Life Church Smyrna Wednesday, September 6, 2017 | 7pm
Pastor Christian Salzillo
Part 1: Background & Colossians 1:1-14
Author: Paul & Timothy (as secretary)
Date: Probably around AD 62 (30 years after Pentecost), while Paul
is in Rome under house arrest
Recipient: Christians at a church in Colossae, a church founded by
Epaphras (1:7), who was most likely a convert of Paul’s ministry
Paul begins by establishing two things: his credibility and his
authority.
Q: Why does a 2000 year old letter still have authority and credibility
in our lives to guide our faith and conduct?
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Paul acknowledges the good things he hears:
Their faith in Jesus is strong; they have love for all of God’s people,
and they have hope which is stored up in heaven.
Paul then calls them to return to the “gospel which has come to
you…”
1. The Truthfulness of the Gospel (Vv. 5b-6a)
Paul is calling them back to the true gospel! The gospel they believed
at the beginning. A gospel of power, where Christ is sufficient.
1 John 2:24 NASB 24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard
from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in
you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
2. The Fruitfulness of the Gospel (Vs. 6)
We’re 30 years past Pentecost, and for 30 years the Gospel has
gone from a small group in Jerusalem to Syria, Asia Minor, Greece,
Italy and probably at this point to parts of Egypt, North Africa and
Persia.
Acts 5:34-39 NIV “…if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it
will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these
men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
3. The Transformation of the Gospel (Vs. 6b)
This transforming gospel (which has the power to resolve this
challenge/heresy to the faith), has the following effects:
A. It fills us with the knowledge of his will and understanding
Paul is counting on the fact that this heresy in the church will be
dispelled once these Christians tap into the knowledge of God’s will
and the spiritual understanding that comes from the Spirit.
B. It enables us to live a life that pleases the Lord by:
I. Bearing fruit
II. Growing in knowledge
III. Being strengthened in God’s power which results in patience
and endurance
IV. Giving joyful thanks to the Father for the inheritance we
share
What is this inheritance that we share? What is this truth of the
gospel which has the power to transform the world and our lives?
Colossians 1:13-14 NASB 13 For He rescued us from the domain of
darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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9/6/2017
1
A VERSE BY VERSE STUDY
SEPTEMBER 6, 2017
LIFE CHURCH SMYRNA
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14 NASB
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful
brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you
and peace from God our Father. 3 We give thanks to
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always
for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love which you have for all the saints;
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2
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14 NASB
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which
you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6
which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is
constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been
doing in you also since the day you heard of it and
understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned
it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a
faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also
informed us of your love in the Spirit.
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14 NASB
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have
not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled
with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy
of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in
every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious
might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;
joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us
to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
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3
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14 NASB
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and
transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in
whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
BACKGROUND INFO - COLOSSIANS
Author: Paul & Timothy (as secretary)
Date: Probably around AD 62 (30 years after Pentecost),
while Paul is in Rome under house arrest
Recipient: Christians at a church in Colossae, a church
founded by Epaphras (1:7), who was most likely a
convert of Paul’s ministry
Reason: A challenge or heresy had entered the church
9/6/2017
4
BACKGROUND INFO - COLOSSIANS
Paul begins the letter by establishing two
things: his credibility and his authority.
9/6/2017
5
BACKGROUND INFO - COLOSSIANS
Paul begins the letter by establishing two things:
his credibility and his authority.
Q: Why does a 2000 year old letter still
have authority and credibility in our
lives to guide our faith and conduct?
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
Paul acknowledges the good things he hears:
Their faith in Jesus is strong; they have love for all
of God’s people, and they have hope which is
stored up in heaven.
9/6/2017
6
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
“The gospel which has come to you…”
1. The Truthfulness of the Gospel (Vv. 5b-6a)
1 JOHN 2:24 NASB
As for you, let that abide in you which you heard
from the beginning. If what you heard from the
beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the
Son and in the Father.
9/6/2017
7
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
“The gospel which has come to you…”
1. The Truthfulness of the Gospel (Vv. 5b-6a)
2. The Fruitfulness of the Gospel (Vs. 6)
ACTS 5:34-39 NIV
“…if their purpose or activity is of human origin,
it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be
able to stop these men; you will only find
yourselves fighting against God.”
9/6/2017
8
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
“The gospel which has come to you…”
1. The Truthfulness of the Gospel (Vv. 5b-6a)
2. The Fruitfulness of the Gospel (Vs. 6)
3. The Transformation of the Gospel (Vs. 6b)
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
This gospel has the following effects:
A. It fills us with the knowledge of his will and
understanding
9/6/2017
9
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
This gospel has the following effects:
A. It fills us with the knowledge of his will and
understanding
B. It enables us to live a life that pleases the
Lord by:
WE PLEASE THE LORD BY…
i. Bearing fruit
ii. Growing in knowledge
iii. Being strengthened in God’s power which
results in patience and endurance
iv. Giving joyful thanks to the Father for the
inheritance we share
9/6/2017
10
COLOSSIANS 1:1-14
What is this inheritance that we share? What is
this truth of the gospel which has the power to
transform the world and our lives?
COLOSSIANS 1:13-14 NASB
13 For He rescued us from the domain of
darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of
His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have
redemption, the forgiveness of sins.