Year 2, Day 216: Colossians 1

Background For Colossians

As we turn to the book of Colossians for a few days, it is important to understand a bit of the theological history between Paul and the people of Colossae.  The church in Colossae was not founded by Paul.  In fact, in Colossians 2:1 we have Paul’s confession that he has never seen the Colossians face to face.  It is likely a church founded by Epaphras, of whom we hear in Colossians 1:7.  Epaphras is most likely a disciple of Paul’s who heard him preach and teach in nearby Ephesus.  Thus, although we don’t absolutely know this for sure, Colossae is likely a church founded by a disciple of Paul’s, making Paul the “grandfather” of the church – if you can allow the analogy.

Prayer For Strangers

The reason that this is important is because of where Paul begins this letter to the Colossians.  Paul prays for the Colossians – a people he’s never met!  Paul yearns for their continued faith.  Their place in the kingdom of God genuinely matters to him.  This goes to show us that you don’t have to know someone to genuinely care about them.  You don’t even have to have met them face-to-face.  Genuine Christian love is a spiritual thing, and being spiritual means that it can form over any means because it is the Holy Spirit that forms it within us.

Furthermore, although Paul has not met them, Paul still also desires to teach them.  Paul wants them to be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding.  He wants them to bear good fruit in both deed and knowledge of God.  He desires that they be strengthened by God so that their testimony can be powerful and patient in the Lord.  He wants to make sure that they understand that all of this is possible only because it is God who has brought us forth out of the darkness of sin and placed us into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

It All Begins With Jesus

Paul then begins to speak about Jesus Himself.  What better place to begin than in Christ? 

Paul tells us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.  In other words, Jesus is the flesh and blood that humans beings need to have.  We have difficulty staying faithful to things we cannot see.  This is true about all of us.  We may or may not obey the speed limit on the highway until we see a physical representation of the law in a police officer – then suddenly we all become perfect drivers.  Kids might watch whatever they can on the television until the parent comes home or into the room – then suddenly the television switches to what the child knows the parent will approve.  So it is with Christ.  We have difficulty knowing God’s love and His desires, so He sent us Christ so that we might see Him quite literally in the flesh.

Paul then speaks about how Jesus Christ holds everything together.  He was at creation; being God, all things were made through Him.  He is the head of the church – it is He who sets our agenda.  Paul reminds us that He is the firstborn of the dead and those who are in Him can therefore take hope in that we too shall be raised.  Paul reminds the Colossians that through Christ’s obedience on the cross we are reconciled to Him.

I think this last point is a very significant one that we in Christ’s church should not forget.  Sometimes Christians act as though we deserve to be in the church.  Sometimes we take God’s grace for granted.  Sometimes we treat our ability to come and worship him more like a chore than an opportunity.  More than occasionally we treat God’s Word like an unapproachable relic than we do a document that is living and breathing life into us.  As Paul says in this chapter, we are alienated from God by our very nature.

Continue In The Faith

As Paul concludes the paragraph on our alienation from God, Paul gives the Colossians something to really think about.  In verse 23, Paul clearly says that Christians will only be presented as blameless and holy if we continue in the faith.  Once we turn to God, we need to keep turning to God.  We need to not shift away from the Gospel.  We must make sure that we live lives that demonstrate that our whole hope rests in God’s grace, love, and mercy.

Persevere Through Suffering

Paul ends this chapter with a brief discussion on suffering.  Paul is writing this letter from prison (probably in Rome, but possibly in Ephesus).  He has been beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and accused falsely – among other strife.  Why have all of these things happened?  Quite simply, they happen so that others might know the love of God.  The focus of the Christian is not on the self.  The focus of the Christian is doing whatever it takes to be obedient to God.  The focus of the Christian is to take God’s Gospel to those who need to hear it and who are willing to hear it.

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