Drew Boswell

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“Jesus is Lord” Colossians 2:6-15

“The Supreme Life”

A Sermon Series in Colossians

“Jesus is Lord”

Colossians 2:6-15

Introduction

The Ghost Army was a United States Army tactical deception unit during World War II officially known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. The 1,100-man unit was given a unique mission: to deceive Hitler’s forces and mislead them as to the size and location of Allied forces, while giving the actual units elsewhere time to maneuver. Activated on January 20, 1944, the Ghost Army arrived in Europe in May shortly before D-Day and returned to the US at the end of the war in July 1945. During their tenure, the Ghost Army carried out more than 20 deception campaigns, putting on a “traveling road show” using inflatable tanks, sound trucks, fake radio transmissions, scripts and pretense. Their story was kept a secret for more than 50 years after the war, until it was declassified in 1996.[1]

The mission of this unit was to use deception to convince the enemy that they were larger in number than they actually were, that they were more powerful than they actually were, and to pull resources away from the real fight and true targets. Today we will see that the enemy we face is a defeated foe, who when compared to Christ is inferior – but the Christian’s enemy wants you to return to slavery and be deceived that Jesus just isn’t enough – don’t be fooled.

 Prayer

How Does the Christian “Walk in Him?” (vv. 6-7)

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

“as you received Christ Jesus the Lord,”[2] – Paul is emphasizing that they have received a person, and the danger is that what the church believed about Jesus’ deity and His personhood would be corrupted. There should be “the recognition of this historical person Jesus, and the acceptance of Him as Lord.”[3]

“Christ Jesus the Lord,” – this is a fundamental Christian belief. “He (Paul) has developed this idea earlier in the letter, it is a more succinct way of saying Jesus “the image of the invisible God,” “the firstborn over all creation,” (1:15), “the head of the body, the church” (1:18), “the mystery of God” (2:2;1:27), and the repository of “all wisdom and knowledge” (2:3).

It is this central confession, with all its varied and far-reaching implication, to which the Colossians need to return to in order to ward off the threat of false teaching.”[4]

How can we live (walk in) a life that properly places Jesus as the Lord of our lives? Paul gives four ways, “The first two, 1) “rooted” and 2) “built up” are closely related. Rooted is a horticultural metaphor, growing down, once and for all; built up is a construction metaphor for placing one thing upon another and is ongoing, hour-to-hour.

Both rooted and built up are “in him,” You can only live a life pleasing to God when you are attached, like a branch to a vine, and when you allow Jesus (as Lord) to place you like a stone into His plan. Being used amongst other stones in a structure. By being rooted and being built up, the believer will be 3) established in faith. It is an ongoing process of being established.

“Just as you were taught,” Paul is again reinforcing Epaphras’ teaching to them as their pastor. Which then leads to 4) thanksgiving. In Col. 1:24 Paul has already said, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings,” “True gratitude for God’s grace is an important “offensive” measure against the false teaching.”[5]

How Does the Christian Avoid Being “Taken Captive?” (vv. 8-15)

Cling to the Word of God – It Is Complete (v. 8)

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

 In Colossians 1:13 Paul explains that, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” There was a domain of darkness that held us as slaves, but because of Jesus we have been set free. Paul is asking why would you want to go back to being a slave? Why would you want to be a slave all over again?

 He warns the church to watch out so that no “one takes you captive” – Earlier in 2:4 Paul warns the church “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.” Another way of saying this is hollow or deceptive philosophy. This is the danger, and now Paul gives the means, the how, they could be carried off by this deceptive teaching.

 The philosophy that Paul and Epaphras are fighting against is “according to” or based on two things, 1) human tradition. Jesus fought a similar fight with the Jewish religious leaders, Mark 7:8-13 “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God) 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” The philosophy is human speculation and not connected to God’s Word. It is an uncoupling of the Word of God and the Thoughts of Man. “They substitute the tradition or men for the truth of God.”[6]

Another way to be carried off as spoil is 2) elemental spirits, “according to the elemental spirits of the world,” – The elements of the universe in which everything in the universe was believed, in Paul’s day, to come from were air, earth, fire, and water.

