Chapter 1 Sedona Writ Large
Chapter 2: Christ in You, the Hope of Glory (1.1-2.5)
Chapter 3: Dead to the Basic Principles of This World (2.6-23)
Chapter 4: Minds on Things Above (3.1-4.1)
Chapter 5: Know How to Answer Everyone (4.2-18)
Background
Paul’s letter to the believers at Colosse was written probably in 60 A.D., when he was in Rome, in prison (actually under house arrest) for the first time. Close textual clues indicate it was written along with Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon. He writes the letter to refute false teaching that has cropped up in Colosse. Unlike Galatians, his approach is gentle, even oblique, as he sets out the truth without a lot of heated arguments.
Opening Prayer
Read Colossians 1.1-2
What is Paul claiming for himself?
Why should he be listened to?
Who is he addressing?
Compare the openings of Paul’s Captivity Epistles:
Ephesians 1.2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1.2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1.2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Why the difference?
Read Colossians 1.3-14
In many of Paul’s opening prayers he touches on the high points of his letter. Think back to what we studied about New Age beliefs. Is there anything that would speak to those issues?
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New Age Emphases |
Opening Concepts in Colossians |
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Special knowledge |
fill you with all knowledge of his will |
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Spiritual guidance |
Word of truth, the gospel that has come to you |
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Personal Transformation |
Brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves |
How is the Colossian congregation connected to Paul’s apostolic circle?
What is the general emotional feeling you got from our look at New Age? Put another way, what is one of the “draws” of the New Age?
Paul mentions the word “love” four times in these 12 verses. What does that show about the Christian church?
The Supremacy of Christ
Read Colossians 1.15
What does Paul mean when he says, “He is the image of the invisible God”?--Two New Testament occurrences of the word, “image” bear investigation.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4.4
And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3.10-11
Why can’t man, by his own powers, know a lot about God?
How can we know about God?
Through whom do we know what God is like?
Two other passages are pertinent. Hebrews starts out this way, showing how much Jesus is superior to the prophets.
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. Hebrews 1.1-3
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus had this interchange with Philip and his disciples.
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. John 14.8-14
Why is it important for God’s revelation to us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God?
This is what gives the words of the Bible power—they are not man’s words, but God’s words! How does even the world, together with the New Age movement, recognize the power that God’s word has?
(Here’s a hint: Having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2 Timothy 3.5)
We’ve got a problem with the ending of verse 15. Jesus is called “the firstborn over all creation.” There was a group of misguided Christians (Arians) who pointed to passages like this to show that Jesus was not fully God—he was not co-eternal with God, because “there was a time when he was not.” What about that? What do you make of the descriptions of Jesus as the “Son of God,” or, as Paul puts it here, “the firstborn”? What does it mean?
Read Colossians 1.16-19
Paul now moves on to the Supremacy of Christ in his works. According to Paul, what did Jesus do in the beginning?
I thought God the Father was the Maker of heaven and earth! How can Paul say that Jesus made everything?
How do Paul’s words all things were created “for him” show Jesus is supreme?
Paul’s words in verse 17 are certainly not to be skipped over lightly. “He is before all things” is easy enough. What does it mean?
Now, what does, “in him all things hold together” mean for how smoothly a Christian’s life is going to go?
Use these scenarios to guide your discussion:
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Dad has spent $6k on daughter’s volleyball lessons, every weekend for the past four years on matches, out-of-town tourneys and practices, and now she is kicked off the team because she was with the family on a vacation during tryouts. |
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President of the altar guild has been told by her doctor she has inoperable and terminal cancer. |
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Aging pastor told he has to step down because of his inability to recover from his recent stroke. |
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Teenager, confirmed three years ago, loses boyfriend because she won’t sleep with him. |
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Strip club operator loses his liquor license because his dancers have been caught soliciting for prostitution. |
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Local Lutheran church member loses his driver’s license for driving while drunk. |
Why is the church compared to a body and why doesn’t Paul go into this a little more? (see Colossians 4.16 and the heading for Ephesians 4.1-16).
What does this say about how we are supposed to use the Bible?
What does this say about other spiritual messengers whose messages may or may not line up with the Bible?
How is Jesus called the “firstborn from the dead?” There were other people who were raised from the dead before Jesus and there were even people like Enoch and Elijah who never died!
What is the insinuation about “fullness” which New Age beliefs make concerning Jesus?
Read Colossians 1.20-23
Paul now turns to Jesus’ supremacy in his work of redemption.
What does it mean to reconcile (v. 20)?
Who was reconciled to whom by Jesus’ death on the cross?
Is that really true? How often haven’t you heard “God was angry at our sins, but now, because of Jesus, God is happy with his children”?
If it says so once in the Bible that should be enough, but consider a few other passages:
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. 2 Corinthians 5.19
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3.19-21
It was there in front of our noses all along!! Look at verse 21. How does that agree with what we have just been saying?
Why are people hostile to God?
Why wouldn’t you expect to see a lot of New Age practitioners being faithful Christians?
What about that comment that “most graft some new age beliefs onto their regular religious affiliation?” Would you?
How are Christians holy, or should we say, “whole”?
How are New Agers holy, or should we say, “whole”?
What is the role of faith in a Christian’s holiness?
Paul says the gospel has been “proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” How does the spread of knowledge and teachings differ between Christianity and some New Age systems of beliefs?
Paul’s Labor for the Church
Read Colossians 1.24-27
How much do you think people expect to suffer as a product of their New Age beliefs? Why?
What is a Christian’s attitude towards suffering?
Is that really the case, looking at how some churches present the Christian message?
What suffering is Paul talking about?
Paul hits a lot of New Age buzz words: fullness, mystery, hidden, disclosed. I always teach the children that the devil never can offer us anything we don’t already have with God. Want excitement, intimacy, love? Seek it in your wife or husband!! See what I mean? Why do you think Paul wants to link these buzz words to Christianity in the minds of the Colossians?
What do they mean?
| Word of God in its fullness | |
| Mystery | |
| Hidden for ages | |
| Disclosed to the saints |
So much of Christianity is “Christ for you,” “Christ to you.” Paul has another aspect of Christianity to put forward to the Colossians—what is it?
Look at the following diagrams and decide which one they emphasize:
Christ in you.
Christ to you
Christ for you
A
B C
Explain your choices.
Go back to Colossians 1.23. What is this hope of glory?
Read Colossians 1.28-29
What New Age buzz words do you see in Paul’s words here?
What is the only way I can be perfect?
Can a New Ager believe he or she is perfect?
How does Paul express "Christ in me" in verse 29?
Read Colossians 2.1-5
By now we are attuned to the buzz words and know what Paul is getting at. I won’t bore you with them any longer. And Paul’s labor is again mentioned, not only for them but for all Christians that we may have the full message of Christ.
What Paul introduces here is a look at the opposition. He says they have “fine sounding arguments.” What does that imply?
Can you point out things in the New Age buffet that could be classified as “fine sounding arguments”?
We have seen from the first lesson that it is improper to use terms like “New Age Movement,” or “New Age Beliefs.” Why?
Looking at how Paul closes this section, can we use terms like “Christian Movement,” or “Christian Beliefs”? Why?
Next week: Dead to the Basic Principles of This World