED daily (we have not stopped praying for you). Compare v 3 ‘We ALWAYS thank God….’

  30. It’s ContentCol 1:10-14 • A. LIGHT: that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will • SOURCE of light: In all spiritual wisdom and understanding • GOAL of light: to live a life worthy of the Lord… • Fully pleasing to him • Bearing fruit in every good work. • Increasing in the knowledge of God

  31. Content (Continued) • B. POWER: that you may be strengthened with all power…. • SOURCE of power: God’s own glorious might • GOAL of power: that you may endure and have patience. • C. JOY: joyfully giving thanks to the Father • Who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. • Who has rescued us from the dominion of darkness • Who has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

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