In the ancient world these elements were often associated with spiritual beings, angels, or gods, and the pagan world had rules about material things and it seems the Christians at Colossae were too preoccupied with rules about the material world and treating them as if they were in control of nature. “They were, in effect, putting them in the place of Christ.”[7]

The false teachers that the church is facing probably aren’t denying Christ’s being central to God’s saving purposes. They seem instead to be arguing that certain practices must be added on in order to achieve true spiritual fulfillment. But when you add to the gospel or God’s Word it actually corrupts it and takes Jesus out of the place where He alone should be supreme over creation and the work of salvation.

An example may be astrology, “the influence of the stars and planets controlling one’s destiny, unless they had the secret knowledge that the false teachers may have claimed necessary to escape their destiny.”[8] What they think is advance spiritual knowledge is actually taking them backwards (toward demonic doctrine, 1 Tim. 4:1).

Cling to Jesus – He is Sufficient (vv. 9-15)

9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses[9] and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

It is in Jesus, and Him alone, that God has decisively and exhaustedly revealed himself. All that we can know about God is found on our relationship with him. It may have been that there were false teachers demanding circumcision or some other act or belief to something – Paul says Jesus has already removed what was necessary (your sin) to have a relationship with God.

Your outward expression of this salvation relationship is your baptism. It is faith in Jesus that saves you, and you express this relationship with Jesus in baptism – Jesus pays the debt that was owed, nailing your sin to the cross.

Throughout these verses you see “in him (Christ)” or “with him (Jesus).” Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” When Adam (as the head of mankind) sinned all of the world who followed were then “in Adam.” He represents all of mankind, and sin was spread from generation to generation.

So when Jesus died on the cross He became a second Adam which represented all of mankind. Sin entered the world through one man, and one man would pay the debt to get rid of it forever. Those who place their faith in Jesus are “in him” and no longer “in Adam.” Romans 5:17 “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

The false teachers believed that all of matter was evil, and therefore Jesus either wasn’t God or wasn’t a real man (only spiritual). And that in between man and God were angels and demons (emanations) and if you worship the angels and learned the secret knowledge you could break through and make it to God.[10] So when Paul says in verse 9, “in him (Jesus) the whole fullness of deity (God) dwells bodily (human man),” Paul is attacking this false teaching.

The false teaching attacked Jesus being God, or they denied Jesus being a man, or they denied that Jesus’ death on the cross was sufficient for salvation – you need to do something like having celebrating holy days, new moon festivals, having to be circumcised, secret or superior knowledge. Works of any kind, lead to a false gospel and they do not lead to salvation.

Remember earlier Paul says, In Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” Believers are described as sharing in Jesus’ victory as the Savior of humanity. Then believers are filled in him (v. 10), we then share in the victory over the rebellious cosmic powers. Believers are included in the Savior’s act of reconciling the cosmos to God (we share the gospel and tell out story of redemption to others).

The Colossians were apart of the group who were formerly alienated and enemies of God, and because of Jesus they ten have peace with God. We share in Christ’s supremacy (in his resurrection and we are heavenly raised with Him).”[11] (v. 15) “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame,” and as the church where Jesus is the head, those that once had us as their slaves and held us captives in sin, have been freed and now stand victorious over the domain of darkness – they stand in shame because they lost. They are inferior to the Preeminent one – Jesus Christ the Lord.

Hebrews 2:14 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” The imagery is of a triumphant Roman general, parading his defeated captives trough the streets of Rome. When Jesus died on the cross and then rose again from the dead, Satan’s authority was stripped, and as an enemy he was defeated.

Don’t Return to the Losing Side.

Romans 8:37-39 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We still wrestle with the forces of evil, and the domain of darkness is still the enemy, but they cannot be victorious because Jesus has already won the war.

 Author Peter Kreeft tells the story of a poor European family who saved for years to buy tickets to sail to America. Once at sea, they carefully rationed the cheese and bread they had brought for the journey. After 3 days, the boy complained to his father, “I hate cheese sandwiches. If I don’t eat anything else before we get to America, I’m going to die.” Giving the boy his last nickel, the father told him to go to the ship’s galley and buy an ice-cream cone. When the boy returned a long time later with a wide smile, his worried dad asked, “Where were you?” “In the galley, eating three ice-cream cones and a steak dinner!” “All that for a nickel?”

“Oh, no, the food is free,” the boy replied. “It comes with the ticket.”

The apostle Paul warned his readers about false teachers who were offering them “bread and cheese” instead of “steak.” They were in danger of forgetting Christ’s sufficiency and relying on their own self-effort (Col 2:8-note, Col 2:20, 21, 22, 23-note). We who have trusted Christ for salvation have been assured not only of safe passage to heaven but also of everything we need to live for Him here and now. Christ has all we need. It comes with the “ticket.”

God freely gives His grace to all

Who on His Word rely,

For they have learned the secret of

His infinite supply.[12]

_______________________

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Army

[2] Ephesians 3:11-12 “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”

[3] J.B. Lightfoot, St Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Lynn, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 1982) 176.

[4] Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eermans Publishing Company, 2008) 179.

[5] Moo, 183.

[6] Lightfoot, 177.

[7] Moo, 192.

[8] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Colossians and Philemon (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishing, 1992) 102.

[9] See sermon on “dead in your trespasses and sin.” https://drewboswell.com/sola-gratia-grace-alone-ephesians-21-10/

[10] MacArthur, 7.

[11] Joshua W. Jipp, The Messianic Theology of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2020) 253.

[12] https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_illustrations_2

“The Christian’s Extension of the Gospel” Colossians 1:24-2:5

“The Supreme Life”

A Sermon Series in Colossians

“The Christian’s Extension of the Gospel”

Colossians 1:24-2:5

Introduction

A pastor named Epaphras was leading a church in Colossae and there was something so troubling to him that was going on in the church that it drove him to travel to Paul in Rome (about 1,000 miles) to seek his help and to have an authoritative address (Paul as an apostle) to the issue.

In the part that we will look at today we begin to get an idea of what the problem was. The ancient society was influenced by Greek philosophy, specifically Plato. Plato believed that in the heavens there was an ideal for everything here on earth. A perfect ideal tree, and what we see here are shadows, copies, reflections of that ideal (so there is variety and differences).

So when Jesus comes along, they try to blend their worldly philosophy with Christianity. There was also the belief that anything of matter was evil. So, if Jesus was God he couldn’t be material, He had to be spiritual. According to them, Jesus was not physically here, He only appeared to be real, but was really a spirit only (in fact they believed that His feet never really touched the ground).

So in chapter 1 we see Jesus as (v. 15) “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Jesus was fully God who became fully man and made the relationship between God and man right again by his dying a cross. What is at stake is the gospel that the church had correctly received from Epaphras being corrupted by the philosophies of the world.

Prayer

The Extension of the Gospel Involves Suffering (vv. 1:24-25)

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Paul is in prison and with a chain on his wrist he writes, “I rejoice in my sufferings,” “Now when I contemplate the lavish wealth of God’s mercy, now when I see all the glory of bearing a part in this magnificent work, my sorrow is turned into joy.”[1]

When Paul says, “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions,” he does not mean that Christ’s crucifixion and death were not enough, be has already made it plain here and in other books that Christ’s death alone is what is needed for salvation (not works, family lineage, following the law, etc.)

2 Corinthians 1:5 “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings,” but instead Paul is an extension of Christ’s ministry, and he is suffering on prison, while he writes this book. “The Church is built up by repeated acts of self-denial in successive individuals and successive generations.”[2] They continue the work that Christ began.

In the ancient world if you were the minister of a pagan religion, it was very common to have a slow revealing of secret information, and special knowledge. Once you get to a higher level, shown your loyalty or dedication, then new information would be revealed, and then the person was to keep these things secret in their closed circle. The Christian mystery is revealed to all, and the information is complete from the beginning.

Paul is a minister and he understands his job is to “make the word of God fully known.” We as believers are to follow Jesus’ and Paul’s example to make the word of God fully known, and because we live in a world hostile to the truth of the gospel it may also involve suffering.

Paul is an extension of Jesus’ ministry and he is in prison, Epaphras is an extension of Jesus’ ministry and he traveled 1000 miles for the sake the health of this church, and the church at Colossae is an extension of Jesus’ ministry – and there is a danger that the word of God may not be fully known, but instead corrupted.

The Extension of the Gospel Includes Everyone (vv. 1:26-27)

26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

“Christ in you,” – “God and his plan for salvation that had remained hidden in the past but that had now been revealed.” When the Jewish leadership of Jesus’ day should crucify him! Crucify Him! And the demons of hell rejoiced as they saw Christ on the cross, they had no idea that this was the plan the entire time for the redemption of humanity. This plan for salvation now includes not just the Jewish people, but the entire world. By faith, anyone could be “in Christ,” and as Paul says here, “Christ in you.” Because Jesus is our head, our representative, and we are his people – we have a hope of glory.

The Extension of the Gospel is Difficult Work (vv. 1:28-29)

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

 It is “Him,” Jesus we proclaim – we don’t proclaim our preferences, our agendas, our wants, our opinions – we proclaim Jesus. With that proclamation are two things 1) warnings (to stimulate repentance), and 2) teachings (to enhance faith). Warnings are what the Bible says about the sin of this world and its affects upon our lives (we warn people of the danger of sin, we don’t placate to it), and we teach what the Bible says and how our lives need to be changed and how we profit from applying to our lives, by doing what it says.

This warning and teaching has to be done “with all wisdom,” Jesus said to “speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15)” What you say matters, and how you say it matters as well. What you say may be true, but if you say it in an unwise manner, it will not be received.

When we use wisdom to properly warn and teach people, they then mature in their faith. Paul says that this is a toil and struggle and it takes all his energy. The proclamation of Jesus and the warning and teaching to others is hard (even for an apostle). And when Paul says, “For this I toil,” is a word picture of an athlete in his training, and then contending.

 It is an exhausting work – that we all share a part. This is the wonder of the church – each using their gifts, talents, life experience, doing their part (as Paul describes a body or feet, hands, etc.) to expand the work of Christ, the gospel. But what makes it exhausting is . . .

People don’t like to be told what they are doing is wrong (unrepentant),

and they believe they know everything (unteachable).

 Paul is in prison for his dealing with one heretical teaching in Ephesus (mixing the law with faith), and now he has received a pastor from Colossae with another false teaching -church work is tiring. There is an “Intellectual exclusiveness taught by the Gnosticizers”[3]  Plato and Aristotle both taught a form of higher philosophy, it relates to those who have transcended the bounds of the material.  The common everyday believers had faith in Christ, but there was a secret mystery of Christ that could be achieved.

The Extension of the Gospel Leads Us to Encourage Others (vv. 2:2-3)

2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul talks about his struggle (continuing the image of an athlete in an arena) and how hard the gospel ministry is (for their church and he mentions another church in Laodicea), and for those believers he has never met and he wants, “their hearts may be encouraged,” – The word used for “encouraged in heart” or “to have hearts encouraged” is therefore a way of referring to an encouragement that touches the deepest part of our being and that affects every aspect of our persons.”[4] The word encourage means to pull someone next to you, beside you – by being next to you they are lifted up.

What should encourage us is not secrets or false promises

but that we are struggling, like Paul, for the continuance of the gospel.

 He also wants his ministry to unite them, to “knit them together,” and the context that surrounds all of this is love. What unites us, and those who proclaim Jesus, is our knowledge and proper understanding of the gospel, and who Jesus is, and what He has done for humanity. We should not be knit together by anything but our love for Jesus and his crucifixion. The church is where we gather to talk about Jesus, to sing about Jesus, to study Jesus’ teachings, — we are knit together by our knowledge and love for Him.

Let me insert here the importance of church membership – when a person joins a church they are saying, “I agree with this church’s beliefs and how they are proclaiming the truth of the gospel, and what they teach about Jesus and His Word. I therefore am going to live out the Christian life in fellowship with these other believers in love.”

A church should not tolerate any teaching or beliefs within its fellowship that teach a corrupted Jesus, or twists the Bible to mean something it does not. But it is also the unity in the expression of the gospel that is a witness to the world, “The late Francis Schaeffer called the unity of the church “the final apologetic” to the watching world.”

(v. 3) “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” – “Christ is the one in whom is to be found all that you need in order to understand spiritual reality and to lead a life pleasing to God.”[5] When you place your faith in Jesus – you get Jesus (you don’t fly, move things with your mind, or project to other places, you don’t get special powers, you don’t learn hand gestures to enter other dimensions, or secret knowledge or spells. You get Jesus in the beginning of your journey, and He is with you all the way to the end – Paul wants us to understand Jesus is enough (He is preeminent). The work of the gospel is the work.

(v. 3) In verse three we see the word apocryphal – this word was applied to esoteric writings, where sectarians claimed a secret authority and they carefully guarded their publications or secret books. Jesus is the revelation of all true wisdom and knowledge.

People want an easy access to spiritual growth.

Your Journey to Find Spiritual Truth and Fulfillment

Begins with Jesus and Ends With Jesus.

 “The basic attack of all false systems throughout history has been to deny either Christ’s deity, His sufficiency to save and sanctify, or both. Any group or person doing so is guilty of teaching “doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). As purveyors of another gospel, they are accursed (Gal. 1:8). Believers need to have a settled conviction about Christ’s deity and sufficiency to be able to withstand the onslaught of such false teaching.”[6]

The Importance of Extending the Correct Gospel (vv. 2:4-5)

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

(v. 4) “delude you with plausible arguments,” – Mankind has always asked the question, “Why am I here?” or “Where am I going?” “The word philosophy comes from two Greek words, phileo, “to love” and sophia, “wisdom.” Philosophy is a love and pursuit of wisdom. Since the ancients there have been many who seek to explain the universe.

Any time we seek to explain the universe and leave God out of it our thoughts become dark and we realize we are without hope. Romans 1:21-22 describes it this way, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,”

Paul does not give us the specific danger the church at Colossae faced, but he reminds them of Christ’s role in the universe. He is calling the church to be aware, “to watch out,” to a constant awareness because danger is near. The church constantly faces the danger of false teachers. Jesus warns in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

These false teachers “delude” them. Is a compound word made up of “booty” – captured materials form war, and “to carry off.” It means to kidnap, or to carry off spoils of war. We must be careful not to allow ourselves to become pray of a false teacher who will carry us off as captives of war.

These false teachers carry off church members “with plausible arguments,” – the root of these words means deceit, fraud, or trick.” Whatever the false teaching was that drive this pastor to seek Paul’s help was not what it appeared to be. No matter how religious and profound it may have sounded and appeared to them, it was false and hollow.

In the following verses (that we will get to next time) Paul is going to give two specific examples of these arguments that seem plausible at the outset, but ultimately show themselves to be false and dangerous. But ultimately, we like Adam and Eve, stand at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

God said you can eat from any tree in the garden except this one tress, but look what happens in Genesis 3:6 “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,2 she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Satan promised them hidden knowledge that God was keeping from them. Paul is telling us that we have the full knowledge of wisdom and understanding in Christ – God has held nothing back.

Whenever we, as human beings, take God out of the equation, when we place ourselves as god of the universe, we allow ourselves to be carried off into lies. Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God what was good for them. This is the fall of mankind. When I put myself over God’s Word, then I am doing the same thing and Adam and Eve in the garden.

It’s all about Jesus.

_________________

[1] T.K. Abbott, The International Critical Commentary, The Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians (Edinburgh, Scotland; T&T Clark Publishing) 228.

[2] J. B. Lightfoot, St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Lynn, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 1982) 166.

[3] Lightfoot, 170.

[4] Douglas Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008) 165.

[5] Moo, 169.

[6] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Colossians and Philemon (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishing, 1992) 90.

“Christ is Supreme” Colossians 1:1-23

“The Supreme Life”

A Sermon Series in Colossians

“Christ is Supreme”

Colossians 1:1-23

Introduction

In the opening verses of the book we discover several things. It is Paul, identifying himself as an apostle (a person of authority) is writing to a new church in Colossae, and he has not met them. The church was established by Epaphras that Paul calls “a fellow servant,” and “a faithful minister of Christ.” And we see as we get into the text that Epaphras is concerned about something in the life of the church; there is a problem. So he traveled from Colossae to Rome (where Paul is in prison) to seek Paul’s help on the issue. In response Paul (as an apostle) responds with this letter.

In these opening verses we see a love for a church – the pastor who established the church (named Epaphras) and an apostle (Paul) who is seeking to help this pastor keep the church healthy. Both show love for this young church. Do you love your church (every Christian should be apart of one), and are you loyal to one congregation?

Prayer

Paul’s Greeting of and Thanksgiving for the Colossians (Col. 1:1–8)[1]

Paul Greets the Colossian Church (Col. 1:1–2)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Paul Thanks God for the Colossians’ Faith and Love (Col. 1:3–8)

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith[2] in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up[3] for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing — as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Paul often begins his letters to churches by saying that he is thankful for them, and here he is thankful to God for their faith (which is a gift from God), and how they love other believers – and he mentions their (v. 5) “hope laid up for you in heaven.” Faith and hope are linked together; we believe, and so we hope. But there is also an expectation of heaven, where we forsake this world and what it offers for the promise of eternity and to the hope of heaven.

Hebrews 11:24-27 (the hall of faith), describes Moses’ faith, “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” Because of Moses’ faith in God he rejected the power and the “treasures of Egypt” with the pharaoh’s household, and escaped to the desert. Christians have faith in an eternal future, that requires a rejection of the power and treasures of this world.

(v. 6) “it is bearing fruit and increasing,” – Paul references the gospel like a fruit tree that is growing and it is bearing fruit at the same time. Some plants when they have bloomed and given fruit die off – the gospel keeps on growing and giving fruit. “The knowledge of God is not an end in itself but the means to the growth into the likeness of God.”[4] We grow as we learn and bear fruit.

Paul Prays for the Colossians (Col. 1:9–14)

So That God May Fill the Colossians with Knowledge of His Will (Col. 1:9)

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Paul is praying that this church would know the will of God – and that it would be a full knowledge, complete. There is a problem coming to the church at Colossae, and the church’s ability to fight against it is a full knowledge of God, His complete will. In Christianity there is no hidden knowledge (as in when you get to a higher level, then new information is given to you, no secret handshakes, etc.). “All spiritual wisdom and understanding” is capable for all believers through His Word. If you want to know God’s will, then read His Word – it’s all there.

Ephesians 1:7-10 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” This mystery of his will has been made know, there are no secrets in Christianity.

(v. 7) Paul affirms Epaphras’ teaching of the true gospel by referring to him as “a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,” (v. 5) “in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you,” by Epaphras. He is about to warn them not to allow that truth to become corrupted.

 The Goal of Paul’s Prayer: Lives Fully Pleasing to God (Col. 1:10a)

10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him:[5]

As a result of right understanding, having been given the knowledge of God’s will – to understand His grand design – we then are able to walk in this path, this way of life resulting from our being given “all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” “The end result of all knowledge is conduct.”[6] You read God’s Word, His wisdom is revealed to you, you then act upon what you know to be true. This is what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. Paul’s prayer is for right understanding, which then leads to right behavior.

But there is also this issue that alerted Epaphras and drove him over many miles to ask Paul for help – there seems to be a lacking of understanding God’s will that then leads to walking (or living their lives) in such a way that was not worthy of the Lord, or is not pleasing to Him. Or those teaching something different than the true gospel, was Epaphras’ concern, for what Acts 19:26 calls “fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;”

“Things to be believed (credenda) do matter. But things to be done (agenda) matter also. Paul insists often that we should know the will of God (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 5:10, 17). . . Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” . . .We need precise and correct knowledge, but that will come to little unless we recognize the moral aspect of God’s will in the content of our own lives.”[7]

Attainment of the Goal: Ways to a Life Fully Pleasing to God (Col. 1:10b–12a)

bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father,

 So the Christian is growing in their knowledge of God, which leads to a life characteristic of what Jesus taught – doing the good work of the gospel. Jesus even said that a tree is judged by its’ fruit. Matthew 7:16 “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” Then God supplies them with the strength they need to live this way. How is it that Christian can just keep on walking forward – when everything in their lives seems to falling down around them?

They are “strengthened with all power,” God in His grace gives the believer strength that is connected with the same word for dynamite – explosive power. God gives the believer “all endurance” when they are tempted to quit, “patience” when they grow frustrated with the pains of this life, and “joy” when they are tempted to despair and to be overcome with sadness. When the believer sees and understands how God has given him all these things, it leads them to “giving thanks to the Father.”

Acts 16:23-25 tells of when Paul and Silas were arrested, “And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, . . .” How were Paul and Silas after being beaten, thrown into prison, placed in stocks, able to sing and pray? Paul is speaking of a power that he has personally experienced that is available for all who seek to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.”

Reasons to Live a Life Fully Pleasing to God (Col. 1:12b–14)

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered 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.

Jesus also says that believers, “share in the inheritance of the saints in light,” – Those that place their faith in Jesus, are moved from a domain of darkness to the kingdom of light. Christians share in the inheritance of light. The believer already possesses his inheritance; it awaits you in eternity. And God has given you a guarantee of this inheritance by having the holy Spirit live within you.

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

(v. 13) “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,” – to be apart of a kingdom means there is a king (Jesus), and those who are in His kingdom. Part of our responsibility as citizens of this kingdom is to represent the king, and to live a life that is pleasing to Him. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 Paul encourages believers “to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

This next section seems to originally have been a hymn.

The Christ-Hymn and Its Application to the Colossians (Col. 1:15–23)

The Christ-Hymn: The Son’s Preeminence over all Creation (Col. 1:15–17)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible[8], whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Paul now shifts from being focused on believers, to the Savior and what he is like. First, Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” – “Jesus is the idea of God and the expression of God. So he has interpreted God to men. God is invisible to man, as even Moses learned when he asked to see the glory of God pass by. God dwells in light unapproachable, whom no one has ever seen or can see (1 Tim. 6:16). But we see God in Christ. “He that has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9).” In the face of Jesus Christ has given the light of the knowledge if his glory (2 Cor. 4:6). Jesus is the Shekinah glory of God for those who have eyes to see.”[9] In the person of Jesus the unknowable God becomes knowable.

“the firstborn of all creation,” – this is a reference to rank not chronology. The firstborn in the family was the rightful heir to be the head of the family. Psalm 89:27 is an example of where the coming Messiah is described, “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” These are references to rank and authority.

Paul goes on to say that everything exists was created by Jesus – therefore He must be eternal. He existed as an eternal God before anything was created. Jesus was not born nor was He created; He is eternal. John 1:1-3 says it this ways, “In the beginning was the Word (that’s Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

The Christ-Hymn: The Son’s Preeminence over the New Creation (Col. 1:18–20)

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

 The church are those people who have placed their faith in Christ. Of all those people, the church (that Paul refers to as a body), Jesus is the head. Jesus in the fullness of God, took on human flesh, made peace with God for humanity by dying on the cross, therefore He was given the title “firstborn from the dead,” so that in all things he is preeminent – “Superiority in excellence, power, authority, or status.”[10]

The Creator, who is above all things, died and rose from the dead for the creation, thereby establishing a second new creation (the church), where He also reigns supreme. The only one capable of doing this had to have “the fullness of God” to accomplish it and He was given the title “firstborn from the dead” – to hold the authority to do it.

“Sin has put the universe out of joint. Christ will set it right.”[11]

God the Son (Jesus) made peace with God the Father for humanity, “by the blood of his cross,” – Jesus was a human being, Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, . . .” God the Son, took on human flesh and really died as a real man on a real Roman cross.

The Christ-Hymn Applied: God Has Reconciled the Colossians to Christ (Col. 1:21–23)

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul then reminds the church of how they used to be, “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,” There was a time when you were separated from God because of your defiant decisions and when you considered the things of God, you mind was hostile to what is the gospel and the things of God. There was a previous non-Christian condition that you were in.

Remember the old hymn, “I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me!” Remember when you once were lost and without hope.

(v. 22) But then we see “he has now reconciled” – this is a picture of a sinner as he stands before God as an enemy, but becomes His friend. Reconciliation deals with a relationship, and it refers to the restoring of a right relationship between God and man. How did we go from being God’s enemy, to being his friend?

“his body of flesh by his death” – Jesus as fully God, took on human flesh and became fully man, then this flesh was crucified on the cross, and this act is what reconciled them from their sin. In this gospel they are to be . . .

“stable and steadfast” – in the original language, the picture of sitting in a chair. Stay seated in the truth of the gospel. The Colossian church had heard the gospel from Epaphras, so it is Jesus that saved you, now keep on with Jesus.

Conclusion

Remember putting your face above a headless frame painted to represent a muscle man, a clown, or even a bathing beauty? Many of us have had our pictures taken this way, and the photos are humorous because the head doesn’t fit the body. If we could picture Christ as the head of our local body of believers, would the world laugh at the misfit? Or would they stand in awe of a human body so closely related to a divine head?

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[1] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/course/knowing-bible-colossians-philemon/#week-1-overview

[2] 1 Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

[3] Same word, laid up, is used in Luke 19:20, “Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief;” See also 1 Timothy 6:19; Matthew 6:20; and 1 Pet. 1:4.

[4] Robertson, Paul and the Intellectuals, 35.

[5] See also 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Philippians 1:27; & Ephesians 4:1.

[6] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume IV (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 475.

[7] A.T. Robertson, Paul and the Intellectuals, The Epistle to the Colossians (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1959) 34.

[8] “visible and invisible” – some commentators believe this to be a reference to the Platonic view of an essence or ideal in heaven and the copy on earth. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essence#:~:text=In%20his%20dialogues%20Plato%20suggests,sensible%20things%20are%20%22copies%22.

[9] Robertson, 41.

[10] Geoffrey W. Bromiley, General Editor, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Three (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Eerdmans Publishing, 1986) 951.

[11] Robinson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, 481.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith." Ephesians 2:8

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